Kotaku: Gas Powered Games

Dungeon Siege 3 Hero Could Fly Solo

Mike Fahey — Fri, 06 Jun 2008 10:20:00 MDT

With Space Siege deep in development, many fans of Gas Powered Games' previous efforts have grumbled at the change in venue from the fantasy world of Dungeon Siege to the depths of space. Worry not, yon fantasy fans, as GPG founder Christ Taylor reveals to Eurogamer.de that Dungeon Siege 3 is indeed in the works...though some major changes might be separating it from the first two entries in the series.

"There will be some things that are very much like Dungeon Siege 1 and 2, but some things will be simplified. I am done with multi-character parties; I really think that it's all going to be about a single hero. It's too much to manage," he says.

While it might be a bit jarring to fans of the first two games, it would certainly give Diablo enthusiasts something to think about.

Dungeon Siege 3 ohne Party [Eurogamer.De via ActionTrip]

Space Siege Is Full Of Space Win

Mike Fahey — Thu, 29 May 2008 13:00:00 MDT

Ever since the Expedition to the Barrier Peaks module for the original pen and paper dungeon and dragons, I have firmly believed that anything in a fantasy setting becomes at least twenty times as awesome if you drop it into an outer space setting.

With that in mind, I present you Sega's trailer for Gas Powered Games space-themed follow-up to Dungeon Siege, Space Siege. Just the name alone, going by the classic "Add Space To Anything" rule, is full of epic win. So says Space Fahey.

Demigod Gets Publisher, Slips To 2009

Mike Fahey — Mon, 07 Apr 2008 10:20:00 MDT

Clever press release writers, knowing that the longer the release the less likely we are to read all the way to the end. I nearly missed out on the delay of Gas Powered Games' upcoming RTS RPG Demigod in this announcement concerning a publishing agreement reached with Stardock of Sins of a Solar Empire and Object Desktop fame. Stardock will be handling publishing duties and digital delivery of Demigod for the PC, originally slated for a late 2008 release. The reason for the delay?

To fully support a public beta that will launch this summer, the launch date for Demigod has been moved to February 2009. This will give the development team sufficient time to incorporate feedback from the beta players while polishing the game.

In order to play early, we must first learn to play late. Very zen. To further distract us from the delay, here's some screenshots.

Stardock, Gas Powered Games Partner For Upcoming Demigod
- Demigod to Feature No On-Disc Copy Protection; Set to Launch February 2009 -

PLYMOUTH, MI - April 7, 2008 - Stardock and Gas Powered Games announced today that they have reached a publishing agreement for Gas Powered Games' upcoming PC game, Demigod.

Demigod is a team-based action game with RTS and RPG elements. Players take control of a massive Demigod with the goal of annihilating their opponent's position in a given arena while preventing the opponent's Demigod from doing the same to them. Although the game supports superb one-on-one duels, the title will truly shine in team play either with other human-controlled Demigods or with ones controlled by a sophisticated computer AI. As the game progresses, the player's Demigod will acquire items, attributes and experience.

Gas Powered Games, having become one of the leading PC game developers with hit titles such as Dungeon Siege and Supreme Commander chose Stardock as its exclusive worldwide PC publisher in part because of Stardock's tremendous success with the award-winning Sins of a Solar Empire and Galactic Civilizations.

"Forging our new partnership with Stardock is a big deal for all of us at GPG, and we couldn't be more excited about it," said Chris Taylor, founder and CEO of Gas Powered Games. "Not only do we have a proven retail publisher, but we get to partner with a pioneer in the digital distribution space... a company that totally understands what kind of experience our customer wants and the quality game they demand. The whole proposition is truly refreshing."

Stardock's most recent release, Sins of a Solar Empire was the top selling PC strategy game at retail according to NPD, and the second highest selling PC game overall despite selling immense numbers of copies digitally which are not counted in sales rankings. The game has received universally high reviews in the media and many have noted how seamlessly Stardock and developer Ironclad worked together.

"We're very excited at the opportunity to work with Gas Powered Games," said Brad Wardell, president and CEO of Stardock. "By integrating our teams and working together, we will be able to create something that represents the best of both teams."

To fully support a public beta that will launch this summer, the launch date for Demigod has been moved to February 2009. This will give the development team sufficient time to incorporate feedback from the beta players while polishing the game. Like Stardock's other games, Demigod will be released without any on-disc copy protection and has been budgeted to receive many months of free post-release feature updates.

The official website for Demigod is in the works, but users who want to begin discussing the game can visit http://www.demigodthegame.com.

Supreme Commander 2 Waiting For PCs Of The Distant Future

Luke Plunkett — Tue, 01 Apr 2008 02:30:00 MDT

Supreme Commander creator Chris Taylor has big ideas for Supreme Commander 2. Ideas involving extra factions. Thing is, he can't execute on them. Not yet, anyways. Because modern PCs, with their SLis and quad cores and whatnot, just aren't capable of doing what he wants them to do:

... the only thing stopping me from doing it [adding new factions] on any sequel is memory. I've been told by my engineers that for Supreme Commander 2, I don't have enough memory in a PC with 4GB of RAM to have more factions.

I'd like to think he's joking, but after what they pulled on the first Supreme Commander, he may well not be. And if not, anyone wanting more SC factions (and I bet loads more stuff) will just have to wait for the future to become the present.
Taylor: Hardware stalling Supreme Commander 2 [PC Zone, via CVG]

Chris Taylor - Secure PC Gaming Is The Future

Mike Fahey — Wed, 27 Feb 2008 10:20:56 MST

If PC gaming is to survive, the old ways must die. So says Gas Powered Games boss Chris Taylor, who believes that rampant piracy will kill the industry unless a move is made towards secure games - games hosted on a server that require player authentication in order to play. In fact, Taylor says that such a move could not only save PC gaming, but potentially lower prices all around.

"It inconveniences a little but now they know why. And then we can get the economics back in line and maybe we can actually start offering it up at a lower price point in the future. So it will come around full circle"

The man has a valid point. PC game piracy is one of the most prevalent types, mainly because it is the easiest - just download and go. I've often wondered how PC developers felt knowing that the moment the game they worked so hard on hit store shelves it would be up on the internet for free. What do you think? A bit of hassle in exchange for a healthier industry and the potential for lower prices in the long run? Certainly sounds fair to me.

Secure PC gaming could bring prices down - Taylor [GamesIndustry.biz]

Uwe Boll's Dungeon Siege Unleashed

Mike Fahey — Fri, 11 Jan 2008 08:20:03 MST

The Montreal Film Journal raves about In The Name Of The King: A Dungeon Siege Tale: "Fuck "The Lord Of The Rings", this is how it's done!" Of course the reviewer then goes on to explain that he is lying, but for one, shining moment you can almost imagine Uwe Boll getting the tiniest bit of a stiffy. His latest film opens today in theaters across North America, and from the reviews I have read so far it almost sounds worth going to see just how amazingly terrible it is. My personal favorite so far comes from Rick Groen of the Globe and Mail, who took a sort of liveblogging approach to the review.

7:15 p.m. Flick finally starts. Appear to be in a medieval castle. The bedroom. Naked Ray Liotta spoons naked Leelee Sobieski. Close-up of Ray. Looks like he just jetted first-class into Middle Ages. Straight from Goodfellas. That's some Witness Protection Program.

Oh screw it, I'm going. I'll let you know how it turns out if I don't die laughing.

Gas Powered Games Unveils Demigod To Good Peons

Michael McWhertor — Thu, 03 Jan 2008 17:40:29 MST

The latest issue of Games For Windows *checks mailbox* should be arriving at subscriber's doors any day now, but 1UP teases one of the mag's reveals today, Gas Powered Games' Demigod. The follow up to Supreme Commander borrows from Defense of the Ancients, bringing a multiplayer-focused (demi)god game that blends role-playing, strategy and action into one tasty supernatural package. Like Defense of the Ancients for Warcraft III, hero focused combat is the name of the game. Only one screen, available at 1UP, is only display, but the coming issue of GFW is promised to have many more.

Demigod Revealed [1UP]

Supreme Commander Shines On The 360

Mike Fahey — Tue, 18 Dec 2007 16:30:17 MST

Well speak of the devil! X-Play's 2008 Best Strategy Game award-winner Supreme Commander is heading to the 360 early next year, perhaps gunning for the top spot among the 360's library of strategy titles, which mainly consists of PC RTS games it has already beaten. How were they beaten? Giant killer robots. 9 out of 10 dentists recommend giant killer robots along with regular brushing to help prevent tooth decay, according to the national bureau of stuff Fahey just made up. It's true!*
*- It's a lie.

Gaming Should Be More Like Mowing The Lawn

Mark Wilson — Mon, 26 Nov 2007 12:00:22 MST

We run developer quotes a lot here on Kotaku, but this one might go down in history as extra special. From Dungeon Siege/Supreme Commander/Total Annihilation's Chris Taylor, this is what it should feel like to play a video game:

When I ride the lawnmower I don't think about steering and cutting grass... I think about life. I think about work. I think about things I have to do. I recharge - charge my batteries up.

He continues:

When I finish mowing the lawn, I haven't done a chore - I'm actually ready to take on something. That's what I think gaming needs to be.

Taylor, you need a push mower to balance out your life a bit. But we know what you mean. Sometimes we're so tired after working all day, our minds aren't sharp enough to keep up with a game. Or after playing all Sunday, we're not mentally rested enough for Monday...or Tuesday, Wednesday, etc.

That's it, we're going on strike. Suck it, great video games we've been waiting years for! We just bought a new Toro.

Supreme Commander dev has intriguing ideas for games [gamesradar] [image]

Chris Taylor Talks Weepy Gamers

Mark Wilson — Wed, 24 Oct 2007 12:20:51 MDT

You've heard of Gas Powered Games founder Chris Taylor before from games like Total Annihilation, Supreme Commander and the Dungeon Sieges. And while they're all good game in their own right, none of them are real tear jerkers (other than, possibly, the occasion tears of my opponents as they're crushed...nm, even I can't keep up this full of crap tirade). So when someone like Taylor starts talking teary-eyed gamers, we get interested.

Hollywood has a cry button...That's damn refined art...It's like science. They were in a lab researching it and refining it. It's the science of refining the art and the tools and it'll take us years and years.

But that doesn't mean he's going to stop trying with his upcoming RPG Space Siege...potential spoiler alert:

The first time you play through you're probably going to say 'yes, yes, yes - give me the cybernetics' and you're going to be a hulking cybernetic master...But you're ending's going to reflect that - you'll walk into a room and people will scream and be like 'who the hell is that?! That's the hero?!
Freaking brilliant. It sounds like Too Human, but they get to the point in one game. Can games make you cry? [cvg]

Supreme Commander 2 Confirmed

Mike Fahey — Thu, 28 Jun 2007 08:20:09 MDT

Back in February of this year Gas Powered Games unleashed Supreme Commander on the PC gaming public, delighting both RTS and giant robot fans everywhere with its focus on story and the awesome strategic zoom. Now publisher THQ has announced that a sequel will be strategically zooming to a PC near you this November.

Supreme Commander: Forged Alliance is a standalone sequel to SupCom that will feature over 100 new units, a new single-player campaign, and an entirely new faction taking up arms in the Infinite War, as was hinted at by events in the first installment.

"Supreme Commander: Forged Alliance is not only the continuation of the epic story that is unfolding inside the game's universe, it is the continuation of our goal to move the bar for RTS gaming even higher than ever," says Chris Taylor, CEO of Gas Powered Games

This really isn't much of a surprise to those who played through Supreme Commander, but it's nice to finally put a date with Princess Rhianne's shocked, "...no!" Michael Fahey

THQ unveils Supreme Commander: Forged Alliance [Eurogamer]

Consoles to Get Gas Powered

Mike Fahey — Fri, 20 Apr 2007 10:20:21 MDT

The developers behind PC hits Dungeon Siege and more recently Supreme Commander have confirmed that along with more SC goodness, they are hard at work on an original title for a next-generation console. Once again, job postings act as a source of gaming news:

"Projects include PC titles within the Supreme Commander franchise, PC titles with original IP and something new - an original IP that is the company's first next-generation console project"

So will this new game be an RTS? An RPG? The company says the project will come as a surprise to fans of their previous work, so they're probably straying from those two genres. I'll go ahead and guess puzzle-based Japanese dating sim, because when details finally appear you'll have long forgotten this post anyway.

Gas Powered Games confirms console project [GamesIndustry.biz]

Frankenreview: Supreme Commander (PC)

Mark Wilson — Thu, 01 Mar 2007 10:30:42 MST

To some, it's enough to be a commander. But to others, militaristic exultation is more difficult to grasp...some need to not just command, but command supremely.

THQ and Gas Powered Games' new RTS, Supreme Commander, is the brainchild of Total Annihilation veteran Chris Taylor. And it's also the topic of our Frankenreview for this week: the only review you will ever need to read about SC, complete with a money back guarantee of total review supremecy. So hit the jump to see if Taylor's new game is any good. Hint: it's really freakin' good.

Sci Fi Weekly
Where conventional RTS games split tactical and strategic layers into a "zoomed-in" tactical window and a strategic "zoomed-out" minimap, Supreme Commander integrates both into a single, uninterrupted view. Want to see the entire map at once? Roll the mousewheel back a few times. Close-up? Roll it forward...As the zoom range increases, your planes, ships and infantry transform into tiny 2-D symbols...like figures on a half-time whiteboard...[it's] Supreme Commander's essential claim to inspiration.

Eurogamer
Just be warned - it's an exhausting game...In striving to be the ultimate RTS, it accentuates everything that those don't get on with strategy games despise the most. It's a game of constant management on multiple fronts, of the paper-rock-scissors combat mechanic, of tactical thinking and total familiarity with each of its many units. It's the Bible of RTSes - one man's revered tome is another's tedious gibberish...It's admirable consistency on the game's part, but sometimes, I just wish that it'd give me a bit of a break.

Actiontrip
Supreme Commander features impressive looking explosions and highly detailed unit models, on top of a variety of additional visual effects...[but] anybody out there not packing a dual-core rig and a reasonably powerful GPU, is in for frequent frame-rate issues (as soon as units start appearing in hundreds on the battlefield) ...[but] players will become hooked on Supreme Commander's fluent gameplay, without worrying about the game's overall appearance.

Strategy Informer
AI is always the Achilles heel for RTS games, and even Supreme Commander cannot escape...it can fall short on occasions especially if island battles are involved, they'll pour out ground units but then 'forget' to actually transport them. This means you'll be seeing a real mess pile up on their shores, which can become easy pickings for some well placed battleships off the shoreline...it can also hinder performance as the computer becomes bogged down with so many creations needing CPU time.

Rocky Mountain News
My favorite aspect of Supreme Commander is how well it handles the issuing and queuing of multiple commands.It's easy to tell one unit to go out and build a factory, then repair a unit, then build some wall, then reclaim destroyed units without having to follow it around, constantly issuing new orders.And it's just as easy to command multiple squads of units from around the map to launch a coordinated attack on a single target...[but] I found the single-player campaigns; there is one lengthy campaign for each faction, unnecessarily limited.

Command Supremecy sounds like a keeper if you are an RTS buff and have the computer to handle it. Too bad I only fit one of those two categories. Mark Wilson

Gas Powered Games Next Title a Comedy?

Brian Crecente — Fri, 16 Feb 2007 10:00:01 MST

GamesIndustry reports that Gas Powered Games, still entrenched in the final tweaks for Supreme Commander development, are already hard at work on hyping their next title: a console comedy.

You've previously worked as a stand-up comedian. Would you ever do a comedy game? Do you think that's worthwhile?
"Actually, well, we've got something we think is going to be very funny, very entertaining... When you get this next game, a couple years from now, and you're like, 'Okay, finally, I get to check out what this guy's talking about,' you're going to sit back, you're going to relax, you're going to enjoy yourself. And you're going to go, 'Oh, I know what he means now.' That's the next thing I want to try to do."

Very funny indeed...Brian Crecente

Powered Up [GamesIndustry, via 1Up]

Supreme Commander E306 Trailer

brownlee — Fri, 12 May 2006 06:20:20 MDT

God, this game makes me wish someone would just go out and invent already the cybernetic brain interface required for me to actually be able to beat an RTS game. The deformed fetal nubs that have replaced my arms after a life-time of subterranean basement sloth aren't really good for the rapid-fire pressings of a foreign language of hot keys.

Only complaint about this amazing trailer? Where's Derek Smart?