Play Doom’s premium maps for free (if your friends bought them)
Id and Bethesda want to make sure that the action never stops in the new Doom’s multiplayer. That’s regardless of whether or not you’re buying the recently announced premium map pack, “Unto Evil.” With PartyPlay, so long as someone in your party has bought the add-on, everyone can keep playing together and vice versa.
It’s a very welcome measure of goodwill from the development team, and one that will likely pay off dividends. Bethesda and id aren’t the first to do this, of course — Crackdown and certain modes of Gears of War 3 included a similar feature as well — but it’s definitely a cordial addition to Doom.
This strikes a fan-friendly balance between giving away all of a game’s add-ons and splintering the player-base between DLC haves and have-nots. It also still allows a publisher to recoup costs after a game ships, so it will probably (hopefully?) become more common as time goes on. Where might we see it next? This fall’s Gears of War 4 on Xbox One.
Source: Bethesda
Twitter streams its first eSports tournament this weekend
Twitter is expanding beyond traditional stick-and-ball streams and moving into the lucrative eSports realm this weekend. As part of a partnership with Eleague and Turner Broadcasting, the microblogging service will air two days of Counter-Strike: Global Offensive play from Atlanta. The action starts today at 5pm Eastern with semi-finals. Eleague’s end-of-season championship play starts Saturday afternoon at 4 Eastern with two teams going head to head in a best-of-three series.
Of course, streams on Twitter or Twitch won’t replace this weekend’s traditional broadcast on the TBS cable network, but will serve as a different venue for a much different audience than TV. It’s a bit surprising that this will be the first time Twitter has streamed eSports, but hey, everyone has to start somewhere.
Source: Eleague
Sony’s ‘Driveclub VR’ is a PlayStation VR launch title
Sony will release a virtual reality version of Driveclub just in time for the launch of its upcoming PlayStation VR platform on October 13th. Driveclub VR will feature “brand new tracks” including a city track (pictured above) and let players view vehicles from multiple angles while they trade paint. Sony revealed the news in a blog post (which was subsequently pulled, so it was possibly published too early). Interestingly, other details were tweeted by Paul “Rushy” Rustchynsky, a developer for Codemasters.
@VG_Dave There is a collection of brand new tracks. Not sure I can comment on development yet – I’ll get back to you.
— Paul Rustchynsky (@Rushy33) July 29, 2016
The original Driveclub, from Sony’s first-party studio Evolution, had problems from the day it was launched, and the free PlayStation Plus version was about two years late. As a result, Sony decided to close Evolution, but the team behind it was quickly snapped up by F1 2016 developer Codemasters. Sony didn’t say which studio was behind the VR title (it’s listed as coming from Sony Interactive Entertainment), but on a NeoGAF forum, Rushy said that “the same development team who made Driveclub also made Driveclub VR.”
It’s still not clear whether the Driveclub VR is as big as the original game, or if it’s a smaller experience with a limited number of cars and tracks. Nevertheless, the fact that a triple-A racing game is coming to the PlayStation VR gives the platform an extra shot of legitimacy.
Source: Paul Rustchynsky (Twitter), Sony (Screengrab, translated)
Steam’s latest weekend sale slashes VR game prices
Steam tossed some VR experiences into last month’s summer sale, but this time, it’s throwing a party exclusively for virtual reality enthusiasts. The gaming platform has just announced a VR weekend sale, where it’s selling 175 titles for up to 80 percent off. Sure, the selection isn’t as extensive, but don’t forget that we’ve only just begun exploring the world of virtual reality. The games and experiences in the list will work with the the Oculus Rift and the HTC Vive, which, if you’ll recall, was a collaboration between the Taiwanese company and Steam’s creator Valve.
You’ll find a diverse offering when you browse the event page, from first person horror games to space simulators. Steam bundled some of the best its library can offer as a single package, though, so you can grab them all in one go. The VR Weekend Sale is already live, so you can head over to the platform and see what’s available until Monday, August 1st, 10AM Pacific/1PM Eastern.
Source: Steam
Sony’s mobile division (sorta) makes a profit
Sony’s most recent financial report is out and, if you squint, things almost look good for its moribund mobile division. Sony Mobile posted a profit of $4 million, which the company attributed to the fact that it’s fired enough people to get its costs to break even. If you want to put a positive spin on things, it looks like a greatly-slimmed down phone business might generate just enough money to keep it going. Given that Sony’s had to cover Mobile’s losses with PlayStation’s gains for the last few years, some executives may be reaching for the champagne.
But this is Sony, so there’s no silver lining without some pretty dark clouds covering the horizon in the form of Japan’s currency. The Yen has been getting stronger of late, which means that Sony’s exports are more expensive, and less competitive. That’s important because Sony needs to sell its products to the world — something it expects to get harder in the near future. As for Mobile, the company expects sales of Xperia (and its successor) devices to fall once again, because fewer people are buying smartphones — and when they are, they’re going for cheaper Chinese brands.
Overall, the picture for the company isn’t looking particularly rosy, with falls in performance noted across almost all of its divisions. The only bright spot was PlayStation, which saw profits increase thanks to more people buying PlayStation 4 games. But a drop in image sensor sales, TVs and the fallout from April’s Kumamoto Earthquake mean that profits are down pretty much across the board. So, it’s one step forward, three back for Sony which, at this point, most people would call business as usual.
Via: TechCrunch
Source: Sony (.PDF)
Square Enix’s first Apple Watch RPG is stylish yet dull
There aren’t enough dedicated apps for the Apple Watch, let alone role-playing games from established publishers like Square Enix. The name alone conjures images of classic RPGs: Final Fantasy, Chrono Trigger and Valkyrie Profile to name a few. That’s why Cosmos Rings, the company’s first Apple Watch-exclusive RPG, feels like such a departure from the norm. It’s vivid, gorgeous and inspired, but unfortunately it falls victim to the very same cliches of so many mobile games that came before it.
At first glance, Cosmos Rings looks quite promising, with a narrative that’s par for the course when it comes to JRPGs. As the God of Time, you’re tasked with wandering an endless expanse called the Rift in a bid to restore time to the way you once knew it. After being moved to stop time to grant the wishes of human beings, you’ve got to repent for causing the Goddess of Time to shatter into pieces. Her crystallized remains were scattered throughout the Rift, and it’s up to you to make things right. Lost love? Check. Protagonist taking it upon himself to make things right? Double check. Now all it needs is an amnesiac to fill the rest of its RPG trope quota.
The Rift acts as the stage on which Cosmos Rings plays out. Get used to the way it looks, because you’re going to be seeing a whole lot of it. After you launch the iPhone app and open up the companion version on your Apple Watch, you’re met with a bit of expository story coupled with artwork that’s meant to move you along. These quickly introduce additional characters whose presence don’t immediately make sense in the context of the God of Time’s story, but you’ll soon realize it won’t matter much when the game basically plays itself, barring a few player-controller machinations.
That’s right — Cosmos Rings is essentially an incremental game that requires little or no input from you. The game is perfect for the diminutive Apple Watch screen, and its neon pixel art absolutely sings on the small display. But in the end, it’s little better than playing Tap My Katamari or Cookie Clicker with a few added mechanics.
The God of Time continues to run headlong into the Rift, fighting off enemies as they appear before him. This is your default screen among the three the game’s comprised of. The God will automatically attack on his own, but if you so desire you can tap the Skills button at the lower right of the screen to utilize various attacks you’ll earn along the way. If you wait for the timer to count down and then fire off a Skill right after the first one, you can chain them for additional damage. You can also rotate the Apple Watch’s Digital Crown to head to the Fragments screen, where you can spend Fragments (displayed on-screen as you collect them in battle) to upgrade your weapons, unlock additional skill slots and most importantly, earn more time.
You’ll want to keep a close eye on the time you’re allotted, especially if you don’t want to keep playing the same “days” over and over. There’s a timer at the bottom left of the screen that continually counts down. Essentially, that’s your HP gauge. Let it run out, and you’re forced to start the game from the beginning, though you’ll retain any Skills or Relics acquired in the process.
It’s more akin to a roguelike in this respect than an RPG, and is one of the most challenging elements of Cosmos Rings. If you make a mistake or forget to use Fragments to level up or augment your equipment, you can also use the digital crown of your Apple Watch in the Rift to rewind time to a specific “hour,” as the game is split into during each day, to go back and do it all again. These light strategic elements add a little variety, but the game is otherwise so hands-off you’ll wonder why you’re even interacting with it.
Bizarrely, time doesn’t cease counting down unless you’re fighting a boss, when the ticker hits 3 minutes, or during a story event where you’re given a slice of story. So if you’re planning on not playing for a long stretch of time you’ll need to make sure you do keep an eye on the game when you want to make progress. It’s almost like toting around a Tamagotchi or a Giga Pet, except you can’t let your “pet” die.
Cosmos Rings is a strange amalgam of clicker mechanics, colorful pixelated graphics and a score that you’ll want to listen to more than once, but it’s also lacking in the RPG department. When compared to its competition, a fantasy adventure called Runeblade from Everywear Games, Cosmos Rings seems feature-deficient. The former utilizes several of the same mechanics Cosmos Rings does (namely time travel), but offers an offline mode, various quests, and other reasons to keep you coming back. It’s hard to recommend Square Enix’s offering over Runeblade, especially since Runeblade is free.
If you’re looking for something to idly tap on while on the way to work or need to use your Apple Watch for a use beyond regular apps, it’s an interesting experiment. If you’re hoping for anything more than an endless grind with little input required from you, you might want to take your 3DS or Vita with you along for the ride instead. Cosmos Rings is available now as an Apple Watch exclusive.
Source: App Store
HTC Vive owners can finally face the void in ‘Adr1ft’
It may be a few months late, but the day is finally here: Adr1ft, Adam Orth’s VR orbital survival simulator, is now available for the HTC Vive. The Oculus Rift launch exclusive was originally planned to launch on SteamVR back in May, but was delayed to build an experience unique to the HTC Vive and its motion controllers. The wait may have been worth it — the game’s creator says Vive’s motion controls have changed the game in dramatic and unexpected ways.
Orth says the general control scheme, such as player movement and menu navigation, hasn’t changed much — but thanks to the Vive’s motion controls, object interaction is an all new experience. “Reaching out for oxygen canisters, audio logs, terminals, collectibles, debris etc. with your arms while simultaneously micro-tuning your movement on the Wand pads and managing your oxygen adds an incredible new layer to the game that changes it fundamentally,” Orth said on the ThreeOneZero blog, “For many of us on the team, it’s our favorite way to play.”
The game didn’t get the full roomscale VR treatment, though — Adr1ft on HTC Vive supports sitting and standing experience only. That actually makes a lot of sense, considering the zero-gravity gameplay. The developer also left in the original gamepad control scheme, for players that prefer a more casual experience. Don’t want VR, but still want to get lost in space? You’re covered too: the game is also available on PlayStation 4, and launch on Xbox One later this summer.
Source: ThreeOneZero, Steam
Official ‘Dungeons and Dragons’ content now available on Roll20
Roll20’s online tabletop gaming system has been a haven for veterans of pen-and-paper RPGs for awhile now, but for fans of the original role-playing adventure game, it just got a lot better. Wizards of the Coast is now selling officially licensed Dungeons and Dragons modules on Roll20 — starting with the fifth edition starter set adventure, ‘The Lost Mine of Phandelver’.
Technically, players could already use Roll20 to play Dungeons and Dragons content, just not officially. The online gaming system is designed to work with any tabletop-style RPG game — giving players digital dice, VOIP and webcam chat systems and the ability to draw maps on a shared playspace. You can play anything on it — but that usually comes with the extra hurdle of distributing materials via email and having players open them outside of the platform. Native content purchased on the Roll20 marketplace, like the new D&D module, is just a lot easier to work with. All of the character sheets, manuals, documents and high resolution maps are right there, in the ROll20 interface.
The first D&D Roll20 module comes with five pre-generated characters, digital game tokens, maps and all the necessary documentation to take 4-6 players through the Lost Mine of Phandelver. At $20, it costs the same as the 5th edition Dungeons and Dragons starter pack. Additional modules will follow soon after, though they cost a little more: Storm King’s Thunder, the next officially licensed D&D Roll20 module, rings in at $50.
Source: Polygon, Twitter
Drinkbox’s creeptastic ‘Severed’ arrives on iOS today
The days are basically numbered for Sony’s beleaguered portable console, the PS Vita, and they have been for some time. But that hasn’t stopped indie developer Drinkbox Studios from supporting it. Three of the company’s four games have been released for the Vita (including the excellent Guacamelee!), and the latest (hack-and-slash explorer Severed) came out earlier this year as a Vita exclusive.
However, Drinkbox knows that it needs to move beyond Sony’s aging handheld: That’s why Severed is coming to iOS devices as well as Nintendo’s Wii U and 3DS. The iOS port arrives today ready for the iPhone and iPad and costs $6.99. That may be a little expensive for an iOS game, but it’s less than half of what the game costs on the Vita. And it dramatically expands the number of people who’ll get a chance to play Severed.
Previous Drinkbox games eventually made their way to various Xbox and PlayStation consoles, but Severed relies heavily on the touchscreen, making iOS and Nintendo’s platforms a far better match this time out. I played an pre-release version of the game on iOS, and it seems particularly well-suited to the wide expanses of the iPad’s screen (though it works on the phone, as well). Slashing your way through enemies feels great on the big screen, and the two-finger gesture to adjust your character’s first-person view is a totally natural gesture.
Everything about the Vita version of the game is intact here, including Drinkbox’s signature bright and eerie art style and some wonderfully creepy atmospheric music. It may cost more than the average game, but Severed is a pretty extensive experience as far as iOS games go. It also has a number of new iOS features, including cloud save across multiple devices, game center achievements, graphics optimizations using Apple’s Metal technology and an easier “casual” difficulty mode.
If you’re a Vita fan, however, Drinkbox has some sad news: It sounds as if Severed will be the studio’s last game for the handheld. “We’ve talked about if we were ever to do a Kickstarter, the Vita might be a stretch goal,” Drinkbox’s Graham Smith told me. “We have an internal game engine that we use that really works well with iOS now, so now all things being equal it’s just as easy to put out a game on iOS as it is on the Vita,” Chris McQuinn from Drinkbox adds. “We love the Vita, but we also need to survive financially.”
But the good news is that Drinkbox appears to be more than capable of bringing its distinctive style to iOS. The company has made some excellent games thus far, regardless of platform, so it’ll be interesting to see what happens once they start building games from the ground up with iOS in mind. And the company’s support of the Xbox One and PlayStation 4 thus far means we’ll likely see new games there in the future as well.
Spectate in style with VR spectator mode for ‘Dota 2’
If you’re typically someone who prefers to watch matches of games like Dota 2 unfold from the sidelines, you might consider viewing them in an entirely different way. As part of The International 2016 Compendium update, Valve has finally released the Dota VR Hub, which will allow you and your friends to view live matches and replays in VR.
By way of Dota VR Theater, you can put on a VR headset and jump into each game by heading in through the minimap. You can watch from afar or stand in the middle of the battles going on around you at full scale. You don’t have to go it alone, either, as the theater mode supports up to 15 of your friends as well.
If you’re interested in checking it out, read up on the Dota VR Hub via the official site to get started.
Via: Ars Technica
Source: Dota 2
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