developer-diary posts

The Witcher 2 is shaping up to be quite the third-person action RPG, and this trailer just adds to the list of things we can look forward to. Multiple play styles in a single game is one of our favorite styles of design, and the Polish developers at CDprojekt really want to impress that Witcher 2 will be guided more by the players expectations than a developer-forced linearity. There's lots of information about the three major tree here, and it shows each in action: swords, alchemy, and magic. Tons of information, a large amount of in-game footage, and plenty of combat makes this a great trailer.

Download the The Witcher 2 Dev Diary #5
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Ultima Online is still chugging along quietly, and this developer diary for the oft-forgot MMO classic reveals plans to update it. New high resolution graphics (although they don't appear to be shown in game), a new starter area, and plans for an expansive player town all appear to be on the agenda. We haven't played Ultima Online in quite a long while, but for those that still do, we're sure this news will be welcomed with open arms.

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The Shogun 2 diaries have offered fascinating insights into the offices of Creative Assembly, and these two latest videos are no exception. Focusing entirely on Shogun 2, they detail a lot of the research and process that went into making it both historically realistic as well as fun. Notable thing to look for include reactions to the wood block concept art, justification for the multiplayer campaign mode, and an abiding love of the works of Akira Kurosawa. Peppered in are plenty of smaller anecdotes and musings, all of which make this diary feel like an actual diary and less of a PR tool.

Download HD Shogun 2: Total War Developer Diary #2, Part 1
Download HD Shogun 2: Total War Developer Diary #2, Part 2
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This developer diary for the new standalone Elemental expansion may interest those that were put off by the rather rough state of Stardock's latest release. Detailing the changes being made in Fallen Enchantress, it goes in-depth with the new tactical combat system and shows off the new massive boss-like elemental lords. Of note is that combat is now dictated by initiative, rather than turns per side. The elemental lord Morian, Ruin of Summer is also present, and he lays the beat down on some poor foot soldiers.

Download Elemental: Fallen Enchantress Dev Diary #1
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An important part of any game is exploration, and developers must keep exploration fresh by providing plenty of environments for the players. This developer diary for Witcher 2 examines the different art and architecture styles in CD Projekt's latest game, and it's both incredibly interesting and quite pretty to boot. It shows off the architecture for the dwarves and elves, and also explains the process around the building construction of different races. There are also some incredibly obtuse analogies which are oddly funny. This trailer is spoken entirely in Polish with English subtitles.

Download The Witcher 2 Developer Diary #4
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The newest Operation Flashpoint did not receive very rave reviews upon release, but that's not stopping Ubisoft. The latest in the series is the aptly titled Red River, and the developers have released the first diary covering all the additions, changes, and otherwise improvements that have been made to it. We noted more interesting guns, more varied environments, a cool character unlocks system, and the new PLA army opponents. In other words, all the things you would expect from an expansion pack.

Download Operation Flashpoint: Red River Developer Diary #1
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If nothing else, Spore features an amazing creature creator that has an unprecedented amount of flexibility - allowing players to let their imaginations run free. So, it's no surprise that the editor should be the centerpiece of the action role-playing game Darkspore, where it's more powerful than ever. In this producer video, Gameplay Engineer Casey Weaver describes the ways players can use the Hero Editor to modify and upgrade characters in a variety of ways using body parts collected throughout the game. Parts can be stripped of their stats and embedded with new ones from a different item, so players can maintain the look they want for their heroes. Best of all, players won't be limited to just one hero, so they can keep a bunch of different creatures on reserve and select the one that best suits a mission.

More information about Darkspore is expected to come as we draw closer to the game's release on March 29, 2011, which by the way is revealed for the first time at the tail end of the dev diary video.

Download HD Darkspore 'Hero Editor' Producer Diary (406 MB)
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Player vs Player is becoming more and more essential to increasing the lifespan of a good MMO, and Rift is no exception. The one problem is that, for the most part, PvP has been done to death. Most of the bases have been covered, from fortress control (more Korean MMOs) to Realm vs Realm (anything by Mythic) to straight, normal PvP (World of Warcraft). For those that care more about ganking than raiding, this trailer gives a glimpse into the unique aspects of Rift's PvP system, such as combination PvE objectives and gathering of PvP "souls."

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Test Drive Unlimited was prominent mostly for the fact that it was a massive and open world to explore. Test Drive Unlimited 2, however, wants to be more than just that, and the developers are really pushing their vision of a socially-driven racing experience. This developer diary covers that, and intersparses footages of the developers with real life and gameplay footage of the cars being driven. While the developers are a little vague, it's still interesting to see their huge enthusiasm for the game bubble forth when a camera is put in front of them.

Download HD Test Drive Unlimited 2 Developer Diary #1
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While most developer diaries tend to focus on things such as gameplay tweaking, artistic development, and the overall feel of a game, this one for Witcher 2 is a little different. Instead of talking about all the neat new gameplay elements, the developers have opted instead to please the technical audience by talking about their engine and its achievements. While it isn't for most gamers to watch, it gives some great information on how Witcher 2 is going to look as well as the method with which the developers are giving it such a glossy veneer. It's also entirely in Polish. Thankfully, it has English subtitles, which are much appreciated despite many of the common words between the languages.

Download HD Witcher 2 Developer Diary #2, Part 2
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