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Catlike reflexes, mastery of the martial arts, and a deadly whip make Catwoman a formidable and resourceful opponent as seen this champion profile trailer for Infinite Crisis.
Half-Life studio announces proprietary controller; will work with all past, present, and future games; described as "high-precision" with "low-latency performance."
Portal and Half-Life studio Valve today announced the Steam Controller, which features a touch-screen and haptic feedback. The announcement is the third from Valve this week, following SteamOS on Monday and Steam Machines on Wednesday.
"We set out with a singular goal: bring the Steam experience, in its entirety, into the living-room. We knew how to build the user interface, we knew how to build a machine, and even an operating system. But that still left input--our biggest missing link," Valve said. "We realized early on that our goals required a new kind of input technology--one that could bridge the gap from the desk to the living room without compromises. So we spent a year experimenting with new approaches to input and we now believe we've arrived at something worth sharing and testing with you."
According to Valve, the Steam Controller will work with all past, present, and future games on Steam, including those that were not built with controller support. Valve can achieve this by "fooling" the older games into thinking they are being played with mouse and keyboard.
In explaining its design philosophy for the Steam Controller, Valve said traditional gamepads "force us to accept compromises."
"The Steam controller offers a new and, we believe, vastly superior control scheme, all while enabling you to play from the comfort of your sofa," Valve said. "Built with high-precision input technologies and focused on low-latency performance, the Steam controller is just what the living-room ordered."
According to Valve, the most prominent elements of the Steam Controller are its dual circular trackpads that players will manipulate using their thumbs. The trackpads are clickable, turning the entire surface into a button.
"The trackpads allow far higher fidelity input than has previously been possible with traditional handheld controllers," Valve said. "Steam gamers, who are used to the input associated with PCs, will appreciate that the Steam Controller's resolution approaches that of a desktop mouse."
Valve said entire genres of games that were once playable only through keyboard and mouse are now accessible in the living room thanks to the new controller. The developer specifically called out real-time strategy games, casual games, and cursor-driven games as examples.
First-person shooters will also benefit from the Steam Controller's "high resolution and absolute position control," Valve said.
Valve explained that trackpads are inherently less physical than thumbsticks, so the company sought out a way to "add more physicality to the experience." Part of this advancement in physicality is expanding on the "rumble" feature found in contemporary controllers forward.
To that end, the Steam Controller features a "new generation of super-precise haptic feedback," Valve said. This includes making use of linear resonant actuators, described as "small, strong, weighted electro-magnets" that are attached to each of the trackpads.
"They are capable of delivering a wide range of force and vibration, allowing precise control over frequency, amplitude, and direction of movement," Valve said.
"This haptic capability provides a vital channel of information to the player--delivering in-game information about speed, boundaries, thresholds, textures, action confirmations, or any other events about which game designers want players to be aware," the company added. "It is a higher-bandwidth haptic information channel than exists in any other consumer product that we know of. As a parlour trick they can even play audio waveforms and function as speakers."
Another new feature of the Steam Controller is its touch-enabled surface, backed by a "high-resolution screen." According to Valve, this surface is "critical" to achieving the input's primary goal: to support all games in the Steam library. The screen allows for an "infinite number" of discrete actions, Valve said.
The entire screen itself is also clickable, making it a single large button.
"So actions are not invoked by a simple touch, they instead require a click. This allows a player to touch the screen, browse available actions, and only then commit to the one they want," Valve said. "Players can swipe through pages of actions in games where that's appropriate. When programmed by game developers using our API, the touch screen can work as a scrolling menu, a radial dial, provide secondary info like a map or use other custom input modes we haven’t thought of yet."
As a means to avoid forcing players to continually jump back and forth between screens, the Steam Controller is integrated with Steam so that when a player touches the controller screen, its display is overlayed on top of the game they're playing. Thus, the player never needs to divert their eyes from the action, Valve said.
There are a total of sixteen buttons on the Steam Controller, half of which are accessible to the player without requiring them to life their thumbs from the trackpads. This includes two buttons on the back.
"All controls and buttons have been placed symmetrically, making left or right handedness switchable via a software config checkbox," Valve said.
The Steam Controller also boasts "shared configurations," technology that will assist in supporting the entire catalog of Steam games, Valve said.
"We have built in a legacy mode that allows the controller to present itself as a keyboard and mouse," Valve said. "The Steam Community can use the configuration tool to create and share bindings for their favorite games. Players can choose from a list of the most popular configurations."
Lastly, Valve said the Steam Controller was designed from the onset to be hackable. The company will make tools available in the future that will allow users to participate in "all aspects of the experience," from industrial design to electrical engineering.
"We can't wait to see what you come up with," Valve said.
Those who are selected for the Steam Machines beta will receive a Steam Controller, though Valve said the first units out the door will not include a touch-screen and they will not be wireless. Four buttons will be used in place of the touch-screen and these units will require a USB cable.
Valve also confirmed that the Steam Controller will be compatible with any version of Steam, meaning players will not need a Steam Machine to use the controller.
For developers interested in supporting the Steam Controller in their games, Valve will release the first version of its API to creators on the same day that prototype controllers ship later this year.
Pricing information for the Steam Controller was not announced.
New online service built for next-generation console features "extensive" library of interactive programs from brands like P90X and Insanity, as well as Jillian Michaels and Tracy Anderson.
Microsoft today announced Xbox Fitness for Xbox One, an all-new online service built for the next-generation console. The service takes existing fitness videos from popular fitness brands and makes them interactive.
Xbox Fitness features an "extensive" library of interactive programs from fitness routines like P90X and Insanity, as well as Jillian Michaels and Tracy Anderson. Xbox Fitness will be free for Xbox Live Gold members through December 2014.
Using Kinect, Xbox Fitness can read a player's heart rate without using a monitor, Microsoft said. The technology can also detect and determine which muscles are "most engaged" by measuring power, force, and transfer of weight within the body. The quality of performance is also measured, tracking balance, tempo, and form, Microsoft said.
The Xbox Fitness service will also deliver personalized program recommendations determined by past performance and workout history. A "variety" of workouts will be available, Microsoft said, ranging from 10 to 60 minutes in length.
Xbox Fitness also boasts a social component, allowing users to participate in challenges and then post results for friends and the community at large to try to match.
An Xbox Fitness Pass is included with Xbox Live Gold membership through the end of the year. Pricing for an Xbox Fitness Pass after the introductory period ends was not announced.
Nation to end ban on sale of game consoles as part of establishment of new free-trade zone in Shanghai.
Confirming earlier reports, the Chinese government has announced that it will end the 13-year ban on the sale of video game consoles in the country.
As reported by The Wall Street Journal, the news was announced today by the country's high-ranking State Council as part of the establishment of a new free-trade zone in Shanghai.
Foreign companies that operate sales and production within the new trade zone will be able to sell products throughout China, so long as they are approved by the Ministry of Culture.
Though consoles are officially banned in China, The Wall Street Journal points out that they have been readily available through "unofficial channels" like private retail outlets in malls.
The news comes after Microsoft announced this week an investment of $237 million into a joint venture with Chinese TV company BesTV in the free-trade zone to create "family games and related services."
China enacted the console ban in 2000, blocking the sale of systems over concerns about potential harm to the physical and mental development of children. Touch-enabled devices and smartphones, like the iPhone and iPad, are allowed because they are not deemed gaming devices.
Creative director Jonathan Morin says "there's always a balance, especially for open-world, between the simulation and the rest."
Ubisoft's open-world action game Watch Dogs will run at 30 frames-per-second on Xbox One and PlayStation 4, the game's creative director Jonathan Morin told Videogamer today.
"Right now the frame-rate we're focusing on [is] a steady 30[FPS]," Morin said. "There's always a balance, especially for open-world, between the simulation and the rest."
"I think for where we are, the most important thing is the steadiness and [ensuring] that it's always capped the same so when you play it it feels right," he added.
Although he did confirm the frame rate, Morin said he is not sure if the game's native resolution on Xbox One and PS4 is 720p or 1080p.
Watch Dogs launches for the Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, Wii U, and PC on November 19. The Xbox One and PS4 versions will be released as launch titles for those platforms.
Abandoned Territories Map Pack featuring four multiplayer maps hits next month; single-player expansion planned for release around December-January.
The first downloadable content for The Last of Us has been revealed.
The Abandoned Territories Map Pack will arrive on October 15, featuring four multiplayer maps, Naughty Dog announced today. These are Suburbs, Bus Depot, Hometown, and Bookstore.
Naughty Dog also provided an update on the developer's first-ever story-focused single-player DLC, also part of the game's season pass. The studio said it has just finished a "long casting process" for a new character and a performance capture shoot will begin next week.
The untitled The Last of Us single-player DLC is currently planned for release in December 2013 or January 2014, Naughty Dog said. No additional details were provided.
The third piece of DLC included with the The Last of Us season pass will be multiplayer-focused and is due to launch in the first half of 2014, Naughty Dog said. More information about this content will be shared later.
Bonus items were also added to the game's season pass today in the form of over 60 different head items for multiplayer characters. These range from a Nightmare Mask to a Pigskin Hat, Naughty Dog said.
The head items for The Last of Us will be free for those who have purchased a season pass, but will also be available a la carte, though specific pricing information was not announced.
DICE confirms upcoming military FPS will ship with new modes Obliteration and Defuse, as well as Conquest, Domination, Rush, and Team and Squad Deathmatch.
Battlefield 4 will ship with seven different multiplayer modes at launch, DICE has confirmed. Returning from Battlefield 3 are Domination, Conquest, Rush, Team Deathmatch, and Squad Deathmatch. The two new game modes are Obliteration and Defuse.
Defuse is a 5 vs. 5 close quarters mode described as "highly competitive." Each player is given a single life per round, though they can be revived once.
Teams can win by eliminating the opposing squad or arming and detonating a military objective (similar to the M-COM stations in Rush mode). Commander mode is not supported.
The Obliteration game mode for Battlefield 4 is designed for 24 players on Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 and 32 combatants on Xbox One, PlayStation 4, and PC. In this mode, a bomb spawns at a random location on the map. Both teams must fight to pick it up, drop it off at one of their opponent's three objectives, arm it, and destroy the objective.
Once the bomb has gone off, the next one randomly spawns in a new location. The game runs until one team has destroyed the other side's three objectives. Commander mode is optional for Obliteration.
"Since there's only one bomb at a time, you will often find yourself going from attacker to defender in the blink of an eye. You need to be able to predict enemy movement to defend at the right place at the right time and reclaim the offensive--or intercept the enemy to reclaim possession of the bomb," DICE said. "The constantly shifting playing field from offense to defense is partly inspired by American football--with the detonation of an enemy installation being the Battlefield equivalent of scoring a touchdown."
The Battlefield 4 beta features the Siege of Shanghai map in Conquest or Domination mode. New features and elements like Levolution and Amphibious Assault will be featured in the beta.
Gamers who preorder the Battlefield 4 PC Digital Deluxe Edition, Battlefield 3 Premium members, and owners of Medal of Honor: Warfighter Limited or Digital Deluxe Edition can begin playing on October 1.
On October 4, the Battlefield 4 beta will be opened to all Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, and PC players.
38 Studios and Big Huge Games liquidation auction to take place November 14-15; Project Copernicus, sequel rights for Reckoning, and Rise of Nations up for sale.
Rhode Island will attempt to sell various 38 Studios and Big Huge Games franchises and rights through a liquidation auction November 14-15, it has been announced (via Joystiq).
The auction will be orchestrated by Heritage Global Partners. Proceeds will go to the state of Rhode Island, which assumed ownership of the franchises when 38 Studios and subsidiary Big Huge Games went bankrupt last year.
Included in the auction are a number of intellectual property assets in the Amalur fantasy universe. These include MMO Project Copernicus, sequel rights to Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning, and merchandise rights and revenue streams associated with the Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, and PC versions of Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning.
Wedbush Securities analyst Michael Pachter said in May 2012 that the Amalur MMO Project Copernicus was worth around $20 million.
Also featured in the auction are intellectual property rights for Big Huge Games franchises, including Rise of Nations, Rise of Legends, and Catan.
Proprietary game technology--the Big Huge Games Engine--and the 38 Studios' gaming, social media, and development platform codenamed Helios are also up for auction.
Two auctions last year liquidated office equipment from 38 Studios in Providence, Rhode Island, and the company's office in Timonium, Maryland, netting less than $1 million.
UK managing director says lower price point relative to Xbox One is an advantage, but "value to the consumer is everything."
Sony's PlayStation 4 will launch this November a full $100 below its competitor the Xbox One. This gives the platform an advantage, but it's the overall value that Sony provides with the console that will matter, Sony UK managing director Fergal Gara told CVG in a new interview.
"Price isn't everything. It's an advantage, but it can move over time," Gara said. "Value to the consumer is everything, which is price and quality of content for that price. We feel in very good shape on that front. We're really pleased."
Xbox director Albert Penello said earlier this month that Microsoft is not stressing over being the most expensive console this holiday season. He told GameSpot at PAX Prime that the suite of games and services Microsoft is offering with the Xbox One is stronger than the competition.
"I think we do more. I think our games are better. I think as people start to experience Kinect and see what it can do using voice, I think that's better," Penello said at the time. "I think the ability to have an all-in-one system where you can plug in the TV, that's better. I think we'll have a better online service."
"I just believe that we're going to have a better system. $100, when you're talking $400 vs. $500 [shrugs shoulders]. I don't believe it's going to be the deal-killer," he added.
The PS4 launches in North America on November 15, while the Xbox One arrives November 22.
Sources says Alan Mulally now a frontrunner to become Xbox maker's new chief executive officer.
Ford CEO Alan Mulally is a top candidate to replace outgoing Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer as the Xbox maker's top executive, The Wall Street Journal's AllThingsD reports.
Mulally denied that he was leaving the Detroit-based car company earlier this month, telling AllThingsD that, "I continue to be focused on serving Ford."
Sources with knowledge of the situation told the site that the 68-year-old Mulally was not warm to the idea of joining Microsoft at first, but has become more interested of late.
Mulally has been CEO of Ford for seven years. Prior to that, he served as CEO of Boeing Commercial Airlines in the Seattle area.
Shortly after Microsoft acquired Nokia for $7.2 billion, it was reported that CEO Stephen Elop would be a top contender for the Microsoft CEO job. However, sources told AllThingsD that there has been a "shift" in recent weeks away from Elop and towards Mulally.
Mulally and Microsoft have reportedly not yet entered "formal" contract negotiations, but discussions about the position are said to be "serious."
Microsoft's board of directors has established a special committee to direct the selection process for Ballmer's successor. This committee is chaired by the board's lead independent director, John Thompson, as well as chairman of the board Bill Gates, among others.
The board is working with executive recruiting firm Heidrick & Struggles International Inc., and will consider both internal and external candidates, Microsoft said.
Company officials reportedly demonstrated a prototype of the technology during meetings this week with Halo 4 running on Windows Phone and PC.
Microsoft may be following in the footsteps of Sony and developing its own cloud-gaming streaming service, if a new report proves accurate. Sources familiar with the matter told The Verge that Microsoft officials demonstrated a prototype of the technology during meetings this week.
Halo 4 was reportedly shown running on a Windows Phone and PC, streamed from the cloud. The Verge understands that the prototype runs "smoothly" on both devices and that Microsoft has been able to reduce latency on a Lumia 520 device to 45ms.
The prototype is part of a larger Microsoft initiative to stream games to Windows devices, The Verge reports. The demonstration this week reportedly included a Windows Phone with an Xbox controller attached through an unspecified accessory and a "low-end hybrid PC."
"The Microsoft Company Meeting is a great place to demonstrate many exciting possibilities, but we don't have any specific plans to share at this time," a Microsoft representative told The Seattle Times.
Microsoft hinted at tapping into the power of the cloud for backwards compatibility on the Xbox One earlier this month.
"There are so many things that the servers can do. Using our Azure cloud servers, sometimes it’s things like voice processing. It could be more complicated things like rendering full games like a Gaikai and delivering it to the box," senior Xbox director Albert Penello said at the time. "We just have to figure out how, over time, how much does that cost to deliver, how good is the experience."
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