A selection of links, hand-picked by the Guardian games writers.
Valve files Half-Life 3 trademark | CVG UK
Not much to this story, which like lots of video game reporting, relies on someone combing patent and trademarking sites. Basically, Valve has applied for a trademark on the name Half-Life 3:
Valve is yet to make any official announcements, but the listing uncovered on the official European Registration Office website - filed on September 29 - would suggest that the developer could be preparing to finally break its silence on the much-rumoured sequel.
Of course, this could all have been a little jape on Valve's behalf. But then, this morning, VG247 reported that a short security breach has allowed snooping gamers with a glimpse into the studio's internal software system:
The software grants access to a staff database meant for internal use and is no longer available, but before it was pulled from public access screenshots were captured showing two Half-life 3 development groups.
According to these, the core Half-Life 3 team has ten members, with a further 46 in the extended team.
So yeah, definitely happening.
Destiny beta in early 2014 | GameSpot.com
Bungie has confirmed that a beta test of its forthcoming space opera will start in early 2014 on Xbox 360, Xbox One, PS3, and PS4 – it's open to those who preorder the game at participating outlets:
The beta will include a "diverse sampling of major activities" from the full game, though these were not specified. To gain entry into the Destiny beta, players can visit Bungie.net and follow the instructions.
Nvidia's outrageously high-end 'Battlebox' PCs focus on compromise-free 4K gaming | PC Advisor
Nvidia is continuing its curious PR war against the console industry with a new line of ulttra-powerful, 4K-aimed PCs:
Each entry in the Battlebox line rocks at least a pair of Nvidia's high-end GeForce Titan or GTX 780 video cards running in SLI, paired with overclocked Intel Core i5 or i7 processors, and abundant amounts of RAM. (Hey, it takes powerful hardware to push all the pixels processed at 4K resolutions.)
Nvidia claims that the heavy-duty Battleboxes manage to pump out an impressive 45 to 60 frames per second at 4K resolution with super-high detail settings and all of Nvidia's proprietary bells and whistles--such as PhysX and TXAA anti-aliasing--enabled. That's mighty impressive, and a clear dig at AMD's audacious, console- and PC-spanning Mantle technology.
Nvidia apparently refers to the machines as "console-destroying" – seemingly forgetting that people buy consoles for their ease-of-use and comparatively low price point. With a 4K monitor a Battlebox will reportedly set you back around $13,000...
Women in Games: Rebalancing The Scales | GamesIndustry International
Game designer Whitney Hills talks to GamesIndustry.biz about her experiences in this male-dominated industry. Hills recently wrote a must-read blogpost on the subject:
I have a strong memory of one meeting in particular, concerning a game that had both a male and a female playable character. The game was ambitious, and there were concerns that the schedule might be slipping. A female exec was the first to volunteer a solution that the female playable character be cut altogether - and I just wilted. I thought the female playable was so important to the success of the game - because many of its players WERE going to be women - and I felt so disheartened that she was first on the chopping block. (I also had people tell me that we shouldn't have a female playable because "Women are harder to animate.")
Depressing stuff.
Take on Mars strives to turn the tedium of real-world Mars exploration into a fun game | Polygon
Created as a mod for Carrier Command: Gaea Mission, this intriguing new title from Bohemia Interactive seeks to simulate the exploration of Mars:
In Take On Mars, players can modify and control rovers and landers on the surface of the red planet. They can also manage the budgets of missions, as well as conduct scientific analyses and experiments in various scenarios on the Martian surface.
The simulation consists of three modes. The Space Program is a career-like mode where players can unlock equipment as they progress and manage the budgets a fictional space agency. In Scenarios, players land on Mars with a functional vehicle and are tasked with completing individual research missions. Alternatively, players can create their own custom scenarios with the game's editor."
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The rest of Polygon's feature details the efforts the team has gone to in the name of both authenticity and playability. As a fan of old space station simulators, I'm quietly excited by this.
Sacrilege by Cara Ellison
Just a quick note to proudly point out that Harvey Smith, co-creator of Dishonered and Deus Ex, has reviewed a game by Guardian games contributor, Cara Ellison. Her Twine adventure, Sacrilege made quite an impact on the veteran designer:
Sacrilege filled my mind with realizations about the interplay of personality archetypes, feelings of abandonment that I still harbor, and the absolute cafe-bombing power of social failure. There were times when it turned me on, filling me with the drive to pursue. The entire thing was fascinating, seeing desire from within one particular woman's perspective. It's all about what people need from each other balanced against risks and the terror of social rejection; the delicate auto-manipulation required to maintain confidence and resist screaming from the anxiety inherent in seeking connection, which at times feels like trying to keep a kitten alive while its heart is out on the operating table.
You can play Sacrilege here.
You can follow Press Start at Pinboard.
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Source: Tablet Android
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