E3 2008: EA and BioWare working on a new Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic MMO

Not mentioned at any of the E3 press conferences, we were surprised to see that Portfolio.com had gotten a very interesting admission from EA CEO John Riccitiello, who says EA and developer BioWare are working on a new version of the Star Wars RPG Knights of the Old Republic. To compete with the very successful World of Warcraft massively multiplayer online game, EA plans on adding MMO-like online multiplayer elements to the new Star Wars game. Riccitiello says:

"We've got two of the most compelling MMOs in the industry in development...the one that people are dying for us to talk to them about--in partnership with Lucas, coming out of BioWare, which is, I think, quite possibly the most anticipated game, full stop, for the industry at the point when we get closer to telling you about it."

Picture Credit: Portfolio.com

Via CNET Crave

From the Bat Cave to eBay

Kevin Core is showing that his imagination as an amateur computer modder is matched by a natural sense of marketing. Last year he impressed many Cravers with his Tumbler Batmobile PC, built from a remote-controlled toy purchased at Wal-Mart. Now, after waiting patiently for several months, he has put the creation up for sale on eBay--just days ahead of the much-publicized release of The Dark Knight.

In addition to the 2.8GHz AMD Sempron chip and other specs mentioned when it first went public, the Bat-PC has a "stealth" power switch and three orange LEDs that "simulate the jet exhaust," according to the auction description. Somewhat surprisingly, however, the bidding hasn't even cracked US$250 as of this writing, a paltry sum that would be an insult to any self-respecting winged avenger.

Via CNET Crave

E3 2008: Star Wars: Force Unleashed

The Star Wars movie series is over, but the brand name lives on, thanks to spinoffs like toys, novels, and, of course, video games. The dozens of Star Wars video games released over the past 20 years have gotten something of a bum rap--after all, the source material inspires such loyalty that a video game made with minimal involvement form George Lucas can't possibly live up to fans' expectations (and yes, a lot of those Star Wars games were pretty mediocre, too).

Aiming to remedy this, and update their product line for a generation used to slick action-packed experiences such as Gears of War and Halo 3, Lucasarts has created a game designed to appeal to adrenaline junkies and Star Wars fans alike. By "unleashed", the game's title indicates that the mystical Force powers used so sparingly in previous Star Wars games are the main star here--and using them to toss enemies around, rip open giant metal doors, and zap lightning bolts from your fingertips is very fulfilling experience, judging from our hands-on time with the game.

At its core,this is a basic follow-the-path third-person action game, where your character (Darth Vader's secret apprentice, if that's important) walks down corridors, finds an open area full of enemies and has to wipe them all out before moving on. Despite the somewhat repetitive set-ups, the game's all-too-brief opening level where you play as Darth Vader himself, is a total kick.

A note for trivia junkies--Darth's familiar guttural tone comes not from James Earl Jones but an amazing soundalike named Matt Sloan, who was discovered playing the voice of Darth's cousin, Chad Vader, in a series of popular internet shorts.

Via CNET Crave

E3 2008: Trend alert--cooperative gameplay

Each year, the selection of games on display at E3 reveals what the hottest current trend in the video game industry is at the time--usually manifesting itself as an overused gameplay mechanic that every developer suddenly feels the need to shoehorn into their games.

This year's big buzzword is cooperative gameplay--meaning gamers play together, but are collaborating, rather than competing, to complete the game's goals. This often happens online, where gamers connect via Xbox Live or the PlayStation Network from remote locations.

We've seen several examples this week of the cooperative gameplay mechanic added to games that don't seem to need it, except as a bullet point on a marketing plan. Resident Evil 5 is adding an online cooperative mode, where players can assist each other in surviving an onslaught of zombie-like creatures. It seems oddly out of place in a game series that has traditionally been a single-player experience designed around building a tense atmosphere through fear and isolation.
Read more »

Philips may be hanging with the wrong crowd

Et tu, Philips? Please say it ain't so. Despite all the madness that is the world of gadgetry, the Dutch company has almost always managed to keep above the fray and stay true to its aesthetic sensibilities. Sure, it has lapsed into the bling thing on occasion, but it always seemed to come back to its tasteful origins.

Now we're not so sure. The names alone of its new USB drives--"Robot Naughty Raymond" and "Happy Laura"--are disturbingly out of character, not to mention a jarring departure from the sleek designs that have been a hallmark of Philips products. The latest additions to the company's "Active Crystals" collection are 2GB trinkets, according to Slippery Brick, but they look more like toys from a bubblegum machine.

We fear Philips has fallen under the influence of the wrong crowd. Namely, Swarovski.

Via CNET Crave

Crave is...

The name says it all. Crave is our new blog about cool gadgets and other crushworthy stuff.

Drop us an email if you have tips or suggestions.

Crave for...

» Mobile Phones (840)

» Digital Cameras (460)

» Notebooks (556)

» PC & Peripherals (608)

» Handhelds (287)

» Printers (46)

» Home AV (561)

» Music & Play (463)

» Gadgets (1059)

» Future Tech (187)

Previously...

2008

2007

2006

2005

2004

Subscribe to
Crave

Today on CNET |  Reviews |  Crave |  Blogs |  CNET TV |  Digital Living |  Downloads