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Monday, March 23rd, 2009
| Time |
Event |
| 9:59a |
Logitech G19 keyboard review The Logitech G19 is a feature-loaded gamer's dream-keyboard -- but at $200 it's definitely not for the light of wallet. The G19 has a standard, straight keyboard layout. It's main selling feature -- and the one that no doubt drives its price up the most -- is that it's also equipped with a tiltable 320x240 LCD. The LCD can be used to display all kinds of information. Not counting nearly 80 games -- including World of Warcraft -- that directly support the LCD to display in-game information and statistics -- out of the box you can use the LCD to display a clock, play Youtube videos, run a picture slideshow, or even check your POP3 email. The only downside to the LCD is that it requires a power supply, so the G19 will add a little extra cabling to your setup. Immediately to the right of the LCD at the back of the keyboard are two USB 2.0 connections -- great for Logitech's G35 headset and G9x Laser mouse, for example -- for the perfect Logitech PC gaming 'triumvirate.' Like Logitech's G9x Laser mouse and G35 gaming headset, the G19 keyboard is highly customizable. For starters, the G19 arms you with twelve programmable 'G keys' (G1-G12) that sit along the left-hand side of the keyboard. Each G-key can be assigned a keystroke, a pre-made macro, or a custom-made, complex, multi-keystroke macro -- perfect for MMOs and real-time strategy games in particular. The G19 also supports up to three separately stored profiles, so you can have up to 36 macros (12 per profile) stored at one time. The color of the backlight -- which can be nearly any color -- can be different for each profile. Switching profiles is as easy as hitting the M1, M2, or M3 buttons located at the top of the G-keys. A set of media-keys and a conveniently placed, ergonomic roller for volume adjustment sits just above the number pad. Another convenience is a dedicated slider switch for disabling the Windows key -- something any gamer will immediately appreciate. Personally, I have to confess that I miss a dedicated set of programmable gaming keys like the Ideazon Merc Stealth has. I also found the G19's keys to be a little 'mushier' than I prefer for general typing, but that's a highly subjective preference. I like the LCD panel, although I don't have any games that directly support it yet -- but it's still handy for its clock, POP3 and other functions. The LCD is crystal clear and has a very sharp image. I look forward to seeing what this puppy can do. (Can I be the first to ask for a 'rear view mirror' function for 3D shooters?) Minor faults aside, there's no question about the G19's greatness. And the LCD function -- which is currently supported by World of Warcraft and more than seventy other games -- definitely has a lot of potential. Whether or not major PC game developers jump into supporting it in the future is another question. Overall, the real question about the G19 isn't whether or not it's awesome -- it's just whether or not you're willing to spend $200 (the cost of a good video card or other system upgrade(s) to get all that awesome. If you are, I'm sure you won't be disappointed. | | 10:00a |
Lego making a play for a share of online games Nirvana for the video-game industry looks a lot like World of Warcraft, except without the arcane rules that mystify the average player. That vision is the driving force behind "Lego Universe," a new online game based on the building bricks franchise scheduled for release in 2010. Developed by a San Mateo, Calif., company called Gazillion Entertainment, the game is designed so even a 5-year-old and his grandfather can play together. Gazillion, which has been operating in stealth since 2005, is also working on an online superhero game based on its license with Marvel Entertainment. The goal is to make virtual-world games that anyone can play. It's a financially hazardous terrain, explored by many companies before Gazillion, including NC Soft, whose "Tabula Rasa" game, designed by Ultima Online creator Richard Garriott, shut down March 1. These types of games are difficult and expensive to build. They're even more arduous to maintain once tens of thousands of players pile in.
The potential payoff is a pot of wow gold. Consider "World of Warcraft," developed by Blizzard Entertainment in Irvine, Calif. It has 11.5 million subscribers, each paying about $15 a month to play. That's $172.5 million a month in fees alone. The disc, which appears regularly on the weekly list of 10 best-selling PC games even though it's 4 years old, brings in another $20 a copy. It's no surprise that the game genre, known as massively multiplayer online games, or MMOs, is a hotbed of development. MMORPG.com lists 253 such games, many of which are in development. With such a crowded field, one way to cut through the noise is a well-known license. Lego and Marvel fit that bill, said Ted Pollak, senior analyst with Jon Peddie Research in San Francisco. "I think there is a big opportunity for mass-market MMOs, especially when they are connected to recognized brands," Pollak said. But, he warned, "the quality of the game must be top-notch, which is not an easy undertaking."
Gazillion Chief Executive Rob Hutter said his company had recruited 300 developers, many of whom have worked for Sony Online Entertainment, Blizzard, NC Soft, Walt Disney and other seasoned MMO studios.
Among the changes Gazillion made: shorter game sessions so players can jump in and out in 5 or 10 minutes, easier ways to move around the virtual world, more intuitive menus and fun ways to interact.
| | 10:03a |
Blizzard Working On New IP? Blizzard appears to be working on a fifth title according to two new job postings. The fifth brand-new unannounced game surfaced last week following previous hints that Blizzard was interested in working on a completely new IP. Currently Blizzard is working on Starcraft II, Diablo III, a new World of Warcraft expansion, a next-gen MMO, and a new unannounced game that may be a new IP. Blizzard hinted at developing a game based on a new IP back in 2006 when Blizzard COO Paul Sams commented: "I wouldn’t be surprised to see a new franchise from us at some time in the future; there’s certainly a desire to do so." Blizzard is recruiting again and have been looking for programmers on programming job site forums where two new positions have been advertised by Blizzard's 'Slouken' who has been working on World of Warcraft, specifically with the UI and interface community. The positions have been advertised stating: "Blizzard Entertainment is seeking an experienced gameplay engineer to focus on game rules systems for an unannounced title. This is your chance to get in on the ground floor of a dynamic and focused team working on a brand new project. Blizzard Entertainment offers a fun, creative, and technically challenging environment with excellent compensation and a full range of benefits." Based on these two new job postings for software engineers, we can assume that a new IP from Blizzard is in the works. | | 10:03a |
Feature: 'Dragonica' Preview Massively multiplayer online (MMO) gaming has grown exponentially in recent years. Titles like World Of Warcraft and Everquest have become more than mere games; to many, they are a way of life. Inspiring levels of dedication and passion like no other form of entertainment can, these virtual communities are ensnaring hundreds of new members worldwide on a daily basis. With MMOs enjoying such phenomenal popularity, what better time to create another virtual world for online gamers to colonise? No doubt the folks at Gala Networks Europe had this in mind when they made the decision to import Korean MMO Dragonica to these shores. Digital Spy caught up with producer Max Stolberg to find out exactly what the game has in store for us. It may not be household name yet, but Dragonica is sure to create a stir upon its release. Combining arcade-style gameplay with traditional MMO action, this side-scrolling 3-D adventure is completely free to play, but that’s not the only thing that makes it unique. "It's certainly not a traditional MMO as the whole approach is completely different," explained Stolberg. "Players will mainly move left-right and up-down even though you can move diagonally as well. The main difference is that all maps limit your movement in the up-down direction while players progress by moving to the right like in a 2-D side-scrolling game." Although it won't be the first game of its kind set against a high fantasy backdrop where gods, demons, wizards and warriors are locked in an epic battle between good and evil, Dragonica offers an alternative to its competitors and is geared towards a very diverse crowd. "We are targeting a really broad audience addressing older and younger players alike, as the game combines a retro style with up-to-date graphics," said Stolberg. "Due to the many fun quests and humorous skills like the fart attack, airstrike or Buddha squash, we believe parents can enjoy Dragonica as much as kids can." As the producer informed us, the game's ethos is very much an inclusive one, with developer Barunson Interactive striving to create an accessible community for players of all ages to enjoy. "They wanted their game to be different from other side-scrolling games, though, and therefore chose a 2-D side-scrolling system with a 3-D turn concept and transformed this whole action-oriented jump and run experience into a proper MMO with all the up-to-date community features," Stolberg elaborated. One of these features is an in-game cash shop, where players can purchase a variety of character customisations, including costumes, novelty items and health. In order to keep the game balanced, the developers have ensured that players with money will rarely triumph because of their financial advantage. Important items like weapons and armour will not be sold in the store. There can only be obtained through completing quests, trading with other players or killing enemies. Players can transfer funds into their account using a similar system to other online stores such as Xbox Live or the Wii Shop. When trailers for the game appeared on YouTube, some fans drew visual comparisons to role-playing games of old, such as The Secret Of Mana and Final Fantasy Tactics, as well as newer titles like Disgaea, but Barunson assured us any similarities are unintentional. Its simplistic approach and economical system requirements are, however, certain to strike a chord within the retro community. "We’ve even tested it with a SNES pad using a SNES-to-USB converter, which worked," the producer assured us. The game has undergone beta testing in three countries so far and enjoyed a positive reception across the board. "The last closed beta test in China saw a huge influx of players every day and the vast majority of comments were either really good or plain euphoric," the producer asserted. "Despite that, Barunson decided to review the game one more time and added a couple of new maps, lots of more quests, and balanced the classes so that playing PvP will be an as good experience as with any pay-to-play MMO." Its first playtest in the Western world took place this month at the Games Fleadh in Tipperary, Ireland. The game was previewed to a group comprising school children, university students, parents, media and teachers. Feedback was highly positive, with players appreciating different aspects of the game depending on their age group. "I looked at the game and thought it was cute, but as soon as I played it for two minutes, I realised that the gameplay is nothing like the other side-scrolling MMOs," said one of the university students. "At last, a game that I can play with my children but that I can beat them at!" a parent added. Since their rise to prominence, MMOs have not been without their critics. World Of Warcraft in particular has been lambasted in the excessive gaming debate due to its high maintenance and time demands. With this in mind, Baruson has taken measures to ensure that Dragonica does not put such a strain on the social life. "There’re a couple of ways you can greatly reduce your levelling time, developing your skills with your characters, or playing as a group to get through sections of the game quicker," said Stolberg. "When we talk about skill, we talk about the action-oriented side of the gameplay; the bigger
the combo you are able to pull off, the more experience you’ll gain. Also, if you’re married in the game, have kids or play as a couple, you’ll also be able to level considerably faster. Dragonica has chosen a more casual approach compared to regular MMOs but it’ll still take some time to reach the highest level or equip your character with the best PvE and PvP armour. Otherwise, where would be the challenge?" Dragonica is very much a long-term project for Gala Networks and Barunson. Major updates are planned "roughly every quarter" to ensure longevity and there has even been talk of console ports. "Developing console versions of Dragonica is definitely an option according to Barunson," Stolberg revealed. "They, however, need to focus on finishing and polishing the game first to launch it in the many territories they’ve licensed the game to. For the time being however and once Dragonica is launched, you can easily just plug in an Xbox controller and it still works absolutely fine." The game is due to arrive in Europe later this spring, with Gala Networks holding lofty expectations. "We believe Dragonica can be a rival to any pay-to-play game and its unique style and approach combined with a lot of modern and even innovative features will only be the start,” said Stolberg. "It has tons of quests, and fun skills await the player and until he or she has seen it all. We’ll have new updates ready with even more content. We think that as the game has controls that are easy to pick up, console gamers will be drawn to it as it offers a style of gameplay that isn’t available to them in other MMOs." | | 10:04a |
Top 10 bad predictions from 'gaming analysts' It's not easy being a gaming industry analyst.
You slave each day trying to take the temperature of an industry catering to teenagers and adults who, let's face it, don't exactly run in your circle of friends. You have to use that Ivy League education to figure out what the Average Joes (and increasingly, Average Janes) are planning to do with their money.
And then you have to predict how Sony, Microsoft, Nintendo, Electronic Arts and Activision will cater to those couch-dwellers.
It's enough to make a guy cry himself to sleep on his imported, hand-woven, 1,000-thread-count Egyptian linen pillow.
Sometimes analysts earn their keep pretty well, offering opinions that aren't too off the money. When the Wii Fit debuted at E3 2007, for example, gaming journalists left Nintendo's keynote address looking like a bunch of dogs who'd just been shown a card trick. I know. I was one of them.
But analysts knew it was a money-making machine, and they were right.
In some really glaring moments, however, these industry "experts" have offered advice and predictions so imbecilic you have to wonder whether they were sober when they made them.
So in my small effort to add some reason and sensibility to your day, if not a little chuckle, I bring you my personal top 10 favorite wrong predications made by "industry experts" about the current generation of consoles.
And trust me, every single one came from a guy who got paid like a sultan to say it. Let each one stand as proof of how you should never, ever trust anything you read on the internet — especially when it's offered by an "industry analyst."
10. The Playstation 3 will win the next-gen battle: When Wedbush Morgan Securities' gaming superanalyst Michael Pachter speaks, people listen. Hopefully no one listened when he offered the following prediction in May 2007: "Ultimately, we see Sony winning the console war with 36 percent of the market, with Nintendo capturing second place at 34 percent and Microsoft finishing third at 30 percent." For you kids keeping score, Nintendo's Wii currently holds 48 percent of the console market, followed by the Xbox 360 (30 percent) and the PS3 (22 percent). Given that consumers bought more than twice the number of Wiis as PS3s in the three-plus years of the current console cycle, Sony will have to make up a heck of a lot of ground for Pachter to be right.
9. The next Microsoft and Nintendo consoles will come to market in 2010: Sure, we're a year off from that prediction being proved either way, but it's a pretty safe bet that we'll be seeing neither a new Xbox nor Wii by the end of next year. The statement was bold enough when Pacific Crest Securities' Evan Wilson said it in February 2008: "We believe that peak industry sales will occur in 2010, given that Microsoft will likely introduce its next console that year and Nintendo will likely launch before then." Since then a lot has changed. While there seems to be little doubt that at least Microsoft is working on the 360's successor (and probably Nintendo on the Wii's), both companies have been hammered by sagging economies in the US and abroad and are not likely to move on from their current consoles out of fear of taking on more debt. Until the proverbial bottom of the downturn becomes evident, you probably won't be seeing anything new out of either company. And if you don't see either announced at this June's E3 expo, this prediction is completely busted.
8. Apple is entering the home-console market: This one was pretty far fetched from the moment Prudential Securities' Jesse Tortola said it in June 2006. "The game console device could be morphed out of some combination of the MacMini and iTV, while the handheld player could be developed as an enhancement for a future version of the widescreen iPod," Tortola told investors. But it was pretty clear even back then that Apple's big secret wasn't going to be a console. Steve Jobs is no fool, and with three major consoles already in heated battle, only a crazy man would have taken the kind of loss necessary to design, develop, build and distribute an entirely new home console from scratch. Half credit, though, because what Apple was indeed working on was the iPhone, which has now become a pretty significant game-playing device. Though it's not exactly competing with the Nintendo DS, mind you.
7. Midway will have a significantly better year in 2008: Michael Pachter really isn't that bad an analyst. He's actually one of the better ones. Which goes to prove how wrong you can be and still be the smartest idiot in the village. In 2007, Midway Games was hammered by massive losses and accumulated a mind-blowing amount of debt. But in May last year Pachter said 2008 would be different for Midway. He thought the company would perform "significantly better," adding that he believed it had hit bottom "quite a while ago." Just a few short months later in December, Sumner Redstone sold his 87 percent stake in the company to a private investor for $100,000, or $0.0012 a share. Two months after, it had filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection. While the company is technically still in business, it likely won't survive to the end of this year, as the new owner is already taking bids for intellectual properties like Mortal Kombat in order to cover $240 million in debt.
6. The sale of Take Two to Electronic Arts is looming: While some predictions were just bad judgment, this whopper was flat out stupid. Mike Hickey of Janco Partners had to have been smoking a large amount of questionable substance when he a told investors he was "convinced [Take-Two] will eventually be acquired at a meaningful premium to their current share price" any moment now. That was in December 2007. And last time we checked, Take Two is still doing business — sans EA. To be fair, EA did offer a very sweet $25.74 a share (the stock is currently trading at just under $9 a share). But full of cash from Grand Theft Auto IV, Take Two was able to spend $11 million to fight off the takeover. After months of threats and (eventually) negotiation, in September EA officially confirmed it had abandoned its bid for Take Two. Maybe this time investors should have listened to Pachter.
5. Sony is considering a Playstation 3 without Blu-Ray: Every other entry on this list has some time behind it. This prediction, proffered on February 25 by Mike Hickey of Janco (and "EA will buy Take Two" fame) is so beyond reason that I won't wait a year to call it bull. Hickey made this forecast in the same breath as he advised Sony would offer a PS3 price drop "in a few days" — an indication of the quality of this Hickey missive. It's hard to wrap your head around how many things are wrong with the Blu-Ray–less PS3 idea. Sony spent billions developing the PS3, and one of their biggest reasons for doing so was to establish Blu-Ray as the format of choice for the next generation of DVD players. To offer a PS3 without a Blu-Ray would be like Baskin Robbins selling empty cones. Oh yes, and one other small detail: Billions of dollars worth of PS3 games on disk would be made unusable by this new, albeit cheaper, PS3. Sorry, but digital distribution just hasn't come far enough for Sony to get rid of disk drives in their consoles. Maybe for the PS4, but you won't be seeing a PS3 without a Blu-Ray. In other news, Michael Phelps called and he wants his stash back.
4. Microsoft wins, the Revolution will sell 3 million units by 2007, the PSP will beat Nintendo DS sales by 5 million, and 43 million PSPs and DSs will sell by 2009: Why say one thing and be wrong, when you can say a whole bunch of things and be really, really wrong? Mike Wallace, UBS' lead game analyst (which theoretically means he's the company's top gaming brain) cooked up a hot batch of fresh stinkers one fine January morning in 2006. He did accurately peg that the Gameboy Advance would remain the dominant portable device through the end of the year, but from there on out, his crystal ball was on the fritz. Running down the list: Microsoft was spanked by the "Revolution" — aka: the Wii — 49 million to 29 million units; the Wii sold nearly 20 million units by the end of 2007; for all but one week in 2007 the DS overwhelmingly outsold the PSP; and the PSP and DS combined sales top 150 million, and it's not even the end of 2009.
3. Ticket sales for Iron Man will be affected by GTA IV's launch: The first weekend after Grand Theft Auto IV launched very little happened but a whole lot of shooting, driving and drinking of vodka with your crazy cousin Roman. But Janco's Mike Hickey went a little overboard and advised owners of Marvel Entertainment stock to brace themselves for the worst: The game could hijack their profits. "We anticipate the video game release of GTA IV on April 29 could dampen the potential from Iron Man’s theatrical release on May 2," he told investors. I sure hope nobody actually listened to Hickey, because that weekend Iron Man sold more than $100 million in North America and another $200 million in international sales, becoming Hollywood's second biggest first-weekend blockbuster for a nonsequel superhero movie.
2. Ken Kutaragi will replace Howard Stringer as head of Sony: As the father of the Playstation, Sony Computer Entertainment's chief executive Ken Kutaragi demanded a certain amount of respect. Wedbush's Michael Pachter apparently was in a lot more awe of him than Sony in December 2006. When Kutaragi was "promoted" out of Sony Entertainment's daily operations, Pachter said the reason was clear: The company was grooming him to replace Sony chairman and CEO Sir Howard Stringer. "Kutaragi is the visionary, and his work on PS3 was done at launch. They need to groom him to replace Stringer," Pachter told GameDaily. "The rest of the guys are competent, experienced, and loyal. I think each of the other moves made sense. In time, I think you will see Kutaragi given responsibility for other functions, like Blu-ray." As for that prediction: Not only has Stringer kept his job, in April he will additionally become president of Sony Corporation. As for Kutaragi, nobody's really heard from him since.
1. People will bore of World of Warcraft: Honestly, this isn't a pick-on-Michael Pachter-fest. It's just that when he's wrong he's very, very wrong. In September 2005, Pachter made his worst prediction to date — one that, had anyone listened to, cost them the opportunity of a lifetime. While speaking about the rise of MMOs, he said: "I don't think there are four million people in the world who really want to play online games every month…. eventually it will come back to the mean, maybe a million subscribers." Even back then, a mere five months after launch, it was clear that World of Warcraft was already a monumental force of gaming, raking in more than $700 million. For Pachter to have been right, more than 75 percent of those already playing the game would have had to quit. Instead, as anyone who'd touched it knew would happen, WoW's subscriber base grew to make developer Blizzard and its investors very rich, indeed, and turned WoW into the Google of MMOs. As of last month, WoW has 11.5 million subscribers paying more than $2 billion annually in fees alone. |
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