New Games

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• Indie Royale bundles Gemini Rue, Nimbus, and more
• Tony Hawk Freerunning for people without skateboards
• Capybara Games teases Super T.I.M.E. Force
• The DTOID Show: Battlefield 3, Skyrim, and Rim Jobs.
• It's satchel-charge madness in Saints Row: The Third
• Just Cause 3 'set for 2012' according to rumor
• New Steel Battalion trailer looks really, really good
• Hideo Kojima reveals Meryl Silverburg figure via Twitter
• Online Passes: A spoonful of sugar
• Interview: What's new in Crusader Kings II
• Destructoid's Extra Life 2011 round-up
• Indie adventure game Gemini Rue is on Steam and 15% off
• TwitchTV now has a free iPhone app
• Kingdoms of Amalur doesn't scale foes, it's intelligent
• PC as lead platform made Battlefield 3 better on consoles
• Metal Gear Solid HD Collection out November 8 in US
• New Nyko PS3 stand charges controllers... with magnets!
• Should anyone own DOTA?

Indie Royale bundles Gemini Rue, Nimbus, and more Posted: 26 Oct 2011 04:00 PM PDT A new independent game bundle has entered the fray, offering titles worth downloading at a reasonable price. Indie Royale purchasers can currently get A.R.E.S. Extinction Agenda, Gemini Rue, Sanctum, and Nimbus for under three bucks. While these are only Windows versions, Steam and Desura redemption keys are being included. The earlier you buy, the cheaper the bundle is, so don't hesitate for too long. The next three Indie Royale bundles are already being teased -- this is a good start, so I'll be looking out for what's to come. [Thanks, Shinobi13]

Tony Hawk Freerunning for people without skateboards Posted: 26 Oct 2011 03:30 PM PDT Imagine a world where people had to get around using only their feet, a world where conventional modes of transportation like skateboards didn't exist. This Tony Hawk Freerunning video gives us a glimpse into what that dark world might look like. With games like Mirror's Edge and Assassin's Creed getting people all hot and bothered about running and jumping, perhaps it's time for a parkour game in the style of the Tony Hawk franchise. I've always found my feel easier to control than a skateboard, maybe I'd suck less at this sort of thing.

Capybara Games teases Super T.I.M.E. Force Posted: 26 Oct 2011 03:00 PM PDT They had me at "Capybara Games." Which is good, because I didn't find this trailer for Super T.I.M.E. Force to be particularly informative outside of teasing the visual and sound design. Given the chaotic nature of the action, I'm led to believe that this could be a multiplayer title, though the developers aren't saying anything substantial yet, detail-wise. So I could be way off base. Intriguing stuff, whatever the case ends up being.

The DTOID Show: Battlefield 3, Skyrim, and Rim Jobs. Posted: 26 Oct 2011 03:00 PM PDT Hello, my special lil' people! It's Wednesday, and that means another Destructoid Show episode. Because we always record on Wednesdays. Duh. Today, Tara runs down the bullet points of Jim's Battlefield 3 (get it? Because guns shoot bullets?) and EA apparently forgot to give PS3 users their free copy of Battlefield 1943. Bethesda announces the PC requirements for Skyrim, and Sony announces the overpriced peripheral requirements for the Vita. For the second part of the episode, we play around with the beta "Initiation Station" for Saints Row The Third. It's pretty cool. Maybe we'll do that on Friday's live show. Also, a reminder: We're giving away a totally out-of-this-world War Of The Worlds prize pack for Other Ocean's XBLA game based on H.G. Wells' classic novel. All you've gotta do is email us a drawing of what you think a Martian looks like, or a photo of you in a homemade Martian costume to show@destructoid.com by this Thursday at midnight, Pacific time.

It's satchel-charge madness in Saints Row: The Third Posted: 26 Oct 2011 02:30 PM PDT I'm sure when most of you saw the tagline for Saints Row: The Third, you didn't think "strap it on" literally meant strapping on a dozen satchel charges and running head long into a group of gun-toting luchadores. But hey, you learn something new everyday. It does amaze me that the Saints Row franchise gets away with what it does; there's a real thin line between inspired, over-the-top silliness and just plain offensiveness. I think if any other publisher had tried to sell their game with a trailer that involved strapping explosives to your characters body and blowing him sky-high, then we'd all be mortally offended. Well done on Saints Row: The Third for falling on the side of silliness.

Just Cause 3 'set for 2012' according to rumor Posted: 26 Oct 2011 02:00 PM PDT Hey, did you enjoy jumping on a car, whipping out your Grappling Hook and hitting motorcyclists with it in Just Cause 2? Or maybe you preferred jumping off of a high building and then blowing it down to its foundation while in mid-air? Either way, you probably had a blast with Avalanche's Just Cause 2. Luckily for you, the Swedish developers might be well into developing a Just Cause 3 if rumors from Xbox World's "spies" are anything to go by. According to the magazine, "Avalanche are hard at work [on Just Cause 3] as we speak" and states that we could see it release "next year." Back in 2010, Avalanche's Christofer Sundberg told fans that they "shouldn't be surprised" to see a new Just Cause game. So yeah, keep that excitement to yourselves. Just Cause 3 'set for 2012' - rumour [CVG]

New Steel Battalion trailer looks really, really good Posted: 26 Oct 2011 01:30 PM PDT 2004's Steel Battalion was the closest most of us have come to piloting a mech, right down to the most minuscule details. Capcom has decided to revitalize the series with Steel Battalion: Heavy Armor for Kinect; Hamza was able to get some eyes-on time with the game at Tokyo Game Show last month and was thoroughly impressed. Based purely on the few trailers they've released so far (including this one) I'm inclined to agree with him. I am now one step closer to buying a Kinect. This is step one.

Hideo Kojima reveals Meryl Silverburg figure via Twitter Posted: 26 Oct 2011 01:00 PM PDT Our friends over at Tomopop have gotten wind of a new Play Arts Kai figure from the Metal Gear Solid line, this time it's Solid Snake's former amour, Meryl Silverburgh that's getting the treatment. Kojima casually mentioned on twitter he was looking at the prototype for the Meryl figure, of course checking the proportions and design of the statue to make sure it meets with his meticulous standards. Still there's some time still to go before the figure's release so I'm sure there's plenty of time for some tweaks. The Play Arts Kai line looks really good, I got my hands on the Adam Jensen figurine from collector's edition of Deus Ex Human Revolution and it's well put together and this Meryl figure will be up to the same standard too. Anyone got their hands on any of the other Metal Gear Solid figures released so far? Hideo Kojima reveals the latest Metal Gear Play Arts Kai, Meryl Silverburgh [Tomopop]

Online Passes: A spoonful of sugar Posted: 26 Oct 2011 12:30 PM PDT [Last week, you were asked to blog your thoughts about online passes in games. Today's promoted blog on that topic comes from nekobun, who acknowledges that used games can cause a problem for developers and publishers, and suggests a number of ways that online passes could be improved. Want to see your own blog on the front page? Write a blog on the current topic: MMO Stories. -- JRo] The growing trend of online pass (ab?)use is somewhat murky territory; while publishers may actually have a point about used game sales putting a dent in their profits, they're doing a pretty good job of screwing, and therefore alienating, their customer bases by not thinking these passes through. I think the system could use a spin toward positive reinforcement rather than used-buyer deprivation if it's going to last and/or be a successful money recovery scheme, and I have a fistful of ideas as to how this can be gone about. Incentivize To Monetize Locking your consumers out of modes that will be primary draws for their purchasing dollar (i.e. multiplayer modes in games that are known for their multiplayer), things they're already expecting access to with their initial purchase, is pretty much a dick move. Rather than demanding a cover charge for the main attraction, things would be much more inviting if these passes offered some sort of VIP content. Access to extra, unique perks and equipment, or some sort of in-game key assigned to your character that opens pathways to particularly advantageous sniper spots or vehicle garages, for instance, seems much more palatable than locking out online play altogether. Leveling caps, as in Space Marine, are a little less palatable but still mildly acceptable, as they give the player a chance to get a feel for the game and decide whether the multiplayer is worth ponying up for if they've purchased a used copy. It doesn't hurt that the game's loadout-cloning mechanic gives all players a shot at trying out all the weapons and perks available regardless of their rank, and in all likelihood makes shelling out for the pass that much more enticing. Everyone Gets Laid If you're going to implement online passes, it's only fair to implement offline passes too, especially given that the former are likely to push at least a few players towards more single-player games in order to save a few bucks. Again, this is dangerous territory, but treating pass-based content as a bonus rather than holding things back is the way to go. Recent games already seem to be taking a stab at this, with Rage and Batman: Arkham City being great examples of both sides of the coin. A pass included in new copies of Rage unlocked some extra side areas to explore and profit from, but in no way did missing out on these areas detract from the full game experience. They were a nice little bonus for early adopters, but livable without. Arkham City, on the other hand, decided to lock out the Catwoman stages it'd been advertising almost as far back as the game's announcement, much to the chagrin of everyone who thought they'd just be part of the full package. It didn't help that the Catwoman codes apparently didn't even work, but just setting things up that way in the first place was a terrible idea. Dead On Arrival Broken Catwoman codes aren't the first instance of online passes not being functional from the get-go, either. Driver: San Francisco had issues with misprinted codes included with new copies, which were needed to enable the Uplay Passport required for online play. Implementation of the Passport, at least for that title, was scrapped entirely, essentially wasting the time and effort put in by whatever team had gone in to implement the pass in the first place. If you're going to foist a pass onto your customers, make sure it works before you ship. It's annoying enough to be forced to input a passcode, and finding that to be non-functional increases that ill sentiment exponentially. Pay At The Pump It may not be the worst idea out there, both for convenience's sake and to regain some good relations with the retailers from whose used-sales pie publishers are clearly trying to take a slice, to send out stacks of codes customers can pay for and take home with them when they buy a used copy of a game. This would cut out a lot of additional work and console-based typing for those who don't have a credit card tied to their online gaming accounts, or don't feel like buying more MS points than the pass costs if they're using Xbox Live and have a standing balance. Without all that hassle to look forward to, buyers are liable to be mildly less discontent dealing with a pass in the first place. Or, in a similar vein, offer the full single-player version of a game without a pass at all, but at a lower retail price, and have the pass be completely optional and obtainable both online or at the time of retail purchase. That way, those customers whom already have a die-hard obsession with one online game, who weren't going to have the time for or interest in another, can still get the game without the hassle and without wasting codes they don't have much use for, and those who want to play online know they're paying full price for a reason. Contextual Disconnect If you really must whore your game out to the pass system, at least go to the effort of making the pass-limited content relevant to the core product and target customer base. Tacking on an unwarranted multiplayer mode to a crafted single-player experience (a la Bioshock 2, Dead Space 2, or Mass Effect 3) is a waste of both in-house resources and customers' time, not to mention an incentive to actually wait for a game to show up on used shelves, since most fans aren't particularly interested in that element anyway, and can do without getting a pass for it. That, and as I mentioned before, the online multiplayer realm is already clearly dominated by a handful of titles; if you're not a Halo, a Call of Duty, or a Battlefield, your market penetration is going to be limited at best. That's not to say everyone should stay out of the multiplayer game with those big three FPSes dominating things. Great ideas come from smaller multiplayer offerings all the time, and it's not like those three were always the kings of deathmatch - they had to start somewhere. Just don't expect players to pay extra for multiplayer solely because it's there, and don't think it's suicide if a multiplayer element isn't included. If anything, more games could stand to use Space Marine's "insert pass to continue" method, wherein players have somewhat limited access to multiplayer play right from the get-go, but if they like it and choose to punch in a few characters or pony up for an online pass, they can get the full shebang. If not, no harm, no foul, as the single-player's pretty rich in and of itself. Should the idea of multiplayer feel like too difficult to mesh with the context of the single-player campaign, or would take too many resources away from crafting that campaign ('sup, F3AR?), don't waste that effort and capital. Polish your single player, throw in a pass for some sweet bonus items or an easter egg area, and call it a day. Great solo games get just as much, if not more, acclaim than their multiplayer brethren when it comes to awards and being hailed as classics, so it's just as noble a pursuit. Just look at Nintendo. Even though there's been clamoring for years for them to get their online act together, how many of their classic, beloved franchises really demand a multiplayer element, online or otherwise? Beyond StarFox, Super Mario Kart, and Super Smash Bros., I can't really think of any off-hand. These Prices Are INSANE Lastly, there's quite a jump in consumer trepidation when you move from a single-digit dollar amount to double-digits, even if it's simply a step from nine dollars to ten. That extra zero means a lot to the spender, even with that mere one-dollar difference. That, and given that used copies of fresh titles, especially big-release ones, are rarely offered at less than five dollars under their new versions for at least the first month of release, there's no reason an online or offline pass should cost more than that five-dollar difference. I Feel It Slipping Away While I hope some of these ideas eventually register in the minds of those keen on milking online passes for however ridiculously tragic their supposed losses to use sales are, I'm not even sure the whole pass trend is more than a fad, anyway. The reality of the industry seems to be drifting away from a need for them, even as they're just beginning to be introduced. Games, especially on the 360, are already beginning to reach a size where the multiplayer and single-player elements need to be housed on separate discs, which leaves one to wonder why multiple versions can't be made available that eliminate the pass requirement altogether. Want just the single-player? Here's the Campaign Edition, for half the price or so of the full jam. Oh, and we threw in a single-map trial of the multiplayer for you, just as a tease. Multiplayer your bag? Bam, have a Versus Edition, complete with a single-player demo, just in case. Want it all? Complete Edition, sixty bucks, thank you and good night. Such a model would not only give players more freedom in finding what they want and how they want to play, but it could lower production costs (and subsequently, retail costs) for studios looking to focus on just one aspect or the other. Fully blown-out single- or multiplayer experiences for the full standard price would still be an option, but for franchises cranking out new iterations every year, more snack-sized offerings may prove more viable. Such an approach could eventually reach the point where both halves of each franchise spin off into franchises of their own, with Call Of Duty: Kill Dudes With Spears 3 (multiplayer-only) releasing alongside Call Of Duty: Back To Peloponnesia in Q4 2016. Campaign and multiplayer tend to get farmed out to separate dev houses more often than not anymore, so I don't see why not. Eventually, I could even see things evolving to the point where modes are nothing but DLC. While not that feasible on the current generation, the Playstation 4 and Xbox 720 (or whatever they decide to call it) are bound to have oodles of hard drive space. Give me a core disc (if discs are even a thing by the time the next gen releases) with the game's assets, and perhaps demos of the game's available modes, and then let me pick and choose what elements I feel are worth my time and money. Maybe I just want campaign, with a side of co-op. Maybe this game's wave defense mode is strong but everything else bores me, so I just want that. Perhaps I'm a multiplayer die-hard, and this latest round of Battlefield lets me carry over my levels from a previous iteration, and I want to keep that rolling and just that. Granted, this would kind of screw players without an internet connection, but that's not say it'd be impossible to release full versions, with all the trimmings, on disc alongside these "core" editions. Hell, offer the full package for slightly less than it would be to cumulatively download everything, so as not to completely hose the disconnected children and still offer an incentive to get things all at once. This is all conjecture, however, and for the time being, it looks like the pass system is the flavor of the month. Here's hoping it at least gets a bit more palatable, rather than sparking a revolt amongst players. I don't know about you, but the idea of an Occupy Tsavo Highway movement seems pretty damned impractical. Okama Gamesphere render by CasinoJack.

Interview: What's new in Crusader Kings II Posted: 26 Oct 2011 12:30 PM PDT Crusader Kings II is the sequel to one of the most unconventional and intriguing grand strategy games I've ever had the delight to play. With its focus on intrigue, relationships, and dynasty building, it really stood out from other games in the genre such as the Europa Universalis and Civilization series. Since its release in 2004, Paradox has further explored this type of gameplay with Europa Universalis Rome and the recently released Sengoku. With Crusader Kings II's closed beta starting soon and its release date of Februrary 7 getting closer, I got a chance to pose some questions to producer Johan Andersson. Let's blow the lid off all this intrigue. Destructoid: Can you tell our readers who you are and what your role is on the team? Johan Andersson: I'm Johan Andersson and I'm in charge of all titles developed at Paradox Interactive. On Crusader Kings II, I've been working as the producer, so my job has been making the final call on design, quality and deadlines which means I get to play the game a lot and come up with decisions that the team has to implement. Also, since once upon a time when the grass was green and the air was fresh I was a programmer, I help out with some of the programming when I get a little extra time.   One of the biggest differences between Crusader Kings and other grand strategy games is the importance of individuals and their relationships. Can you tell us how relationships work in CKII and what unique challenges arise when humanizing strategy and history? Characters have unilateral opinions of each other, depending on many different things, from personality traits to past offenses, to their positions in the line of succession. AI characters tend to act in accordance with these opinions, and they also unlock various events. Humanizing strategy and history feels entirely natural in the medieval period, where rulers largely acted on their emotions -- it would be harder (and less appropriate) in a game like Victoria II, which is about Realpolitik, CKII is still a strategy game first and foremost, but the ambition is to make players feel like they are role-playing a character rather than being some kind of guiding national spirit. Historical accuracy is clearly important in the series, is it difficult to find a balance between accuracy and player freedom? We firmly believe that while historical accuracy is of vital importance, it should never trump gameplay. This does not mean we add things like Flaming Pigs as a military unit in a historical game. We take great pride in having historical setups when the game starts, in content being historical, and getting the historical immersion from the game. However, when a game starts, we give players a "blank state" where they can change history to what they want, in a truly believable world. The game should feel historically plausible, while giving players freedom to do what they want to do. Since CK was released Europa Universalis Rome and Sengoku have come out. Are there any features from those games which have made their way over to CKII? Off the top of my head, this is what we took from those games: From EU Rome, we took the entire concept of imprisoning characters, executing them and banishing them. This felt like it would fit naturally in a medieval setting, after all, who doesn't think of damp dungeons when they see a castle? Another interesting thing we took from EU Rome was the idea that characters have ambitions they want to fulfill. From Sengoku we took the concept of characters plotting to fulfill their ambitions and to destroy others'. Another important lesson from Sengoku was the experience we got in improving and changing the interfaces, it has given us some very solid ground to stand on. Will there be separate campaigns in CKII as well as the main campaign, or will it be a historical sandbox like the original? The original had three separate starting dates, while CKII will feature what is technically almost 100,000 different historical starting dates, and each of these has hundreds of playable characters. In this sequel, you can start with any Christian count, duke, king or emperor in Europe or the Middle East at any given date from 1066 to 1337. We are giving players a huge historical sandbox with endless replayability. The original game had a multiplayer mode, will that be returning and if so can you tell us a little bit about it? All our games support multiplayer over direct-IP or LAN and through our own matchmaking server. The game supports up to 32 players playing together in the same campaign. Since this is a game that is not finished in a few hours, players usually schedule set times to meet up and continue their campaign. This is kind of similar to how people raid in MMOs. Of course, playing against other humans takes the game to a whole other level of fun. Think of how ruthless, conniving and backstabbing you can be towards and AI player, and then imagine 30 other humans behaving like that... Are there any other changes returning players can expect? There have been quite a lot of changes in the game compared to the original one. Some of the most major changes include the revision of combat, where you can now have more control of how your army will fight, as you can arrange who goes on flanks and in the center before battles. We also have more direct actions for your court, so that you can send them on tasks for you instead of just giving you bonuses. The final thing I'd like to mention is the enhancement of the feudal structure where we added Emperors at the top Barons at the bottom, to bring the feudal ranks up to five. Beta sign ups started on the 11th, when will the beta start? That part of the beta will start in early November if the stars are right and what is dead can eternally lie...

Destructoid's Extra Life 2011 round-up Posted: 26 Oct 2011 12:00 PM PDT Back when we finished the Extra Life marathon last year, we swore that if we ever organized another charity marathon, it would be too soon. Well, after completing this year's gaming marathon we sort of feel the same way. But having the support of all you wonderful community members and knowing that we've done a lot to help children in need makes it all worthwhile. History time! In 2008, Destructoid got involved with Extra Life as Jim Sterling performed a singing marathon and raised an amazing $3,000 for charity. In 2009, Niero and staff based in Miami ran a 24-hour gaming marathon and raised a grand total of $4835.60. And last year, our marathon based out of Dtoid HQ in San Francisco raised $6000 for children's hospitals. Well, I'm happy to say that this year, we surpassed all previous totals and raised of $6909.16 to benefit Children's Miracle Network hospitals. This huge amount of money will go towards research, medical care, and education that will benefit the lives of sick kids. And now it's time to give the appropriate thanks. This event was possible because of the many individuals and companies that decided to give up their time, energy, and donations to make this happen. Various game companies such as Sega, Capcom, Ubisoft, Square, 2K, THQ, Riot games, Activision, and ASTRO Gaming were more than generous and donated an AMAZING $10,000 WORTH OF PRIZES. Super special thanks go out to our friends Jake, Robin, and James from Topware Interactive for showing amazing hospitality by letting us take over their offices, providing us with food and booze, and hanging out with us. The next round of thanks goes to the individuals that made this happen. Jon Carnage was a beast behind the scenes making sure that the audio and video was of the highest quality (much better than last year's!). Stephen Hansen, Marc Paris, Eric Hall, and Chris Healy worked hard during the stream to keep a list of donors and keep track of all the prizes that were won during the event. Our lovely Twitch.TV channel mods Frogboss, Bill Zoeker, Gigabyte_Bandito, and the rest did an amazing job watching the stream, making sure the donation links were constantly flooding the chat. Next, special thanks goes out our friends at Twitch.TV By featuring our stream on their front page, our stream had amazing numbers. Throughout the whole event, we had at least one million views, which is awesome! The amount of people tuning in definitely helped bring us to surpass our goal this year. Special thanks also goes out to the community members who organized their own Extra Life campaign during the G3 event. Manasteel88, HKKstudio, Swishee, and Rifter01 together raised $525.00 which helped bring the amount of money raised by Destructoid during this Extra Life season over the top. So major props to you guys! Last, but most importantly, I'd like to thank each and everyone of you that watched and donated to the cause. You guys never cease to amaze me with your kindness, compassion and generosity. From donating money, to keeping us going in the chat, none of this would have been possible without you all. We were so ecstatic to see that we reached a few thousand dollars so quickly into the stream, and that's all thanks to you. From watching Tara Long play Pokemon Snap, to watching Hamza and Niero having a dance fight with scissors and swords, and Max getting pretty drunk, we had a great time during the stream, and hope you had a great time watching. I hope to be compiling a couple of videos of highlights for those of you that might have missed some epic stuff. So to everyone listed above and the people that I've forgotten to mention.... THANK YOU! Minutes after we finished cleaning up, Hamza, Niero, myself and several others started brainstorming on how we could make next year even bigger and better. So you can be assured that next year will not be one to miss and will continue raising even more money for charity. But until then, it's time to return to our regularly scheduled programming. We've done good, Destructoid.

Indie adventure game Gemini Rue is on Steam and 15% off Posted: 26 Oct 2011 11:00 AM PDT Fans of old-school adventure games need to sit up and pay attention. Joshua Nuernberger has created a brand new game that feels just like the classics. Gemini Rue, published by Wadjet Eye Games, is a point-and-click adventure that follows the story of an ex-assassin. It almost has a Blade Runner vibe, and it's definitely dripping with a noir sense of style.  It originally released back in February for $14.99, but you can pick up this dark sci-fi tale for just $8.49 on Steam right now. I haven't played it myself yet, but I will certainly be picking this up. For that price, how can I skip this charming-looking game? And did I mention that it looks like Blade Runner? It totally looks like Blade Runner.

TwitchTV now has a free iPhone app Posted: 26 Oct 2011 10:45 AM PDT Twitch.TV now has its very own iPhone app that's available at this very moment for your downloading pleasure. Oh, and did I mention it was free? Now there's no excuse not to tune into Destructoid's Twitch.TV channel! I was able to check out the iPad version of the app and it works exactly how you'd want it to. The home slide shows you a list of the most streamed games, such as Halo: Reach and Starcraft II. Next to that there's a featured list and, as you might guess, it shows all the featured channels. The last two slides are the search and following buttons. Watching a stream works like a dream, the only problem is that you either have to look at the stream or look at the chat, as the latter takes up the whole screen. So who's going to give this a test run tonight and check out Destructoid's Twitch.TV channel while using the app?

Kingdoms of Amalur doesn't scale foes, it's intelligent Posted: 26 Oct 2011 10:30 AM PDT If you've played an RPG ever, you've likely encountered enemies with scaling levels. You fight them in the beginning and they're an even match, then you fight them a few hours in and they're still a match for you... what the hell, right? Kingdom of Amalur: Reckoning is going to be a bit different. Designer Will Miller has shed some light on how, exactly, enemies will level as you progress through the game's world. Basically, each area has a level range. When you enter a new area, the game locks enemies into a level within their range that is best suited for your level. “When the player first enters one of those regions, we clamp all of the region’s NPCs to the level of the player, provided he’s within the range." If you're one of those smarty pants' who thinks they can just run to the end like they did in Morrowind, you'll be dead pretty quickly. If you're below an area's level range, it will lock in at the lowest level and will, most likely, still destroy you. It sounds like a pretty sophisticated system. The game still scales enemy levels to a point,  but as Miller says, "[they] intelligently decide what that level is.” Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning sidesteps scaling enemy levels [VG24/7]

PC as lead platform made Battlefield 3 better on consoles Posted: 26 Oct 2011 10:15 AM PDT In a recent interview with PC Gamer, Battlefield 3 executive producer Patrick Bach said that “Our biggest benefit for the console has been that we’re leading on PC. It has forced us to push the limited technology of consoles compared to the PC to a new level, because we set the bar with what we wanted to create on PC and said, ‘How the heck are we going to do this on consoles?’”  By developing Battlefield 3 on the PC first, DICE was able to focus on making the game powerful and very pretty. Once the time came to start making things work on consoles, they were forced to streamline everything. I've seen it running on a high-end PC and it looks really amazing, but that said, it doesn't look too shabby on consoles either. Battlefield 3’s Patrick Bach: “biggest benefit for the console has been that we’re leading on PC” [PC Gamer]

Metal Gear Solid HD Collection out November 8 in US Posted: 26 Oct 2011 09:45 AM PDT Konami has announced that the Metal Gear Solid HD Collection will be available in North American stores on November 8. This follows word that the game has been pushed back in Europe, not coming to PAL gamers until 2012.  The swanky package will include Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty, Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater and Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker as well as the original Metal Gear and Metal Gear 2: Solid Snake.  As a gibbering fan of Metal Gear Solid, I can't wait. It's going to be lovely to play these beauties on my HDTV.

New Nyko PS3 stand charges controllers... with magnets! Posted: 26 Oct 2011 09:30 AM PDT I think one overlooked improvement from this console generation has been the switch to wireless controllers. Sure there used to be rubbish IR wireless controllers back in the day but they were rubbish. The only drawback with wireless controllers is the batteries or recharging them and whilst that problem isn't going to go away, Nyko seem to have come up with an elegant solution. The new Nyko Charge Base 3 includes two attachments that will connect your controllers to the charging stand with magnets, so you can quickly attach and detach them from the stand. There's also built in LEDs that show the status of the charge for each controller, so you know when you can detach and enjoy a full gaming session without any battery worries. There's no cables to worry about which is real handy when you know your controller is running low on juice but the recharging cable is nowhere to be found. The dock itself costs $29.99 which is a decent price considering you're getting the two battery units along with the dock itself. It's a slick looking device and given it's ease of use I'd say it's well worth the money for simply not having to use cables. Just don't leave your controllers plugged in for months without use like I did with my Wii-motes... yeah, that didn't end well.

Should anyone own DOTA? Posted: 26 Oct 2011 09:00 AM PDT On August 8th, 2010, Valve filed for the trademark "DOTA" in anticipation of their latest title, DOTA 2. Just over a year later, the final stages of this process have arrived. The US Patent and Trademark Office is ready to give Valve the DOTA trademark and all the rights therein, but not everyone thinks this is the right decision. With the close of BlizzCon and the continued production of games like Blizzard DOTA for StarCraft II, someone is going to have to answer that question very soon. Blizzard has asserted that "DOTA" is a term owned by the community and that no one should have a right to it. Does anyone own the DOTA name? Should Valve be allowed to own it, or should we follow Blizzard's advice and leave the name to the community that developed the game in the first place? Blizzard's Mike Morhaime reiterated this during last weekend's BlizzCon, stating in an interview with Eurogamer, "Our opinion about the situation is that the DOTA name really should belong to the community. I think that it's been part of the Warcraft 3 community for a very long time, and we would like to see the community continue being able to use that name, and having an exclusive mark owned by a competitor doesn't feel right to us." As far as the US Patent and Trademark Office is concerned, Valve is free to take the DOTA trademark. Before final approval, though, the USPTO publishes its rationale so others may oppose the decision. If no one challenges Valve's application, the USPTO will file the mark and afford Valve full trademark protection for DOTA. That future doesn't sit well with Blizzard.  Who came up with DOTA, anyway? DotA, short for "Defense of the Ancients," started as a mod for the Blizzard-owned property Warcraft III. I won't go into the history of DotA too much, but suffice it to say that the creation was a product of Blizzard and the modding community. It's an interesting spin on the traditional RTS structure that has helped to create an entirely new genre of game, spawning titles like Riot Games' League of Legends and Gas Powered Games' Demigod. Who among these creators should own the rights to the name DOTA is confusing at best. But maybe no one should own the rights to DOTA. A trademark needs to identify a product, and whether or not DOTA identifies anything specifically is highly questionable. As the community uses it, and as it is used across the internet as a whole, DOTA seems more to denote a genre of game rather than a specific title. It seems to me the phrase "DOTA" has become a descriptor similar to the likes of FPS or RTS. Of course, there is a difference. Real-Time Strategy and First-Person-Shooter are very clearly descriptors of a certain type of game; as descriptions of a product, they are not traditionally granted any kind of trademark. DOTA as "Defense of the Ancients" is in no way descriptive, but the community does have an implicit understanding of what this series of letters means. A better argument may be that DOTA has become "generic." A word that is considered "generic" does not get trademark protection because it is just too common to point to a specific product. A word like "zipper" was at one time the name of a company and a product, but today we have no notion of this, only an understanding that it is a common device. If DOTA is a genre rather than a singular game, then it is likely too "generic" for trademark protection. Of course, there are also those who say MOBA is the genre, so who knows how a court might feel about this. There is one other wrinkle that might serve as a defense for Valve: "DOTA" and "DotA" are technically different marks. If Valve could argue that DOTA is its property and DotA is everything else it might have a case for the trademark. Then again, neither company can seem to keep their naming conventions straight. If anyone would have a claim to the use of "DotA," you would think it would be Blizzard. Yet Blizzard chooses to use DOTA in its title. Valve is trademarking "DOTA" and many of its ads say DOTA 2, yet its own website uses "Dota" repeatedly. Raise your hand if you're feeling confused. So with all these potential attacks on Valve's DOTA application, why hasn't anyone sued? Blizzard is in a tough spot. Since Blizzard has stated it thinks the community is responsible for the DOTA mark, the company can't really claim it has any rights to DOTA and therefore doesn't have any right to sue Valve. Does that mean Valve gets to trademark DOTA without challenge? Thankfully, no. This is a good example of how the USPTO actually does do some things right. In the current phase of Valve's DOTA trademark application, the USPTO has published their findings "for opposition," basically meaning it is looking for someone to tell the office it is wrong for granting Valve the trademark. The paperwork has already been filed to extend this timeframe to allow for debate on the issue, and Blizzard will no doubt be strongly voicing its opinion. The USPTO will be free to change its opinion on the DOTA trademark afterward, all without going to court. Amazing, right? Valve seems to think they have some sort of claim to DOTA, but if the company is afforded the trademark a reckoning between Blizzard and Valve is bound to occur. Valve will need to start policing the mark, which will certainly mean suing Blizzard for their upcoming DOTA titles and might even mean suing modders for their own DOTA creations. It all sounds a bit scary and would only serve to stifle the future growth of what has thus far been a runaway community success story. Let's hope cooler heads prevail.

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