Tag Archives: Bioshock Infinite

Train2Game news: PlayStation Vita “first platform that gives everything” says Bioshock creator

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Ken Levine Train2Game blog imageTrain2Game students may be looking forward to the soon to be launched Sony handheld, the PlayStation Vita, and according to Bioshock creator Ken Levine, it offers everything a gamer would want.

“It’s a really interesting platform because, as a gamer, it’s the first platform that really sort of gives everything. It’s the first time I can play things like shooters on an aeroplane; and I don’t like feeling I’m playing something that’s compromised in any way.” Levine told PSM3.

“”There will be whole kinds of games that you wouldn’t have been able to play before on the Vita.” he added.

Levine’s comments are similar to those that, as reported by The Train2Game Blog, came from Sony towards the end of last year.

“We are going to truly differentiate ourselves from the competition, so people who do care about the gaming – who want a deeper, richer, more immersive experience with their gaming – are going to absolutely love this device.” said Sony Worldwide Studios European senior VP Michael Denny.

As previously reported by The Train2Game Blog, Bioshock Infinite creator Ken Levine featured as part of Sony’s E3 presentation, revealing that a Bioshock title for PlayStation Vita is in the works.

The PlayStation Vita is released in Europe on February 22nd, find out more about it here on The Train2Game Blog.

What are your thoughts on Levine’s comments about PlayStation Vita? Will you be buying the handheld console later this month?

Leave your comments here on The Train2Game Blog, or on the Train2Game forum.

[Source: CVG]

Train2Game news: Bioshock Infinite creator Ken Levine on cutscenes in video game narrative

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Bioshock Infinite will be PS Move compatibleTrain2Game game designers in particular will know that sometimes, telling a story in a video game can be tough.

Many developers get around this with the use of cutscenes, but according to Bioshock: Infinite creator Ken Levine, if you need one to push the narrative of your game forward, then maybe you shouldn’t be telling the story at all.

“I don’t believe there’s any medium that doesn’t have its advantages and disadvantages relative to other media. You just have to play to the strengths of the medium as best as you can,” Levine told Gamasutra when asked about drama in first person games.

As previously reported by The Train2Game Blog, the Bioshock creator has previously described first person games as the most immersive.

“I think what you lose in being able to pull the camera and show emotion, you gain in immersion, and you gain in mood”

“What you’re left with at that point is to then figure out what your strengths are in the medium, and making sure you leverage those strengths, and wherever you have to tell a story you say, ‘Okay, here’s a beat of story I need to tell. Here are the 15 tools I have to tell it, whether it’s animation, whether it’s something you write on the wall as graffiti, whether it’s a piece of art in the world, whether it’s A.I. talking to you in your ear, or it’s Elizabeth, those are the tools. What’s the best way to tell this piece of story?’

The Irrational Games boss added that game designers can’t make a game when they’re fighting against their toolset.

“And you sift through your toolbox and then find the best tool. And sometimes you go ‘Well, there’s no good way to tell that story. Maybe I should tell a different story.’ Then you change the story so it fits your toolset better. Whenever you find yourself fighting against your toolset, you’re not going to win that fight.”

Levine was speaking to Gamasutra as part of a huge interview about Bioshock: Infinite which many Train2Game students are sure to find fascinating.

There’s plenty more news about Bioshock: Infinite right here on The Train2Game Blog.

So Train2Game, what are your thoughts on Levine’s comments about narrative in video games? Is he underestimating the power of a cutscene?

Leave your comments here on The Train2Game Blog, or on the Train2Game forum.

[Source: Gamasutra]

Train2Game news: Bioshock: Infinite’s “biggest character” is its world says Levine

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Bioshock Infinite will be PS Move compatibleTrain2Game Game Designers in particular that in order for a game story to be strong, it needs strong characters.

However, a strong setting can also be an important piece of narrative in itself and Irrational Games boss Ken Levine believes this to be the case with the Bioshock series.

“In BioShock 1, I think the biggest character in the world … was the world, the world of Rapture,” he said in a newly released Bioshock: Infinite developer diary which Train2Game blog readers can see below.

“In Infinite we’re continuing that tradition as well: that there’s a lot of narrative told in the world, probably on the same scale as with BioShock 1.”

The developer diary also features Troy Baker and Courtnee Draper,  the voices of Bioshock: Infinite Booker and Elizabeth respectively.

“Our challenge is we don’t have a very presentational medium” said Baker.

“When you think about storytelling in a lot of games you think about cutting to a cutscene and being locked into place, and that’s not something we really like to do. So we created these two characters,” he added.

The idea of an environment as a character in games was discussed at the BAFTA Games Writers Panel earlier this week, with games writer Rhianna Pratchett arguing that the “character of Rapture” was a particularly strong way of telling the story of Bioshock.

Train2Game interviews with members of the BAFTA Games Writers Panel will be published on the Train2Game blog in the near future.

Earlier this year, the Train2Game blog reported that Levine says game developers of all disciplines need to “get comfortable with throwing their stuff away” Meanwhile, Bioshock featured as a major part of Sony’s E3 presentation.

So Train2Game,  what are your thoughts on the environment as a character in games? What game environments do you think help tell the story?

Leave your comments here on the Train2Game blog, or on the Train2Game forum.

[Source: VG247]

Train2Game E3 news: Sony offer the hardcore

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PlayStation VitaWhile the Train2Game blog reported that Microsoft’s conference focused on Kinect and the more casual audience, Sony very much focused on the core audience.

The biggest news to come from the event – despite the being leaked beforehand – were details on Sony’s new handheld, the PlayStation Vita, previously known to Train2Game blog readers at the NGP.

The news was confirmed by Sony CEO and Exeuctive Vice President Kaz Hirai who not only revealed the official name for the PS Vita, but also that the handheld console will launch in time for Christmas.  Two models will be available, a Wi-Fi only version of PS Vita for €249, while a Wi-Fi and 3G version will retail for €299. There are no UK specific prices as of yet.

“PlayStation Vita will revolutionise the portable entertainment experience,” said Hirai. “It gives you the most complete entertainment package in the palm of your hands.”

Sony confirmed that there are ‘more than 80 titles’ in development for the PS Vita, with big name titles including Uncharted, LittleBigPlanet, Bioshock and a handheld version of Street Fighter vs. Tekken. Train2Game students may very well be excited by the hardcore nature of games for Sony’s handheld.

The Sony E3 conference also saw the company push their other new technology: 3D Television and specifically 3D gaming.  The company revealed a (relatively when compared to others) low cost PlayStation branded 3D TV with a 24 inch monitor. The PlayStation TV will allow two players to see separate images on a full screen.

The PlayStation branded 3D TV will cost $499, with the price including cables, 3D glasses and Resistance 3.  Sony obviously have a vested interested in 3D – given that they produce the televisions! – but earlier this month proclaimed that Uncharted 3 will be a huge step towards gaming becoming mainstream, as reported by the Train2Game blog.

Bioshock Infinite will be PS Move compatible

Uncharted 3 was one of a number of PlayStation exclusive titles that was demonstrated during the Sony show.  God of War and Team Ico HD collections were dated for later this year, while Sly Cooper will also return after a seven year absence.

Sony’s conference however wasn’t completely free of motion control news, with PlayStation Move implementation being announced for a number of titles.  Perhaps most sensationally, Irrational Games KenLevine himself revealed that Bioshock: Infinite will be PlayStation Move compatible.

The development came after Levine had previously criticised motion control. Unfortunately, there are no details as of yet how Bioshock: Infinite will use PlayStation Move.

Sony also revealed that LittleBigPlanet 2 – a game that many Train2Game students should be familiar with – will receive ‘deeper integration’ for PlayStation Move later this year.  SCEA boss Jack Tretton said that the Move controller will be able to be used to both create and play LittleBigPlanet 2 levels, but didn’t reveal how this would be done.

And in other Sony news, it’s been revealed that in a world first, Eve-connected shooter Dust 514 will be a download only PlayStation 3 exclusive that’s free to play.  The Triple-A title will be connected to PC game Eve in real time and it’ll be supported by a microtransaction based system.

“The ability for Sony Computer Entertainment to partner with a developer like CCP, known for pushing the boundaries of creativity and innovation in the MMO genre, holds tremendous potential for the PlayStation 3 community,” said SCEA SVP Rob Dyer.

“We anticipate that Dust 514 will transform the landscape across PlayStation 3 and the PC, ushering in a new era of shared cross platform gaming.”

So Train2Game, what are your thoughts on the Sony conference? Are you pleased with the focus on the hardcore? Are you impressed by the PlayStation Vita or PlayStation monitor? How do you think Bioshock: Infinite will implement move? And are you interested by the free Dust 514?

Leave your comments here on the Train2Game blog, or on the Train2Game forum.

Analyst: No Grand Theft Auto V until 2012

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Grand Theft Auto IV

Grand Theft Auto V won’t arrive until at least 2012 according to Janco Partners analyst Mike Hickey.

According to GameSpot, the analyst says that Grand Theft Auto V will arrive in Take Two’s financial year 2012 which runs from April 2012 until March 2013. Yes, that mean’s if Hickey is correct, we might not see seeing Grand Theft Auto V until almost the middle of 2013.

However, he believes that despite the possibly no new Grand Theft Auto game being released, Take Two will remain profitable during the 2011 fiscal year because of releases including Max Payne 3, LA Noire and Duke Nukem Forever

The Janco analyst also predicts that Grand Theft Auto V will be a massive success selling over 16 million copies and generating $750 million in sales.  He also suggests that Bioshock  Infinite will arrive in the same fiscal year, and that the first person shooter will sell over 4 million units and generate $182 million.

One of the main reasons Hickey expects the big sales numbers is increased ownership of PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 consoles, suggesting 41 million units will be in American homes by the end of this year.

It’s not the first time an analyst has made predictions about Grand Theft Auto V, with one suggesting we’d see it at E3 earlier this year. That didn’t happen.

So Train2Game, do you agree with the analyst? Are you expecting to wait at least another 18 months before seeing Grand Theft Auto V? And do you think it’ll really sell that many more copies than Bioshock Infinite?

As usual, you can leave your thoughts here on the Train2Game blog, or on the Train2Game forum.