Better late than never, Driveclub reaches the PlayStation 4 on October 7th
Evolution Studios may have missed its chance to make Driveclub a PlayStation 4 launch title (and a technology showcase) by quite a wide margin, but it at last has some firm release dates. The socially-savvy racing game should reach North America on October 7th, while Europeans will get it a day later. As Sony previously explained, the nearly year-long delay comes after Evolution went “back to the drawing board” to rework large parts of the game, taking on a new project leader in the process. Patience may prove to be a virtue in that case, although we don’t envy Driveclub‘s odds of success when it’s launching on a very, very busy day. The title now has to vie for attention with potential blockbusters like Alien: Isolation, Dragon Age: Inquisition and Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor — there’s no certainty that gamers will have the cash to spare.
Via: Joystiq
Source: PlayStation Blog
‘Towerfall,’ OUYA’s most popular game, only sold 7,000 copies
If you’re looking for a metric for the OUYA’s (lack of) success, then the developer behind one of the platform’s best selling games can help you out. Towerfall creator Matt Thorson has revealed that despite being the number-one title on the Android platform, the game has sold a measly 7,000 copies. In a conversation with Eurogamer, the developer said that the title was a smash hit on PS4, with PC sales coming in a close second, but added that “being the best game on OUYA isn’t a huge deal, but it is nice” — ouch. In response, OUYA’s CEO Julie Uhrman has said that her company “helped put Towerfall and Matt on the map,” adding that the company is “finding the next great developers and making them household names.” That said, we suspect that since PS4 and PC sales account for nearly 80 percent of Thorson’s $500,000 in revenue, we imagine the next great developer might just choose to bypass OUYA entirely.
Filed under: Gaming
Via: GamesIndustry
Source: Eurogamer
Play: The simple, mesmerizing Impossible Road
You can now play anything from first-person shooters to role-playing epics on mobile devices, but there’s still plenty of love out there for casual time-killers. Impossible Road has recently arrived on Android after a year-long residency in the iOS App Store, and it’s one of those games you can splurge an hour on at home, or poke at for five minutes on the bus. Your mission: Guide a ball down a winding track for as long as possible — kind of like a never-ending Super Monkey Ball level, but set on the Rainbow Road track of Mario Kart legend. Admittedly, there isn’t much originality to the gameplay, but Impossible Road does have a quirky and compelling visual style. You’re an all-white ball in an all-white world, with the only definition and sense of space given by a ribbon-like track of changing blues that stretches to infinity below. The almost tribal techno soundtrack is a little busier than what’s on screen, and it manages to match the pace of the game well, while also being a constant reminder of your inevitable doom.
Like most games with “impossible” in their titles, it’s not particularly easy, so if you want a shot at leaderboard fame, you better pull out something spectacular. Apart from blips where the track thins momentarily, your journey is obstacle-free, but the twists and leans of the randomly generated runs are challenging enough. Luckily, the tight and sensitive control scheme helps out as much as it can. Impossible Road made the right choice in opting for touch-based steering, as we couldn’t see a game of this speed working well with gyroscopic control. Sticking to the track like glue is key in Impossible Road, not just because you need to pass through checkpoints to improve your score, but because flying off the side is almost certain death. The nicely tuned in-game physics allow you to control the ball with high precision, but get out of the groove on a particularly meandering section and it’s easy to plunge into the abyss. You’re afforded a generous amount of air control to try and get back on course, but float for a couple of seconds and the run comes to an end with a crescendo of white noise.
While you’re always chasing the next high score, truth is you’ll probably spend the majority of time racking up mediocre ones. It’s good, then, that you can still reap a lot of satisfaction from events like nailing a really hard section, or recovering from a nigh-fatal fall. And, for advanced players, you can make it more interesting by purposefully “jumping” to short-cut sections of the track. Success is improbable, but not..
Impossible road is available on smartphones and tablets now for £1.49 via the Android Play and iOS App Stores.
Source: Impossible Road (Android), (iOS)
This ad uses Oculus Rift to show how internet lag could ruin making brunch
We’ve seen some pretty nutty uses (and a very sentimental one) for the Oculus Rift so far, but a Swedish ISP’s might take the cake. For two days, Umea Energi had four people strap on one of the VR headsets rigged with a webcam and a Raspberry Pi, in an effort to illustrate what it’d be like if internet lag invaded real-life activities. The outfit had the lab rats do everyday stuff like go to aerobics class, make breakfast and play ping-pong while wearing the get-up and a pair of noise-cancelling headphones. It’s bananas; we know! The results are pretty hilarious — failed attempts at cracking eggs and dropping crêpe batter onto a griddle, in particular. There’s a first-person view of the shenanigans too, but if you’re prone to motion-sickness it’s probably best to steer clear. The Oculus dev kit’s second version features a powered USB port on top of it, so let’s hope that this type of experiment isn’t the last.
Filed under: Gaming, Home Entertainment, Internet, HD
Source: Umea Energi (YouTube)
Here’s what it’s like to play Destiny, Bungie’s first game since Halo
Bungie has been shy about revealing the nuts-and-bolts gameplay of Destiny, its first game since it stopped working on the Halo series. Today, though, the company has thrown open the kimono. In addition to offering its own gameplay video, it gave Joystiq and other outlets a chance to try the title for themselves. Not surprisingly, the online RPG-influenced first-person shooter plays quite a bit like the company’s best-known work; if you’ve spent years blasting Covenant forces in Halo, you’ll adapt well to the new title. The biggest additions outside of the social component are “focuses,” or superpower-like abilities that give each character class a major advantage in battle.
We’re not seeing quite everything just yet. The hands-on time didn’t give much opportunity to see the broader online experience, such as the public player spaces and large-scale missions. However, the studio says that we’ll see more at E3 in June — you’ll likely have your fill by the time Destiny is available on September 9th. If the early hands-on time isn’t enough to tide you over, though, you can also check out Joystiq‘s interview with Bungie exec Pete Parsons and get a tour of the developer’s artwork-laden Bellevue offices.
Filed under: Gaming
Source: Bungie, Joystiq (1), (2), (3)
Watch this: Microsoft digs up long-buried E.T. games
This weekend, Microsoft’s project to find E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial videogames buried in the desert succeeded. The video game crash of the early 80s spawned the legend of a movie-licensed game for the Atari 2600 — developed in just five and a half weeks — that was so bad its publisher decided to trash thousands of copies rather than try to sell them, and now things have come full circle. We’ll have to wait for the AtarI: Game Over documentary on Xbox to get the full story, but there’s a new five minute video ready to take you through the crucial moments of the dig and the people behind it, including the game’s designer, Howard Scott Warshaw.
Filed under: Gaming, Home Entertainment, Microsoft
Source: Xbox (YouTube)
Pro gamers to compete for X Games medals in Call of Duty: Ghosts
For the first time in the history ESPN’s X Games, pro gamers will compete for medals playing Call of Duty: Ghosts in Austin this June. Major League Gaming (MLG) has partnered with the sports broadcaster for the MLG X Games Invitational where the same hardware will be up for grabs as those athletes competing it skateboard, BMX, Moto X and other extreme sporting events. The top 5 teams based on MLG Pro Points rankings will get an invite, and three more teams from the recent COD Championship will round out the field. Upon arriving in Austin, groups will compete in a three-day tournament on Xbox One to determine the winner. What’s more, the gaming event is said to be part of X Games TV coverage that’s set for ESPN and ABC.
[Image credit: Washington Post/Getty Images]
Filed under: Gaming
Source: ESPN
Steelseries H Wireless Gaming Headset Review: A multi-platform beast with a whole lot of tricks up its Sleeve
Multi-platform gaming headphones are a very unique breed of audio accessories. Getting the right balance between all the supported platforms is extremely tough, particularly when you start asking for the amount of cash that implies this ability. The Steelseries H Wireless Gaming Headset is the creme de la creme of Steelseries‘ H Series and is the latest premium audio system to try and walk this tight rope.
What’s in the box
Steelseries know how to make a box; that might sound incredibly mundane, but every techie understands what a big difference an exciting unboxing makes. In what is a mammoth of a box, you’ll find buried in it the headphones themselves, its matching mixer box, a spare battery for the headphones and a whole number of useful, little cables.
I was really impressed by the number and completeness of the wires and connections that are available in the box. In particular, I was very impressed to see that the power adapter for the the mixer was detachable and had the different fittings for four different regions; who wouldn’t want to travel with these headphones?
The H Wireless is designed to be compatible with Windows PC, Mac OSX, Xbox 360, PS3, iOS and Android and in the box you will a cable for each of these, whichever one is your gaming device of choice. Each of the cables is a metre long which will give you the flexibility to place the mixer in a place where you can see the graphical interface.
The headphones themselves are a super sleek, black affair; covered in matte plastic and leather, there’s only a hint of orange on the stitching of the earcups and inside them as well. The outside of the earcups are a more polished plastic and hide the battery and a small firewire port (which is used for firmware updates). They are a mean, meaty set of headphones and even make the other entries in the H series family look a bit inadequate.
As is almost customary now on Steelseries headsets, there is an exquisite retractable microphone that simply slides in and out of its dwelling whenever you need it. It is bendable into any position and has a light on the tip of it to let you know whether it is muted or not.
There are controls located on the headset itself, but they are decidedly minimal; the power on/off switch doubles as the microphone mute button and the volume wheel doubles as the menu navigation. Remarkably, the wheel and button are very well placed to be manipulated by your fingers when you simply place your hand on the right cup.
When I reviewed the Steelseries 5Hv3 (read the full review here), I said that they were possibly the most comfortable headphones I had ever worn. The H Wireless follows closely after the 5Hv3, but with a small proviso. The H Wireless employs the same circumaural earcups (or as I call them, “pillows”) as the 5Hv3 which do a fantastic job of providing a very cushioned experience. This makes the H Wireless a very comfortable headphone to wear over short periods of time (1-2 hours).
The mixer box shares the H Wireless headset’s design features, but still manages to be a very subtle piece of tech. Its mono-colour LED readout is simple and to the point and all the options displayed clearly, though it can be a bit of a labyrinth to find what you want. Probably the best party trick for the mixer box is the slot in its side. This slot can be used to charge and store the H Wireless’ spare battery, keeping it fully charged in the event that you run out of battery. When that does occur, all you need to do is swap out the flat battery, slot it into the mixer, put the new battery into the headphones and keep gaming.
How does it sound?
For gaming purposes, the H Wireless headset are fantastic. I remember when I first tried them at CES 2014 playing Call of Duty: Ghosts, I was immediately struck by the immense bass and the sheer amount of sound. 3 months later and my opinion still hasn’t changed. Make sure you play some games with explosions in it, turn it up and you’ll be in for a treat. With the aid of virtual 7.1 surround thanks to the Dolby Digital, Dolby Headphone and Dolby Logic IIx, you’ll get some incredible, atmospheric sounding audio for any game that you’re playing, whether it be Battlefield 3 or Diablo 3 (what, just me?). This, however, only applies to the sound you get through the mixer; you won’t have the benefits of Dolby-enhanced sound when you use the H Wireless with mobile devices.
For audio purposes, the H Wireless are also more than capable. I wouldn’t say that they are quite audiophile quality, but they will still give you fantastic sound. As you might expect because the headphones err on the side of bassy, the headphones are going to suit heavier music like rock and EDM, which I had a ball listening to with them. Mid range and treble sounds are also generally good, however when listening to classical music, I found the higher end of the scale to be a little muffled and not as bright as I would have preferred and despite what equalizer settings I had, the music was still very bass heavy. Having said that though, the modern listener will be more than happy with these headphones and their music playing abilities.
What I like about the Steelseries H Wireless Gaming Headset?
There’s an awful lot to like about the H Wireless headset. One of my biggest fears when using wireless accessories is that moment when you run out of battery power; that’s the gamer in me talking. In normal circumstances, this would usually require plugging the device in and being tethered for a period of time. Obviously, the H Wireless does away with this inconvenience with its spare battery, which is neatly tucked away in its mixer for charging, and the process of changing batteries probably takes less than 30 seconds, which I am a huge fan of.
I’m also a big proponent of multi-platform devices being provided with all the necessary accessories, which the H Wireless does by providing all possible cables that you might need. In addition to this, I really like that power adapters for all countries have been included, which I think is super convenient for buyers who are big travellers or buying from overseas.
I also know that it sounds inane, but I’m a huge fan of how the H Wireless headset looks, mixer included. While they definitely aren’t Steelseries’ most ostentatious-looking product, they look subdued enough to draw attention in most settings, but look fantastic when they are noticed. Plus, who doesn’t like all-black stuff?
What I don’t like about the Steelseries H Wireless Gaming Headset?
You may have noticed that earlier in the review I specified that the H Wireless headset is good to wear for 1-2 hours. While that does encompass the average gaming session, longer sessions of multiple hours, I found, did eventually put some stress on my head despite the cushioning of the massive, ‘cloud’-like earcups. Your experience may vary, however, as I used the headphones with the longest extension on the headphone arms; people with more normal or smaller heads may find them much more comfortable over several hours and this much was said in many other reviews; I may just have a really big head.
While the H-Wireless headset is touted as a multi-platform device, unfortunately I can’t really say that it is full realized as an Android or even an iOS accessory. While it is a plus that it can be used as a headset with just an audio cable without the headphones being switched on, you get none of the features that really make it a monster for gaming on consoles or PC. There are no additional buttons that can be used for mobile purposes and not even the volume wheel works in this configuration, which really makes it feel like mobile compatibility is not a priority for the H Wireless headset. And really, that’s fine because the headset excels in many other areas; just don’t be expecting it to be your smartphones’ best friend.
Final Thoughts
There’s not really any other way to say it; if you’re a PC or console gamer, the Steelseries H Wireless Gaming Headset is a hard choice to overlook. It’s really a combination of all its little features that make it into something great, and despite its price (MSRP $299 USD or RRP $399 AUD), it really is worth it if you’re big on games, how they sound and being immersed in the atmosphere. Naturally, I am a little disappointed that there aren’t more mobile features incorporated into the headset, but being able to use them at all with an unpowered, wired setup is a nice takeaway nonetheless.
If you’re interested in taking a closer look at the Steelseries H Wireless Gaming Headset, you can visit its product page on the Steelseries website, or if you’re interested in taking a look at Steelseries’ other products, you can visit their global website here.
Gallery of Photos
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Xbox Entertainment Studios has at least 12 projects in production, committed to half
There’s a lot to know about Microsoft’s push into original programming with Xbox Entertainment Studios. Why now? Why carry Xbox branding? Will XES content only run in certain regions? Is it free to all Xbox Live members, or only Xbox Live Gold? Will XES content also head to other digital video services, like Netflix, Hulu, Amazon Instant and elsewhere? What about other Microsoft platforms, like Windows Phone and Windows 8? How will interactivity with the content work?
Much of that information is still up in the air, according to XES president Nancy Tellem (former president of CBS Television Studios, among other accolades) and executive producer Jordan Levin. The duo walked us through Xbox Entertainment Studios’ first projects last week, and left us with more questions than answers.
Here’s the high level: there are at least 12 projects in the works, and Microsoft’s only “committed” to half (full list below the break). That means that six are paid for and in production, while the other six are in various stages of creation and may never make it to our eyeballs. The first, a multi-camera, multi-stage, interactive version of Bonnaroo, premieres this June.
The six committed projects include announced works, like Steven Spielberg’s Halo project and the E.T. documentary, as well as new stuff like a Ridley Scott-produced Halo “digital feature” (due later this year, alongside the launch of a still-unannounced Halo game we’re betting) and a co-production with the UK’s Channel 4 of Humans (an adaptation of Swedish show “Real Humans“). There’s also Every Street United, a documentary TV series about street soccer (aimed at South American and European Xbox owners), and the aforementioned Bonnaroo experience.
But where will you watch these shows? For now, the only option is on an Xbox 360 or Xbox One, but support for other Microsoft platforms is in the works. How about competing services, like Amazon Instant Video or Netflix? Never say never, but there aren’t any plans to distribute XES content outside of Microsoft platforms just yet (either individually or in an XES app of some sort). Both Tellem and Levin repeatedly spoke to the 84 million strong worldwide Xbox userbase (the collective number of Xbox 360s and Ones sold), though they recognized that only about half of that group pays for Xbox Live Gold membership.
it’s still unclear which content will be free to all Xbox owners versus what’s locked behind the Xbox Live Gold paywall. The only certainty right now is that all Xbox Live Gold members will get all Xbox Entertainment Studios content for free (er, included in the $60 annual membership).
Tellem said that the content is being aimed at “millenials” (18-35 year-olds) especially the male portion of that group. That’s reflected in the selection of projects: two Halo-based shows, sports, and sci-fi. There was also a smattering of game universes mentioned: Halo, Fable, Gears of War, State of Decay, Age of Empires, and Forza Motorsport. The project list diversifies somewhat when looking beyond the six committed works.
Optioned or Given a Pilot:
- Deadlands: Xbox Entertainment Studios has committed to a script based on the successful pen-and-paper role playing game created by Shane Lacy Hensley. “Deadlands” is a genre-bending alternative history of the Weird West, filled with undead gunfighters, card-slinging sorcerers, mad scientists, secret societies, and fearsome abominations.
- Extraordinary Believers: Xbox Entertainment Studios is developing an innovative, hybrid stop-motion show dubbed “Extraordinary Believers” (working title) with Stoopid Buddy Stoodios, creators of the Emmy-Award winning “Robot Chicken,” the longest running stop-motion show on television. The executive producers on the project are Seth Green, Matt Senreich, and creators/writers/executive producers are Eric Towner and John Harvatine IV.
- Fearless: “Fearless,” (working title) is an unscripted series currently in pilot production starring Paul de Gelder, an Australian Navy bomb clearance diver and shark attack survivor who takes on an adrenaline-fueled quest to aid individuals who risk their lives to make the world a better place. “Fearless” will be produced by Australia’s International Emmy-Award winning production company, Cordell Jigsaw Zapruder (CJZ).
- Gun Machine: Xbox Entertainment Studios acquired the rights to “Gun Machine,” a hardboiled detective thriller based on the New York Times bestselling novel by Warren Ellis. Ellis will executive produce with Brett Conrad (“The Killing,” “Sons of Anarchy,” Netflix’s upcoming “Marco Polo”) who has signed on to write the pilot script about a detective tracking a serial killer who is tied to a mysterious collection of guns used in infamous New York murders.
- Untitled JASH Comedy/Variety Half Hour: In this unique comedy format developed by Xbox Entertainment Studios with JASH (a comedy collective founded by Sarah Silverman, Michael Cera, Tim and Eric and Reggie Watts), the biggest names in comedy will showcase the people that make them laugh. Each week, a different comedian will host/curate a show featuring new and unsung talent, in various video formats. Sarah Silverman will host the pilot episode and Daniel Kellison (“Late Night/Late Show with David Letterman,” “Jimmy Kimmel Live,” “Crank Yankers”) will executive produce. The series has a pilot commitment and will begin shooting in June.
- Winterworld: Xbox Entertainment Studios and IDW Entertainment are co-developing a limited event live-action series based on Chuck Dixon and artist Jorge Zaffino’s seminal graphic novel series “Winterworld,” in which our world has been encased in ice from pole-to-pole. The surviving humans have formed tribes that war, enslave and trade with one another in an effort to survive the infinite winter. Ted Adams and David Ozer from IDW Entertainment, and Rick Jacobs and Dave Alpert from Circle of Confusion (“Walking Dead”) will executive produce.
As for interactivity, it varies dramatically from project to project. In the case of Bonnaroo, users can jump between stages, different camera views, and even head backstage to participate in a Q&A with the musicians performing at the show. Tellem said that interactivity isn’t her priority with XES content, but that it’s actually entertaining. Functionality will also vary depending on the system you’re using — as every Xbox One comes with Kinect, there are opportunities there that may not exist on the aging Xbox 360.
It’s early days for Xbox Entertainment Studios, as you can tell by the previous 900 words explaining how little about the group and its projects is set in stone. Microsoft certainly has the resources and leadership pedigree to make XES a serious contender with the likes of Amazon and Netflix, but whether it has the execution and content to contend remains to be seen.
The director behind Alien and Blade Runner is producing a Halo project
That’s right, folks: the man behind sci-fi classics like Alien and Blade Runner, Ridley Scott, is executive producing a Halo-based “digital feature” (read: short film) for release “later this year.” The project is headed by Microsoft’s in-house Halo studio, 343 Industries, and Scott Free Productions — Sergio Mimica-Gezzan was tapped for directing duties.
This is a pretty different project from the other Halo show in the works; that one’s helmed by Steven Spielberg and is live action, whereas this sounds more like the digital Halo work we’ve seen in the past. Color us seriously surprised if this doesn’t arrive alongside the release of a new Halo game; one of those is even planned for 2014! How about that!
Filed under: Gaming, Home Entertainment, Software, HD, Microsoft
AIVAnet 