Gaming News

Varik

If anyone was interested in Civ there is multiplayer but it's also €49.99 for the game & then €39.99 for the expansions. Ridiculous pricing for it.

Shiminay

Same pricing as the PC - more or less. But it goes on sale on the various 3rd party sites and Steam very often, so you'd be mad to pay full price for it.

I have played a Switch in portable mode, found it very uncomfortable for my lumpy hands, so it's still a no from me It's the price of a new graphics card and that's simply not money well spent for me. But I'm happy that it makes so many other people happy - no hate for it from me, mostly just bemusement

Temptamperu

There is a demo on playstation for the MediEvil remake.

https://store.playstation.com/en-ie/product/EP9000-CUSA15973_00-MEDIEVILHDDEMO01

Retr0gamer

Temptamperu wrote: »

There is a demo on playstation for the MediEvil remake.

https://store.playstation.com/en-ie/product/EP9000-CUSA15973_00-MEDIEVILHDDEMO01

Bemused by this remaster as the originals weren't exactly classics. apparently it's getting a massive overhaul so is a very different game from the original, which is needs to be.

But sony saying it plays like Dark Souls has my eyes experiencing 6 Gs of gravity from the amount of rolling they are doing.

Temptamperu

It plays nothing like dark souls. The Camera is janky and the combat is terrible. I never played it as a kid so have no nostalgia other than seeing it in gaming mags.

Retr0gamer

Temptamperu wrote: »

It plays nothing like dark souls. The Camera is janky and the combat is terrible. I never played it as a kid so have no nostalgia other than seeing it in gaming mags.

Sounds like the original game then. A relic best left in the age when they hadn't quite figured out how to do third person combat.

EoinHef

Medieval was a great game in its day,finished it multiple times with a mate. Not one for these nostalgia trips though.

How anyone would want to play something like a Crash Bandicoot game in the modern era also confues me,so ill be leaving Medieval in the nostalgia part of my brain

J Mysterio

CastorTroy wrote: »

It's been out on Switch for a while now. So can probably check reviews of that to see how it plays on console

It plays great, only thing is that they are way behind PC with the DLC (Rise and Fall - released Feb 18 and Gathering Storm - released Feb 19). The DLC makes a big difference to the game, so it's really annoying to be deprived of that.

But, yeah, otherwise great. It's a joy to play Civ in handheld, lying on the couch.

Grooby

J Mysterio wrote: »

It plays great, only thing is that they are way behind PC with the DLC (Rise and Fall - released Feb 18 and Gathering Storm - released Feb 19). The DLC makes a big difference to the game, so it's really annoying to be deprived of that.

But, yeah, otherwise great. It's a joy to play Civ in handheld, lying on the couch.

I believe you. Unfortunately I don't have a switch yet so I'll have to play it on PC. Civ is still one of my alltime favorites.

Temptamperu

Retr0gamer wrote: »

Sounds like the original game then. A relic best left in the age when they hadn't quite figured out how to do third person combat.

Yeah its like that old 3D bubsy game in camera controls

Zero-Cool

I know it's Lad Bible and it's most likely Take 2 renewing their trademarks early but a remaster Mafia 1 and 2 would be amazing!

https://www.ladbible.com/technology/gaming-mafia-and-mafia-2-remasters-could-be-on-the-way-soon-20190926?source=gamingbible

pixelburp

Zero-Cool wrote: »

I know it's Lad Bible and it's most likely Take 2 renewing their trademarks early but a remaster Mafia 1 and 2 would be amazing!

https://www.ladbible.com/technology/gaming-mafia-and-mafia-2-remasters-could-be-on-the-way-soon-20190926?source=gamingbible

That first was a great example of an Open World game with no real "world" to speak of: while the plot and individual missions were great (that F'ing race-car one notwithstanding), there were no side missions or incentives to explore the otherwise expansive city. It was an empty playpen, so a remaster might only highlight that, given how far the genre has come.

In other news, this trailer caught my eye: the graphics are obviously striking, and remind me of Downwell. Like that game, Bleak Sword is promising tight, responsive controls for a mobile game. Am curious to see if they pull it off, 'cos the gameplay looks solid.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IJn0SS2WyGc

Zero-Cool

God of War now 20 quid permanently, that's a bargain.

https://twitter.com/PlayStationEU/status/1177541411522191360?s=19

EoinHef

Voice actor Troy Baker claims Gearbox refused union talent for Borderlands 3

https://www.pcgamer.com/uk/voice-actor-troy-baker-claims-gearbox-refused-union-talent-for-borderlands-3/

Game companies are such ass hats some times,well most of the time,can brag about how well their game is doing but at the same time people are coming out saying that the comapnies wont work with them for fear of actually having to pay a decent days wages for the work.

Im sure theres probably a few over worked and exhausted devs in there somewhere too.
But sure as long as randy has enough money to sleep on at nught:pac:

Penn

EoinHef wrote: »

https://www.pcgamer.com/uk/voice-actor-troy-baker-claims-gearbox-refused-union-talent-for-borderlands-3/

Game companies are such ass hats some times,well most of the time,can brag about how well their game is doing but at the same time people are coming out saying that the comapnies wont work with them for fear of actually having to pay a decent days wages for the work.

Im sure theres probably a few over worked and exhausted devs in there somewhere too.
But sure as long as randy has enough money to sleep on at nught:pac:

I'm sure he has plenty of money up his sleeves, as well as a deck of cards, some flowers, 20 handkerchiefs tied together, and a USB with some ... videos... for research...

Varik

If you want to hire a union member then the whole project has to be union (with some exceptions), it isn't about what Baker would have been paid. The entire actual cast who's in it are either not union or fall into these exceptions such as not doing much work, many of them would have to either join or be barred from it. They also wouldn't have been able to use any of their existing staff as they've always done. The big bad in BL3 is voiced by their media manager.

EoinHef

Varik wrote: »

If you want to hire a union member then the whole project has to be union (with some exceptions), it isn't about what Baker would have been paid. The entire actual cast who's in it are either not union or fall into these exceptions such as not doing much work, many of them would have to either join or be barred from it. They also wouldn't have been able to use any of their existing staff as they've always done. The big bad in BL3 is voiced by their media manager.

As in all voice actors have to be union? Not everyone at gearbox would have to be union.
The union most likely has standards around pay and treatment etc so id say its very much about money.

Givin whats come out about the length of voice sessions,the low pay and general poor treatment id much rather see companies go with unionised workers. Put simply,game companies can not be trusted to keep their employees well being in mind when it comes to crunch.

The guy who originally voiced clap trap also worked for gearbox,he was replaced as claptraps voice for having the audacity to ask for money on top of his normal work wages for the voice acting.
Thats ****ty no matter what way you look at it.

gizmo

Yea, the Union aspect, as Varik mentioned above, was what seemed a little bit strange to me. The Kotaku article was one of the few I came across which brought the subject up properly...

To remain in solidarity with their union members, SAG-AFTRA members can’t accept work on a production that hasn’t also signed a contract with SAG-AFTRA. SAG-AFTRA voice actors enjoy labor protections like guaranteed minimum rates that boost the labor standards for the industry.

What confused me was the presence of Ashly Burch in the cast though. Remember when the prequel to Life Is Strange was being made and she said she couldn't reprise her role because she was a member of the Union and they were on strike? She was replaced by a non-Union actress for that release and then returned to the role once the strike had ended. How did that square with what Baker was saying?

I poked around for info and someone on Reddit mentioned the concept of Financial core which, according to the Impact section there, may explain the differing situations.

Varik

EoinHef wrote: »

The guy who originally voiced clap trap also worked for gearbox,he was replaced as claptraps voice for having the audacity to ask for money on top of his normal work wages for the voice acting.
Thats ****ty no matter what way you look at it.

You should look that up again, he had long left. He said he offered to reprise the role for free if Gearbox paid him royalties he claimed he was owed as part of his VP position.

gizmo wrote: »

Yea, the Union aspect, as Varik mentioned above, was what seemed a little bit strange to me. The Kotaku article was one of the few I came across which brought the subject up properly...



What confused me was the presence of Ashly Burch in the cast though. Remember when the prequel to Life Is Strange was being made and she said she couldn't reprise her role because she was a member of the Union and they were on strike? She was replaced by a non-Union actress for that release and then returned to the role once the strike had ended. How did that square with what Baker was saying?

I poked around for info and someone on Reddit mentioned the concept of Financial core which, according to the Impact section there, may explain the differing situations.

Think they're allowed to do non union work to a limited extent per year; see it more in TV/film with big actors doing indie stuff.

There's also the Texas thing since Gearbox is there, but baker isn't. Burch might have travelled for the job while he wouldn't.

pixelburp

Add another one to the pile marked "Gearbox & Randy Pitchford f*ck up":

https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2019/09/30/duke-nuke-3d-composer-taking-gearbox-randy-pitchford-and-valve-to-court/

Last week, [Bobby Prince, composed of Duke Nuke 3D music] raised claims that 2016’s expanded re-release Duke Nukem 3D: 20th Anniversary World Tour included his music without asking nicely beforehand. Now publishers Gearbox, their CEO Randy Pitchford, and Valve Software are all facing a lawsuit from Prince for allegedly distributing Prince’s music without permission, nor paying him royalties.

[...]

Prince has a particular axe to grind with Gearbox CEO Randy Pitchford. The composer says he’d reached out to Pitchford regarding royalties ahead of release in 2016, and claims Pitchford assured him he’d be “taken care of”. Given the lawsuit three years later, it’s safe to assume Prince doesn’t feel he was, in fact, taken care of. His attorneys call Pitchford’s behaviour “willful, knowing, or at least reckless.”

As is often with these things, we're only getting one side of the issue; but if indeed Pitchford was aware of the rights issue, and promised to "take care of" Prince, then it makes things a lot more straightforward IMO. Doubtless the aim of the case is to settle, given it's over the simple case of missing royalties.

gizmo

“Before Gearbox Software and Gearbox Publishing distributed infringing copies of Mr Prince’s music, they knew, or at least should have known, Mr Prince owned the rights to the music. They specifically knew, among other things, that Mr Prince owned the rights to the music, knew they had no license for the music, and knew that their predecessor, Apogee, had been required to pay Mr Prince royalties to use the music.”

So they knew or at least should have known but specifically knew, amongst other things, that he owned the rights? Yup, seems pretty clear to me.

pixelburp

gizmo wrote: »

So they knew or at least should have known but specifically knew, amongst other things, that he owned the rights? Yup, seems pretty clear to me.

You'd imagine if Pitchford did indeed engage with Prince on the subject, it makes it cut & dry that Gearbox 'knew' there was a rights issue with the music.

Does make you wonder what kind of sh*tshow that company is behind closed doors - and I mean financially, legally.

gizmo

pixelburp wrote: »

You'd imagine if Pitchford did indeed engage with Prince on the subject, it makes it cut & dry that Gearbox 'knew' there was a rights issue with the music.

Does make you wonder what kind of sh*tshow that company is behind closed doors - and I mean financially, legally.

Well, I was being facetious but on a serious note, yes, the filings themselves paint a pretty damning picture all right so it'll be interesting to see the actual communication between the pair and how they defend themselves in court.

On the second point, it's interesting, while I'm more than happy to lambaste Pitchford when he's been a demonstrable asshole, it's getting to the point that he's being portrayed as a villain of near comic-book proportions. Neither the Eddings nor Baker VO issues were as straight-forward as originally made out and the Callender case which is going through the courts at the moment is so bizarre it's difficult to separate the actions of Pitchford from Gearbox as a whole. Maybe that's the point when you're the plaintiff I guess?

One thing is for sure, when I see someone in one of these US-based cases look for "maximum statutory damages per infringement or, alternatively, actual damages and Defendants’ profits, plus attorneys’ fees and costs" my eyebrow raises and I can't help but wonder.

Varik

gizmo wrote: »

One thing is for sure, when I see someone in one of these US-based cases look for "maximum statutory damages per infringement or, alternatively, actual damages and Defendants’ profits, plus attorneys’ fees and costs" my eyebrow raises and I can't help but wonder.

It's the usually go to, they're look for the max and hope to either get fraction of that awarded or the other side settle. It's the same when you have someone looking for injunctions to prevent continued damages where there are none.

The rest is lawyers adding as many adverb as they can.

Robert ninja

Logitech buys streamlabs: https://www.exclusivelygames.com/logitech-acquires-streamlabs-obs-and-its-development-team/

Zero-Cool

https://twitter.com/dukope/status/1179563067073429505?s=19

gizmo

A part of me always hates when these things are settled, the lack of closure means supposition, typically of the negative kind, becomes the default stance when it's brought up again later.

Gearbox and its former lawyer agree to drop lawsuits

I imagine how people view the joint statement will be tempered by the timing of the filing of the Prince lawsuit.

"Upon review of all the evidence in the case, it was of the opinion of counsel that the evidence exonerated Randy Pitchford from the allegations against him; all misunderstandings between the parties have been corrected, and apologies were exchanged. Because the parties are mutually bound by confidentiality, no additional statements will be forthcoming."

SolvableKnave

Playstation 5. Holidays 2020.

marcbrophy

6 months too late if you ask me!
They are dragging the arse out of this generation :P

gizmo

"We're working on a big one right now," says Marco Thrush, president of Bluepoint Games, which most recently worked on last year's PS4 remake of Shadow of the Colossus.

"I'll let you figure out the rest."