E3: Spaten's 3. Tag
Spaten's 3. Tag bei der E3 und auch ein Rest vom 2. :D - E3: Sony schwingt das virtuelle Schwert auf der Playstation 3
Bewegungssteuerung mit eigenwilligem Konzept
E3 In den Händen hält der Spieler Kunststoffcontroller, auf dem Bildschirm trägt er Schwert und Schild: Auch Sony hat für die Playstation 3 eine Steuerung mit Bewegungssensoren vorgestellt. Und neue Spiele sind im Angebot, darunter ein frischer Titel von Rockstar North und Final Fantasy 14.
Was hat Sony Computer Entertainment als Besonderheit auf der E3 im Angebot: Eine dünnere Playstation 3? Eine günstigere Playstation 3? Oder einen Bewegungssensor für die Playstation 3? Die letzte Antwort ist richtig. Denn nachdem am Vortag Microsoft sein Project Natal enthüllte, zeigte auch Sony Computer Entertainment einen Controller, der die Steuerung von Spielen mit Bewegungen erlaubt. Ganz neu ist das Konzept allerdings nicht: Es entspricht weitgehend einem Patent, das Sony am 24. Juni 2008 eingereicht hatte.
E3 In den Händen hält der Spieler Kunststoffcontroller, auf dem Bildschirm trägt er Schwert und Schild: Auch Sony hat für die Playstation 3 eine Steuerung mit Bewegungssensoren vorgestellt. Und neue Spiele sind im Angebot, darunter ein frischer Titel von Rockstar North und Final Fantasy 14.
Technisch funktioniert die Bewegungserkennung mit Hilfe der bereits für die Playstation 3 erhältlichen Kamera. Sie berechnet zum einen die Raumkoordinaten, zum anderen empfängt sie per Ultraschall von den Eingabegeräten ausgesandte zusätzliche Daten. Somit lässt sich die Position des Eingabegeräts im Raum, aber auch im im Verhältnis zu anderen Controllern des gleichen Typs ermitteln. Die Prototypen, die vorgeführt wurden, verfügen noch über farbige rote Kugeln am oberen Ende - wie das fertige Produkt aussehen könnte, ist nicht bekannt.
Die Präsentation des noch namenlosen Geräts war charmant. Statt protziger Trailer, Effekte oder gar Prominenter hatte Sony zwei junge Ingenieure aus der hauseigenen Entwicklungsabteilung geladen. Sie zeigten mit spürbar viel Begeisterung ihre neue Technik. Deren Vorteil ist, dass in der virtuellen Welt der Bewegungscontroller gegen andere Dinge ausgetauscht werden kann. Also hält der Spieler plötzlich einen Tennisschläger oder einen Baseballschläger in der Hand.
Oder ein Schwert, eine Pistole, einen Stift oder Pinsel - absolut alles ist möglich. Auch Pfeil und Bogen lassen sich damit imitieren oder Schwert und Schild. Grafisch besonders imposant wirkte ein Morgenstern, der an einem Seil hing und wild zu schleudern war, sowie eine hell strahlende Peitsche, die sich vergleichsweise realistisch bewegte.
Die Technik von Sony hat Vorteile gegenüber dem von Microsoft präsentierten Gerät: Sie ist angeblich genauer und laut den Entwicklern fühlt es sich einfach falsch an, etwa bei einer Pistole keinen Knopf zum Drücken zu haben, wie es bei Project Natal der Fall ist. Außerdem funktioniere die eigene Technik ausgesprochen präzise, so Sony. Und um Bewegungen zu erfassen, muss die Kamera nicht Blick auf die Eingabegeräte haben - ein Couchtisch stört also nicht. Dafür verfügt sie, anders als Natal, nicht über eine integrierte Spracherkennung und kann nicht den ganzen Körper erfassen. Auch wenn die Konzepte der beiden Unternehmen vergleichbar scheinen: Im Grunde handelt es sich um vollständig unterschiedliche Ansätze. Wann die neuen Controller auf den Markt kommen und zu welchem Preis, ist derzeit noch völlig offen, sie befinden sich offensichtlich immer noch in der Entwicklung.
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- E3: FIFA 10 - Electronic Arts gibt erste Details bekannt
"Wir glauben, dass wir das realistischste, intelligenteste und authentischste Fussballspiel der Welt entwickelt haben". Mit diesen Worten hat Electronic Arts in Person von Producer Andrew Wilson erste Details zur Fussball-Simulation FIFA 10 bekannt gegeben. Ähnlich wie Konami bei Pro Evolution Soccer 10 will EA in erster Linie auf das Feedback der Online-Spieler gehört und einen Großteil der Wünsche in den neuesten Ableger integriert haben.
Die Grundlage für ein perfektes Rasenschach ist die KI - und genau diese hat Electronic Arts in allen Mannschaftsteilen weitgehend überarbeitet. Die Folge ist ein deutlich effektiveres Stellungsspiel. Während Offensivkräfte nun Lücken im Abwehrverbund der gegnerischen Verteidiger erkennen und sich freilaufen, stopft die Defensive plötzlich auftretende Löcher in der Abwehr selbständig. Zudem ist das Verschieben gegen den Ball und das Forchecking der Verteidiger und defensiven Mittelfeldspieler ausgeprägter als in früheren FIFA-Versionen. Und wenn ein gegnerischer Stürmer doch einmal die Abwehr aushebeln sollte, dann steht ein erstklassiger Torhüter im Strafraum (England einmal ausgenommen), dessen Reflexe und Paraden nochmals optimiert wurden.
Eine der größten Neuerungen ist jedoch das so genannte 360-Grad-Dribbling. Mit Hilfe einer neuen Animationstechnologie soll die Ballkontrolle und der Bewegunsablauf des ballführenden Spielers wesentlich einfacher und flüssiger von der Hand gehen - blitzschnelle Dribblings und überraschende Tricks inbegriffen. Selbst Zweikämpfe sollen nun deutlich intensiver geführt werden können.
Zu guter Letzt hat Electronic Arts auch den Manager-Modus verbessert. Mehr als 50 Neuerungen sollen in die Entwicklung des Modus geflossen sein, darunter ins Transfersystem und der Formkurve eines Spielers.
Weitere Informationen zu FIFA 10 will EA am 5. Juni auf der offiziellen Webseite veröffentlichen. Vielleicht sehen wir dann bereits die ersten bewegten Spielszenen von FIFA 10 - daran muss sich Electronic Arts angesichts der Vielzahl an Ankündigungen messen lassen.
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- E3: Wolfenstein Updated Impressions[ENG]
We step back into the boots of B.J. Blazkowicz'and take him for his annual check-up as we investigate the latest Nazi experiments.
Our last look at Wolfenstein gave us a hint at the flavour developer Raven Software is going for with the long-running franchise, spinning it off into more of a supernatural meets sci-fi shooter. Though today’s demo took a step backwards slightly, putting us back in the passenger's rather than the driver’s seat since last time we saw it we got hands-on, we did get a look at a new level dubbed Hospital.
Set about a third of the way into the final game, hospital was set up for us as being a military installation where some pretty nasty medical experiments are going on. Part clinic, part office building, the building's hallways twisted and turned, occasionally dovetailing into small laboratory and consulting rooms. Our job was to stay alive long enough to discover what nefarious experiments were being conducted on site, and subsequently shut them down.
Unfortunately it looks like someone has tipped off the Nazis to B.J.’s “Veil” alternate reality controlling powers with enough notice for them to have developed and deployed Veil blocking towers. These stop B.J. from shifting into the world where he draws his powers, removing his ability to slow down time with his Mire ability, put up a Veil shield to protect himself from incoming damage, or see foes in the dark using his Veil Sight. The latter two abilities were demonstrated for the first time during our session and became particularly handy when the power was cut and we were able to sneak around using a silenced assault rifle and pick off prey as they scrambled in the dark. Luckily for us, despite their forward planning, Veil blockers can be destroyed with simple damage including bullets and melee attacks. Doing so removes an on-screen shader effect not unlike the Veil’s monochrome black and green hues.
To date we’ve mostly gone up against humans in the form of Nazi soldiers, but our E3 demo also showed off two new enemy types. Assassin are blue-glowing phase-shifting characters with a penchant for hooks and blades. One snuck up on us as we traversed a darkened hallway, slashing at us and landing the odd hit. Landing a blow left bloody fingernail style scratches on the screen for a few seconds (think House of the Dead) before fading away. The other new adversary are called Scribes and are mutated versions of what we can only imagine used to be a soldier, but is now a lot more green and angry. Their ace is the ability to protect fellow attackers from harm by deploying a shield. This makes them pretty nasty when they travel with groups of either other Scribes or armed guards as you’ll need to pick them off before you can actually start dealing damage to both them and their support. Both new enemy types were fairly easily dispatched using our assortment of machineguns.
The level concluded with a cut-scene showing a lab-coat wearing scientist and a high-ranking Nazi officer standing on a raised platform beside a glowing green portal. B.J.’s appearance obviously surprised them and interrupted their conversation about the experiment results being unstable. Not wanting to go down without a fight, the officer knocked the scientist into the portal, only to be greeted seconds later by what we can only assume was the same scientist in now heavily mutated form. Protip: The giveaway was the still tenaciously clinging but ripped lab coat amongst the giant muscles and snarling teeth before the demo ended with a fade to black.
Wolfenstein is due out on the Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, and PC platforms in July this year. Stay tuned for our continued coverage from E3 2009.
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- E3: Tekken 6 Scenario Campaign Impressions[ENG]
We visit Namco Bandai's E3 booth and check out Tekken 6's recently announced Scenario Campaign mode.
A couple of hours after E3 closed its doors on day one, Namco Bandai issued a press release announcing that Tekken 6 will feature a cooperative "Scenario Campaign" mode in which you and an online friend can pit your skills against waves of enemies and, oddly, equip your favorite combatant with weapons that include staffs, flamethrowers, and machine guns. We already checked out the PS3 version's Arcade mode yesterday, so this morning we headed for the Xbox 360 version and asked a Namco Bandai representative to show us Scenario Campaign.
In the finished game, you'll be able to play as any of the fighters on Tekken 6's 40-strong roster, but the E3 demo only features five of them. After opting for Paul, we were somewhat surprised to see that there was a second, AI-controlled character accompanying him. We already knew that the game was designed to support online co-op play, but didn't realize that in the absence of a second player the AI will step in. Based on today's demo, the AI isn't going to be nearly as useful to you as even a moderately skilled player would be, but it at least gives the enemies two targets to worry about.
The demo kicked off in a series of back streets and alleyways where generic-looking (at least when compared to Tekken's regular cast) enemies wasted no time launching their attack. There were rarely more than four or five enemies on screen simultaneously, and they didn't appear to pose a significant threat, but their health bars were long enough that they'd at least stay standing long enough for you practice combos on them. Alternatively, you can just find yourself a weapon and mow them down.
Weapons are dropped by certain enemies and can, of course, also be found inside destructible crates. The only weapon that we got to see on this occasion was a powerful minigun which, used in conjunction with the lock-on targeting system, made short work of several enemies before they could even get close to Paul. The weapons have limited ammo, so don't think for a moment that this is a third-person shooter that just happens to star your favorite Tekken characters. You'll have access to your chosen fighter's full repertoire of moves in Scenario Campaign mode, and when come you come up against bosses from elsewhere on the roster--on this occasion the bosses were Anna Williams and Dragonov--who are invariably accompanied by a number of other enemies, you'll need them.
Another boss, or at least bonus boss from the single-player game, who put in an appearance was the large "Nancy" robot that you'll be able to play as in certain Scenario Campaign levels. We got to see Nancy in action and, as you'll already know if you've fought against it in an arcade, it has a repertoire of moves that's almost as deep as those of the regular fighters. Stomping through a shopping mall filled with the enemies, Nancy's projectiles, area-of-effect stomps, and spinning attacks proved devastating, and although Nancy was taking a good amount of damage as well, the enemies were dropping plenty of life-restoring chickens to pick up.
After defeating Anna as Nancy the E3 demo finished, but not before we got a look at the score screen that details how many enemies you killed, your score, and any items that you managed to find. On this occasion Paul had picked up a pair of blue flight gloves that, when equipped, afford him extra defense. We're not sure what happens when items drop and both players try to pick them up because, on this occasion, the Namco Bandai guy showing off the game didn't know the answer to our question. We look forward to bringing you that answer, as well as other information on Tekken 6, in the coming months.
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- E3: Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine First Look
Relic unveils its next Warhammer 40K game with this action RPG stunner.
In the future, there is only war. And that's a very good thing in Relic's upcoming Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine. The developer, best known as developers of real-time strategy games and, in 40K circles, as the minds behind the two Dawn of War games, is stretching their development muscles with Space Marine, which will be an action RPG that looks to give players an immediate and action-soaked look at the Warhammer universe.
Today, behind closed doors, Relic developers showed a four-and-a-half-minute trailer of Space Marine. While no concrete gameplay was shown, producers made a point of saying that all of the footage shown in the trailer came from in-engine, which was impressive, considering the visual quality on display.
The high-level story of Space Marine will follow your character as he and his fellow power-suited badasses try to stem the tide of an invasion by the green-skinned Orks on a forge planet (the planetary factories where Space Marine weaponry is created). Beyond that overview, we don't know much else about the story in the game. But, honestly, when the rest of the trailer was filled with action-packed shots of Space Marines and Orks mixing it up in glorious fashion, who really cares about the story?
It's combat that will be one of the key factors in Space Marine and while the specific control mechanics are still under wraps, Relic reps told us that they intend every button to be capable of a violent action. We're not quite certain that means you'll be able to decapitate your foe with a press of the select button, but we get the point.
One thing we do know is that your Space Marine will have access to plenty of different weapons at hand, including energy swords, chain blades, and huge, electrical hammers that will be effective for dealing with swarming enemies. There will also be ranged weapons, of course; we saw one Marine picking off Orks with a pistol, and another spraying bullets out of a belt-fed machine gun. What weapons you wield will be only part of the customization options in Space Marine--the footage also showed some leveling aspects, where the player will be able to upgrade attributes like strength, attack, and defense.
So far, only Space Marines and Orks have been confirmed to be in the game but, as the game is early in development, there's always the possibility that could change in the future. From the demo, the Orks look to be ferocious (and slightly stupid) enemies, perfectly in keeping with their "chop first, never ask questions" approach to battle. Relic is also being tight-lipped about online options in the game, but hinted that they look to do justice to the Warhammer universe's tradition as a shared experience.
We can't wait to see how Space Marine shapes up, particularly with regard to the customization elements of your Space Marine, which has always been a 40K hallmark. No release date has even been hinted at yet but here's hoping the hard-hitting combat that 40K table-top players have always envisioned in their mind's-eye will be brought to life in the game. Stay tuned for more Space Marine coverage in the coming months.
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- Halo: Reach coming in fall 2010
E3 2009: During a Halo 3: ODST demo on GameSpot's show floor stage, Bungie developers narrow the launch window of its next installment in the hallowed sci-fi franchise.
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LOS ANGELES--For Halo fans, the high point of Microsoft's E3 Press Conference on Tuesday was the announcement of Halo Reach, an all-new game from Bungie Studios. Staffers from the now-independent developer said that the game had been a top-secret project for some time, and that it would arrive sometime in 2010.
Though Bungie did not divulge any further details at the time, many followers of the Halo series assumed that it would be based on the novel Halo: The Fall of Reach, a prequel to the game trilogy. The brief trailer (below) seemed to mimic the Eric Nylund-penned book's plot, which follows the brutal conquest of the first human colonial world by the multiracial religious-fanatic alliance known as the Covenant. Its final title card, "Falls 2010" (emphasis added), seemed further indication that the would recreate Fall of Reach's vicious and bleak storyline.
Now it appears that the trailer's final words were actually a hint about the game's release date. During a Halo 3: ODST demo on GameSpot's stage show on the E3 Show Floor, Bungie staffers took a viewer question about when the multiplayer beta for the game--set to begin sometime in 2010--would start. Their response confirmed the game itself would stick to the September-November launch window of prior Halo games.
"We don’t have an actual firm date for it yet, but I don't anticipate it being day and date with the game," one Bungie staffer said. "I can say you will need the Halo 3: ODST disc to access the beta when it does become available. I can confirm that that beta will go live sometime between the release of Halo 3: ODST on September 22nd and the release of Halo: Reach next fall."
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- Fallout 3: Point Lookout DLC Hands-On
We took the ferry to a swampy new region where we met mutated hill folk, insane cultists, and a mansion-owning Ghoul.
The world of Fallout 3 is vaster and getting vaster. The latest DLC expansion, Point Lookout, will ferry players to a swampy, sprawling area where they can roam through new environments, make new friends, and kill new nasties. We visited Bethesda's E3 booth to explore this region for ourselves, and got the scoop on some of the different locations, enemies, weapons, and perks that Point Lookout will deliver when it comes to the Xbox 360 and PC on June 23rd.
The Point Lookout adventure begins, like most other Fallout 3 DLC, with a radio message. You get word of a man who's been importing a strange kind of mutated fruit, and head south to the tidal basin to investigate. You meet the importer, Tobar the Ferryman, and he will eventually offer you a ticket on his next trip to Point Lookout. Once there, you pull up to the decrepit docks and see Point Lookout's first new area, an old boardwalk amusement park. A Ferris wheel looms off to the left, and rows of carnival games beckon for you to explore them. We let their mysteries lie and headed off to the right, up towards a mansion perched on a hill. To the right beyond the mansion we spotted a lonely lighthouse, while off to the left the hill gradually sloped downwards into a large swamp. Though we could see an ancient cathedral looming in the distance, there was a lot of open space between us and the ruins. Point Lookout is more focused on exploratory action and is aimed at pleasing players who liked nothing better than to wander the wastes, discovering new locations and run afoul of the locals.
Speaking of the locals, we met some of Point Lookout's savage inhabitants as we made our way up the hill to the mansion. These half-clothed mutants looked like gnarly inbred hillbillies, the kind that might drag you away in The Hills Have Eyes. After making short work of those goons, we approached the mansion (Calvert Mansion, by name) and saw some high tech security cameras guarding the entrance. A voice came over the loudspeaker, identifying us "not a Tribal" and demanding that we get inside and help him fight some bad guys off. Inside the mansion we found ourselves in a large entrance hall, with two curving staircases framing a makeshift outpost. Wired turrets were blazing as a man and his two dogs fought off some characters that looked a lot like Raiders.
In Point Lookout, the Raider niche has been filled by Tribals, fervent cultists who paint their faces and utter religiously-themed battle cries. Playing as a Level 20+ character, we actually had a tougher time killing a few Tribals with a Chinese Assault Rifle than we expected. Point Lookout is more difficult than much of the previous DLC, and is tailored for players who have beaten Broken Steel and are on their way to level 30. In fact, we're told the initial message clueing players in to Point Lookout's location will include a warning that it is quite dangerous. The Lead Producer of Fallout DLC translated: players should be at least Level 17 or so, and even those in the early 20s will face a healthy challenge.
After dispatching the Tribals, we found out that our impromptu ally was actually a Ghoul. No time to chat, however, as the Ghoul's array of security televisions showed Tribal incursions all throughout the mansion. We headed into the dining room for some more combat, and encountered some particularly aggressive Tribals wielding axes. Though unwieldy, axes pack quite a punch, as does the other new melee weapon, shovels. Point Lookout takes the opposite tack from Broken Steel by introducing weapons that are less technologically advanced than the player's arsenal. Double-barreled shotguns, lever-action rifles, and a nice variation on Lincoln's Repeater are among the new firearms players can expect to pry from their enemies cold, dead hands.
We didn't last much longer in the mansion, as Tribals crashed down from floors above and quickly swarmed us. Bethesda seems true to their word about the difficulty level, which bodes well for seasoned wastelanders. There are also new perks to be earned at the end of some of Point Lookout's quests, though the level cap will be staying right where it is. Point Lookout is scheduled for release on June 23rd, and the fifth DLC pack, Mothership Zeta, is slotted in for later this year. For more on upcoming Fallout 3 DLC, check out our news blog entry detailing the DLC release schedule for Xbox 360, PC and PlayStation 3.
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