In Other News...July 9

DoctorFinger · 07-09-2012, 06:34 PM

- Valve has announced Steam Greenlight, a system where you can help choose which indie games will be distributed on Steam. Similar to the Steam Workshop, users can rate indie games based on screenshots, videos and synopses, with games that reach a critical mass of support getting a distribution slot on Steam.

- Nintendo has confirmed that they will be implementing a unified eShop account system for the 3DS and WiiU when the latter launched later this year. (via Industry Gamers)

- We knew that Day-Z, the innovative zombie mod for Arma II was popular, but how popular? According to creator Dean Hall there are currently over 420,000 players, with 22,000 concurrent users at peak, and both numbers grow every day. Hall hopes to turn Day-Z into a standalone F2P title at some point.

- Gearbox head Randy Pitchford has confirmed that Brothers in Arms: Furious 4 is still in development, but won't ship this year. He says he'll be able to talk more about the game - which he said is still "evolving" - after Borderlands 2 ships in September.

- Rockstar has closed down their Vancouver studio, which employed about 35 people and contributed to Max Payne 3. But they're being offered spots at the developer's new Toronto studio, which is being opened with the help of tax breaks and other incentives from the provincial government. The new studio will be as much as three times as large as the shuttered Vancouver house.

MagGnome · 07-09-2012, 07:41 PM

You've got the Greenlight!

Ahem...so it's kind of like Survivor for Indie Developers?

MagGnome · 07-09-2012, 07:42 PM

420,000 players for Day Z? I didn't even realize that ARMA II had sold those kind of numbers. I hope a bunch of those players aren't using pirated versions of the game.

Pale Ale · 07-09-2012, 07:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DoctorFinger

- We knew that Day-Z, the innovative zombie mod for Arma II was popular, but how popular? According to creator Dean Hall there are currently over 420,000 players, with 22,000 concurrent users at peak, and both numbers grow every day. Hall hopes to turn Day-Z into a standalone F2P title at some point.

I was under the impression they wanted to Valve it up and bundle Day-Z with Arma 3.

MagGnome · 07-09-2012, 08:03 PM

They would sell a ton of copies if they did that.

Suave Peanut · 07-09-2012, 08:28 PM

My only question about the unified Nintendo account is whether Virtual Console games will be cross-platform like PSone classics on PS3/PSP. My gut says maybe.

Nah, probably not.

Vigil80 · 07-09-2012, 09:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MagGnome

You've got the Greenlight!

Ahem...so it's kind of like Survivor for Indie Developers?

Could call it Steamstarter.

My initial reaction was if it's a game, and it's on PC, stick it on Steam. Why the popularity contest?

Yes, I can think of some reasons why you wouldn't want an all-inclusive approach. Even so, the announcement just got a shrug out of me.

MagGnome · 07-09-2012, 10:00 PM

Well, if too many games flood Steam, then most of them won't sell well at all. Then again there is already a lot of crap on the service, so I'm not sure if that's the intention here or not.

Savok · 07-09-2012, 10:07 PM

Steam will only release a certain number of games in a certain time period so they don't all drown each other. I remember the Dredmor guys talking about slots, this isn't new. The Indie scene is getting bigger by the day, Valve had to do something.

Hawkzombie · 07-09-2012, 11:36 PM

I like the idea. Make sure only games people want to buy get on the service. And I'm sure they'll still be adding more regardless.

Darkmatter · 07-10-2012, 12:01 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DoctorFinger

- Rockstar has closed down their Vancouver studio, which employed about 35 people and contributed to Max Payne 3. But they're being offered spots at the developer's new Toronto studio, which is being opened with the help of tax breaks and other incentives from the provincial government. The new studio will be as much as three times as large as the shuttered Vancouver house.

Great offer. Move half way across the country from the beautiful Vancouver to the cement and glass flatlands of Toronto so you can continue to be worked like a dog till you drop.

Serapth · 07-10-2012, 07:19 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Darkmatter

Great offer. Move half way across the country from the beautiful Vancouver to the cement and glass flatlands of Toronto so you can continue to be worked like a dog till you drop.

Probably had trouble finding anybody willing to work more than 4 hours a day amongst the dirty hippies...

I did a short contract gig at BcTel and my fucking god people were lazy. I was under tight deadlines ( for one, I was costing an extra 300$ a day in hotel costs ), but getting *ANYTHING* from the locals was a nightmare.

MagGnome · 07-10-2012, 09:27 AM

Greenlight is also a way for Steam to start competing more with Desura, which lets indie developers sell alphas and get feedback from the community.

biosc1 · 07-10-2012, 09:41 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Serapth

Probably had trouble finding anybody willing to work more than 4 hours a day amongst the dirty hippies...

I did a short contract gig at BcTel and my fucking god people were lazy. I was under tight deadlines ( for one, I was costing an extra 300$ a day in hotel costs ), but getting *ANYTHING* from the locals was a nightmare.

Hey man, just relax. All you Easterners are so uptight.

Exodus · 07-10-2012, 11:34 AM

The toronto studio was always open.

MosBen · 07-10-2012, 01:27 PM

Thank you for writing "Valve has" instead of the infinitely annoying "Valve have". I want to say that the latter is a British thing, but I'm not sure about it. No matter what it's like a ice pick in my brain.

Can someone give me a short version of what Arma III is like? I was intrigued by Day-Z when they mentioned it on Extra Credits recently, but I'm not convinced I want to buy a game in order to play a mod if I'm not at least somewhat interested in the main game a little bit.

MagGnome · 07-10-2012, 02:21 PM

Day Z is a mod for ARMA II. ARMA III isn't out yet.

ARMA II is a semi-realistic military FPS. I haven't played it myself, but by all accounts it's a great game. It's much more hardcore than something like Call of Duty or Battlefield.

DoctorFinger · 07-10-2012, 04:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MosBen

Can someone give me a short version of what Arma III is like? I was intrigued by Day-Z when they mentioned it on Extra Credits recently, but I'm not convinced I want to buy a game in order to play a mod if I'm not at least somewhat interested in the main game a little bit.

It's (arguably) the hardest of the hardcore shooters. It needs insane amounts of power to run, and takes place on a pretty damn detailed island which you can explore to your heart's content. I've never really played it but I know we have a few die hard fans here on the site.

07-09-2012, 06:34 PM	#1
DoctorFinger Editor in Chief Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: New York City Posts: 13,871 Blog Entries: 10	In Other News...July 9 - Valve has announced Steam Greenlight, a system where you can help choose which indie games will be distributed on Steam. Similar to the Steam Workshop, users can rate indie games based on screenshots, videos and synopses, with games that reach a critical mass of support getting a distribution slot on Steam. - Nintendo has confirmed that they will be implementing a unified eShop account system for the 3DS and WiiU when the latter launched later this year. (via Industry Gamers) - We knew that Day-Z, the innovative zombie mod for Arma II was popular, but how popular? According to creator Dean Hall there are currently over 420,000 players, with 22,000 concurrent users at peak, and both numbers grow every day. Hall hopes to turn Day-Z into a standalone F2P title at some point. - Gearbox head Randy Pitchford has confirmed that Brothers in Arms: Furious 4 is still in development, but won't ship this year. He says he'll be able to talk more about the game - which he said is still "evolving" - after Borderlands 2 ships in September. - Rockstar has closed down their Vancouver studio, which employed about 35 people and contributed to Max Payne 3. But they're being offered spots at the developer's new Toronto studio, which is being opened with the help of tax breaks and other incentives from the provincial government. The new studio will be as much as three times as large as the shuttered Vancouver house.

07-09-2012, 08:28 PM	#6
Suave Peanut don't let's start Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Greensboro, NC Posts: 5,748 Blog Entries: 6	My only question about the unified Nintendo account is whether Virtual Console games will be cross-platform like PSone classics on PS3/PSP. My gut says maybe. Nah, probably not. __________________ • PSN : Steam : XBL •

07-09-2012, 11:36 PM	#10
Hawkzombie The Lord of Shadow Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Edmonton, AB Posts: 17,367 Blog Entries: 3	I like the idea. Make sure only games people want to buy get on the service. And I'm sure they'll still be adding more regardless. __________________ I have a blog. Go read it! PSN/Steam ID - JaynesHat/Hawkzombie There is the crazy HZ and the well refined logic and reasoning HZ. Both are pretty entertaining -Purple Santa I love that Hawk exists to make every decision I make, no matter how self-destructive, look wise by comparison. -Ox I just realized that for the longest time I've been getting you and Karak mixed up. -fitbabits

07-10-2012, 11:34 AM	#15
Exodus Vampire Robot Dragon Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Toronto, ON Posts: 5,606	The toronto studio was always open. __________________ Life is not so easy as a toss of a coin, landing on one side or another, our simple illusions. That's why you roll with d20 dice!

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07-09-2012, 10:07 PM	#9
Savok Vulcan Rage! Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Australia Posts: 9,424	Steam will only release a certain number of games in a certain time period so they don't all drown each other. I remember the Dredmor guys talking about slots, this isn't new. The Indie scene is getting bigger by the day, Valve had to do something.

07-10-2012, 01:27 PM	#16
MosBen Colonist Join Date: Oct 2008 Posts: 1,336	Thank you for writing "Valve has" instead of the infinitely annoying "Valve have". I want to say that the latter is a British thing, but I'm not sure about it. No matter what it's like a ice pick in my brain. Can someone give me a short version of what Arma III is like? I was intrigued by Day-Z when they mentioned it on Extra Credits recently, but I'm not convinced I want to buy a game in order to play a mod if I'm not at least somewhat interested in the main game a little bit.