Gamer's Outpost Press (archived)

by ‘TheArabGamer’

Bayonetta 2 has been getting high scores across the board with both Destructoid and Gamespot giving the game a perfect 10. Now keep in mind that Gamespot hasn’t given 10 for the past 4 years and are usually the stingy type. Even big budget games such as GTA V only scored a 9 on its site.

Now why is this all surprising? Because, let’s face it, no one saw it coming. This was a game that was almost cancelled had it not been for Nintendo to pull it back from the dead and thankfully it turned out real well and not some deformed Duke Nukem Forever mess. But besides amazing review scores, Bayonetta 2 has proved something quite clear: next-gen or current-gen games are all hype and no substance.

It’s no surprise that current-gen players have been disappointed by recent games that were promised to be the next step in video games. You know which games I’m talking about: Destiny, Titanfall, Watch_Dogs, and more recently Driveclub. Why have these games been massive let downs? Previously I mentioned a lack of good story (excluding Driveclub of course) would effect immersion but I think it comes down to the core of the industry which is Game Development as a whole rather than just part of it.

Ever since the start of this generation there has been something quite off about how games have been marketed. Let’s look at Driveclub for example; the title actually features a hashtag. Now who in their right mind would consider naming their game starting with a Twitter feed? The answer: marketing people. The biggest issue I see or should I say feel, while playing games is that it’s all now become some form of marketing exploit. Even the PS4’s share button, while is still really cool, is just another way of making us market games for free. It’s obvious that designers in major publishers no longer have control over their own games and must now bend their will and creative mind over to the marketing department. It almost feels that game designers who enter a project full of creative ideas need to constantly filter their mind through marketing and that’s usually a recipe for disaster.

“The graphics need to look better.”

“How can we add multiplayer to the story”

“How can we make the gameplay feel more similar to COD”

“Do we have room for microtransactions”

These are but some of the conversation I imagine happen while these developers sit and plan their next big block buster.

Now what does this all have to do with Bayonetta 2? Because it manages to prove everyone wrong. It didn’t need to work closely with a marketing team to design its game. The game doesn’t have some tacky online that forces the player to experience the game with the friend. Heck, they even gave us the first one free and that’s without even pre-ordering it! And most importantly they simply designed it based on what makes a game fun instead of simply addicting. It was also advertised, although barely, properly by actually showing a lot of gameplay rather than just relying on cutscenes and huge marketing texts. Even when playing it felt genuine and didn’t feel off or like a chunk of it was missing a day-one patch or DLC.

I hope that as the industry moves forward it doesn’t forget its roots. Of course I could be speculating on this but it’s quite obvious that major publishers are letting its marketing department manage its game development. That needs to shift back and let the designers do what they do best. It shouldn’t be about the 1080, flashy text, or things you can put on the box. The game experience itself should be the priority first and foremost.

http://www.gamersoutpost.net/

by Chris Reed

Ubisoft has announced that the upcoming game Assassin’s Creed Unity will run at a resolution of 900p and at 30 frames per second, no matter whether you play it on Xbox One, PlayStation 4, or PC. That idea didn’t sit well with some new console owners, who were hoping the game would run at 1080p and 60 frames per second. After all, shouldn’t these new $400 consoles be able to run new games at optimal specs?

But that kerfuffle turned out to be minor compared to what happened when an interview with the game’s senior producer, Vincent Pontbriand, was posted to Videogamer. Regarding Unity’s identical performance across platforms, Pontbriand said, “We decided to lock them at the same specs to avoid all the debates and stuff.”

This quote stirred up controversy because it sounded like he was saying the developers chose to limit the game’s performance on a machine that could’ve run it better (presumably the PS4) in order to prevent people from comparing it unfavorably on different consoles.

Gamers have reason to think the PS4 version could run better than the Xbox One version. The previous game in the series, Assassin’s Creed IV: Black Flag, was originally released in 900p on both Xbox One and PlayStation 4. The PlayStation 4 version later received a patch that kicked it up to 1080p. It’s possible Ubisoft got a lot of flak for the performance difference between consoles and is trying to avoid a similar situation with Assassin’s Creed Unity.

In the interview with Videogamer, Pontbriand went on to explain why the game will run at slightly suboptimal specs. “Technically, we’re CPU-bound,” he said. “The GPUs are really powerful, obviously the graphics look pretty good, but it’s the CPU [that] has to process the AI, the number of NPCs we have on screen, all these systems running in parallel.

“We were quickly bottlenecked by that and it was a bit frustrating, because we thought that this was going to be a tenfold improvement over everything AI-wise, and we realized it was going to be pretty hard. It’s not the number of polygons that affect the frame rate. We could be running at 100fps if it was just graphics, but because of AI, we’re still limited to 30 frames per second.”

After the uproar over the comment began, Ubisoft issued a statement on its blog, saying: “Let’s be clear up front: Ubisoft does not constrain its games. We would not limit a game’s resolution. And we would never do anything to intentionally diminish anything we’ve produced or developed.”

Pontbriand is quoted in the post as saying: “We’ve spent four years building the best game we could imagine. Why would we ever do anything to hold it back? I simply chose the wrong words when talking about the game’s resolution, and for that I’m sorry.”

However, the 900p/30 frames per second issue highlights the larger question of whether the Xbox One and PS4 will be powerful enough to run the games developers want to make over the lifespan of the consoles. If they’re already bumping up against the CPU ceiling not even a year after the consoles launched, that doesn’t bode well for future games.

While this could be a problem in the coming years, we also know that developers find many ways to make their games look and play better as consoles age. Just compare any launch game from the Xbox 360 to a more recent title like Grand Theft Auto V, and you’ll see a major difference. The hardware is the same, but developers find ways to improve the games significantly.

Assassin’s Creed Unity launches on PS4, Xbox One, and PC on November 14.

http://www.gamersoutpost.net/

by Paul Tassi

It seems a day can’t go by without some news breaking about which upcoming games will hit 1080p and 60 FPS, and which ones will miss that mark. Developers are constantly coming forward to try and get ahead of these stories so their games don’t launch and their native resolution becomes some kind of scandal, which is what we saw in the early days of the new console war between Xbox One and PS4.

And really, these resolution differences are one of the last major fighting points between the two consoles, now that the two are borderline indistinguishable from one another. Sony fans tout that their system hits the 1080p/60 FPS mark more often than Microsoft’s console, while Xbox fans seem content to shrug and say they don’t care, as it really isn’t a big deal.

But some people care. A Lot. Hence the reason for this post. I thought I’d compile all the recent resolution news in one spot so you can get a handle on which game will run at which resolution and FPS on which consoles. Here we go:

– Bioware says Dragon Age: Inquisition will run at 1080p on PS4 and 900p on Xbox One, “maximizing the potential of each system.”

– Ubisoft is targeting 1080p and 30 FPS for Far Cry 4 on PS4. No word on Xbox One yet.

– PES 2015 will run at 1080p/60 FPS on PS4, 720p/60 FPS on Xbox One.

– Mortal Kombat X runs at 1080p/60 FPS, and the implication is that it may hit that mark on both consoles.

– Assassin’s Creed: Unity will run at 900p/30 FPS on both PS4 and Xbox One. Originally Ubisoft said this was to “avoid all the debates and stuff,” but later clarified that they were not purposefully hamstringing the PS4 version to be on par with Xbox One.

Those are some of the more major games where resolution has been in the news, and some big fall titles have not yet addressed the issue like Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare. If you want to delve into the past, IGN has a great chart showing the native resolution and framerates of a lot of games on the PS4 and Xbox One, along with which system has the advantage. It’s the one you’re guessing.

The question has always been…does any of this really matter?

I’d argue yes, but not for the reasons many think.

The functional difference between 1080p and 900p or even 720p on home consoles is not nearly as noticeable as it is on PC, where you’re sitting two feet away from the screen. Most Xbox One players have probably played many 720p or 900p titles and then popped over to their friends’ to play the same game on PS4, and were probably none the wiser about the resolution difference. Framerate, however, is more noticeable, which is why sacrificing 1080p on occasion for 60 FPS seems worthwhile.

The problem is that even the resolution difference is functionally irrelevant across PS4 and Xbox One, the debate and all these news stories feed into the narrative that the Xbox is underpowered when compared to Sony’s system. Though the power difference is largely negligible, and hardly the difference between say, the Wii U and the PS4, if given two consoles with a practically identical games line-up, many consumers may make their decision based on the idea that yes, the Xbox One is less powerful. And that’s why this all matters, and has mattered from the beginning.

The problem is, the perception is already there, and Mucrosoft working overtime to try and get Xbox One up to the same FPS/resolution standards as Sony is admirable, but probably a lot more work than it’s worth in practice.

It’s not really a functionality problem that affects games in meaningful ways. Rather, consumers simply have expectations that of course new generation consoles would be able to hit 1080p/60 FPS consistently. I mean, TV is moving for 4K for crying out loud, right? Yes, but gaming is in a different place, and if resolution is your primary concern, I suggest you take up PC gaming, as has always been the case. The new console generation hasn’t changed that equation, though that realization has been something of a letdown for fans.

http://www.gamersoutpost.net/

by Paul Tassi

Destiny’s raid has been the source of much joy and frustration among players since its launch nearly a month ago. Joy for those who have gotten to experience and beat the most challenging, most innovative, most rewarding content of the game. Frustration for those whose schedules don’t allow them to organize a 6-man raiding party to beat a raid that can take anywhere from two to ten hours, depending on your skill level and knowledge of what’s inside.

I always wondered about how with Bungie’s lack of Raid matchmaking and how challenging the content is, how many players would actually attempt and complete the Raid in its current form. Now we have answers from Bungie themselves. Here are the vital stats (via the Bungie Weekly Update and Kotaku):

Destiny averages 3.2M players every day with an average playtime of 3 hours a day(!)

1,970,807 players have attempted the Raid on Normal

472,082 players have defeated the Raid on Normal

202,729 players have attempted the Raid on Hard

36,181 players have defeated the Raid on Hard

Honestly, this is more than I anticipated in all categories. 1.9M attempts out of 3.2M active players is a pretty solid ratio. So is 472K who have actually beaten it. That’s about 15% of daily active players who have beaten the Raid, meant to be the top-tier challenging content of the game. Given these numbers, it seems it’s working as intended.

And yet, I’m still convinced the Raid needs matchmaking, both in-game and out of game.

Out of game, there are a number of pretty solid third party sites that have sprung up which try to connect players together in order to form raiding or Nightfall parties. Destinylfg, ThatWizardCamefromtheMoon, and so on. Still, it is inexcusable that none of these sites were set up by Bungie themselves ahead of time when it was them who made the “friends only” matchmaking rule in the first place. A Bungie site would have the budget to be a lot more in-depth and effective than these third party sites (though they’ve done a great job), and should have existed from the beginning.

And yet, the problem remains with these sites that if you’re going online to try and find anywhere from 1-5 strangers to round out your team, why is there simply not randomized matchmaking in the game in the first place? Finding a group of strangers online is more or less randomized matchmaking itself, only stupidly annoying to organize compared to an automated in-game system.

I understand the downsides of Raid matchmaking which always come up each time this topic is raised. There’s little to stop you from getting throw into the game with lower level players or poorly communicative teammates, but honestly, that happens already regardless. And while sure, many match-made teams will likely disintegrate and most won’t reach end the end of the Raid, at least it would give players a chance to experience the content in a way that doesn’t force them to go on outside forums looking for a group, or sending random invites to everyone they see in the Tower. And I’m willing to bet that even randomly matchmade groups could grow to become a tightly knit team if they communicate and perform well. That’s already happened to me many times on matchmade Strikes, where I’ve stuck with the same group mission after mission, and had a pair of new friend requests waiting for me when I was finished. Why couldn’t that happen for the Raid as well?

Again, this comes down to something I was talking about earlier this week, that Destiny’s next update needs to be heavily social-focused, as it’s too hard to make friends effectively in the game.

I just don’t see the downside in inserting matchmaking into high level events like Raid, Nightfall and Heroic Strikes. Right now some players don’t get to experience this content at all because of those restrictions. With matchmaking, sure, it may prove to be more challenging and frustrating than with a tightly knit group of your buddies or max level strangers, but at least the challenge is presented, not avoided entirely. Worst case scenario you don’t beat the mission and you’ll come back another day, but at least you got to try. Best case you find a good group that you stick with until the end, and you’ll probably make a few friends after an ordeal so harrowing.

Even if these Raid numbers are higher than I may have anticipated, I still believe matchmaking is a must. There’s no point hiding what is far and away the best content of the game from half or more of your players due to arbitrary restrictions that require players to manually organize their own teams outside of the game.

http://www.gamersoutpost.net/

by Anthony McCartney

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani will defend Activision in court against a lawsuit filed by disgraced Panamanian dictator Manuel Noriega over the “Call of Duty” franchise, the video game maker said Thursday.

Giuliani joined the legal team fighting Noriega’s lawsuit last month but had not been expected to argue the video game giant’s case at an Oct. 16 hearing.

Noriega sued Activision Blizzard Inc. in July over his inclusion in 2012’s “Call of Duty: Black Ops II.” The former military dictator did not authorize the use of his likeness in the game, but Activision contends its usage is protected by the First Amendment.

The ex-dictator sued, claiming the game maker depicted him as a killer and enemy of the state. The game features a story line in which players capture Noriega, who in turn helps the game’s villain.

Activision contends that Noriega plays a minor role in the game and his case should be dismissed.

“If successful, this case would obliterate the entire genre of historical fiction,” Giuliani wrote in a statement. “I couldn’t be more excited at the prospect of being back in court to defend the makers of Call of Duty against this convicted murderer who wants to make a mockery of the U.S. legal system and attack our right to free speech.”

Previous “Call of Duty” games have featured historical figures such as President John F. Kennedy and Fidel Castro.

In a sworn declaration, Noriega wrote that he learned his likeness had been used in the game after his grandchildren played it and asked why one of the missions focused on captured the ex-dictator.

Noriega’s lawyers argue that the First Amendment defense doesn’t apply because Activision copied the ex-dictator’s likeness without consent and did not transform his video game character into something different from his actual persona.

“Here, Activision painstakingly created a character in its ‘Black Ops II’ game that was nothing more than a conventional, high-tech recreation of General Manuel Noriega,” Noriega’s lawyers wrote in a filing earlier this month.

Noriega was toppled in 1989 by a U.S. invasion and served a 17-year drug trafficking sentence in the United States. He later was convicted in France of money laundering, and that country repatriated him to Panama in December 2011. Noriega, 80, is serving a 60-year sentence for murder, embezzlement and corruption.

He has had health issues in recent months and has been treated for high blood pressure, flu and bronchitis. His family also has said he has a benign brain tumor and heart trouble.

Giuliani, who led New York City’s government for two terms — including during the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks — is also a former U.S. attorney and sought the Republican presidential nomination in 2008. In private practice, Giuliani worked as a free speech lawyer, representing major news outlets such as the Wall Street Journal and the financial magazine Barron’s.

http://www.gamersoutpost.net/

by Paul Tassi

Despite the struggles of the Wii U, it’s hard to find anyone, fans or critics alike, who isn’t excited for this November’s Super Smash Bros. installment for Nintendo’s latest console. We’ve been hearing about the game for literally years at this point, and now that Nintendo has finally set a premiere date for it (November 21st), everyone can breathe easy about further delays (we hope).

But naturally, fans aren’t pleased with every bit of information that’s come out regarding the game. One frequent topic of conversation has been the usual addition of clones. In Smash Bros. for Wii U’s case, that includes Lucina, Dark Pit and Doctor Mario, who aren’t really new characters, but just alternate models for existing characters in the game with a few minor tweaks. Think Mario vs. Luigi in the original Super Smash 64. In fact, every Smash Bros. game has a few of these types of clones, but some fans are upset that more work wasn’t put in into making them fully-fledged characters.

Smash Bros. director Mashiro Sakurai explained a bit about why and how clones exist when speaking to Famitsu with translation from Nintendo Everything:

“There are 3 fighters [Lucina, Dark Pit, and Doctor Mario] that are alternate models (clones) in the game. Each was originally a color variation, but during development, they were given balanced characteristics. Since their functionality had differences, forms were separated from each other. However, it was vital that this didn’t increase the required man-hours. Some relative tuning was sufficient as it wasn’t necessary to create balancing from scratch.”

Seems logical, but Sakurai goes on to appear downright offended at the implication that fans “deserve” more from him and his team in terms of making these clones into more involved characters.

“This is like a free dessert after a luxurious meal that was prepared free of charge. In a restaurant with this type of service, I don’t think there’s anybody who would say, “Change this to a meat dish!!” Yet, I’m told [to do that] about Smash Bros. But, I guess since a lot of them are children, it cannot be helped.”

Ouch. Perhaps this is one of those times where translation makes a statement sound more blunt than it is, but those are some pretty harsh words for his critics. I’m not sure if he genuinely believes that children are the ones complaining about these kinds of things, but I think most of us in the gaming space know that grown adults throw plenty of tantrums about their favorite games, depending on the topic at hand. I have to imagine that’s the case here as well, in addition to any actual children who may be complaining.

While I understand why fans may want more unique characters in the game, Super Smash Bros. for Wii U is hardly lacking for fighters, and boasts a beefy roster, whether you include the clones or not. Here, Sakurai is essentially saying “You get clones or nothing” with these characters, and I can’t say that’s an incorrect stance to take. Would you want Smash delayed to 2015 so these three clones can become a bit more fleshed out? Because I certainly wouldn’t.

http://www.gamersoutpost.net/

by Emily Gera

Actress Lindsay Lohan continues her lawsuit against Grand Theft Auto 5 makers Take-Two Interactive and Rockstar Games with a new 67-page complaint against the companies for allegedly using her likeness in the open-world video game, according to The Hollywood Reporter.

The new complaint features 45 pages of pictorial evidence, including one of the game discs that features the image of a blonde, bikini-laden woman. According to the text, the suit emphasizes a “common interest among all celebrities, actors, singers, and athletes … to protect their likeness and personas from misappropriation by unscrupulous merchandisers.”

The filing also alleges that Take-Two Interactive used this female character on merchandise and advertising: “The Defendants were in the business of selling games as opposed to artists displaying artwork in galleries for profit where unauthorized images or portraits of individuals were reproduced in limited editions as opposed to the mass production for commercial promotion and financial gain.”

The Associated Press reported earlier this year that Lohan’s legal team filed a lawsuit in a Manhattan court that alleges Take-Two Interactive and Rockstar Games based GTA 5 character Lacey Jonas on the actress, who has starred in Herbie Fully Loaded and The Canyons.

The developer “incorporated her image, likeness, clothing, outfits, [Lohan’s] clothing line products, ensemble in the form of hats, hair style, sunglasses” and the jean shorts worn by Lohan without her permission, according to the complaint.

The suit also alleges that the in-game hotel Gentry Manor, based on West Hollywood hotel Chateau Marmont, is associated with Lohan, as she formerly resided there.

In Grand Theft Auto 5, players can encounter Lacey Jonas in a mission in which they must escort her to escape the paparazzi. Her in-game dialogue portrays her as a famous Vinewood actress with an eating disorder. You can see what she looks like in the image at the top of the page.

Lawyers for Take Two had previously claimed the lawsuit filed by Lohan was done “for publicity purposes.”

http://www.gamersoutpost.net/