‘Roblox’ lets indie game devs publish across platforms — in a bubble
Roblox CEO David Baszucki has grand plans for his app’s launch on Xbox One. Roblox is a free game-creating program that already has 6 million monthly players across PC, iOS and Android, and Baszucki expects that number to climb when it hits Xbox One on November 12th. The app allows users to create their own games — action, simulators, shooters, capture the flag, basically anything — and then publish (and make money off of) those creations simultaneously on all Roblox platforms. “An indie game developer, really for the first time ever, is going to be able to create a game that pushes to phone, tablet, computer and console,” Baszucki says. “The exact same game.” This isn’t a simple feat.
Roblox offers a specific kind of multi-platform publishing. Games made and published within the system are hosted in the cloud and streamed to players’ mobile devices, PCs and (soon) Xbox Ones. If a game explodes in popularity and 10,000 people begin playing it concurrently, for example, Roblox automatically shards it so everyone has a smooth experience across all platforms, Baszucki says.
“We’re really trying to make it easy for first-time game developers to get their creations out there, to have a big audience — 6 million monthly people — who can consume and play their games,” Baszucki says. “And now we’re bringing that to console.”
Simultaneous development is a big issue for many developers. It takes extra time, resources and cash to create a game for more than one platform, since mechanics and user interfaces are often specialized for each system. Plus, most major companies — think Apple, Microsoft and Sony — impose unique regulations on every incoming game. It’s difficult enough for studios, especially small ones, to develop for one platform, let alone multiple at once.
Microsoft came under scrutiny for its launch-parity requirements in December 2013, at the height of next-gen mania. Alongside its announcement of the Xbox One, Microsoft had launched its independent-game outreach program, ID@Xbox, which offered developers two dev kits, a Unity license and the ability to self-publish their games on Xbox One. It also asked developers to release their games on Xbox One and other platforms at the same time, a move that drew criticism from many independent studios. Microsoft has since removed the requirement.
Games made in Roblox stay on the system and they can’t be published independently, since Roblox hosts their code. Plus, a game made for mobile devices doesn’t automatically translate to a living-room console environment, and vice versa. But that’s just fine, Baszucki says, since developers are learning valuable game-making skills and they can earn money directly through Roblox.
“They’re not just in Roblox,” he says. “They’re playing with Unity; they’re playing with Java dev stuff; they’re playing with XNA; they’re playing with other stuff. It’s not just like an isolated culture of Roblox-only people.”
Most Roblox developers are between the ages of 15 and 22, and the most successful earn six figures a year from their games, Baszucki says. Hundreds of developers bring in at least $250 a month, which is the threshold for the developer exchange system, or DevEx, that allows users to translate in-game currency to real cash.
When Roblox hits Xbox One in November, it’ll include about 25 games that have been optimized for the console. And Baszucki knows a bit about what makes Xbox One tick.
“We’ve had a relationship with Microsoft for a while,” he says. “It’s bigger than just Xbox — we use Azure for some of our cloud stuff. PC Windows is a very big platform for us as well.”
Oculus Connect 2 virtual reality event will stream live in VR
Tomorrow when the folks at Oculus show off the latest developments in their plan for VR world domination at the Oculus Connect 2 event, a select few will be able to experience remotely just as if they were there. If you have a Samsung Gear VR you can download the Next VR app and get your 360-degree immersion, just like I experienced with the first live stream several months ago. One day we’ll all put on headsets and take a virtual trip to press events like Oculus and OnePlus, but since that’s not universally available yet, we will be there liveblogging all the action. Assuming you have a compatible Samsung phone and one of the plastic Gear VR headsets, the app will be available before the keynote speech starts at 1PM ET tomorrow. (If you’re not VR ready yet, yes there will be an old-school 2D live video broadcast as well.)
Can’t make it to #OC2 this year? Download our app on Gear VR and experience our live VR stream of Connect Keynotes tomorrow beginning10am
— NextVR (@NextVR_app) September 23, 2015
[Image credit: AFP/Getty Images]
Source: Oculus Blog
ILM’s tools could let you direct your own ‘Star Wars’ with an iPad
Whether you’re familiar with the studio’s name or not, you’ve definitely been touched (and likely gobsmacked) by the computer-generated imagery in one of the blockbuster films to get the Industrial Light and Magic treatment. From Jurassic Park (and its sequels) to the upcoming Disney-backed Star Wars films, the Lucasfilm-run powerhouse is one of the more visible and transformative visual effects forces in entertainment. Now, with a suite of virtual production tools, it’s poised to change the way we experience not just film, but storytelling with an iPad and a virtual reality headset.
The software powering this potential breakthrough in interactive entertainment is known as VScout, a pre-production tool that allows filmmakers to virtually scout locations. At Oculus’ developer conference in Los Angeles, Rob Bredow, VP of New Media at ILM and head of its recently created ILMxLAB, demoed the new software with a short scene set in the Star Wars universe. Using the available set of tools, one of Lucasfilm’s software engineers, Darby Johnston, was able to tweak the camera’s focus, focal length, crane height, and lens used. Simply tapping on an object in the scene had the camera pan in for a close-up. It’s impressive stuff considering it all gets rendered in realtime in the cloud and then streamed to an iPad.
“You can run this anywhere you run Netflix. It’s basically the same bandwidth requirement,” said Bredow.
While VScout’s pre-production merits are likely a boon to creatives in the entertainment industry, its most compelling aspect is how it could empower consumers and change the way we create interactive experiences. Using a Star Wars short as an example, Bredow demonstrated how viewers could use the software to go from watching a letterboxed version to adjusting camera angles — going from behind a stormtrooper’s head to being inside of it — or even deserting the main storyline altogether and following secondary characters’ narratives. To that latter point, Bredow replayed the “linear” scene, but instead of watching the stormtrooper, he tagged along with C3PO and R2D2, following them into a hut where they spoke with a Princess Leia hologram. Keep in mind, the main story is still playing out while this all occurs.
“What if you were shooting movies like this?” Bredow asked the rapt crowd of developers.
Of course, this being a VR-focused event, Bredow even showed off a Rift demo that lets viewers fly the speeder bike around the desert and through AT-ATs.
Clearly, it’s early days for VScout and Bredow admitted as much, saying that the studio’s still experimenting to find the proper way to construct an experience with so many available narratives. In fact, it’s not even a given that ILMxLAB will even make this software available to consumers. Though given the impressive demo, it’s not far-fetched either.
Video game voice actors may go on strike
Voice acting in video games is serious and often thankless work. You have to recite hours of dialog that doesn’t always get heard, and only a handful of actors (like Nolan North, John DiMaggio and Troy Baker) have high-profile careers. However, they’re now fighting to get a bigger piece of the pie. The actor union SAG-AFTRA is considering voting for a strike that would push for more payments and greater rights for game voice actors. It’s proposing that these performers should get bonuses every time a game sells 2 million copies, and stunt pay when they have to strain their voices — think about every game where your character screamed from taking damage. The guild also wants stunt coordinators for motion capture work, and it hopes to prevent companies from both hiring their own unionless staff as well as instituting fines over relatively arbitrary faults, such as failing to audition for small roles.
A strike won’t take place unless 75 percent of voters are in favor of the proposals. If the action does go ahead, however, it’ll set up a rare and potentially significant battle between game publishers and their voice talent. That could be good for actors that sometimes get short shrift, but it could also delay more than a few titles dependent on spoken roles. The strike has supporters who would be sorely missed if they stopped working, like Jennifer Hale (the female Shepard in Mass Effect) and Wil Wheaton, so this would be no small loss.
[Image credit: Michael Bezjian/WireImage]
Via: GameInformer
Source: SAG-AFTRA (1), (2)
Babymetal will cute you to death in Rock Band 4
Earlier this summer, a trio of teenage rockers took the internet by storm with their unique blend of J-Pop effervescence and head-banging thrash metal beats. The band’s star continues to rise with both a world tour and the announcement that their first hit, “Gimme Chocolate” is coming to Rock Band 4. The song will available as a bonus track beginning October 6th (which is when the game actually hits store shelves). Unfortunately, the track is exclusive to the Xbox One platform and needs to be reserved as part of the game’s pre-order bundle.
[Image Credit: Redferns / Getty]
Via: BoingBoing
Source: XBox One
Fighting game inspired by ‘My Little Pony’ needs cash to become reality
Them’s Fightin’ Herds started life as My Little Pony: Fighting is Magic, a fighting game created by My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic fans and starring characters directly from the show. That project was shut down when Hasbro sent the developer, Mane6, a cease-and-desist order in February 2013 — but it was reborn when Friendship is Magic producer Lauren Faust and Skullgirls studio Lab Zero Games hopped on board. Now, Them’s Fightin’ Herds is a serious fighting game starring a cast of original characters designed by Faust and running on Skullgirls‘ engine. This week, Mane6 launched a $436,000 Indiegogo campaign to fund 18 months of full-time development on Them’s Fightin’ Herds, and in two days it’s raised more than $100,000. This time around, it looks like crowdfunding is magic.
Via: Gamesradar+
Source: Indiegogo
Kids prefer to play games on mobile devices over consoles
You may have fond memories of playing games on the family TV as a kid, but the next generation might not feel the same way. The NPD Group has published a report showing that more 2- to 17-year-olds in the US are playing games on phones and tablets (63 percent) than on consoles (60 percent). That may not sound like a big gap, but it was only two years ago that consoles captured 67 percent of young eyeballs. They’re playing more often on those mobile devices, too, at an average 6 hours per week. And sorry, PC gamers, your platform of choice isn’t as popular as it once was. Computer gaming has fallen from a heady 67 percent adoption back in 2013 to 45 percent today.
The analysts don’t have a firm explanation for the shift, but they believe that this most likely reflects the parents’ own shift away from PCs and toward mobile gear. When your folks are more likely to have a phone or tablet hanging around than a speedy gaming desktop, you’re going to play on those smaller screens. We’d add that mobile tech has advantages for kids tired of fighting for time on the family computer or TV — children can play Minecraft while the grown-ups check out Facebook and Netflix, and they’re not stuck playing at home. While it’s doubtful that consoles and PCs will fall completely out of favor among the younger crowd, they don’t make as much sense as they did a few years ago.
[Image credit: Andrew Harrer/Bloomberg via Getty Images]
Source: CNET
‘No Man’s Sky’ will get a Stephen Colbert ‘Late Show’ demo
With Apple CEO Tim Cook and other guests, Stephen Colbert has shown that tech will be a big part of his Late Show appeal. That includes gaming, judging by two segments scheduled for next week. On Friday, Colbert will welcome Hello Games founder Sean Murray, who will do an interview and demonstration of No Man’s Sky. The title has made numerous appearances of late, including in our own Twitch interview (below). Sony is no doubt building hype for a release of the presumed blockbuster, which will debut on the PS4. The question on everyone’s mind, of course, is “when is it coming?” We doubt that’ll be answered on Late Show, but you never know.
Colbert’s other gaming guest is PewDiePie, who’s making an appearance on the same show as Snapchat founder Evan Spiegel, as it happens. The YouTube celeb has 40 million followers and over 10 billion page views — and is rumored to be getting his own TV show. He’ll also give a “demonstration,” according to the CBS Late Show run-down, though there’s no mention of which game he’ll play (and how he’ll avoid cursing). The two appearances mark the first gaming appearances on Late Show, though Colbert’s rivals all do segments around it, including Conan O’Brien’s “Clueless Gamer,” and Jimmy Fallon’s “Xbox with My Mom.” Colbert has also done a “Gamergate” segment on Colbert Report, but it’ll be interesting to see how he handles it outside his former conservative buffoon persona.
Ultimate VR simulator throws you around in mid-air
Virtual reality headsets can trick our eyes and ears into believing we’re someplace else. Fooling the rest of the body is a little trickier though. Companies have tried spinning chairs and omnidirectional treadmills, but nothing comes close to the “Cable Robot Simulator” developed at the Max Planck Institute for Biological Cybernetics. The player wears a wireless VR headset inside a carbon fibre cage, which is then suspended in mid-air and thrown around the room using eight steel cables. The exposed pod is able to tilt, bank and move with an acceleration of up to 1.5g in response to the VR experience. Researchers have shown off some basic flight and racing simulations, but we’re already imagining how it could be used in our favorite video games. A dogfight in Star Wars: Battlefront? Tearing around corners in F-Zero GX? The possibilities are endless. It’s still very much a prototype, and hardly suitable for home use, but we’re desperate to have a go ourselves.
[Image Credit: Max Planck Institute for Biological Cybernetics, Tübingen]
Via: Eurogamer
‘Batman: Arkham Knight’ never feels too big to play
This article contains spoilers for Batman: Arkham Knight; you’ve been warned.
I didn’t want to like Batman: Arkham Knight. In the long run-up to its release, I’d become increasingly disinterested every time developer Rocksteady Studios mentioned how the game had grown compared to its prequels. Twenty times bigger than Arkham Asylum! My eyes glazed over. Drive the Batmobile around Gotham! Yawn. My worry was that Arkham Knight would be a product of the Warner Bros. Interactive marketing department, riddling the series I love with bloat and unnecessary features solely because the PlayStation 4‘s and Xbox One‘s more powerful hardware allowed for bigger experiences. It’s been a while since I was this happy to be wrong: Arkham Knight‘s genius is that despite its physical size, the game never feels larger than whatever carefully constructed moment you’re in.
None of the myriad open-world games I’ve played in the past almost 14 years have come close to doing this. Grand Theft Auto V‘s faux Los Angeles, for example, is rife with open-world options. Whenever I’m playing Rockstar’s crime simulator, I can’t shake the feeling that whatever story mission I’m doing is a distraction keeping me from taking peyote and flying around as an eagle or holding up a liquor store. There are simply too many things I can do at any given moment and it’s easy enough to abandon one activity and move onto the next.
Arkham Knight surprisingly doesn’t suffer from this open-world ADD despite the amount of missions available — be they subterranean races in the Batmobile, searching for the hidden-in-plain-sight Riddler statues or discovering the mystery behind crucified out-of-towners. The play space is exponentially larger than 2009’s first entry Asylum, but Rocksteady’s been incredibly careful to not overwhelm the player. In large part, the studio achieves this by gating progression off in a way that isn’t obvious.
The game’s Gotham City is separated into smaller islands and each is closed off from the next in a way that makes sense within the game’s fiction: Scarecrow and the titular Arkham Knight are on the loose; raising the bridges between burgs keeps their ground forces from spreading. Rather than something like Fallout 3 plopping you in the middle of a vast, post-apocalyptic Washington, DC, and leaving you feeling utterly overwhelmed by possibility, Arkham Knight takes a heavy, but transparent, hand in controlling where you’re headed.
A few missions here and a few there within a cordoned-off area and I was on to the next, just as I started feeling comfortable with the place I was in. And more often than not, those missions didn’t leave the confines of their origin “island.” Furthermore, rather than presenting mission-origin points as places you have to travel to, selecting your next task comes from a menu.
Arkham Knight takes a heavy, but transparent, hand in controlling where you’re headed.
In that sense, Arkham Knight feels an awful lot like a linear game. I think that’s why it’s sucked me into its world in a way that The Witcher 3 didn’t, or a Grand Theft Auto hasn’t in a while: Everything feels manageable and deeply personal. Instead of 20 different missions available for me to do at any given moment, I have several and they’re all only a minute or so away from wherever I am. I don’t feel lost while I’m grappling around the Gotham skyline, either. There’s always a voice in my ear acting as a signpost for what I need to do next, whether that’s Barbara “Oracle” Gordon giving tactical advice, the ever-present threat of Scarecrow or the hallucinated Joker that pops up where I least expect him.
But there’s a dark side to Arkham Knight’s linearity: At a certain point, you can’t just abort a mission and joyride in the Batmobile. If you’re stuck in that 10-on-1 brawl, you’re stuck until you have the patience again to give it another go or figure out what gadget is needed to progress (hint: It’s usually the line gun). A lot of that continued motivation is driven by the narrative — it constantly has me guessing how much more the Caped Crusader can be broken. Is Batman really Gotham’s savior? That’s something I’m sadly unsure of, but unlike most other recent open-world games, I’ll actually finish Arkham Knight and find out.
AIVAnet 