Kotaku: touchstone

Five New Turok Maps Tomorrow

Mike Fahey — Wed, 26 Mar 2008 11:20:00 MDT

Touchstone is just tickled pink that Turok has shipped over a million copies worldwide, and to thank all of those players who dropped cash on the re-envisioned franchise, they're giving us a chance to spend some more money on tomorrow's Velociraptor Pack (because it sounds cool), which contains five new multiplayer maps for the price of 400 Microsoft Points or 5 PlayStation 3 "Dollars".

"Turok has captured the imagination of video game players throughout the world," said Craig Relyea, senior vice president of global marketing, Touchstone. "We're now able to expand the multiplayer experience with the release of new maps. These five new maps are sure to satisfy Turok players who are hungry for more multiplayer challenges."

One of the new maps, Co-Op, is obviously a co-op map, while two of the five are simply relit versions of existing maps. Yes, they made Testing Grounds and A Heated Rivalry dark and put em up for sale! I might hold out for the next pack, rumored to include palette-swapped maps. Hit the jump for more details, as well as the release date for the PC version of the game.

TUROK'S DINOSAURS RUN RAMPANT WITH MORE THAN 1 MILLION UNITS SHIPPED WORLDWIDE
Touchstone Also Announces Velociraptor Pack — Five New Multiplayer Downloadable Maps to be Available on Xbox LIVE Marketplace and PLAYSTATION Network Tomorrow

Release Date of Windows-Based PC Version Revealed

BURBANK, Calif. - (March 26, 2008) - The ravenous dinosaurs of Turok have made their mark all over the globe as Touchstone announced today the intense first person shooter has shipped more than 1 million units worldwide. The company also announced that the dinosaur-infested multiplayer mode of Turok will soon expand with the release of the Velociraptor Pack, five new downloadable maps. The new Turok downloadable maps will be available on Xbox LIVE® Marketplace for the Xbox 360® video game and entertainment system from Microsoft for 400 Microsoft Points and on PLAYSTATION®Network for PLAYSTATION®3 computer entertainment system for $4.99 starting on Thursday, March 27, 2008.

"Turok has captured the imagination of video game players throughout the world," said Craig Relyea, senior vice president of global marketing, Touchstone. "We're now able to expand the multiplayer experience with the release of new maps. These five new maps are sure to satisfy Turok players who are hungry for more multiplayer challenges."

Turok players of all skill levels can play the existing 10 maps with the development team from Propaganda Games. A Turok "Game With Dev" is scheduled for today Wednesday, March 26 from 3-6 p.m. PST on Xbox LIVE® online entertainment network.

Touchstone also announced an April 22, 2008 release date for the Windows-based PC version of Turok, the sci-fi first person shooter. Developed by Propaganda Games, the Windows-based PC version has been optimized for PC by Aspyr Studios. The game will give PC fans the opportunity to experience the engaging, story-driven single player experience and multiplayer modes for up to 16 players. The PC version, which will enable both the mouse and keyboard or a game controller, will be available for $49.99. The new downloadable content for the console versions will be available for Windows-based PC soon after that version's release.

Of the five new Turok downloadable maps for consoles, two are completely new multiplayer maps, one is a new co-op map and two are relit versions of popular multiplayer maps available with the game. Below is a brief description of the five new maps:

* Co-Op - A brand new Turok co-op map for 2-4 players. In this co-op map your Whiskey Company squad has been captured and is being held in a Mendel-Gruman facility designed for holding dinosaurs. You and your team have to break out and make it to the rescue chopper before the Wolf Pack troops decide to feed you to the captured raptors.

* Desolation - A brand new swamp-based map where simple structures are set up alongside a rock cliff to allow helicopters and transports into the area to bring in supplies. There are many hiding spots on this multi-level map which enables numerous quiet kill opportunities.

* Sentinel - Another new multiplayer map and one of the largest Turok maps to date. The setting takes place at the top of a mountain around one of Kane's orbital defense arrays - the very base that shot down the Whiskey Company ship from orbit in the single-player campaign. Also, the presence of a few large dinosaurs on the map can make things very interesting during multiplayer combat.

* Inconclusive Tests - This time the Testing Grounds map takes place at night and offers a different view of the world that now contains more dark hiding spots. A word of caution — watch out for the raptors.

* A Rivalry Continues - As the name suggests, the struggle for the compound from A Heated Rivalry is not over and has extended into the eerie darkness of the night.

Turok, the epic, sci-fi first person shooter, provides an opportunity to interact with dinosaurs like never before. Published by Touchstone and developed by Propaganda Games, Turok is a unique and gritty first person shooter that immerses players into a world of dinosaurs. Turok has a robust online multiplayer feature with a variety of modes and maps for up to 16 players. Competitive multiplayer modes include Capture the Flag, Assault-style Capture the Flag, Deathmatch, Team Deathmatch and War Games, a special objective-based game mode. Turok's co-op feature allows up to four players to team up online in maps inspired by the single-player story but designed specifically for the co-op mode. Unique to Turok, and like the game's single-player campaign, the multiplayer modes include dinosaurs and large insects, which may attack any player and can be lured to attack opponents.

Developed by Propaganda Games, Touchstone's development studio in Vancouver, British Columbia, Turok is rated M for Mature by the Entertainment Software Rating Board (ESRB). The console version is available in stores now for the Xbox 360® video game and entertainment system from Microsoft and PLAYSTATION®3 computer entertainment system for $59.99.

A separate Turok mobile game developed by Living Mobile Studios is now available across carrier or by texting the word TUROK to the number 55655 to download directly to a mobile phone. As Turok, the player must use a mixture of cunning stealth and brutal force to defeat enemies and hordes of fierce dinosaurs in a classic side-scrolling action game. The game includes the ability to hide in the shadows to sneak up on enemies for Quiet Kills or to blast away with a full arsenal, including a bow and knife.

For more information about Turok, log on to www.turok.com.

Xbox 360 VS. PS3 Turok Edition

Mark Wilson — Fri, 08 Feb 2008 13:40:12 MST

Up until now, I couldn't get enough Xbox 360 vs. PlayStation 3 side-by-sides. But after this direct HDMI feed from Turok, my mind is mush. The opening blacks look far better on the 360, but you lose sight of any contrast difference by the middle of the clip comparisons. Sometimes the PS3 has better textures, sometimes it doesn't. Sometimes the PS3's full RGB gamut offers colors that pop a bit more, sometimes it doesn't. Bottom line: if you have Turok for either of these next gen systems, you're doing fine. And it seems that publishers are getting far better about their cross-platform quality control.

UPDATE: It would appear that there was no control for the 7.5 IRE black level difference between US and Japanese NTSC standards.

Can Someone Tell Touchstone Turok Came Out Three Days Ago?

fdemarco — Sun, 03 Feb 2008 08:00:00 MST

I've received quite a few emails this weekend from people saying they had picked up copies of Turok at their local stores. While it's not out of the ordinary for a game's street date to be broken by a single outlet, according to Best Buy, GameStop, GameCrazy and Wal-mart the game came out three days ago on Jan. 31. Apparently no one told this to the game's publisher, Touchstone. The official Turok website has a countdown clock that still has a little over two days left on it. The press materials and game websites like IGN and Gamespot also have it listed as a February 5th release. Is this a matter of a mass mistake on the retailers' part or is Touchstone being sneaky and letting the cat out of the bag early on purpose?

Turok - Awakening The Giants Part Four

Mike Fahey — Wed, 30 Jan 2008 11:20:52 MST

Part four of Touchstone's five-part making of series Turok: Awakening The Giants is here, and finally they touch on the portion of the game I was most interested in - the voice actors. After a brief bit about level design, we get to see actors like Ron Perlman, Donnie Wahlberg, and Stargate's Christopher Judge take a turn at lending their pipes to to game's heroes and villains. I don't think I will ever get used to seeing Judge without that golden Goa'uld forehead dealie. They seem to have managed to wrangle up every actor with a deep, rumbly voice ever, so expect your bass to get a real workout once Turok launches next week.

The Turok Demo Is Here! (In North America)

Mark Wilson — Tue, 29 Jan 2008 11:40:03 MST

For those who reside in Canada, Mexico and the Unites States, the Turok Xbox 360 demo is finally available on LIVE. Even through the rest of the world may have already decided that the game kinda blows, it's not for them to choose! Download it for youself and decide! It's a free country, and from what we understand of that designation, we can download demos for free. And, you know, not be charged for the full price of the game to try it out. Ain't America/Mexico and Canada great?

Demo: Turok (North America) [MajorNelson]

Turok - Awakening The Giants Part III

Mike Fahey — Thu, 24 Jan 2008 10:20:37 MST

Touchstone's Turok making-of series Awakening the Giants continues this week with a look at creating the game's antagonists. The team at Propaganda lay out how the artificial intelligence was developed for both the savage, bloodthirsty dinosaurs and the cunning, strategically thinking human enemies. After a bit of speculation last week I dug around a little bit to discover that it is indeed Electric Playground's Victor Lucas - one of the nicest guys in the industry incidentally - narrating the series. Score one for my super-powered auditory senses! In case you missed them, be sure to catch Victor's VO performance in part one and part two of the series.

Turok - Awakening The Giants Part Two

Mike Fahey — Thu, 17 Jan 2008 09:40:36 MST

Touchstone and Propaganda games continue their very well-produced behind-the-scenes video series Awakening the Giants: The Making of Turok with part two, which explores the concept stages of the game. Witness early test concepts of the game, the creation of the concept art, and the work that went into giving the game a compelling storyline with deep characters rather than a series of checkpoints and firefights. Still trying to place the narrator's voice. Right now it kind of reminds me of Victor Lucas of Electric Playground and G4 fame, though I might be completely wrong. I'll be sure to find out before the next installment hits. You can check out part one of the series here.

Turok - Awakening The Giants Part One

Mike Fahey — Thu, 10 Jan 2008 14:00:04 MST

Propaganda Games and Touchstone have just released part one of six of Awakening The Giants, which goes behind the scenes from concept to the final retail-ready version of Turok. In this first segment the developers grant insight into the reasoning and inspiration behind the resuscitation and re-imagining of the five-year dead franchise while giving a brief glimpse at what to expect as the series continues. It's a highly polished documentary complete with professional narration and background music, and you can tell a lot of work went into it. I'm still not sold on the game, but very nice video.

Turok 360 Demo In Stores Now

Mike Fahey — Thu, 06 Dec 2007 14:00:48 MST

If you've by some chance already preordered Turok for the Xbox 360 or are planning to in the near future, now would be a good time to hit your local game purveyor of choice, as Touchstone has announced the Turok demo disk should now be available for preorder customers at major retail outlets including Best Buy, GameStop, Walmart.com and Game Crazy.

"The demo disc rewards video game fans by enabling them to play some major features of Turok in their living rooms long before the game is available," said Todd Steckbeck, vice president and general manager, U.S./Canada region, Touchstone. "By reserving their copy of Turok, video game players will also be able to experience an entertaining 30-minute experience throughout the holiday season and the early part of next year."

That is of course if you like your gameplay in small chunks. I'm sure this will eventually be available via Xbox Live, but this gives you a good two months to get your deposit back in case you hate it, and GameStop loves canceling preorders!

Ubi Lands Lost Rights

Brian Crecente — Mon, 22 May 2006 15:00:35 MDT

You knew it was coming, it was just a matter of time. Ubisoft today announced that they have picked up the rights to turn Emmy-Award-winning Lost into a game.

The Lost game will be developed by Ubi's Montreal studio and should hit next year for unnamed consoles and portables and the PC.

The press release includes a little quote from the executive producer of the show confirming what we all expected, the Lost writers are gamers:

"Many of us on 'Lost' have been hardcore gamers for years and the chance to work with Ubisoft, a company behind some of our favorite titles, has excited us to no end," said 'Lost' executive producer Bryan Burk. "With the ability to tell new interactive stories within the 'Lost' universe, we're giddy to be developing a game that, once completed, will be as engaging and fun to play as it is to create."

My money is on the game screwing up the franchise, but maybe Ubi will get it right. —Brian Crecente