gdc-2010 posts

While we didn't get to attend this year's Game Developers Conference, our sister sites Joystiq and Massively were out in force checking out the games and the lectures being shown in the past week in San Fransisco. Our big mothership Joystiq had quite a few features that are of interest to Big Download readers from GDC 2010. That includes some on-site with Mafia II, Civilization V, and the next Mass Effect 2 DLC.

Our MMO centric sister site Massively did their thing too, dawg. Their GDC 2010 features included some more info on the upcoming Battlestar Galactica Online game, a chat with 38 Studios' author R.A. Salvatore, an interview about Dungeons and Dragons Online, a DC Universe Online chat and more. Look for even more GDC coverage from both sites in the next week.

Last month, Blizzard revealed that the new Battle.net 2.0 multiplayer service would not only serve as a way for StarCraft II to be updates but also a way for people to download and purchase a full copy of the sci-fi RTS sequel itself. Back in 2004, Valve launched their Steam PC game download service with Half-Life 2.

With Blizzard now owned by Activision Blizzard, some people have already speculated that the new Battle.net could be used by third party game developers and publishers in much the same way Steam has evolved to becoming the number one place to download and purchase major PC game titles. During GDC this week The Escapist chatted with Blizzard exec Rob Pardo about such a possibility. Pardo admitted, "It's something that we've definitely always talked about." However he added that it would be hard to support third party games as well as Blizzard's own titles. Their already announced plans to let StarCraft II map and mod makers a way to sell their efforts via Battle.net might represent their first steps towards the goal of becoming a Steam-like service.

This week's announcement at GDC 2010 of a June 17 launch date for the OnLive streaming game service hasn't stopped the skeptics from saying the service won't be a big hit. VG247.com reports that Signal Hill analyst Todd Greenwald feels the announcement of a $14.95 a month pricing plan for OnLive. plus the purchasing of each game, could keep many from trying OnLive out. He's quoted as saying, "If publishers try to sell digital-only new release games at a $40-50 ASP (average selling price), we don't think gamers will find the price points compelling."

However OnLive does have high powered supporters too. One of them is Epic Games VP Mark Rein who told Gamasutra that while "super hardcore" gamers might notice lag and graphics that are not quite up to their highest potential, "...if you're a gamer who doesn't want to go erect a big fancy pc like that... it's really fun."

The Deus Ex series has never been a stranger to strange conspiracies and conflicts involving high technology. Of course, looking at this early teaser trailer, Human Revolution might be the first game to include dreams of becoming a fallen angel. Get a sense that the plot might have some heavy religious imagery? We'll see as more information about the game is revealed this summer.

Download HD Deus Ex: Human Revolution Teaser Trailer (305 MB)

There's been a ton of chat about DRM in PC games lately and Thursday night at GDC, Valve head man Gabe Newell decided to go after such practices during his Pioneer Award acceptance speech at the Game Developers Choice Awards. According to the Develop web site, Newell stated Valve is starting to see entertainment more and more like as a service.

Because of that idea, Newell said, "It informs all the decisions we make, and once you get into that mindset it helps you avoid things like some of the Digital Rights Management problems that actually make your entertainment products worth less by wrapping those negatives around them." That statement was greeted by cheers from the developer heavy crowd at the awards. Are you listening Ubisoft?

Nvidia has been pushing its 3D Vision technology for 3D PC gaming for a while now. The problem with their set-up, though, is that it requires a compatible 3D capable monitor and expensive shutter 3D glasses. Now game developer Darkworks (who developed the survival horror game Cold Fear a few years ago) has announced at GDC 2010 their plans for Trioviz, a software wrapper that can convert any 2D game into a 3D experience. The technology does not require a special 3D monitor and the effect can be seen with passive (and cheap) 3D glasses.

Our sister site Engadget got to see the technology demoed at GDC 2010. Their verdict? "Not bad." They state, "We could very clearly see the 3D effect, and even though it was subtle, it definitely enhanced our experience." We are betting that a lot of game developers could be interested in using this tech for their own games.

For some odd reason, the folks at Crytek have yet to release the above trailer for Crysis 2 that shows off some of the cooler elements of their CryEngine 3 technology. However they are showing the trailer at their booth at GDC 2010 and GameVideos.com has filmed a monitor that showed off the trailer.

There's cool lighting effects, lots of property destruction and physics effects, great facial animation for characters and more to be seen. Even with the Shaky Cam, the visuals for Crysis 2 look cool and we can't wait to see and play more in the coming months before it ships (hopefully) by the end of 2010.

Earlier this month we reported on rumors, based on a job application, that the upcoming Xbox 360 fantasy RPG Fable 3 from developer Lionhead Games might also be coming to the PC. Microsoft's official response to the rumor ("We have nothing to announce at this time.") was not a confirmation but it was not a denial either. At GDC 2010, Lionhead's head man Peter Molyneux had a panel chat about the game and during the Q&A session the PC port rumor came up.

According to our sister site Joystiq, Molyneux is quoted as saying, "I love what's happening to the PC, and I would love to see the Fable franchise on the PC." He was apparently afraid to get more specific than that, saying that the game's publisher Microsoft had "PR police people ... with sniper rifles." Of course they do.

You thought we were done talking about OnLive at GDC 2010, didn't you? Well we did too until we learned about the streaming PC game service's other plan to introduce itself to gamers. Earlier this week the company announced a June 17 launch date for their main OnLive service which will cost $14.95 a month with rentals and purchasing of games representing an added fee on top.

Now OnLive has announced plans to launch OnLive Game Portal. Unlike the monthly main service, OnLive Game Portal will be free to sign into. It will offer free game demos and a select amount of full games to rent. There seems to be a small caveat; according to OnLive, the free demos are " subject to available OnLive service capacity and whatever usage limits are associated with each given demo".

OnLive Game Portal is basically OnLive's version of "try before you buy". The OnLive Game Portal will launch sometime after OnLive's official launch.

The Nexon America publishing team has done a good job getting people interested in playing their free-to-play online titles like Combat Arms and Dungeon Fighter Online. Now they are showing off a couple of upcoming games they plan to add to their library at GDC 2010. 1Up.com reports that both have already launched in Nexon's native Korea.

One of the games is called Dragon Nest, a very colorful fantasy MMO that looks akin to a Final Fantasy game. Due in the US in early 2011, the game will focus on player-versus-enviroment play with four classes (Archer, Warrior, Cleric and Sorceress). The other new game, due in the US this fall, is Vindictus (shown above). It will have a much darker and more violent art style and will use Valve's Source Engine as its basis.