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05/27/2007 - 06/02/2007
Good MMO Games Never Die
I still have my Ultima Online Collector's Edition box. I'm serious! Somehow, across three states and over the course of one decade, I've managed to keep that sucker. And the cloth map that came with it. (For future reference: "Cloth map" sounds really cool on the back of the box, but when you get it home, you realize you're holding a printed hanky. That's my advice to you, and it's free.) I'm not sure any collectors would actually want to collect my collector's edition box -- at one point it was clearly stepped on.But I treasure that box because Ultima Online is a gaming landmark. At launch it represented a bold new era in gaming -- a graphical virtual world with a quarter of a million people sharing an online space! These days MMO games are a dime a dozen. It's hard to imagine how it was ten years ago, when UO was a wild and risky experiment in a relatively untested area of game design.
I bring it up because here at FilePlanet we just launched the Ultima Online: Kingdom Reborn Beta Test! It's the same game, but with all-new updated graphics. Feast on these before/after shots:
Yes, Ultima Online is still going strong after ten years. How many games can claim that? Massively multiplayer games are a strange animal. They're social. They're sticky. And if they're good ... they never go away.
I think one of the main reasons that Ultima Online continues to have dedicated fans is that, even by today's standards, it's an ambitious design. Plenty of titles have run with EverQuest's MUD-derived gameplay, but UO's deep player-driven crafting economy and player-housing has not often been duplicated (Star Wars Galaxies comes to mind. Vanguard also marks a recent attempt). Ultima Online is a fundamentally social game -- and that makes it deep. Which means certain players will stick around.
The new graphical overhaul is probably aimed at keeping those long-time Ultima fans happy, but in the process, EA might pick up a few new players or even re-capture soms old fans eager to check it out. I include myself in the latter group -- I'll be tooling around on the servers this weekend visiting my old haunts. I was once a Grandmaster Tinker, you know! (It didn't end well). You can join me during the beta:
Join the Ultima Online: Kingdom Reborn Beta Test!
-Fargo
Today's Geek Stuff:
- Tenchu Z Character Profile Feature -GameSpy
- New Resistance Map Packs Gets a Release Date -GameSpy
- Konami Opens Metal Gear 20th Anniversary Site -IGN
- UK Release Round-up: Lara's Back -IGN
- Third Parties to beat Nintendo on Wii? -IGN
- 2K Sports Scores Rock Royalty for BIGS -IGN
- Perpetual Entertainment Searches for Aspiring Heroes -IGN
- Quake Wars Pushed Back to Late Summer -TeamXbox
- Activision Reports Financials -TeamXbox
- Is This the Final Halo 3 Box Art? -TeamXbox
- Nintendo Announces VC Download Milestone -Next Generation
- Content Security Specialist Sues Sony -Next Generation
- This Week in Japan -Next Generation
- MMO Dev: Genre Suffers from Stagnant Gameplay -GameDaily Biz
- Nintendo Employees Generate $2.5 Million Each -GameDaily Biz
Mod News:
- Half-Life 2 - Awakening 1.1 Released - FilePlanet
- Battlefield 2 - Project Reality v0.605 Beta Released - Planet Battlefield
- Battlefield 2 - Battlegroup Frontlines Update - Mod DB
- Oblivion - Oblivion Mods Update - Planet Elder Scrolls
Hardware Links Courtesy of Voodoo Extreme:
- Boards: Gigabyte 965P-DQ6 Motherboard - Viper Lair
- Boards: XFX 680i LT SLI Motherboard - OCC
- Cases: Gigabyte 3D Aurora Casing - BurnoutPC
- Cooling: Ultra Products ChillTec CPU Cooler - PCApex
- Mice: Cyber Snipa Intelliscope Laser Gaming Mouse - TechPowerUp
- Power Supply: Thermaltake Purepower RX 500W & 600W - Bjorn3D
- Video: Asus GeForce 8800 GTS 320MB - AMDZone
- Video: ASUS GeForce 8800 GTS 320 - Hexus
- Video: Inno3D GeForce 8500 GT and 8600 GT - NVNews
- Windows: Top-10 things that are wrong with GFW - Live - Hushed Casket
Death to Cutscenes!
As long-time readers know, I love studying the different techniques people use for storytelling in games. It's always great to hear from writers in the industry who are trying to push the envelope. I was especially impressed reading this IGN interview with Darkness writer Paul Jenkins. Paul is coming at games from the comics industry, but he's got an integral understanding of what makes a good game tick. And he takes it seriously:"I think it's a shame that a lot of developers don't see what they're doing as creating art and that the games industry, as a whole, doesn't treat its games as art forms." - Paul Jenkins
Do not taunt The Darkness.
In my essay on storytelling I talked about cutscenes as one of the ways developers squeeze a story into an interactive experience, a technique that's popular but has a lot of baggage. Jenkins doesn't like it. "We should also try to get rid of those movie-style cutscenes because they force you to interact differently with a game you've previously been playing," he complains, "turning it into a film, rather than a videogame."
But when The Darkness hits store shelves next month, gamers will see some pretty neat storytelling tricks:
"Of course, there are moments in videogames when you'll be snapped out of the gameplay - like the load screens. I hate load screens because it interrupts your enjoyment of the game. Games should always be either pushing the gameplay or story along and you shouldn't just be staring at a loading bar... It'd be like watching a blank screen while the projectionist changed the reel during a film. So, one of the ideas to overcome the problems of load screens was to have a character delivering a monologue to hide the fact the game was loading a new level..." -Paul JenkinsI've not played The Darkness yet (check out the IGN Preview or this GameSpy Hands-On), but it's one of those rare games that puts a premium on atmosphere. Here you've got a game where, when your character steps back into World War I, soldiers stuck in the trenches will quietly read gloomy poetry if you idle long enough. If the gameplay lives up to that promise, it could be one of those games that has everyone talking.
Download The Darkness Trailers on FilePlanet!
-Fargo
Today's Geek Stuff:
- Austin GDC Keynote Speakers Revealed -GameSpy
- Fighters Hit the Archives -IGN
- Feeling the Heat with Hot Pixel -IGN
- EU Big Brain Academy Opens in July -IGN
- Dungeon Runners Crosses Finish Line -IGN
- Merscom Partners With Yummy Interactive -IGN
- Phantasy Star Universe Special Edition Texter -TeamXbox
- Call of Juarez Hands-on Preview -TeamXbox
- Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer Preview -TeamXbox
- The Next-Gen World Developer List -Next Generation
- Moore to Keynote Casual Connect Seattle 2007 -Next Generation
- Ubisoft Mulling Over Acquisitions -Next Generation
- ESRB Supports Independent Retailers with New Ratings Education Initiative -GameDaily Biz
- CBS Signs World Series of Video Games for Second Year -GameDaily Biz
Mod News:
- Valley Of The Uncanny A.I. - Planet Half-Life
- Half-Life 2 - Deathmatch Giveaway! - Planet Half-Life
- Battlefield - Podcast: Episode 53 - Planet Battlefield
- Oblivion - Oblivion Mods Update - Planet Elder Scrolls
Hardware Links Courtesy of Voodoo Extreme:
- Boards: Jetway 966PDAG-PB mainboard - Guru3D
- Cases: Antec P190 case - XS Reviews
- Cases: Apevia X-QPack2 - Overclockers Online
- Cooling: Arctic Cooling Arctic Fan 9 - ASE Labs
- Cooling: Zalman VF-900 - XS Reviews
- Guides: The Power Saving Guide - THG
- Keyboards: Razor "Reclusa" - PlayReaction
- Memory: Crucial Ballistix Tracer PC2-8500 2GB DDR2 Memory Kit - Big Bruin
- Mice: OCZ Equalizer Laser Gaming Mouse - Hardware Secrets
- Power Supply: CyberPower 810W UPS - Benchmark Reviews
- Power Supply: HEC Cougar 600 W Power Supply - Hard-H20
- Video: ASUS Radeon HD 2900XT - TechSpot
- Video: ATI HD 2900 XT Vista Performance - The Tech Lounge
- Video: BFGTech GeForce 8800 GTS OC2 640 MB - [H]
- Video: MSI Overclocked GeForce 8600 GT - Hardware Secrets
- Video: PNY 8800 GTX Overclocked Graphics Card - I4U
- Video: Zotac GeForce 8800 GTX OC Edition - TechPowerUp
How Long Will the Wii Ride High?
While most videogame analysts and pundits had a favorable view of Nintendo's next-gen console after last year's phenomenal showing at the Electronic Entertainment Expo, I don't think anybody predicted just how successful the system would be. It's a Wii, Wii, Wii, Wii World.So now the big question: Is the Wii a fad that'll peak early and decline before the end of this console generation, or is Nintendo sitting on a product that's got serious longevity? The analysts are split. This LA Times Story runs down the different opinions. Some point out that the graphics for the Wii will look increasingly dated in the coming years and developers push the Xbox 360 and PS3 to the limits; I disagree with that. The fact is, the Wii's graphics already look dated -- but that's not slowing down the system any. It's all about the gameplay.
Still, I think that Nintendo has some work to do to make sure the Wii isn't a flash in the pan. It was brilliant to package Wii Sports in with the system: it's a riot to play, it's a great multiplayer title, and it shows off just what's possible with the controller. Nintendo needs more games like that! It's funny that months after the system's release, Wii Sports is still cited as the big game that people are playing. But Nintendo is rising up to the challenge: in a recent Wall Street Journal interview (Summarized in this Gamasutra Article), Nintendo President Reggie Fils-Aime was grilled about third party Nintendo support and talked about great new games coming out from EA (check out Boogie!) and Activision.
So long as Nintendo ensures a steady flow of fun party-style games, I don't see the Wii as being a fad. But the ball's in their court.
-Fargo
Today's Geek Stuff:
- Star Wars: The Force Unleashed Actor Revealed -GameSpy
- Spider-Man Still Dominates Blockbuster Charts -GameSpy
- Konami Celebrates Metal Gear -IGN
- UK Charts: Mario Fails to Score -IGN
- AU Community Competitions Return -IGN
- Majesco Entertainment Announces Kengo Zero -TeamXbox
- Peter Jackson: Halo 3 May Help Revive Halo Movie -TeamXbox
- Ubisoft Reports Fiscal Year 2006-2007 Results -TeamXbox
- Bungie: Graphical Improvements Coming to Halo 3 -Next Generation
- DFC: Digital Distribution Making Big Gains -Next Generation
- Nintendo DS Wi-Fi Usage Soars to New Heights -Next Generation
- Top 10 PC Games -GameDaily Biz
- An Industry Suffering From Lackluster Management -GameDaily Biz
Mod News:
- Half-Life 2 - Shredded Sails - Planet Half-Life
- Battlefield - BattleGroup-Frontlines Update - Planet Battlefield
- Oblivion - Oblivion Mods Update - Planet Elder Scrolls
Hardware Links Courtesy of Voodoo Extreme:
- Boards: Gigabyte GA-P35T-DQ6 - Anandtech
- Boards: Gigabyte GA-P35-DQ6 - PCStats
- Cooling: Gigabyte 3D Galaxy II CPU Liquid Cooling System - Tweaknews
- Cooling: Zalman CNPS9500 AM2 CPU Cooler - PCApex
- CPU: Intel's 'V8' media creation platform - Tech Report
- CPU: Intel Pentium E2140 - HotHardware
- Guides: High-End Buyers' Guide: May 2007 - Anandtech
- Memory: Crucial Ballistix Tracer PC2-8500 memory kit - Tweaktown
- Power Supply: Mushkin HP-580 AP Power Supply - TechPowerUp
- Video: ASUS Radeon HD 2900XT vs. ASUS GeForce 8800 GTX - LegionHardware
- Video: Sparkle GeForce 8600 GTS 256MB - MVKTech
- Video: XFX 8800 Ultra XXX Edition - Motherboards.org
The Sims: The Movie?
It's true: Fox has bought the rights to a movie based on The Sims. That's right, the PC game. That's right, the open-ended PC game with no fixed characters and no plot.At first blush, the move makes absolutely no sense. It's easy to piece together a scenario where there's some bigwig at the studio, whose job it is to buy the rights to potentially lucrative franchises, doing the numbers. He or she realizes that The Sims has enormous name recognition across a broad demographic, so he/she snaps up the rights "just in case" Fox might be able to work something out. That makes some sense, but still leaves me scratching my head as I try to figure out what you could do with the license.
Rod Humble, who's handling the license from EA's side of things, dropped a hint about what's to come to Variety magazine: "The Sims has done an interactive version of an old story, which is what it's like to have infinite power and how do you deal with it," he says. "Given that that's an old story, you can imagine how easily that would translate to traditional story telling."
So after further reflection, there are a couple of angles that might actually make for an interesting movie. One is taking your average Joe and giving him God-like powers over his fellow man -- sort of like the Adam Sandler remote-control movie "Click." Another take that's true to the source material is a scathing parody of consumer culture. After all, one of the reasons that The Sims came about was when Will Wright's house burned down. Forced to move into a new place, he had to replace everything he lost, a process that made him realize just how much junk you feel like you need to get by every day. I'm not sure how to make that into a movie, but the door is open for a really cutting satire on our Ikea lifestyle.
I can't wait for the scene where Mortimer Goth, played by Antonio Banderas, buys a couch. There won't be a dry eye in the house.
-Fargo
Today's Geek Stuff:
- Riddick Leads Assault on Dark Athena -GameSpy
- Halo 3 Beta Roundtable: Week Two -GameSpy
- Resistance: Fall of Man Map Pack Preview -GameSpy
- Lego Star Wars: The Complete Saga Announced -GameSpy
- Guitar Hero Rocks out Donnington -IGN
- Square Enix Starts New Game Service -IGN
- GC Freestyle Turns Night Into Day -IGN
- Halo 3 Campaign Levels and Achievements Exposed -TeamXbox
- Next Gears of War Title Update Brings New Achievements -TeamXbox
- Fable 2: Dene Carter Interview -TeamXbox
- A FreeStyle Approach to Independent Development -Next Generation
- New Studio from Company of Heroes Head? -Next Generation
- Harrison: Nintendo to Rule Next Gen Life Cycle -Next Generation
- Defeated Illinois Game Law Costs Taxpayers $1 Million -GameDaily Biz
- NCsoft Runs the Dungeons -GameDaily Biz
Mod News:
- Half-Life 2 - Age Of Chivalry Update - Planet Half-Life
- Half-Life 2 - Black Mesa: Source Update - Planet Half-Life
- Battlefield 2142 - First Strike Update - Planet Battlefield
- Battlefield 2 - Allied Intent Xtended Update - Planet Battlefield
- Oblivion - Oblivion Mods Update - Planet Elder Scrolls
Hardware Links Courtesy of Voodoo Extreme:
- Boards: Antec Nine Hundred Gaming Chassis - HotHardware
- Boards: Antec P182 High Performance Enclosure - Virtual-Hideout
- Boards: ASUS P5K Deluxe WiFi - Hexus
- Boards: ECS AMD690GM-M2 AMD 690G Motherboard - PC Stats
- Cases: Lian-Li PC-A08 Classical Series Case - Hardware Logic
- Cases: Lian Li PC-A12 Case - 3DGameMan
- Cases: Lian Li PC-V2100A Plus II - Cooling-Station
- Cases: Sigma Atlantis Case - 3DGameMan
- Cooling: 3RSYSTEM iCEAGE CPU Cooler - ThinkComputers.org
- Cooling: ASUS Arctic Square CPU Cooler - Virtual-Hideout
- Cooling: CoolerMaster Hyper-TX v/s Scythe Infinity - Chile Hardware
- Cooling: Noctua NF-S12 120mm & NF-R8 80mm Silent Case Fans - Tweaknews
- Cooling: Thermaltake TMG SL1 y Antec Spot Cool Cases Fans - Hard-H20
- Cooling: Zalman ZM500-HP - XS Reviews
- Cooling: ZEROtherm BTF90 CPU Cooler - Overclockers Club
- Memory: DDR2-1000 tested: Crucial Ballistix and Super Talent - MadShrimps
- Memory: Mushkin 4GB HP2-6400 (2x2GB) DDR2 Memory - Virtual-Hideout
- Memory: Patrio PC2-8500 - Neoseeker
- Memory: Super Talent T1000UX2G5 DDR2 memory - DV Hardware
- Power Supply: CoolingWell V14 Vortex 800W - Overclockers Online
- Power Supply: OCZ GameXStream 1010W - Hi-Tech Reviews
- Storage: Hitachi 1 Tera-Byte (1,000 GB) Hard Drive - GWN
- Video: EVGA 8800 Ultra Superclocked - XS Reviews
- Video: Jetway X1650XT and Sparkle 7600GT - BurnoutPC
- Video: MSI GeForce 8500 GT - Hardware Secrets
- Video: MSI NX8600GTS-T2D256E HD OC - MadboxPC
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