We have GREAT NEWS !! The Twistex Pixel Games online store is now open for trading.. And look at what you can buy ..
Ohhh how cute !!
You too can own one of these cute n cuddly MAW Plushie dolls. All you have to do is make your way over to the Twisted Pixel Online Store and simply click on the order button and PRESTO .. The MAW will be shipped over to you and you give him a big big hug. (just becareful he doesnt bite your head off, baby MAW’s need to eat too you know)
I can’t get over how cute he looks. I’m gonna get one. And I urge you all to get yourselves one too. At a low price of only $12 USD plus shipping and handling its a STEAL !! Don’t delay buy a MAW TODAY !!
Last night Microsoft hosted the last leg of their Australian Tour for the Xbox Live Insider Tour, which was hosted at Home Nightclub, Darling Harbour Sydney.
Event kicked off at 7pm, food & drinks flowed from the bar all night long and everyone got the chance to play some of the cool games that will be coming out very soon on Xbox 360. Ashley “Jinx” Jenkins ran through the new Xbox 360 dashboard update which consisted of Twitter, Facebook and movies in HD. If you were part of the Xbox 360 preview program you might already have the new dashboard but if you haven’t seen it yet check out my video review of it here.
Microsoft also presented a few videos showcasing titles that will be coming to the Xbox 360 this year and early next. And also a preview of Project Natal. The fans were given a sneak peak at Ubisoft’s masterpiece Splinter Cell Conviction and got to see BAD ASS Sam Fishing in action. DJ Hero was also Demoed to the fans along with Lips.
Fans were also entertained with a catwalk show featuring models dressed up in the latest game inspired clothing, and some dancing and the finale an appearance by the only and only MC HAMMER !! HAMMER, hammered out three of his classic songs ending with “You Can’t Touch This” MC Hammer also spoke a little about the new Xbox features coming soon, such as twitter and facebook. And if you want to follow MC Hammer as he said its a no bainer his twitter account is http://www.twitter.com/McHammer.
I wont blabber on for too much. As I have a 3 videos from the night. First is the Xbox 360 games coming out soon, along with Project Natal, and then Ashley going through some of the new features coming soon to the Xbox 360 dashboard, and then a bit of runway action and dancing. Check it out below :
Well done to Microsoft for organizing this event. Lets hope we get to see and be a part of more of these events in the future. We need more of these events here in Australia. The Xbox Community in Australia is starting to grow more and more everyday.
Check out some of the photos from the night below and the rest HERE
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Let us know what you think, leave a comment here or in the forums.
Sydney XBOX FANS who were able to get tickets (shown below) the XBOX LIVE INSIDER TOUR will be able to experience all the fun and excitement tonight. MasterAbbott will be attending and will report back all the cool stuff, that happens. Rumors that MC HAMMER will be at the event !!!
Updates to this event will be up hopefully tomorrow sometime. Stay tuned, and anyone else going let us know.
Ea has announced that more than 1500 staff will be made redundant by April 2010.
Electronic Arts has announced plans to make more than 1500 staff redundant by April 2010, as well as the cancellation of at least 12 games that are currently in development. At the same time, the publisher has just bought out PlayFish, developer of popular social networking games for around $300 million USD.
EA hopes to save $100 million USD annually as a result of the lay-offs and cancellations, with the redundancies spread across all devisions. 900 developers, 500 publishing staff and 100 corporate suits are set to go, according to reports.
The studios which will be most heavily affected are EA Redwood, Tiburon, Mythic and EA Black Box.
The news follows on from EA’s recently published financial reports, which revealed a net loss of $391 million across the July – September period, an increase of 26 percent compared to the same period in 2008.
“Laying off employees and closing facilities is never pleasant,” said EA Chief John Riccitiello. “We have a lot of compassion for those impacted but these cuts are essential for transforming our company.”
“Electronic Arts has a core slate of games label and sports franchises that we will iterate on a either annual or bi-annual basis. And I think you know what those major titles are – all of them are selling or have sold in their most recent edition 2 million units or more,” he continued.
“After that, we’ve got The Sims and Hasbro, and frankly anything that doesn’t measure up to looking like it can pencil out to be in very high profit contributor and high unit seller got cut from our title slate from this point going forward.“
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Sad to hear, being made redundant is not a nice feeling and to anyone from EA that has been made redundant, Capsule Computers hopes you land on your feet and find something very soon.
Modern Warfare 2 is breaking records left right and centre at the moment .. Ok lets start with this juicy piece of info
The launch of Modern Warfare was absolutely huge, there were people all over the world lining up some for over 8 hours to get themselves a copy of possibly the GAME of THE YEAR , and If you thought that the launch of Modern Warfare 2 was over and the game will die down, think again.
Sources advise that Activision has shipped some 3 MILLION copies of the game into the UK to satisfy the huge level of demand. It’s an unprecedented first-day ship number, and is enough to fully stock the thousands of stores open for midnight launch and beyond. Industry insiders believe that the launch will break all sales records, beating GTAIV’s five day UK record of over 900,000 units sold. It’s expected the remaining 1.5m units will keep the game highly-placed in stores in the run up to Christmas.
ALSO more pieces of information that will prove that Modern Warfare 2 is not JOKE !!
AMAZON.com also reported that Modern Warfare 2 by Infinity Ward was the “biggest selling pre-order video game of all time” it even surpassed total order for WOW’s Wrath of the Lich King.
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Reviews for Modern Warfare 2 have also been very positive. The game currently has a Metacritic score of 96 from approx 40 critic reviews. It still has a fair bit to go (probably another 40 more reviews’ lets hope it gets pushed up 1 or 2 extra % to make it as good as GTA IV)
Capsule Computers (MasterAbbott) had the pleasure to speak to CEO of Twisted Pixed Games Michael Wilford about their smash hit SPLOSION MAN for the Xbox 360. We have a total of 18 questions that Michael was very kind enough to answer. Capsule Computers would like to thank Michael for his time and we hope you enjoy the interview.
Capsule Computers : Thank you for taking the time to answer a few short questions about Twisted Pixel Games and Splosion Man. Your time and answers are greatly appreciated.
Michael Wilford : Anytime! Thanks for the interview.
Capsule Computers Question 1 : When was the Twisted Pixel Games Studio founded ? And what is the history behind the name Twisted Pixel Games ?
Michael Wilford : The company was founded in March of 2006 by Josh Bear, Frank Wilson and myself with the goal of making the best downloadable console games. We chose the name “Twisted Pixel” because it was better than “Metal Guitars” which was our second favorite.
Capsule Computers Question 2 : How many dedicated men and women were involved in creating Splosion Man ?
Michael Wilford : The core Splosion Man team was 8 full time developers, plus a bunch of outsourcing for art, network programming, sound, music, QA, translations, etc.
Capsule Computers Question 3 : What’s were the biggest challenges encountered by the development team in creating Splosion Man ?
Michael Wilford : Honestly, our biggest challenge was just trying to get the game done in time. We had to make 100 levels, 4 player co-op local and online, three big boss battles, free content like themes and avatar accessory awards, and everything else in just 6 months. And we released three DLC packs for The Maw during that time too. So it was a pretty busy time for Twisted Pixel.
Capsule Computers Question 4 : Who’s idea/inspiration was it to create a character as whacky but so lovable as Splosion Man ? And what was the most fun part in this process ?
Michael Wilford : The idea for Splosion Man was a team effort, but I think it was our Lead Designer Sean Riley that initially got the ball rolling on making a game about a 2 hour old lab experiment gone wrong that only wants to have fun and hug people, but they splode into hunks of meats. Everyone kept adding onto the concept until it was pretty insane, but thankfully Microsoft believed in our vision and let us make it. The most fun part was probably once 4 player multiplayer started coming together. Splosion Man was our first multiplayer game, so it was a big worry point for us, but when we first saw it working and could splode around the levels with each other, it was a huge relief to see how fun it could be.
Capsule Computers Question 5 : What was the development process like in creating a game such as Splosion Man ? What sort of research was done in designing the amazing platform puzzles, story lines, characters and bosses .
Michael Wilford : We always do research before starting development on a new game – we play lots of old games for reference, we throw around ideas, bring up cheesy 80’s action movies, etc. Splosion Man drew inspiration from the early Sonic games, and Earthworm Jim for just being so memorable and funny. For the level design, there really wasn’t a lot of time for research. Our amazing level designers just took it upon themselves to do what makes sense for the type of game it is. At times, they had to crank out a level a day, so they had to get things right on the first try. They did an outstanding job.
Capsule Computers Question 6 : How long did it take to develop Splosion Man ? Were there any strict deadlines/Timeframe that needed to be taken to get Splosion Man to the Xbox Live Arcade.
Michael Wilford : We had a self-imposed deadline of 6 months. We wanted to get it done early enough so that if Microsoft wanted to include it in the 2009 Summer of Arcade we’d be ready. When we started development, we had no idea they’d be doing another Summer of Arcade, but it was worth it to us to assume they would be and it worked out.
Capsule Computers Question 7 : What type of game is Splosion Man ? What can players expect when playing this game ?
Michael Wilford : Splosion Man is an action-platformer. We won some Best of E3 awards, including best downloadable title and best platformer. The game was built to be simple to play – all the face buttons do the same thing: splode. And sploding is just like jumping, except you blow up everything around you. You can splode three times in the air before you need to land and recharge. By sploding off of walls you need to traverse each level as fast as you can, earning bonus points for causing as much destruction as possible. It doesn’t take long before you’re tearing through levels pretty quickly with the feeling of those old Sonic games. With 4 players, you actually have to work together by sploding off of each other to propel each other up to platforms and ledges. It’s pretty crazy.
Capsule Computers Question 8 : How complicated is Splosion Man to play ? Can anyone enjoy it, or is it for the more veteran gamer ?
Michael Wilford : We went out of our way to make Splosion Man as accessible as possible. You only need to move the stick and press one of the face buttons to play. You can even earn the “Master of Controls” achievement by going into the controls settings and changing the controller mapping for one of the buttons from “splode” to “splode”. We also put in “Way of the Coward” as a way for players to skip a level that is too challenging for them so that they’re not stuck forever. This way, everyone should be able to get to the end and see the crazy ending that we made for everyone to see.
Capsule Computers Question 9 : Explain to the readers what features are included in Splosion Man multiplayer, how many players can play together and what style of gameplay modes are there available.
Michael Wilford : We have a single player campaign with 50 levels and three boss fights, plus a separate multiplayer campaign with 50 co-op levels and three boss fights. You can play multiplayer locally or online, and it gets pretty intense. Splosion Man is also the first Xbox 360 game to support avatar accessory awards, which we give to players for free, as well as free gamerpics and a premium dashboard theme. Right now Xbox is running an Omaha Sweepsteaks where winners will have Splosion Man send them top cut filets from Omaha Steaks.
Capsule Computers Question 10 : How many levels are associated with both story mode and multiplayer mode ? Are they the same on both modes ? And roughly how many hours of gameplay is in each mode (Story & Multi-player).
Michael Wilford : There are 50 levels for single player and 50 levels for multiplayer. They are separate because the gameplay in multiplayer requires you to work together and splode off of each other. I would say the average first-time player will find roughly 6 hours of single player and 9 hours of multiplayer gameplay.
Capsule Computers Question 11 : What can the players expect from Splosion Man on the Xbox Live Arcade, will there be any Downloadable Content in the future ?
Michael Wilford : The game definitely supports DLC, but we haven’t made any announcements yet.
Capsule Computers Question 12: For the casual and also hardcore gamer playing Splosion man for the first time. What kind of tips can you suggest to players to keep in mind when playing the game.
Michael Wilford : There are a lot of tricks for the hardcore player to learn. For instance, if you’re really good you can walk off a ledge, flick the controller towards the ledge and back again while you press splode so that you are actually sploding off the wall below the ledge, which will propel you much farther than you could otherwise. This trick can be used especially in multiplayer to get significantly faster times.
Capsule Computers Question 13: What the story with Splosion man’s obsession with cake ? Please explain 🙂
Michael Wilford : Since Splosion Man is only a few hours old, he likes celebrating his birthday. So in each level you’ll find a secret birthday cake that you must find. Doesn’t everyone like birthday cake?
Capsule Computers Question 14: Talking Xbox 360 Achievements for Splosion Man, tell us a little bit about how hard are they to obtain ? Can players get an easy 200/200 or will there be a lot of work involved. What do you believe is the easiest and the hardest achievements to unlock.
Michael Wilford : We tried to make it balanced so that some achievements are easy and some are more challenging. Certainly our easiest one is the one you get for breaking your first pane of glass, which nets you a free avatar accessory. Our most challenging one is probably beating the game on Hardcore mode.
Capsule Computers Question 15: Also what can players expect in terms of unlockable rewards from Splosion Man. What must players do to receive the cool stuff locked away in the game ? And once unlocked how do they find and use it ?
Michael Wilford : We have two male avatar awards, two female avatar awards, a premium dashboard theme, and several gamerpics. We make it clear to you when these things are unlocked, and you can install them instantly.
Capsule Computers Question 16:What design/physics engine did you use in developing Splosion Man ?
Michael Wilford : We have our own internal engine and toolset called BEARD+RAZOR.
Capsule Computers Question 17: Twisted Pixel Games have developed a number of successful titles over the years. Which one do you believe has been the most successful and why ?
Michael Wilford : We try to make each game better than the last, and I think that has been reflected in the response we’ve gotten from our games so far. Splosion Man is our last game and it seems to have generated the most response. I think our new game, Comic Jumper, will be even bigger because of how much more we’re putting into it.
Capsule Computers Question 18: What can fans expect in the future from Twisted Pixel Games ? What game(s) are next in development ? Give us a sneak peak .. come on we have Cake 😉
Michael Wilford : Comic Jumper is our next game which we announced at PAX. We’re going to take longer than 6 months with this one, so it’s going to be really amazing. We’ll have more details coming very soon.
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There you have it. Thank you once again to Micahel for taking the time from his busy schedule to sit down and talk to us and share all this great information on Splosion Man and also keep an eye out for Comic Jumper. Check out our article on Comic Jumper here. We might have some more information on Comic Jumper soon. So make sure you check back regularly here at Capsule Computers.
For now Thank you once again to Michael and we hope you all enjoyed the interview. Let us know what you thought of it. All comments are appreciated.
King Arthur is BACK .. and he’s brough a friend along with him this time.
GHOSTS ‘N GOBLINS is back and this its back for the Apple iPHONE !!
Return to the Ghoul Realm as the legendary Arthur or impetuous Lancelot in Ghosts’N GoblinsTM: Gold Knights for the iPhone and iPod touch. Explore six stages of peril as you attempt to recover the missing maidens and learn the secret of the demons’ return. Battle with sword, lance, arrow and axe against swarms of demons, monsters and undead minions in one of the most exciting platformers on iPhone.
Key features
• Brilliant 3D graphics and classic platform action!• For the first time, play as twodifferent heroes each with a unique play style.
• Master six different weapons per character and power up each weapon with magic.
• Destroy treasure chests to uncover weapons and more powerful suits of armor.
• Further customize your Ghosts ‘N Goblins experience with DLC.
Download your copy now via the Apple iTunes Store for a SPECIAL PRICE of only $2.99 .. but only till November the 23rd !!
Capcom’s FLOCK! takes home the 2009 Scottish BAFTA for “Game of the Year” in the first year games have ever been included in the award categories.
FLOCK! producer Robby Zinchakat right accepting the award (with Creative Director Geoff Gunning), which in true Scottish tradition also includes a custom bottle of whiskey.
If you’re one of those award show people, you can watch the entire ceremony here. Congrats to everyone who worked on this, and if you missed it, be sure to check it out on XBLA, PSN, and PC.
10-November-2009 will go down in History as the day that the world stood still…. Well, not really stood still. More like didn’t feel too well, called into work to tell them they won’t be coming in today, then picked up their xbox 360, ps3 controllers, and proceeded to play most certainly the GAME OF THE YEAR for 2009 : Infinity Wards : Call Of Duty : Modern Warfare 2
I think that the world should all stand up and give the fine people over at Infinity Ward a VERY big round of applause and praise and appreciation for all their hard work in getting Modern Warfare 2 out on time and in great shape. I haven’t seen such a well polished and enjoyable game, multiplayer as well as campagne in quite some time.
As we are all quite busy doing what we do best and that is playing Modern Warfare 2. There wont be much updates to the site today. But once I’m done with the single player campagne I will be back to show you what you get in the Prestige Edition of Modern Warfare 2 and also run through some of the finer points of the game hopefully via MasterAbbotts’ video reviews.
So hang tight. Be cool and go play some Modern Warfare 2
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Charlie Tango, Mango, Overlord, Ghost, Over and Out 😉
A couple of weeks ago, we told you about new Resident Evil 5 content coming as a new Japanese version of the game called RE5 Alternative Edition. We asked you guys to tell us how you wanted to get your mitts on the content and gave you the option to vote for either digital download or a new boxed product. We let the poll run for a couple weeks and then snagged a bunch of your comments from the original blog posting as well as from threads in the forums and presented it all to the RE5 team in Osaka. As of this morning, we had close to 1500 people vote for DLC and close to 900 vote for a new physical product. In addition, we had over 300 comments on the blog posting, which is amazing to all of us here at Capcom.
And here’s an example of Capcom Unity in action: based on your feedback, in North American, European and Australia territories, Capcom will be making the new RE5 content for both Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 available as downloadable content. You will not be asked to purchase a new copy of the game just to get at the new stuff, just make sure to hold on to your RE5 disc and you’ll be ready to roll in Spring 2010 when we make available new Resident Evil adventures (and some other things we haven’t told you about yet) for you. Keep that in mind when thinking about selling RE5 back or handing it off to a friend 😉
I’ll be honest: we had a strong feeling going in that most folks were going to be ticking the box for digital delivery. Seeing as how we were asking you ONLINE to tell us if you would like to nab new game content via the internet, we thought we may have been skewing the results a bit. What surprised us, however, was just how many of you ended up voting for a new physical package. We’re still trying to wrap our heads around this strongly stated position from a vocal range of the community, but we’ve definitely heard you guys loud and clear as well.
Thanks to all of you as part of Team Unity in helping us reach this decision!
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Thanks to Chris over at Capcom for this information. In my opinion. I think that Capcom should deliver both the DLC and the Physical product the same way Rockstar released Grand Theft Auto : Episodes From Liberty City. Give the fans both and then you will have two ways of reaching them and two sources of money coming in.
