So I will be the first to admit, I am a little hesitant in most cases to play a sequel of a game if I didn't play the first one. In the case of the FEAR series I had to make an exception. The demo I played for the original FEAR was absolutely atrocious. I gave it about 5 minutes before it was deleted off of my hard drive. So time passed, a couple expansion packs were released and I was still not attracted to even a rental. I am not a total pessimist, I will usually download just about any demo and give it a chance. I started seeing ads for FEAR 2 frequently and my curiosity began to migrate towards that evil little girl. Alas came the day, the demo for FEAR 2 was released and into the active downloads it went. I fired up the demo, and all I can say is... WOW! I have not been impressed by a demo this much in quite some time. After playing the full version of the game in it's entirety, the demo is even more amazing as it is a mix of 5 or so of the campaign levels rolled into one. It includes some of the cooler weapons in the game and even the awesome mech/battle suit! For anyone who has not already played this demo or even the full game, in the words of the great Arnold Schwarzenegger, "DO IT NOW!"
The gameplay has totally changed since the first FEAR. It feels almost identical to the Call of Duty engine.. The down the sights aiming is clean and smooth and the bullet time is a nice touch, although it did make the game feel a bit easy at times. This Max Payne style bullet time also transfers to the game's turret and mech sections which is pretty awesome. Do yourself a favor and try and use it as little as possible, it will make the firefights more challenging and more immersive. The game also does an excellent job of backtracking to give noobs of the FEAR series like myself a bit of the background behind the story. While I won't dive into the story too much in this review, I will say that it is both captivating and cool with nice little twists and turns and a really cool ending to boot. The game has it's fair share of "OH SHIT" moments, and while it's not terribly scary, it's a good one to play with the lights off. There are some really nice touches as far as graphics go. While the textures and environments aren't amazing, the lighting and spec maps look really nice, and the movement as far as running and aiming feel very realistic and controlled. I must say, this game has some of the best and most believable AI in any shooter I have played. Shoot an enemy in the leg and he will hobble and limp towards safety and flip over a table or hospital bed to take cover. The cover system isn't revolutionary but you can interact with certain objects in the game to create cover. There are even some items that have a propane tank or gas can on them. Hit bullet time, flip the table over and the tank of flammable liquid will fly towards enemies allowing you to target it and detonate it with a well placed shot setting enemies on fire... good stuff! A nice touch that was added was the ability to perform some awesome running melees, even in bullet time. Running slide kicks and spinning back kicks will have you throwin' it down like Jean Claude Van Damme or Neo from The Matrix. These melee attacks transfer over to the multiplayer, but the bullet time does not.
The game has a few really well thought out moments. A couple that stick out to me would be the creepy and VERY bloody hospital levels, an abandoned high school and a really cool tram level where it feels like you are battling on the Monorail from Disneyland. Very similar tie-ins to Killzone 2 in this game. While I don't know if the chicken or the egg came first here, I couldn't help but feel like an employee might have left one of the projects and joined the other as there was so many similarities. From the nail gun to the look of a few of the enemies and the weapons and grenades, there is some striking resemblance. And onto my favorite part of the campaign, the mech!! Wow, few game developers have implemented a mech or battle suit well in quite a few years but FEAR 2 really hits the nail on the head. Zooming, thermal vision for seeing enemies through walls, dual heavy caliber machine guns, and rockets that look straight out of Robotech will have you decimating enemies and removing limbs in quite a satisfying fashion. I would have to say this was definitely my favorite part of the game and it never really seemed to get old.
Multiplayer was actually quite surprising for me. While I wasn't expecting anything new or spectacular, I was really pleased with the way it played. Plenty of your standard modes available like Bomb Arm, Free-for-all, Deathmatch and even Blitz which is a clever take on Capture the Flag or as they call it, PHLAG, (PHosphoLuminescent AGents). The level designs are pretty darn good and a Call of Duty style leveling system is provided as EXP points are gained. The mode I found the most fun by far was Armored Front. In this playlist, each team gets a mech and it's basically King of the Hill or Territories style control. It's pretty cool advancing behind your mech and capturing territories. While there is nothing mind-blowing, or that has not been done before, it's a pretty solid experience that's sure to keep folks populating multiplayer for a while. Good stuff all around on this one guys and gals, and again if you haven't at least played the demo, give it a go ASAP. Definitely one of my favorite games all around this year.
-DIGGITY OUT
Monday, March 30, 2009
THE GAMER REPORT REVIEW: F.E.A.R. 2
TOP GAMES THAT SHOULD BE ON XBOX LIVE ARCADE
So what do you guys think... What games of the past would you like to see on XBLA or PSN? Which ones stick out in your memory?
Saturday, March 28, 2009
PROTOTYPE OR PROTOHYPE? THAT IS THE QUESTION
Ohhhh boy, oh boy oh boy... I don't know what to think here. Well, I do. Let me share with you. I've been looking forward to this game since the day I found out about it during my time up in Vancouver. Radical Entertainment was at a game event in downtown Vancouver just a few days before I graduated. So I brought my demo reel to the event knowing I could talk to someone face to face and try to get a job. Sure enough, I ran into one of the lead artists there that was working on Prototype. I told him who I was, what I could do and told him I was interested in working on Prototype if they were hiring. At the time (before they delayed the game) he had told me they were almost done with it so he wasn't sure if they'd be hiring anymore. A few weeks later, I was contacted by Radical Ent. and they were interested in setting up an interview. I asked if this was for Prototype and they said no. So I packed my bags and moved back down to California. I don't know for sure exactly what other game they were going to have me work on but, the opportunity is long gone now. At the time, Prototype was the one game I wanted to work on the most and if I didn't get to be part of the Prototype team, I guess I wasn't interested. Damn I was being picky back then.
Which brings me to this video just released. Radical delayed the game late last year in 2008 and since then, I assume they have been working their ass off on this game to make it better than anyone could have imagined. (You guys better have added Multiplayer!!) Y'know, polished until perfection. Much like games from Valve. So when I watch this video, I get excited to see all the many features built into this game. At the same time, I have many questions that surface as to why they would need to create a Top 10 Reasons you want to play/buy Prototype. It's almost like they are worried the hype won't back up the final product and they're trying to sell the best parts to the public. But are they over-selling it? Will some of these features get boring after a few hundred times doing it? Will each feature involve the same animation over and over? Or will there be different animations for different circumstances? Did I just see every cool feature in the game from this video? Will I no longer be surprised my first go at this game? I'm just worried this is going to be like one of those typical Movie type previews where they show you all the funny parts or good parts in the trailer to get you to go see the movie, and then when you pay to go see it in the theatre, it's not funny anymore because you've seen all the good parts in the frackin' trailer! I hate when they do that!
All this stuff in the video above definitely makes me want to buy this game still. I think I will buy it either way just because I have been following this game and this comapany for quite a while. However, I really hope they didn't show us all the goodies this game has to offer. Like I said, I will buy this game, but if they didn't take the extra time they got when they delayed this game to add multiplayer, I am going to be very disappointed. I think there will be many people feeling the same way. Don't let us down Radical!
Friday, March 27, 2009
THE GAMER REPORT REVIEW: STREET FIGHTER IV
If I had saved all the money that I spent on Street Fighter 2 as a child, I would be in a mansion somewhere in the Bahamas. Countless days were spent at the bowling alley and the local 7-11 throwing quarters on the edge of the screen and doing battle. I got quite good, and was one of the local legends for tournaments at a local water park in Irvine. Through the many variations, whether it was Turbo, Hyper or Championship edition, I stayed loyal. Throwing Hadukens and busting Hurricane Kicks was daily ritual, and Sonic Booms were as common as putting socks on. Years went on, and the franchise grew expanding to numerous iterations of the original. Street fighter 3, Alpha, X-Men vs. Street Fighter, SNK vs. Capcom etc. released, but none compared to the original in my opinion. Next Gen consoles came out, and after a brief Hiatus, Xbox Live released Street Fighter 2. I was happier than an Ethiopian at a Pizza Party. 
To my surprise, relatively close to the release of Super Street Fighter 2 HD Remix, Street Fighter 4 was announced. What were they gonna do to make this already solid game more solid. After playing Street Fighter 4, the answer is quite simple, A LOT!! Everything in SF4 has been revamped and improved, without straying from the original Street Fighter formula that so many love. Let's start with the cosmetics. This game looks absolutely AWESOME! The vivid colors pop off the screen and do a really nice job of showing off your HDTV's color capabilities. I have not been this impressed with the graphics and colors of a fighting game since Soul Calibur 4. When projectiles are thrown, they seem to materialize out of the player. When Guile throws a Sonic Boom, rather than a cheesy little disc appearing in front of him resembling one of those little Yellow things in the middle of your old Def Leppard records, (don't lie, you know you own them) instead, as is arms rear back the projectile seems to form around his body before he releases it. Same carries over for Ryu and Kens fireballs etc. It's a small thing to go bananas over, but man it looks cool! Same goes for any sort of fire or energy in the game, it just looks flat out amazing. Another cool aspect is the animations in this game. Capcom has never slumped in this department in my book. Each fighter has unique and near perfect animations to compliment their fighting style. A great example of this attention to detail is one of the new characters, Abel, who is modeled after the modern day Mixed Martial Arts fighter. You can't help but see how much time was spent ensuring this dude looks and acts like the fighters you see in the cage nowadays, and its a great addition. All in all, the game looks great. Levels from the classic are re-done in incredible fashion. When someone hits the ground hard, the level will react to the action. Remember that dude on the bike in Chun Li's level? You know the one who would move super fast after you won a round and mashed the buttons? Well, throw down a 360 piledriver with Zangief and watch him fly off his bike and hop back on! It's a nice touch, and a nice throwback to those nerds like me who remember useless stuff like that. There is one level in particular that is set in front of a erupting volcano, it looks absolutely stunning! Subtle zooms on the action from time to time add another subtle but awesome addition. 
For the most part, the arcade style of play is pretty straightforward. Each character has a story, (usually linked to one or more characters) that play out in the form of anime-style cut scenes. While it doesn't really enhance anything to make street Fighter's story mode more enticing, it's a nice touch. I mean, c'mon... who really plays Street Fighter for the story anyway? I will say this to anyone ready to dive in. The boss in Street Fighter 4 may be the cheesiest character ever! His name is Seth and he looks like the Silver Surfer on steroids. He basically takes all the best moves from all of Street Fighters OG heroes. Guile's Sonic Boom, Ken and Ryu's uppercut, (but it hits you ten times), Chun Li's tap kick, (which is 17 hits if it connects), and even the dreaded Zangief 360 pile-driver. It's not just these moves that make him Velveeta-esque, it's the AI of this beast, he knows right when to do everything including his Ultra move which takes close to half your life. Give it a go, you will see what I mean. It's a small hurdle in the actual beauty of this otherwise masterpiece of a game. The new characters each add a fresh style to the classic formula, and everything has been balanced quite well as far as gameplay goes. Hit detection is better, and cheesy stuff like jabbing people out of dashing attacks and roundhousing people out of a jump-kick seems to be gone from what I could tell. There is plenty of cool multiplayer modes to play along with some challenge modes like survival and time attack to help playback. There is even a mode or option you can set to have online match challenges come in while you are playing arcade mode. I must say a couple things on that note. I had a lot of trouble finding matches without turning this option on, or hosting the matches myself. Maybe it was just that the game was still quite new when I played it, but I still got my online fix on nonetheless.
A couple small problems and suggestions. First and most importantly, if you plan on being competitive at this game, the Arcade-style gamepad is a MUST. The Xbox controller simply does not provide the accuracy needed to pull off the right move at the right time in most cases. This is especially true in the half-circle/quarter circle and Down/up style special moves for characters like Ken, Ryu and Guile. Having buttons mapped to the bumpers and triggers just doesn't offer the same experience for me personally. Another small complaint is that some of my favorite dudes and dudettes like Blanka and Chun Li (man hands) have been changed dramatically and I am not sure what for. Character unlocking is a bit odd, and I would have liked to see more diversity in the unlockable guys and gals as well, but again, a great game through and through. Get ready to blister your thumbs and give this one a go if you are a fan of fighting games at all!
-DIGGITY OUT
Thursday, March 26, 2009
SECTION 8: HALO WITH JETPACKS?
What is this? When I first looked at these screenshots, I thought "Halo". I asked my girlfriend to look at the screenshots and tell me what immediately pops into her head, but she said Battlestar Galactica. (Thought she was going to say Halo) All I know about this game is, it's called Section 8 and its being developed by TimeGate. (The guys who did F.E.A.R. Files) By looking at the pictures provided, it's obvious we're looking at a Sci-Fi Shooter. I can't help but think of Halo here. Especially on some of the environments, and what looks like a mix of an Elite and Cylon hybrid character or something
I was reading about all this on Joystiq earilier and they mentioned that in the game, when you die, instead of just respawning the normal boring way, in Section 8 you end up respawning 15,000 feet up in the air where you can descend down to get back into the battle. Sounds like they're getting creative here. Dying in games just may become fun for once. Wonder if you can land one someone and crush them? That would be my strategy every time.
One thing that I think is missing from Halo 3, is something I came to enjoy thoroughly on Call of Duty 4, and that's a sprint feature. Sometimes playing Halo 3 after COD: 4 I feel like I'm playing in slow-mo. Wouldn't it be nice to have the option to run a bit faster in ODST? Anyway, my point is, you can sprint in Section 8 and probably one of the best parts of this whole game... are you ready for this? This is like some Michael Jackson shit right here, Section 8 comes fully loaded.. with JetPacks. Yes my friends, JetPacks. (Please Game Gods, don't let this game suck)
So what do you guys think? What are your first impressions by looking at these screenshots of Section 8?
JoyStiq goes hands-on with Section 8...
Tuesday, March 24, 2009
CryENGINE 3 GDC 2009 Tech Demo
Mmmm.. boy this looks delicious don't it? The latest tech demo from the folks at Crytek. I still remember seeing their first tech demo a few years back and just being absolutely stunned that an engine like that existed. Now, I didn't get to play Crysis at all because I didn't have a computer powerful enough to play it, but its still cool to know that this level of quality exists in a modern day game engine. Here we are again in 2009 and yet another stunning look at one top notch engine. Have a look for yourself. Nothing more to say really, but GDC is looking pretty damn impressive.
ONLIVE = THE DEATH OF CONSOLES?
News coming in from the Game Developers Conference in San Francisco today details a new Palo Alto start up called OnLive, which has some very ambitious goals to be king of video game digital distribution. (Maybe even be the next big Social Network) Yes, they are taking on Xbox Live, Playstation, and the Wii online networks. This has been 7 years in the making and has been kept relatively secret, if not completely secret. Until now. I sure as hell didn't know anything about it until today but it's not like this idea is something new or hasn't been tried before. My first experience with digital distribution came when I was a little kid, it was called The Sega Channel. I owned the Sega Genesis and I was able to subscribe to a
new Time Warner Cable service that provided Sega games through their adapter. I forgot how it all hooked up but in the end, I had a screen that displayed dozens of Sega games I could choose from and play them all I wanted as long as paid the monthly fee. I think it was like $12 back then. The games would change each month and I remember getting quite excited to see what games would show up on the service next. This OnLive service is obviously more complicated than that simple Sega Channel set up back in the day but this is very interesting news to hear coming out of GDC. I'm not sure if anyone was expecting this. So are the big console makers in for a reality check? This could be huge.
What OnLive is proposing is a distribution of games to an Intel-based Mac or PC using Windows XP or Vista. OnLive will also stream games to a TV through a custom device. The first question that pops up in everybody's mind is, what about lag? Well, OnLive claims to have almost no lag at all due to their advanced technology that took 7 years to develop. So as long as you have a decent internet provider with at least 1.5 Mbps to 5 Mbps connection speed, you should experience OnLive just as they had envisioned it. But what complications will they face? What if you don't have a very powerful computer? Are we really even ready for this?
I'm pretty skeptical about all this, at least for right now. I'm not sure if the industry, gamers like myself, and developed countries around the world in general are prepared for this, physically, emotionally and technologically. I enjoy owning a console and I enjoy the whole game buying experience, physically having a game disc in my hands, with game art and all. If we end up buying or renting games strictly through a digital distribution service, will gamers become disconnected from their gaming past? (Some people are still die hard 8-bit fans) Hard to say as Steam has shown that really isn't the case and in fact has made digital distribution even more popular than ever before. Some countries are just not set up to handle the millions of users streaming video games at the same time. I'm not even sure the U.S. is set up for that, as we have all seen the complications from Xbox Live when traffic peaks. These systems have not been perfected yet. Do you think OnLive has perfected this yet? I hope they're testing the crap out of this thing before release because this could end up being an EPIC FAIL type of situation.
Now for me, the biggest complaint I would have is the same complaint I have with the Sony PS3. The controller. I hate it. If I could use the 360 controller when playing the PS3 I would most definitely own one by now. It just doesn't feel right in my hands and if a first person shooter game asks me to hit X to shoot instead of a trigger (which feels so natural) then the game loses its appeal. But check out this picture of the controller below. What does it look like to you? Someone has been researching the Xbox 360 and everything they have done right, and probably everything they've done wrong as well. But the controller looks promising to me thanks to it's resemblance to the 360 controller. Although now I'm seeing a mix of the PS3 in there too.
So what do you guys think? Is this the next big thing in video games? Or will this be the biggest failure we have ever seen? Time will tell I guess.
Update: I just changed my mind. If this thing will do what this guy says it will do, consoles could very well be screwed.
CNET.com "OnLive could threaten Xbox, PS3 & Wii"
Engadget.com "OnLive killed the game console star"
1UP.com Pachter: "This is the last console generation"
GameSlice.com "OnLive coming to 360 or PS3?" by Geoff Keighley
Monday, March 23, 2009
THE GAMER REPORT REVIEW: KILLZONE 2
Lets get the obvious out of the way first. This game is GORGEOUS! The graphics are top notch, and the lighting and effects are some of the best I have ever seen executed on a next gen title. Explosions and fire are incredible, shadows reflect perfectly off of weapons and in dark corridors, and muzzle flashes and smoke are pretty and realistic. Textures improved dramatically from the demo, and the animations of carrying your weapon are very realistic. About the only downfalls are the character models and voice work, which clearly are not on par with the impeccable graphics. All in all, aside from the small nit-picky imperfections, this game sure is purdy, and several times I found myself getting pelted by Helghast bullets while stopping to admire the beautiful environments and graphics.
Now the bad.... Yes PS3 fanboys, I am about to drop bombs like Vietnam. Let's be honest here. If a game does not control or move well, most savvy gamers will not give it the time of day. This is not a control issue, in fact the mapping of the controls was done quite well with numerous variations to choose from. I found alternate 2 to work quite well as it was almost exactly like Call of Duty controls. The problem here is the movement and physics of the game. I am not entirely sure if the foul-up here was supposed to emulate a more realistic feeling, or if they just dropped the ball entirely. To be perfectly honest, the game feels like you are trying to swing your gun through a pool of syrup. Even with the X and Y axis sensitivity all the way up, it was so unresponsive I almost gave up several times during the campaign and multiplayer. I kept telling myself, "you will get used to it, Dane..." It never happened. It's actually a shame, this game could have been great with a more responsive control system. There is definitely some striking influence to Call of Duty titles here, but competitive gamers and those familiar and comfortable with FPS titles in the Call of Duty franchise will be scratching their heads as to why Killzone 2 controls like it does. I mean, let's face it, Call of duty has it's share of issues in the multiplayer realm, but you can't help but admit the down-the-sights aiming is bar none one of the best fine-tune aiming systems in any shooter. I couldn't help but say it over and over again, "why doesn't this just aim and move better, it could have been SO good..." Evidently the game has been patched to try and remedy this problem, but it just is not good enough. A small problem but I had to make note of it is when selecting gametypes or navigating the menu, there is a weird shake that almost makes you wanna take a Dramamine. Again, small but strange and very annoying.
Campaign had it's moments. From tank driving, to Mech's and turrets on gunships. Nothing amazing here, but it was a nice change of pace throughout the campaign. Again, the control problems transferred straight over to turrets and vehicles alike. Another gripe, albeit a small one, is the lack of variety of enemies for me. The same red eyes and character models are in every level. Something I found very odd was the lack of interesting or unique weapon's. For a "futuristic" war game, the weapons seemed very outdated, and pretty simple. Hard to really notice the difference between a sub-machine gun, and a assault rifle. Strange that the weapon I was looking most forward to, (the semi-auto-type assault rifle) was basically a M1 Garand out of Call of Duty! There is a cover system that is actually implemented very well, but again, the controls hamper it badly as the accuracy needed to execute it well just is not there.
The AI is pretty good for the most part. My buddy Dave warned me, as you zero in on an enemy that is taking cover, they somehow know you are waiting for them to pop up. WOW, he was not kidding. If you are aimed waiting to get that satisfying headshot, the enemy will not pop out of cover. I sat aiming at enemies for minutes at a time, only to find out that as soon as I ducked back into cover, they would pop out and unload. Couple this with, YES, the bad controls (sorry to sound like a broken record here) and it's frustrating stop and pop gameplay that again that just could have been so much better, especially in some of the standoff type of moments, which are quite frequent in the campaign. Again, alot of Call of Duty influence here as to how the game flows.
Onto the multiplayer. I must admit, my experience with the multiplayer was pretty brief as the ehem.... controls really made me a bit hesitant to try and compete on a competitive level. A couple things I did notice bugged me a bit. The progression system basically means you start as a grub and work your way up the ranks, unlocking new weapons and perks along the way. At grub level, the amount of ammo is a little ridiculous. I found myself having a gun battle with a foe not to far away, only to be out of ammo after fragging him.... WTF???? No ammo to speak of anywhere on the map. ODD. Another thing I found strange was that the Helghast Red eyes stuck out like a sore thumb. You could literally see the snipers eyes across the map. Secured servers were a nice change, as P2P gaming connection is very inconsistent. It was nice to have consecutive lag-free games I must admit. But the MP just didn't draw me in as I expected. No vehicles in MP was also a little odd, but to be honest the gameplay really doesn't seem suited, nor do the maps. Class based was pretty cool but a little odd at the same time. Engineers can plant turrets controlled by AI, and Medics can heal downed players. I would have liked to see the classes implemented more similarly to a game like Battlefield, where Engineers could hand out ammo, and Medics could hand out health packs etc.
So, sorry to those looking for a in-depth review of a much anticipated game. Maybe it's that I expected too much, but this one just didn't do it for me. I would be curious to see what others say about the controls as surely I can't be the only one. A gorgeous game through and through graphically, but hampered controls really ruined this one for me. So until next time, no more PS3 for me!!
-DIGGITY, OUT
ROCKSTAR VANCOUVER: MAX PAYNE 3
Well it's about frackin' time! With rumors on the internet claiming Rockstar San Diego would be the developers of the next Max Payne game, (we now know they're a bit busy with Red Dead Redemption) word is out that it's actually Rockstar Vancouver who are taking their experience of creating "Bully" and applying what they learned to create the best Max Payne any of us have ever seen. Needless to say, I'm excited and I think the gaming community as a whole should be as well because this title has the potential to be game of the year. It will be quite a battle, but it could happen.
I still remember, I think it was Max Payne 2, where you had to walk on these balance board things with nothing but the dark abyss below you and a crying baby to guide your way. Those images and sounds are still embedded into my memory and it's in these moments that games become great. When you can remember moments in a game, 5, 10, 15 years ago, you know you have something special. And Max Payne is a title that is definitely special to me and other fans of this great third person shooter.
Since this story has been announced on countless other sites, I'm going to change it up a bit and give you the following information from Rockstar Vancouver's job listing. Vancouver has been hit hard recently with layoffs and studio closures so it's nice to hear a new game announced and better yet, a new game announced at a studio who are hiring! Here are some of the jobs listed on their site. Make sure to contact them right away if you feel you have what it takes to be part of this experienced and talented studio.
Rockstar Vancouver Job Listings: (U.S. citizens will need to qualify for work visa)
ROCKSTAR VANCOUVER - CHARACTER ANIMATOR
Candidates must be able to animate natural and expressive human motion to create realistic, fluid character animations. A portfolio demonstrating exceptional 3D animation is required. The successful candidate will be responsible for creating visually stunning 3d game animations, and for working closely with the team to create balanced solutions to all related technical and aesthetic issues.
ROCKSTAR VANCOUVER - CHARACTER MODELLER
We are looking for a character modeller to produce graphic content consistent with the style and vision of our game under development.
ROCKSTAR VANCOUVER - ENVIRONMENT ARTIST
Responsibilities:
- Use 3D packages (Max Preferred) to build detailed levels - including the attributes and relative locations of terrain, rooms, and objects therein;
- Build levels that fulfill the requirements of the project's game design and visual design - as documented by Specifications, Style Guides, reference material and discoveries made through the iterative process;
- Model geometry at multiple LODs, map textures and set up lighting for 3D art assets;
- Work in collaboration with the game and level designers to prototype and implement the game play.
ROCKSTAR VANCOUVER - GAME PROGRAMMER
We are seeking an enthusiastic games programmer with solid and well-rounded skills in diverse programming areas. The successful candidate will work closely with designers and scripters to implement and support a variety of game-related functionality.
ROCKSTAR VANCOUVER - LIGHTING/VISUAL EFFECTS ARTISTSuccessful candidates will be able to lead the vision of visual effects and lighting for our games. The applicant must have exceptional ability to research, conceptualize, and create natural animated effects (water, smoke, foliage, dust, fabric), as well as fantastical effects (explosions, powers, etc.). A strong ability to visualize and communicate (verbally and visually) lighting styles and effects is essential.
We are also looking for strong problem-solving skills, the ability to work and communicate harmoniously with a team, and be able to work within the limitation of technical specifications. Will work as liaison with Art Director to ensure game lighting vision is implemented fully.
GAME DESIGN: TOP 10 TIPS TO GREATNESS
If you're on your way to becoming a game designer or even if you're just thinking of choosing game design as your new career path, you can count on GameCareerGuide.com to be there for you every step of the way. Their latest feature gives us the Top 10 Tips to becoming a great game designer, from Spin Master Studios' Tim Lang.
I think a lot of us game artists get stuck in our own little ways, our own workflow or our own methods of creating our game art. We tend to learn one method and then stick with it until perfection. Which is what you should do we these 10 simple, sometimes common sense, tips to become a great game designer. Learn these few tips and try to keep them in mind for your next portfolio project or game mod. Including what I think is the most important, to go out of your way each and every day to learn something new. Even if it's something as simplistic as learning about a new button in Maya or discovering a new brush in Photoshop. So stay connected, visit all the great educational and informative sites I have linked here and make yourself known. Show your art to the world and never stop improving.
Read more on the Top 10 Tips of Game Design at GameCareerGuide.com...
Check out the huge list of Game Student Resources I have linked to in the past...
Thursday, March 19, 2009
WHAT'S IN THE BOX? I WANT TO KNOW!
So what in the hell is inside this box!? This Half-Life inspired video has got me intrigued. If you haven't watched it yet, I suggest you do because I don't know how long this video will be up for. As you can see from the image above taken from their website, it seems like this is just a teaser of something bigger to come. But what is it?
I had posted another Half Life 'viral' like video not too long ago by The Purchase Brothers. These videos are a bit similar and I can only imagine what a full length film would be like if these two teams of fantastic filmakers combined their talents. Don't skip out on these videos if you're a Half Life fan. And if you're not familiar with Half Life, I ask you why not? Do yourself a huge favor and go buy Valve's "The Orange Box". Seriously, it's one of the best series in the game industry. You can probably even get it used right now. So that's 5 games inside The Orange Box for probably like, $20. I know the economy is bad and all but c'mon, $20 for 5 awesome games? It was before and it still is, the best video game deal of the century. Check out the video below. I'll try to find another version to post if this gets deleted soon.
Wednesday, March 18, 2009
MOST DEFINITELY WORTHY: PEGGLE
The Xbox Live Marketplace keeps getting better and better. You can expect to download a new game each and every week. Sometimes it's a game you've played in the past, sometimes it's a brand new arcade game just seeing the light of day. Well for me, Peggle was both. I had never heard of it, never played it and to me, it was brand new. I know this game has been available on other platforms but this is the first time Peggle and I officially met. (How I didn't know about a game with Unicorns in it I'll never quite figure out)
I first heard about this game on Twitter. I forgot who tweeted this but they mentioned that they tried out the trial game and was immediately hooked. I figured I owe it to myself to try the same and see if I would get instantly addicted like so many others.
So over the past week now, all I have been playing is Peggle. I can't stop playing it to throw in FEAR 2 or Halo 3. It's that much fun. Is it me or does this game feel like it could easily be a game at a Casino? Because if it was, I would never leave Vegas or any Indian Casino here is Southern California.
The cool thing about this game is, I can play it with my girlfriend. And finally, this is a game she is good at. Seriously, she helped me get through most of adventure mode as she had way better luck than I did. I tried beating one of the challenges last night and no joke, must have played it 20 times in a row. I gave it to my girlfriend and she beat it her first time. (I'm taking her with me to the Casino)
If you haven't downloaded the trial version of Peggle yet, I highly suggest that you do. If I had to re-do my Top 5 Arcade games over again, Peggle would definitely give Castle Crashers a run for its money. Peggle is Most Definitely Worthy of being your next game purchase.
Tuesday, March 17, 2009
THE BEHEMOTH: NEW GAME FOOTAGE
For fans of Castle Crashers and Alien Hominid, The Behemoth is slaving away on your next favorite Xbox Live Arcade game. From the video above, it looks like another fun romp of multiplayer will soon take place. They even have time to play a quick game of soccer, which I am always up for. I wonder if this game is going to have a bunch of different multiplayer playlists this time. It looks like it does. All I know is, when a character in a game is wearing a Pilgrim lookin hat, you know it warrants an immediate purchase. I think that's in the video game buying rulebook somewhere. I got to go look that up again. Enjoy.
Sunday, March 15, 2009
GLYDE.COM: SMOOTHEST WAY TO BUY & SELL GAMES, DVDS, CDS AND BOOKS
Forget retail. Forget GameStop, Craigslist, eBay and Amazon. Forget everything you know about buying, selling, or trading your used games. Glyde.com is the next big thing for us gamers and computer nerds, and yes I say computer nerds with pride as we have hijacked that stereotype and made it cool. Kind of like what Glyde is doing to the process of getting more value out of your used games, DVDs, CDs and books. It's probably the easiest way I have ever sold a used item of mine. I can't decide what the best part is, the fact that they send you pre-stamped, pre-addressed packaging to ship your sold goods, or the fact that all the images of your items are pre-loaded on the website. No waiting in line at the post office and no photography skills needed. No more emailing and calling to meet up with someone on Craigslist to buy your used item, no more haggling over the price, and finally no more accepting ridiculous trade in credit at GameStop. Do you have time for a quick story? Come... take a stroll with me.
My local GameStop accepts game trade ins and they accept DVDs for store credit as well. I bought the whole Season 3 of BattleStar Galactica on DVD after hearing about it Vancouver, Canada. (if you don't know what BSG is, you've missed out on one of the best TV Series I've ever seen in my lifetime) Anyway, I finished watching Season 3 and no longer really needed the set anymore. However, I did want to buy Fallout 3. So I headed over to GameStop to trade in the DVD set and get some credit towards my new game purchase. At GameStop, they had the nerve to offer me sixty cents per disc. So that's $3.60 total for my original $45.00 purchase. It wasn't worth it at all to me so I decided to keep the DVDs for a rainy day. It's a good thing I did because I found out about Glyde.com.
I went onto this brand new site and signed up immediately to test out how it works. After signing up, I clicked on sell, typed in BattleStar Galactica and up came a list of Battlestar DVDs, CDs, games and books I could choose from. Under the DVD section I clicked the Battlestar Season 3 and up pops a picture of the DVD cover and the price you can sell the DVD for according to the condition of the DVD. If I had never opened my DVD set and it was still in its original factory seal, I could have listed it for $42.50. Well, I opened it already so I had to pick the next condition which is Excellent. (The discs play perfectly, there were no visible scratches and no damage to the case.) So I picked excellent and ended up selling my DVD set, that GameStop wanted to give me $3.60 for, on Glyde.com for $35.50.
Now, I didn't end up getting the full $35.50 as it was listed because there are some small costs involved with transactions on Glyde. They display this up front before you list your used goods for sell. You only have to pay Glyde 10% of the sale price and the cost of shipping and handling for your used games/DVDs/CDs/books to whoever buys your used item. They send you a pre-stamped, pre-addressed Glyde mailer so you don't have to worry about it. All said and done, the 10% fee was $3.55 and the mailer cost me $1.50. So I ended up getting a total of $30.45 by placing it for sell on Glyde.com. Do you think I'm glad I didn't accept that pathetic trade in credit at GameStop now?
Here is why I think Glyde has the potential to be the next big thing. As I was learning about what Glyde.com was about, I didn't think I would have that many things to sell. But, literally within arms reach I found multiple games, DVDs, CDs and books that were just collecting dust in my office and really doing nothing more than take up room. Especially the books. When you've finished reading a book, what do you do with it? Give it to someone else to read? Put it on your bookshelf as if you're really going to read it again? These are tough times for a lot of us, why not try and make money off of something you've already benefitted from? Why not post it for sell and let someone else benefit from it and get paid at the same time? Glyde is making it so easy for you to make this possible.
Look, I'm not the type of person that holds onto things for very long. I know there are tons of people out there, just like my Grandma, that likes to hold onto things FOR-EV-ER. How much of these items do you have lying around the house? Go ahead, look around. I'll wait. Look in the junk drawer, look on your dusty bookshelf, look in your sock drawer... wait, close it. Check the garage, your car, your closet.. everywhere you could potentially have some used items you thought no longer had any value to you. Place them for sale on Glyde.com and see what happens. What have you got to lose? It's as easy as throwing it away.
Glyde is currently being developed in Silicon Valley and it was started by internet veterans from eBay, AOL and Excite. If you go there now, you'll notice the site is still in its alpha stage and requires an invitation code to start exploring Glyde. Hopefully I have kept your attention long enough for me to give you the opportunity to try it out yourself. The Gamer Report readers can head on over to Glyde.com and enter invitation code "TGR". So far, I've had a pretty successful experience selling some things. I already told you I sold my BSG DVD set, but I also sold my Halo Graphic Novel and even sold a CD to some dude in Wisconsin.(I'm bummed I didn't keep all my old CD cases, I used them for coasters.) 
Who knows what I'll sell tomorrow but I'll tel you what, it's pretty cool getting an email saying you've sold something you didn't think was worth anything. The process is so easy, you owe it to yourself to check out Glyde and enjoy its no hassle simplicity. Check it out and tell me what you think in the comments. If you post something for sell on Glyde, tell me how much money you made. Same thing if you end up finding a game you've been wanting to play for a while, buy it and let me know how much money you saved compared to a retail store. Now go! Spread the word: Glyde.com.
(Just added a new commenting plug-in. You don't have to sign up for IntenseDebate to comment)
Thursday, March 12, 2009
3 TRAITS OF THE BEST GAME ARTISTS
Gamasutra has an interesting article up today by a manager over at Volition. He has many years of experience and has worked with many artists in the industry, as an artist himself and as someone in a position that hires other artists. From his experience, he has narrowed down 3 "Cardinal Rules" that make a successful game artist. If you've been scouring the internet for resources on game art and game artists, you'll notice some topics have just not been touched on yet. So fortunately for us, Gamasutra is always leading the charge in getting hard to find information straight to your computer monitor. Check out Gamasutra.com for the full article and below I've listed key points that Self-Ballard of Volition has made that I'd like to highlight: (number 3 being the most important one in my eyes)
1. "Don't wrap up your ego in your artwork. People are going to criticize the work you do. Learn from those people."
2. "Engage your peers and learn from them. Every artist knows something you don't. A tool, a tip, or a technique. You only have a limited amount of time to learn these things from them (before you graduate, one of you changes jobs, etc.) The best way to learn these things from others is by sharing what you know. Don't hoard."
3. "You can only grow so much through school and work. The best artists hone their skills outside of school and outside of work. They keep creating even when they're not "on the clock."
4. "You will not enjoy every task/assignment you are given. Some you will like. Some you will hate. As a professional artist, you will be gauged on your ability to execute both types with the same quality, efficiency and dedication. Half-assed work, regardless of preference, is still half-assed."
5. "Learn to communicate with others proactively. If someone tells you what they want, and they walk away without you having enough information, it's not the other person's fault. If there is information you need, it is your responsibility to obtain it. If you start working with incomplete or inaccurate information, you're probably going to end up doing the job twice. Ask the questions you need to ask. The flipside of that argument is true as well. If you foresee a problem or think that a peer or manager doesn't have enough information, then it's your responsibility to voice your concerns."
The Concept artwork you see in this post has nothing to do with the actual article at Gamasutra. I just wanted some kick ass artwork to show to you guys. This amazing concept artist is Charles Guan whom I had the privilege of attending his classes in Vancouver. Seeing his pieces come to life in front of your eyes is, for lack of a better word, magic. I don't know how he does it. Well, I do know how he does it because he taught me but I just can't put all the polishing touches on it like he does so effortlessly. I'd draw a concept, he'd take what I did and then he'd end up drawing on top of it to show me how much better it could be. The training from him was so extremely valuable. If you get a chance, you should check out his work he has up on his blog. Very inspiring and one of the coolest people I met during my time in Canuck country. Wish I still had a class with him.
Tuesday, March 10, 2009
HALO: LOVE IT OR HATE IT, IT'S STILL KING
The year: 2001. The town: Palm Desert, California. The store: Bestbuy. The mission: buy a Playstation 2. The outcome? Well, I can now claim that this day was the day that set off a chain of events that have made video games a very important part of my life, and hopefully a full fledged career. I've narrowed it down to this one day. Let me explain...
Gran Turismo in high school was my game of choice and the game all of my friends were playing. I was really into the import car racing scene in So. Cal and Gran Turismo was something all of us got into because we could relate to it. We challenged each other to see who could create the better car, who could beat who in a race. We would bet who would win, Imports vs Domestics. (Imports always won of course.) Anyway, this is the game I really wanted the most and the only way I could get my own instead of using my friends was to purchase a Playstation 2. So off to Bestbuy we go.
I was not prepared at all for the sales person on the floor at Bestbuy that day. I came in to buy a Playstation 2 and just like when I shop anywhere else, I wanted to get the hell out of there before I bought anything else, or sign up for a stupid Bestbuy credit card. (I did anyway, such a sucker!) But the damn guy wouldn't let me buy the damn Playstation! I swear I could have been there for more than an hour with this sales guy trying to talk me into buying an Xbox. An Xbox? Why the hell would I want to buy an Xbox? I don't even know what it is! So the guy explained.
I couldn't comprehend why this random person was being so aggressive with this sale. I had money in my hands, I told him what I wanted and the fricken' dude refused. He said I needed to buy an Xbox because there were so many games being developed for it and the games were actually better than anything the PS2 had. Then he mentioned the one reason why I needed to walk out of that store, with an Xbox in my hands... Halo. That's it. Just one word is all you need to know when purchasing the new Xbox. HALO.
So after a few moments (more like 30-40 minutes) of sitting down, contemplating my big game console purchase, and after the guy called me "stubborn" and "thick headed", the guy actually won me over. I walked out with a console I did not want to buy when I walked into the store that day. How the hell did that happen?
Needless to say, I don't regret my purchase. AT ALL. That day, that console, that game.. that's where the addiction started for me. Little did I know back then, what doors would open for me later on in life based off of my love for games, and well.. Halo itself.
We've gone through the whole Halo trilogy now and I can definitely say there were some ups and downs along the way. Halo: Combat Evolved was a game I could never get bored with. CE didn't even have online multiplayer and I was still addicted, playing the campaign over and over. As always, split screen made the game last longer as I could play with my buddy or my girlfriend. It wasn't until a LAN party (didn't know what a LAN party was back then) that I truly saw where Bungie was taking Halo multiplayer. The LAN party set up a big projector screen and we played, honestly.. until I was sick.
Then along comes Halo 2 and all hell broke loose. I spent so much time and energy on this game playing multiplayer online. Sometimes I would get so into it, I would become a different person. If any ladies are reading this, please write this down. DO NOT try to have a conversation with your guy friend, boyfriend, fiance, husband... whatever, while he is playing Halo online with his friends. The testosterone levels are sky high and remember on many occasions, snapping at my girlfriend when she dared to interrupt me as I'm trying to "no-scope noobs". Long story short, it got to a point where I needed to walk away from the game and pay more attention to other important matters in my life. But isn't that crazy? How can a game do this to people? I guess I understand more why some dude at a Korean internet cafe can die from exhaustion by playing StarCraft or World of Warcraft for hours on end. This game really grabbed a hold of me but I was fortunate enough to realize this and adjust my attitude accordingly.
Finally, Halo 3 approached release day while I was up in Canada. I walked the streets of Downtown Vancouver around 11pm to wait in line at EB Games for my first ever Midnight Launch. I had already experienced the beta thanks to an awesome game called Crackdown. Playing the 3 maps they had released for the beta was more than enough proof I needed to warrant yet another Halo purchase. I knew more good times were ahead as evident in this old beta footage I've posted below. This video was recorded on a small camera while sitting in front of my TV so I apologize for the quality, however I hope you enjoy what happens in the video.
As reported by Major Nelson the other day, Halo 3 is King of Xbox Live... again. (Halo 3 and Halo 2 on the original Xbox) It seems people do what I do; we go through phases of playing other games besides Halo 3, but once you're finished with that game, (which is usually pretty quick for those of us with mild to severe A.D.D.) we always fall back on Halo 3 to get our FPS fix. So whether you hate Halo or not, there's no argument that can be made to reduce the importance and the influence Halo has had on me, the Xbox, Microsoft and online gaming. Unless your argument of course is, " I stopped playing because Bungie fixed the rocket/sword flying in Halo 2". Then I would say you have an argument. Why the hell did they take that out anyway? That was so much fun! Bring it back Bungie! That was the one glitch worth turning into an actual playlist. haha.. could you imagine scrolling down the Halo 3 playlists.. Team Slayer, Team Skirmish, Team rocket-sword lunge flying glitch playground. Who knows, maybe Bungie is listening. With or without that, Halo is still King. Will there ever be a Halo killer? There have been many games that claim to be the next Halo killer, but none have really succeeded, and I doubt they ever will. Leave your comments below and let me know your thoughts.
Monday, March 9, 2009
MINI NINJAS: CONSIDER ME INTRIGUED
I think this game may be flying under the radar so I'm hoping to help spread the word. I was bored one night and started browsing the Xbox Live Marketplace. My little nephews were visiting so I was looking for some interesting videos/demos to download that we all could play together. So this is when I came upon Mini Ninjas. First off, this is a great name for a game. Anything with the word "mini" in it is interesting to people for some reason. Mini dogs, mini Cooper, mini me... mini skirts. OK, enough mini references. Anyway, this looks like a cool game I can play with my little nephews. I hope the developers, IO Interactive, don't take it to the extreme like their last games. (Hitman and Kayne & Lynch) Which begs the question, how do you go from those games to something like Mini Ninjas? Bizarre. But I'm willing to give them a chance. I really hope they keep this kid friendly.
This game is scheduled to come out for the 360, PS3, Nintendo DS, Wii and Games for Windows. Yeap, full court press from IO Interactive. Good luck guys!
POLYCOUNT TO BE BIGGER, MORE BAD ASS?
Hmmm indeed my friends. Polycount.com has pretty much just been a forum that game artists have visited to view game art, critique others artwork and network with other game artists in the world. I always saw other parts of their web site but none of the links on their site were as important and often visited as their forums. In fact, I don't think I've seen anything else on that site except for the forums. That's all anyone really goes there for. It looks like the folks at Polycount are finally going to spruce up the place. But I still question what they're up to. Is it a "spring cleaning" type update or are they going balls to the walls full blown new website? Well, if you head on over there now, this is what you will be greeted with.
Sunday, March 8, 2009
VIN DIESEL: WHEELMAN & RIDDICK COMPARISON
This has actually been bothering me every since I first saw these screenshots from the new Chronicles of Riddick: Assault on Dark Athena. The one screenshot I am referring to (above) has been posted on just about every video game website and blog. I can't for the life of me, figure out why they would release this specific screenshot of Riddick. Is it just me, or is Vin Diesels head way too small for his body? I'm no character artist as most of my readers know, but I have a really good eye for proportions.
Look at it in comparison to the screenshots of Wheelman. In the Riddick shots, he has no neck! It looks really awkward. And if you say, oh that's just the angle the shot was taken, well when I played the Riddick demo I could see the same awkwardness with his head. It just doesn't look right. Especially when compared to Wheelman.
Here are a couple more screenshots I found on Google. To me, it looks like the developers of Riddick, Starbreeze, should have gone back to the drawing board one more time. Which is saying a lot coming from me, because they made one of the best games I've ever played on the 360, The Darkness.
I don't know if I even have a point I'm trying to make here. All I know is, that Vin Diesel in Wheelman looks way better than Vin Diesel in Riddick. I believe Midway and Starbreeze both worked with Vin Diesels Tigon Studios, so you would think they would end up using the same character model. So why does he look better in Wheelman? Is it just the lighting? I don't know, I just wanted to point out how bad that Riddick screenshot looks I guess. They should really stop promoting the game with such an awful picture. If I were to base my next game purchase on these screenshots, I would have to pick Wheelman. I played both demos the other night, I guess it was "Vin Diesel night" on Xbox Live or something and I can confirm my impressions were right. Wheelman was a funner game and Vin looked better in the game. What do you think? Am I off base here?
