Warp Zoned Presents
All Articles: GDC 2015
USC is the top school for Game Design in Princeton Review’s 2015 ranking
The Princeton Review recently published the 2015 update to their annual review of Game Design programs and the University of Southern California has once again emerged as the top Undergraduate Program. The school ranked fourth in the list of best Graduate Programs, behind the University of Utah, the University of Central Florida, and Southern Methodist University.
Each school was graded on “curriculum, facilities, technology, and career services” when compiling the rankings and many of the top programs were held over from previous years.
“For students aspiring to work in the burgeoning field of game design, these are truly the ‘cream of the crop’ institutions from which to launch a career,” said Robert Franek, The Princeton Review’s Senior Vice President. “Some are nationally-known universities; others have well-deserved reputations within their regions. All are renowned for their exceptional faculties and awesome, state-of-the-art facilities. Collectively, these schools have graduated legions of the industry’s most successful video game designers, developers, artists, and entrepreneurs.”
The Princeton Review’s 2015 rankings can be found after the break. And if you’re interested in applying to one of the ranked schools, Princeton Review has published in-depth profiles of each program on their website. (more…)
Johnny Cage and Sonya Blade make it a family affair in Mortal Kombat X
After a few days of teasing (and more than a few leaks from journalists who got to play the game at the Game Developers Conference), NetherRealm has officially announced that Johnny Cage and Sonya Blade will be joining Mortal Kombat X as playable characters. Somebody cue up “We Are Family” because the duo will also team up with the previously announced Cassie Cage, their daughter.
Other new faces to appear in “The Cage Family” trailer include Kenshi and Shinnok.
NetherRealm has yet to confirm if either character will be playable in Mortal Kombat X, but according to IGN, both Shinnok and Jax were featured in the Story Mode chapter they were able to play at GDC. It’s unlikely that NetherRealm would add both characters to the game as opponents and not also let us play as them.
Mortal Kombat X will be released for the PC, PS3, PS4, Xbox 360, and Xbox One on April 14.
Video Game Release Calendar Changelog #2: Post GDC/PAX East Edition
Don’t Forget! This is just a changelog of recently announced release dates. Warp Zoned’s complete Video Game Release Calendar includes every title we could find with a 2015, 2016, or unannounced release date.
Even though there’s still a lot of snow on the ground in most places, both of video gaming’s Spring showcases came and went last week. New release dates aplenty were announced at the Game Developers Conference and PAX East, along with a few dozen more since our last Video Game Release Calendar Changelog. Players with a love for AAA blockbuster will want to pay close attention to September 1, as WB Games staked out that spot on the calendar for Mad Max on the same day that Konami attempted to reserve it for Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain.
If you’re looking for games about to be released in the more immediate timeframe, Sony’s Spring Fever promotion has locked in eight of indie gaming’s most interesting titles over the next two months culminating with Shovel Knight‘s April 21 launch on the PS3, PS4, and Vita (it’ll also be available for the Xbox One). Working backwards, April 14’s Titan Souls, April 7’s Bastion, and March 31’s Axiom Verge should also be on your radar if you enjoy retro-styled games.
Moving forward, other big games with confirmed release dates include the PC version of Grand Theft Auto V (now scheduled to launch on April 14), Wolfenstein: The Old Blood (May 5), and the PS4 version of Final Fantasy X/X-2 HD Remaster (May 12). Microsoft and Square Enix also confirmed that, respectively, Forza Motorsport 6 and Just Cause 3 will be out by the end of the year.
Finally, a few games slid into “TBA” slots after not being announced at all. Harmonix announced that Rock Band 4 will be released sometime this year while Square Enix did the same for the North American launch of Dragon Quest Heroes. Capcom strongly hinted that Street Fighter V will be in Spring 2016, but wouldn’t officially commit to any specific date. It’ll be joined in 2016 by Level-5’s Yo-Kai Watch, which will definitely cross the Pacific next year.
The full list of games from the Video Game Release Calendar Changelog Update #2 can be found after the break. (more…)
Outer Wilds wins “Seumas McNally Grand Prize” at 2015 IGF Awards
Outer Wilds, the first-person space exploration game from Team Outer Wilds, took home the “Seumas McNally Grand Prize” during last night’s Independent Games Festival Awards presentation. The game also won the “Excellence In Design” award.
Other winners last night include Patrick Smith’s Metamorphabet (“Excellence In Visual Art”), Inkle Studios’ 80 Days (“Excellence In Narrative”), SuperChop Games’ Ephemerid: A Musical Adventure (“Excellence In Audio”), and Nathalie Lawhead’s Tetrageddon Games (the “Nuovo Award”). 11 Bit Studios’ This War of Mine was given the “Audience Award” while a team from the University of Southern California won the “Student Showcase” with Close Your.
You can find the complete list of winners in handy list format after the break. (more…)
Middle-Earth: Shadow of Mordor wins “Game of the Year” at 2015 GDC Awards
Monolith’s Middle-Earth: Shadow of Mordor won “Game of the Year” at this year’s Game Developers Choice Awards, but it looks like Monument Valley took home the most hardware. The mobile game, which recently had a memorable cameo in the third season of House of Cards, won all three awards it was nominated for including “Best Handheld/Mobile Game,” “Best Visual Art,” and the “Innovation Award.”
Other winners at night’s ceremony include The Banner Saga (a “Best Debut” award for Stoic Studio), Hearthstone: Heroes of Warcraft (“Best Design”), Kentucky Route Zero: Episode 3 (“Best Narrative”), Alien: Isolation (“Best Audio”), and Destiny (“Best Technology”). The “Audience Award” was given to Elite: Dangerous.
The full list of winners can be found in handy list format after the break. (more…)
Posted in News, PC, PS3, PS4, Xbox 360, Xbox One
Tagged Alien: Isolation, Destiny, GDC 2015, Hearthstone: Heroes of Warcraft, Middle-Earth: Shadow of Mordor, Monument Valley, The Banner Saga
Shovel Knight will dig into the Xbox One in April with the Battletoads
Shovel Knight won’t just be debuting on PlayStation platforms this April. The paladin who wields a gardening instrument of justice will also make his way to the Xbox One next month. And he’s not coming alone.
Microsoft and Yacht Club Games have confirmed that the Xbox One (and Windows 10) version of Shovel Knight will include a cameo appearance from the Battletoads. Zitz, Pimple, and Rash have taken a hiatus from the game world for too long, and it’s great to see them back in the spotlight. It’s unknown how they’ll feature in the game, but if it’s anything like Kratos’ planned cameo, they’ll likely challenge Shovel Knight to a miniboss fight.
The new-generation version of Shovel Knight is currently playable at this week’s Game Developers Conference in San Francisco and will also be available at this weekend’s PAX East expo in Boston.
Posted in News, Xbox One
Tagged GDC 2015, PAX East 2015, Shovel Knight
MS opens up Windows 10 Store to ID@Xbox program with 17 games including Shovel Knight/Battletoads crossover
Microsoft wants to make Windows 10 a platform for gaming, and to do that, they plan to open the Windows 10 Store up to independent game developers through their ID@Xbox program. The first batch of ID@Xbox games through the Windows 10 Store will include 17 titles. Some of these games are currently available (or will be available soon) for the PC through Steam or other download services, but many of them will be brand new to the platform when Windows 10 launches later this year.
However, the biggest news to come out of this announcement is that the Battletoads will return in one of these ID@Xbox games. Zitz, Pimple, and Rash won’t be starring in their own adventure (yet), but they will provide assistance to Yacht Club’s Shovel Knight when his eponymous game appears on the Windows 10 Store. The Behemoth confirmed that their next project, Game 4, will also appear on the Windows 10 platform, which makes sense given its previously announced Xbox One exclusivity.
Many ID@Xbox titles on Windows 10 will provide cross-platform multiplayer with their Xbox One counterpart (if they have an Xbox One counterpart) and the developers interviewed in the Microsoft-produced video above seem very happy with the ease of the development environment.
The rest of the games that comprise ID@Xbox’s “tip of the iceberg” on Windows 10 can be found after the break. (more…)
Posted in News, PC, Xbox One
Tagged GDC 2015, Pit People, Shovel Knight
Sony improves Project Morpheus virtual reality headset ahead of 2016 launch
Hot on the heels of Valve’s announcement of their Vive virtual reality headset, Sony has stormed the stage at this year’s Game Developers Conference with a brand new version of their Project Morpheus. Like Valve, Sony is ready to vaguely talk about a release date and they confirmed that Project Morpheus will be available in the first half of 2016. Their latest prototype also includes a number of improvements over the previous publicly-displayed version:
- OLED Display: In exchange for the 5-inch LCD, the new Morpheus VR headset is equipped with a 5.7-inch 1920 X RGB X 1080 resolution OLED display. This new screen expands the field of view and enables low persistence, removing motion blur.
- 120hz Refresh Rate: The previous refresh rate spec has been doubled for this new prototype, which means games for Morpheus can be rendered at 120fps. When combined with the OLED display’s high refresh rate and the power of PS4, Morpheus is able to output amazingly smooth visuals.
- Super Low Latency: We know how critical low latency is to delivering a great VR experience, and we’ve reduced latency to less than 18ms, about half of what the first Morpheus prototype had. Low latency is critical to deliver a sense of presence, at the same time making the VR experience comfortable to players.
- More Accurate Tracking: To make positional tracking more precise, we’ve added three LEDs to the headset (one on the front and two on the side) for a total of nine LEDs to support robust 360° tracking.
- User-Friendly Design: We’ve made the Morpheus VR headset easier to put on and take off, with a single band design and quick release button. The headband supports the weight of the unit on the top of your head, so there is no pressure on your face. Other components have also been adjusted and configured to make the headset lighter, so that players do not find the headset cumbersome or uncomfortable to use.
Sony was not ready to discuss a price point for Project Morpheus, but they were all too happy to show off a new tech demo known as “London Heist.” The title couldn’t be more descriptive as the demo drops players into the middle of a heist in the heart of London that quickly devolves into a shootout. Polygon‘s Ben Kuchera was incredibly complimentary about the demo in his preview. Hopefully something like it is development for Project Morpheus’ launch next year.
[Source: PlayStation Blog]