Kotaku: Doom

Hollenshead: E3 Was Pretty Much a Disappointment to Everyone

Brian Crecente — Fri, 01 Aug 2008 15:00:00 MDT

"E3 this year, in my opinion, it was pretty much disappointing to everybody" id CEO Todd Hollenshead told me early today during an interview. "The press were disappointed, the people I talked to in the industry are disappointed, almost everyone agree that that was the wrong way to do it."

It's too early to tell if the shrinking E3 has helped bolster id's own id-centric annual show QuakeCon. Usually id Software waits until the Saturday of the show to get official attendance numbers.

But Hollenshead is already sure that QuakeCon is the right way to host a gaming conference.

"I think we struck a balance of being vendor supported and still being in touch with the gamers," he said. "We had over 6,000 hours of volunteer time, that's like the polar opposite of E3,. which is all about business."

In fact id Software only officially showed up at E3 as a single announcement during the Electronic Arts press conference. They were there to tell the world that EA would be publishing their upcoming id Tech 5 game, Rage.

And even that had to be modified to fit in with what E3 and its attendees expect from the show.

"We were told you can't show this stuff because of these five reasons," Hollenshead said. "Last night (during QuakeCon) we had the bigger, better, more hardcore, not suitable for investor conference (announcement) for Rage and Doom."

[Pic]

id Considering Wolfenstein RPG, Doom 2 RPG for iPhone

Brian Crecente — Fri, 01 Aug 2008 14:20:00 MDT

John Carmack is bummed. The iPhone App Store is live and there's not a single id game on it.

"John is pretty disappointed we didn’t have the manpower and resources to have a game for the launch of the" app store, id CEO Todd Hollenshead said.

Hollenshead said that Carmack and other id folks had been playing around with the iPhone SDK for awhile, but that the developer's small in-house mobile team just didn't have the time to put together a game in time.

"It appears that at this point that given the size of our team, we can only work on one mobile game at a time. We are probably partner up and the first (iPhone game) will be one where we work with a publishing partner."

Already the team is working on both Wolfenstein RPG and Doom 2 RPG for mobile phones, both of which id Software would like to bring to the iPhone, Hollenshead said.

"We have ambitions to have both on the iPhone," he said, "but it's too early to say if that's going to happen at this point."

As much as id seems to like the idea of iPhone gaming, they're taking a caution approach, but not for the reasons you'd think.

"The iPhone is cool, and the n-Gage was a nerd device," Hollenshead said. "The iphone is a pretty damn awesome phone, it’s a great business device, it's one of the best portable mp3 player you can buy, it can play videos. There's a lot of reasons to have that device and it has the power to play games as well. It’s a cool device that you can play games on and they can be awesome games."

But, perhaps the iPhone is too good at all the things it does.

Games on the iPhone, Hollenshead explains, are "going to be competing with all of those other things you can do on the iPhone that are pretty cool, that’s the challenge."

"It does raise the bar on what you need to do from a game standpoint."

See, Carmack's initial attraction to mobile gaming was the fact that, well, most cell phone games are crap and most cell phones can't do more than a few things well.

"Doom RPG was a fun game you could play on your cell phone," he said. "With the iPhone the experience, what you are going to be doing in games, has to rise because there are so many other things you can do with it."

id Would Like Another Doom Movie

Brian Crecente — Fri, 01 Aug 2008 13:00:00 MDT

id Software CEO Todd Hollenshead would like to do another Doom movie, perhaps one based on the still in production, and yet-to-be-named, new Doom game.

"Personally I'd like to do another Doom movie, I thought working with it was a blast," he said. "There are some lessons we learned. The best way to do things better is to get the experience."

Hollenshead said that Universal still has the rights for the Doom movie and sequels, so the ball is really in their court on whether another is made.

"We’ll see what happens when we get further along in development of the (new Doom) game and there's more buzz and we share more about what the game will be about.

"As the buzz meter starts to go up that may kind of kick start the guys over at Universal."

Next Doom May Not Be a True Sequel

Brian Crecente — Fri, 01 Aug 2008 09:40:00 MDT

The next Doom coming to gamers is so early in development that its creators haven't yet decided what exactly the game will be about or even what to name it.

"The next game in the Doom universe is in development," id Software CEO Todd Hollenshead told me earlier today. " We do have the core of the team working on it, under the direction of Kevin Cloud.

"We are working on what the story is going to be for the game right now, the logo (shown during QuakeCon) didn’t have a four or a subtitle. We haven’t made the decision about that yet. There is probably a let's not make a numeral game and some say we should make it one."

While there isn't a lot to tell yet about the upcoming Doom game, Hollenshead told me everything he was able.

The game will be built on the id Tech 5 and will remain true to it's roots, he said.

"There's going to be big guns, lots of blood and demons," Hollenshead said. "That’s what we see as the core and that’s what that game is about.

While Hollenshead said the development team definitely want to innovate with the game, it's too early to tell how exactly that will be done.

"We are still working on the game and what it’s going to be about," he said. "The goal for the game is that it will be the best game of its ilk when it's released.

"It will remain true to what Doom is about, this very visceral experience. But we still want to obviously be innovative within that."

Check back for the rest of our Hollenshead interview throughout the day.

[Pic]

No Digital Distribution For Rage, Doom 4

Michael McWhertor — Thu, 31 Jul 2008 20:00:49 MDT

The only way to get your hands on id Software's Rage and Doom 4 will be through traditional means, according to a report from Maximum PC. The id co-founder said at today's QuakeCon keynote that it would shy away from digital distribution with its next two id Tech 5-powered titles. An odd move, considering EA is publishing Rage and has its own digital distribution method, not to mention the availability of id's catalog through its official web store and Steam.

Maximum PC also reports that the Xbox 360 version of Rage may wind up shipping on up to three DVDs — or suffer some serious compression compared to the Blu-ray version — a move that could cost millions in per-disc royalty fees. And think of the paper sleeve costs!

QuakeCon 08: No Digital Distribution for Rage or Doom 4; Rage will be on Multiple DVDs for Xbox 360 [Maximum PC]

Doom 4 To Use 3X The Horsepower Of Rage, Run At 30 FPS

Michael McWhertor — Thu, 31 Jul 2008 18:40:49 MDT

John Carmack revealed at the opening day of QuakeCon today that "the next Doom", which we'll just call Doom 4 for now, will surpass the already announced Rage, running on id Tech 5, in visual quality.

"The next DOOM game will look like it's built on another engine, as it uses three times the horsepower," Carmack said, according to a 1UP report.

That visual fidelity will come at a price though, as Carmack says that Doom 4 will run at 30 frames per second, compared to Rage's 60 frames per second. The only other details provided by Carmack on Doom 4 was that the game would feature "guns, blood, demons, and gibs." Should've sent a poet...

Quake Con Keynote — Live Blog [1UP]

Don't Hate On Doom III, It Made Money

Brian Ashcraft — Tue, 08 Jul 2008 22:00:00 MDT

Some people don't like id Software's Doom III, saying, yeah, that game just isn't very good. Company CEO Todd Hollenshead has a message for those people:

I think there are three people on the internet that keep making these posts that Doom III was 'bad'... There's some mass-misperception out there... I get this occasionally — why don't I think Doom III was successful? We sold over three million units! It's the most successful game in id's history.

Take that haters! Doom III made money, and money can buy things. So there.

Todd Hollenshead Interview [Kikizo]

Whatever Happened to Color?

Owen Good — Sat, 24 May 2008 11:00:00 MDT

TrustyGamer has a point. Photorealism is a good thing, but can it really be an escape from reality — especially for ostensibly lighthearted fare — when the color palette it draws on represents the depressing color scheme of our own worlds? Increasingly, that seems to be the case in every title, including EA's Skate, which "look(s) like shots from a heroin game where you have to skate to get your next fix."

"Nowadays, all screenshots basically look like they are from the same post-apocalyptic World War III nuclear fallout nightmare," smakus writes. He finds games to be stress-causing and not stress-relieving because of the dreary, gritty environments we're subjected to, compared to grim titles like Doom and Duke Nukem that dealt death largely in primary colors.

Next-gen "realistic" games (i.e. non-cartoon protagonists or action) with lively, bright colors? I can think of Bully, although the winter months stretch of that game started getting me in a funk. TF2 has cartoons in a real environment. And there's Guitar Hero and Rock Band, but that's probably outside the scope of the writer's argument. I'm sure all of you can think of more.

Like I said, I am color-blind as a bat, and so asking my opinion of a color is almost beyond useless. But it is a good question regarding design: What is ultimately the reason people will buy a game — realism or fun? — and how should that govern the rest of the game's look, feel, sound, story, etc?

I Miss Color [TrustyGamer]

id Software Begins Production on Doom 4

Brian Crecente — Wed, 07 May 2008 13:00:00 MDT

We may not know if they're going to E3, never mind that the ESA says they're not, but at least we know something. Today id Software announced that they have begun production on Doom 4 and is looking to hire folks to help work on it.

“DOOM is part of the id Software DNA and demands the greatest talent and brightest minds in the industry to bring the next installment of our flagship franchise to Earth,” said Todd Hollenshead, CEO, id Software. “It’s critical for id Software to have the best creative minds in-house to develop games that meet the standards synonymous with our titles.”

If you're looking for a job in the industry and have the talent and experience than hit up their site for a complete list of positions.

id Software Jobs

THE ULTIMATE BATTLE AGAINST EVIL CONTINUES IN DOOM 4
id Software Hiring for Internal Team to Develop Next Installment of DOOM
Mesquite, TX – May 7, 2008 – id Software announced today that production has begun on DOOM 4™, the next journey into the legendary DOOM universe. id Software is expanding its internal team and is currently hiring to work on this highly anticipated title.
“DOOM is part of the id Software DNA and demands the greatest talent and brightest minds in the industry to bring the next installment of our flagship franchise to Earth,” said Todd Hollenshead, CEO, id Software. “It’s critical for id Software to have the best creative minds in-house to develop games that meet the standards synonymous with our titles.”
The DOOM franchise is one of the most recognizable and important in gaming history, having been named “one of the ten most influential games of the decade” by PC Gamer and “the #1 game of all time” by GameSpy. DOOM 4 will join the award-winning series which has consistently topped sales charts throughout the world.
id Software is looking for talented, ambitious and passionate individuals eager to join its accomplished team of developers working on the industry’s most innovative and anticipated games. For a complete listing of available positions, visit www.idsoftware.com. Resumes can be submitted via email to jobs@idsoftware.com. All applicants must be authorized to work in the United States.

Euro VC Gets Phantasy Star III

Mike Fahey — Fri, 18 Apr 2008 08:40:00 MDT

A nifty little update for the European Wii Virtual Console comes in the form of Sega's Phantasy Star III: Generations of Doom for the Genesis. Considered by many to be the weakest in the original Phantasy Star series, the game spans three generations of characters, with the player getting to decide how each plays out by making marriage decisions for the party members in each successive generation. Criticized for bland combat and a storyline that conflicts with Phantasy Star II, Phantasy Star III is the game most likely to cause knock-down, drag out fights among Phantasy Star fans, as those who love it love it to death and those who hate it hate it with a passion. Me? I enjoyed the hell out of it myself, despite its many problems, and consider it a fine addition to the Euro VC at 800 points. Hopefully this will make it to North America shortly.

The Evolution of the Team Multiplayer FPS

ogood — Sun, 13 Apr 2008 16:00:00 MDT

According to one writer, seven games parented the genre of the multiplayer FPS. Halo and Call of Duty: Not on it. Ed Borden reasons they did not add gameplay innovations, merely perfected the themes. That's up for discussion (and why I'm posting it, of course), but a fair point.

The seven titles we owe it to: Doom, Quake, Tribes, Battlezone, Unreal Tournament, Counterstrike and Battlefield.

If nothing else, at least the past two or three years of FPSes, multi- and single-player, have combined to give us standardized controls, which makes picking up a new title infinitely easier to play — especially when it comes to free looking. It's now pretty much left stick = movement, right stick = head, with no fruity switching of camera angles or other unnecessary twists. Also, Y or triangle is use, B or circle is jump, etc. If you think that's a minor gamer assist, ask yourself the last time you used two different copiers or fax machines with the same set of commands.

Ed also argues that single-player FPSes are constantly delivering great new titles, but multiplayers have been "the same old for quite a few years now." I just can't see it that way. Maybe structurally they are the same, but characters, missions, game story, that's what gets me into an FPS now. True, a new gameplay innovation that's widely adopted will beat the best written game for sales, but I ask you, what else could a multiplayer FPS be doing right now?

How 7 Games Created the Modern Team Multiplayer FPS

Traveller's Tales So Not Behind Bubba Lego-Tep

Luke Plunkett — Thu, 10 Apr 2008 05:30:00 MDT

Lego Star Wars, Lego Indiana Jones, Lego Batman, you can see why they're made. Those kind of properties make money. Bubba Ho-Tep, on the other hand...the marketing possibilities are somewhat limited. Which doesn't bother mod-maker trepaning from putting together Bubba Lego-Tep, a mod that doesn't only take the Elvis v Mummy masterpiece and make a Lego game out of it, it's done via the Doom 3 engine. So strange. And by strange, I mean strangely fascinating.
Bubba Lego-Tep [Game Artisans, via Boing-Boing]

Rock Band European Release Doesn't Include Australia

Luke Plunkett — Wed, 09 Apr 2008 03:30:00 MDT

Hey, Australia. All that fuss over Rock Band that went down last night? You know, about the release, and then the price? Don't worry about it. None of it applies to you. While European and Australian release dates are normally in-step, for Rock Band they're not, with EA Australia only telling us "There is no announcement on Rock Band for Australia yet". Bummer. Now's as good a time as any to remind you that over Christmas I heard rumours from retailers that thanks to fears over its price the game may not be coming here at all, so between that and the inevitably astronomical price, I'd be getting intimate with the online importing scene if I were you. Just in case.
[Pic]

Quake 3 on iTouch with Tilt Controls

Brian Crecente — Mon, 07 Apr 2008 10:00:00 MDT

Yeah, yeah, yeah, I'm getting pretty sick of seeing Doom/Quake games show up on everything from calculators to refrigerators too, but this port is a little special. It seems to support both multiplayer gaming and tilt controls. If it's not being faked, it looks like you move around by tilting your i Pod touch in different directions. Now that's pretty friggin' sweet.

[Thanks Anthony]

XBLA Doom and Assault Heroes Get Cheaper

Mike Fahey — Mon, 17 Mar 2008 11:40:10 MDT

This week's Xbox Live Arcade Wednesday sees the addition of two new games to the Arcade Hits program, which take top-selling Arcade titles and tries to squeeze some more sales out of them by slashing prices. This week's new additions include Assault Heroes, which is a damn fine shooter whether you play alone or with a friend, and DOOM, which is...well, DOOM. If I have to explain to you guys what DOOM is you might be at the wrong website. Might I suggest an alternative? For those of you still with us, the XBLA version of DOOM features four-player online multiplayer and looks pretty damn old. Both of these titles will be available Wednesday for 400 points apiece. Hit the jump for the full press release, which includes a look at some of the upcoming XBLA titles you'll eventually be able to buy at half price.

Spring Fever is in the Air � Xbox LIVE Arcade Adds New Arcade Hits and Gives You a Sneak Peek at Upcoming Titles
More top-selling arcade titles available from Wednesday at discounted prices as they become Xbox LIVE Arcade Hits

LONDON - 17th March, 2008 - Whether you're avoiding spring cleaning or revving up for the Easter holidays, be sure to check out the latest Arcade Hits coming to Xbox LIVE® Arcade for Xbox 360™ on Wednesday, including "Assault Heroes" and "DOOM". The Arcade Hits programme offers some of the best-selling Xbox LIVE Arcade games at permanently reduced prices. They can be found within the Xbox LIVE Arcade section of the new Game Store, making it easier than ever to build a library of great downloadable games.

· "Assault Heroes" (Sierra Online). Become the only surviving member of an elite special forces unit searching for a secret underground lab. Play the mission alone or fight side-by-side with a friend in the two-player cooperative mode. The winner of IGN's Xbox LIVE Arcade game of the year for 2006, "Assault Heroes" will be available for 400 Microsoft Points.

· "DOOM" (id Software). Originally released in 1993, "DOOM" introduced millions to the white-knuckle excitement of the first-person shooter (FPS). Relive the classic demon-blasting action with up to four players over Xbox LIVE*, complete with 5.1 surround sound and smoother graphics. "Doom" will be available for 400 Microsoft Points.

With 14 Xbox LIVE Arcade games clocking in with a Metacritic score of 80 or higher, the platform has established itself as the go-to source for quality pick-up-and-play gaming. More than 120 games are currently available on Xbox LIVE Arcade, with new content added on Wednesdays. Specific information about each new title will be available on http://www.xbox.com in the coming weeks, but here is an early look at a few games coming to Xbox LIVE Arcade in the near future:

· "Rocky and Bullwinkle" (Zen Studios Ltd.). Here's something you'll really like! Based on the highly popular US cartoon series of the same name, "Rocky and Bullwinkle" on Xbox LIVE Arcade is a fast and fun party experience packed with over 100 micro-games and decked out in authentic retro art style. All your favourite characters are coming straight out of Frostbite Falls and into your living room: Rocky, Bullwinkle, Boris, Natasha, Dudley Do-Right and many more. Plus, players with an Xbox LIVE Vision camera can control 25 of these games using fun gestures. Gee whiz, Rocky!

· "Shotest Shogi" (AI Factory Ltd. and Rubicon Development Ltd.). Experience a new kind of shogi, Japan's top board game, which encourages complex tactical play and strategic sacrifices. Set in an elegant Japanese room, this beautifully rendered game features 16 challenging artificial intelligence opponents as well as an online multiplayer mode*. For beginners, "Shotest Shogi" on Xbox LIVE Arcade also offers an advanced tutorial that guides and tests players as they progress through the game.

· "TiQal" (Slapdash Games). An addictive new puzzler, "TiQal" takes players on an epic journey to save an ancient Mayan village. Players demolish enemy block walls by matching squares of the same colour and building them up to unleash massive combo points and mind-blowing power-ups. Partner with a friend over local or Xbox LIVE* co-op play to rescue the village, while enjoying sumptuous graphics, exciting sound effects and an awe-inspiring musical score.

· "Wits & Wagers" (Hidden Path Entertainment LLC). Party and trivia fun! Even if trivia isn't your thing, the first trivia and party game to hit Xbox LIVE Arcade is one in which players can win by making educated guesses, playing the odds or just knowing the interests of other players, whether they are local or online. Break out the Big Button Pad controllers or play couch vs. couch on Xbox LIVE for a trivia party extravaganza.

· "Wolf of the Battlefield: Commando 3" (Capcom Entertainment Inc.). Xbox LIVE Arcade's "Wolf of the Battlefield: Commando 3" revives one of the most popular arcade shooters with an all-new adventure. Battle solo or recruit two other specialised commandos to conquer the evil tyrant, General Ratiev. Players can play as Codename Wolf, Coyote or Fox to take on waves of soldiers, rescue POWs and blow up armoured vehicles through a variety of dangerous battlefields.

*Online multiplayer gameplay requires an Xbox LIVE Gold subscription.

New Doom Weapon Rickrolls Demons To Death

Michael McWhertor — Tue, 26 Feb 2008 16:20:00 MST

The most powerful aftermarket Doom weapon? The voice of Rick Astley apparently, as some enterprising Doom fan has created their own tribute to the English singer-songwriter-meme source in the form of a deadly boombox that never gives up. Hey, it may be old(!!!!1) to you, but since we make it a point not to troll /b/ too often, it's news to us. Hilarious, hard hitting news. Thanks for the linklog, Waxy.

John Romero Dishes on "Bitch Ad"

Brian Ashcraft — Wed, 16 Jan 2008 06:40:38 MST

Doom co-creator John Romero and Gamecock's Mike Wilson go way back. Before he founded Gamecock, Mike Wilson was the CEO of Ion Storm, a company Romero founded. In less than a year, he was pushed out. (The company churned out the acclaimed Deus Ex and the not-so acclaimed Daikatana.) But Wilson's gone on to set up Gamecock, which he describes as an "independent film company for small developers." After reading the Gamecock's release schedule right here on Kotaku, Romero blogged this about his former colleague:

I got a chuckle out of reading the reader's comments on the article. People are now starting to get a clue about how Mr. Wilson operates. Hey everyone, he hasn't changed in over 10 years — these are the kinds of jackass stunts he pulled at Ion Storm with Daikatana. Remember the bitch ad? Yeah. He also ran ads ("image ads") that just had pictures of Ion Storm founders, himself and our COO. That was just the beginning of his madness.
It got much worse at Godgames where he pretty much just partied all the time and after the whole thing got reined in by Take 2 he went underground for a while, waiting for his next victim/investor so he could go hogwild all over again. And thus was born Gamecock.

Bitter, John? Perhaps you have every right to be...
Gamecock Release Schedule [planet rome.ro Thanks, Witz!]

Week in Games: The First Crop Edition

fdemarco — Sun, 06 Jan 2008 18:00:00 MST

And here they are, the first crop of games in the new year. Nothing that's probably going to knock your socks off, but it's loads better than the previous two weeks. That said, I am actually looking quite forward to the Harvey Birdman Game. I am both a big Phoenix Wright and harvey Birman fan so this game is a perfect fit. Anyone else going to be checking it out?

Kingdom Under Fire: Circle of Doom (X360)
The Kingdom Under Fire series continues. This time as an RPG.

Sonic Riders: Zero Gravity (WII, PS2)
Sonic is at it again. That little blue ball just keeps on rolling.

Omega Five (X360)
Side scrolling shooter action.

NFL Tour (X360, PS3)
More football from EA Sports.

Harvey Birdman: Attorney at Law (WII, PS2, PSP)
Harvey Birdman goes all Phoenix Wright style

Jackass the Game (DS)
Words cannot describe the horror.

World Championship Paintball (PS2)
Paintball, a kinder, gentler way to shoot your friends.

Dance Dance Revolution: Disney Channel (PS2)
Get down and funky with your favorite Disney Channel Stars. If you actually have any.

Sea Monsters: A Prehistoric Adventure (DS)
Get cozy with creepy underwater dinosaur things.

Circle Of Doom Demo Looms Over Xbox Live

Mike Fahey — Fri, 28 Dec 2007 10:20:31 MST

A playable demo of Kingdom Under Fire: Circle of Doom has found its way up onto Xbox Live today, and I am scared to download it. It's not that I don't have the 1.2GB free space on my hard drive, or that I lack the time to sit down and play it. It's just that they took my beloved action RTS and neutered it into a hack and slash action RPG, and I can't bear to look. It's like being called down to the morgue to identify a loved one, only reversed. You guys download it and tell me if the coast is clear. The two stage demo shouldn't take you too long to work your way through. Does it retain the KUF look and feel? Is that really out-of-place guitar metal still there? Over the past year I've offered my opinion on the playability of countless games, and now it's your turn to do me a favor. Take one for the team!

Demo: KUF:COD Playable Demo [Xbox Live's Major Nelson]

Steam Super Sale Starts Now

Michael McWhertor — Mon, 24 Dec 2007 14:30:00 MST

If you didn't find anything for the PC gamer on your list in our holiday gift guide, you may want to turn to Valve's super duper Steam sale. Everything in the virtual store is between 10% and 50% off, including The Orange Box which is temporarily at the low, low price of $37.45. Other bargains? The id Super Pack, which contains 22 titles for $52.45. Think of the value!

Since Steam now supports gift giving, it's going to be the easiest way to add a last minute Christmas gift that's guaranteed to ship on time. You have until January 1st to enjoy the value added fun.

Steam Storewide Sale - All Games 10-50% Off! [Steam]

iD Consummates Mobile Marriage

bogost — Thu, 15 Nov 2007 11:00:00 MST

iD Software has announced a partnership with Fountainhead Entertainment to create a new mobile games division, iD Mobile. Id and Fountainhead had previously worked together on Doom RPG and Orcs & Elves.

Carmack comments, "We are operating on the assumption that mobile gaming has a potential for huge growth," but one can't help but wonder how much of the success of iD's mobile games (together Doom RPG and Orcs & Elves have sold around 1.5 million copies) has to do with iD's name and not with actual marketplace growth. In any case, iD Mobile certainly demonstrates that iD plans to do this for the long haul.

Id takes its gaming Mobile [USA Today]

Carmack Good At Coding, Making Rockets Explode

Michael McWhertor — Tue, 30 Oct 2007 16:20:52 MDT

Longtime id programmer and technical director John Carmack is good at many, many things—writing and rewriting 3D game engines, typing up .plan files that read like moonspeak, and nearly being successful at simulating lunar landings. Unfortunately, Carmack and his team at Armadillo Aerospace are also quite proficient at blowing up aircraft on the landing pad, throwing them out of competition in the recent Northrop Grumman Lunar Lander Challenge. While the team was successful in getting its modular class rocket off the ground, an engine explosion ultimately kept them grounded.

Don't worry, no one was hurt, including Carmack. He'll still be able to put his typing skills to good use for id's upcoming Rage. You can read all about the harrowing, explosive experience at the official X PRIZE site.

Armadillo Aerospace Nearly Wins Northrop Grumman [X-Prize Foundation]

Korea Getting Korean Superstar

Brian Ashcraft — Thu, 25 Oct 2007 05:00:33 MDT

Xbox Korea recently held its X07 presser, where it unveiled future Xbox 360 titles. Most, and we mean most, of the titles were stuff markets outside Korea are getting or have gotten: BioShock, Ninja Gaiden II, Mass Effect, Viva Piñata and so on. There were two new domestic titles that stood out: Kingdom Under Fire: Circle of Doom from dev Blueside and Superstar from Studio Nine. Microsoft getting Studio Nine is a coup of sorts as the Korean developer has made rhythm games like DDR-style PSP game Pump It Up. Sure, we'll be getting an localized version of Kingdom Under Fire: CoD early next year, but wondering if we'll see Superstar.
X07 Presser [Danawa via Siliconera]

EA & BP Add Global Warming Threat To SimCity

Mike Fahey — Wed, 10 Oct 2007 09:40:52 MDT

Here's a fun new addition to the upcoming SimCity Societies game. EA and BP have teamed up to include climate education in the game...effectively adding the looming threat of global warming to the title. Hooray! While the game doesn't force you to power your city in any specific way, using cheaper, carbon dioxide producing sources of energy will raise the town's carbon ratings, causing disasters like droughts, heat waves, and the like. Alternatively, choosing from a variety of BP Alternative Energy low-carbon power options like hydrogen, natural gas, wind farms and solar power, players keep their cities safe from harm and feel all warm and fuzzy about themselves while learning about some of the causes and consequences of global warming, which may or may not exist depending on your viewpoint. BP was one of the first major energy companies to publicly acknowledge the need to reduce carbon emissions and begin taking precautionary measures, as well as being the world's number one source for food cooked on rollers.

EA And BP Collaborate To Include Climate Education In SimCity Societies
New Game in PC Gaming's Most Popular City-Building Series to Feature Alternatives to Carbon-Producing Energy Sources

REDWOOD CITY-Oct. 10, 2007-Electronic Arts (NASDAQ: ERTS) and BP have collaborated to include climate change education within SimCity Societies, the next iteration in the genre-defining city-building franchise that has sold more than 18 million games to date. The collaboration brings together world-class game building skills and industry expertise on energy, electricity production and greenhouse gas emissions to highlight the impact of electricity generation on the emissions of carbon dioxide that are linked to climate change. The low-carbon electricity choices and monitoring of SimCity's carbon emissions provide an entertaining, fully-integrated and accurate look at some of the causes and some of the major solutions available to combat rising levels of carbon and to help address the threat of global warming. SimCity Societies will be available at retailers across North America and Europe November 15.

"Since their inception in 1989, SimCity games have served as excellent creative and educational tools to convey complex subjects. With SimCity Societies, we have the opportunity not only to demonstrate some of the causes and effects of global warming, but also to educate players how seemingly small choices can have a big global impact," said Steve Seabolt, Vice President of Global Brand Development for The Sims Label at EA. "BP was one of the first major energy companies to publicly acknowledge the need to reduce carbon emissions and begin taking precautionary measures. As such, they are the perfect partner to help educate people on this important social issue in SimCity Societies."

The game does not force players to power their cities any specific way, but allows them to make choices, each of which come with advantages and disadvantages. Similar to real-life, the least expensive and most readily-available buildings in SimCity Societies are also the biggest producers of carbon dioxide, an invisible gas that contributes to global warming. Should players choose to build cities dependent on these types of sources for power to conserve their in-game money, their carbon ratings will rise and, at reaching critical levels, the game will issue alerts about the threat of the various natural disasters like droughts, heat waves and others that may strike their cities.

Alternatively, players can strive to create a greener environment and avoid hazards caused by excessive carbon emissions by choosing from a variety of BP Alternative Energy low-carbon power options. Using hydrogen and natural gas plants to wind farms and solar power, SimCity Societies encourages people to learn about some of the causes and consequences of global warming in an engaging, educational and meaningful way. While these power sources maintain nearby property values and keep the cities' citizens safer from disaster, they also mimic real-life in that they cost players more of their funds, and do not produce as much power as less green options that take up similar space. Informative real-world snippets about power production and conservation will also be available in-game, informing players of global warming issues both virtually and in reality.

"The time was right for this partnership. EA was developing the next iteration of the SimCity series at the same time that we were looking for opportunities to raise awareness about low-carbon power choices," said Carol Battershell, Vice President, BP Alternative Energy. "EA has a powerful reach to the next generation and BP has a suite of low-carbon power alternatives. In our collaboration through this innovative game, we can provide education on the issues surrounding climate change, its association with carbon emissions and the ability to take early positive action through low-carbon power choices."

The SimCity franchise is one of the most popular PC gaming franchises in history, having sold more than 18 million games worldwide to date since the SimCity launch in 1989. Subsequent base game releases include SimCity 2000tm (1993), SimCity 3000tm (1999) and SimCity 4 (2003). SimCity Societies is being published by Electronic Arts and developed by Tilted Mill Entertainment.

###

Halo 3 Disc Read Errors Rampant

Mike Fahey — Thu, 27 Sep 2007 15:30:19 MDT

A storm is brewing in both the Xbox and Bungie forums, where over a hundred posters have now verified that their copies of Halo 3 are causing disc read errors. lockups, and even the dreaded RRoD on their Xbox 360 consoles. From what I can glean from skimming through the 22 pages of replies to the original poster's problem, most of the people affected purchased the standard edition, though a few are reporting having the problem on both the standard and the LE version of the game. Some believe the discs are corrupting the data on the hard disc itself, as some have had their game discs replaced twice or more now with similar results, and removing the hard disc seems to keep the error from occurring with some posters. Some can load the game fine and play it for short bursts before the problem occurs, while others are finding the issue limited to certain game modes. Check out the forum threads for more info on the problems had, and hopefully some official response will be given about the issue soon.

Post here if u having the Disc Read Error [Xbox Forums]
"Cannot read Disk" [Bungie Forums - Thanks Corey]

Kingdom Under Fire Screenshots Of Doom

Mike Fahey — Wed, 12 Sep 2007 10:20:30 MDT

All comparisons to Koei's Kessen series aside, I am a big fan of Microsoft's Kingdom Under Fire series. I loved the first two titles on the Xbox, but I am a little wary of Kingdom Under Fire: Circle of Doom for the 360, which features heroes from the KUF universe fighting their way through the Dark Dimension. It's apparently an action RPG and not my beloved real-time tactics, so the entire flavor of the game has changed. Looks pretty enough, but time will tell if it does the series any justice. Please don't screw up the series!

Hollenshead Talks Wolfenstein Movie

Brian Crecente — Fri, 03 Aug 2007 18:20:39 MDT

While not totally finalized, Todd Hollenshead confirmed with me today rumors that id Software has indeed licensed the film rights to an adaptation of Return to Castle Wolfenstein and that Roger Avary will both be writing and directing the movie.

"We are super excited to have Roger Avary attached to the project," Hollenshead told me. "I met personally with Avary and he has an enormous amount of enthusiasm for the project. That makes us incredibly excited. Movie projects are tough unless you have a really good writer and we want this to be great."

When I mentioned the mixed reaction to the Doom film, Hollenshead first said he loved the movie but then went on to say that they always want to take their previous experiences and "learn to do things better."

Before penning the deal, id folks met with the studio to agree to some "creative guidelines" for the upcoming picture.

"We want to make sure things like BJ is the hero, it's set in World War II and the Nazis are the bad guys," he said. "But a movie does need to be different than the game, so there is going to be some changes made."

He added that id will stay involved in the project as the movie is being made and technically, the deal is still in the works. id just wanted to get the word out there during their annual Quake Con.

This RPG Tastes Like Cinnamon

Mark Wilson — Thu, 02 Aug 2007 15:00:00 MDT

We have no interest in the 80's RPG remakes, little love for the bulky Sega Genesis controller and very limited fondness in the overwhelming scent of cinnamon. But mix the three components together, and you have a fascinating little console we'd spend at least one of our three nuts on.

Greg Sanders is the modder behind this Dungeons of Doom-playing machine. Running off just a 9V battery, the Cinnamonlution (we just made that up but like it alot) can power one Sega controller and video-only RCA out to a television (all audio is through a headphone port).

For those who are feeling crafty, the project was built from just $21.50 in parts. It will also probably cost you any future in hand modeling, as soldering burns don't make for good TV.

The Dungeons of Doom [via playgadgets]

PACHTER WATCH: T2's Costly Manhunt Problems

Mike Fahey — Wed, 20 Jun 2007 08:20:39 MDT

Yesterday was a really bad day for Take Two. First Manhunt 2 is banned completely in the UK and Ireland. Then they reveal that the ESRB has given the dubious distinction of being one of very few non-porn games to recieve an AO rating (GTA San Andreas ironically being one of the others). And now industry analyst extraordinaire Michael "Master P" Pachter is spelling out doom for the franchise and financial trouble for the company over the game.

Stating their options as shipping the game as-is, redoing it for a better rating, or simply canceling the title altogether, Pachter estimates that the fallout of the Manhunt 2 problems will cost the company around half of his original estimate of $40 million in revenue. Going to have to go with him on this. For one, you lose half your market and you're going to lose half the profit. Then there's the word of mouth reaching parents about the game, making them much less likely to fall back on the normal parenting technique of handing over money and nodding noncommittally. Thirdly, he's The Pachter, and his word is sacrosanct. Michael Fahey

Pachter: Manhunt 2 Troubles Will Cost T2 Millions of $$$ [Game Politics]

Week in Games: Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End Edition

fdemarco — Sun, 20 May 2007 19:00:00 MDT

It's a mixed bag of titles this week. We have a movie franchise game, a new RPG, the re-emergence of a classic, a comic card game, mechs, a high school sim and even the simple crossword puzzle. Not a whole lot that's of too much interest to me although I kind of want to see the Pirates game just because those character models are stunning. Anything here you'll be picking up? Flynn De Marco

Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End (X360, PC, PS2, WII, PS3, DS, PSP) Set sail with Capt. Jack Sparrow and grab yourself some booty.

Halo 2 (PC)
The long awaited Vista version finally arrives

Odin Sphere (PS2)
Take a pretty RPG, throw in a little brawling and you've got Odin sphere.

Dawn of Mana (PS2)
The popular Mana series finally gets a follow up.

Naruto: Ninja Council 3 (DS)
More Naruto for your DS

WarTech: Senko no Ronde (X360)
Major mech madness.

Brooktown High: Senior Year (PSP)
Relive the horror of High School all over again.

Death, Jr. and the Science Fair of Doom (DS)
La Petite mort.

Marvel Trading Card Game (DS)
Think, Marvel:The Gathering.

The New York Times Crosswords (DS)
Why wait till Sunday?

CellFactor: Revolution Free, Awesome Costs Extra

Mike Fahey — Tue, 08 May 2007 13:20:50 MDT

Immersion Games and Artificial Studios today have unleashed their new FPS upon the PC gaming world today, CellFactor: Revolution, completely free of charge via GameSpot, FilePlanet, and FileFront. There is a catch, however - you'll need the AGEIA PhysX Processor card in your computer to get full enjoyment out of the game. Before we discuss the merits and setbacks involved with requiring such a specialized processor to play the game, watch this video.

I must have a PhysX card immediately.

Gamers without the card can play through a single player mode and two of the multiplayer levels to get a feel for the game, but the real fun will start when you get up to eight players using psionics and tech to tear the freaking world apart and throw it at each other.

Best Buy sells a PhysX card at their online store for $199, which after watching that video seems completely reasonable. Between CellFactor and Netdevil's Warmonger - Operation Downtown Destruction which is also slated to be released for free, I'm completely sold. A cyclone of swirling words becomes the CellFactor press release, after the jump. Michael Fahey

Experience Mind-Blowing Physics Action In CellFactor: Revolution For The PC; Now Available For Free Download

L.I.M.B.O. Corporation's Recruiting Stations Are Ready To Deploy The Game At FileFront, FilePlanet and Gamespot.

SAN FRANCISCO, May 8, 2007 - CellFactor: Revolution, an intense recruiting tool in the form of a first person shooter PC game is now available for download from FileFront (1UP), FilePlanet (IGN Entertainment) and Gamespot recruiting stations. CellFactor: Revolution challenges gamers' Psionic aptitude and strategic combat abilities in a grueling five level, physics-intensive, gaming environment.

L.I.M.B.O. Corporation has drafted Immersion Games, Artificial Studios and Timeline Interactive to bring CellFactor: Revolution to fruition. L.I.M.B.O. also tapped the power of AGEIA Technologies' PhysX Processor to produce an interactive, physics-based gaming experience. CellFactor: Revolution redefines physical interaction amongst players and the environment. They can manipulate thousands of objects simultaneously causing massive environmental destruction and interact with everything from rolling clouds of toxic gasses, particle beams weapons and dangerous lava; all elements are integral to the stimulating and highly intensive gameplay.

L.I.M.B.O. Corporation and the United Nations (U.N.) are currently the last two remaining power factions fighting for control of Earth. L.I.M.B.O.'s main purpose is to rebuild the world over the ashes of the imperfect and rusted human race. By injecting nanobots into its test subjects, L.I.M.B.O Corporation has fused man and machine. In doing so, it has successfully brought to life a new race of mechanically and cybernetically-enhanced, superior human forms. The GUARD, an elite military group formed by the United Nations, has been recruited to protect and defend international humanitarian rights. They are the only ones strong enough to stand up to L.I.M.B.O. Corporation, which has refused to recognize the power of the U.N.

"Our recruitment standards are high, but so is our mission," said a L.I.M.B.O. Corporation representative. "We need the best and strongest recruits to join our cause. CellFactor: Revolution will test their mental and physical aptitude and show us who is worthy to join the new race."

In CellFactor: Revolution players can master three unique character classes with a mix of Psionic, technological or weapon abilities.

Black Ops - This U.N. Soldier was L.I.M.B.O.'s first genetic alteration experiment using Psionic power; he has a mix of Psionic, unique weapons and vehicular abilities.

Guardian - L.I.M.B.O.'s ultimate mechanical soldier. Guardian wields two weapons, can strike his victims down with quick assault and can tear through anything in his path.

Bishop - Genetically altered by L.I.M.B.O., the Bishop wields hypercharged Psionic powers in lieu of mechanical weapons. All of her abilities rely on physics and manipulating the environment around her as a weapon.

"This is has been an exciting and very rewarding project that pushed boundaries both artistically and technically," said Julian Castillo, art director, lead designer and co-owner of Immersion Games. "By incorporating the PhysX processor into the game, we've introduced a whole new range of gameplay possibilities. We're eagerly anticipating stories of players favorite kills."

Jeremy Stieglitz, president of Artificial Studios added, "CellFactor: Revolution is a new kind of competitive first person shooter, which emphasizes massive physical interactivity to take down your opponents. I'm very excited that gamers can now experience this intense action whether it's at a LAN party, fighting AI bots or designing new environments with the modding tools."

CellFactor: Revolution caters to players with and without the AGEIA PhysX card. The game automatically detects systems with a PhysX card, offering players the option to progress through a single-player campaign mode that includes three "extreme PhysX" levels. PhysX users can also challenge humans and AI-enemies in four LAN-based multiplayer modes. The multiplayer skirmish game types support up to eight humans and 10 artificial intelligence controlled enemies, either in a PhysX hardware only, or software only mode. Gamers without a PhysX processor can play two levels in skirmish modes or choose to install the processor to enable the full game experience.

"The sheer entertainment value of PhysX in CellFactor: Revolution cannot be overstated," said Manju Hegde, CEO of AGEIA Technologies, Inc. "We're honored to work with cutting-edge development teams who have used PhysX technology as the backbone for this fun and original experience, now available for the masses."

Built on flexible code architecture, CellFactor: Revolution will ship with modding tools. Gamers can use these tools to build new game settings and scenarios.

To download the game for free, please visit any of the following recruiting stations: www.gamespot.com; www.filefront.com brought to you by 1UP; www.fileplanet.com hosted by IGN Entertainment. Visit the newly redesigned www.cellfactorrevolution.com website to download game assets, read developer interviews and more.

Our Love Is Like An FPS

Mike Fahey — Mon, 09 Apr 2007 13:20:47 MDT

As a gamer, I can relate when someone uses a gaming term or analogy to refer to their love life. Girlfriend aggro used to be a big issue before she got hooked on World of Warcraft with me, for instance. It's normal to superimpose aspects of your favorite hobby over your personal life. Just not the entirety of your personal life, like Boyd over at the Mingle2 dating blog has done, comparing a relationship with his ex to playing Doom II.
my ex was like playing DOOM II on nightmare mode.

I want to cheat on you
I'm trapped in this relationship and IDDQD and IDKFA are starting to sound very appealing. I'm a man of ethics, however, and I'm going to endure this masochistic adventure as honestly as I can. (Plus, the sex is still great)

If you can sum up an entire relationship using Doom II, you're probably better off just sticking to gaming with occasional breaks for porn. Michael Fahey

How dating my ex was like playing DOOM II on nightmare mode [Mingle2.com - Thanks Andrew!]

S.T.A.L.K.E.R. Swiping From Doom 3, Half-Life 2?

Michael McWhertor — Fri, 06 Apr 2007 21:40:25 MDT

Shacknews has a great roundup on the current controversy surrounding GSC Game World's recently released PC shooter S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Shadow of Chernobyl. The ruckus, originally uncovered by posters at the MapCore forums, stems from a series of lighting textures and water textures included in S.T.A.L.K.E.R. that appear to be ripped directly from id's Doom 3 and Valve's Half-Life 2.

It appears slimy, as little to nothing appears changed with each asset save some filename changes. A very damning "lights_impflash.dds" appears in GSC's list of assets, referencing one of Doom 3's more memorable creatures.

Shacknews has mirrored the shots of the files in question and even has comment from id's Todd Hollenshead who calls the issue "concerning." We'll update as this story develops. Michael McWhertor

Half-Life 2, Doom 3 Assets in S.T.A.L.K.E.R.? [Shacknews]

PS3 Breaks Sales Records In UK

Michael McWhertor — Mon, 26 Mar 2007 16:20:30 MDT

To read coverage of the recent European (and Australian!) PLAYSTATION 3 launch here and elsewhere may lead gamers to envision Sony execs weaping over mountains of unsold stock and staffers leaping from rooftops from the resounding failure. But you'd be wrong—it wasn't that bad. In fact, according to gaming industry mag MCV, it was good. Record breaking, even!

MCV reports that some 165,000 PS3s were sold to gamers in the UK over the weekend, besting initial weekend sales figures by console rivals Wii and Xbox 360. Shocking.

It wasn't quite a sell-out, unfortunately, but that's what Sony Europe bigwig David Reeves wanted. The man hates sell-outs! Hates 'em! Looks like everything's going according to the master plan then, eh, David? Michael McWhertor

Record-breaking 165,000 PS3s sold at UK launch [MCV]

Clip: Yoshi Meets His DOOM

Brian Ashcraft — Thu, 08 Mar 2007 03:00:15 MST

Just like Paddington Bear, this mod hails from Peru and popped up online last summer. Apparently, we missed it the first time, and it's once again making the internet rounds. It's DOOM mashed with Mario, and every time Yoshi screams right before he dies, I feel sad. Brian Ashcraft

Mario Doom [The Last Boss]

DHOOM 2 Game Coming. Yes, DHOOM.

Brian Ashcraft — Fri, 09 Feb 2007 05:00:42 MST

DHOOM 2: BACK IN ACTION! DHOOM: 2 BACK IN ACTION!! Everyone say it with me, DHOOM 2: BACK IN ACTION!!!

I have never seen DHOOM 1 or this sequel (above), but any Bollywood poster that features a dude in a Rolling Stones shirt shows definite ass-kicking cinematic promise (and by default, it's got to be way better than the DOOM flick). A quick look at the Wikipedia tells me that this picture sparked controversy and a court case over, well, a kiss — The Bollywood equivalent of full-on penetration.

Okay! So feature film DHOOM 2 is going to be made into a video game. Due out at the year's end, the game-adaptation will feature characters from the hit movie, and says Yashraj Films CEO Sanjeev Kohli:

Gaming is fast gaining acceptance among our target audience and this is the first time an Indian movie is being extended into a game. Dhoom had become a favorite film with youngsters and Dhoom 2 has gone a step beyond. The Dhoom 2 video game will feature characters from the movie as well as all the action and excitement our fans have come to expect.

Looking forward to that eventual hand-holding Hot Curry mod. Brian Ashcraft

DHOOM Game Coming [Cathode Tan]

Vista Leaves Carmack Cold

Brian Ashcraft — Fri, 12 Jan 2007 04:22:55 MST

This week's quote-machine John Carmack has already voiced his opinion on the PS3 and Nintendo. And he doesn't stop there. Oh, no, in that long Game Informer sitdown, Carmack dishes up his feelings on Microsoft's Vista, saying:

Nothing is going to help a new game by going to a new operating system. There were some clear wins going from Windows 95 to Windows XP for games, but there really aren't any for Vista... They're really grasping at straws for reasons to upgrade the operating system. I suspect I could run XP for a great many more years without having a problem with it.

That sure's blunt. Can't wait for Carmack impressions on the iPhone, cold feet and moldy oranges! Brian Ashcraft

Vista... Meh [Games Industry]

Carmack Prefers 360 to PS3

Brian Ashcraft — Thu, 11 Jan 2007 07:20:27 MST

PS3 or Xbox 360? Quickly, which do you like? John Carmack (creator of Doom, Quake ) has been "pulling" for Microsoft. While he likes the PS3 better than the PS2 and doesn't think the new console is ugly, Carmack just isn't crazy about the PS3 dev tools. He says:

But the honest truth is that Microsoft dev tools are so much better than Sony's. We expect to keep in mind the issues of bringing this up on the PlayStation 3... they're not helpful to the developers... I suspect they're not going to overwhelmingly crush the marketplace this time, which wasn't clear a year ago. A lot of people were thinking it's going to be a rerun of the last generation, and it's now looking like it might not be. I've been pulling for Microsoft, because I think they've done a better job for development support, and I think they have made somewhat smarter decisions on the platform. It's not like the PlayStation 3 is a piece of junk or anything. I was not a fan of the PlayStation 2 and the way its architecture was set up. With the PlayStation 3, it's not even that it's ugly—they just took a design decision that wasn't the best from a development standpoint.

And just look at that pooh face he makes while talking about the PS3! Brian Ashcraft

Carmack On PS3 Dev [Game Informer via 1Up]

Carmack Eyes DS

Brian Ashcraft — Tue, 09 Jan 2007 03:22:29 MST

John Carmack, the man that brought us Doom, is now bringing us a cell phone game Orcs and Elves and possibly a DS version of, well, Orcs and Elves. The game is an old style RPG. Carmack tells Wired's Chris Kohler:

We're hoping to do a DS game version of Orcs and Elves, moving over and enhancing the cell phone game on there, which would be our first real direct entry back into the Nintendo world.

Entry back into the Nintendo world?

We've never had a close, good relationship with Nintendo from like way back... and we were always just kind of peeved at the whole Nickelodeon censor arrangement with Nintendo. So we've kept them at arm's length for many console generations now.

Good news. Heck, I'd be interested to see a Carmack Wii-shooter. Who wouldn't? Brian Ashcraft

Carmack Nintendo Keen [Game|Life]

QuakeCon 07 Announced

Michael McWhertor — Mon, 18 Dec 2006 21:20:36 MST

Stop showering now, Quake and Doom fans. You have less than eight months to build up a respectable gamer odor before the next, newly announced QuakeCon. The yearly event is scheduled to take place August 2-5, 2007 at the Hilton Anatole Hotel in Dallas, Texas.

The best part? It's FREE! It's always free—minus travel expenses, hotel room, parking, food and requisite PC upgrades, that is. Check out the official site for more info and get your room reservations in early.

Hopefully, we'll be in attendance, as we're suckers for those John Carmack keynotes. They're riveting! Michael McWhertor

It's beginning to look a lot like...QUAKECON 2007!