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Xbox News is a site that brings you the very latest Original Xbox, Xbox 360 and Xbox One news, the latest games and releases, Part of the
DCEmu Homebrew & Gaming Network.
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June 11th, 2012, 00:24 Posted By: wraggster
Gone are the static spawn wells seen in Gears of War entries in the past. WithGears of War: Judgment, People Can Fly and Epic Games will introduce something they're labeling as S3 – a smart spawn system.
"Previously in Gears, if you wanted a greater challenge, you went for the higher difficulty mode. It basically meant less health for you and more health for them. It worked perfectly fine, but we tried to attack this from a different angle," People Can Fly's Adrian Chmielarz explained to Joystiq. "S3 constantly monitors your performance, from simple stuff like accuracy and your skills, but also like your location in the combat zone." Chmielarz provided an example of a player in one corner, shooting Locust, then having the system adapt on the fly and spawn enemies at more challenging locations.
"The other thing it can do is run multiple scenarios: you play through a section of the game, from checkpoint-to-checkpoint, and you die at the very end of it. So then you think to yourself, 'Okay, I know how to fix that; I got this.' You replay and suddenly it's a completely new scenario – new enemies and you have to adapt one more time. Another example would be you choose a higher difficulty level to replay a section and then you encounter an enemy type that you have not encountered before. We kept it in reserves for a higher difficulty level. The big point about S3 is to make sure that you are challenged. We think that the word kind of disappeared from the vocabulary a little and games now actually paint the path for you on the floor, where to go next."
Cliff Bleszinski then interjected, "I think that's why you're starting to see this love for games kind of like Dark Souls now. In order to try and grow the audience, games have been softened – players can't get lost ever, or they can't die ever. But then it's like you've just lost the point of the game and what games do, having that challenge. We're a little guilty of it – I'm fully willing to admit that. When was the last time a game has asked something of you? I've been playing Gears since the beginning, obviously, but when I go into the playtest lab and we play 4-player hardcore co-op [in Gears of War: Judgment], it takes us a good three or four tries to get through a combat scenario. I play a lot of games where I just get into the flow of combat and it's getting good then, boom, cutscene. I'm like, '**** you, get back to the gameplay.' In this game, the pacing has gotten to the point where when you get past a protracted battle, and you finally get a cutscene, yeah you're happy to see the story progress but you're really just happy to have a break. You're going to die, you're going to die a fair amount, but hopefully you like it," he said.
"It's definitely going to be harder than Gears of War 3," Bleszinski added. "The thing about Gears 3 that I learned kind of in hindsight is the fact that technically it was the longest campaign that we've ever done, but we accidentally softened the difficulty a little too much. So the good gamers got through it in a similar timeframe to Gears 2, and were like 'No way it's the same length!' So we looked at the difficulty and there are certain little trade-offs that they made where, like, do you go DBNO or just die? Things like that, and also the same thing with enemy damage models. Gears of War: Judgment is going to be tough, even on normal difficulty level." Chmielarz then added that he thinks "normal is going to be more difficult than ever before."
http://www.joystiq.com/2012/06/08/yo...-gears-of-war/
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June 11th, 2012, 00:17 Posted By: wraggster
Dance Central 3 includes a revamped multiplayer system, designed to offer a greater deal of variety than its predecessor. Dance battles are now broken up into multiple sections, each with a different set of rules and different music. For example, "Keep the Beat" allows players to perform freestyle moves and awards maximum points for movement variety and keeping to the beat.
"Make Your Move," however, ups the ante. It is, essentially, the dance equivalent of HORSE.
http://www.joystiq.com/2012/06/08/ho...nce-central-3/
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June 11th, 2012, 00:14 Posted By: wraggster
Microsoft's SmartGlass initiative aims to enrich the entertainment offerings on Xbox with an informative, context-sensitive "surface," spread across compatible tablets and smartphones. Phil Spencer, Corporate VP of Microsoft Studios, tells me you can expect SmartGlass support from all of the company's games after the feature becomes available this fall.
"It just makes so much sense for a developer who wants to supply, maybe not time-critical information, like 'that enemy is getting ready to shoot you,' but information that augments what's happening on screen," Spencer says. He used last year's Halo Waypoint Atlas app, which offered multiplayer GPS tracking, as an example of how SmartGlass features could share additional game information without hampering the moment-to-moment gameplay. "And then you're even going to see situations like with Ascend, where there's actually gameplay that happens on the phone, even when you're away from your television and that interacts back with the online game that's happening. So I think you'll see information sharing, context sharing while you're in the room, with video and with games, as well as gameplay happening in more distributed environments."
SmartGlass will be encapsulated in a single app that syncs with your Gamertag and enables features based on what you're playing or watching (provided they support SmartGlass). "You don't have to log in and out of each app – you know, 'I'm gonna start the Mass Effect app, and now I'm gonna start the Game of Thrones app.' So you have this surface, this smart surface," Spencer says, "that sits on any device that you already own that's always in sync with what's happening on the television, and it knows where to go and grab the right content to display at the right time, to make sure that if you're playing Halo, then the Halo surface is available on SmartGlass."
During its E3 2012 press conference, Microsoft showed a concept of what might become Halo 4's SmartGlass functionality. The app, as shown, allows players to track stats and send game invites via tablet or smartphone. Microsoft has said that it supports the "device you already own," but hasn't directly addressed SmartGlass variations between iOS, Android and Windows 8.
http://www.joystiq.com/2012/06/09/ex...os-game-going/
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June 11th, 2012, 00:13 Posted By: wraggster
This new iteration in the Devil May Cry franchise is truly "new" in a variety of ways: Capcom handed over complete stylistic control to Ninja Theory, the UK development studio responsible for Enslaved, who proceeded to chop off Dante's hair, dye it brown and drop him in the middle of a contemporary setting named Limbo City.
Ninja Theory's task is to make the new Devil May Cry accessible to new players and those who "may have abandoned" the franchise, chief designer Tameem Antoniades said at an E3 demo of DmC. If "fast-paced, demonic action with giant swords and guns" is "accessible," then Ninja Theory has nailed its market.
http://www.joystiq.com/2012/06/09/da...orld-with-dmc/
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June 10th, 2012, 23:19 Posted By: wraggster
GeekWire reports on a newly-surfaced Microsoft patent application for 'Targeting Advertisements Based on Emotion', which describes how information gleaned from Kinects, webcams, online games, IMs, email, searches, webpage content, and browsers could be used to build an 'Emotional State Database' of individuals' emotions over time for advertisers to tap into. From the patent application: 'Weight-loss product advertisers may not want their advertisement to appear to users that are very happy. Because, a person that is really happy, is less likely to purchase a self-investment product that leverages on his or her shortcomings. But a really happy person may purchase electronic products or vacation packages. No club or party advertisers want to appear when the user is sad or crying. When the user is emotionally sad, advertisements about club parties would not be appropriate and may seem annoying or negative to the user. Online help or technical support advertisers want their advertisements to appear when the user is demonstrating a confused or frustrated emotional state
http://hardware.slashdot.org/story/1...the-controlled
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June 10th, 2012, 02:58 Posted By: wraggster
[source: team-xecuter.com] We see a lot of people who have better success rates with different CAP values, so we made this simple yet effective addon which we call the Multi-Cap. Simply solder between A and GND and select up to 5 different CAP values to get your best glitch performance. Can be used on all version CoolRunners and also other glitch mods. Shipping to all retailers next week. MSRP only $4.95.
http://www.eurasia.nu/modules.php?na...ticle&sid=3022
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June 9th, 2012, 11:01 Posted By: wraggster
Activision has revealed that it is bringing Angry Birds to consoles atE3 2012.
The publisher made its intentions apparent during the reel on its E3 booth video wall, briefly showing one of Rovio's birds flying into an Activision logo between other game footage.
"We'll have some news for you in about two weeks," said an Activision spokesperson when questioned by The Escapist. "Wait until you see Angry Birds on consoles in HD."
Whether it will be a simple up-rezzed port or a more substantial overhaul has yet to be revealed.
http://www.edge-online.com/news/e3-2...birds-consoles
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June 9th, 2012, 10:34 Posted By: wraggster
It's not every day you get to speak with the folks who make one of the most advanced game engines in the world, but today at E3, Crytek (you know, the folks responsible for Crysis) let us in on some of the secrets behind its latest game platform, CryEngine 3. We sat down with Kirthy Iyer, an animation technologist at Crytek, and had him walk us through some of CE3's tools that are enabling publishers to build games for any platform -- including PC, PS3 or Xbox 360 -- faster and better than ever. Among the highlights are a "multi-layer navigation mesh" that automates the movements of AI-controlled game characters, and super realistic water rendering technologies. We could go on singing CryEngine's praises, but instead we'll let you get all the details from Mr. Iyer in the video after the break. Enjoy.
http://www.engadget.com/2012/06/07/crytek-cryengine-3/
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June 8th, 2012, 02:01 Posted By: wraggster
Microsoft and Sony are both waiting on the retail price of the Wii U to gauge whether they should reduce their hardware RRPs, a Wedbush Morgan analyst has claimed.
 Wedbush Morgan games analyst Michael PachterGames industry expert Michael Pachter believes there will be no price cut on Xbox 360 or PS3 in the short-term if Wii U retails at over $300 (around £200)."I think both Microsoft and Sony are waiting to see Wii U pricing. If it is over $300, they don't need to cut." Pachter told CVG.
"When Nintendo makes a move, they [Sony and Microsoft] will respond accordingly," he added.
Prior to the E3 event in Los Angeles this week, price cuts for the PS3 and Xbox 360 were a common discussion within industry circles. It was also suggested, if less frequently, that the PlayStation Vita would undergo a discount in order to stimulate sales.
Pachter claimed that such a discount would be premature.
"I don't expect a Vita cut till November at the earliest," he said, "and probably not until February".
Sony has dismissed suggestions that PS Vita's RRP will be cut in the short-term. The console had a bright launch but since then sales have fallen sharply.
SCEE chief Jim Ryan told CVG this week that "we're not at the stage of thinking about price cuts".
http://www.computerandvideogames.com...-on-wii-u-rrp/
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June 8th, 2012, 01:44 Posted By: wraggster
Ryse, an Xbox-exclusive action game from Crytek, isn't ready to be shown beyond the concept trailer released during E3 2011. I asked Phil Spencer, corporate VP of Microsoft Studios, about the game's progress since Microsoft revealed its partnership with Crytek two years ago under the banner of "Codename Kingdoms."
"We're just not at a point right now to show the game, and instead of ... we're still working with Crytek, we're still extremely committed to the relationship, but we want to make sure that we're putting our best foot forward every time we show the game," Spencer said. "You'll see more about that game, no doubt."
Ownership of Ryse was rumored to have shifted between studios, from a downsized and redirected Crytek Budapest to Crytek's Frankfurt studio. Ryse is alive and well, Spencer assured, though I got an inkling that the brutal, first-person combat shown in the initial trailer may not be entirely relegated to Kinect when we see it next. When asked if Ryse was still "a Kinect game" as before, Spencer replied, "Kinect will be part of the game, absolutely."
This year Microsoft highlighted several more games that are "better with Kinect," even when you're slouched in the couch. The most prominent example comes from Capcom's mech action game, Steel Battalion: Heavy Armor, which pairs several seated gestures with a traditional controller.
http://www.joystiq.com/2012/06/07/cr...be-part-of-it/
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June 8th, 2012, 01:33 Posted By: wraggster
There's nothing quite so enlightening as a solution to a problem you didn't realize you had. RaptorFire's booth, tucked away in the back corner of the LA Convention Center's South Hall was offering up just that, in form of Cronus, a little USB stick that the company promises will "change how you look at gaming." While the little USB adapter's functionality isn't quite so grandiose (same goes for the company's assertion that it's "the greatest invention in gaming since the controller"), the peripheral offers up an interesting proposition -- being able to control your Xbox 360 with a PlayStation 3 controller -- and the other way around. Oh, and Wiimotes are in the mix, as well.
The Cronus is a black USB dongle with a small single digit display on the top and a USB input on the rear. Plug it into the console of your choice, sync it up and you should be good to go. We played a round ofBattlefield 3, using an Xbox 360 controller on a PS 3 -- and things went smoothly. We didn't get a chance to actually try out the syncing process, but the device's manufacturer assured us that it's quite smooth, for what that's worth.
http://www.engadget.com/2012/06/07/c...ontroller-and/
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June 7th, 2012, 23:49 Posted By: wraggster
For many, this E3 has been something of a disappointment without any information on the next home consoles from Microsoft and Sony. EA Labels president Frank Gibeau explains that third parties capturing the attention this year is simply part of the cycle.
"It's fairly natural, like with the PS2 to PS3 transition, and PSOne to PS2, that year before the big change. And the Wii U is really just the first opening act of the next-gen cycle shift," Gibeau told CVG. "You're only really getting half a show this year. You're getting Wii U but you're not getting the other half of the story so it's a bit awkward."
"Within that context I think a lot of the third-parties definitely stand out and command more of the spotlight because it's a clear and more broad-based message," he noted.
While there have been some projects announced that definitely seem to be targeting the next-gen, Gibeau "didn't think it was the right time" for EA to show off its own next-gen titles.
"It's better to show something of substance. Gamers are smart and they'll figure out if what you're showing is a pre-rendered movie, they'll be able to diagnose and pick it apart," said Gibeau. "That's one of the things we did last year with the Battlefield 3 trailer - we very consciously put out a 14 minute sequence of gameplay."
http://www.gamesindustry.biz/article...nsoles-says-ea
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June 7th, 2012, 23:40 Posted By: wraggster
Games mags X360 and 360 Magazine have been merged by publisher Imagine.
The change takes place immediately, with the X360 brand chosen as the identity with which the pair will move forwards.
“Having been involved with both magazines throughout the last five years, it would be fair to say that X360 and 360 Magazine have always occupied their own individual niche; there have always been elements each has realised with greater effectiveness than the other,” Dan Howdle, who assumes the role of editor in the new team, stated.
“The new X360 combines the power of these unique strengths into one highly desirable whole. I could not be more thrilled at being a part of the team that’s going to make X360’s future a reality.”
Editor in chief Rick porter added: “By merging these two magazines, we have a chance to better focus ourselves on creating exactly what is needed is push the X360 brand forward.
“Ultimately, we’re now in a position to create the best possible package for the Xbox 360 gamer, and ensure the X360 brand goes from strength to strength in the challenging single-format magazine market.”
Issue 87 and X360 – the first since the merger – will go on sale on July 11th.
http://www.mcvuk.com/news/read/imagi...agazine/097604
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June 7th, 2012, 20:51 Posted By: wraggster
Those of you who watched Microsoft's E3 2012 press conferencemay recall Phil Spencer, corporate vice president of Microsoft Studios, introducing teaser trailers for three new games. At the time, none really caught the eye: such is the way of CG teasers. There was Lococycle, from 'Splosion Man developer Twisted Pixel, and Matter, a Kinect game from Hollywood director Gore Verbinski. The third, Ascend: New Gods, from Toy Soldiers developer Signal Studios, promised persistent asynchronous multiplayer across Xbox 360 and Windows Phone.
But there's more to it than that: it's Xbox 360's first truly free-to-playgame.
A thirdperson, fantasy action-RPG due in 2013, Ascend casts players as one of the Caos, a breed of warriors created solely to serve the will of the Gods. You'll pledge allegiance to one of the three deities, battling your way across an evolving land in their honour. You won't be playing as the same character throughout: Signal says the "largest rewards" are reserved for those prepared to sacrifice their warrior. It appears you then respawn, with new abilities.
At this stage, there are few details on how the multiplayer will work - though the reference to a singleplayer game where you can leave your mark on another player's gameworld naturally calls to mind FromSoftware's masterful Dark Souls - but it will be playable on console and mobile, your progress carried over between platforms.
More importantly, there's no indication of how it will be monetised. It's over a year now since Microsoft was reported to be consideringchanging its stance on free-to-play games on Xbox Live, the sticking point apparently being how the sale of virtual items was handled. Microsoft would doubtless want its standard cut of every Marketplace transaction, virtual goods and all, and it may be that Signal is, quite simply, the first studio prepared to acquiesce to that demand.
Either way it's a sign of a surprising, yet welcome, shift in thinking at Microsoft's Redmond HQ. The rapid rise of free-to-play in the past 18 months has been impossible to ignore, and Microsoft has surely taken note of Sony's F2P dabbling.
Kid-friendly MMOG Free Realms hit PSN last year, but it was DC Universe Online that was most successful: Sony Online Entertainment's superhero MMOG saw huge increases in player count and revenue after it turned its back on the monthly subscription model.
http://www.edge-online.com/news/asce...free-play-last
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June 7th, 2012, 19:55 Posted By: wraggster
Microsoft Game Studios’ Phil Spencer lifts lid on company's perspective on streaming
Microsoft Game Studios’ corporate VP Phil Spencer has admitted that the future of gaming lies in the clouds.
While an expected deal between Sony and a major cloud gaming firm has yet to be announced, platform holders are for the first time admitting that the model as we know it is on borrowed time.
“Cloud is a huge opportunity. And someday, yes, someday,” Spencer told News.com.auwhen asked if gaming ‘is all going to be through the cloud’ at some stage.
“But if you look at the internet capabilities today, it's a challenge. Even, forget about games. If you said everybody was going to watch the Champions League Final concurrently via the internet at HD-level quality, the internet can't handle that. And that's just people watching a football game. That doesn't include the level of interactivity of a game and a two-way pipe going back and forth.
“So I believe, yes, in the long run we'll land in a spot where there's cloud distribution of all content and Microsoft is clearly invested in that. I like the work that Gaikai does, I play games on Gaikai, and if I get the right bandwidth situation they're actually good experiences.
http://www.develop-online.net/news/4...-based-someday
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June 7th, 2012, 01:14 Posted By: wraggster
Forza Horizon's take on Kinect integration will be a bit more utilitarian than the dynamic head tracking seen in Forza 4, allowing players to use voice commands to activate the game's GPS system and find their way through Horizon's open-world version of Colorado.
"We received two recurring feedback points while we were looking at this game," Playground Games' design director Ralph Fulton told us during E3. "The first one is really simple, people said 'This world so big, I found it really easy to get lost.' The second is kind of related to that, people said 'Sometimes I forget where I'm going, or what I want to do next.'"
Forza Horizon's solution to this problem is a voice-activated GPS system that the player can use to find specific locations, such as the game's eponymous Horizon Festival ("GPS, Festival, Autoshow"), as well as ask more generic questions ("Where's my next race? Where's my nearest event?"). Once the Kinect registers the player's request, Forza's familiar line of green arrows extends from the underbelly of the vehicle, guiding the player to their destination.
http://www.joystiq.com/2012/06/06/fo...ed-kinect-gps/
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June 7th, 2012, 01:14 Posted By: wraggster
The follow-up to City Interactive's surprise hit Sniper: Ghost Warrior was meant to include the ability to dismember enemies with well-placed sniper shots at launch; however, the developer now says that the feature will be added to the game as post-launch DLC.
Sniper: Ghost Warrior 2 producer Michael Sroczynski told Joystiq "dismemberment" was removed in retail copies of the game in order to ensure the title would not be banned in Germany. Sroczynski referred to the additional content as "DLC" and not an update; however, he did promise it would launch free for PC, Xbox 360, and PS3. The intention is to release the content in all regions – save for Germany – as soon as the game launches later this year.
http://www.joystiq.com/2012/06/06/sn...ing-as-launch/
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June 7th, 2012, 01:01 Posted By: wraggster
[h=4]
Forget what your mum told you. Soon, you'll be bouncing a real basketball in your living room in order to strengthen your ball handling skills via your Xbox 360's Kinect. Majesco has developed NBA Baller Beats, a gaming title that will ship with the requisite ball so that you don't have to go searching out in the garage to get started. Don't get too excited, though -- the package won't include any sort of hardwood court-esque add-on for the feel of taking Kobe to the hole at the Staples Center. However, the soundtrack that drives your dribbles and cross-overs (and determines level of difficulty) should be just enough to embarrass you at some point. Think about this way: it's like Guitar Hero for sports fans. Well, we won't stall any longer. Head on past the break to catch a glimpse of a tech editor's best shot at a quick demo of the software here at E3 2012.http://www.engadget.com/2012/06/06/n...nect-hands-on/
[/h]
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June 7th, 2012, 00:39 Posted By: wraggster
We just had an opportunity to sit and chat with Microsoft's Marc Whitten, corporate vice president of Xbox Live, about the history and future of Microsoft's SmartGlass. It's one of the highlights of the show for us and so we were curious about its origin. Namely: was SmartGlass created to allow easy text entry into the upcoming Xbox 360 version of Internet Explorer?
It's the opposite, says Marc. Microsoft has toyed with ways to bring IE to the Xbox for years now but always shelved the project due to control issues. It was only when they came up with the idea of SmartGlass 12 months ago -- being able to connect your phone or tablet to your Xbox and use it as a controller, among other things -- that a browser on an Xbox started to make sense. Great controls, he said, were the key to building the "great web experience" they were looking for.
http://www.engadget.com/2012/06/06/s...s-ie-xbox-360/
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