Gamers
Feature
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Firaxis Goes Back to the Future With XCOM: Enemy Unknown
A lot has changed since gamers first took on an alien force in the original XCOM. We talk to lead designer of the new XCOM: Enemy Unknown about what to expect in this new take on the classic.
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GDC 2012: Plenty Developed Among a Record Number of Attendees
War stories, awards and, yes, a few wild parties marked the 26th Game Developers Conference. Gus Mastrapa reviews his favorite highlights.
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Electronic Arts Expands Medal of Honor Franchise With Warfighter
At GDC earlier this month, Electronic Arts offered a first look at its first-person shooter sequel, Medal of Honor Warfighter. We talked to Rich Farley, creative director at Danger Close Games, about what’s in store for PC gamers in this latest take on modern warfare.
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Under the Hood: A Look Inside the Ultrabook
Take a look inside the Ultrabook as we investigate the new device’s power and versatility.
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CES 2012: More Powerful PCs and New Ways to Game
This year's CES saw a plethora of gaming innovations, including more 3D devices and increasingly powerful -- and portable -- PCs.
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Get Chip’d: DIG Joins the Syndicate
How do you resurrect a classic franchise and update it for a modern audience, using modern technology? John Miles, art director of Starbreeze Studios’ latest game, Syndicate, talks about developing the game.
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The Development of World of Warcraft: Cataclysm
When technology brings cinematic experiences into gameplay, players reap the awesome rewards of that visual fidelity. Here’s how it all came together for Blizzard’s World of Warcraft: Cataclysm.
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Looking Inside the NYU Game Center
For potential digital arts students, top game-development programs coupled with state-of-the-art technology is a needed combination. Here, we take a look at the curriculum, technology and alumni of the NYU Game Center.
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Powering Stan Lee’s The Guardian Project
Comic legend Stan Lee and the National Hockey League recently teamed up to create 30 superheroes to represent each of the teams in the NHL, a venture called The Guardian Project. Now, Guardian Media Entertainment is creating a cross-media franchise -- with the help of the Unreal 3 Engine.
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Set Sail: Starting Your Career in Game Design
Full Sail University is one of the top schools for aspiring game developers. Here, we delve into their curriculum, talk to esteemed alumni and give advice on attending the school.
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The Future Is Solid: Solid-state Drives Revolutionize Gaming
In game worlds, where a moment’s hesitation can mean a grisly death, speed is key -- but it’s not just your reflexes or even your graphics card that needs to be quick. Solid-state drives are set to deliver the next competitive edge.
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Exclusive Look at Homefront
Homefront, THQ’s new near-future first-person shooter, explores a United States that is invaded by North Korea. Kaos Studio’s David Votypka talks to DIG about the story and narrative development of the game, plus the powerful multiplayer options only available on PC.
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Nathan Camarillo of Crytek Talks Crysis 2 and CryEngine 3
In this DIG exclusive video interview, Crytek’s Nathan Camarillo discusses the technical firepower of CryEngine 3, which is under the hood of the newest installment in the Crysis franchise. Camarillo, the executive producer of Crysis 2, runs down the most engaging, high-tech features of this anticipated shooter.
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Peter Molyneux Talks Fable III and Commitment to PC Gaming
Peter Molyneux -- a member of the Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences Hall of Fame who’s been knighted by the French government -- accepted a Lifetime Achievement Award at the Game Developers Choice Awards ceremony at GDC 2011 this week. Here, he talks about Fable III and his love of PC gaming.
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Capcom’s Jun Takeuchi Gets Emotional
Capcom’s Jun Takeuchi, the producer of such games as Resident Evil 5 and Lost Planet, was recently promoted to corporate officer of Capcom, and deputy head of consumer games R&D division. He was introduced to gaming with the debut of Mario Bros. on Super Nintendo, and after a brief detour when he considered a career designing baby toys, he ended up at Capcom, where his first project was Street Fighter II.
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The Muddy Beauty of DiRT 2
Since its launch in 1998, Colin McRae Rally-- now commonly known as DiRT-- has brought a new sophistication to rally games. Here’s how developer Codemasters re-architected the latest release for multiple platforms so it works perfectly for each system.
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Racing to the Finish Line: Chris Southall Talks Total War and Sonic
Chris Southall grew up mastering car-racing video games in Great Britain before he decided to enter the game development field. Now technical director at SEGA Europe, he talks to DIG about using technology and workflow tools to race to the finish with such titles as the Total War franchise, from Empire to the upcoming Shogun 2.
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Physics and Your Digital Golf Game
An interview with B.C. (Charlie) Rasco, president of Smarter Than You software and co-author of Game Programming Gems, 8th edition.
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Developing Modern RPGs with Bethesda Softworks’ Todd Howard
In addition to sprawling storylines and colorful characters, today’s top role-playing games are increasingly tapping the power of advanced processing and graphics technology to create convincing worlds. Bethesda Softworks’ Todd Howard reveals how epic sci-fi adventure Fallout: New Vegas employs these advancements to tell an unforgettable tale.
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Expanding the Definition of a PC
Perhaps I’m stating one of the most painfully obvious things in the world, but I’ll come out and say it anyway: The definition of a PC as we know it is changing and evolving rapidly.
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BlizzCon 2010: Report from the World of Warcraft
No other PC game franchises have a trade show on the order of BlizzCon. The annual convention is dedicated solely to Blizzard Entertainment's World of Warcraft, StarCraft and Diablo games -- and the enthusiastic communities that surround them.
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Humble Opinions: From The Sims to Indie Games
Rod Humble, executive vice president and head of The Sims division at Electronic Arts, blows off steam between high-profile, big-revenue projects by cooking up home-brewed games he thinks of as art. His indie efforts include the experimental games The Marriage, Stars Over Half Moon Bay and this year’s Last Thoughts of the Aurochs.
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Streaming Games: Gaikai’s David Perry on Cloud Computing
Cloud computing promises to revolutionize video games by making even the most demanding titles available online -- and from any device -- with a single click. Gaikai CEO David Perry explains how streaming technology completely changes the way tomorrow’s industry will make, market and consume interactive entertainment.
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Facebook Meets LinkedIn for Digital Artists
A new social-networking platform, Filter Foundry, has set out to become a one-stop digital shop for creative professionals of every stripe.
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Meet Mr. Industrial: Justin Lassen’s Music Machine
This is a great time for digital musicians. New multi-core, multi-thread processors have caught up with even the most demanding artists, including digital musician Justin Lassen. Lassen, a composer, producer and instrumentalist, is renowned for his Synaesthesia series, which combined CG artists’ work with music.
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Monetizing Games: Pay for Play
Praveen Alavilli, developer evangelist for the PayPal X Developer Network, spoke with me recently about the monetization of games and some of the details of the PayPal payment platform
Blog
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Are You a Side-scroller?
The side-scroller category comes with many cliches. Here's how to get past the stereotypes and succeed with side-scrollers.
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Figuring out the Puzzles
Crytek moves into the mobile gaming space with Fibble.
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Trip Hawkins: There’s an App for That Game
The founder of software publishing powerhouse Electronic Arts and the father of the 3DO console, William M. "Trip" Hawkins III says the future of PC gaming is here -- and it's in social games. Read on to find out why titles like Millionaire City have attracted millions of users in only a matter of months.
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Electronic Arts Incorporates Social Action Into New SimCity Game
The latest PC-exclusive game in the SimCity franchise aims to engage gamers ... and change the world.
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Tackling the Big Issues: PC Gaming Alliance
Matt Ployhar discusses what drew him to gaming, how he sees the industry evolving and how his organization, the PC Gaming Alliance, can help.
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Console? No Way -- Buy a Gaming PC!
Matt Ployhar responds to a ZDNet blog by explaining why he would choose a gaming PC over a console.
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Human Head Studios Sets Sights on Prey 2
John Gaudiosi chats with Chris Rhinehart, co-founder of Human Head Studios, and gets an eyeful of their forthcoming game, Prey 2, on the floor of Gamescom 2011 in Cologne, Germany.
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Blizzard Entertainment Returns to Sanctuary With Diablo III
John Gaudiosi talks to the lead designer of Diablo III, Josh Mosqueira, about Blizzard's highly anticipated hack-and-slash game, the increased difficulty and -- most importantly -- the loot!
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Carbine Studios Introduces a New MMO Experience with WildStar
John Gaudiosi gets an early look at WildStar, the forthcoming MMO from NCsoft's Carbine Studios, which blends science fiction, westerns, fantasy and good old-fashioned adventure.
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What Was Hot on the Floor of Unite 11
Hitendra Naik goes to Unite 11 to find out what's in store for Unity in 2011. The highlights? Integrated AI, new particle systems and game performance analysis.
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Back to the Front: Call of Duty Modern Warfare 3
Get hands-on with the multiplayer for the latest installment in the biggest franchise in gaming -- Call of Duty Modern Warfare 3 -- at the extravagant Activision XP 2011 event.
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DICE Prepares for Battle With Battlefield 3
Get ready for combat with this sneak peek at DICE's upcoming Battlefield 3, from the floor of Gamescom 2011 in Cologne, Germany.
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Assassin of Video Cards: Marek Ziemark Talks Witcher 2
The Witcher 2: Assassins of Kings is one of the highest-rated and most innovative RPGs in recent history. We sat down with designer Marek Ziemark at Gamescom 2011 to talk about development challenges and playing the game with the settings cranked all the way up.
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My Go-to Gaming Device: A Trusty Laptop
Over the past couple of decades, I’ve done a ton of gaming on PCs (including laptops and desktops), consoles, handhelds (e.g., PSP), and smartphones.
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Independent’s Day: The Reality of Indie Game Development
Interactive entertainment's answer to art-house films is indie game development. Titles like Minecraft, Recettear and World of Goo have captured a legion of forward-thinking fans' and bedroom coders' imaginations alike. But despite consistently raising the bar for innovation and creativity, life left of the keyboard isn't all fun and games.
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Need for Speed Drives Back to Roots
Need for Speed: Hot Pursuit returns to the series' beginning success in high-speed chase games after detouring with a few simulation-based titles.
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From Solo to Multiplayer Game -- Assassin’s Creed: Brotherhood
In Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood, the game-development team at Ubisoft decided to turn a winning recipe on its head. The result is that the solo story-driven franchise has morphed into a multiplayer gaming experience.