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The racing MMO The Crew starts its console beta tomorrow according to a tweet from Ubisoft. If you’d like to participate in the console beta and you are a PlayStation 4 or Xbox One owner, you can sign up on the official site.
The PC beta is already underway, and the game is set to launch on November 11th.
One of Sundays highlights from EGX 2014 (Apart from LEGO Batman 3 of course) was HellBlade, from Ninja Theory, the studio behind DMC (Devil May Cry), Enslaved and Heavenly Sword.
Hellblade, from the look of it, is quickly shaping up as a good looking RPG in the vein of Skyrim or Dragon Age, but from a team of only a handful of dedicated, and fun people at Ninja Theory.
However the Dev session today was more about the MAKING of the game and almost Ninja Theory’s new manifesto for better games development and the future of games development going forward.
Dominic Mathews () took us through a really easy to follow, but informative chat about what they are calling, “Independent AA” Development”, basically producing triple A games but with the ethos and love of an Indie dev studio.
Not only that, but also starting apprenticeships and even training new games devs, whether those people then stay with Ninja Theory or move on to other houses, or even start their own. A very interesting call to arms for the video game industry going forward (and one desperately needed in these times of big companies buying up Indie stars like Mojang)
In their own words:
What is the Independent AAA game? It is about creating, funding and owning IP of AAA quality but with the more focused game design, lower price point and open development process that defines indie games. It’s about taking creative risks and making spectacular, exciting and unique game experiences that can compete with AAA and engages fans directly.
They did show the same teaser they showed at E3, but as the game only started development in march this year, we saw no gameplay this time. You can see the teaser here:
What we DID find out though, is that although HellBlade will start as a Playstation exclusive, we may see the game on XBox and PC later on, which I very much hope is the case.
The game, AND the idea for Independent AAA sound great and I’m looking forward to following HellBlade as it grows, so keep checking back for more news as and when we get it!
You can see the Developer session from EGX2014 below:
Ok, Relic were on hand again for EGX 2014 to talk about Company of Heroes 2: Ardennes Assault.
We’ve talked about this already, namely in EGX Rezzed commentary from earlier this year, but Relic surprised me by making this one of the shortest Dev Sessions so far of EGX2014…
Now in March, at Rezzed, people were expecting Dawn of War, not Company of Heroes, but ho hum and Ardennes Assault is what we’re getting.
The brief game play video they showed off, showed the use of the new True Sight system, which basically means troops have true line of sight, meaning you can tell them to shoot something, but if they can’t SEE it, they won’t shoot it, which, in itself is cool, but honestly, I’m bored of WW2 games… Hell, even the FPS industry has moved away from WW2 finally
Well, the game looks fun, if you’ve played CoH2 or Dawn of War 2, you know whats on offer here, so lets let Relic explain…
Company of Heroes 2: Ardennes Assault will feature three entirely new Companies to choose from within the US Forces, each with their own unique Officers and play-style. Players will see their decisions and actions reflected across the Ardennes landscape in this dynamic new single-player campaign. Player choices are crucial as every decision will not only impact the story but also their Company with upgrades and Veterancy carrying over from mission to mission. With limited soldiers under your command, you must manage their lives and well-being effectively or risk losing that Company for good. Will you lead your Company valiantly and emerge as heroes?
Company of Heroes 2: Ardennes Assault is developed by Relic Entertainment and will be launching on November 18, 2014, for Windows PC and PC digital download platforms and you can see the Developer Session below:
Seems Paradox Interactive have jumped in to catch teh ball Maxis fumbled with SimCity…
The Sky is no limit!
Inhabit a world where you define the rules. Cities: Skylines invites you to create the city of your dreams in a sprawling landscape dominated by cloud hugging structures and jaw dropping architectural marvels.
Developed by Colossal Order, Cities: Skylines offers sprawling landscapes and maps with endless sandbox gameplay and new ways to expand your city. Key to progression is the ability to influence your city’s policy by incorporating taxation into districts. All this including the ability to mod the game to suit your play style makes this the definitive city building simulation.
You’re only limited by your imagination, so take control and reach for the sky!
Main features:
>City policies: Set policies to guide how the city and districts develop over the course of your playthrough.
>City districts: Personalize city districts with names of your choice for variety and personality.
>Road building and zoning
>Unlock buildings and services
>Taxation: Fine-tuning the city budget and services and setting tax rates to different residential, commercial and industrial levels and controlling what kind of areas are more likely to spawn in the zoned areas
>Public transportation: Build transport networks throughout the city with buses and metros
>Outside connections: Make industry and commercial districts flourish with new customers in the neighboring cities
>Wonders: the ultimate end-game content that the players strive towards
>Huge maps: Unlock new map tiles with unique possibilities to expand the city
>Water flow simulation: Add new challenges to water services.
>Polished visual style and core gameplay
>Modding tools: Built in feature designed to encourage creative pursuits.
Fasten your seat belts – Bill and Ted are going on another ride.
In an interview with Yahoo, Alex Winter finally gave an update on the long journey to a third feature film in the Bill & Ted franchise. A 23-year journey, to be exact. Winter played Bill S. Preston Esq. in the original 1989 science fiction comedy Bill & Ted’s Excellent Adventure and the sequel Bill & Ted’s Bogus Journey two years later in 1991 opposite Keanu Reeves as Ted “Theodore” Logan. Now, everyone’s favorite time traveling slackers have gotten a little older.
“[Bill & Ted] will be 40-something and it’s all about Bill and Ted grown up, or not grown up,” Winter said. “It’s really sweet and really f—ing funny. But it’s a Bill & Ted movie, that’s what it is. It’s for the fans of Bill & Ted. It fits very neatly in the [series]. It’s not going to feel like a reboot. The conceit is really funny: What if you’re middle-aged, haven’t really grown up and you’re supposed to have saved the world and maybe, just maybe, you kinda haven’t?” In addition to the two films, the Bill & Ted franchise includes two television adaptations both titled Bill & Ted’s Excellent Adventures, one animated and one live action. Both Winter and Reeves haven’t reprised their respective roles since proving the voice for their cartoon characters in one season of the series in 1990, right before the first sequel was made.
So, why the delay? “The thing we had going against us is that word got out,” Winter says. “That was kind of a bummer. It just takes a long time to put a movie together. Now we’re having to build this thing in public, which is fine. I just feel bad [the fans] have to get dragged through this long, boring, protracted process.”
Original screenwriters Chris Matheson and Ed Solomon have written the script for the film based on an idea formed with Reeves and Winter, and the team has secured a director in Galaxy Quest‘s Dean Parisot. “We’ve been working on drafts for the last couple of years,” Winter said. “The script’s been finished for a while, but comedy is so specific. We’re in that world where producers are on, financiers are on and we’re just working and reworking the script.”
Well, don’t work too much on it. Unlike Bill & Ted, we don’t have all the time in the world to wait!
