The lawyer in Activision's case against Call of Duty's creators, Beth Wilkinson, who was only hired last week as a replacement, has asked for the trial's commencement date to be pushed back by 30 days so she can "get up to speed". [BW]
Capcom has taken heavy fire from gamers upset with the publisher's tendency to ship some of its games with on-disc downloadable content. Physical copies of games like Dragon's Dogma and Street Fighter X Tekken ship with content that you can only access if you dish out extra for the privilege.
Capcom Senior Vice-President Christian Svensson addressed the controversy in a blog post last night, saying the company plans to revisit its DLC strategy soon:
We've been getting several questions, here and elsewhere about the future of on-disc DLC.
We would like to assure you that we have been listening to your comments and as such have begun the process of re-evaluating how such additional game content is delivered in the future. As this process has only just commenced in the past month or so, there will be some titles, where development began some time ago and that are scheduled for release in the coming months, for which we are unable to make changes to the way some of their post release content is delivered.
In other words, upcoming titles like Dragon's Dogma, out May 22, can't be changed. It's too late to remove that game's on-disc DLC. But Capcom might approach its projects differently in the future. Or so they say.
Question about on-disc DLC [Capcom Unity via Siliconera]
Having been quiet for a little while, Naughty Dog's upcoming The Last of Us returns to the public spotlight in this new clip.
Being a new game from the guys behind the Uncharted trilogy, it's one to keep an eye on.
Don't expect gameplay. Do expect trees. And vehicular carnage.
The Last of Us: New Trailer, New Ellie [IGN]
Diablo III is upon us, and while the more dedicated fans of Blizzard's action role-playing franchise are well on their way to total demon domination, players new to the series might need a little help getting started.
One does not simply walk into the depths of hell. Here are some helpful tips for getting the most out of your experience with the demonic sequel twelve years in the making.
Read Up on the First Two Games
Don't I mean play through the first two games? Well, no, not really. Diablo and Diablo II are excellent titles, but they aren't strictly necessary for the enjoyment of this title. If you really want to see where Diablo III came from then by all means, dig them up and dust them off, but I've a feeling you might be better off not doing that. The various changes made to the third title won't be a factor for you, you lucky bastard.
Instead of playing, head over to the Diablo Wiki or Blizzard's Diablo III page and read up on the lore that leads up to a star falling in our heroes' backyard.
Invest in a Nice Pair of Headphones
Sound design has always been one of Diablo's strong suits. The guttural gurgles of grotesque creatures falling in the face of your power is almost as powerful as the amazing music created to accompany your struggle against evil. Even the installation music is top notch; I was almost disappointed when the game was ready to play.
A nice speaker setup is fine and dandy, but there's always the looming threat of outside noises seeping in to ruin your experience. So get a good pair of ear cuppies and completely lose yourself. It doesn't need to be as fancy as SteelSeries' Diablo-specific headset; just something that will muffle the outside world for a while. And should someone have to tap you on the shoulder to get your attention in mid-game, well that's just another thing to make you jump, isn't it?
Try Every Character Class
Diablo III features five different character classes — Barbarian, Witch Doctor, Demon Hunter, Wizard and Monk — each with their own unique play-style and idiosyncrasies. Instead of just picking the one you think looks the coolest, create one of each and put them through their paces. Gain a few levels, get a feel for how they handle. Test drive them.
You might discover the character that seemed the least appealing is actually your favorite. Or you could just confirm that you have excellent instincts.
See the Map? See ALL of the Map
As you wander through the lands of Sanctuary the map is slowly revealed, marking the trail of your travels. Or it would mark the trail, but that's not how you want it to work. Use the map as a tool to ensure that you've visited every square inch of every area. Leave no stone unturned. Leave no log unshattered.
Diablo III is full of secrets, treasures, and special events that are incredibly easy to miss if you just make a beeline for your current quest objective. From a role-playing standpoint it might seem silly to walk right past the entrance to the dungeon housing the magical artifact you need to advance the story in order to see if any special monsters with rare items and equipment are lurking nearby. If you really must role-play, try role-playing a character with OCD. You'll be better for it.
If You See a Door, Go Through It
Along the same lines as the map tip, the random dungeons scattered about the Sanctuary countryside are packed with unique creatures that have somehow ingested powerful magical weapons, armor, and gold. We've been doing this sort of thing so long we've stopped asking how this happens.
Even better than treasure, these random dungeons can also house special events outside of the main storyline. You might have to survive against hordes of enemies for a certain amount of time, or help lay a restless spirit to rest by killing whatever it is that's keeping it restless. These are rewarding encounters in more ways than one, and they're waiting for you behind those lovely optional doors.
Pick Up Everything
Evil creatures in Diablo III are magical life forms that, instead of flesh and blood, are composed of random items and coin. They're like piñatas filled with the building blocks of a potentially massive player-run economy. those are the best kind.
Unfortunately your inventory is limited, and you can only carry so many items. However, you eventually learn a Town Portal spell that takes you back to your home base no matter how deep you are in a dungeon. Use it extensively. Every time you fill up, portal home and sell, break down, or store your items. It may be tempting to press on and leave loot behind, but do not do that. When a rare random item shows up in a shopkeeper's inventory and your pockets are overflowing with gold, the extra 30 seconds it takes to warp home and back doesn't seem quite as inconvenient anymore.
As Soon as You Can, Start Crafting
Some of the most powerful equipment my Demon Hunter is currently wearing did not come from monster guts, but rather from my own personal blacksmith. I bring him the items I don't want, he breaks them down into components, and uses them to fashion truly wondrous magical items. Right now I can wear them. Once I've invested enough cash into training him up I might start selling them. Or maybe I'll just sell the components so other people can use them to craft.
Either way, the crafting option is your friend. Use it early, invest in training, and get the most out of the game.
Make Friends and Play With Them
While single-player is nice, Diablo III is a game meant to be played with other people. And who are our favorite other people? Our friends. Well, your friends. My friends are generally dicks.
But your friends? They are pretty great. And the wonderful thing about friends? There are more of them just sitting around in front of their computers, clicking away at demons and waiting to meet you. Be kind, be cordial, be courteous, and you might expand that circle of yours.
Take a Break (At Least When the Servers are Down)
As with any form of interactive entertainment, you don't want to simply sit in a chair all day long, clicking away at your mouse. Stand up, job in place, take a bathroom break, watch an episode of Game of Thrones or look at some porn (same thing>).
Luckily Blizzard has built server downtime into the launch window, which is why I am writing this article right now instead of playing Diablo III. Thanks, Blizzard!
With the almost-final season of Community wrapped up, it can feel hard to come to terms with the fact that we won't get to hang out with Annie, Troy, Abed and Dean Pelton much longer.
Fortunately, NBC has had "The Greendale Seven" immortalized as classic 16-bit-looking video game characters and sent over to The Onion AV Club.
Man, I would play the heck out of this game. Though Britta's lack of a nose is somewhat troubling...
See the Greendale Seven as video game characters in these exclusive Community finale images [A.V. Club]
According to reports out of South Korea, some of the country's most talented (and fastest) players finished Diablo III in record time.
While Western players have also completed the game, in the race to finish it first (and fastest), Korean clan EHG defeated the final Diablo III boss only 5 and a half hours after the server opened.
Even though the clan defeated the final boss, it apparently could not obtain the in-game items due to, well, a server problem.
Warning: The source link shows what's reportedly the final boss.
디아블로3, 출시 6시간 만에 한국 게이머들이 '점령' [MTN NOTE: FINAL BOSS SPOILER]
Ocean Marketing's Paul Christoforo says his former client iControl Enterprises asked him to take on an alternative identity named "Tom" so he could keep working for them even after his name was marred by a PR firestorm last year.
Christoforo, who became entangled in an Internet fiasco after a customer service spat revolving around iControl's Avenger Controller went public last December, has filed a lawsuit against his former client for "defamation of character." Christoforo told Kotaku that iControl, also known as N-Control, has been "preventing [him] from making a living by lying about things that never happened."
Documented in the lawsuit, which Christoforo's representative sent Kotaku last night, are a series of text messages allegedly sent by iControl's David Kotkin and Bruce Cutler. The lawsuit reads:
CUTLER originally attempted to distance the company from Plaintiff', but requested that Plaintiff create a fake identity so he could still work for ÍCONTROL in a series of text messages:
"Well the only way to spin it out good is for the company to say you were a renegade that got away . _ . yada yada." (27 December 2011, 13:34) (original formatting).
"Let the old ‘Paul' fade away and rebrand a new voice. Call yourself TOM and be nice this time. LOL. Well we need a blood letting on the ‘PAUL' and a retraction from Founder . . . . And apology bs. [sic] And a rebirth. Then spin spin [sic]" (27 December 201], 13:34.)
"You will win this with the Sweet Tom at Avenger Voice who is sorry about ‘Paul's actions' but we are a great bla bla bla but we are a great bla bla bla company [sic]" (27 December 2011, 13:52.)
"You MUST come out public Killing OCEAN/Paul future association with Avenger!! Become someone new. For real. spin this public ok Tom? Paul is dead to me now. Ok Tom'?" (27 December 201 1, 13:58.)
We've reached out to iControl for comment and will update should they respond.
Update: iControl's Kotkin has sent Kotaku a statement.
"Bogus allegations on behalf of Paul Christoforo will be vigorously defended," he said in an e-mail. "The blatant attempt to coerce me to settle these bogus claims by Mr. Christoforo will be fruitless. Communicating with Paul while he holds your website keys doesn't make for communication that always reflect the truth. Paul hacked into my email by guessing the answers to some security questions. To say these communications were compromised in an understatement."
Here's Christoforo's court case in its entirety:
I've seen quite a few slow-motion CGI kill shots in my life, really. That's part of what it is to play a game featuring guns, in the modern era: you take a shot, and you spend a moment with time slowing around you, watching blood and bone part ways.
Max Payne 3 brings the artistry of murder to a strangely poetic new level. Final Killcam and Last Man Standing modes create violent cut-scenes for certain key kills. During these, the player has the choice to slow time—watching the scene play out in all its grisly gory. You could even call it hypnotic (our reviewer did).
Kotaku video man Chris Person wanted to see what happened when you held time for as long as you could; these are his results. There's a lot of blood (like, a lot), and yet the deaths, in such slow motion, look strangely artistic. Especially when set to music.
Devil's Third, the next game from legendary Ninja Gaiden creator Tomonobu Itagaki, is on ice for now.
The game, set to be published by THQ, will not come out before April 2013 and seems to be in jeopardy of coming out at all. During a quick chat with me at a THQ event today, Executive Vice President of Core Games Danny Bilson said that the company is looking for financial partners to finish the game. Itagaki's action game is an expensive proposition, Bilson said with a grimace that reflected his wish for the project to be on firmer ground.
Devil's Third is to be Itigaki's first game since leaving Tecmo, and unlike Ninja Gaiden, it places a focus on shooting over melee combat. The story and setting of the game are still shrouded in mystery, but when we first learned about it, Bilson described it as having a musical bent, since the "Devil's Third" is a reference to the tritone, a dissonant musical interval long associated with the Prince of Darkness.
A THQ spokesperson told me that the company is "looking at strategic opportunities on the title. As a project self-funded by THQ, that's not going to happen."
If THQ finds a financial partner the game could still come out in later 2013, but it may no longer be under the THQ umbrella.
While some might take this as a bad omen for other upcoming THQ projects, Bilson said that the company's projects with Left 4 Dead co-creators Turtle Rock and Assassin's Creed visionary Patrice Desilets are well under way.
Devil's Third, the next game from legendary Ninja Gaiden mastermind Tomonobu Itagaki, is on ice for now.
The game, set to be published by THQ, will not come out before April 2013 and seems to be in jeopardy of coming out at all. During a quick chat with me at a THQ event today, Executive Vice President of Core Games Danny Bilson said that the company is looking for financial partners to finish the game. Itagaki's action game is an expensive proposition, Bilson said with a grimace that reflected his wish for the project to be on firmer ground.
Devil's Third is to be Itigaki's first game since leaving Tecmo, and unlike Ninja Gaiden, it places a focus on shooting over melee combat. The story and setting of the game are still shrouded in mystery, but when we first learned about it, Bilson described it as having a musical bent, since the "Devil's Third" is a reference to the tritone, a dissonant musical interval long associated with the Prince of Darkness.
A THQ spokesperson told me that the company is "looking at strategic opportunities on the title. As a project self-funded by THQ, that's not going to happen."
If THQ finds a financial partner the game could still come out in later 2013, but it may no longer be under the THQ umbrella.
While some might take this as a bad omen for other upcoming THQ projects, Bilson said that the company's projects with Left 4 Dead co-creators Turtle Rock and Assassin's Creed visionary Patrice Desilets are well under way.
