DICE has recently clarified what exactly the deal is with Battlefield 1943’s inclusion in the PS3 version of Battlefield 3 as well as revealed some new information about ranks, private matches, and the day-one patch.
In a follow up to one of our previous articles looking into the fact that Battlefield 1943 may not be included in the PS3 version of Battlefield, DICE has officially announced that “The Limited Edition will not come with BF1943, but with the Back to Karkand expansion.” It seems either DICE has taken back their original promise, or will include it at a later date for PS3 owners. Let us know what you think in the comment section below.
Daniel Matros also had a few interesting things to say this morning as well. First, according to him, “Private matches [are] not on launch for consoles.” Exactly when they will be added has yet to be confirmed. PC fans have been asking whether the day-one patch that was announced earlier will be included in the preload or not. To this, Matros replied: “already integrated in preload.” Matros also had something to say regarding the current state of Battlefield: Bad Company 2. He said, “stuck in between launching a new game, we are taking a look at those issues for BC2 as well.” Many gamers are revisiting BFBC2 one last time before the release of BF3, and it would nice to see the game end on a strong note. Are you going to be playing Bad Company 2 up until the release of BF3?
One fan asked Tomas Danko if any of the multiplayer maps would include earthquakes, like seen in the earlier single player trailers of Battlefield 3. He responded, “there are similar moments on some maps, but not like in SP.”
There are only two days left in your life without Battlefield 3, or perhaps more if living overseas. Either way, it’s almost here. For now, we have a look at the brand new server browser function on the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3.
Now, when in the multiplayer screen of Battlefield 3, you have three options; quick match, server browser, and leaderboards.
Inside the server browser option, you can between browse, friends, history, favorites and search. Within the list of servers, you will find the name, the number of max players, the map, the mode, it’s rank (?), and it’s ping. Along with joining, you have the option to refresh, and show filter.
In what seems to be the filter screen, it’s possible to specify max players, choose your mode, choose your map, choose your preset (this includes normal, hardcore, and infantry), choose whether the match will be ranked or not, and lastly, choose your region. The regions listed so far are Europe, West US, East US, South US, Japan, and Australia. You can also view running games from Official EA servers, and choose not to display full servers.
In the screen detailing server information, it will show you all the basic information on the left, while on the right, you can find a much more detailed list of presets. This includes things like friendly fire, regenerative health, only squad leader spawn, and much more.
DICE seems to have really stepped up with this new feature and it is one of the many reasons why they made it into our Top 5 Greatest Multiplayer Developers. What do you think about the new server browser function on consoles?
For more Battlefield 3, follow us on Twitter and Facebook. We will also be using these social tools to start some community play dates with MP1st readers and editors. Make sure not to miss out!
The past few years have seen an overwhelming resurgence in fighting game interest, and a number of titles have wowed critics and gamers alike. Street fighter IV (which up to this point includes 3 iterations) was a successful return to a classic series, Mortal Kombat was restored to its original bloody 2D glory, and the BlazBlue series continues its domination of every console and handheld it can get its funky hands on.
This resurgence shows no signs of stopping, and within the next year, fighting fans will be met with a plethora of new titles, rereleases, and sequels to empty their wallets and fill their time.
It’s hard to be decisive when there are seemingly endless options in front of you, and a limit on your credit card. Don’t worry; MP1st did its homework, and we’ll let you know which fighters deserve your hard-earned cash, and which ones you can turn your back on (at least until a significant price drop).
Round 1: Fight! (sequels)
King of Fighters XIII
KoFXIII will release November 22 for both the Playstation 3 and the Xbox 360. The title features a roster of over 30 characters, and is the first HD entry into the series. Taking some cues from Marvel vs Capcom and Street Fighter IV, KoF XIII features EX Mode, which let the player unleash incredibly powerful supers that drain the respective energy bar depending on whether it’s a “Special Move” or a “Desperation Move.” The game also features a number of updates from the original arcade edition, most notably a more polished and better developed story (presented as a visual novel). Preoder bonuses include a 4 CD KoF soundtrack set (available from most major retailers).
Dragon Ball Z: Ultimate Tenkaichi
The newest installment in the DBZ fighting series offers large-scale environmental destruction, and a competent character creator. In between fights, the player will be able to explore the game world free-roam style. DBZ traditionalists and anime fans should enjoy the art style and game mechanics present in the series. Japanese and European preorders offer a bevy of goodies, while North American fans will have to settle for the game itself. DBZ: Ultimate Tenkaichi launches October 25 in North America.
Soul Calibur V
Soul Calibur has carved out a niche for itself in the world of weapon-based fighters, and many of its characters have become iconic of the genre. Soul Calibur V follows in the footsteps of III and IV, including personalized fighter options, and features an enhanced character customization engine. The five new characters look to give the more esoteric Soul Calibur fighters a run for their money; werewolf-summoning Z.W.E.I. battles with a three-handled sword. Soul Calibur V has a tentative release window in mid-2012.
Round 2: Fight! (new titles)
Skullgirls:
Skullgirls is an entirely unique and original fighting game currently being prepped for a 2012 release on the Playstation Network and Xbox Live Arcade. The game looks to be a truly competitive title, with a series of tournament-level inclusions such as a super meter that only fills when the fighter is advancing towards his or her opponent (take that, turtlers!). A number of balancing tweaks are already in place, providing players with a quick out should they find themselves caught in an infinite. The art, featuring bright, 2D, exaggerated characters with absurd-yet-cute deformities (one Skullgirl suffers from amnesia, and sports a parasite in her head in place of hair) will be a huge draw for fans of hand-drawn fighters in the vein of BlazBlue.
Street Fighter X Tekken:
I’m categorizing Capcom’s upcoming Street Fighter X Tekken as a “new title” because although it features the standard lot of classic SF and Tekken fighters, it features enough new gameplay alterations to deem it a new release (watch out for Namco Bandai’s Tekken X Street Fighter in the future). While the fighting engine closely resembles that of Capcom’s recent Street Fighter entries (EX attacks, Supers), a bevy of new tweaks and additions help distance it from its inspiration and competition. The game places a heavy emphasis on tag-style fighting, which harkens back to classic Tekken brawls. In addition, the game supports a riotous 4-player Scramble mode, in which two teams of two battle it out simultaneously. The most unique aspect of the game, however, is its gem system. While veteran figters may wish to disable the gem system, it will be a boon to unseasoned and newer players. There are dozens of gems, each granting the player a unique bonus or life-saving ability, but only 3 can be equipped at a time. Players will be able to activate these gems to provide themselves with a benefit mid-match. For example, a defensive gem may give the player the opportunity to instantly release from their opponent’s grapple, or be aided with a short speed boost. Preorders from a variety of retailers offer exclusive gems, and the Collector’s Edition of the game comes with every possible gem (the only way to acquire them all). The Collector’s Edition also ships with a build-it-yourself arcade cabinet bank and a variety of other goodies. SFXT launches March 2012.
Power Rangers Samurai
It’s a Wii game featuring the Power Rangers. You shake the Wii remote to perform moves inspired by Samurai. I’m guessing you already know whether this is a must-buy or not. It seems to be targeting a pretty specific demographic.
This sums it up nicely.
Round 3: Fight! (rereleases)
Tekken Hybrid:
Tekken Hybrid, a PS3 exclusive release of Tekken Tag Tournament HD, releases November 22. It also features a playable demo of Tag Tournament 2, and the entire Tekken: Blood Vengeance 3D movie (the games are 3D-enabled as well). Fans of the series know what to expect, and for $39.99, this is a true bargain. If you’re willing to spend another $20, you can set yourself up with the Limited Edition, which includes a physical art book, production stills from Tekken: Blood Vengeance, two full-length soundtrack CDs, and premium Playstation Home content, all wrapped up in a fancy black box.
Ultimate Marvel Vs Capcom 3:
Ultimate MvC3 adds 12 new fighters to the mix, including iconic antihero Ghost Rider. Along with 8 new stages, Spectator Mode is the real pull here; it was an unfortunate cut from vanilla MvC3 that left fans a little bitter (especially considering the many fighters that included the requisite mode in their recent installments). The rest of the improvements and enhancements could have been introduced through patches and updates in vanilla MvC3, so players who already dropped $60 might not want to peel 2 twenties out of their wallet for Ultimate. That being said, MvC3 is a phenomenal fighter, and if you haven’t purchased it yet, you should definitely hold out until November 15 for Ultimate.
And the Winner is?…
Tough decision, isn’t it? Well, assuming you can’t afford half a grand worth of fighting games, here’s your best bet:
Buy Street Fighter X Tekken, and download Skullgirls upon its release. Capcom have proven themselves yet again this generation with a number of well-tuned 2D fighters; they have a credibility, and you can trust that the new mechanics in SFXT will keep it fresh and exciting, while the classic characters will help maintain a certain familiarity. Skullgirls is truly original, and studios producing original, inexpensive, and yet fully competitive games should be rewarded.
Still have some extra cash? Plunk down $40 for Tekken Hybrid; it’s a solid game with a nostalgia aspect that doesn’t hamper gameplay, or make the title feel dated.
Did I miss your favorite upcoming fighting game? Umad because I slighted Power Rangers? Let me know in the comments and make sure to follow MP1st on Twitter and Facebook!
Robert Bowling, Creative Strategist at Infinity Ward, reveals information on how the prestige shop will work in Modern Warfare 3 and more.
Every time a player prestiges, they unlock a Prestige Token, which can be used to purchase one of the following features:
Extra Custom Class
Double XP – Lasts 2 hours of game time.
Double Weapon XP – Presumably also lasts 2 hours.
Regular Package – “Callsign Title and Emblem available to those with an extra token lying around.”
Unlock Gear – Unlocks 1 item from Create-a-Class, lasts for 1 Prestige level.
Hardened Package – Presumably, unlocked after several more Prestige levels.
Veteran Package – Bowling hinted that there would be a package for max prestige.
Reset All Stats – Not (just?) stats such as KDR. This will reset your entire career, taking you back to Prestige level 0.
One of the biggest revelations is that players will be rewarded a Prestige Token for Prestiges across the entire Call of Duty franchise, going all the way back to CoD 4. Robert Bowling also revealed that, for the first time, every Call of Duty game (from CoD 4 onward) will feature double XP (starting October 27th), letting even more players hit the top rank. On a side note, PC gamers be warned, you can not prestige in the PC version of CoD 4. Bowling clarified that “you get 1 prestige token per game (regardless of how many times you’ve prestiged), but will get 1 Token per prestige in.”
We recently reported on the number of ranks in each prestige, which is 80; however, the number of prestige levels is going to stay a secret until the “game ships” or is leaked prior to that (the latter is more likely). In response to a fan’s question on how many prestige levels MW3 will have, Robert kept his cards close to the chest and explained “Not saying. Thats one thing I’m keeping under wraps until the game ships.” Historically, since COD 4 when the prestige system was introduced to the series, Call of Duty games featured 10 levels of prestige except for last years Black Ops, which had 15. Interestingly, Black Ops featured only 50 ranks per prestige.
[one_half last=”no”]Ranks
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4 – 55
Call of Duty: World at War – 65
Modern Warfare 2 – 70
Black Ops – 50
Modern Warfare 3 – 80 levels[/one_half]
The proxy-battle between EA and Activision started long before Battlefield: Bad Company 2, but ever since, the flame-war between Battlefield and Call of Duty fans has gotten so heated, it sneaks its way into almost every discussion between military FPS fans. But the question remains: can these franchises be compared at all? So I installed my old copies of Battlefield 1942 and Battlefield 2, re-downloaded my CoD collection, and tried to make some sense of all this.
I went in with one mission: figure out what these games really are, what they try to be, and what they compromise to get there. Does this mean I’m going to rant about my favorite franchise for a dozen paragraphs? Not intentionally, but I think it’s worth the risk!
I can’t be completely objective, so keep in mind, this is just my opinion. I’m not here to dictate how YOU have to look at these games, but I promise I’ll try to address everything I can, paying special attention to what the communities are concerned about.
And to be fair, feel free to ask me any questions about MY biases in the comments section.
The basics:
Battlefield is a military-themed first person shooter, with a focus on large-scale tactics, maximalist combat, and objective-based, team-oriented gameplay.
Call of Duty is a military-themed first person shooter, with a focus on individual skill, infantry combat, and versatile gameplay.
Two very simple ideas, but with radically different consequences.
The player:
Battlefield puts a great deal of emphasis on teamwork. One of the ways it does this is by making the player assume a class. Every class has a specialization, whether it be infantry combat, vehicle combat, maintenance, medicine, support, or recon. Regardless, no one class can win a battle alone. A good player is expected to perform the duties of his/her class.
Call of Duty puts far more focus on the individual. While it too implements classes, their primary purpose is not to enforce any particular responsibility, but to RE-inforce any style the player wishes to play, whether it be highly aggressive, stealthy, or supportive. The game adapts itself to serve the player.
As a result, Call of Duty’s classes offer much more freedom, but can often result in incoherent gameplay. Battlefield’s classes, by contrast, are much more restrictive, but actively reinforce the reliance on teamwork that the franchise is famous for.
Combat:
Battlefield, as one might expect, aims to recreate real-life battlefields, complete with massive maps, massive teams, and massive vehicles.
Yes, you can drive this!
Call of Duty, on the other hand, focuses mainly on frenetic, close-quarters fighting.
Back at E3 this year, EA announced during the Sony Conference that the PS3 version of Battlefield 3 will ship with a free copy of Battlefield 1943. Since then, there hasn’t been much talk about this exclusive deal; however, Sony did snag a one-week DLC head start. A few days ago, Karl Magnus Troedsson teased us with a picture of one of the first PS3 retail copies of Battlefield 3. As you can see above, there’s no reference to Battlefield 1943 on the box. I also checked on EA’s Origin shop (not the PC digital one) and every major retailer’s website, and BF1943 wasn’t mentioned anywhere. I played a lot of 1943 since it came out in 2009, and the game holds up to this day. I was looking forward for an influx of new players. The only quibble I had with the downloadable title was the lack of weapon variety, but for the price of admission, $9.99, it is definitely a bargain and one of the best downloadable multiplayer experiences offered on PSN and Xbox Live. Battlefield 1943 features one of the classic maps of the Battlefield franchise in Wake Island, which will be one of the Back in Karkand’s maps. 1943 also features ‘Air Superiority’ mode where you engage in airplanes dogfights.
Last year, Sony secured exclusive content for PS3 Owners with Medal of Honor Frontline packed in free with Medal of Honor, and the exclusive content was showcased on the PS3 cases. See image below.
Be sure to follow MP1st on Twitter and Facebook for the latest on everything Battlefield 3.
4 days left until you get to base jump into some of the most heated virtual battles of your life! To help tie you over, we’ve compiled a few interesting bits of information about Battlefield 3 released over the past couple of days.
DICE has officially announced that the PC version of Battlefield 3 will be receiving a day-one patch. “Update starts right after install,” according to Daniel Matros. Along with this, he also confirmed that Commo-Rose for the PC will be available “not on launch, but in the 1st day patch.” According to Gustav Halling, for the PS3, a “day 1 patch is going through cert now so its ready on monday.” Also, the Origin preload of Battlefield 3 should now be live, at least to some people, according to this picture.
For those wondering, Matros has also stated that the “HD texture packs are allround,” meaning, they will stream high-res textures in all game modes, including the competitive multiplayer. Remember, this is an optional download for Xbox 360 users.
BioWare has recently announced that a multiplayer demo of their brand new co-op mode in Mass Effect 3 will be available some time in January 2012. However, as stated on the official forums, “owners of Battlefield 3, on any platform, who activate their Online Pass will automatically be granted early access to the multiplayer portion of the Mass Effect 3 demo.”
Lastly, DICE is allowing you to have a say in Battlefield 3. In a blog post on battlefield.com, DICE writes of their experiences while re-developing the Back to Karkand expansion pack maps. While remaking these maps, they decided to bring each one up-to-date not only in graphics and visuals, but in time as well. Meaning, some of these maps are actually 2 or 3 years further into the future. Due to this, some control points needed to be renamed, since their surrounding area is now different. Instead of renaming it themselves, DICE is letting the fans have a say through a facebook poll, which you can check out here. It will also get you the chance to have your name in the end-game credits! The due date is October 28th, so get your votes in!
The amount of fun derived from a multiplayer game is usually directly proportional to the respective game developer’s talent. A game studio has to truly understand what multiplayer elements gamers want, and how to implement those components efficiently and effectively. Unfortunately, many development teams struggle with one or more of the multiplayer design aspects. Too many times a game ships with a technically solid, but boring and uninteresting multiplayer, or an engaging and fun experience riddled with bugs, glitches, and balance issues.
It takes more than just netcode and killstreaks to design an awesome, timeless multiplayer experience, and gamers (at least, MP1st editors) have come to recognize the talent, creativity, and design prowess of these five development teams as being the best in their field.
Bungie
Bungie made the list even though they only have one real series under their multiplayer belt (we’re not counting their earlier Mac titles). It would be redundant to dwell on the studio’s console success, but their dedication to solid and technically sound multiplayer game modes have earned them scores of fans, praise, and imitation. How many games after Halo implemented a 2-weapon inventory system? A lot. Shoulder-button grenade throwing? A lot. Bungie’s Halo games are guaranteed to be technically sound and dynamic experiences. What few bugs may crop up (sword-flying, super-bouncing, etc.) are quickly squashed, and Bungie continue to support their games far after release (after passing the buck to 343 this past year, we assume Bungie will keep up the trend of post-launch support with their upcoming title, rumored to be a massively multiplayer shooter).
Valve
Valve is PC gaming. 12-year-old Counter-strike 1.6 is played daily by more gamers than most shooters released in the past three years. One of the main reasons Valve’s games build up such dedicated fanbases is their support and content patches. Team Fortress 2 was released in 2007. Since then, the title has received a staggering 245 patches and updates on the PC and Mac. The overwhelming majority of these updates are not to fix bugs or issues, but to add new content (free of charge). Valve offers fine-tuned and balanced multiplayer games that somehow never become dated. Yes, Counter-strike 1.6 looks like an older game; however, the gameplay and balance put many current shooters to shame.
Blizzard
Do we really have to explain this one? World of Warcraft. Diablo. Starcraft. The list goes on and on; even taking the studio’s polarizing DRM and connectivity requirements into consideration does little to hamper the love gamers have for Blizzard. Blizzard have consistently produced fun and balanced multiplayer games that provide a refreshing contrast to the plethora of shooters on the market. Their games are unique, balanced, and engaging for both casual and hardcore players. Not many studios can have a game in the professional-players market (Starcraft) as well as a title that is played worldwide by kids, adults, men, women, old, and young (World of Warcraft).
DICE
DICE has a kung-fu grip on the full-scale warfare game market, and for good reason. Other developers have made valiant attempts to create games that mimic and recreate the intensity of the battlefield experience, but most have failed (or, at least haven’t come close to the success DICE have had). Marching through 4 different eras, and including a number of core titles and spin-offs, DICE’s Battlefield games have set the bar for realistic, yet accessible warfare. The games provide balanced, objective-based experiences that encourage teamwork and cooperation, eschewing the “one man army” style of play employed by many of its competitors. The games often require a number of early patches and updates that address balancing and network issues, but due to the scale of the playing fields, it’s hard to point too much criticism at DICE’s team.
Nintendo
Mario Kart is still an easily playable and infinitely satisfying multiplayer title. Which iteration, you ask? All of them. It doesn’t matter. They are all supremely balanced (well, as long as you are okay with the series-standard rubber band AI) games that offer both a competitive edge and a casual, fun-filled atmosphere. Super Smash Brothers is another series that created a light-hearted, yet emulous atmosphere. Nintendo are masters at creating accessible yet deep multiplayer experiences, even if these two series are the only indicators.
As always, these opinions are held in the highest esteem by the MP1st editors, and we would love to hear yours (whether they mesh with ours or not!). Let us know which developers you think create the best multiplayer games, and which ones…fail.
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This is our second featured interview in a series focusing on independent developers producing multiplayer games for a variety of downloadable platforms and systems. Blue Isle Studios is a Canadian development team currently producing a full-conversion Starcraft II game entitled Subsistence. Subsistence is an original IP of Blue Isle’s, and features entirely original and unique art assets and features. While Subsistence will offer gamers a lengthy and authentic campaign experience, it will ship with multiplayer modes as well (both competitive and cooperative).
Much of Blue Isle's lighting and unit formation techniques are crafted in-house.
MP1st: What unique challenges does RTS game design offer that are not present in other genres? How have Blue Isle tackled these issues?
I think one of the largest challenges when designing an RTS is getting the right balance between pleasing the competitive gamers and the casual gamers. It’s incredibly tough to design a game that will make all types of players happy because everyone is looking for a different type of experience. If we look at the current crop of RTS’ out there, you’ll notice that they are tailored to appeal to one of the two groups. Starcraft II for example is a game tailored to competitive gamers. The devs at Blizzard have done a great job making the game user-friendly for the casual guys, but at its core, it is a serious, competitive game.
Here at Blue Isle we’ve tried to take a different approach. SC2 is the best competitive RTS game out there; no one can touch that. What we are instead trying to deliver is a great story-driven gameplay experience. So obviously there is the singleplayer mode and the online multiplayer modes. What we are doing differently, however, is our co-op mode. Our entire campaign has been designed from the ground up with co-operative play for up to four players at a time. What this means is you can play through our story-driven campaign with AI opponents and up to three of your friends (or strangers). It’s a unique twist on the RTS formula that combines the fast pace of a multiplayer game with the cinematic type of gameplay you’d find in a good singleplayer mission.
MP1st: How much in-house design and technology have Blue Isle had to incorporate and produce to bring your vision of Subsistence to fruition?
Luckily for us, Blizzard has provided everyone with an incredibly powerful toolset that allows us to create almost anything we want. There are always going to be engine limitations that we don’t expect, but every game developer in the world has to deal with this type of stuff.
What we have done, however, is use these tools to create a lot of new gameplay systems. We have a new pathing system where your armies will actually assemble into realistic looking formations when given a move order. We’ve modified the air combat systems quite a bit to allow jet fighters and bombers to move about realistically (instead of just hovering in place). We can actually have dogfights between jets in the game now, which just looks really cool.
On the graphical side of things we’ve made some changes as well. All units will fire projectiles, so infantry fire bright tracer rounds while tanks fire shells that can sometimes miss their targets. We’ve taken the lighting system one step further to show weather effects. Thunderstorms produce lightning strikes with a huge flash of bright white light, dynamically moving shadows all over the place; it’s a really cool effect in-game. All of this hopefully contributes to a really great, immersive game world.
One of the many unique unit creations Blue Isle have constructed for Subsistence
MP1st: How do gameplay and story complement each other? In a game like Subsistence, is there an emphasis on one or the other?
I think gameplay and story really go hand-in-hand, and they both need each other. A game that plays great but with a poor story kind of leaves something to be desired. At the same time, a great story in a horrible game doesn’t really work. If you had to weigh the two in terms of importance, gameplay has to come first.
We’ll always design gameplay first and then add a story element on top of it. We could never remove something from the gameplay because the story doesn’t allow it, that’s not good game design. With that being said, we are doing our best to craft a really good storyline that drives our singleplayer and co-op campaigns. We kind of lucked out there – we were able to get a great writer to join our team and help out.
MP1st: Given the blessing/curse of a massive AAA studio and an unlimited budget, what kind of original IP/technology might Blue Isle produce?
We are independently funded, so being a small studio allows us a lot of freedom. We can pick and choose projects to work on as we please without the pressure of a big publisher forcing us down a certain path. If we wanted to create a game about space-pirates racing around in hovercrafts on the moon, because that sounds awesome, then we’ll do it. On the flip side, we have to be really careful when deciding on a project. Certain games are a lot more expensive to produce than others, so we are limited in that respect.
In our case we are working with a state of the art game engine that’s already designed for RTS games. This allows us to pour our budget into content creation instead of toolset creation. So our concept artist, 3d artists, animator, programmer, sound design, writer, that’s where our budget is spent. Subsistence is our first game but we have a hundred ideas for other types of games we would love to build. As for what else we might produce in the future, we don’t even know at this point. Goal number one is to finish this game, then we’ll look at other options!
MP1st: What can we look forward to from Blue Isle? Will Subsistence be supported with new units or missions post-launch? Any other game ideas in the works?
I’m a big fan of free content. Actually, who isn’t? If you look at the success of companies like Valve, fans have an extreme loyalty to them because they show their customers respect. Free content is an awesome way to reward gamers, and a way to extend the shelf-life of your game. We definitely have plans to release a lot of free maps and maybe even some units after the launch of Subsistence that will really expand upon the game. There’s a ton of ideas for new game types that we really want to create.
On top of this we are planning to launch a number of fun, smaller games that will offer a bit more variety. The SC2 engine can be modified in a lot of neat ways. I’d personally love to do some type of go-kart racing game, that could be a lot of crazy fun.
Ultimately this all depends on the success of our initial launch. If we can do well enough to stay in the business of creating games, we’ll absolutely keep doing it. This is a real passion for the entire team and we hope it shows in our final product. We hope to launch Subsistence alongside Blizzard’s Starcraft II Marketplace sometime in the near future, so no release dates yet.
Thanks a lot for the opportunity!
This vicious-looking icon is the logo for the Sentinels, one of the factions present in subsistence.
Stay tuned to MP1st; we’ll keep you updated as to Subsistence’s upcoming release, as well as Blue Isle’s future project, “Space Pirate Hovercrafting: Moon-time Kartocalypse.” Don’t forget to follow us on Twitter and Facebook for more interviews!
Check out our first interview in this series with Gigatross Games!
A slew of information about Battlefield 3 has become available lately, especially with the brand new multiplayer trailer having just been released.
You may have noticed that in this trailer, the destruction was a little more intense that what we’ve seen so far from the Beta version of Battlefield 3. Thankfully, Daniel Matros has confirmed that “destruction was downscaled and rigid in the beta. Full on for retail.” This should make many RPG-wielding Battlefield fans extremely happy.
Some other things that should make many fans happy are the recent announcements regarding unlocks. Make sure to check out our previous report here. You may have remembered that in the beta, weapons from the AK family were exclusive only to the Russian side, while the Americans exclusively used weapons like the M4A1 or the M16A4. However, many fans have been wondering if these weapons would eventually become available to the other faction to use at some point. Fredrik Thylander responds when asked if we could use the other factions weapons: “Yes, in fact, you can. Once everything for a class is unlocked, it’s default weapon becomes available to the other faction.” This seems fair to us.
Another interesting bit of vehicle unlock information is that flares (which should help you dodge incoming missiles while flying a jet) will be the first unlock available unlock for the jets. Thylander provides us with his line of thinking behind it: “Basically, prove you can fly and get any points whatsoever, and we’ll give you flares.” Some fans have been wishing that the flare unlock would be available sooner than what it was in the Beta, so this should come as good news to them as well.
Lastly, the recent trailer (included in a link up top) also revealed some shots of some of the maps found in the Back to Karkand expansion pack. Make sure to check that out if you haven’t yet already. Lately, DICE has revealed that the “Back to Karkand will be similar to Vietnam in that it will be a full expansion pack.” If it is, indeed, similar to the Vietnam expansion pack that was released for Battlefield: Bad Company 2, we could speculate that it will be around the same price of $15 and that it will have it’s own title screen in the Battlefield 3 main menu. This would also mean that all the weapons and maps would be exclusive to this separate playlist and would not be available in the regular one.
So, how did you guys enjoy the recent trailer, what are your thought about the latest unlock reveals, and how excited are you to play on some of those classic Battlefield maps!? Let us know in the comment section below and don’t forget to follow us on Twitter and Facebook!
In terms of Battlefield 3 footage, DICE released two trailers last week, destruction and vehicles, which featured a lot of footage that we had seen before. However, DICE has put a stop to the dry run, and it has released a new trailer featuring brand new multiplayer gameplay from all 9 maps and glimpses of Back to Karkand. Enjoy!
It’s a great time to be an action game fan. The market is filled (some would say saturated) with top-tier shooters, and developers and publishers have incentivized every aspect of their respective games in order to gain a foothold in the lucrative market. Currently, gamers are being inundated with a wide variety of choices when craving some online shooting fun, and a series of niches are being filled. Large-scale warfare, close-quarters-combat, modern military, and sci-fi shooters are being released seemingly weekly. If you’re on a limited budget, indecisive, or just too overwhelmed with the plethora of titles to choose from, allow me to help.
Buy Gears of War 3. It’s a better game than the other shooters currently on the market, and you have my personal guarantee that it will be better than any shooter or action game releasing this year. Call of Duty, Battlefield, or Halo might have been your favorite shooters for years, but Gears of War 3 is better. Don’t think for a second I made that claim without the evidence to back it up. Enjoy.
Competitive Multiplayer
Battlefield 3 looks great, doesn’t it? DICE has incorporated a sexy new graphics engine, a more detailed destruction system, and a wealth of weapon-customization options. The vehicles are more varied, and promise to keep every match fresh and unique. It’s too bad those matches only come in 3 flavors. Yes, the online warfare in Battlefield 3 is limited to Team Deathmatch, Rush, and Conquest. It’s unfortunate that the game doesn’t include more variety, but at least it excels at what it does include. It’s also great that these modes, while limited, will be running on dedicated servers.
What about Modern Warfare 3? While the newest iteration of Call of Duty offers quite a few more game modes than Battlefield, many of the fan favorites are relegated to private matches only (Infection, GunGames, One in the Chamber, etc.), and the staple gametypes are still variations (or direct copies) of standard modes such as Team Deathmatch and Capture the Flag. Modes such as Search and Destroy give the gamer a little more variety, but the real hook is the limited respawns and improved weapon damage, not the actual objectives. Unfortunately, none of the action will be taking place on dedicated servers, and fans of the series know to expect serious lag issues, networking errors, and regularly dropped matches.
Gears of War 3. What has it got that the others don’t? Well, it has 6 competitive game modes out of the box, with each having a distinct flavor or style. Its gametypes feature both the traditional (Team Deathmatch) and the completely unique (Capture the Leader). The game also balances the level grind and unlocks very well; every few levels a new character model or weapon skin will be unlocked, and while they look varied and fun, they are cosmetic only. A veteran player will never have an advantage other than his own innate skill. It’s fun to work towards the equipment unlocks in Call of Duty and Battlefield, but it seems pretty cheap that a player would have a much more powerful weapon or more accurate scope at his disposal just because he started playing earlier. Also, akin to Battlefield, Gears of War 3 is running on dedicated servers, with no lag in sight.
Gears doesn’t stop its competitive dominance with just lag-free games and online variety. No, it also includes a feature that every multiplayer shooter should include: bots. It sucks when most of your team quits in Call of Duty, doesn’t it? You cross your fingers and hope that some people join, but there’s a good chance you’ll just get spawn-trapped, and end up with terrible stats, or quitting the match yourself. Gears of War 3 replaces any quitter with a competent bot; there is no such thing as unbalanced teams in Gears, and the feature has two added bonuses: all gametypes are playable solo against bots (for practice, or relaxation, or experience grinding), and matchmaking is much quicker due to the fact that a game that requires 10 participants can begin with less; the bots will be ousted as more players join.
Cooperative Gameplay
The amount of cooperative content included in Gears of War 3 is stupefying. The campaign is playable with up to three friends, and is also playable in Arcade mode, which creates an entirely unique competitive co-op experience, with players attempting to complete the game’s levels while maintaining a high score multiplayer, and garnering the best ribbons and medals. The campaign content just scratches the surface of Gears of War 3’s cooperative gameplay: Horde Mode and Beast Mode each feature unique twists on the “grinder” style of play that the series originated three years ago. A full match of Horde Mode will take anywhere from three to six hours, and is playable on any of the game’s numerous multiplayer maps. In contrast, Beast Mode is beatable in around half an hour, and offers an entirely different gameplay mechanic. Call of Duty’s developers have claimed that cooperative campaign gameplay would “take away from the experience.” I’m confused as to how. The series is known for the AI teammates it has trailing the player, so why would it matter at all if one of them was controlled by a friend?
Modern Warfare 3 does, however, feature co-op modes in Spec Ops and Survival (its own iteration of Horde Mode, after Infinity Ward nixed Treyarch’s Zombies mode). Spec Ops and Survival offer their own brand of fun, but Infinity Ward are shooting themselves in the foot by having a separate ranking system in those lobbies. Multiplayer is where it’s at with Call of Duty, and if players won’t be able to gain progress for their loadouts and unlocks in co-op, they won’t be near as enticed. Gears of War 3’s ranking, experience, and unlock system is integrated into every part of the game, no matter what mode, so players can enjoy the campaign and co-op content without worrying about falling behind their friend’s ranks. Battlefield 3 offers short cooperative missions, but they seem to exist to tick a box on the game’s cover, and not to actually engage cooperative players (the missions appear to be altered campaign missions, and do not require teamwork or cooperation in any meaningful way).
Aesthetics
Call of Duty’s forecast calls for constant brown, with the occasional gray outline. The game’s obsession with realistic environments (odd, since they gutted the realism out of every other aspect of the game) proves to be a hindrance; the maps become interchangeable with the exception of the staple night level and the guaranteed outdoor level (Overgrown, anyone?). The avatars themselves are wrapped in gray, brown, or gray-brown garb, and are indistinct from one another.
Gears of War 3’s maps offer supreme variety. Trenches harkens back to classic shooter maps of the late 90’s, when Epic were still honing their skills. Sandbar looks as if it were ripped straight from Uncharted series, and displays some amazing environmental texture and lighting work. The newly revamped Gridlock features enough spooky atmosphere, wispy smoke, and dead trees to fill a Tim Burton film. In Checkout, players navigate an abandoned grocery store, hiding behind old cereal shelves, with the dawn’s light pouring in through the rusted ceiling. The characters and skins are varied, with stock avatars from the campaign running alongside unique variants from past titles.
Is Gears of War 3 the best shooter ever developed? It’s hard to say; it’s definitely in the running. But while its merits have yet to be set in stone, it’s clear that it offers more bang for the proverbial buck than its direct competition this year. Buy what makes you happy, and play what you want to play. If you’re stuck on the fence? Purchase Gears of War 3. You won’t be sorry, no matter what kind of online experience you’re looking for.
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As video game budgets steadily contend with (and many times surpass) the astronomical budgets of Hollywood films, the line-up of stellar, highly-polished titles vying for gamer’s cash expands yearly. With this massive funding, and studios often consisting of hundreds of dedicated artists, programmers, and designers, it’s no shock that a number of slick and well-advertised games are met with millions (and sometimes billions) of dollars in revenue.
Unfortunately, though, this trifecta of talent, money, and advertising rarely produces an original title. Publishers, hell-bent on making money (as they should be), shy away from games that differ from the current trends, or break the standard mold. It’s an unfortunate progression that shows no signs of stopping. This holiday season, a number of AAA games are set to be released on the gaming public, but they neatly fit into two or three well-established genres.
EA's Battlefield 3 marketing budget alone is reported to be 100 million dollars.
Now, gamers have obviously shown they like these genres, and so part of these games’ success is just supplying a demand. However, with the influx of independent game developing and publishing avenues, and the ingenuity and originality they exude, it’s hard to believe that a large, talented, well-funded studio couldn’t produce something equally unique on a grander scale.
Markus Persson’s wildly popular Minecraft was independently developed and produced, and featured none of the superfluous resources available to major studios. While it did have its inspirations, most notably Bull Frog’s Dungeon Keeper and Zachtronics’ Infiniminer, Minecraft typifies the style of innovation and nonconformity of many smaller, independently produced games. It’s a style nearly unheard of in the development of most AAA games. Most big-budget, publisher-sponsored games attempt to highlight their creative decisions and original approach, but it unfortunately reads as, “We added two more guns and another class,” or, “Now the player will be able to equip swords in both hands.”
In many cases, there is no “evil overlord,” forcing talented studios to design stale rehashes and sequels, but a disconnect is definitely apparent between many publishers and developers. Blue Isle Studios, an independent developer currently crafting a real-time strategy game entitled Subsistence, recognizes the freedom of development they have, yet also notes the financial issues a dependent studio might not bear:
We are independently funded, so being a small studio allows us a lot of freedom. We can pick and choose projects to work on as we please without the pressure of a big publisher forcing us down a certain path. If we wanted to create a game about space-pirates racing around in hovercrafts on the moon, because that sounds awesome, then we’ll do it. On the flip side, we have to be really careful when deciding on a project. Certain games are a lot more expensive to produce than others, so we are limited in that respect. – Speaking to MP1st, stay tuned for full interview tomorrow.
Blue Isle's upcoming RTS is an entirely new IP based on Stracraft II's source engine.
In an interview with MP1st earlier this week, Gigatross Games, an Xbox Live Indie developer, noted, “A lot of the time, AAA games are produced with gameplay as an afterthought, or at least innovation and creativity aren’t the focus.” As many publishers urge their collectively owned studios to pursue an annual release model for their franchises, this supposition holds true. Although Call of Duty often bears the weight of the gamer’s grudges, it still stands as an apropos example. The core gameplay has not changed at all from sequel to sequel. With no substantive enhancements to the actual gameplay, each title instead features a bevy of minor tweaks and superfluous additions in order to differentiate it from the past year’s installment.
It’s refreshing, therefore, to see large studios with massive hits under their belt escape the seemingly creativity-staunching atmosphere of a major publisher. Bungie, creators and developers of five core Halo titles, recently left Microsoft and became an independent studio. This should be exciting to any fan; Bungie are an obviously talented and creative lot, and with the fans and money they have garnered over the past ten years working with Microsoft, an independently produced new IP could incorporate any number of new and unique gameplay elements. Here’s hoping, at least.
In order to encourage and develop creatively unique and original IPs, it’s imperative that major publishers recognize the importance of supplementing their core franchises with uncommon titles, and giving the developing studios the resources and capital sponsorship of their established hit-makers. Minecraft is an awesome game; imagine how mind-blowing it would have been had Markus Persson been given 100 million dollars in financial backing?
MP1st are fans of any solid multiplayer game, be it independent, dependent, downloadable, or retail. Let us know in the comments what you’d like to see in terms of gaming innovation, and look for our full interview with Blue Isle Studios tomorrow.
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Battlefield 3 day one patch is everything but confirmed.
Earlier this month, in an interview with Strategy Informer, Patrick Liu agreed that Battlefield 3 will “probably” have a day one patch, which “will include feedback from the beta”. Patrick Bach also suggested the possibility of having a patch on release day. He clarified to VG247, “we [DICE] will still have time to do, day one patches and changes to the Battlelog that will actually be game-changing.” Now, onto more concrete evidence. Microsoft’s Major Nelson publishes a weekly round-up of all the new content coming to the Xbox Live Marketplace. The preview Major Nelson publishes includes game releases, DLC, and avatar goodies. However, in this week’s update, under the avatar section, one item stood out, which is a “Battlefield 3 update” going live on 25th of October (same as the launch day of BF3 in North America). Last week, EA published Battlefield 3 avatars, but it’s not common for avatars to get updated, let alone on the release date of the respective title. This leaves us with the day one patch for Battlefield 3. We speculate that this will also be the case for all other platforms.
In case you haven’t noticed, we’ve moved our Battlefield spotlight over to Fredrik Thylander, Senior Designer at DICE. He’s become quite the popular guy with the amount of information that he’s been giving away lately. Recently, he’s been going over some more important changes from the Beta to the final version that not everyone might be aware of, especially those who did not make it to the LAN 6 event. So far, we’ve seen changes being made to the mini-map and firing an unsuppressed weapon, which you should check out before reading.
First and formost, a big concern from the Beta: the ranking system. You may have notice a number of players who quickly reached ranks beyond 45. By rank 45, a player should, technically, have all rank unlocks under his belt, with most likely a number of class and weapon unlocks. Many speculated that the ranking system was toned down in the Beta to allow players to be able to try out more unlocks. It turns out that this could be the case since Thylander has confirmed, “it’s takes a lot more to rank up in final.”
How many of you remember this: you’re on the attacking side on Operation Métro, you destroy the first set of MCOM stations, and you’re ordered to move into the métro system below ground. You would love to be able to move the match forward and move up, but you’re stuck outside due to all the spawn beacons left beside your new deployment area. You can’t move up because you have all these enemies to take care of who are spawning in your deployment. Many fans have shown this concern to DICE and it looks like Thylander has a response for us: in the final, “no one can spawn in the area that is no longer in their combat zone. Spawn beacons get disabled, and squad spawn turned off.”
For the consoles, one thing that was promised by DICE, but seemed to be missing from the beta was a functioning server browser to help us find the games we wanted. Instead, it gave us the choice of game-type and map à la Bad Company 2. These worries of DICE only including a basic matchmaking system can be put to rest as Thylander confirmed that “there is a fully featured server browser on console, as well as quickmatch-options for matchmade games.”
Lastly, I leave you with this interesting little fact from Thylander. “You can fit 3 of the biggest BC2 launch maps [in] operation firestorm. It’s huge. And it’s 2 homebases too, so that’s 7 bases.”
Earlier today, it was reported that you do not show up on the mini-map when firing an unsuppressed weapon in the Battlefield 3 multiplayer.
However, Ian Torny recently stated, “To clarify – You will appear on the map for a short time, but you will not be flagged/spotted,” referencing Fredrick Thylander’s statement, “It makes you light up on minimap for a split second. Add silencer to avoid it.”
This confirms a rumour that we reported on last night which you can check out here. While this mini-map feature has been included in previous Battlefield games, it was missing from the Beta build of Battlefield 3. This led many fans to believe that it may not be making it into the final version. This of course makes sense to have been added and gives more weight to decisions made when choosing weapon attachments. For example, do you want to attach a heavy barrel for more raw power, but show up on the mini map when firing, or sacrifice range for staying invisible on the mini map by adding a suppressor.
Unlike Battlefield: Bad Company 2, where suppressors were only available to the Engineer kit, Battlefield 3 allows you to attach suppressors to most weapon in the game, across the four different classes. This gives allows for a different style of play and more versatility among all classes.
What were some of your favorite attachments in the Battlefield 3 Beta, and what do you think you’ll be using in the final version? Let us know in the comment section below!
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In an earlier article, we covered the different graphical settings that were available in the PC version of Battlefield 3, which you can view here. One very interesting point in the GeForce LAN 6 Keynote was that, apparently, the lowest settings on the PC are equivalent to what the graphics would be like on the console version of Battlefield 3. However, the fact that it read, “Similar visuals to consoles, lots of stuff disabled,” stirred up some concern among the console community. Many gamers have, since then, been looking for clarification from Johan Andersson, presenter of the keynote and Rendering Architect at DICE. Here are some things he had to say about the situation.
When one fan asked if it was true that the console versions would have “lots of stuff disabled,” Andersson admitted, “that was a bit poor choice of words, but the PC LOW & consoles obviously does not have every single quality feature PC HIGH has.” This makes sense and shouldn’t come as a surprise to many gamers. He continued to admit that “it wasn’t fully fair as the console version can’t be fully compared against the PC settings as it uses different techniques.” For example, “the shadows in the shadows in the final code are way better than PC LOW, same with animated vegetation and such.” This should hopefully clear up a few things for many console gamers and put worries to rest. On top of this, it has already been stated that the graphics on all platforms have been much improved since the Beta, especially on consoles. They will be receiving an additional HDD installation that will allow higher resolution textures to be streamed that would not otherwise be possible on the disk alone.
Andersson ended the conversation on a good note, saying “one should simply not compare console and PC settings” and that “the final console version looks great.”
What will you be playing Battlefield 3 on? Let us know in the comment section below!
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MP1st will be featuring a series of interviews and spotlights on independent multiplayer game developers throughout the next few weeks. We are thrilled to kick things off with an interview with Gigatross Games, the three-man studio on the cusp of releasing Grand Class Melee, a 2D RPG-inspired brawler for Xbox Live Indie Games.
MP1st: When the three of you teamed up to form Gigatross Games, did you set out to specifically create a multiplayer game?
Well, the concept of this game has a history. Being that the dev team grew up together, we played many, many games together. When we got bored of the ones we had, we invented new games and borrowed the best ideas from the ones we liked. The best players will be able to see many different influences from older games in Grand Class Melee. But at the very beginning, GCM was played with pool noodles in our backyard. Over the years it became this Frankenstein that somehow worked as an indie game. Naturally, it’s multiplayer because that was our situation growing up, playing games together. We believe games are at their best when they bring people together, especially into the same room.
MP1st: What were the most difficult aspects of developing a multiplayer title in this sort of context (indie team, downloadable, etc.)?
The ‘indie’ part was probably the most challenging aspect of it. Moments such as telling our friends and parents what we were doing; foregoing well-paying jobs just to have more time to work on this project might seem quite risky to many people, and it is. We know it can be difficult to chase a dream, but we’re prepared to fight for it.
Another obvious challenge for us was balancing the many classes in the game. You never really know how an idea will play until you implement it and test it for yourself. Almost every class in the game went through at least one redesign. But, this was still a fun process for us.
MP1st: You published a game on the Xbox 360, but have grand plans for iOS and Steam releases. Why did you pursue the XBL indie program first? What advantages does each platform have over the others?
There are pretty substantial differences between the platforms and each have their pros and cons. We felt that XBLA gamers tend to have a lot of interest in ‘indie’ content and are more willing to take a chance on something different. Grand Class Melee works best as a single console multiplayer experience, so naturally we choose XBLA. Also, a lot of content on Xbox reflects those old gaming throwbacks so we felt most comfortable there.
The iPhone market is massive but a bit fickle, very hard to predict. It’s not a bad thing, but it leads to a more streamlined game design (Angry Birds, etc…). The Steam community likes indie game content but the platform ultimately determines the style of games that end up there. It depends on what medium your game would work best on.
MP1st: From your unique perspective, what trends are currently doing video gaming a disservice? As Gigatross continue to produce and publish games, what design or publishing elements will you try to shy away from?
I think the industry is great at producing games with a high quality of graphics. These games sell well and are marketed aggressively, but sometimes don’t really innovate in terms of gameplay. I’m walking a fine line here because we borrowed a lot from other games to make Grand Class Melee. But, we feel that it’s put together in a way that’s unique from other games. A lot of the time, AAA games are produced with gameplay as an afterthought, or at least innovation and creativity aren’t the focus.
At Gigatross Games, we’d especially like to avoid patronizing gamers by slapping new graphics on an old idea. This happens far too often in the industry and we’ll do everything in our power to avoid it.
MP1st: Can you tell us anything about future projects, platforms, or release schedules?
As of now, Grand Class Melee is in the peer review phase of the XBLA indie games process. This means our game will be available to play sometime in the next week or so. We hope that people get a chance to play and provide us with some much needed feedback so we can continue to improve our developing skills.
In the future, Gigatross Games will continue to develop games with throwbacks to those games in the good old days. Of course, we’ll add our own flavor to things. Right now, we’re working on a strategy RPG that should do justice to the old ones we all remember from a couple of gens ago.
On behalf of my colleagues and I at Gigatross Games, thank you for the opportunity to help spread the word of Grand Class Melee.
Stay tuned to MP1st for our upcoming review of Grand Class Melee.
In the recent GeForce LAN 6 keynote presentation, given by Johan Andersson, Rendering Architect at DICE, he details the different graphical settings found on the PC version of Battlefield 3. The presentation also reveals what type of graphics card are required for each setting.
Graphics Options:
Low = Lowest Possible
Similar visuals to consoles, lots of stuff disabled
Still contains the essential visuals to not be unfair in MP
Minimum: Geforce 8800 GT 512 MB RAM
Medium = Good Perf
Most important visual features enabled
High = What the Game is Designed For
All major features on except for MSAA (if you have DX11 card)
Recommended: Geforce 560 TI or better
Ultra = Highest Possible
Intended primarily for multi-GPU machines for 60+ fps
We are working very hard to keep up with all the latest Battlefield 3 news, so make sure to follow @MPFirst on Twitter and like our Facebook page to stay informed!
Check out some of the latest BF3 news we’ve covered?
