Search Results
By Brenna Hillier - Tue Oct 13, 2009 6:47am
Once, we hailed him as our deliverer - and then we kind of got over it, but designer Will Wright still intrigues. He left former employers EA to form the Stupid Fun Club in April, and now we're finally getting some insight into what's going on at Wright Central Station, namely three new titles.
Playing his cards uncharacteristically close, Will hasn't given a great deal away, but if you're on the "if it ain't broke don't fix it" side of the innovation debate, you may not be so keen on the snippets revealed so far...
Playing his cards uncharacteristically close, Will hasn't given a great deal away, but if you're on the "if it ain't broke don't fix it" side of the innovation debate, you may not be so keen on the snippets revealed so far...
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By Matt Keller - Mon Oct 5, 2009 11:00am
We're into the big release season now, but the industry seems to have decided to skip this week. That is unless you like basketball or enhanced ports, in which case you'll probably want to check out NBA 2K10 and Ninja Gaiden Sigma 2. If you're of a more creative mind, take a look at EA's two Spore Hero spinoffs and Drawn to Life: The Next Chapter, which are both hitting the Wii and DS.
Don't forget to check out the full release schedule for the latest changes and information on upcoming games.
Don't forget to check out the full release schedule for the latest changes and information on upcoming games.
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By James Cottee - Sat Oct 3, 2009 9:48am
Remember Spore, the game that let you create alien life-forms in the shape of just about any horrifying object you could imagine? Well, they're turning it into an animated motion picture, and some of the biggest hacks in Hollywood are attached to the project.
Slated to direct is Chris Wedge. His last film was Robots in 2005, and after that dire production he hasn't directed since. According to IMDb, his most notable achievement since has been doing the voice of the Scrat in the Ice Age sequels.
Slated to direct is Chris Wedge. His last film was Robots in 2005, and after that dire production he hasn't directed since. According to IMDb, his most notable achievement since has been doing the voice of the Scrat in the Ice Age sequels.
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By Brenna Hillier - Fri Aug 28, 2009 12:47am
Yesterday it was Raven, but today Maxis are the latest developer to remind us that yes, we're in a recession, and even working for a studio with a string of best-selling titles and profitable IP to its name doesn't guarantee keeping your job; parent company EA has announced staff cut backs at the Spore developer.
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By Jessica Citizen - Fri Jul 10, 2009 9:24am
Can you believe it's been a whole year since Age of Conan: Hyborian Adventures emerged from the shadows? If you'd checked out the game in the past twelve months but decided not to stick with it, Funcom would like to entice you to return - by offering you two weeks' worth of play, absolutely free!
All you need to do is reactivate your account, and you'll be able to play free for a fortnight - no strings attached - to check out all the nifty new things that have been happening in Hyboria, including a whole bunch of massive updates and some decently-sized improvements. In fact, things have changed so much that people are starting to talk about "the second coming of Conan".
All you need to do is reactivate your account, and you'll be able to play free for a fortnight - no strings attached - to check out all the nifty new things that have been happening in Hyboria, including a whole bunch of massive updates and some decently-sized improvements. In fact, things have changed so much that people are starting to talk about "the second coming of Conan".
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By Matt Keller - Wed Jun 24, 2009 6:15pm
With the financial year drawing to a close, most local distributors are pushing out a bunch of games in the hopes of improving their financial results. It’s a pretty packed week with something for everyone. New releases this week include the final Fatal Fury game Garou: Mark of the Wolves, the long awaited Ghostbusters: The Video Game (but only for the PS3), a compilation of old tracks with band support in Guitar Hero: Greatest Hits and the cooperative giant slaying fun of Monster Hunter Freedom UNITE for the PSP.
Don’t forget to check out the full release schedule for the latest changes and information on upcoming games.
Don’t forget to check out the full release schedule for the latest changes and information on upcoming games.
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By Jessica Citizen - Wed May 20, 2009 12:30pm
"What do planetary rest stops, man cannons, and banana monkey wars all have in common?"
...believe it or not, they're all elements of Adventures created exclusively for Spore Galactic Adventures, by a team of writers who've also worked on Emmy award-winning TV show Robot Chicken.
This highly-anticipated expansion pack for Spore will launch next month, and promises to include these new Adventures, which were conceptualised by Robot Chicken co-creators Seth Green and Matt Senreich.
...believe it or not, they're all elements of Adventures created exclusively for Spore Galactic Adventures, by a team of writers who've also worked on Emmy award-winning TV show Robot Chicken.
This highly-anticipated expansion pack for Spore will launch next month, and promises to include these new Adventures, which were conceptualised by Robot Chicken co-creators Seth Green and Matt Senreich.
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By Jessica Citizen - Wed May 13, 2009 9:11am
You've heard of Guitar Hero, and DJ Hero has been in the news a bit recently, but it's now time for something completely different. Spore Hero, and the handheld version, Spore Hero Arena.
That's right, Maxis are taking the Spore franchise to new levels, with two games built from the ground up exclusively for the Wii and the DS. Promising to continue the original game's "core tenets" of adventure, exploration and creativity, Spore Hero and Spore Hero Arena throw gamers into some all-new experiences. Check out this trailer for the Wii version, and read on for more info!
That's right, Maxis are taking the Spore franchise to new levels, with two games built from the ground up exclusively for the Wii and the DS. Promising to continue the original game's "core tenets" of adventure, exploration and creativity, Spore Hero and Spore Hero Arena throw gamers into some all-new experiences. Check out this trailer for the Wii version, and read on for more info!
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By Brenna Hillier - Wed May 6, 2009 11:15am
I've not been entirely sure whether Spore is a success or not, since there's been plenty of grumbling about the ways in which the game didn't live up to the hype. How do we measure a title's success? Shifting a few million units doesn't always mean a game is any good, and given Spore's status as most pirated game of 2008, not officially shifting millions of units doesn't necessarily spell doom, either! Well, how about continuing community interaction? If sheer numbers of created creatures is any measure of Spore's impact, it has to be considered a winner, as the hundred millionth piece of user-generated content will soon be uploaded to the Sporepedia.
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By Jessica Citizen - Thu Apr 9, 2009 12:20pm
It's been revealed that Electronic Arts are putting some money into an "entertainment think tank" designed to develop new Intellectual Properties. These new ideas will then be deployed across a number of fronts (including toys, television, movies and video games), hopefully generating some innovation and creativity in these fields.
The name of the tank? Stupid Fun Club. The man behind it all? Will Wright - who has officially left EA in order to pursue this new venture.
The name of the tank? Stupid Fun Club. The man behind it all? Will Wright - who has officially left EA in order to pursue this new venture.
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By Steven Perdikis - Wed Apr 1, 2009 1:30pm
Digital Rights Management and SecuROM are like the wail of a siren to the ears of fed-up PC gamers. While Electronic Arts have been a key offender, releasing countless PC titles with restrictive install limits and online-authorisations - the company has today announced what may appear to some gamers as an April fools prank - but - it doesn't appear that it is.
The release of a de-authorisation tool, (which is available on EA's website) allows users to view which titles they have installed currently that utilise SecuROM DRM, and how many authorisations have been used. Most importantly, the tool (and subsequent web-based results) allow users to download game specific tools which de-authorise the title in question from the computer it is run on.
The release of a de-authorisation tool, (which is available on EA's website) allows users to view which titles they have installed currently that utilise SecuROM DRM, and how many authorisations have been used. Most importantly, the tool (and subsequent web-based results) allow users to download game specific tools which de-authorise the title in question from the computer it is run on.
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By Jessica Citizen - Mon Jan 19, 2009 4:51pm
Not only has he been widely acknowledged as the Father of modern video games, but Nintendo's Shigeru Miyamoto has just been given another award - he's one of four recipients of the 2008 annual Jim Henson Honors, established in 2005. These awards acknowledge products, individuals and organisations who reflect the philosophy and core values of muppet-creator Jim Henson and his company.
Miyamoto is not the only video game-related award this year, with creature feature Spore also picking up a statue, alongside The Center for Puppetry Arts Distance Learning Center and LA street artist Shepard Fairey (perhaps best known for his stylised Barack Obama election posters).
Miyamoto is not the only video game-related award this year, with creature feature Spore also picking up a statue, alongside The Center for Puppetry Arts Distance Learning Center and LA street artist Shepard Fairey (perhaps best known for his stylised Barack Obama election posters).
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By Jessica Citizen - Thu Jan 1, 2009 1:27pm
What will you remember 2008 for, in terms of gaming?
We asked some of the game admins and network staff to find out their thoughts, but here's a quick recap of the past 12 months, to refresh your memory.
Non-games dominated this year's charts, with Wii Fit rewarding gamers for standing still. As a country, we were still fans of the music game genre too, finally getting our hands on Rock Band, which seemed to have been pushed onto shelves by the release of Guitar Hero: World Tour a week later. Who knows, the full-band version may even have healed some hurt caused by the "interesting" yet awkward Guitar Hero: On Tour release for DS. There was a new Call of Duty to heed, a new Bond to meet, Marcus and Dom were back, and independent developers twisted our brains with Braid and our rhythm skills with Audiosurf. Red Alert was back, and we revisited the Midnight Club. We also saw the release of the "Three Fs" - Far Cry 2, Fable 2, and Fallout 3, meaning many gamers were a bit strapped for cash by the end of the year.
...and, who could forget? 2008 is the year we met Sackboy!
We asked some of the game admins and network staff to find out their thoughts, but here's a quick recap of the past 12 months, to refresh your memory.
Non-games dominated this year's charts, with Wii Fit rewarding gamers for standing still. As a country, we were still fans of the music game genre too, finally getting our hands on Rock Band, which seemed to have been pushed onto shelves by the release of Guitar Hero: World Tour a week later. Who knows, the full-band version may even have healed some hurt caused by the "interesting" yet awkward Guitar Hero: On Tour release for DS. There was a new Call of Duty to heed, a new Bond to meet, Marcus and Dom were back, and independent developers twisted our brains with Braid and our rhythm skills with Audiosurf. Red Alert was back, and we revisited the Midnight Club. We also saw the release of the "Three Fs" - Far Cry 2, Fable 2, and Fallout 3, meaning many gamers were a bit strapped for cash by the end of the year.
...and, who could forget? 2008 is the year we met Sackboy!
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By Timmy Campbell - Wed Dec 31, 2008 9:39am
As we watch 2008 log off and 2009 jump into gear, we are looking back at some of our highlights for all the fantastic games released this year. It wasn't easy and with so many big titles and great games coming out there was much debate in the Newsbot den as to what game should take out the Games on Net 2008 Awards.
What will be labelled the top games in the consoles? Which was our favourite PC hit? What other awards do we have to give out? All will be explained inside as we round up the year by letting you guys know what we did and didn't like.
What will be labelled the top games in the consoles? Which was our favourite PC hit? What other awards do we have to give out? All will be explained inside as we round up the year by letting you guys know what we did and didn't like.
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By Matt Keller - Sun Dec 14, 2008 8:58am
With Christmas rapidly approaching, The Warp Pipe is calling time for 2008. After 45 columns without a break this year, I’m clocking off a little early to read a few books, watch some movies, replay some of 2008’s best games and of course, fly to Queensland to spend Christmas with the family. The Warp Pipe will be back on the 18th of January with a few minor tweaks and a couple of bold predictions for 2009.
Speaking of bold proclamations, The Warp Pipe made a few just before the start of the second, third and final quarters of the year. I thought we’d use the final column of the year evaluating my ability to predict the quality of soon-to-be-released video games.
Speaking of bold proclamations, The Warp Pipe made a few just before the start of the second, third and final quarters of the year. I thought we’d use the final column of the year evaluating my ability to predict the quality of soon-to-be-released video games.
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By Krystalle Voecks - Thu Dec 11, 2008 11:36am
In news that surprised almost nobody at all, it would seem that Maxis' underwhelming new creature feature, Spore, has become the prime target of pirated downloads this year according to a leading torrent site. While there's no way we can take a survey of the reasons why people would be downloading it illegally, we've got a couple of guesses as to why they might - at least in terms of Australian gamers.
There's also a nifty run-down of the top 10 pirated PC games for 2008, if you're curious about that kind of thing. Of course, you'll need to check out the full post to read about all the others.
There's also a nifty run-down of the top 10 pirated PC games for 2008, if you're curious about that kind of thing. Of course, you'll need to check out the full post to read about all the others.
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By Jessica Citizen - Wed Nov 19, 2008 9:45am
Everybody always wants more, don't they? Maxis and the crew working on Spore understand this, so their new 1.03 patch doesn't only contain a small handful of bugfixes, it also comes bundled with 24 new exoskeleton limbs for you to use in your creature creation experiments.
It's not quite the 100+ new components soon available in the Creepy & Cute Parts Pack, but for a 100MB download that also fixes a few annoying issues - can't go wrong, really!
It's not quite the 100+ new components soon available in the Creepy & Cute Parts Pack, but for a 100MB download that also fixes a few annoying issues - can't go wrong, really!
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By Jessica Citizen - Tue Nov 18, 2008 5:16pm
You have a choice - funny or fearsome? Adorable or awful? Happy or horrific? ...take your pick, as you explore the new bits and pieces that have been bundled up as the new Creepy & Cute Parts Pack, the first expansion for "God Game", Spore.
The pack comes with more than 100 new components, allowing gamers to create virtually anything they want - scary monsters (and super creeps) with googly eyes and spiky plated armour... or perhaps fuzzy little anime-style characters, all fluttery eyelashes and tiny paws.
The pack comes with more than 100 new components, allowing gamers to create virtually anything they want - scary monsters (and super creeps) with googly eyes and spiky plated armour... or perhaps fuzzy little anime-style characters, all fluttery eyelashes and tiny paws.
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By Matt Warner - Mon Nov 3, 2008 11:05am
Economies around the world are in havoc, let’s not even get started on Iceland, but recession is looming or already affecting many countries. Electronic Arts is susceptible and the latest final quarter results show that while net revenue for the quarter was up to US$894 million, the company lost US$310 million, a big chunk from US$195 million from the same period last year. After the news EA shares plummeted to an almost seven-year low in after-hours trading.
With retail forecasts not looking bright EA is focusing on cost reduction by hammering out the pink-slips to 6 percent of its global workforce. That’s over 500 positions. Reportedly both Electronic Arts Los Angeles and Pandemic were already hit hard. Let's follow the money trail and how the EA brands performed including the mega-hyped Spore...
With retail forecasts not looking bright EA is focusing on cost reduction by hammering out the pink-slips to 6 percent of its global workforce. That’s over 500 positions. Reportedly both Electronic Arts Los Angeles and Pandemic were already hit hard. Let's follow the money trail and how the EA brands performed including the mega-hyped Spore...
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By Steven Perdikis - Wed Oct 15, 2008 11:45am
Spore hit store shelves just over a month ago. It hasn't taken EA very long to announce the first round of expansion content for the title. The recently announced expansions will come in a two phases. The first of these, "Spore: Creepy & Cute Parts Pack" will be available "as soon as" November 18th worldwide, and provides players with with more than one hundred new creature components.
The second of the planned expansions will offer gamers "deeper Space stage gameplay", due in "spring" 2009 (so, Autumn for us Australians). Some details regarding the expansion content has been released by EA, and we've got all the information you could possibly want regarding the new content.
The second of the planned expansions will offer gamers "deeper Space stage gameplay", due in "spring" 2009 (so, Autumn for us Australians). Some details regarding the expansion content has been released by EA, and we've got all the information you could possibly want regarding the new content.
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By Jessica Citizen - Fri Oct 3, 2008 5:32pm
The Australian Teachers of Media have a tough job each year, picking out their favourite student and industry projects and submitting them for judging by their peers. While video games have been involved for a few years now, the AToM Awards have started actively promoting their inclusion - and we recently sat down with the three finalist game developers before the awards night in late October, picking their brains to find out more about the games they've been working on, their plans for the future, and the awards process.
The first AToM Award-nominated game developer we're looking at is Victorian designer, Sam Mair, author of third-person strategy The Caterian Empire, who has actually landed a job at a local game developer since graduating his course.
The first AToM Award-nominated game developer we're looking at is Victorian designer, Sam Mair, author of third-person strategy The Caterian Empire, who has actually landed a job at a local game developer since graduating his course.
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By Matt K - Sun Sep 28, 2008 9:02am
From beneath a pile of games, I have briefly emerged to write this week’s column. Let’s just accept the fact that the video game industry is never going to learn how to manage a release schedule. It’s getting silly now – most of the big titles are hitting on the same day! The season has just started, and I’m already overwhelmed, but I wouldn’t have it any other way. Enjoy it while it lasts, because it looks like there will be a drought between the end of November and March.
This week, The Warp Pipe travels into the trivia vault again for another round of random video game facts.
This week, The Warp Pipe travels into the trivia vault again for another round of random video game facts.
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By Matt Warner - Sat Sep 27, 2008 5:07pm
It’s been about a month since Spore launched. Will Wright’s ambitious title that allows users to control the evolution of a species from the unicellular organism to an interstellar spacefaring species.
The ongoing DRM fiasco is still a heated topic that steals a lot of attention from the user creation capabilities from the toolset. That still hasn't stopped players from bringing their ideas to life. Look at what happens when you put Spore in the hands of a culture that lives and breathes StarCraft.
The ongoing DRM fiasco is still a heated topic that steals a lot of attention from the user creation capabilities from the toolset. That still hasn't stopped players from bringing their ideas to life. Look at what happens when you put Spore in the hands of a culture that lives and breathes StarCraft.
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By Jessica Citizen - Thu Sep 25, 2008 8:37pm
We nearly missed this week's video game charts - so much else is going on back here behind the scenes! ...but it's okay, we've got you all the details on the game sales in Australia, in the week ending September 14th.
As a nation, we're still investing in motion-sensing Nintendo peripherals rather than gym passes, PC gamers are learning all about evolution, those mercenary Xbox 360 gamers set the world on fire, PS3 gamers throwback to an era past, hearing the third call of duty, DS gamers still hanging out with Professor Kawashima, and both the PS2 and PSP prefer an adorably animated movie tie-in.
As a nation, we're still investing in motion-sensing Nintendo peripherals rather than gym passes, PC gamers are learning all about evolution, those mercenary Xbox 360 gamers set the world on fire, PS3 gamers throwback to an era past, hearing the third call of duty, DS gamers still hanging out with Professor Kawashima, and both the PS2 and PSP prefer an adorably animated movie tie-in.
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By Steven Perdikis - Tue Sep 23, 2008 3:33pm
The issue of DRM seems to be one that is popping up in the news a lot this week. Following yesterday's story regarding the DRM of Spore, developers of The Witcher, CD Projekt have spoken about their own strategies in combating piracy.
In a recent interview, Michal Kicinski CEO of CD Projekt has outlined some problems they've encountered with their upcoming digital distribution project, GOG.com. Kicinski was concerned that few publishers were signing up to the initiative, with reasons that a DRM-Free environment is one of fear.
In a recent interview, Michal Kicinski CEO of CD Projekt has outlined some problems they've encountered with their upcoming digital distribution project, GOG.com. Kicinski was concerned that few publishers were signing up to the initiative, with reasons that a DRM-Free environment is one of fear.
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By Steven Perdikis - Mon Sep 22, 2008 12:37pm
It may have been a little fitting that we reported on Spore's recent evolution to v1.01 on Talk Like A Pirate Day. Whenever DRM seems to be mentioned... anywhere, and especially when it involves video games there is always an out lash from legitimate, paying customers. This is due to gamers being limited by cumbersome and sometimes intrusive DRM.
Electronics Arts are often criticised for utilising DRM that can be considered "overkill", by allowing limited installations of a particular game on different hardware configurations. Spore's Amazon rating plummeted due to the use of extremely limiting DRM, limiting users to three installations. President of EA's Games Label, Frank Gibeau has gone on record, recently admitting some flaws in the DRM present in Spore.
Electronics Arts are often criticised for utilising DRM that can be considered "overkill", by allowing limited installations of a particular game on different hardware configurations. Spore's Amazon rating plummeted due to the use of extremely limiting DRM, limiting users to three installations. President of EA's Games Label, Frank Gibeau has gone on record, recently admitting some flaws in the DRM present in Spore.
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By Good Queen Jess - Fri Sep 19, 2008 9:54am
While the game has only been floatin' around for a brief while, the first patch fer Spore has just hit the wild seas.
Sorry t' say that the v1.01 patch doesn't seem t' do anythin' in terms o', y'know, removin' DRM, but it does promise t' introduce a bunch o' new fixes fer most o' the phases, plus some new stylefilters an' e'en a couple o' new cheats, if ye're int' that sort o' thin'. 'Tis less than 100MB, an' looks like 'tis well worth yer download, e'en if it can't fix all that be broken! Avast!!
Sorry t' say that the v1.01 patch doesn't seem t' do anythin' in terms o', y'know, removin' DRM, but it does promise t' introduce a bunch o' new fixes fer most o' the phases, plus some new stylefilters an' e'en a couple o' new cheats, if ye're int' that sort o' thin'. 'Tis less than 100MB, an' looks like 'tis well worth yer download, e'en if it can't fix all that be broken! Avast!!
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By Jessica Citizen - Tue Sep 16, 2008 5:42pm
Those of you taking bets on what would be the #1 game this week had better get your wallets ready, as the hot life-simulator favourite has been pipped at the post, losing out to a classic title that seems to have impeccable balance there at the top. (Still, it's nice to see a couple of PC games in the top ten, even if the entire remainder is comprised of Nintendo releases.)
Obviously, it's one of their motion-sensors that is doing the balancing game in #1, while PC gamers have thrown themselves into Will Wright's fantasy. Xbox 360 is still a little bit historic, a little bit futuristic, but a little bit too real, the PS3 is still out playing golf with a mate, PS2 is now playing a limited edition guitar, the DS is exercising their grey matter, while the PSP is still secretive and clanky.
Obviously, it's one of their motion-sensors that is doing the balancing game in #1, while PC gamers have thrown themselves into Will Wright's fantasy. Xbox 360 is still a little bit historic, a little bit futuristic, but a little bit too real, the PS3 is still out playing golf with a mate, PS2 is now playing a limited edition guitar, the DS is exercising their grey matter, while the PSP is still secretive and clanky.
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By Steven Perdikis - Wed Sep 10, 2008 12:30pm
Following the announcement last week of the limited edition of Command & Conquer: Red Alert 3, anticipation for the title has been steadily growing. This anticipation, however has not been without a certain sense of concern regarding EA's recent use of stringent DRM on the games Spore and Mass Effect.
Executive producer of Red Alert 3, Chris Corry (under the user name EA Smudge) has posted some details regarding the copy protection to be used for Red Alert 3. It will use the same methods incorporated in Spore and Mass Effect, however it will be somewhat lenient in comparison, allowing users a little bit more freedom.
Executive producer of Red Alert 3, Chris Corry (under the user name EA Smudge) has posted some details regarding the copy protection to be used for Red Alert 3. It will use the same methods incorporated in Spore and Mass Effect, however it will be somewhat lenient in comparison, allowing users a little bit more freedom.
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By Junglist - Mon Sep 8, 2008 4:08pm
Good Game won't be airing this Monday night on ABC2, nor the following week, due to the Paralympics. We'll still air on Friday night, and our free download & stream will be up as normal on Monday. This week is an episode choc full of games, even moreso than usual, as we start gearing up for the holiday rush.
We'll be looking at Spore, Viva Pinata: Trouble in Paradise, the recent spate of awesome games to arrive on Xbox Live Arcade, as well as taking a trip down Memory Lane, checking out the history of Star Wars games.
We'll be looking at Spore, Viva Pinata: Trouble in Paradise, the recent spate of awesome games to arrive on Xbox Live Arcade, as well as taking a trip down Memory Lane, checking out the history of Star Wars games.
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By Matt K - Sun Sep 7, 2008 9:03am
Lately I have found myself more annoyed with the usual bunch of video gaming trends and pop fiction tropes. Bipedal English-speaking aliens, anything with Jedi or Jedi-like characters in it and endlessly cycled fiction crutches like the Xanatos Roulette and characters that never seem to die. Perhaps the anguish of waiting for my new machine has made me extra edgy (especially with Spore: Galactic Edition staring me in the face), but am I the only one that thinks it’s time that fiction writers (in all mediums) tried something new? Or is this just Sturgeon’s Law in practice?
With this week’s Warp Pipe, I thought we’d take a look at another round of classic video games that could use a remake or reimagining.
With this week’s Warp Pipe, I thought we’d take a look at another round of classic video games that could use a remake or reimagining.
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By Jessica Citizen - Fri Sep 5, 2008 12:33pm
A little game named Spore has just hit the streets in Australia, with countless people playing God in Will Wright's newest masterpiece. Whether or not it lives up to the awe-inspiring expectations people have is a matter for another time, but right now, I'd like to show you a little something I discovered while browsing the intarwebs the other day.
"If your favourite TV, Music, Technology and Pop Culture stars could create their own alien life forms, what would they look like?" ... find out, with Spore Vote.
"If your favourite TV, Music, Technology and Pop Culture stars could create their own alien life forms, what would they look like?" ... find out, with Spore Vote.
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By Junglist - Mon Sep 1, 2008 6:46pm
The ABC's gaming show Good Game is shown on Monday nights @ 9pm on ABC2 with a repeat on ABC1 on Friday nights after triple j TV. As if that wasn't enough, there's always the downloadable vodcast on the website, too!
This week, we take a look at Mercenaries 2 and Trauma Centre: Second Opinion, and Lux returns, to examin the inherent human need to play. If that's not enough, we also look at our Good Game Game interns, and check out the history of Mr. Will Wright.
This week, we take a look at Mercenaries 2 and Trauma Centre: Second Opinion, and Lux returns, to examin the inherent human need to play. If that's not enough, we also look at our Good Game Game interns, and check out the history of Mr. Will Wright.
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By Chienne - Mon Aug 25, 2008 2:22pm
Well, Games Convention is over again for another year - perhaps the last to be held in Leipzig! Don't get too upset just yet, we'll be sorting through the information we've received for a little while yet.
First off the blocks, however, is the sixth-annual "Best of GC" awards, handed out to the most innovative new products on show at Games Convention. This year, there were nine categories - chosen from 29 exhibitors who entered 122 hardware items and software titles - nearly a 50% increase on 2006, which saw a mere 85 submissions.
The envelope please...
First off the blocks, however, is the sixth-annual "Best of GC" awards, handed out to the most innovative new products on show at Games Convention. This year, there were nine categories - chosen from 29 exhibitors who entered 122 hardware items and software titles - nearly a 50% increase on 2006, which saw a mere 85 submissions.
The envelope please...
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By Chienne - Sat Aug 16, 2008 4:16pm
While apparently stirring up as much fuss among militant atheists as it is among the general gaming public, Spore is getting very ready for release. Due to hit Australian shelves on September 4th, for both Mac and Windows PCs (with a version for the iPhone and the DS following soon after), Spore has officially gone gold.
Touted as a "universe in a box", Spore gives players the ability to create and evolve life - and then establish tribes, build civilisations, sculpt worlds, and then explore an entire universe created by other fans.
Touted as a "universe in a box", Spore gives players the ability to create and evolve life - and then establish tribes, build civilisations, sculpt worlds, and then explore an entire universe created by other fans.
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By TheMeadow - Wed Aug 13, 2008 9:34pm
It seems the creators of Spore have been hit with some criticism, but most of it wasn't from who they were expecting. The highly anticipated creature creator and evolution game, which is set for release in only a few weeks' time, has been getting reactions over the religious elements... from Atheists.
The team behind the game, some of whom are religious, have been tweaking away and making sure the game wouldn't offend gamers who are religious with the ideas of evolution and the games own religions. However they have now been attacked by what they have dubbed as "militant atheists" who were offended with the inclusion of religion into the game.
The team behind the game, some of whom are religious, have been tweaking away and making sure the game wouldn't offend gamers who are religious with the ideas of evolution and the games own religions. However they have now been attacked by what they have dubbed as "militant atheists" who were offended with the inclusion of religion into the game.
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By Chienne - Sat Aug 2, 2008 10:33am
I'm not sure how many of you are the newspaper-buying type, but maybe if you live on the East Coast (or if you have a friendly newsagent), today you'll make an exception. EA have announced a deal with News Limited, that will see 750,000 copies of the Spore Creature Creator distributed with the Herald Sun and The Saturday Daily Telegraph today - and The Courier Mail later this month.
Those of you in New South Wales can pick up the game for free, while your Victorian brethren will have to shell out a whopping $2 for the disk (as will Queenslanders, when their copy arrives on the 30th).
...but be quick, this kind of deal won't last long.
Those of you in New South Wales can pick up the game for free, while your Victorian brethren will have to shell out a whopping $2 for the disk (as will Queenslanders, when their copy arrives on the 30th).
...but be quick, this kind of deal won't last long.
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By Chienne - Tue Jul 15, 2008 3:19pm
By now you should have read up on EA's Press Conference, if you've been following our E3 coverage. It's really very interesting - but what about the details about the games? Where are they?
...why, right here, actually. Each of these games is scheduled to ship either this year or "early 2009" for a variety of platforms. We've got deep stories, riveting graphics, and socially connected experiences. Whether you're a core gamer or a new player, there's something here for you!
...why, right here, actually. Each of these games is scheduled to ship either this year or "early 2009" for a variety of platforms. We've got deep stories, riveting graphics, and socially connected experiences. Whether you're a core gamer or a new player, there's something here for you!
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By Chienne - Tue Jul 8, 2008 6:52pm
While there seems to be no actual news to accompany them, we've recently received a handful of new screenshots for Multiwinia, the multiplayer version of Darwinia, from UK indie developers Introversion.
I've been gazing at these images for a little while now and, while they're very pretty, they're also very confusing. What do they mean, "beserk"? What is in store for these little two-dimensional stick figures? How will they survive the transition from their traditional PC home to their new digs on Xbox Live Arcade? Oh, so many questions!
I've been gazing at these images for a little while now and, while they're very pretty, they're also very confusing. What do they mean, "beserk"? What is in store for these little two-dimensional stick figures? How will they survive the transition from their traditional PC home to their new digs on Xbox Live Arcade? Oh, so many questions!
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By Matt K - Sun Jul 6, 2008 9:06am
Mid-year sales tend to be pretty awful, but one particular Australian retailer was running out a lot of stock for around the $5 mark, mainly on the PC, PS2, DS and Xbox 360. Needless to say, this week, I came home a couple of hundred dollars poorer and weighed down by bags of games, yet could not find many of the titles I wanted due to the store having been raided by people buying up multiple copies of the one game to trade or sell on eBay. Such is life. I'm still trying to wrestle my way through Alone in the Dark on the Xbox 360, a game with some stunning ideas, but absolutely horrendous controls and far too many bugs and glitches.
This week, The Warp Pipe will look at the current Q3 release list, gauging the perceived level of hype and giving a brief impression as to the quality of each game.
This week, The Warp Pipe will look at the current Q3 release list, gauging the perceived level of hype and giving a brief impression as to the quality of each game.
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By Matt K - Sun Jun 29, 2008 5:31am
This weekend marks the midway point of 2008, a milestone which has either come very slowly or out of nowhere, depending on your perception of time and space. I find myself in the latter group, stuck in a state of mind where it's March or April, largely out of desperation for some warm weather. Most of my recent time has been spent wrestling a Metal Gear Solid 4 review, which you'll see on the site soon, and the new Alone in the Dark game, which has some promising concepts destroyed by wretched controls and a multitude of glitches.
With the midway point reached, I thought I'd take the time this week to look back at the major events and releases of the first six months of the year.
With the midway point reached, I thought I'd take the time this week to look back at the major events and releases of the first six months of the year.
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By Chienne - Fri Jun 20, 2008 11:54am
2K Games have made good on their promise, and have removed all activation restrictions - including install limits - from the PC version of BioShock as of today.
While it's great news, it's not necessarily on par with "the end of the Cold War" as one 2K forum-goer has commented - but still, it's up there, in a geeky gamer sort of way.
This may or may not bode well for Mass Effect and Spore, both of which include the same sort of SecuROM anti-piracy software. It'll be interesting to see whether EA step up to 2K's plate.
While it's great news, it's not necessarily on par with "the end of the Cold War" as one 2K forum-goer has commented - but still, it's up there, in a geeky gamer sort of way.
This may or may not bode well for Mass Effect and Spore, both of which include the same sort of SecuROM anti-piracy software. It'll be interesting to see whether EA step up to 2K's plate.
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By Chienne - Thu Jun 19, 2008 4:39pm
Just in case you missed the memo, EA would like you to know that Spore is pretty popular. The new Creature Creator, officially released only yesterday for both PC gamers and their Mac brethren, has already seen more than 250,000 new alien lifeforms designed and shared - currently there are more than two creatures being shared every second!
It's not all fabulous though, there's still no sign of Australian availability of the full version of the Creature Creator, although we are reassured by EA Australia that there will be an "exciting announcement" on the topic very soon.
It's not all fabulous though, there's still no sign of Australian availability of the full version of the Creature Creator, although we are reassured by EA Australia that there will be an "exciting announcement" on the topic very soon.
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By Chienne - Wed Jun 18, 2008 1:09pm
Despite stumbling out of the blocks, Maxis are proud to unleash their baby, the brand new Spore Creature Creator, an introduction to one of the most eagerly-anticipated games of the year, Spore, due out here in September.
Think of it as a sort of "creativity toybox", which lets you create your own unique creatures, and then bring them to life with a collection of animations. If you've made something really special, you can share them online with friends (and strangers) from around the world!
If you want to pick up your copy quickly and easily, let us come to your rescue with a local download of the trial version (we have one for Mac too) - we're trying to find out how Aussies can get their hands on the full version, too.
Think of it as a sort of "creativity toybox", which lets you create your own unique creatures, and then bring them to life with a collection of animations. If you've made something really special, you can share them online with friends (and strangers) from around the world!
If you want to pick up your copy quickly and easily, let us come to your rescue with a local download of the trial version (we have one for Mac too) - we're trying to find out how Aussies can get their hands on the full version, too.
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By Chienne - Wed Jun 11, 2008 9:58am
Okay, all of you who are hanging out for Spore, I've got some details here that should set your mind at ease about what sort of a gaming rig you'll need to have set up if you want to play god.
While the "recommended" specs are yet to be revealed, the basic system requirements for the game - both PC and Mac versions - have been posted on their official website, and they're surprisingly accessible. You won't need a supercomputer with all the latest bells and whistles for this one, and I can hear the collective sighs of relief from around the planet.
While the "recommended" specs are yet to be revealed, the basic system requirements for the game - both PC and Mac versions - have been posted on their official website, and they're surprisingly accessible. You won't need a supercomputer with all the latest bells and whistles for this one, and I can hear the collective sighs of relief from around the planet.
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By TheMeadow - Tue Jun 3, 2008 10:09pm
Back to its regular scheduled day, this week's Now Playing is not only going to bring you the latest trailers that have caught our eye but also we have a double feature drive in special! That's right, not only do you get the latest clips to grace our file library but you also get a full round up of Ubidays, Ubisoft's day of days to show off their upcoming titles. You will want to check these out!
But before that we head to Castlevania to check on some old friends. Get some beast riding lessons to fight an evil residing in Africa. Head to the streets for a fight and get some combat tips from an assassin before growing up and setting our eyes on universal domination.
But before that we head to Castlevania to check on some old friends. Get some beast riding lessons to fight an evil residing in Africa. Head to the streets for a fight and get some combat tips from an assassin before growing up and setting our eyes on universal domination.
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By Chienne - Mon Jun 2, 2008 3:42pm
It's not very often that I say this, but I quite like what EA is doing, giving us itty-bitty little bites of what we can expect from Spore, not just in screenshots and text, but in videos, too.
So far, we've seen the Cell stage, last week was the Creature stage, and today we've evolved just that little bit more, to experience the Tribal stage, the third evolutionary step in the Spore universe.
So far, we've seen the Cell stage, last week was the Creature stage, and today we've evolved just that little bit more, to experience the Tribal stage, the third evolutionary step in the Spore universe.
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By Chienne - Mon May 26, 2008 11:43am
Here's a bit of an update on Spore. Following on from last week's Cell Stage information, this week we're learning about the Creature Stage.
Once your little microorganism has grown up a bit, it mutates into a creature... and that's a whole new world of experiences for the game. Check out the video to find out what's involved once you've evolved - and discover some of the ups and downs of the game's development, as the Creative Director explains some of the process.
Once your little microorganism has grown up a bit, it mutates into a creature... and that's a whole new world of experiences for the game. Check out the video to find out what's involved once you've evolved - and discover some of the ups and downs of the game's development, as the Creative Director explains some of the process.
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By Chienne - Wed May 21, 2008 11:10am
We've got a treat for you today. The Spore Team have just slipped us some information about the Cell Stage, the first stage in the Spore universe.
This is where you are introduced to the Spore fundamentals, as you find your way around as a simple organism that has been dropped onto a planet by a helpful meteor. The simplistic top-down 2D environment sees your organism develop as a herbivore, carnivore or omnivore, earning DNA and collecting parts to improve your creature's abilities.
This is where you are introduced to the Spore fundamentals, as you find your way around as a simple organism that has been dropped onto a planet by a helpful meteor. The simplistic top-down 2D environment sees your organism develop as a herbivore, carnivore or omnivore, earning DNA and collecting parts to improve your creature's abilities.
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By Matt K - Sun May 18, 2008 8:34am
This week at The Warp Pipe was mostly spent struggling trying to get a belated Mario Kart Wii review together. Every time reviewing a game seems a bit difficult or frustrating, I just remind myself that I could be stuck in an office being forced to pretend I give a damn about this week's Big Brother eviction. That usually results in me loving this job even more. I expected to like Mario Kart Wii a whole lot more than I actually did; the latest iteration seems to make the series' flaws more noticeable than ever before.
For this week's column, we'll discuss copy protection, revisit the spectacular Zone of the Enders: The 2nd Runner for PlayStation 2, and recommend a rather good budget-priced adventure game in Full Throttle.
For this week's column, we'll discuss copy protection, revisit the spectacular Zone of the Enders: The 2nd Runner for PlayStation 2, and recommend a rather good budget-priced adventure game in Full Throttle.
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By Chienne - Sat May 10, 2008 9:46am
One of the biggest stories over the past week has been about the inclusion of SecuROM copy-protection software in the upcoming PC release of Mass Effect. There's been a lot of discussion over on our original post, which mentioned that gamers could have three concurrent installations of the title (none of which require the DVD to run), and that the program would "phone home" on a regular basis, to ensure that it was a legit copy.
Well - big news today, gamers - and I'll let the Community Manager from BioWare explain it in his own words:
Well - big news today, gamers - and I'll let the Community Manager from BioWare explain it in his own words:
There has been a lot of discussion in the past few days on how the security requirements for Mass Effect for PC will work. BioWare, a division of EA, wants to let fans know that Mass Effect will not require 10- day periodic re-authentication.
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By Chienne - Wed May 7, 2008 1:04pm
In a move that is sure to upset more than a handful of PC gamers, BioWare has come out with the announcement that the PC version of their space RPG Mass Effect will include SecuROM copy-protection technology.
The technology is similar to what was used on Bioshock, and will only allow gamers to install their game three times - which is fair enough, some might say (until you reformat your machine for the fourth time and want to play the game). It then goes one step further, and "phones home" every ten days, re-sending the CD key and a unique machine identifier, to re-authenticate that copy of the game.
...and, according to a company representative, this is the same situation that will be in place for the release of Spore, later this year.
The technology is similar to what was used on Bioshock, and will only allow gamers to install their game three times - which is fair enough, some might say (until you reformat your machine for the fourth time and want to play the game). It then goes one step further, and "phones home" every ten days, re-sending the CD key and a unique machine identifier, to re-authenticate that copy of the game.
...and, according to a company representative, this is the same situation that will be in place for the release of Spore, later this year.
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By Chienne - Sat Apr 26, 2008 7:44pm
While everybody's holding their collective breaths for Spore (still on track for an early September PC/Mac release, last we heard), you should be able to start gasping for a little bit of air in June. That's when the Spore Creature Creator is set to be released, in both a free, downloadable demo and a complete retail version.
The Creature Creator will give fans of the game - or fans of creativity - a hands-on opportunity to get their hands dirty (digitally speaking), and design their own species before sharing it with their friends. Of course, anything created with the Creature Creator can then be imported into the full version of Spore, so you're getting a bit of a head start!
The Creature Creator will give fans of the game - or fans of creativity - a hands-on opportunity to get their hands dirty (digitally speaking), and design their own species before sharing it with their friends. Of course, anything created with the Creature Creator can then be imported into the full version of Spore, so you're getting a bit of a head start!
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By Junglist - Mon Mar 10, 2008 5:26pm
The ABC's gaming show Good Game has a new home, Monday nights @ 9pm on ABC2 with a repeat on ABC1 on Friday nights after triple j TV. As if that wasn't enough, there's always the downloadable vodcast on the website!
Here's some of what to expect tonight:
Will Wright takes a break from putting the finishing touches on Spore to chat and we take a look at Army of Two and Advance Wars: Dark Conflict (Days of Ruin). That's all as well as some advice from GDC attendees about how to come up with your own game design idea.
Here's some of what to expect tonight:
Will Wright takes a break from putting the finishing touches on Spore to chat and we take a look at Army of Two and Advance Wars: Dark Conflict (Days of Ruin). That's all as well as some advice from GDC attendees about how to come up with your own game design idea.
[ READ MORE ]
By Chienne - Wed Feb 13, 2008 8:41am
"The wait is almost over," says Will Wright, as he announces that Spore is due for release - worldwide - on the weekend of September 7, 2008.
The latest innovation from Maxis will give gamers the ability to create and evolve life, grow civilisations, design tribes, command entire worlds - and even explore a universe created by other gamers. Finally, it has been given a release date, revealed through a teaser trailer designed to spark your imagination.
Looks like now you'll just have to choose your platform: PC, Mac, DS or mobile phone?
The latest innovation from Maxis will give gamers the ability to create and evolve life, grow civilisations, design tribes, command entire worlds - and even explore a universe created by other gamers. Finally, it has been given a release date, revealed through a teaser trailer designed to spark your imagination.
Looks like now you'll just have to choose your platform: PC, Mac, DS or mobile phone?
[ READ MORE ]
By Matt K - Sun Feb 10, 2008 10:56am
Welcome to the Warp Pipe, a new weekly editorial piece that will grace the pages of the Internode Games Network every Sunday morning. I've got a pretty basic plan in place for what's going to be in the column each week; I rant about something to do with video games, remember old games, make silly predictions and tell you the industry is full of poo, and then you jump onto the Internode forums and rant about how I know nothing and should be shot out of a cannon or be forced to ghost-write John Howard's memoirs.
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By pkd - Sat Jun 9, 2007 9:39am
Electronic Arts have announced the next title in the SimCity franchise. Interesting to note that long time servant of the series, Maxis, have been declined the opportunity to work on SimCity Societies. The new developer on this new phase of the series is Tilted Mill Entertainment. Maxis are still involved with producing even more Sims expansions and also the long awaited Spore.
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By Chienne - Wed May 9, 2007 1:10pm
Spore. It was slated for a release in mid-2006... then pushed back to March 2007... then the "second half" of 2007... and now, EA has released its fiscal plans for 2008 - and the game isn't included, which suggests that we could be looking at April next year at the earliest.
The world's biggest video game publisher also posted a wider quarterly loss and has adjusted the fiscal-2008 forecast profit below expectations - $1.20 per share compared with the analyst's average target of $1.31 - leading to a net loss for fiscal 2008. Shares in the company also fell 3 percent in extended trading.
The world's biggest video game publisher also posted a wider quarterly loss and has adjusted the fiscal-2008 forecast profit below expectations - $1.20 per share compared with the analyst's average target of $1.31 - leading to a net loss for fiscal 2008. Shares in the company also fell 3 percent in extended trading.
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By thecynicalgamer - Thu Apr 19, 2007 2:17pm
Soren Johnson, a co-designer of the Civilization III and Civilization IV games, has left Firaxis and joined Electronic Arts owned Maxis studio. The good news is that Johnson is apparently going to be working on Spore.
Firaxis games was originally created by legendary developer Sid Meier in 1996. Firaxis was later bought out by Take Two in 2005 and was responsible many of Sid Meier's signature gaming licenses. Johnson had been a lead developer there since 2000 which had allowed him to work on several major game releases including Civilization. His move is to the massive studioMaxis who is, of course, the creator of the unbelievably popular Sims series of games.
Firaxis games was originally created by legendary developer Sid Meier in 1996. Firaxis was later bought out by Take Two in 2005 and was responsible many of Sid Meier's signature gaming licenses. Johnson had been a lead developer there since 2000 which had allowed him to work on several major game releases including Civilization. His move is to the massive studioMaxis who is, of course, the creator of the unbelievably popular Sims series of games.
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