Archive for July 25th, 2007
Say-Gah: A Chat With The New Sega Australia Boss
We got the news last week that after a nine-year absence, Sega would again be setting up an Australian office. Well, they opened their doors yesterday, so I figured I’d pop in, see how the tea and biscuits were and have a little chat with new boss Darren Macbeth.
I start by asking what it was, exactly, that’s lured Sega into making this antipodean comeback. Macbeth says it’s a result of Sega’s recent push to “westernise” their product range. More games that appeal to a western audience means more games sell in the west, including Australia (conveniently, the Creative Assembly team behind Rome: Total War is based in Brisbane). He also says that it’ll help push both the brand and the games locally if, rather than having THQ market and publish their titles, through “direct representation in Australia” Sega can do it themselves.
Speaking of THQ, with the arrival of Sega on the scene a large chunk of their local business is now coming to an end. Any potential for a messy break-up? “We are very appreciative of the work THQ have done representing the SEGA product over the past few years”, he says, “and it would be fair to say that without the great work they have done we would not be opening up here!”. That’s a no, then. The split is very amicable: Starting with Sega Rally, which is due in September, Sega will handle all new and upcoming titles. Any game that’s already been marketed up to this point will still be handled by THQ until the end of the year, at which Sega will take over all their own stuff.
Most platform holders or publishers in Australia act as subsidiaries of the larger European divisions, mainly due to our shared PAL television standard. Would Sega be following suit, or would this be a more autonomous operation? “The local company will have a big say on how things happen moving forward and we intend on making a big impact here”, Macbeth says. “Yes we are a subsidiary of our European parent and this gives us more power to use, and the ability to tap into, the great work our organisation has been doing in Europe, so all in all we have the best of both worlds”. Not much new there, then. Shame.
I got a few more questions in, mainly concerning challenges the brand faces in the region in the wake of their exit from the hardware business and the slow, prolongued strangulation of the Sonic franchise, but got a whole load of super-optimistic PR fluff in response, so i’ll spare you that.
One final interesting thing to note, though, is that Sega Australia are seriously aiming at becoming one of the region’s top five publishers over the next “few years”. Big claim, especially considering the tenure of their absence. Big claims come from big balls, though, so at the very least that warrants a “best of luck, Sega Australia”!.
Big, Nerdy And Slutty: Devil May Cry 4 Cult Leaders
Just heard a god-awful noise. It was the tower’s pneumatic tube system. Hasn’t been used in ages! Anyway, tucked inside the tube was a note from Capcom. One page saying hi, the other three with some character art for Devil May Cry 4 scrawled all over them. The large man with the monocle is Agnus, he’s the chief researcher for the Magic Sword Cult. The smaller guy, he’s Credo, he’s the leader of the cult. The lady struggling to conceal her rump? That’s Gloria, who we’re assured is the only female executive member of the cult. Which going by her dress code is probably just the way Credo and Agnus would like to keep it.
Ha-ooh: The 300 360
I saw 300 on an airplane. In fact, I actually saw it on my way to this year’s E3. (Saw half of Zodiac, but turned it off. They don’t catch the killer, you know.) At Comic-Con, ten of these will be given away to lucky comic book nerds. Let’s see, six thousand attendees means your chances are…? Not very good! For those who can’t make the trip to San Diego, Microsoft and Warner Bros. Home Entertainment will be bringing Comic-Con to Xbox Live with movie trailers, celeb interviews, game trailers and panel sessions. Madness? This is, yeah, yeah, blah, blah.
The 300 360 [Gizmodo]
Only In Japan: Simple 2000: The Japanese Software Chart
The PlayStation 2 showed the Wii who’s the boss of Japan this week, at least in terms of Konami’ s Jikkyou Powerful Pro Baseball sales. The PS2 version trounced the Wii’s by a factor of three, proving that baseball and PlayStation still matter to the Japanese. Nintendo had the last laugh, of course, with 27 of the top 30 games all appearing on Nintendo DS and Wii hardware.
Here are the top ten Media Create software sellers for the week of July 16th to the 22nd, with the rest of the chart post-jump.
01. Jikkyou Powerful Pro Baseball 14 (PS2) - 153,000 / NEW
02. Dragon Quest Swords: The Masked Queen and the Tower of Mirrors (Wii) - 53,000 / 358,000
03. Jikkyou Powerful Pro Baseball Wii (Wii) - 48,000 / NEW
04. The Legend of Zelda: Phantom Hourglass (DS) - 47,000 / 631,000
05. Wii Sports (Wii) - 40,000 / 1,911,000
06. Kouchuu Ouja: Mushi King Super Collection (DS) - 33,000 / NEW
07. Flash Focus: Vision Training in Minutes a Day (DS) - 31,000 / 426,000
08. Wii Play (Wii) - 29,000 / 1,523,000
09. Naruto: Saikyo Ninja Daikesshu 5 (DS) - 28,000 / NEW
10. New Super Mario Bros. (DS) - 21,000 / 4,635,000
11. Tantei Jinguuji Saburou DS: Inishie no Kioku (DS)
12. More Brain Age (DS)
13. My Housekeeping Diary (DS)
14. Chibi Robo! Park Patrol (DS)
15. Mario Kart DS (DS)
16. Pokémon Diamond (DS)
17. Brain Age (DS)
18. More English Training (DS)
19. Animal Crossing Wild World (DS)
20. Saiyuki: Kinkaku, Ginkaku no Inbou (DS)
21. Momotarou Dentetsu 16: Trip to Hokkaido! (Wii)
22. Pokémon Pearl (DS)
23. Shounen Onyouji: Tsubasa Yoima, Ten e Kare (PS2)
24. English Training (DS)
25. Kirarin * Revolution: Mezase! Idol Queen (DS)
26. Super Robot Wars OG: Original Generations (PS2)
27. Mega Man ZX Advent (DS)
28. Itadaki Street DS (DS)
29. Kanji Brain Test 2M (DS)
30. Yoshi’s Island DS (DS)
New Super Mario Bros. makes returns to the top ten, making 5 million units sold in Japan alone a 2007 reality, while Wii Play is on target to reach 2 million units sold in just a few weeks. Crazy!
Media Create Software Sales [Gpara]
Sequential Spike Deaths: Jordan Mechner Reveals Prince Of Persia Graph Novel
Mark Siegel is editor of classy comic publisher First Second Books (American Born Chinese). Dude loves the original Prince of Persia games. Thing is, he’s not much of a gamer, so he didn’t know about the new games, or the new movie, and just fronted up to series creator Jordan Mechner with an idea for a Prince of Persia graphic novel. Surprisingly, Mechner didn’t have to reply with a bunch of crap about licensing deals and copyright and trademarks and whatnot. He just went “OK”, and the two decided to come up with a brand new PoP story. They’ve even got a writer for the project. No names yet, but he is under orders:
His mandate was to take Prince of Persia back to the mythic roots of the story, and I think Prince of Persia game fans will be really surprised when they see it. Hopefully they’ll like it for giving them something that’s deeper and stranger than they would expect from a graphic novel based on a video game.
All of this, every last bit, sounds good. Be in touch guys.
Prince Of Los Angeles: An Interview With Jordan Mechner [Gamasutra]
Drink Up: Your Enemy? Robot Ice Cream Truck
There are some really whacked out ideas in games. You know, crazy characters, insane levels. Ever wonder where they come from? Drunk people, apparently. Don’t believe me? Game translator Matt Alt recalls when he was working on a difficult-to-localize PlayStation game:
During a late-night meeting with the game’s director at the local izakaya pub, I half in jest suggested that we re-envision one of the enemy characters as a giant transforming ice cream truck. In robot form it’d have ice cream scoop hands, an ice cream cone head, an ice cream parlor awning “skirt,” the works.
Little did I realize he had taken me seriously. When we showed up at the office several days later he showed us a short loop his animator had created based on the idea. In the end it never did make it into the finished product, but seeing my clumsy-looking, beer-drenched robot concept come to life on a Japanese animator’s computer screen was an amazing experience for this American-born mecha-maniac. I wish I still had the cocktail napkin with my original sketch, if only to highlight the difference between my drawing abilities (which are on par with a third grader) and those of a professional mecha artist.
Shame it never made it in the game, because I would so play this. And the company’s name? That, dear reader, is a secret. But it’s probably not who you’d think!
I Scream Robo [AltJapan]
Diplomacy: Rockstar Wade Into GTAIV Console Fracas
Nothing like some shoddy PR work from a large third-party publisher to fan the flames of everlasting console war. Speaking with Games Radar about multi-platform colossus GTAIV, Rockstar’s Hosi Simon was being very careful with his words. He was making very sure to emphasise that regardless of whether you own a 360 or a PS3, if you buy GTAIV, you’ll be a happy camper:
They’re identical games. We’re not hardware makers, and we’re not like a pawn between these companies, we try not to be as much as we can. We make great games for people to enjoy on whichever system they want.
So far, so good. But then he goes and fucks it all up.
But I guess if you want the complete experience with the episodes, then yeah, you should buy the 360, I suppose.
Way to break it to those PS3 owners real gentle like, Hosi.
Rockstar rep says ‘complete experience’ only on 360 [Games Radar]
Here We Go Again: Sam & Max Take Another Stab At It
Man, you guys really dug the new Sam & Max. Season One only just finished, and already, we get an announcement that Season Two is underway, and will be with us in the northern autumn. Expect more of the same. Dog, rabbit, point, click, chuckle, puzzle. Above is the first screen for the season’s first episode, which show that the graphics have been touched up a bit. Not too much, so as to appear whorish, just enough to maintain a fresh, youthful appearance.
Telltale and GameTap announce Sam & Max Season Two
Crime fighting duo to return in Fall 2007 with another blast of episodic escapades
SAN RAFAEL, CA - July 25, 2007 - Interactive entertainment pioneer Telltale Inc. and GameTap, the first-of-its-kind broadband entertainment network from Turner Broadcasting System, Inc., today announced that the groundbreaking Sam & Max episodic game series will return this fall for another round of online mayhem.
Sam & Max Season Two follows the highly successful and critically-acclaimed debut that ran from Fall 2006 through Spring 2007. Each episode will premiere exclusively for play on GameTap, followed by a downloadable release on Telltale’s website the next day.
“Season One was a great success, but it’s just a starting point for us,” says Telltale’s CEO Dan Connors. “The episodic model presents so many opportunities to innovate and engage the audience in brand new ways. Just wait until you see what Telltale and GameTap have in store with Season Two.”
“GameTap and Telltale successfully proved the idea that games can work in a TV show format,” said Ricardo Sanchez, vice president of content and creative director for GameTap. “The Sam & Max episodes continue to be among the top titles played at GameTap and we expect that Season Two will be an even bigger draw.”
Sam & Max Season Two will feature the same quick wit and bizarre scenarios Telltale’s team and Sam & Max creator Steve Purcell delivered the first time around–and more! “We’re keeping the general structure and gameplay, and focusing on telling farther-reaching, crazier stories,” says Telltale’s design director Dave Grossman. “You’ll see some changes to the world, too; improvements that were born out of player feedback and our own desire to make the most fun games anyone has ever played.”
Some of these changes are evident in the first Season Two render, released today, which is set in Stinky’s, the diner down the street from Sam & Max’s office that remained closed for the entire first season. Additional game assets, including glimpses of brand new characters and environments, will be revealed at San Diego Comic-Con starting tomorrow at the panel, “Episodic Games and Comics - Made for Each Other” (11:30-12:30 in room 1AB).
The landmark Sam & Max Season One is currently available at www.telltalegames.com and www.gametap.com as well as other download services, and will be coming to retail stores in August courtesy of The Adventure Company in North America and JoWooD in Europe. For more information about Sam & Max, including a four-part retrospective feature celebrating the duo’s 20th anniversary, visit www.telltalegames.com/samandmax.
Not Pretty: The Tragically Fugly Zelda Belt
Game shirts? Nothing new! But game belts? Not your everyday fare. So whenever we find gaming belts, we post ‘em. This Zelda map belt, for example. Thing is, we’re not sure if we actually like this belt. We’re not sure at all.
Belt designers out there, this is a call. Please make better gaming belts! Yes, people will actually wear them.
Zelda Map Belt [Alice]
Pre Prizes: Peter Moore Photoshop Phinalists
We received hundreds of submissions for our Peter Moore Tattoo Photoshop Contest of Death, ultimately choosing 25 for final consideration. After sifting through at least a hundred images of hastily applied Red Rings of Death to old Pete’s bicep and copious amounts of inked disembodied John Madden heads, we plucked out what we considered the best of the best. Whether they be weird, hilarious, creative or technically impressive, those selected submissions are in our gallery below. I’ll update before the weekend with the winning ’shop after careful consideration, but your comments on a per photo basis are certainly welcome if you’d like to sway our opinion.
All The Way Up To ELEVEN: Nintendo Kicks Wii, DS Production Up A Notch
Doesn’t matter what George Harrison says. Forget about him. As hinted at a few weeks back, Nintendo are ramping up production of both the Wii and DS for the holiday season. Contained within the company’s latest financial release is the news that while Nintendo had previously forecast global shipments of 14 million Wiis for the fiscal year, this has been revised upwards to 16.5 million. Same story with the DS: the original plan was to ship 22 million of them, but they’re now looking at offloading 26 million. That’s an extra 6.5 million Nintendo consoles hitting the market this fiscal year. No sold-out excuses now: if you can’t get little Johnny a Wii for Christmas you’ll have to fess up and tell him the truth. You cheap bastard.
Nintendo Consolidated Financial Highlights
Day Note: Son of Game Club
To: Ash
From: Crecente
Re: Do Macs Last a Long Time?
I finally kicked off Game Club, well the Game Club beta , today. I’ll be announcing the rules for the club tomorrow. We’re going to be doing Mr. Robot for our first run and the developers have given me a code (I’ll be posting it tomorrow) for 40 percent off the game. Which is great. I’m kinda psyched about this.
What you missed:
Games Convention sounds HUGE… and like Woodstock
I wonder if he’ll make a movie of the game?
Jaffe’s got some news this Friday (I’m trying to figure it out early.)
Don’t forget Mike is going to Comic-Con starting tomorrow. Sounds like he’s going to be busy.
Clips: Ultimate NES Mash Up Starring Mega Man And That Kung Fu Dude
Take one half Kung Fu, add one half Mega Man, mix liberally with guest appearances from Super Mario Bros., Street Fighter II, Spelunker (!!!), Fantasy Zone, Urban Champion, hell even Spy vs. Spy for Christ’s sake, ice it with an “Okusenman” soundtrack, sprinkle light non-gaming nerd references and you’ve got a YouTube micro-hit. It obviously makes no sense, but it’s kind of above that, don’t you think?
Hands-on Impressions: Guitar Hero Contractually Obligates The 80s
After learning that the song list for Guitar Hero Encore: Rocks the 80s for the PlayStation 2 was arguably lacking in the “rock” department, I started to worry. When I realized that not a single bonus track would be included, I got a lil’ antsy. Upon discovering that Activision was charging $50 American for the game, I got rightly pissed. With all that in mind, I thought picking up the game at Best Buy for a cheaper $40 with a $15 gift card bonus, I thought I’d still enjoy the next iteration in the Guitar Hero franchise. Playing through Hard difficulty today, I found myself regretting what will ultimately be a net $25 purchase.
The song list isn’t the only barebones aspect of the game, as (so far) only one unlockable character is available, The Grim Reaper. The cast of digital musicians is recycled from Guitar Hero II, pared down to a meager half-dozen redressed characters. You can’t unlock new outfits, songs or videos as one would in previous versions.
Recycling seems to have been the theme for Guitar Hero Encore: Rocks the 80s with barely modified versions of Guitar Hero II’s bars, clubs and arenas setting the stage for your rocking out. Even the game’s splash and menu screens are shockingly familiar. There were plenty of missed opportunities to make this edition stand out as a fun, 80s themed release.
Even more puzzling are the obvious moments of slowdown that have plagued a handful of songs. Yes, Eddie Money’s “Shakin’” absolutely sucks, but is it that taxing on the PS2? Based on these early experiences, the game reeks of cash-in from Activision and a half-effort from developer Harmonix.
Anyone else playing this game? And, more importantly, does anyone else feel ripped off?
Cotaku Covers: Comic-Con
Comic-Con 2007 is almost upon us and it looks like the annual comic convention in San Diego is going to end up having quite a bit of gaming news. Good thing we’re sending Michael McWhertor to dip his toe into the effluence of comic culture in search of gaming goodies.
If you’re going to be there too and don’t give a whit for the comic stuff going on hit the jump for the run down of game-themed panels which include appearances by Penny Arcade, Steve Purcell, Frank O’Connor and David Jaffe ( who it sounds like will be attending the show, rather than presenting at it.)
Thursday, July 26
11:30-12:30 Episodic Games and Comics: Made for Each Other– With episodic gaming emerging as a new medium for storytelling, it’s no surprise that comics licenses are a great fit. Telltale Games and Hothead Games are leading the way with episodic series based on popular comics–Telltale with Sam & Max: Season One and Hothead with the upcoming Penny Arcade Adventures. Members of both teams, along with Sam & Max creator Steve Purcell, Jerry Holkins and Mike Krahulik (Penny Arcade) describe the ins and outs of adapting a comic license into an interactive experience. Find out why playing your favorite comic series can be so much fun. Moderated by Chris Remo (ShackNews). Room 1AB
Categories: Comic Books | Gaming
2:00-3:00 G4: Code Monkeys– The secret history of videogames is exposed in G4’s Code Monkeys, an animated comedy of 8-bit proportions. Code Monkeys creator Adam de la Peña, one of the warped minds behind Minoriteam, Crank Yankers, and The Man Show, and star Dana Snyder (Aqua Teen Hunger Force), offer their unique, behind-the-scenes insight into the rowdy celebration and biting parody of videogames, technology, and pop culture. Room 4
Categories: Animation | Fandom | Gaming | Television
3:30-4:30 Demons of Mercy: Marvel and Maxum Reinvent Storyline on the Xbox 360– Join us as MAXUM Games CEO Alex Cruz and Marvel editor Nicole Boose (Dark Tower series) unveil how a comics series will interact on the Xbox 360. Celebrity guests include Demons of Mercy creator R. H. Stavis (Lara Croft), voices Jeri Ryan (Star Trek: Voyager) and Christopher Judge (Stargate SG-1). Don’t miss this event moderated by Victor Lucas (The Electric Playground). The first 1,000 attendees receive a free Comic-Con exclusive foil edition of Demons of Mercy #1! Room 6A
Categories: Comic Books | Gaming
5:00-6:00 PC Gamer and Maximum PC: How to Play a Better Game– Chuck Osborn, Senior Executive Editor of PC Gamer, Norman Chan, Contributing Editor of PC Gamer, Grantley Day, Vice President of Product Development for K2, and Peter Cesario, Producer of Sword of the New World for K2, will host a discussion and Q&A session about online and offline role playing games. Topics will include strategy tips, performance-enhancing recommendations, and hardware upgrades using K2’s Sword of the New World as a demonstration tool. Room 30AB
Categories: Gaming | Seminars & Workshops
6:00-7:30 FTW!: Breaking into the Video Game Industry– Chris Charla of Foundation 9 Entertainment and industry friends Gary Whitta (Death, Jr.), Mark Vitello (Sony), Bob Stevenson (Planet Moon), Christian Svensson (Capcom), Jon Middleton (Mad Catz), and Frank O’Connor (Bungie) talk about how to weasel…er, work your way into the world of video games! Room 30AB
Categories: Gaming | Seminars & Workshops
Friday, July 27
12:30-1:30 Star Wars Day: LucasArts– Celebrate 25 of LucasArts videogames and learn about the past, present, and future by attending this panel with key LucasArts producers. See what LucasArts has in store, then ask your own questions in a Q&A session. Room 1AB
Categories: Fandom | Gaming | Science Fiction & Fantasy
2:15-3:15 Halo Universe– The Eisner Award-winning team of Brian Michael Bendis (New Avengers) and Alex Maleev (Daredevil), as well as their Halo editor Ruwan Jayatilleke (Marvel’s VP of development), give an inside scoop on Halo: Uprising, the comics miniseries, which occurs between the blockbuster video game Halo 2 and the highly anticipated Halo 3. Joining them for a Q&A session is best-selling author Eric Nylund (Ghosts of Onyx). Plus, Mark Tuttle (WizKids brand manager for Halo ActionClix) will give be on hand to discuss the Collectible Miniature Game, and John Williams (Topps creative director) will preview the Halo trading cards. Room 6A
Categories: Action Figures, Toys and Collectibles | Comic Books | Gaming
3:30-4:30 WOW! It’s World of Warcraft!– Are you ready? Comics, collectibles, and online gaming are about to collide! How does the world’s most popular online game, World of Warcraft, plan to crash the comics and collectibles world? Find out here! As a special incentive, a collectible comic will be distributed to fans at the panel. Join Jim Lee (editorial director, WildStorm), Chris Metzen (VP of creative development, Blizzard), Mickey Neilson (writer/voice director, Blizzard), Hank Kanalz (VP/general manager, WildStorm), and Georg Brewer (VP, design and DC Direct creative) to discover the results of these combined forces! Room 4
Categories: Action Figures, Toys and Collectibles | Comic Books | Fandom | Gaming | Science Fiction & Fantasy
3:30-4:30 Marvel Video Games– The interactive world of the Marvel Universe has never been more exciting. Meet the creators of your favorite Marvel video games and hear the inside scoop on the upcoming lineup of console, PC, and handheld games featuring the mighty Marvel Super Heroes. Get an in-depth, behind-the-scenes look at what it takes to make a great superhero videogame and participate in a Q&A with the game developers. Room 5AB
Categories: Comic Books | Gaming
3:30-4:30 Broccoli Books– Broccoli Books are the people who brought you such great manga titles as Juvenile Orion, Galaxy Angel, KAMUI, Disgaea, and the Square Enix hit, E’S. You’ll be the first to preview some new manga, merchandise, and more. Representatives will provide announcements and a Q&A session, not to mention some nice promo stuff for attendees. See you there! Room 10
Categories: Anime & Manga | Gaming
5:00-6:00 PC Gamer and Maximum PC: How to Play a Better Game, Part 2– Chuck Osborn (senior executive editor of PC Gamer), Norman Chan (contributing editor of PC Gamer), and a representative from game publisher Midway host a discussion and Q&A session about first-person shooters. Topics will include basic strategy, performance-enhancing tips, and genre-specific hardware upgrade recommendations, using Midway’s Unreal Tournament 3 as a demonstration tool. Room 30AB
Categories: Gaming | Seminars & Workshops
5:00-6:00 Star Wars at 30 Years with Steve Sansweet– This summer marks the 30th anniversary of the Star Wars saga, and its indelible influence on popular culture. We’ve got 30 years of great memories thanks to the galaxy far, far away, but there are also great things to come, too. Join Lucasfilm’s Steve Sansweet for a little Star Wars nostalgia, a review of the 30th anniversary year so far, and a look at what’s new and what’s coming for Star Wars. Hall H
Categories: Action Figures, Toys and Collectibles | Comic Books | Fandom | Gaming | Movies | Science Fiction & Fantasy
6:00-7:00 Confessions of a Game Designer– Have you ever played a game and thought, “I could make a better game than this!” Now’s your chance to find out if you can. Join veteran designer Alex Jimenez (Enigma: Rising Tide, Battletanxs, Darkstalkers) as he answers all your questions and takes you behind the scenes of the video game industry. Learn who decides what games are made and how, and most important, what you need to know to get in Find out where the industry is, where it’s going, and how you can be a part of it. Whether your interests are in art, programming or design, if you love games or blame them for the fall of civilization, here’s your chance to see if you’ve got what it takes to make it in the biz! Room 30AB
Categories: Gaming | Seminars & Workshops
6:00-7:00 Building Entertainment Intellectual Properties– Mat Broome has assembled a roundtable of top working professionals responsible for producing comics, books, music, and games, all too talk about how intellectual properties are built. X-Men, WildC.A.T.S, and EverQuest are only a few of the intellectual properties that these panelists have had a vital role in producing. They include Mat Broome (17 years’ experience as an artist/illustrator, entertainment and brand manager, and business owner), Mike Smith (lead audio on Everquest 2 and Untold Legends), Ben Herrera (artist for Malibu Comics and Rockstar Games), and Clint Worley (multiple titles for Sony on PC, PS2 and PSP platforms). Room 30CDE
Categories: Comic Books | Gaming | Seminars & Workshops
Saturday, July 28
3:00-4:00 The Darkness Game– The Darknessis a PS3/Xbox 360 title from premier video game publisher 2K Games, award-winning game developer Starbreeze Studios, leading independent comics creator/publisher Top Cow Productions, and video game/film production company Union Entertainment. The Darkness is the first game to be released based on a Top Cow comic and one of the only comic book-based video games ever released without a related feature film to help launch it. The video game stays true to its source while presenting a fresh, frightening reinvention of The Darkness’ mythology. The panel, composed of the key creative forces behind the project, will discuss the triumphs and challenges of bringing The Darkness to comics, from comics to games, then back to comics, and maybe more. Room 8
Categories: Comic Books | Gaming | Horror and Suspense
4:15-5:15 Re\Visioned: Tomb Raider: A GameTap Exclusive Animated Series– In celebration of the 10th Anniversary of Tomb Raider, GameTap has assembled legendary artists and writers including Jim Lee (Batman: Hush, WildC.A.T.s), Warren Ellis (The Authority, Transmetropolitan), Peter Chung (Aeon Flux, Animatrix), Gail Simone (Wonder Woman, Birds of Prey), and Brian Pulido (Lady Death, The Darkness) to participate in the first season of GameTap’s newest original series, ReVisioned. Each artist and writer applied their unique talents to reinvent leading lady Lara Croft in his or her own way, creating a new animated series airing exclusively on GameTap.com. Join us for an all-star panel as these industry legends share their creative experiences in bringing a gaming icon to life. Moderated by series creator Ricardo Sanchez, the panel will showcase a full episode by Warren Ellis and an exclusive preview of upcoming episodes. Room 6A
Categories: Animation | Gaming
5:00-6:00 PC Gamer and Maximum PC: How to Play a Better Game, Part 3– Will Smith, Editor-in-Chief of Maximum PC, Chuck Osborn, Senior Executive Editor of PC Gamer, Norman Chan, Contributing Editor of PC Gamer, and Mario Kroll, Director of Marketing for CDV, will host a discussion and Q&A session about real-time strategy games. Topics will include basic strategy, performance-enhancing tips, and genre- specific hardware upgrade recommendations, using CDV’s and The History Channel’s Great Battles of Rome as a demonstration tool. Room 30AB
Categories: Gaming | Seminars & Workshops
Sunday, July 29
10:30-11:30 Tech and Trading Cards: The Eye of Judgement for PlayStation 3– Come see what the future holds for trading card game fans everywhere. Using the latest PlayStation 3 technology, The Eye of Judgement brings these new decks to 3D holographic life. How will this change the way you play Magic forever? Moderated by Ricardo Torres (GameSpot.com), meet the creators and advisors from Hasbro, Wizards of the Coast and Sony Computer Entertainment America before it launches this fall. Room 3
Categories: Gaming
11:30-12:30 Capcom: Shade II– Following up on the first ever MMWRPG (Massively Multiplayer Wireless Role-Playing Game), Capcom presents Shade II, a brand-new interactive world of dark fantasy. Capcom Interactive Canada studio head and executive producer Dave Dies and character designer Dave Daniels team up with famed comics writer Marv Wolfman (Teen Titans, Blade) to show the world just how fun (and addicting) the world of mobile gaming can be. Look for the official Shade novel and graphic novel in March 2008 from Prima Games. Marv Wolfman’s appearance is made possible by Prima Games, an imprint of Random House, Inc. Room 4
Categories: Gaming | Science Fiction & Fantasy
2:00-3:30 Scribe Awards Media Tie-in Writers– Attend the first annual presentation of the IAMTW “Scribe” awards, followed by a panel of nominees, including Donald Bain (Murder She Wrote), Marv Wolfman (Superman Returns), David R. George III (Star Trek Crucible: McCoy–Provenance of Shadows), Jeff Mariotte (30 Days of Night: Rumors of the Undead), Nathan Long (Warhammer: Orc Slayer), Christina York (Alias: APO: Strategic Reserve), Alice Henderson (Buffy the Vampire Slayer: Portal Through Time), and moderator Max Allan Collins (The Pink Panther). Andy Mangels (Star Trek: Excelsior) will present the awards. Room 5AB
Categories: Animation | Comic Books | Gaming | Horror and Suspense | Movies | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Television
2:45-3:45 Viva Piñata!– Viva Piñata! is one of Saturday morning’s most popular cartoons as well as one of the most innovative and fun Xbox games in years, this lively panel will focus on the creation of all things Piñata! On hand for the party will be the creative teams from 4Kids Entertainment, Microsoft Game Studios, and Rare Ltd, all moderated by video game and comics writer Joshua Ortega. Room 6B
Categories: Animation | Gaming | Kids | Television
3:30-4:30 PC Gamer and Maximum PC: How to Play a Better Game, Part 4– Will Smith, Editor-in-Chief of Maximum PC, Chuck Osborn, Senior Executive Editor of PC Gamer, and Mario Kroll, Director of Marketing for CDV, will host a discussion and Q&A session about arcade/action games. Topics will include basic strategy, performance-enhancing tips, and genre-specific hardware upgrade recommendations, using CDV’s Attack on Pearl Harbor as a demonstration tool. Room 30AB
Categories: Gaming | Seminars & Workshops
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Access to every mission is at your fingertips with this code!
Cheats: Transformers: The Game - No Vehicles On The Street!
Pesky tanks, cops and other vehicles will never bother you again with this cheat!
Cheats: Transformers: The Game - Unlock Invincibility!
Show your opponents no mercy once you activate invincibility with this cheat!
