Tag Archive for vehicle

Ravaged Review in Progress

18/10/2012

Hey, Ravaged came out today! With its mix of post-apocalyptic vehicle and FPS combat, it has the potential to be everything a real Rage multiplayer mode could have been. So, is it? Well, I’m not sure yet. I played in the beta, but it offered only a small portion of Ravaged, and what was there was buggier than a Louisiana bayou. What I’ve played today looks better, though, so follow along as we discover whether or not Ravaged even comes close to reaching its lofty goals.

Mad Multiplayer Max

The future — or at least Mad Max: The Road Warrior’s version of it — is the battlefield of Ravaged, a multiplayer-only shooter that pits Resistance (Socs) versus Scavengers (Greasers) in 16v16 grudge matches for land and resources. There isn’t any setup, and players are simply asked to pick a side and get down to some good old-fashioned runnin’ and gunnin’. And drivin’. And flyin’. Ahem.


Vehicular combat married to FPS shooting is the name of the game here. While the class-based shooting (sniper, assault, heavy, light, demo) is you’ve-played-this-a-million-times stuff, there’s a nice spin on the driving and flying elements. Cars, for example, are driven with the WASD keys, Battlefield-style, instead of simply aiming the direction you want to drive with the mouse and pushing W — in other words, this is driving designed for the PC from the ground up. WASD driving not only allows you to keep your eyes peeled for enemies as the driver by swinging the camera around with the mouse, it’s also used as a lean mechanic when driving the three-wheeler. Want to make that extra sharp dime turn on the ATV? Lean into it by looking all the way in the direction you want to go.

Tiny one-man helicopters also are in the mix, and I definitely need more time to learn how to fly them. I’ve crashed and crashed again, but it’s clear that once the difficult mechanic is mastered, the rewards are great. Raining fire and missiles on cars and footsoldiers from above is devastating, particularly because the only thing that can stop them aside from a lucky shot with a rocket launcher is the opposing team’s chopper, and each team only gets one of each. At least that’s how it’s been for me on the only map I could play during the beta, Canyon. In any case, these pesky little copters also appear to venture into overpowered territory, as players piloting them typically wound up with 30-plus kills on the leaderboards while the average second place finisher was in the 12-14 range. A real helicopter counter appears to be needed.

Major Bumps in the Post-Apocalyptic Road

Which brings me to my “this is a review in progress” reminder. I’ve only been able to play Canyon and Ravaged’s Resource Capture mode, which is actually fun. It’s a mix of domination and capture the flag, only instead of flags you’re trying to steal the enemy’s fuel tank. Capturing points around the map, domination-style, is critical because they create spawn points closer to the enemy base where the gas tank is stored. The result is a fast-paced mashup of two modes that sent me assaulting, defending, running, and chasing all over the map. There is at least one other map and mode — Liberty and Thrust — but I haven’t been able to see them just yet, (and it’s unclear if different modes are available on Canyon). There simply aren’t enough people playing on any of the servers offering Liberty at this point.

Most distressingly, despite roughly 120 people playing (on all servers, including demoers, creating roughly three full matches) last I checked, I still couldn’t get into a goddamn Thrust mode game on the Liberty map — the map with the headless Statue of Liberty used in just about all of the promotional screenshots and trailers. Sigh. It appears one of Ravaged’s biggest challenges could be overcoming a lack of interest.

I encourage you to try out that demo to see if Ravaged’s blend of vehicle and FPS combat is for you. So far, when it works it’s fun — just watch out for death from above. I’ll be in and playing for a bit more before I deliver my own final verdict on whether or not it’s worth the $25, so check back here in a day or two.

Ah, the old chicken-and-egg strikes again! Multiplayer game has problems because it lacks players; multiplayer game lacks players because it has problems. What’s the solution? And do you have any plans to try out Ravaged’s post-apocalyptic warfare, or are you skipping it to play something else?

Article source: http://feeds.gamespy.com/~r/gsfeeds/all/~3/thvZhuX7Dcc/1226435p1.html

Saints Row: The Third ‘Full Package’ hits Nov. 6

26/09/2012

Gamers who have held out on picking up Saints Row: The Third may want to wait until November. THQ has announced the Saints Row: The Third – The Full Package, a downloadable content-bundled version of Volition’s well-received open-world action game.


Saints Row: The Third bundles up in November.

Saints Row: The Third bundles up in November.

Due out on November 6 for Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, and PC at $50, The Full Package includes the game, three DLC packs (Genkibowl VII, Gangstas in Space, and The Trouble With Clones), as well as more than 30 “bonus” DLC items from the game’s previously released add-ons.

Altogether, players who pick up The Full Package will have every weapon, vehicle, and outfit created for the game. Saints Row: The Third launched during November 2011 and has shipped more than 4 million copies to date.

Article source: http://www.gamespot.com/news/saints-row-the-third-full-package-hits-nov-6-6397119

GT5 update and DLC detailed

21/09/2012

Sony has unveiled new DLC and an update for Gran Turismo 5 on its official PlayStation blog. Due to arrive on September 25, the DLC features three new cars available for individual purchase at A$0.99 each.


The Subaru BRZ S '12 could be yours (virtually, at least) for A$0.99.

The Subaru BRZ S ’12 could be yours (virtually, at least) for A$0.99.

The new cars available include the Nissan GT-R N4 GT Academy ’12, Subaru BRZ S’12, and Honda Weider HSV-010 (Super GT) ’11. In addition to new content, a downloadable update will bring the game to version 2.08, and add tweaks including the option to disable collisions in online races, and change the rate of tire wear and air resistance. Patch notes include:

• Now possible to select “disable collisions” in the [Event Settings] of online races
• IDs are now shown above cars when watching online races
• Response of the clutch pedal when using the steering wheel controllers; “G25 Racing Wheel”, “G27 Racing Wheel”, “T500RS”, and “TH8RS” has been adjusted
• Rate of tire wear in endurance races has been slowed (excluding formula cars)
• Amount of air resistance change when altering aerodynamic wing settings has been increased
• Autopilot has been adjusted to prevent colliding with the wall when exiting the pit lane on the Tsukuba circuit
• Adjusted the changes in control characteristic when altering vehicle height from standard height. (Vehicle height can be changed by adjusting ride height, either by installing a suspension kit or adjusting a full customisable suspension kit.)

GT5 was well received when it was released in 2010 as a PlayStation 3 exclusive, and has sold over 6 million copies.

Article source: http://www.gamespot.com/news/gt5-update-and-dlc-detailed-6396930

Battlefield 3 Armored Kill Review

14/09/2012

With four huge maps, a great new game mode, and a handful of fun new vehicles, Armored Kill is the best reason yet for you to jump back into Battlefield 3. After the Close Quarters misstep expansion that tried to turn BF3 into something it isn’t, and the rehash of Battlefield 2′s maps of Back to Karkand, Armored Kill finally feels like the first Battlefield 3 expansion to get close to living up to its potential by giving us more of what makes the series so great: a strong mix of vehicular warfare and first-person shooting. It pushes Battlefield 3 to its limits, and in some cases comes to a sudden stop when it hits them.

When is Big Too Big?

Up until this point, maps like Caspian Border have carried the load of showcasing large-scale battles in Battlefield 3. Now, with Armored Kill, we have four even larger maps, one of which DICE claims as the biggest map in the history of the series. That would be Bandar Desert, and yes, it’s pretty damn big. So big, in fact, that it actually makes Battlefield 3′s 64-player limit feel *gasp* small, and some of the battles I played in Conquest mode turned into isolated pockets of fighting between a few players. It’s a far cry from the epic scale warfare I signed up for, but it’s much better in Rush mode because everyone is moving from the same objective location to the next. It’s still fun, as BF3 tends to be, but I can’t help but think how amazing it would be if the player limit was higher.

The other maps introduce some large battlegrounds as well (not quite to the gigantic scope of Bandar,) but it’s Alborz Mountains that stands out. I mean, they’re all great — Death Valley is a nighttime desert map and Armored Shield takes place across some large grasslands — it’s just that the variety of terrain makes Alborz feel really unique. Between fighting over a frozen lake and driving up a mountain in my tank, the entire map looks like it was plucked out of Skyrim, and it’s the best-designed of the four new maps.

Do You Feel Superior?

It’s a design well-suited for the impressive new vehicle-centric mode, Tank Superiority (playable on all four new maps). The rules are simple: there’s one control point in the middle of the map, so you should capture it. The number of vehicles to be found is increased, so you’re assured to see tons of tanks and APCs all rushing and vying for control of this one hotspot. A few minutes into a Tank Superiority match, charred remnants of those vehicles start to pile up, tanks launching artillery barrages from hilltops, and a few brave (stupid) souls leave their vehicles to sprint to the control point. It’s a beautiful chaotic mess, and I love it.


Tank Superiority is also the best mode to play if you’re trying to complete the five new Assignments (AKA achievements), all of which are vehicle related. Completing these tasks involves making a number of kills with a specific vehicle or unlocking additional vehicle abilities like explosive rounds and TOW missiles. As opposed to Back to Karkand and Close Quarters, there are no new infantry weapons — the focus here went to introducing new vehicles like the Spurt-SD tank, the M1128 Tank Killer, the M142 BM-23 mobile artillery trucks.

There’s also the uniquely auto-piloted C-130 Gunship, which is an awesome ride, even if I can’t directly fly it. Instead, two players can hop in and take on the firing duties — one on the anti-aircraft gun, the other shelling ground troops. Even with these two seats filled, the Gunship then serves as a mobile spawn point so players can paradrop closer to enemy-controlled areas.

Making Sure Everyone Feels Welcome

Because of the concentration on vehicles in Armored Kill, the Engineer is far and away the preferred class on these maps. The other classes have some useful tools, like Support’s C4 and Recon’s ability to laser targets, but they can’t match the Engineer’s variety. Between his rocket launchers, mines, and even the EOD remote-controlled robot, if you’re picking a different class you better have a damn good reason for it. This happens to be my favorite class anyway, so I didn’t mind playing with him a majority of the time, but if you’re partial to your sniper you might want to get used to wielding a blow torch to repair your teammates’ vehicles.


Battlefield Premium members have access to Armored Kill right now, and everyone else who’s interested will be able to buy it for $15 on September 25th. If you’re still playing Battlefield 3, or burnt out from claustrophobia or lack of tanks, I suggest that you do.

What’s your favorite Battlefield vehicle of all time? Just asking, for no reason. I’m certainly not going to wait for you to head towards it and then jump in and drive away just before you get there, just for the joy of watching your impotent rage in my rear-view mirror or anything.

Article source: http://feeds.gamespy.com/~r/gsfeeds/all/~3/xC91njhUDgo/1226069p1.html

Armored Kill Available Now for Battlefield 3 Premium Members Only

11/09/2012

If Back to Karkand didn’t feel new enough for you, and Close Quarters felt a little too cramped, than Armored Kill might be just what the Battlefield 3 doctor ordered. Released today for BF3 Premium members, and available for $15 to non-Premium players in two weeks, the new expansion adds “four huge maps” and a new game mode centered around the “all-out vehicle warfare” this new content has been preaching. Here’s a snippet from the official press release:

Starting today, all Battlefield 3 Premium members will be able to download the latest digital expansion pack, Battlefield 3: Armored Kill. Showcasing the signature all-out vehicular warfare the Battlefield series is known for, Battlefield 3: Armored Kill delivers six new vehicles for players to control. Gamers will jump in the seat of tanks, ATV’s, mobile artillery and an aerial gunship that lets gamers rain death from above as they traverse across four huge maps ranging from the snow-capped peaks of Alborz Mountains to the arid vistas of Bandar Desert – the largest multiplayer map in Battlefield history. Also making its debut in Battlefield 3: Armored Kill is Tank Superiority, a dangerously intense gameplay mode where two opposing tank platoons must battle it out for control of a single location on the map until one team has fully bled their opponent’s respawn tickets dry.

We’ll be weighing in tomorrow with our thoughts and review score on this new expansion pack, but if you’re already in there and playing it today what do you think so far? Is this the Battlefield 3 expansion pack you’ve been waiting for? Have you joined our official Battlefield 3 GameSpy Platoon yet? You should!

Article source: http://feeds.gamespy.com/~r/gsfeeds/all/~3/GAKLVVaUjiI/1226040p1.html

Trials Evolution expansion, PC version on the way

06/09/2012

After setting first-day sales records on Xbox Live Arcade with Trials Evolution in April, developer RedLynx is set to bring more tracks to the arcade racer. The game’s first downloadable expansion, “Origin of Pain” is set on Paine Island and will include 36 new tracks including lost temples, deserted beaches, a volcano, and a haunted circus.

The expansion will also include a new vehicle in the form of a BMX dirt bike, which has its own tracks, plus ten new multiplayer tracks and new additions to the track editor including teleporting, gun firing, switch filters and vector math. Origin of Pain will be hitting Xbox 360 for 400 Microsoft Points during Q3 2012.

RedLynx will also be bringing the Trials series back to the PC for the first time since 2008′s Trials 2: Second Edition. Trials: Gold Edition will include both Trials Evolution and Trials HD, resulting in over 120 tracks, in early 2013. The package will also include console features such as leaderboards, user-made content and online multiplayer.

Article source: http://www.gamespot.com/news/trials-evolution-expansion-pc-version-on-the-way-6394718

Watch The PlanetSide 2 Death is No Excuse CGI Trailer

26/07/2012

PlanetSide 2 is a great-looking game, and SOE boasts about its graphics engine’s ability to display textures of up to 8192×8192 resolution and render dynamic shadows from two kilometers away (when your PC can handle it) but even on a supercomputer it wouldn’t look as awesome as this CGI trailer makes it seem. Does that mean you should not watch it and enjoy three minutes of intense sci-fi jetpacking warfare action? No, no it does not.

Couldn’t help but notice there’s some vehicle surfing going on there — I was able to ride on top of land vehicles in my hands-on time with the beta, but didn’t the the opportunity to hitch a ride on top of a Galaxy transport plane. Hopefully this means SOE’s not planning on taking it out! Unrealistic or no, vehicle surfing adds a lot of crazy stuff to large-scale shooters. Hell, I’d be happy if they just gave the option to equip my soldier with magnetic boots so that the physics-defying behavior fit into the fiction.

Speaking of, I for one would not mind seeing a full-length CGI movie in this universe. For one thing, as a multiplayer-only game, PlanetSide could use that kind of setup material to really get us immersed in the story without having to read one of those usually terrible game novels.

Article source: http://feeds.gamespy.com/~r/gsfeeds/all/~3/MqvgL0OBa5g/1225546p1.html

Battlefield 3: Armored Kill Gameplay Trailer

19/07/2012

Battlefield 3: Close Quarters is fun, it’s just not Battlefield. You know, the franchise with the massive maps, vehicles, and class- and team-based gameplay. Thankfully, DICE hasn’t completely lost touch with its loyal fanbase. At least that’s my impression after watching the debut trailer for Armored Kill, an expansion that gets back to Battlefield’s core with vehicle-focused fights and the biggest map in the game’s history. See the trailer below:

We know the first sandy map on display is Bandar Desert, the level DICE describes as its biggest ever. The second in the snowy mountain pass is reminiscent of a map DICE created for the Medal of Honor reboot a couple years back. Looks like that second one will strike more of a balance between vehicle and infantry fighting, which is right in my wheelhouse.

Battlefield 3: Armored Kill will be ready for download in September. Be sure to brush up on your piloting and driving skills before its arrival.

Article source: http://feeds.gamespy.com/~r/gsfeeds/all/~3/eFsDATHFjo4/1225470p1.html

DiRT Showdown Review

10/06/2012

Fans of Codemasters‘ DiRT series (nee Colin McRae Rally) have come to expect a high standard of off-road racing goodness. Sumptuous visuals and grin-inducing driving physics have powered previous chapters to the front of the pack, but that ride comes to a crashing halt with DiRT Showdown. Those expecting DiRT 4 will have to lower their expectations, because DiRT Showdown exhibits all the characteristics of a slapped-together, keep-the-marketing-department-happy stopgap release.

The graphics are as sweet as ever and the slick menu transitions keep the action moving quickly between events, but it’s the events themselves — with a thematic shift from dirt racing to demolition derby and Gymkhana trials staged in annoyingly recycled venues — that undermine the overall experience. The driving physics, which are now so dumbed down that Codemasters was able to completely dispense with an on-screen speedometer, are similarly disappointing.

Cutting Corners

By flushing out most of DiRT 2 and 3′s real-world rallying and rallycross challenges, Codemasters also saved money on car licensing because the majority of Showdown’s rides are fictional, non-tunable jalopies built for demolition and figure-eight events. Also jettisoned is any sense of real-world vehicle physics — I missed those as as I bounced off barriers or other cars to help negotiate the twisty bits and hit my replenishable nitro supply for extra speed on the straight bits. Apart from some minor acceleration and robustness values, there’s little difference between each vehicle, with most handling and performing like damageable blocks of wood.


The damageable aspect is an integral part of DiRT Showdown’s new driving ethos, as about 40% of the single-player Showdown Tour action involves demolition derby variations where you strive to earn points by bashing into other cars or surviving a drawn-out skirmish with seven AI drivers. This kind of stuff was done much better in Bugbear’s Flatout series (as well as the 16-year-old Destruction Derby) and it’s quite the downshift here to drive disconnected and minimally responsive hot rods into other cars for points. Even worse, one of gaming’s most grating and annoying track announcers shouts banalities with every hit, and you can’t entirely turn him off.

Push Button For Stunts

Codemasters also carried over the Gymkhana stunt-driving component from DiRT 3, but Showdown’s emasculated physics significantly dilute the challenge. Those who struggled with the discipline’s intricate drift, donut, spin, and jump techniques in the previous game might think this is a good thing, but when you can perform on-demand donuts by simply planting the throttle (no steering or handbrake required), things have devolved a little too much. I wasn’t a huge fan of the previous game’s Gymkhana component either, but if you’re gonna leave the event in, it should work (and challenge players) as advertised.


The loss of DiRT 3′s special stage rallies and head-to-head rallycross events further diminishes the racing experience because there isn’t a whole lot of actual racing going on. You can run some short three- or four-lappers in your non-licensed car against the AI on a highly limited selection of obstacle-laden tracks but these venues share too many similarities with the figure-eight races. There are plenty of things to hit (including the competition) and the driving model so completely insulates your tires and suspension from the dirt/tarmac/snow that hitting things quickly becomes one of the only ways to entertain yourself.

Burnout

Jumping online should add gameplay value… once Codmasters gets around to fixing the online game. As it stands, the proprietary RaceNet matchmaking service is a clunky beast that gives you limited control over who you can play with and how and when you can play them. The “Join Others in Session” button remains permanently grayed out (I still don’t know why), so unless you have a posse of friends to join you for a private event, your only option is to select a Solo or Team Playlist and launch a public matchmaking request. This takes you to a lobby where you might see two or three warm-blooded competitors show up after a few minutes, or you may have to endure a marathon 10 or 20-minute wait. Once you do connect, you can’t preselect the exact event type or track. Instead, you have to convince your lobbymates to keep vetoing whatever the game offers until, by dumb luck, you land something you like.


DiRT: Showdown delivers bargain-basement entertainment value for the high, high price of $50. With its neutered physics, limited driving venues, clunky multiplayer, and diminished off-road racing options, discerning arcade racing fans should just write this one off as an unanticipated pothole in Codemaster’s trailblazing DiRT series.


Spy Guy says: Well, at least Showdown’s the first DiRT game to not use the mangled wreck that is Games for Windows Live… so it has that going for it, at least. What’s your favorite racing game right now?

Article source: http://feeds.gamespy.com/~r/gsfeeds/all/~3/orVSdbtCDWg/1225023p1.html

E3 2012: Dust 514, the Deepest FPS You’ve Ever Played

07/06/2012

Have you ever heard of EVE Online? It’s perhaps the deepest and most ardently-played MMORPG in existence, one that consistently grows in membership year after year as most other MMOs around it shrivel up and fall to the wayside. With hundreds of thousands of exceptionally-immersed players taking part in the ever-expanding story of EVE Online, Icelandic developer CCP stumbled onto a veritable goldmine not only in the most literal of monetary terms, but also in terms of how to properly run a world (well, a galaxy) where every single thing that happens intimately intersects.

And now, in what can only be described as an infinitely ambitious move, CCP sits on the verge of releasing a PlayStation 3-exclusive first-person shooter that directly ties in to the virtual galaxy of EVE Online. And if everything works properly and goes off without a hitch, the combination of EVE Online and this shooter – a MMOFPS called Dust 514 – will result in one of the most astounding instances of technical prowess, vision and outright execution that the gaming industry has ever seen.

Why is Dust 514 so impressive? It’s simply because EVE Online itself, which runs on PC, will speak directly to a game that’s running on PlayStation Network via totally unrelated PlayStation 3 architecture. Moreover, everything that happens in one game will have direct, immediate ramifications on what’s happening in the other game. While EVE Online will continue to revolve around the bigger galactic picture, Dust 514 focuses on planetary minutiae. In short, the fictional corporations that run EVE Online, corporations populated by very real, paying customers of CCP’s, will be taking out planet-side contracts that can be accepted by Dust 514 players.

If all of this sounds complicated, that’s because it is, which is why it’s taken CCP a significant amount of time and resources to make Dust 514 work properly. It has to intertwine with EVE Online in a non-disruptive, but totally and completely integrated fashion, and completing such a task takes a combination of effort and patience. But that patience seems to be paying off, and after getting an in-depth briefing about the game as well as some hands-on time of my own, I’m pleased to report that Dust 514 is one of the most intriguing upcoming games an industry largely flooded with the same old thing has to offer.

Mechanically, Dust 514 controls a great deal like many other shooters of our day. From aiming and shooting to swapping weapons, chucking grenades and dashing around, just about everything in terms of controls will be all-too-familiar to FPS veterans. This is especially true for those who enjoy playing shooters, like Battlefield 3, that combine infantry firefights and vehicular combat. Then again, Dust 514 doesn’t even remotely look like Battlefield 3 aesthetically – in fact, it looks outright old at times – but if you can get past the game’s dated graphics, you’ll find something that can easily immerse you.

The immersion begins with the obscene amount of customization available for each player. Describing these customization features as mere “loadouts” wouldn’t do Dust 514 its due justice, because in reality, it goes so far beyond picking a primary and secondary weapon and some perks. From curative devices and explosives to the creation and customization of all manner of vehicle, customization permutations are virtually endless. And most interestingly, all items are “real,” meaning that if you lose a vehicle in battle, you lose it for good. If your character dies during a firefight with a certain assault rifle equipped, that assault rifle disappears. So you better buy a bunch of them.

The economic reality of eventually losing everything means that teamwork on the ground is far more than just organic. It’s outright necessary if you want to successfully complete contracts for EVE Online players while earning enough money to supplement anything you lost and perhaps even turn a profit (though it’s worth noting that player-versus-environment contracts can also be garnered to buff out needed funds). In this sense, Dust 514 creates a climate of economic ramifications. Respawning on a map to give it another go isn’t simply a matter of pressing the X button and waiting 10 seconds, but rather having the necessary funds to purchase the pertinent items needed to outfit your character for success.

The economics of Dust 514, just like those of EVE Online, constitute some of the most interesting features of the game. In fact, CCP takes its in-game economics so seriously that it has its own full-time economist on staff that once taught at an Icelandic university. His only job is to study, understand and track the fictional economy of EVE Online, and that same economy will eventually transfer over to Dust 514. The games will share currency, and CCP hopes that it can mostly drop out of the buying and selling of virtual items, much like it did in EVE Online, instead letting the players create their own market economy of supply and demand. (Humorously, CCP is concerned that shared currency, at least right off the bat, may lead to the rich EVE Online community hyper-inflating item and weapon costs in Dust 514, just one of the many things its resident economist must study.)

It seems like we’ve barely touched on the actual act of playing Dust 514, but everything that surrounds it is so interesting that it makes it difficult to get around to actual gameplay. So let’s leave gameplay chatter for another time. In the meantime, just try to wrap your head around the interconnectivity and unreal depth the Dust 514 experience is gearing up to deliver to the PlayStation 3 audience when it launches completely for free (with optional microtransactions) later this year.

Colin Moriarty is an IGN PlayStation editor. You can follow him on Twitter and IGN and learn just how sad the life of a New York Islanders and New York Jets fan can be.

Article source: http://feeds.ign.com/~r/ign/all/~3/pykP75PgL2A/e3-2012-dust-514-the-deepest-fps-youve-ever-played

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