Witcher 3 Downgrade, Why Are People Surprised?

I'm enjoying every minute of the Witcher 3. The game looks amazing, the combat has been improved for the better, and the stories you come across as you explore the world of Temeria keeps me glued for hours. But as I take a break after a long session as Geralt of Rivia, I noticed a lot of public outcry regarding CD Projekt Red's latest game - the final product looks nothing like the footage shown in 2013, the graphics have been downgraded. Many are disappointed, many thought that CD Projekt Red were the honest developers in the industry. I say - it's as expected. it's footage years ago.

Before anything, have a look at the footage comparing the old 2013-2014 footage material to the final product below.

See the difference? Claims about the downgrade seems pretty valid at this point and it raises a lot of issues this industry is facing. Did CD Projekt Red ripped off their loyal fans? Not really, it's more like we raised our expectations way too high, thus having fans pushing that 'pre-order now' button the moment the 2013 footage ended.

The developers could simply place a notice in the footage stating this is not a representative of the final product, end of story, but they didn't. The team wanted to reach that level of detail, but when it was time to actually make the project into a playable product, they had to be honest with what's possible for the given time and hardware provided. Having Witcher 3 released on multiple platforms could be the main reason to why the level of quality shown a few years ago was cut, but console systems are a big chunk of what will make this title a success financially. Releasing this as a PC exclusive isn't going to work for everybody involved.

We are mostly to blame.

Pre-ordering a game that's considered to be released after a year is mostly never a good idea, but the option will always be there once a developer officially announces a product. Games will be shown in trade shows or events, marketing teams will do their thing, and during all of that the developers will continue to develop the game and do a few changes along the way. If someone does get sold on what they've seen so far? Well, you'll have to expect the fact that the team might not release that level of quality or cut a specific feature, because changes happen during development.

I consider this a repeat in history. When Watch Dogs was first released, people were excited. Myself included. Come release day, we were welcomed with a very noticeable downgrade that people reacted the same way they are reacting now on the Witcher 3. So what's the difference with these two issues? One of them is actually a really good game, a potential Game of the Year even. No, we are not talking about Watch Dogs of course. Watch Dogs had so many elements going against it that it turned out as a complete disappointment in all fields. From repetitive gameplay, dull activities, to a story that can easily be forgotten right after the credits start rolling. Witcher 3 is the complete opposite of Watch Dogs, and it's quite sad some gamers might consider taking a pass thanks to this downgrade issue, missing out on a game that I consider a must have for any RPG fan.

CD projekt Red is considered as an open developer to their fan base, showing a lot of footage through the course of development. The negative reaction of how it looks compared to the 2013 footage took the developers off-guard. But with all the footage you show the public, and as much information you throw at them regarding the state of the game, there will always be that small few sold by it the moment they saw footage two years ago. You can't disregard some players that did make their purchase decision with that level of quality in mind. In an interview with Eurogamer, the developer confronted the downgrading claims:

“We don’t agree there is a downgrade but it’s our opinion, and gamers’ feeling can be different. If they made their purchasing decision based on the 2013 materials, I’m deeply sorry for that, and we are discussing how we can make it up to them because that’s not fair,” explains studio co-founder Marcin Iwinski.

“In a way, because of us not seeing it as a problem, and working hard on the game until the very end, that’s where we are today and that’s why we have to explain. I hope it shows our intentions, because we are not hiding anything. Considering our values, hiding is the last thing we ever want to do.

“And for those who are still not 100 per cent decided, I definitely encourage them to wait and see what we will be releasing in patches, updates and whatnot.”

Moral of the story? Expect games to change through the course of development. Do yourself a favor - Don't make a purchase decision like placing a pre-order thanks to a build released two years ago.

Patch 1.03 has already hit PC, PS4, and will soon on Xbox One, fixing a series of bugs and improving the current frame drops present in the game.

Ubisoft Officially Reveals Assassin's Creed Syndicate, Coming to PS4, Xbox One, and PC this October

We got the first bit of details the day we were recording this week's podcast, but now Ubisoft blew the lid wide open regarding Assassin's Creed Syndicate. Here's what we know.

Ubisoft is going all out with regards to Syndicate. For one, we know Ubisoft Quebec is in charge of this project, with nine other Ubisoft studios helping out (Montreal, Singapore, Annecy, Montpellier, Reflections, Sofia, Shanghai, Kiev, Bucharest). Syndicate has been in development for two years.

The game is set in 1868 London, during the Industrial Revolution. You play as Jacob Frye, an assassin taking back the city controlled by the templars. Oh, and he has a top hat.

Here's the full description of Syndicate via Ubisoft's Blog:

London during the Industrial Revolution. It’s a time of great technological and philosophical advancement, but it’s also a time of great hardship. The Church and the monarchy are losing power and money is rapidly becoming one of the chief dictators of human behavior. And when money is king, those who have it are the ones in control while those without it are tossed aside and forgotten. Desperation grows among the lower class, leading many of them to lives of crime in order to survive. It is here that we see the birth of organized crime, and the birth of a new era.

The Assassin Brotherhood has been all but eradicated, long kept away by the Templars controlling the city. But now – in the year 1868 – two young Assassins have arrived in London to reclaim the city by force, with street gangs as their armies and the oppressed masses as their eyes and ears. This is Assassin’s Creed Syndicate. Welcome to the Family.

Official Reveal Trailer

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ifhdLJFIHQ8

In terms of gameplay, there are new additions to best suit the given setting. For one, you have a grappling hook to easily climb tall buildings, and vehicles like a stagecoache to quickly travel around the city. Fighting seems more fast paced thanks to Frye's brawler style with brass knuckles equipped, which is a good change from the dull swordplay that didn't have much change as the series progressed.

It is also confirmed that Syndicate will not have multiplayer. Ubisoft is considering this a single player experience, going back to the series' roots.

Gameplay Walkthrough

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=psUgnkQ7mMs

The setting is really what's winning our hearts at the moment. A perfect time in history to explore for the series. How will the game perform? Too soon to tell since it was just revealed, but consider us curious of this year's Assassin's Creed.

What do you think about Syndicate so far?

Paid mods pulled from Steam Workshop, full refund to those that purchased

Thanks to overwhelming feedback regarding the new paid mods in the Steam Workshop, Valve is pulling the plug on the new feature.

We didn't like the idea when it was announced last week, and it looks like those affected share the same feeling on having to pay for game mods.  Valve announced the removal of the new payment feature in a Steam Community post.

"We're going to remove the payment feature from the Skyrim workshop. For anyone who spent money on a mod, we'll be refunding you the complete amount. We talked to the team at Bethesda and they agree.

We've done this because it's clear we didn't understand exactly what we were doing. We've been shipping many features over the years aimed at allowing community creators to receive a share of the rewards, and in the past, they've been received well. It's obvious now that this case is different.

To help you understand why we thought this was a good idea, our main goals were to allow mod makers the opportunity to work on their mods full time if they wanted to, and to encourage developers to provide better support to their mod communities. We thought this would result in better mods for everyone, both free & paid. We wanted more great mods becoming great products, like Dota, Counter-strike, DayZ, and Killing Floor, and we wanted that to happen organically for any mod maker who wanted to take a shot at it."

Bethesda also updated their blog post and released a statement on the matter.

After discussion with Valve, and listening to our community, paid mods are being removed from Steam Workshop. Even though we had the best intentions, the feedback has been clear – this is not a feature you want. Your support means everything to us, and we hear you.

Last week, Valved introduced a payment method for creators to charge players for the content they create for their game. Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim was the first game to implement the new feature. The charge was made optional, giving the creators the choice to charge players any amount or give it for free.The feedback was mostly negative.

What we think: We see the  reason to why they introduced this feature, but how it was implemented shows ways to abuse the feature and overall affect the modding community in a negative way. Valve tested the waters  with Bethesda and it looks like they will have to go back to the drawing board if they want to try anything like this again.

If they really want to support modders to earn from all their hard work, a simple donate button would be enough to do just that. Or they could just leave the modding community alone and let them do what they do best.

What are your thoughts on paid mods? Is it a good idea and needs to be looked at in the future? Or let game mods stay free?

Heroes of the Storm enters Open Beta on May 20, official release on June 2

Looks like Heroes of the Storm will be leaving beta very soon. Open beta starts on May 20, with the Blizzard MOBA officially releasing on June 2.

With the success of League of Legends, DOTA, and DOTA 2, MOBA has become one of the most played genre in this generation. Since it was born in Blizzard's backyard, it only made sense that they try to penetrate an already crowded scene. Heroes of the Storm is their take on the 5v5 battle arena, and they gave quite a twist to the formula.

If you've played MOBA's before, then you have an idea on what you're getting into. But don't consider it a carbon copy. With changes like the absence of items in the game and map objectives being the primary source of success, this is one game worth giving a shot for veteran and casual players alike.

Account wipes have stopped from what we know. So players should know that your progress will carry over as they move into open beta and then officially release on June 2. The game will come with 30 playable heroes (known characters from Starcraft, Diablo, and Warcraft) and 7 dynamic battlegrounds.

Wanna give it a shot? Get your account ready in Battle.net before open beta starts.

Source: Blizzard

Asiasoft officially launches gaming portal 'PlayPark' in the Philippines

On March 4, 2015, Asiasoft held a launch event to promote their new gaming portal called 'PlayPark' for gamers in the Philippines. We were present at the event to get an idea of what PlayPark is all about, and witness the reveal of three games joining PlayPark's roster.

Attendees of the event were given the chance to relive part of their childhood by playing old-school playground games such as tumbang preso and a lot more. Why are those games in the event you ask? It's  to give us a clear picture on what PlayPark is all about. “The Playpark Launch event is a great opportunity for everyone to experience the fun philosophy that Playpark represents,”. We’ve got the most anticipated online games under our belt, and we’re bringing in even more games down the road, so we’re excited to see what the future holds for online gaming in the Philippines now that Playpark is here and here to stay. “   says Jake San Diego, General Manager of Playpark.

Among the titles revealed to join PlayPark is the MMORPG Cabal 2, online rhythm game World in Audition, and online FPS Special Forces 2.  Asiasoft has been quite aggressive since the acquisition of Level Up! Games last year with titles such as DC Universe Online, Blizzard's upcoming MOBA Heroes of the Storm (currently in closed beta), and Phantasy Star Online 2 hitting the Philippines. Online games has always been widely popular here and the added variety of games is greatly welcomed, and will greatly contribute in the growth of the online community in the near future.

You can check Asiasoft's Playpark and all their games here.