blogs.mercurynews.com Open in urlscan Pro
35.222.6.143  Public Scan

Form analysis
0 forms found in the DOM

Text Content

A+E INTERACTIVE

Bay Area Arts and Entertainment Blog
Menu Close
 * Home
 * Archives

5 Comments


LOGITECH PRODIGY LINE GIVES GAMERS MORE FOR ENTRY LEVEL DEVICES

Posted on September 1, 2016 by Gieson Cacho

Logitech G has made a name for itself with its high-end peripherals. Catering to
the whims of the hard-core gamer, these devices offer every conceivable bell and
whistle imaginable. The G502 Proteus Spectrum reportedly offers twice the
response time of a Razer’s Deathadder mouse. The G633 Artemis Spectrum boasts
Dolby 7.1 Surround Sound and DTS along with programmable presets.

But as much as hard-core gamers crave these features, there’s a multitude of
players who want basic high-end functionality but in a simple-to-use package.
That’s where Logitech Prodigy, the company’s new set of peripherals comes in.
These devices are geared toward the average gamer who wants entry level gear but
with high-quality. It’s a product line that’s supposed to hit that sweet spot
between form and function.
Continue Reading →

Video Games Logitech G213 Prodigy keyboard, Logitech G231 Prodigy headset,
Logitech G403 Prodigy wireless mouse, Logitech Prodigy, PC gaming, peripheral
0 Comments


GALAXY ZEGA TAKES CUE FROM ANKI WITH ITS TOYS-TO-LIFE GAME

Posted on September 1, 2016 by Gieson Cacho

It was bound to happen sooner or later. When a new gaming category gains
popularity, others try to enter the market and compete. It’s happened with
everything from Street Fighter II to Guitar Hero. With Anki Overdrive, that
challenge comes in the form of the Galaxy Zega. The game, which launches Sept.
1, lets players control toy tanks via their smartphones.

The base concept is similar to Anki Overdrive but the execution is different.
Whereas Anki lets players battle via Mario Kart-like races, Galaxy Zega lets
players battle each other in arenas almost like a top-down shooter. Players can
create their own arenas using pieces in the starter kit or they can jerry-rig
their own together out of soda cans and other household items. With the official
battlefield, players attach pieces together magnetically, so it’s easy to
assemble.
Continue Reading →

Video Games Android, Galazy Zega, iOS, toys to life
0 Comments


GAMES FARM TAKES STAB AT DIABLO WITH VIKINGS: WOLVES OF MIDGARD

Posted on August 29, 2016 by Gieson Cacho

Norse mythology is full of storytelling potential, and video games have no
problem mining the rich lore. Kratos is headed for the land of trolls and Odin
in the new God of War. Too Human mixes sci-fi and Norse mythology while space
operas such as the Halo franchise makes constant references to the lore.

With Vikings: Wolves of Midgard, developer Games Farm combines Norse mythology
and Diablo-eseque gameplay. The upcoming game set to be released 2017 on PC,
Xbox One and PlayStation 4 lets players choose between a male or female
warriors. These protagonists are out on a raiding trip when they return to their
hometown and discover ice giants have attacked and sent the villagers fleeing.
It’s up to players to rebuild the town and seek justice.

The gameplay follows the familiar hack, slash and loot concepts. The male and
female warriors have slight differences with armor sets and abilities. The women
are slightly faster while the men are stronger. Games Farm eschews a traditional
progression system for one that lets players power up through better gear and
blood sacrifices. As players venture through Niflheim and other realms, they’ll
defeat foes that give them blood. Players convert this currency at an altar to
upgrade their abilities through different Norse gods such as Loki and Thor.

So far, the game looks like a standard hack and slash except for a few tweaks
here and there. For one, the land of Niflheim is snowy and players will have to
rush from fire to fire to keep warm and stay alive. All the while, they’ll be
battling jotuns and wolves. Games Farm promises other levels that aren’t so
frigid. It looks like Vikings: Wolves of Midgard will need fresh ideas like
these to keep from being overshadowed by other games next year.

Images courtesy of Kalypso

Video Games Games Farm, Kalypso, Urban Empire, Vikings: Wolves of Midgard
4 Comments


HOW CLOSE DOES WATCH DOGS 2 MATCH THE REAL BAY AREA?

Posted on August 21, 2016 by Gieson Cacho

Hollywood loves to destroy San Francisco. It has sent Magneto to rearrange its
bridges. It has showed a magnitude 9.6 earthquake and tsunami tear the area
apart. Godzilla even defended the city by the bay and inadvertently flattened
every building in Chinatown.

As for video games, San Francisco hasn’t been a popular locale compared to New
York. Rockstar Games did a spoof of it called San Fiero in Grand Theft Auto: San
Andreas. The city has appeared in passing in numerous driving games from Driver:
San Francisco to Need for Speed: The Run.

But that changes this fall as the Bay Area finally gets the video game
spotlight. With Watch Dogs 2, Ubisoft Montreal has created one of the closest
representation of San Francisco and region. If players drive north, they’ll hit
Sausalito and the rest of Marin County. Head east across the Bay Bridge, and
players will discover an Oakland with neighborhoods such as Prescott (the lower
bottoms) and the Fruitvale district. The developer even added parts of Silicon
Valley, including Palo Alto and a Stanford-like campus.

Like the rest of the Bay Area, San Francisco isn’t a direct one-to-one
re-creation. Ubisoft Montreal sandwiches Golden Gate Park and the Presidio
together while completely eliminating the Inner Richmond. Players can travel to
SOMA, a version of AT&T Park and Haight and Ashbury. The basic philosophy behind
the layout is that if it’s well-known tourist destination, then players will be
able to get there. (I see a trip to Alcatraz in my future.)
Continue Reading →

Video Games Bay Area, Ubisoft, Watch Dogs 2, Watchdogs 2
0 Comments


NVIDIA ADDS FULL-FLEDGED GTX CARDS IN GAMING LAPTOPS

Posted on August 15, 2016 by Gieson Cacho

For years, Nvidia has been making graphics cards for two gaming categories. The
Santa Clara-based company has built beefy graphics chips for the desktop that
push out bleeding edge visuals on PC. But when it comes to laptops, Nvidia has
made comparable chips with the same architecture, but the constraints of the
platform has forced the company to tone down the power.

That ends today as Nvidia has announced that it has created gaming notebook
versions of its new graphics cards based on the Pascal architecture. In essence,
the GTX 10-series, which includes the GeForce GFX 1060, GeForce GFX 1070 and
GeForce GFX 1080, are coming to laptops in their full glory. The move promises a
big boost in power when compared to the notebooks with the 900M chips.

“It’s a quantum leap in performance,” Nvidia product manager Mark Aevermann
said. “It clocks in at 76 percent leap.”

Being a full-fledged Geforce GTX graphics chip with no compromises, players can
expect the same type of features on notebooks as they would on PC. Laptops with
GTX 10-series of chips will handle virtual reality and support G-Sync. Some OEMs
will ship notebooks that include SLI built in. That’s the feature that lets two
Nvidia graphics cards connect to each other to push higher frame rates and
lusher visuals. There will even be an option for factory overclocking.

Part of the reason, Nvidia has been able to replicate its graphics card in a
smaller form factor is that it has included dual-FET power supply and increased
energy efficiency with multi phased power controllers. Despite being more
powerful, Aevermann says the GTX 10-series chips get 30 percent more battery
life compared to the Maxwell notebook predecessors.

Aevermann says players can expect to see notebooks with the GTX 10-series chips
launching Tuesday with the most affordable models featuring a GeForce GTX 1060
selling for $1,300.

Video Games gaming laptops, GTX 1060, GTX 1070, GTX 1080, NVIDIA
0 Comments


PROGRESS REPORT: WORLDS ADRIFT LOOKING BETTER

Posted on August 12, 2016 by Gieson Cacho

The last time I saw Worlds Adrift it was more of an idea. Bossa Studios wanted
to make a massively multiplayer online game with an unprecedented amount of
emergent gameplay. They would give players the tools, and it would be up to them
to shape the project.

Since then, Worlds Adrift has been giving players in the Alpha more options to
shape their world and Bossa Studios has also fleshed it out with more features.
I had a chance to get some hands-on time with the MMO, and from what I played,
it’s coming along well.
Continue Reading →

Video Games Bossa Studios, No Man's Sky, PC
0 Comments


THE WORLD CONGRESS IS DEAD IN CIVILIZATION VI

Posted on August 3, 2016 by Gieson Cacho

Although I had a glimpse into the early game of Civilization VI, the changes
made me curious about how the end game would unfold. I spoke senior gameplay
designer Anton Strenger about how diplomacy and the later parts of a campaign
would look and I was surprised when he confirmed that the World Congress, a
longtime Civ staple, wouldn’t be in the game.

In the Civilization V: Brave New World expansion, the World Congress made the
late game so much more dynamic with players using diplomacy and winning over
city-states as key mechanic to thwart other rivals and help their civilization.
Continue Reading →

Video Games Civ 6, Civilization VI, World Congress
0 Comments


CIVILIZATION VI: HANDS ON WITH THE FIRST 100 TURNS

Posted on August 3, 2016 by Gieson Cacho

Radical changes have marked each major installment of the Sid Meier’s
Civilization series. The sequel to the original introduced the isometric
perspective and a revamp of tiles. Civilization IV upgraded the series with a
richer visual world. With the latest chapter in the series, Firaxis unstacks the
cities and splits the tech tree and that makes Civilization VI a massively
different experience.

I didn’t know how big the change was until I started on the first 100 turns with
the Aztecs. Led by Montezuma, this civilization is a preorder bonus and has a
host of distinct abilities, units and structures. With Legend of the Five Suns
ability, the Aztecs can use a builder’s charge to complete 20 percent of a
district’s original cost. Gifts of Tlatonani boosts the power of luxury
resources giving players more credit for amenities. In addition, military units
receive a +1 to combat strength for each different luxury resource. The Eagle
Warriors are stronger than the normal starting soldier units. Lastly, the
Tlachtli is a unique building that bestows faith and amenity credits.
Continue Reading →

Video Games 2K Games, Civilization VI, Firaxis
0 Comments


ABZU AN ADVENTURE FROM CREATIVE FORCE BEHIND JOURNEY

Posted on August 2, 2016 by Gieson Cacho

If Abzu reminds you of Journey, there are two reasons for that — Matt Nava and
Austin Wintory. The respective creative director and composer for the short but
sweet adventure have moved on from the Jenova Chen project and worked on a title
with a similar vibe but a different place.

In Abzu, players explore the ocean — a space that can be both alien and familiar
at times. As the nameless Diver, players explore the deep and see the life
lurking beneath the surface. At first, the game seems aimless as players wander
the seas. They press R2 to dive. They maneuver around the ocean like the second
coming of Ecco the Dolphin, manipulating objects by pressing the square button
and boosting around the water with the X button.
Continue Reading →

Video Games 505 Games, Abzu, Giant Squid
1 Comment


MAKING A CUSTOM CTHULHU CONTROLLER VIA XBOX DESIGN LAB

Posted on July 28, 2016 by Gieson Cacho

Look at it all shiny and new. Isn’t she glorious? It’s unlike any other Xbox One
controller and the best thing of all it honors Cthulhu, the greatest of the
great old ones.

Although Microsoft has fallen behind Sony when it comes to console sales, one
area where the tech giant has dominated is controllers. Last year, the company
surprised everyone with the Xbox Elite, which is hands down the best first-party
controller on the market. Now, Microsoft is offering players a new type of
controller — one that they design themselves.

Through the Xbox Design Lab, players can make a custom version of the new Xbox
One S controller. They can pick the paint of the body from 15 hues. From there,
they can choose the colors on the bumpers and triggers, D-pad, thumbsticks, face
buttons, menu buttons and back. For a personal touch, they can even add an laser
engraving that sits at the bottom of the controller.
Continue Reading →

Video Games controller, Xbox Design Lab, Xbox One


POST NAVIGATION

Older Articles


RECENT POSTS

 * Logitech Prodigy line gives gamers more for entry level devices
 * Galaxy Zega takes cue from Anki with its toys-to-life game
 * Games Farm takes stab at Diablo with Vikings: Wolves of Midgard
 * How close does Watch Dogs 2 match the real Bay Area?
 * Nvidia adds full-fledged GTX cards in gaming laptops


RECENT COMMENTS

 * Cabelas Ammo Cans on Cabela’s Dangerous Hunts 2013 features a heart rate
   sensor controller
 * Como fazer sua própria passagem de avião por diversão – Criarfazer.net on
   Niko’s Plane Ticket: In-Joke Or Teaser?
 * Cabelas .223 Ammo on Cabela’s Dangerous Hunts 2013 features a heart rate
   sensor controller
 * Abzu beat long - Redzonegamer on Kirby’s Epic Yarn looks a relaxing
   platformer
 * Censorship, Moral Outrage, and the New Age of Game Journalism – NoobZone on A
   massive mea culpa and apology for a bad Mass Effect review


ARCHIVES

Archives Select Month September 2016 August 2016 July 2016 June 2016 May 2016
April 2016 March 2016 February 2016 January 2016 December 2015 November 2015
October 2015 September 2015 August 2015 July 2015 June 2015 May 2015 April 2015
March 2015 February 2015 January 2015 November 2014 October 2014 September 2014
August 2014 July 2014 June 2014 May 2014 April 2014 March 2014 February 2014
January 2014 December 2013 November 2013 October 2013 September 2013 August 2013
July 2013 June 2013 May 2013 April 2013 March 2013 February 2013 January 2013
December 2012 November 2012 October 2012 September 2012 August 2012 July 2012
June 2012 May 2012 April 2012 March 2012 February 2012 January 2012 December
2011 November 2011 October 2011 September 2011 August 2011 July 2011 June 2011
May 2011 April 2011 March 2011 February 2011 January 2011 December 2010 November
2010 October 2010 September 2010 August 2010 July 2010 June 2010 May 2010 April
2010 March 2010 February 2010 January 2010 December 2009 November 2009 October
2009 September 2009 August 2009 July 2009 June 2009 May 2009 April 2009 March
2009 February 2009 January 2009 December 2008 November 2008 October 2008
September 2008 August 2008 July 2008 June 2008 May 2008 April 2008 March 2008
February 2008 January 2008


A+E INTERACTIVE

 * Logitech Prodigy line gives gamers more for entry level devices
 * Galaxy Zega takes cue from Anki with its toys-to-life game
 * Games Farm takes stab at Diablo with Vikings: Wolves of Midgard
 * How close does Watch Dogs 2 match the real Bay Area?
 * Nvidia adds full-fledged GTX cards in gaming laptops
 * Progress report: Worlds Adrift looking better
 * The World Congress is dead in Civilization VI
 * Civilization VI: Hands on with the first 100 turns
 * Abzu an adventure from creative force behind journey
 * Making a custom Cthulhu controller via Xbox Design Lab


© 2023 Bay Area News Group. All rights reserved.
Hiero by aThemes