Jason Dobson

Child’s Play Interview

December 9, 2005

Features / Interviews / by Jason Dobson Make a comment! / Tweet it!

I remember the first time I read about Child’s Play. Like many of you, I frequent the writings and comics of Penny Arcade on an almost weekly basis. The comedy styling and gaming musings of Gabe and Tycho oftentimes echo what are on my mind, and even when I happen to disagree I find that I can have a chuckle at my own expense. When I saw that the two gamers were intent on using their influence to help those less fortunate I thought it was both an ambitious and wonderful idea. In the past three years this effort, an organization called Child’s Play, has grown by leaps and bounds, with this third year expanding into the frozen northland of Canada and the dragon-invested land overseas known only as the UK. This growth, coupled with an upcoming charity benefit on December 13, show just how far Child’s Play has come from being just an idea and a will to do something worthwhile to becoming what can only be described as a phenomenon. To find out more about the organization, we spoke with Penny Arcade’s Robert Khoo to hear his thoughts about Child’s Play, as well as his take on what has turned into a movement among the gaming community.

First off, I just have to say how much I and the rest of us at eToychest appreciate what you are doing with Child’s Play. Where did you first get the idea to turn your love for gaming into such a charitable organization?

We realized the 3 million Penny Arcade fans out there were a pretty powerful force in the gaming community and really felt there was a void out there as far as gamer-related charities go. Putting two and two together led to us contacting our local hospital and the establishment of the first Child’s Play Network hospital.

As a side benefit, we’ve been getting a lot of positive press regarding gamers in general, so if helping sick kids is going to help the public perception of our industry, hey, we’re okay with that too.

For those who might have been living under a rock, could you shed a bit of light on what Child’s Play is all about?

Child’s Play was started in 2003 as a way for gamers to give back. It was founded by Gabe and Tycho of Penny Arcade and has since grown worldwide to a network of over 20 Children’s Hospitals. The idea is that being in a hospital stinks and playing videogames can help make your stay a little bit easier. If you’ve ever stayed in a hospital as a kid, you know there’s only so much daytime television you can watch.

Looks like Child’s Play has become a real snowball – accumulating more and more contributors as the years go on – do you see this continuing indefinitely?

Absolutely. Child’s Play is our crowning achievement at Penny Arcade. If Penny Arcade ever ceases to exist or if we ever retire from the biz, you can be sure we’ll always make sure Child’s Play is alive and kicking.

The gaming community, especially recently, is prone to being vilified by a great many groups, yet as a whole your organization has proved that they are, among other things, extremely giving. Was there ever the expectation going into this that the response would be so overwhelmingly positive?

It’s not really our organization that’s giving. We don’t even handle 90% of the stuff (the toys get shipped directly to hospitals). It’s the gaming community that’s stepping up to the plate. [smile]

We had an inkling that if we kept doing good things for the community, people would take notice. However, our biggest surprise as far as response goes has been from the publishers. We started Child’s Play as a community-based effort, but the backing we’ve received from the mega corporations like Microsoft, Ubisoft, Valve, etc. has been amazing.

When did the feeling of accomplishing something with such a wide sweeping impact really sink in?

I think the accomplishment of such a large program is best felt when we get to look at the individuals affected. The stories and photos of these hospitalized kids opening packages and enjoying themselves is pretty incredible. They’re stuck in a hospital bed. They’re getting needles poked into them every few hours. They’re eating crappy food. But the look on their faces is the same as any kid when they dig into that new toy or videogame.

What has been the most rewarding aspect of having been doing this for the past three years?

Again, it’s getting to see the impact we make on individual children. It’s a pretty awesome feeling.

Were all of the hospitals open to being involved with Child’s Play in the beginning, or was there any hesitation on their part in being associated with an organization with its roots in videogaming?

Initially we ran into a few speed bumps with getting hospitals to join the network because of some of the Penny Arcade content. It’s a position we might not have agreed with, but we could certainly understand where they were coming from. We didn’t want to let that stop us from doing good things in the community, so this year we went ahead and spun off Child’s Play as a separate entity from Penny Arcade. It worked out for the best. We get to push it as hard as we want on Penny Arcade and hospitals don’t complain about content, etc.

What has been one of the more inspirational stories that you can recall with regards to your time spent with Child’s Play?

It’s hard to pick just one. More often than you’d think, we get mails from kids that say “Instead of asking for presents, this year I’m asking friends and family to take whatever money they were going to spend on me and instead use it to buy something for a sick kid through Child’s Play.” I get more than a few mails from parents explaining that their child made such a request, and they want information on how to contribute. But for me, the most inspirational story comes from all the men and women in the military who write in. These guys are overseas in a combat zone, separated from their families and in constant danger, and yet they take the time to write in to thank US for organizing Child’s Play. To tell us how their unit is taking a collection and making a big donation. It’s very humbling.

With the special charity auction just around the corner as well, what can you tell us about this event, and how it is coming together?

The response we’ve been getting has been amazing- by Thanksgiving we had more tickets sold than we did all of 2004. The donation items for auction have just been incredible as well. A giant statue of Master Chief, a lifetime subscription to Steam, PSPs, DS’, a trip to Iceland… some pretty crazy stuff if you ask me. But it’s all for a good cause so we’re very, very excited.

Now with Child’s Play going international with hospitals in both Canada and the UK, has this expansion posed any obstacles for the organization?

Given the toys are shipped directly to the hospitals, the obstacles with expanding the network has been pretty limited. For the future, when we expand into non-English speaking territories we’re certainly concerned about language barriers and such, but we’ll cross that bridge when we get there.

One again, thank you for taking the time to speak with us about this wonderful organization and event that you have put together. It really is inspiring, and a testament to the good that can come from not only gamers, but the human spirit as well. We wish you a Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to you and those you touch. Is there anything you would like to add?

The only thing I would add is to thank everyone out there. I know there are a ton of etoychest readers that also read Penny Arcade and in-turn contribute to Child’s Play. It’s been an amazing year and we should all be proud as a community for what we’ve done in three short years. Thanks again!

Ghost Recon Advanced Warfighter Interview

December 2, 2005

Features / Interviews / by Jason Dobson Make a comment! / Tweet it!

If you missed out on the IRC chat regarding Ubisoft’s upcoming Ghost Recon Advanced Warfighter, then I sure hope you took the time to at least read our blog of the thing. You can also read this interview with Mathieu Girard, the Producer for the PC version of the game. Not only that (see, we love to give), we have four new screenshots from the game that you can find below as well. This interview with Mathieu Girard gives details and info from the development process, as well as first hand info on everything from physics, to game engine to graphics.

Hello, first of all could you introduce yourself?

Hi, I am Mathieu Girard, Ubisoft Producer. My role is to ensure that the production of the game goes smoothly, and that we reach the highest possible quality. That means following closely the team at GRIN, and also the group here at Ubisoft.

What engine do you use for Tom Clancy’s Ghost Recon Advanced Warfighter?

GRIN has developed its own engine called Diesel. It is really a masterpiece of technology and a very convenient development tool. The advantage of having the dev team using its own engine is that they know it by heart and are really keen on taking the best out of its capabilities.

Diesel allows for all the latest technologies. It integrates physics and all the latest rendering technologies in huge and highly detailed maps. GRIN has strong experience in military applications (they started developing software for the armed forces). They also distinguished themselves in developing groundbreaking technology; in fact GRIN were among the first developers to feature vertex and pixel shaders in cooperation with Nvidia for the launch of the GeForce 3.

What features can we expect on the graphics side, how will that render into the game?

All the graphics features are used to create the heat of war in Mexico. You will see very realistic buildings, props, characters, and vehicles, combined with Next Gen effects that will immerse you in this feeling of urban war. These effects are also combined with the near-future equipments that you and your team will be using to create a cohesive tangibility between player, the environment and the action.

What about physics? How interesting is it in terms of gameplay?

The idea with using more and more physics in games is to immerse the player even further in the simulation of a realistic world. 10 years ago we did a first step in that direction with the explosion of 3D and the apparition of the first mass market 3D cards. Today with more realistic physics we are continuing in the same direction.

We are using two physics engines. One engine will be used for the simulations most connected to gameplay like dead body physics, explosions, environment destruction and/or alteration, while the other one will create never-seen-before visual effects.

Gameplay wise, the layout of the level will be modified, as dynamic objects are destroyed or moved around, thus changing the cover positions in the level. In older generations of shooters a car would be placed somewhere to give cover to the player at one particular place. In GRAW cars give cover, but some heavy calibre weapons will cut through them, destroying doors can reveal a hidden enemy and blowing it up may have it move into the middle of the street, thus creating a natural barricade.

The most amazing thing with physics – visually speaking – will be some of the explosions that you will see in the game. We are currently working with AGEIA to implement their NovodeX technology in the game. Hardware accelerated physics will allow us to create massive explosions including thousands of particles and objects. Some moments in the game promise to be really memorable for this sole reason…

Can you tell us more about the first-person view in Tom Clancy’s Ghost Recon Advanced Warfighter? Why did you choose this camera system?

We chose the first person view because it is the most consistent with the controls on PC. We still want to have the player A

Gun

November 27, 2005

Reviews / Xbox 360 / by Jason Dobson Make a comment! / Tweet it!

Neversoft’s Gun, a gritty look at the harsh reality of life in the Old West, takes more than a few cues from what was put together in Grand Theft Auto III. However, while we have seen more than a few games attempt to recreate the same lightning in a bottle that was successfully captured by Rockstar, most if not all of these attempts has come away feeling like little more than watered-down copycats. That said, Gun succeeds on its own while building upon the ideas of somewhat open-ended exploration and a tight adult-themed narrative wrapped around an immersive set of missions. However, unlike GTA, Gun‘s timelessness is literally cut short by offering an experience that is over far too quickly. Gun‘s story has you step into the role of a vengeful gunslinger named Colton White who is on the road to find those responsible for the murder of the man he has until recently known as his father. In so doing you’ll take on the absolute best and worst the Old West has to offer, including villainous outlaws, corrupt politicians, and brutal Native Americans. The story of how Colton’s misadventures play out is helped along by some impressive voice talent which is headlined by the likes of Thomas Jane, Kris Kristofferson, Tom Skerritt, Ron Perlman, Lance Henriksen and others. While the dialog itself oftentimes is written in an amateurish manner, its delivery is more than competent. Neversoft has with Gun spared little expense in weaving a believable and engrossing tale of blood and revenge in the Old West.

Perhaps the greatest thing about Gun is that there is such a wide variety of tasks to be accomplished, and each of these is relevant to not only the overarching story, but also the particular mission at hand. Everything that you would imagine as being part of the Old West experience is tantamount to what Gun offers, from numerous gunfights at high noon to rampant acts of lust, greed and murder. You even get to ambush a train with TNT. As a set piece, this game plays to the period arguably better than most any other game to come before it, and it genuinely feels like you are taking part in a series of events in the untamed West rather than just playing a GTA clone that has been shoehorned into the late-1800s.

You don’t judge a meal by how long it takes you to eat it, but it should still leave you satisfied. As good as Gun is, the fact that it can be completed from start to finish in a single sitting of just a few short hours definitely leaves behind the feeling of wanting more. The whole experience is equivalent to having an entire season of HBO’s Deadwood condensed into a single feature film. Sure, it could be done, but the lasting impression would feel unnecessarily abbreviated, as it does here with Gun. There are times when you’ll wish a given plot point could have been stretched out a bit more, but instead you’ll be dragged along to the next entertaining yet equally brief task on the dusty road to the game’s conclusion. Even with completing most of the side missions, you will probably be watching the credits roll by after only seven hours or so.

Part of the reason why Gun is so much fun to play is because Neversoft has managed to make instantly accessible to a variety of skill levels what is essentially just a typical third-person shooter control scheme. The analog sticks move you and the camera around, and when activated they take care of aiming as well. There is also a psuedo-bullet time mode called Quickdraw that can be briefly activated which slows down the action and allows you to quickly deal with swarms of enemies before they can react. In addition, for those who feel uncomfortable aiming on their own, Gun offers a way to simply flick the stick to automatically target the next-closest enemy, as well as a way to keep the reticule locked onto a target as they move. These settings can be toggled on or off at will, and when combined with the game’s numerous difficulty settings this makes Gun easily enjoyably by most anyone.

There is a great deal of freedom in Gun, but that freedom is tied together by the game’s numerous core and side missions. Unlike GTA, where you were basically dropped into a self-contained world and left to your own devices, in Gun you have a much more defined set of options, and it is simply up to you which ones you decide to take on to accomplish. The world feels vast, but it lacks much of the sandbox approach that players experienced in the GTA series. That is not entirely a bad things by any means, since much of the narrative’s drama would likely have been lost if you could simply forego the plot altogether and go off doing your own thing for hours on end.

In terms of presentation, Gun shines on any system on which it is played. However, while it looks great on the current generation of consoles, the improvements made to the game’s Xbox 360 version are so painfully infinitesimal that it begs to be asked why the game was even ported to the platform. Sure, some of the textures are more refined, but overall none of the improvements justify the higher price tag afforded by being an Xbox 360 title. The game definitely feels like it was forcibly ported to the new platform as a quick cash grab, and as such fails to take advantage of any of the benefits of being on a more advanced system.

Altogether, Gun is one of the best action games to come along in recent memory. It’s unfortunate that the experience ends so quickly, but few games twice as long leave behind such a lasting impression as remains after completing this adventure in the Old West. A tight and well-told story, coupled with memorable characters and fantastic gameplay mechanics highlight what is in effect a terrific third-person action title that is destined to age much better than other similar offerings. In fact, this might just be the best Old West-themed game ever. Now go tell Miss Kitty to fix you up with a nice hooker.

Score: 80%

Kingdom of Paradise

November 23, 2005

Features / Interviews / by Jason Dobson Make a comment! / Tweet it!

Owners of Sony’s PSP platform have been clamoring for original and engaging titles to play every since the system’s release. While these experiences have been few and far between, both Sony and developer Climax Entertainment have released in Kingdom of Paradise a game that many could find to be just what they are looking for. We had the opportunity to speak with the game’s Assistant Producer, Satoshi Ban regarding this exciting new action RPG for the PSP.

Thank you for taking the time to speak with us regarding Kingdom of Paradise. What has your role been on this project, and how has working on this game been different from other games you’ve been involved with?

My name is Satoshi Ban and I am the Assistant Producer on Kingdom of Paradise. For this project, my role was to coordinate staff and direction of the title along with the Producer. The big difference with this game compared to other projects I’ve worked on in the past is that I really wanted to develop the first “Asian” title that goes beyond the borders of Japan. By joining forces with a broad level Asian staff, we were able to go beyond just a “Japanese” title and incorporate bits and pieces from all sorts of Asian cultures.

As an RPG with action elements, this game seems to share much in common with other entries in this genre hybrid. If you had to compare this RPG to another existing title, what would you say would offer a comparable experience to that of Kingdom of Paradise?

I don’t know if there are specific games that influenced us, but by breaking down the traditional action-RPG gaming mold, we believe Kingdom of Paradise offers a new action-RPG gaming style customized for the PSP. The key difference in this game is that it is almost more of an action game with RPG elements. Also Kingdom of Paradise is a completely original IP. We were inspired by epic adventure, classic samurai sword-fighting, and a mythical world based on the Orient. I would really like players to see how we’re trying to push the boundaries of traditional genres and game design with Kingdom of Paradise for the PSP. I want players to experience how deep and powerful the PSP hardware really is and I’m really looking forward to the future possibilities of PSP game development.

What is the general gameplay of Kingdom of Paradise like? Is this a fairly linear game, or is there an emphasis on exploration?

Kingdom of Paradise is definitely considered more of an action game that contains RPG elements. There are many RPG-like moments, such as event scenes and talking to people in town, but there are way more action elements to this game than the typical RPG. Similar to classic RPGs, players will level up their character by defeating enemies and earning experience points. Players will also need to talk to people along the way, gaining information and clues necessary to move the story forward. The game’s story is fairly linear, however players will be able to visit any clan region whenever they’d like. However, players will need to collect certain items and visit certain areas before moving on to others, and moving along the story. Depending on the skill level of the player, it should take around 15-20 hours to finish the game.

What we some of the challenges you and your team faced in bringing an RPG to a portable market?

This was the first time our production team has had a chance to create a game for the PSP. Developing action-RPG titles is a genre that our team has excelled in, so creating something in that vein for PSP was a challenge but we believe we were able to pull it off successfully. By utilizing our strengths in creating traditional action-RPG games, we were able to offer a new twist to the genre that fits well with the design of the PSP. The best example again is the ability to create your own Bugei Scrolls. This type of fighting mechanic lends itself well to the quick action that gamers will expect from a portable player. I look forward to the future possibilities of game development for the PSP and I would really like players to see how we’re trying to push the boundaries of traditional genres and game design with Kingdom of Paradise for the PSP.

The idea of being able to combine different techniques in order to create your own original combos sounds exciting, but complicated. How does this work, and, perhaps more importantly, how have you managed to implement this without bogging down the fast-paced action aspects of this RPG?

The combat system is very unique. The biggest feature we introduced is our concept of Kenpu and Bugei Scrolls. Players will receive Kenpu as they defeat enemies and proceed through events in the story. In the game, Kenpu is part of a scroll that focuses on specific sword technique and style. Basically, Kenpu is a specific fighting move. By aligning multiple Kenpu, players can create what is known as a Bugei Scroll, or, a set combination of Kenpu moves. By equipping various Bugei Scrolls, players can begin implementing fighting combos in their attacks. The Bugei Scroll is a A

Kameo: Elements of Power

November 18, 2005

Reviews / Xbox 360 / by Jason Dobson Make a comment! / Tweet it!

Reviewing launch titles for a new game console, especially one as anticipated as the Xbox 360, is a precarious prospect that is oftentimes not as fair as it could or should be for the title in question. Do you base your opinion solely of the merits of what the game brings to the experience, or do you look at the title with a more discerning and critical eye given the fact that it is coming to retail with much more potential and resources available to it than those games that came before? Rare’s Kameo: Elements of Power is a perfect example of this. The story of how Kameo finally made it to retail could fill volumes. Having originally been planned as a GameCube title before switching gears alongside the company’s purchase by Microsoft in 2002, it wasn’t long before development was transferred to the Xbox. However, numerous delays and the inevitable scope creep kept the game from being much more than a pretty fantasy. It wasn’t until Microsoft announced the coming of their new platform did everything begin to align regarding the game’s future as a launch title for the Xbox 360.

In this game, you play as Kameo, an elf princess with the unique ability to harness spirits in order to transform in a variety of creatures at will. Right from the onset the game throws you into the action, and in so doing it forces you to become acquainted with how to switch between the various forms, as well as what situations call for which abilities. For example, at one point your actions cause a water tower to rise up into the sky, and you quickly learn that you must somehow reach the top of said tower by transforming into a rolling armadillo, rocketing yourself toward the tower, and then quickly shifting forms into an ice beast so that you can scale the side of the tower using your monstrous claws. These sorts of puzzles abound in Kameo, and while few, if any prove difficult or confounding in any way, the majority are thankfully implemented in such a way as to not feel tacked on or otherwise superfluous.

The same, however, cannot be said for the forms themselves. In total the game features ten separate creature transformations that can be used once they have been found. However, only three forms may be equipped at any one time, with each one assigned to a different face button for quick transformations as needed. These various creatures offer a much broader ability set than one typically finds in a run of the mill action adventure. The problem, however, is that the lion’s share of the abilities are, in fact, unnecessary. Even by the end of the game you never get the sense that these abilities have been utilized to their full potential, and sadly many forms end up being forgotten altogether.

One of the things that has been pushed since the announcement of the Xbox 360 is sheer horsepower in its ability to display nearly limitless on-screen characters at once without slowdown. This game gives an example of this early on by putting Kameo in the middle of a raging battle between elves and trolls. Upon horseback, you quickly grasp the enormity of the situation as you reach the top of a nearby hill, only to see a wave of trolls spilling toward you like a sea of green and red. As you ride onto the outskirts of the conflict, it is something to behold seeing the throngs of warriors tearing into each other as far as the eyes can see. Before this current console generation, this sort of event would have been resigned to taking place as part of a pre-rendered cutscene, but now the potential for a fully interactive world seems to be at our doorsteps.

As with every new leap in technology, the first thing that is noticed is the presentation, and, more specifically, how it compares to the generation prior. While certainly more colorful than those games that have come before it, Kameo‘s visual aptitude is not what one would consider groundbreaking. Perhaps this is just a case of smaller gaps in what can and cannot be done on the hardware as compared to, for example, the upgrade from the SNES to the Nintendo 64, but Kameo does not look the part of a game that serves to usher in a new era of gaming. The whole experience exudes a sort of rendered, glossy feel that harkens to that first time you got hold of Photoshop and couldn’t help but use every available filter at your disposal on a given picture. The result, while interesting, was altogether garish, which is how Kameo comes off as well. Thankfully the sound design helps to cover up for some of these visual shortcomings, with an epic score and voice acting that is more than adequate.

Considering Kameo‘s storied past, and the fact that it is one of the first titles for this much-anticipated platform, it perhaps isn’t as surprising as it would be otherwise that the game suffers from a number of noticeable shortcomings. A relatively short-lived experience lasting only ten or so hours, this is a game that, in typical Rare fashion, positions the entirety of its gameplay upon a single gimmick that, sadly, fails to carry to experience on its own. Kameo is a good game, but it reeks of missed potential, which is unfortunate especially considering how many hurdles it had to jump through in order to see the light of day. If we know Rare, there is little doubt that we will see Kameo again someday, and perhaps the kinks will then be worked out and the end result will be much more memorable than this initial outing.

Score: 78%

← Previous Entries

Next Entries →