Sins of a Solar Empire is an award-winning RTS space battle game, and Mass Effect is an epic action RPG universe with enough lore to fill a library. What happens when you smash the two together in the particle accelerator chamber that is a fan-created mod? You get Mass Effect: Dawn of the Reapers, a full conversion for Sins that lets you command ships like the Normandy against various Mass Effect-inspired units, including those of the Geth, Volus, and Cerberus' ships as well.
There's lots more planned for the mod, including even more races and ships designed straight from Bioware's epic series. Unfortunately, the mod itself isn't available to the public just yet, and the release of Mass Effect 3 pushed it back for some more lore and spec tweaks. Still, when it's available it will work with both Sins' Diplomacy expansion and the standalone Rebellion version as well.
There's lots more planned for the mod, including even more races and ships designed straight from Bioware's epic series. Unfortunately, the mod itself isn't available to the public just yet, and the release of Mass Effect 3 pushed it back for some more lore and spec tweaks. Still, when it's available it will work with both Sins' Diplomacy expansion and the standalone Rebellion version as well.
![Pay what you want for Divinity games on GOG](https://web.archive.org/web/20121010184122im_/http://o.aolcdn.com/js/x.gif)
For a company built on old games, GOG is certainly keeping tabs on the current trends. Not only is it selling new indies (and Witcher games), now the retailer has announced its first pay-what-you-want bundle.
The bundle, available until October 18, provides Divine Divinity, Beyond Divinity, and Divinity 2 Developer's Cut for as much as you feel like paying. Provided it's at least $21 – early access to the Developer's Cut comes only at that level, and Beyond Divinity is similarly withheld for below-average payments.
"This year Larian celebrates the 10th anniversary of our Divinity RPG series, and we're happy to partner up with GOG.com in order to put the whole collection at the mercy of our community," Larian CEO Swen Vincke said. "We've always been thankful for the unceasing support that our players have provided over the years and we'll gladly welcome any and all newcomers!"
If you already love Divinity games and feel like paying a set price, Larian has also announced a Divinity Anthology box, with the same games and lots of extras.
![Obsidian's Avellone on South Park and the continued appeal of external franchises](https://web.archive.org/web/20121010184122im_/http://o.aolcdn.com/js/x.gif)
"Working with franchises can be challenging, but at the same time I really did enjoy working on Star Wars, for example, and I have done a lot of Dungeons & Dragons games, but I still enjoy it very much," Obsidian creative director Chris Avellone told me. "And there's plenty of franchises out there that we would love to work with still."
Developing games in pre-existing universes can be rewarding for Obsidian, Avellone suggested. South Park: The Stick of Truth, which is as far from Obsidian's comfort zone as anything would be, illustrates the benefits.
"The fact that you're implementing game system mechanics that cater to the South Park franchise, in the sense of rude and obnoxious different weapon types," Avellone explained, "we rarely get a chance to flex our design skills in those directions, and it's a lot of fun to do. We're actually learning a lot while we're doing it. That's another advantage of working on someone else's franchise. You sort of get inside their head for a sense of how they think, and how that stuff can be converted into game mechanics."
Obsidian was dropped into South Park with a surprisingly clear vision of what to do, as a concept had already been proposed. "We didn't actually know what they were thinking about in terms of RPGs, so we went up there for one day, they ran us this animatic sequence of how they imagined the opening of the game playing," and Obsidian "got it" immediately. "It was hilarious, and we got it, we see what you're trying to make here. It's going to feel like the show, it's going to look like the show. Here's how you interpret the controller mechanisms."
What wasn't as clear from the outset was whether the Stick of Truth offer was true. "I would never have thought we'd get a chance to do an RPG like that, and like holy crap," Avellone said. "When we first heard about it, I seriously thought some other game company was punking us. 'Ha ha ha, we're from South Park and we want to do an RPG!... ha ha, fake.'"
![](https://web.archive.org/web/20121010184122im_/http://o.aolcdn.com/js/x.gif)
Chris Roberts, creator of Wing Commander, has revealed his new project, first teased last month. The game, he says, will "breathe new life into space combat games," and is set to be be fully unveiled today at GDC Online in Austin, Texas.
Star Citizen has been in development on PC for a year now, and promises several components Roberts' games are known for, notably a detailed world, "sophisticated story," and "visceral, heart-pounding space combat." Whether or not the game will feature talking lion-people remains to be seen.
Roberts is using crowd funding to finance the game, via his own website. The game will likely need another two years of development, though users who back the project will have access to "a version of the game" next year. Star Citizen will be sold as a one-time purchase, though players will also be able to purchase in-game items.
Check out the first trailer above.
![Tomb Raider preorder bonuses announced for NAUK](https://web.archive.org/web/20121010184122im_/http://o.aolcdn.com/js/x.gif)
GameStop offers the "Challenge Tomb," a new location full of "environment puzzles." Amazon gives you a raft of content – though not an actual raft, which Lara would probably find useful. Instead, you get a "Hunter Skin" that basically covers Lara in mud; a Kindle Fire copy of The Final Hours of Tomb Raider; and an art book. Best Buy gives pre-orderers a 48-page hardback comic called "The Beginning," and an "Aviatrix Skin" with a bomber jacket for Lara.
The images provided with these announcements suggest each retailer will have two more offers, revealed in December and January. There were pre-order announcements for the UK and Ireland, as well, which are detailed after the break.
*Please shop in an orderly manner.
The first downloadable expansion for Borderlands 2 is titled 'Captain Scarlett and her Pirate's Booty', according to the game's updated trophy list. PS3Trophies noticed three extra Captain Scarlett trophies added to the game via yesterday's title update.
The three trophies are for completing the "X Marks the Spot" mission, discovering all named locations in Oasis and the surrounding Pirate's Booty areas, and completing all Pirate's Booty side missions. This, along with information drawn from the game's PC source files by Gearbox forum users, suggests the DLC introduces new areas.
We've reached out to Gearbox for further information on the DLC, and we'll update you as soon as we know more. Until then, this was the voice of the Mysterons, and as ever we know that you can hear us.
The three trophies are for completing the "X Marks the Spot" mission, discovering all named locations in Oasis and the surrounding Pirate's Booty areas, and completing all Pirate's Booty side missions. This, along with information drawn from the game's PC source files by Gearbox forum users, suggests the DLC introduces new areas.
We've reached out to Gearbox for further information on the DLC, and we'll update you as soon as we know more. Until then, this was the voice of the Mysterons, and as ever we know that you can hear us.
Black Ops 2 will have a double XP event during its launch weekend, from November 16 - 18, tied to pre-orders. We've known for a while that pre-orders will get the Nuketown 2025 bonus map – now it looks like downloading that map will give players free access to the double XP party.
Nuketown 2025, a reimagining of the original Black Ops map, and the double XP access is available in pre-orders from Amazon, Best Buy, Gamestop, Target, Toys 'R' Us and Walmart for PS3, Xbox 360 and PC (including Steam).
Nuketown 2025, a reimagining of the original Black Ops map, and the double XP access is available in pre-orders from Amazon, Best Buy, Gamestop, Target, Toys 'R' Us and Walmart for PS3, Xbox 360 and PC (including Steam).
Riot Games has finished up another legal dispute regarding a website domain name related to its popular League of Legends title. LeagueofLegends.co was previously awarded to the company by the World Intellectual Property Organization from the clutches of a domain squatter, and now LeagueofLegendsPorn.com has been reclaimed by Riot for its own use. The case actually closed in late September, but the ruling came online earlier this week.
Those looking for some racy pics of Miss Fortune or Akali getting it on, however, will be disappointed: The site never actually hosted any adult material, and now that Riot owns it, probably never will. But Riot is slowly securing its various domain name holdings online, making it easier for the company to connect players up to big company events like the recent World Championships in LA.
Those looking for some racy pics of Miss Fortune or Akali getting it on, however, will be disappointed: The site never actually hosted any adult material, and now that Riot owns it, probably never will. But Riot is slowly securing its various domain name holdings online, making it easier for the company to connect players up to big company events like the recent World Championships in LA.
Indie developers are the starving artists of the video-game world, often brilliant and innovative, but also misunderstood, underfunded and more prone to writing free-form poetry on their LiveJournals. We believe they deserve a wider audience with the Joystiq Indie Pitch: This week, Johannes, Anders, Martin, Poi and the Coilworks team discuss going Greenlight and modern-retro challenges with Cloudbuilt.
What's your game called and what's it about?
Our game is called Cloudbuilt, and at its core it is all about challenging high-speed action and platforming. We are borrowing inspiration from old-school games, combining it with modern elements and adding some unique twists. We really think that we have brought booster powers to a whole new level with this game.
So what will Cloudbuilt bring in terms of challenge?
We want there to be plenty of room for the player to improve. We don't want to make Cloudbuilt challenging in the sense of simply killing the player. Sure, there are parts of the game where people tend to die a lot, but we make sure it's not because of unfair design. Our goal is to make you feel in control, thus should you fail, it would be due to your own fault. That makes it truly rewarding and when you clear a level, you'll feel like you've improved and mastered something.
Doing several easy tasks at once quickly becomes challenging. Wall-running on its own is not that hard, but wall-running while dodging mines and shooting at enemies, all while preparing to jump onto a new wall, is a little bit harder.
Because we are giving the player access to all abilities from the start, we will be focusing on the player's development instead of a character's. There is no difference in what a player can do in the beginning compared with the end. But there will most likely be a big difference in play style and the player's way of thinking.
No matter where you like to purchase your games, odds are you'll find a Double Fine game on discount right now. The developer has announced its entire catalogue is on sale across Steam, Xbox 360, Amazon and its own shop.
Discounts include Stacking and its DLC on Xbox Live Arcade, and both signed and stock copies of Brutal Legend on PS3 and Xbox 360 through the Double Fine Shop. Iron Brigade (formerly Trenched) is cheap on Steam and Xbox Live Arcade right now, and even Psychonauts is half-off through Steam and the Mac App store, and the soundtrack too.
We'd never tell you how to spend those hard-earned duckets you covet so much, but at least we can rest easy knowing you're not spending as much as you normally would.
Discounts include Stacking and its DLC on Xbox Live Arcade, and both signed and stock copies of Brutal Legend on PS3 and Xbox 360 through the Double Fine Shop. Iron Brigade (formerly Trenched) is cheap on Steam and Xbox Live Arcade right now, and even Psychonauts is half-off through Steam and the Mac App store, and the soundtrack too.
We'd never tell you how to spend those hard-earned duckets you covet so much, but at least we can rest easy knowing you're not spending as much as you normally would.
Valve is seeking people to test out some of its hardware prototypes, along with released and unreleased games. Right now its looking for people around Valve's offices, in the Seattle or Bellevue area, but it may conduct remote testing in the future, so everyone is invited to fill out a playtester survey.
The survey asks, among other questions, how many years you've been playing games, for your favorite game, which difficulty you typically play on, your overall impression of Valve games, if you get motion sickness when playing first-person shooters and who the beneficiary on your life insurance policy is. OK, we made that last one up, but coming from the company that created Aperture Science, it's not too outlandish.
Looks like Valve is getting the ball rolling on its oft-rumored hardware-distribution arm. Which might in fact be a real arm that distributes hardware. You just never know with Valve.
The survey asks, among other questions, how many years you've been playing games, for your favorite game, which difficulty you typically play on, your overall impression of Valve games, if you get motion sickness when playing first-person shooters and who the beneficiary on your life insurance policy is. OK, we made that last one up, but coming from the company that created Aperture Science, it's not too outlandish.
Looks like Valve is getting the ball rolling on its oft-rumored hardware-distribution arm. Which might in fact be a real arm that distributes hardware. You just never know with Valve.
For everyone still out there defending Earth from the Reapers and/or Cerberus, we've got some news: 1) Shepard took care of that, like, months ago. What are you guys even doing out there? 2) The way you're rewarded for your hard work and service to the Alliance military is about to change, albeit not drastically.
At some point in the future, BioWare will implement a "Challenge" system in Mass Effect 3's multiplayer. Players will be able to complete "hundreds of new multiplayer challenges" that sound a lot like mini-achievements. Successfully completing a challenge grants Challenge Points (think high-score, not in-game currency) and personal progression through said challenges can be monitored both in-game and on a forthcoming N7 HQ website. Additionally, gold-level challenges grant an exclusive title and banner upon completion, and can also be completed an unlimited number of times.
The existing bi-weekly "Operation: Enter-code-word-here" events will be replaced by weekly Challenge events that grant their prizes to individual players immediately, rather than granting global prizes on a delay as the current system does. No word on when these changes will be implemented.
At some point in the future, BioWare will implement a "Challenge" system in Mass Effect 3's multiplayer. Players will be able to complete "hundreds of new multiplayer challenges" that sound a lot like mini-achievements. Successfully completing a challenge grants Challenge Points (think high-score, not in-game currency) and personal progression through said challenges can be monitored both in-game and on a forthcoming N7 HQ website. Additionally, gold-level challenges grant an exclusive title and banner upon completion, and can also be completed an unlimited number of times.
The existing bi-weekly "Operation: Enter-code-word-here" events will be replaced by weekly Challenge events that grant their prizes to individual players immediately, rather than granting global prizes on a delay as the current system does. No word on when these changes will be implemented.
Maxis announced today that The Sims 3 expansion "70s, 80s & 90s Stuff" will be available in January 2013. The pack includes clothing and stuff that exemplifies the decades of the Nixon through Clinton administrations (Wilson through Blair in the UK, Indira Gandhi to Vajpayee in India).
The division of Electronic Arts also teased a college or university expansion pack coming after the three decades of stuff pack. The Sims 3 is currently prepping for the Seasons expansion this November.
The division of Electronic Arts also teased a college or university expansion pack coming after the three decades of stuff pack. The Sims 3 is currently prepping for the Seasons expansion this November.
Retro City Rampage, Vblank Entertainment's insanely in-depth 8-bit parody of classic open-world action tropes, is out now for PC, PS3 and Vita. We mentioned this was happening yesterday with the game's lovely launch trailer, which we've refrained from embedding above to give you more time to just go out and buy Retro City Rampage already.
Retro City Rampage is available for PC via Steam, GOG and its official site, and is on PS3 and Vita through PSN and the PS Store, regularly priced at $15. It's 10 percent off on Steam through October 16 ($13.50). Go get some.
Retro City Rampage is available for PC via Steam, GOG and its official site, and is on PS3 and Vita through PSN and the PS Store, regularly priced at $15. It's 10 percent off on Steam through October 16 ($13.50). Go get some.
![](https://web.archive.org/web/20121010184122im_/http://o.aolcdn.com/js/x.gif)
I asked Avellone today if he'd learned any more about the new Black Isle. "I have no idea," he said. "I do not know. I'm very curious." He then leaned in and added "I would like to know more." Avellone is pragmatic about the announcement, putting the proliferation of his favorite games above his own concerns about the use of the name. "If it means more RPGs, great. I love RPGs."
I'll have more from my interview with Avellone soon.
In the indie world of secret handshakes and underground brunch meetings, there's a specific phrase for the following complex process, as described by developer Colin Northway: "Apply to Steam, be rejected, release without it, get popular, be noticed by Valve, release on Steam."
This is widely accepted as the "Offspring Fling" submission process. It takes the name of Kyle Pulver's retro platformer, which launched on Steam in May, months after not launching on Steam, despite Pulver's attempts. Northway shares this rejection jargon with us in terms of his own puzzle game, Incredipede, and Steam Greenlight:
"This is the path Offspring Fling took before Greenlight and it's the path Incredipede will take after Greenlight. It's kind of sad because I thought the point of Greenlight is to specifically avoid the 'Offspring Fling' situation."
This is widely accepted as the "Offspring Fling" submission process. It takes the name of Kyle Pulver's retro platformer, which launched on Steam in May, months after not launching on Steam, despite Pulver's attempts. Northway shares this rejection jargon with us in terms of his own puzzle game, Incredipede, and Steam Greenlight:
"This is the path Offspring Fling took before Greenlight and it's the path Incredipede will take after Greenlight. It's kind of sad because I thought the point of Greenlight is to specifically avoid the 'Offspring Fling' situation."
![Image](https://web.archive.org/web/20121010184122im_/http://o.aolcdn.com/js/x.gif)
![How to write Fallout New Vegas DLC](https://web.archive.org/web/20121010184122im_/http://o.aolcdn.com/js/x.gif)
However, they couldn't carry storylines over. "Each one was a very self-contained short experience" by design; each storyline and setting had to exist in isolation from one another, because the team could not assume that any player would own all four packs. That "short experience" adds up to just 10,000 lines of dialogue across all four, Avellone said – a hard maximum. As a result, Avellone and Obsidian had to pad out the dialogue with "trickery" including mute characters who spoke in hand gestures. "We were only able to get away with that for so long," he added.
Visceral Games, best known for the Dead Space series, just might be working on a free-to-play multiplayer online battle arena (MOBA) title, according to recent job listings discovered by IGN. Perhaps most telling is the listing for a Global Community Manager, who will work in the Play4Free division (EA's team focused on free-to-play titles) and is expected to have "an unhealthy passion for MOBA games."
The studio is also seeking a character designer with experience in "MOBA, Action RTS, Action RPG, or Related Genres." Finally, Visceral is looking for a character concept artist for "an upcoming PC action title." Alongside the portfolio requirement, it's noted that "highly stylized pieces with exaggerated proportions" are considered a plus. Given the typically larger number of playable characters in a MOBA, and the need to identify them from a distance, such exaggerated proportions are common among MOBA character designs.
Is Visceral developing a full-on MOBA? Given its recent history with Dead Space, it's possible the studio is working on a shooter with MOBA elements, perhaps something akin to Super Monday Night Combat (though probably much darker in design).
A third, much less likely but still tantalizing possibility: a Jack the Ripper MOBA.
The studio is also seeking a character designer with experience in "MOBA, Action RTS, Action RPG, or Related Genres." Finally, Visceral is looking for a character concept artist for "an upcoming PC action title." Alongside the portfolio requirement, it's noted that "highly stylized pieces with exaggerated proportions" are considered a plus. Given the typically larger number of playable characters in a MOBA, and the need to identify them from a distance, such exaggerated proportions are common among MOBA character designs.
Is Visceral developing a full-on MOBA? Given its recent history with Dead Space, it's possible the studio is working on a shooter with MOBA elements, perhaps something akin to Super Monday Night Combat (though probably much darker in design).
A third, much less likely but still tantalizing possibility: a Jack the Ripper MOBA.
Painkiller: Hell and Damnation is set to smite up Halloween when it's unleashed October 31 on PC. Publisher Nordic Games also scribbled in a demonicon to us that those interested in the PS3 and Xbox 360 editions have to damn well wait until January 22, 2013.
Nordic describes the version being released this month as "totally uncut," and that same uncut version arrives in three months' time for Xbox 360 and PS3. A cut version also releases on January 22, perhaps to satiate German regulators who didn't give the uncut version a rating, effectively prohibiting its sale in the country.
Hell and Damnation is a remake of the 2004 shooter from Polish studio People Can Fly, now of Bulletstorm fame. People Can Fly's compatriots The Farm 51 are handling the remake, offering a new story that throws Daniel into purgatory once more, forced to fight through to Hell and back all over again. Curiously, the original Painkiller (and subsequent games in the series) received 18+ ratings in Germany, so we wonder what The Farm 51 added to its remake's uncut version to push regulators over the edge.
The PC version comes in Standard and Collector's editions priced at $19.99 and $29.99 respectively, with the latter including plenty of hellish swag. Shell out the extra $10 and you'll get stickers, postcards, a behind-the-scenes artbook, a making-of DVD, a ten-track soundtrack, and some in-game goodies too. The PS3 and 360 versions cost $29.99
Nordic describes the version being released this month as "totally uncut," and that same uncut version arrives in three months' time for Xbox 360 and PS3. A cut version also releases on January 22, perhaps to satiate German regulators who didn't give the uncut version a rating, effectively prohibiting its sale in the country.
Hell and Damnation is a remake of the 2004 shooter from Polish studio People Can Fly, now of Bulletstorm fame. People Can Fly's compatriots The Farm 51 are handling the remake, offering a new story that throws Daniel into purgatory once more, forced to fight through to Hell and back all over again. Curiously, the original Painkiller (and subsequent games in the series) received 18+ ratings in Germany, so we wonder what The Farm 51 added to its remake's uncut version to push regulators over the edge.
The PC version comes in Standard and Collector's editions priced at $19.99 and $29.99 respectively, with the latter including plenty of hellish swag. Shell out the extra $10 and you'll get stickers, postcards, a behind-the-scenes artbook, a making-of DVD, a ten-track soundtrack, and some in-game goodies too. The PS3 and 360 versions cost $29.99