It seems a bit complicated to me, but I can easily see how rewarding some of the more advanced tactics Roberts describes here can be if you pull them off correctly. It also seems a bit more loose than I'd prefer, but the game isn't coming out until next year, so Volatile still has plenty of time to tighten up the graphics on level three before moving on to its next game.

It occurs to me that complicated RPG combat manuevers don't translate very well into video tutorial form. I'm a little more confused than I was previously after watching it. I'm sure after I play the game for five minutes I'll be able to explain the combat system in painstaking detail, and I probably will. Until then, however, confusion reigns. Go confusion!

My beef was that a lot of massively multiplayer online game developers claim that their combat is somehow fundamentally different than the usual system of point, click, cool down, then click again established in MMOs like EverQuest II and World of Warcraft. I said Cryptic's claim about Champions Online's action-oriented combat was no different and admitted that the question would need more hands-on time than I had had to really determine if Champions' combat is different or just looks different.

Never one to shy from skepticism, Cryptic Studios stepped up with a second hands-on for me so I could get a better feel for the combat. Here's what happened.

What Is It?
Champions Online is a superhero themed MMO developed by Cryptic Studios for PC and eventually Xbox 360. Combat in the game takes place both between superheroes and villains and in arena style player versus player fights between superheroes. The primary controls for combat with the keyboard configuration are the number keys 1 through 7 and on 360 controller, it's the face buttons and face buttons plus left trigger – although the exact controls haven't been finalized yet.

What We Saw
I played through the beginning and the boss fight of what's called a "lair" in Champions both with a ranged character and with a melee character. It's an instanced dungeon where a group of players face off against and/or rescue non-playable characters. This particular layer involved a mastermind villain taking over a prison and (full disclosure) was partially developed by Kevin Stocker, a guy I know outside of work who knows a thing or two about the movie Aliens.

How Far Along Is It?
Champions Online goes live September 1. The 360 version is still a long ways off, according to creative director Jack Emmert.

What Needs Improvement?
Targeting Gets Tricky: You can change between targets on PC by just left-clicking a target with the mouse and on the controller, you tap the left bumper. However, the frenetic pace of combat makes these simple controls tricky, especially on PC if you're holding down the left mouse button to adjust the camera while running to one side to avoid an attack. I'm hoping that on the controller scheme they work it out to where you could tap the left bumper repeatedly to change targets among a mob – that would really smooth things over.

The Picky May Not Be Pleased: There are things you can do in Champions Online combat that single-MMO players may not be used to; however MMO connoisseurs probably won't be surprised – or impressed. For example, a WoW devotee may not be used to the idea that you can dodge any attack (even spells) by moving out of range and an Age of Conan fan might not be used to the idea that bosses and mini bosses have specific tells that require you to block or dodge, depending on which attack they're signaling. If you've played both of those games plus a dozen other MMOs besides, however, none of this will sound especially new, different or special and you'll probably stay skeptical while the less picky players are enthralled.

Still Feels Like A Cool Down: Technically, the spells in Champions don't need cool down periods after you cast them. However, you can't cast higher level spells without building up endurance with low-level attacks. It's a little bit less boring to mash the X button over and over than just sitting there and watching the timer on your best area-effect spell expire; but it still feels like a cool down period just the same.

Ranged Combat Is Cheap: This is actually a plus for a jerk like me – but I think it's cause for complaint. Emmert says that the tradeoff between a ranged superhero who can just spam a single fireball attack while flying around in a circle is that a melee superhero's attacks are more powerful. He says that this makes it more rewarding for the melee character if he or she can just get to that fireball-spamming jerk and execute an attack. But if the jerk is me, I'm telling you right now, you'll never catch me. You'll die cursing me for the cheap jerk I am.

What Should Stay The Same?
There's Always Something To Do: To quote Ben "Yahtzee" Croshaw's review of Eve Online, MMO combat works like this: "You click on an enemy and start kicking his shins. He then starts kicking your shins. Then you take it in turns kicking until one of you falls over." Champions Online shakes that up a bit by giving the player more to do than just stand there and kick. At any one point during combat you could be kicking someone's shins, raining fire down on them from the air while you hover overhead with your fiery fairy wings, dodging an attack with a well-timed mashing on the A or S button, or waiting for a command to pop up and tell you to mash a button to collect an item drop or escape an enemy attack or hold. You're always moving in Champions, always changing targets and never not mashing on an a button once combat gets going. Big plus.

It's Console-Oriented: What makes Champions feel action-y to me is the fact that everyone is moving all of the time and you're frantically pounding on attack keys to keep up. It's more like Marvel Ultimate Alliance than WoW, and that's exactly the feel that Cryptic was going for, according to Emmert. He says that the future of MMOs lies in consoles, so their goal was to get an action RPG experience inside ofa persistent, well-populated MMO world that worked just as well on console as on PC. To that end, Champions was planned with consoles in mind all along, with none of the built-in "latency" of other MMOs where you have to wait for a spell to cool down simply because the technology on which the MMO is built cannot handle a bazillion particle effects at once.

Final Thoughts
After the much-longer hands-on, I've changed my mind. Combat in Champions Online does feel different than combat WoW because of how fast everything moves – including you. I wouldn't go so far as to say it's a revolution in MMO gameplay, but the quick combat is going to go a long way toward making the jump to console smoother and more fun. My only conflict now is deciding whether or not to wait for the 360 version.

Oh, here're a couple of other tidbits of interest that came up during my extended hands-on:
—They're already planning out a secret identity system for DLC
—The 360 controller will work at launch, but it won't be "supported" technically until a deal on the 360 version is reached with Microsoft
—The biggest criticism Emmert fears hearing is from superhero players who want a purely solo masked avenger experience. That's just not what Cryptic is out to do with Champions Online – so if any potential reviewers are reading this, think Justice League instead of Dark Knight going into it.
ETA: Cryptic Studios clarifies that "You can play solo in Champions as much as you like; you don't have to team up to enjoy the game. However, this is a Massively Multiplayer Online Game, with the emphasis on Multiplayer. Other players will affect the world of Champions Online. You'll see them running off to stop a bank robbery, while you're on your way to rescue hostages. This isn't a game for players who want to be the only superhero in town."

Players will definitely be given full control. A large portion of starship combat in Star Trek Online is tactical – maneuvering your ship into position so you protect your vital systems as you attack your opponent's weakest side. You need to be “in control” of your ship in order for that to work well and be fun.

Exactly! Nice to see Cryptic understands where their prospective players are coming from. The latest update also goes over the skill-based melee combat, even mentioning a certain Vulcan maneuver that is sure to have fans of the pointy-eared logic-addicts grabbing ineffectually at collarbones for days to come.

Ask Cryptic (October 27, 2008) [Star Trek Online via Eurogamer]

The battle axe is Eddie's primary attack, and it works much like Devil May Cry's sword attack does - basic, yet effective. Riggs will shred on the guitar when he needs to cast various types of magic, and performing these magic attacks will require timed combo entry on your controller.

Brutal Legend [PSX Extreme via The Adventuress]

Ground-Breaking Multiplayer Combat Soars onto PlayStation(R)3 (PS3(TM)) With the Arrival of Warhawk(TM)

Fast-paced, 32-player action ushers in industry first - critically acclaimed Warhawk available at retail on Blu-ray Disc(TM) and as download from PLAYSTATION(R)Network

FOSTER CITY, Calif., Aug. 28 /PRNewswire/ — Sony Computer Entertainment America Inc. (SCEA) announced today the North American release of the highly anticipated title Warhawk(TM), available exclusively for PLAYSTATION(R)3 (PS3(TM)). In Warhawk, players experience fast and dynamic multi-modal warfare, featuring white-knuckle aerial combat, armored vehicle assaults and frantic infantry combat in a massive war fought both in the skies and on the ground. In a first for the game industry, Warhawk is available to consumers both in retail stores on Blu-ray Disc(TM) (BD) and as a downloadable title via PLAYSTATION(R)Network.

An eagerly-awaited remake to the original PlayStation(R) hit of the same name, Warhawk was developed by Incognito Entertainment Inc., the acclaimed studio behind the Twisted Metal(R) franchise and cult-favorite War of the Monsters(TM). Warhawk is a multi-player only title, supporting up to 32 players battling at once for both online and offline play. Furthermore, Warhawk's QuickSplit technology allows up to four players to battle simultaneously on a single PS3 — either online or offline — with the press of a button. Featuring various multiplayer gameplay modes such as Team Deathmatch, Capture the Flag and a new Zone Mode designed specifically for Warhawk, players can engage in strategic team play or fend for themselves against a barrage of enemies from around the globe. Offering a full online feature set, players can also join teams or maintain clans within the Warhawk online community. Full stats, rankings, leaderboards, badges and other awards are supported and reward players for success on the battlefield. Players can also stay organized online with user-friendly communication tools.

"Warhawk's furious action-combat gameplay and brilliantly detailed landscapes demonstrate PS3's many capabilities," said Jeff Reese, director, software marketing, SCEA. "Players will move seamlessly from the fierce aerial dogfights to the heated armed assaults and vehicular attacks on the ground. Warhawk is an exhilarating addition to the PS3 line-up this fall."

Warhawk takes advantage of PS3's immense processing power in a variety of unique ways. For example, the Cell Broadband Engine(TM) — the digital heart of PS3 — provides the player an enhanced visual scope by rendering long viewing distances when in flight mode, resulting in a level of feature density unmatched in the genre. Furthermore, unlike the traditional server model, Warhawk allows players to use PS3s in their homes as global servers to host online games. This helps ensure that along with the SCEA servers, players can access consumer-hosted, community servers that are available to players around the world.

Adding to the thrill of piloting the most advanced fighter in the fleet, players can opt to use the SIXAXIS(TM) wireless controller's motion sensing technology to directly control their warhawk in flight, or "steer" their moving vehicle on land using the roll, pitch and yaw motion controls.

Warhawk is available for download directly from PLAYSTATION(R)Network for $39.99, and on BD through select retailers for $59.99. The retail version of Warhawk includes a Jabra Bluetooth(R) headset that comes in an exclusive piano black color and emphasizes the fun and strategic element of communication during gameplay. The BD version also includes bonus video content.

The independent Entertainment Software Rating Board (ESRB) rates Warhawk "T" for "Teen". For more information about the ESRB, visit http://www.esrb.org. For more information about Warhawk, visit

http://www.warhawk.com.

Lionhead Diaries [lionhead]

He teased us about death back in May, but this time he actually elaborates. There is no death. Instead, your character gets beaten until he collapses. Then he (or she) gets beaten some more. And more. Continuously beaten until you get up. How do you get up? By paying for it in either experience or gold. How fast you get up, and presumably continue fighting and killing your enemies, depends on how much money you pay. Pay a lot, get up fast. Pay a little, lie on the ground for, say, sixty seconds.

So what's the consequence of not getting up fast? You get scarred. SCARRED. Irreversibly scarred. And the more scars you have, the more townsfolk, villagers, barristers and women despise you. Unless they're in some kinda weird scar club, which is still as of yet not confirmed to be in the game.

The inspiration for all this is, strangely enough, birthed from the scene in the latest James Bond movie where Bond is repeatedly punished in the genital area. Hard. And did we say repeatedly? Molyneux saw that Hollywood took their heroes beat them to a pulp, but never killed them. They would be scarred, sometimes irreversibly so, but never killed (unless you work with Jack Bauer). So why not take this mechanic and put it into Fable 2?

Since most of the game is spent in an effort to not die, let's talk about combat next. Molyneux says that in an RPG game, at least 50% of your playtime is going to be in combat. So he wanted to make a combat system that was both robust and accessible. The way he did that was by mapping just about every attack function (melee, at least) to the A button. It's definitely simple, and it's definitely button masher friendly—something P. M. said he wanted to embrace—but there's also a lot to do.

First, mashing the button just keeps you swinging and swinging. The AI will figure out your patterns and block most of your attacks, but some may get through. Timing presses correctly, while the enemy isn't blocking, is the key. Then there's blocking, which consists of holding down X. Holding down the attack button for a while gives you flourishes, which are essentially charged up moves.

If you want to get fancy, there's A and a direction for thrusts, and if you time everything correctly (A, hold A, or thrust A) you'll get a cool camera change that zooms in on the action. There's even a narrow focus to give it even more "dramatic effect". And on top of that, the battle music changes and adds drums, which supposedly is controlled by the rhythm of your attacks—or button mashes. It all comes together pretty cohesively.

However, Molyneux claims that the system is on par with say, a Virtua Fighter, but we don't quite agree. It's deep, sure, but it's not exactly at a Soul Calibur-esque level. But you do get to break items and throw stuff at enemies all with the same attack button. And although magic and ranged weapons weren't demoed, he says they work in much the same context-sensitive way as melee attacks.

As for the engine itself, it's also looking pretty good. Lips, as he pointed out himself, look like rubbish. And so does lighting on certain characters. But buildings, streets, breakable objects, flowers, character animations, and the general environment looked fantastic.

Is this the second of the big three things Peter Molyneux has in store for Fable 2? What's the third thing? I can't wait to find out.

The SCEA Santa Monica development team that worked on God of War is hiring.

Unfortunately the two job listings, one for senior technical artist and the other for senior designer combat, don't shed much light on what game or games the new hires would be working on besides something that features combat and, um, art.

I'm not even sure it's actually a God of War game sense that team will likely work on other games at some point. So, yes, not a lot of grist there. Brian Crecente

Join the God of War Team [Sony Protection Group]