OtherSide Entertainment discusses the strategic combat in Underworld Ascendant

In most fantasy RPG's, fighters are not the sharpest tools in the shed. Rather than relying on their brains, they use their ample brawn. Wading into a battle, slashing and smashing every foe in sight.

Nothing wrong-headed with that style of character. Can be great fun! Underworld Ascendant welcomes players who want to play a straight up, traditional fighter character. But fighting can go much deeper than simply brawn. Finesse. The tactics of maneuvering back-and-forth with an opponent in a flowing, dynamic engagement. Mastering a weapon. Learning your opponent's weakness, then using that against them. Players who choose to focus on fighting will be able grow into masters of the art of combat.

What does this mean in terms of game play? Here is one illustrative example...

[Caveat. Please understand that we are still in prototype. What is described below is our best guess at how combat will likely work well. But as we have learned from making games such as Ultima Underworld and Thief, often you discover further along in development that changes from the original design plan are needed to achieve the best gameplay. So this is just a starting point.]

Romulus, a master swordsman, has just turned a corner to spy a Dire Faerie, hovering in the middle of a large and high-ceiled chamber. The Faerie has not yet noticed Romulus, so he decides on a stealthy approach to try to get close, unnoticed.

Romulus closes in quickly, and is nearly on top of the Faerie before it becomes of aware of the fighter's presence. The Faerie spins and tries to fly away, but Romulus is able to land a blow to one of the Faerie's wings before it can get out of reach. The damage to the wing makes the Faerie's flight unsteady; harder for it to maneuver outside of Romulus' range. Romulus has achieved his first objective of the battle, to neutralize the Faerie's advantage of flight.

Now he closes in for the kill. Since Romulus has fought Faeries before, he has learned some of their weaknesses. The game reveals this by showing a glow on the Faerie's left chest, which is especially vulnerable.

Romulus closes in to try to land the killing blow...

This is just one way this battle might evolve. Each battle will be fluid and dynamic, with the player having choices to make, tactics to adjust. As players master that art of warfare, they will gain new skills that layer into these choices. Some skills will make them simply deadly, but others will open up new tactics they can try using.

It is worth highlighting that in  Underworld Ascendant combat will not be a fast, twitch experience. Even though gameplay is played out in fluid first-person 3D, the pace will be slower than a "shooter", giving players more time to make tactical decisions.

Likewise, it will not be a game about pixel precision landing of blows. Your fighter's character skill will factor into the success of landing blows, more so than your quick twitch ability. If you are role-playing a master swordsman, we want you be able to actually fight just like a master swordsman, even if you've never hefted a real sword in your life.

Paired with the Improvisation Engine, combat in the game is not just about whittling away your opponent's hit points. With maneuvering, knowledge and planning the combat possibilities are practically endless, and ensure that Mages aren't the only ones who fight with flashy tricks!

OtherSide Entertainment
https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/othersidegames/underworld-ascendant

Submitted by: E. Thomas

Washington, DC – February 26, 2015 – The Entertainment Software Association (ESA) today released the following statement in response to the Federal Communications Commission’s (FCC) Net Neutrality vote.

“Great online video game experiences depend upon low latency, high bandwidth connections. We hope that the rule announced today by the FCC will promote continued development of fast online connections while protecting gamers from anti-competitive and discriminatory practices.”
 
ESA offers services to interactive entertainment software publishers, including conducting business and consumer research, providing legal and policy analysis and advocacy on First Amendment, intellectual property and technology/e-commerce issues, managing a global anti-piracy program, owning and operating E3, and representing video game industry interests in federal and state government relations. For more information, please visit www.theESA.com or follow us on Twitter at @RichatESA or @ESAGovAffairs.

Submitted by: E. Thomas

Dennaton Games and Devolver Digital have announced that the much-anticipated sequel to the award-winning top-down shooter Hotline Miami will release March 10 on PlayStation 4, PlayStation 3, PlayStation Vita, PC, Mac, and Linux. Hotline Miami 2: Wrong Number and the Digital Special Edition are both available for pre-order now on  Steam, GOG, and Humble.

Hotline Miami 2: Wrong Number is the brutal conclusion to the Hotline Miami saga, set against a backdrop of escalating violence and retribution over spilled blood in the original game. Follow the paths of several distinct factions – each with their own questionable methods and uncertain motivations – as unforeseen consequences intersect and reality once again slips back into a brilliant haze of neon and bloodshed. 

Hotline Miami fans can now pre-order to receive 10% off Hotline Miami 2: Wrong Number and the Digital Special Edition that includes the exclusive Hotline Miami 2: Remix EP featuring six select music tracks remixed by M|O|O|N, Scattle and Carpenter Brut.

Dennaton Games and Devolver Digital have also partnered with Overkill Software to introduce exclusive new Hotline Miami 2: Wrong Number masks and a “Jacket” character pack for PAYDAY 2 free to owners of Hotline Miami 2: Wrong Number and the Digital Special Edition (www.overkillsoftware.com/hotlinemiami2 ).

For more information, please visit  www.devolverdigital.com  or follow @HotlineMiami and @DevolverDigital on Twitter.

Submitted by: E. Thomas

STOCKHOLM February 25, 2015. Today Swedish game developer Modesty announced that The Spookening will arrive to PC computers during February 2015.

"The Spookening is something we like to call a Scare'em Up game, where the player unfortunately dies every night and is transformed into a ghost. To not stay dead he has to collect life dust from other people by scaring them." says Krister Karlsson, Game Designer at Modesty. "This is a game formula that has proven to be able to sell over 500 units on cell phones alone, and now we have equally as high expectations on PC."

The Spookening is critically acclaimed, and has received awards, which lead to the whopping sales on cellular devices. On PC the game can be played with either keyboard or joypad, and that should make it an even smoother experience.

The game can be bought via the Humble store, as well as other digital distributors. https://www.humblebundle.com/store/p/thespookening_storefront

More information about the game can be found at http://www.spookening.com

Trailer http://youtu.be/ktKN8vRIgEw

About Modesty
Founded in 2008, Modesty is a digital design and game studio based in Stockholm, Sweden. Our mission - and our passion - is solving creative problems and developing new and unique titles for both a domestic and an international audience.

Our services range from animation, GUI design, 3d, web and mobile design, games, web services - you name it, we've done it. www.modesty.se

Submitted by: E. Thomas

February 23rd, 2015 – Warsaw, Poland/ How much of Dying Light could actually be recreated in film? This question inspired Techland and Flying Carpet Studio to create a live-action short-film “The Last Supply Drop” which was released today. Telling a story about four quarantine survivors’ last ditch attempt to get to an air-drop full of crucial supplies, the video brings Dying Light key gameplay features to the real life, including parkour movement, car traps, and the fan-favorite dropkick attacks.

‘Dying Light – The Last Supply Drop” video can be embedded from the game’s official YouTube channel here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RdSxuMhZO3Q

Dying Light is available worldwide in digital form with box copies also available in North and South America. The physical release in Europe, Asia, Africa and Oceania is set for the 27th of February 2015.

About Techland
Founded in 1991, Techland is a renowned independent game developer, distributor, and publisher. The Polish-based company is best known for the original Dead Island games, the Call of Juarez series, and Dying Light. Thanks to its proprietary game engine technology, Techland develops top-tier entertainment content for Windows PC, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Linux, Max OS X, Android, and iOS. Comprised of four offices in Warsaw, Wrocław, Ostrów Wielkopolski, and Vancouver, Canada, the company is committed to delivering unforgettable experiences and using latest technology for innovative entertainment. Currently Techland is developing dark fantasy FPP game Hellraid. For more information about the company, visit the official website at: http://techland.pl/

Submitted by: E. Thomas