Driving the boundaries of realism

Driving through the rain-drenched streets of Shanghai in an Aston Martin DB4 at breakneck speeds, with the neon signs of shops blurring as you pass by, is one of the great thrills in life - even if it is only virtual.
Video game development has made tremendous graphical strides in the last four decades and nowhere is this more pronounced than in driving simulations.

In the 1970s a driving game was a simple mix of black and white pixels that were manoeuvred between two moving lines to represent the road's edge.

One of the first such games, Night Driver, had a plastic representation of the car that was laid under the screen of the arcade machine.

Games such as Project Gotham Racing 4, Ferrari Challenge and Gran Turismo 5 offer photo-real cars with simulated handling physics, being thrown about in high-definition worlds, which often recreate real cities in astonishing detail.

More from the BBC



In Pictures - the evolution of racing games

Pre-Order today and get the Crysis VIP Pack

Genre: Action
Platform: PC
From the makers of Far Cry, Crysis offers FPS fans the best-looking, most highly-evolving gameplay, requiring the player to use adaptive tactics and total customization of weapons and armor to survive in dynamic, hostile environments including Zero-G.

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• Pre-load of Crysis – Be one of the first players to play at 12:01 AM to play on launch day!
  
  
• Adapt to Survive – An epic story thrusts players into an ever-changing environment, forcing them to adapt their tactics and approach to conquer battlefields ranging from newly frozen jungle to zero-gravity alien environments.
  
  
• Suit up! – A high-tech Nanosuit allows gamers to augment their abilities in real time on the battlefield. Players can choose to enhance their speed, strength, armor and cloaking abilities to approach situations in creative tactical ways
  
  
• Customizable Weaponry – A huge arsenal of modular weaponry gives gamers unprecedented control over their play style. Blow the opposition away with experimental weapons, discover alien technology and utilize custom ammunition from incendiary-tipped rounds to tactical munitions that can silently put foes to sleep.
  
  
• Veni Vidi Vici – Lifelike enemy AI challenges players to assess a situation and approach it strategically. It isn’t about having the fastest trigger finger – players are challenged to be proactive in the fight, not reactive.
  
  
• Zero-G Gameplay – Battle a horrifying alien species in a true Zero-gravity environment, where physics change everything as players must adapt to moving in Zero-G and contending with the recoil from their weapons and more.
  
  
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Microsoft profits surge on Halo 3

Above: Master Chief, Halo 3, Wallpaper
Microsoft shares soared to a six-year high in New York last night, after the software giant lifted its profits for the full-year, off the back of record quarterly revenue growth.

The group reported a 27pc rise in revenue to $13.76bn (£6.71bn) for the three months to the end of September – the fastest growth of any first quarter since 1999, driven by strong demand for video game Halo 3, and Windows Vista.

Master Chief, one of the game's key characters
Halo 3 has enjoyed phenomenal success, becoming the fastest-selling video game in history earlier this month, after notching up $300m worth of sales in its first week.

Meanwhile, the development of Vista has been a torturous five-year project, costing Microsoft $6bn and arriving a year late.

However, Kevin Johnson, president of the platform and services division at Microsoft, said yesterday: "Customer demand for Windows Vista this quarter continued to build with double-digit growth in multi-year agreements by businesses and with the vast majority of consumers purchasing premium editions."

Microsoft's business division, and its server and tool arm saw combined revenue climb 20pc, thanks to robust demand for the 2007 Microsoft Office system, Windows Server and SQL Server – as well as Vista.

Overall, first-quarter sales beat market expectations by more than $1bn. Chris Liddell, chief financial officer, said: "The fiscal year is off to an outstanding start with the fastest revenue growth of any first quarter since 1999. Operating income growth of over 30pc also reflects our ability to translate revenue into profits while making strategic investments for the future."

Looking ahead, the group said it expects profits of $1.78 to $1.81 a share for the full-year, on sales of $58.8bn to $59.7bn.

The group's shares jumped as much as 13pc to $36.02 yesterday – a price last seen in July 2001.

Earlier this week, Microsoft saw off competition from rival Google to secure a stake in Facebook, in a deal which values the social networking site at $15bn.

Source: The Telegraph

New breeds of video gamers come into play

Footballing titans from Ronaldinho to Wayne Rooney this week battled it out at the foot of Nelson's Column in London's Trafalgar Square. The clashes were masterminded by video-gamers and played out on screens around the square as part of a week-long jamboree celebrating the gaming industry.

But rather than the spotty male youths that might reasonably be expected at such an event, host Electronic Arts, the world's largest games publisher, managed to attract a crowd that spanned everything from families on half-term trips, to young professionals, to gaggles of tourists.

Gaming has shifted into the mainstream as the consoles have become more manageable and the games easier to play, opening up huge opportunities for console makers and games publishers.

What's more, new uses for games consoles, online games and the burgeoning area of in-game advertising, mean that what is estimated as a $30bn (£15bn) market could enjoy fairly explosive growth over the next few years.

More from: The Telegraph

Super Mario Galaxy leaked weeks early?

Warning, this story (or elements of this story) may or may not be true. Regardless, it's almost worth reading this great big Pandora's box of silly over at game board megalopolis NeoGAF, if only to ogle the blurry photo of the allegedly leaked disc (did these guys get their digital cameras out of a cereal box?). Oh, and if you're willing to brave the dialogical effluvia (Warning #2, above link may contain strong language), to have a look at some of the most "creative" Mario avatars going.

News site Evil Avatar -- where I first noticed the story courtesy GameTab -- isn't hedging any bets. They pulled their summary for reasons unknown after reporting the leak and citing Qj.net (who in turn cite "reports from the NeoGAF forum") concerning an EB Games employee who may have leaked the game using an in-store demo copy. The Qj.net story is still up, as is this abstrusely sourced entry at PS3News.com.

A demo copy? Huh?

According to Qj.net, the Nintendo store demo has a 10-minute time restriction, but that 10-minute limit only applies when played on a store's proprietary demo machine (don't ask me how or why, unless it's simply a hardwired kiosk reset). Plug the game into a consumer-grade Wii, however, and surprise! It rather astonishingly plays the entire game.

Counter-claims affirm the leak is real, but that the pirated copy throws errors. Said counter-claims are just a couple anonymous message boarders, i.e. survey says consult your magic eight-ball for verification about any of this. (I'll chime in again if/when my Nintendo contact gets back to me.)

If it is true, of course, it's a fairly devastating three-weeks-early blow to Nintendo. If it's not, it's an amusing example of (a) terrific viral marketing, (b) internet hype, or (c) some serendipitous collision of both.

Super Mario Galaxy ships to stores on November 12.

Source: PCWorld Blog

golden joy for phone games developer

Tom Dowding, 25, is a graduate in computer science from Bristol University. He has been playing games since he was 10 and last year set up Mobile Pie, a developer of games for mobile phones. His efforts were rewarded at the Golden Joysticks with a prize of £2,500 and a work placement with Electronic Arts, one of the world’s biggest video game developers. Mr Dowding’s winning game is called Let It Grow.

“You install it on your mobile phone, then, using your phone camera, you nurture it and make it grow,” he said. “Then you post your growing flower on Facebook.” He has licensed the game to a distributor.

For many would-be developers, mobile phones offer a way of making games and minimising expense on programming. A leading game, such as the recent Halo 3, can cost $70 million (£34 million) to develop and a mobile game a fraction of that. The possible rewards are vast. Halo 3 outstripped many blockbuster films in the week that it went on the market, generating sales of $300 million.

Video games have quietly overtaken older entertainment forms such as films and popular music. According to the latest figures from Elspa, the industry body, game software sales in Britain for the first half of 2007 were £519 million, 17 per cent more than in the corresponding period of 2006.

The new consoles Nintendo Wii and PlayStation resulted in a 42 per cent rise in sales of hardware and accessories, to £1.02 billion. In a market where games compete with recorded music and DVDs for pocket money, the games industry has seen off all-comers.

The market is expanding. The first generation of game players, teenagers who grew up hurling 10p pieces into Space Invaders arcade machines, are now in their forties and the games they produce and play are technically sophisticated and, when done well, thought-provoking.

There are, since pioneering work by Nintendo, games designed for senior citizens. Market penetration in its home territory of Japan is thought to have reached one in seven adults, many of whom use games consoles for daily exercise routines, recipes and gardening and fashion tips.

“What would the first Golden Joystick nominees make of the industry if they were here now?” Mitchell asked. “They expected space travel and robot slaves, but all we’ve got is better computer games.”

Sourece: Times Online

Stealth is focus of Xbox 'Tenchu Z

TENCHU Z, Xbox 360, K2, rated M — Mature (reviewer's rating: 8 out of 10)

In feudal Japan the shinobi, or ninja, was a fearsome assassin sent by the powerful to eliminate their rivals. Owners of Xbox 360s can now live a part of that legend, thanks to the latest offering from the programmers who developed the "Tenchu" series.

Where many games encourage a run-in-and-shoot-at-everything approach, stealth is the focus of this game. Using your senses, a sharp sword and other items, players take on assignments from the head ninja. In all, there are 50 missions to challenge your ninja skills.

But before you can become the terror of feudal Japan, you must first create your character. The character-creation system lets you choose facial features, hair color/style, gender and clothing. One unique feature of the game is your ability to go shopping for new clothes in between missions. A ninja's gotta look good, right?

Game controls are easy to learn, but actual combat is a bit choppy. While you can take out a person by sneaking up on them, if they see you, you must cross swords with them. However, this type of combat isn't set up terribly well, and you're better off running and hiding while the guards forget about you.

For those with Xbox Live accounts, the game allows you to join up with four friends in co-op mode to coordinate attacks.

• Graphics: The game does try to take advantage of the Xbox 360's improved high-definition graphics, but the colors are pretty drab. My guess is that game developers wanted to set a mood, but it just looks washed out. Overall, the game's graphics are average and not terribly innovative.

• Audio: The game's music is a fusion of ancient Japanese instruments and rock, which gives it a nice edge. Character voices and dialogue are all in Japanese with limited subtitles. Guards in the game will say things, but you have no idea what they are saying. For some, keeping the Japanese dialogue lends a sense of authenticity, but some of us prefer not feeling so much like a stranger in a foreign land while playing.

• Parent's Take: This game is rated M for mature gamers over the age of 17, as there is killing and simulated blood. It is definitely not for younger gamers.

• Final word: "Tenchu Z" is a decent enough game but has some minor problems. Those who love a game that involves stealth will appreciate the game even more.

'Tiger Woods PGA Tour '08' a tough love test

I love golf and I was hoping to see some new must-have features in "Tiger Woods PGA Tour 08" from EA Sports that would translate that love to my living room television — something that would make previous versions of this game series feel outdated.

But the Tiger Woods game series seems to have peaked in terms of growth — unlike the real Tiger, of course.

The game delivered superb graphics in the Sony PS3 version. I built my character to look and hit like the real me. This really made it feel like it was me against the tour on the virtual courses.

The pro players look, walk and swing very much like their real-world selves as well, which is fun in match play.

The links were nicely detailed and the ball-tracking camera effect has improved without making me dizzy. Plants cast shadows, and the water in the pond guarding the front of the green of the 16th hold at Firestone Country Club looked like a video clip it was so realistic.

The side banter from announcers David Feherty and Gary McCord remained mildly entertaining, though I heard a few witty chestnuts left over from a previous version. New and better talk from those two would have been nice.

But the newest features on this game elicited little more than a shrug from me:

_ Posting scores on the EA Sports Gamernet ... I still paled in comparison to the obscene scores likely thrown up by the cheat code crowd. Attention EA Sports: It's not a "cheat code" if you advertise it on the back of the manual. It's just code.

_ "Shot Confidence" ... It was supposed to analyze all my shots so I could identify weaknesses on a particular hole before taking the next swing. What it really did was slow down the game when I chose to predict how badly I would hook my tee shot — again.

_ The FedExCup Championship format ... It's as dumb an idea in the game as it is in real life. It's a waste of rendering power trying to emulate the real tour's pointless points race.

One thing that was rarely on the screen was the par score for the hole. While playing the daily online tournaments, I had to push select and pause the game just to get a reminder what par was for each hole. Is it really going to eat up too much screen real estate to put a single digit number in front of me? Save me the extra clicks, please.

Swing control still confounds me a bit. For the first half-dozen rounds, I must have hooked 90 percent of my shots. That's worse than real life. How do I correct it? Who knows? The game gave me no pop-up windows offering practice sessions after my umpteenth hard draw into the trees. It's kind of funny, until it's redundant and futile.

The putting control was equally baffling when it comes to feel and speed. I know, with more experience playing the game my character should improve his shotmaking abilities.

But this tough-love learning curve was a bit much.

When does the unbridled fun come? Perhaps never, which is too close to real golf.

Tiger Woods PGA Tour '08 is available for the Microsoft Xbox 360, Sony's PlayStation 2, PlayStation 3 and PSP, Nintendo's Wii and DS, PC and Mac.

2 out of 5

Source: International Herald Tribune

Video game composers going for high scores

The video game is the new radio. Or is it the new CD? Or the new score soundtrack? Maybe it's all of the above.

Like radio, video games now serve as a way for artists to be discovered, and many acts are breaking thanks to song placements. Sales of games by far outshine CDs -- 'Halo 3,' for example, made $170 million in sales its first day on the market. And as far as scoring goes, some of the most innovative orchestral music is being produced for video games. Many such scores are now even being performed live by full orchestras to eager fans.

Composing for games has come a long way since Pong.

Inon Zur, who's done a slew of music for television and trailers, says he has 'much more creative freedom' writing for video games - mainly because of all the options, different endings and various levels of games. It's never the same thing twice, and the music plays a large role in the emotional journey of winning or losing, he says. Zur, whose current projects include 'Crysi' and 'EverQuest II: Rise of Kunark,' has been scoring games for more than 10 years. He says that thanks to the advancements in memory capacity, full orchestral scores can be included.

Garry Schyman, whose current scores are featured in 'BioShock' and 'Destroy All Humans! 3,' concurs. 'Its really exciting to work on games,' he says. 'Especially when you are part of the entire process.' On some projects, Schyman has spent up to seven months working on the music and has had a hand in the creative development of the game.

Gaming has become a strong outlet for composers and opened up new revenue streams. And yes, they get to play a lot of games.

Zur and Schyman will be speaking on a gaming panel during the Billboard/Hollywood Reporter Film and TV Music Conference, which will be held No. 1-2 in Los Angeles. Also on hand to discuss the secrets of video game music will be Russell Brower, composer and director of audio/video at Blizzard Entertainment; Jonathan McHugh of SongStew Entertainment; and Marty O'Donnell, audio director and music composer at Bungie Studios, who has worked on the 'Halo' series.

Source: Hollywood Reporter

Sony's games division continues to bleed money

Follow up to earlier blog post...

Sony managed to pull out another profitable quarter despite poor results from its games division.

Sony Computer Entertainment's sales rose by over 42% in the quarter on the back of a strong PSP lineup. Despite the rise in sales, the division lost $845 million, its seventh consecutive losing quarter.

The loses did not affect Sony's bottom line however as the company posted an operating profit of $450 billion for the year to March, 2% higher than a year ago. Net profit also soared this quarter up 12.3%, which was a new record for the quarter.

Nintendo raised its yearly outlook as its April-September operating profit nearly tripled. Their profits were up 144% from a year earlier on the back of strong DS and Wii sales.

Microsoft will report their quarterly earnings later today. The company hopes that Halo 3 will lift the games group to their first profitable quarter since Halo 2 shipped in 2004.

Analysis:

Sony has to ride out this dry period and hope that their recent price cuts can boost Holiday sales. By cutting the price of the Playstation 3 hardware, the comapany shows that that they are willing sacrifices losses this year to gain a greater marker share, and eventual profitability for their games group.

Although the games division is posting negative numbers, the rest of the company is stepping up to support it, posting profits across the board.

Sony should be confident this Holiday. They have a great lineup including Guitar Hero 3, Rachet and Clank, and Uncharted which could lead to strong software sales, which should in turn lead to stronger hardware sales.

It's imporant that the Playstation 3 succeeds. The console is Sony's opportunity to put a media device in the living room of every household, and by including Blu-ray in every console, they hope to be the standard format for next-generation high-definition movies