Monthly Archives: May 2008

HAZE

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In the year 2048, The Mantel Corporation is waging an all out war for the freedom of civilization. At least that is the company line they are putting forth as they send legions of drug enhanced soldiers into the jungles of South America to bring down the rebel opposition.

In the new game HAZE, players take on the role of a Sgt Shane Carpenter who is tasked with leading a squad against the rebel leader, a man dubious named Skin Coat. I want to say at the outset that the game’s publisher, Ubisoft, did not return several calls and e-mails for more information and review materials for the game. We were able to get a pre-release interview for the game, but since then, no further information was passed along, so I had to rely on Gamefly to provide the game for review and did not have an outlet to get explanations or clarifications for questions I had with the game and its performance.

Carpenter was a college student who decided to make a difference in the world and at the start of the game, finds himself launching with his new squad to recover pilots from a downed aircraft. Carpenter like all of his fellow soldiers, are enhanced by a drug called Nectar which grants them greater abilities in combat and is administered by the combat armor they wear.

The first few missions are fairly standard shooter missions where players mow down generic baddies in a dense jungle before they undertake an urgent mission to capture the rebel leader who has been located in a smelting plant.

As the mission unfolds, Carpenter begins to have doubts about his role thanks in large part to a malfunctioning Nectar administrator. In short order, Carpenter soon finds himself involved in the rebellion and seeking to find the truth behind Nectar and the real agenda of the Mantel Corporation.
The game has a good setup and premise, but sadly the best moments of the game come in the early stages of the game. Aside from the abundance of generic units as both enemies and NPC characters, there are roughly a dozen lines of dialogue that are spouted in the heat of battle by your opponents and comrades. While this is an attempt to add depth to the game, it comes across badly, as many times the lines are not always appropriate to the situation, and rapidly become redundant after you hear them for the fifth time in a mission. There were also a few moments were the audio portion of the game dropped out.

Another issue with the game is the very bad A.I. that aside from rolling from side to side, limits your enemies to straight on attacks for the most part. On more than one occasion I was able to shoot an enemy only to have him take a shot at me and then turn his back to me and ignore me until I attacked him again. The game attempts to explain this during a load screen with text that informs you that soldiers on Nectar become impervious to much of what is around them. While this may be the case, it tends to make for some very dull and uninspired enemies and gameplay.

Another issue I had with the game was the level design missions. Many missions involved simply getting to a point and then getting back from a point and surviving the combat in between. There were few distractions in the plot and little twists to give the game a sense of suspense or mystery, and to explain Carpenter’s motivations. A so called reveal hinted at things, but there was never a big payoff or confirmation, so I was left to accept that Carpenter had a change of heart based on what was largely circumstantial evidence and the word of another person.

The game does get some things right, and that is the solid selection of weapons and the ability to administer Nectar to yourself in combat. Gamers who want a bit of perverse fun may want to give themselves an intentional overdose and watch what happens next.

The finale was a big disappointment as there was no ultimate bad guy for me to content with nor were any of the real mysteries of Mantel fully explained. I had thought that this might be explored in a future sequel but since Ubisoft did not respond to my requests, I have to assume that this is not the case. The final conflict was so uninspired, that two quick bursts from my rifle and a grenade ended the conflict. I did not even need to use the special Nectar grenades that my character learned to create later in the game.

Another issue with the game is the inconsistent graphics in the game. At times the game really shines and at other times, the textures seem on par with PS 2 graphics and did not live up to the potential the PS 3 offers.

The voice acting, music, and sound effects in the game are average and do not really stand out, but the multiplay does offer some interesting options. While I had problems staying connected to many ranked games, there were some great options such as a co-op mode and a multiplay game where I could either be a guard or a prisoner trying to escape from a compound.

I also enjoyed the use of vehicles in the game as being able to drive or ride in certain vehicles both in the solo and online portion of the game were actually some of the best moments in the game.
Using the Dualshock 3 control did help somewhat as the vibration effects did allow for some added immersion into the game, but sadly did not allow me to steer the vehicles with the control via motion sensing as some other PS 3 titles do.

In short, Haze is a great concept that sadly fails to live up to the promise that was so evident when I first previewed the game at the PAX Expo in Seattle last summer.

6 stars out of 10
Creativity 3 Good concept but falls apart after early missions.
Graphics 3 Some are good but most are not up to the potential of the PS 3
Sound 3 Some audio issues, music is nothing special
Longevity 3 Finished the game in about 6 hours
Fun Factor 3 Had some good moments, just not enough

Robert Bowling of Infinity Ward Talks Call of Duty 4

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With the pending release of Call of Duty 4, I took a moment to speak to Robert Bowling, the Community Relations Manager at Infinity Ward. I want to thank Robert and Robert Taylor at Activision for taking the time to setup this interview.

GVK: What is the background and setting for the game?

RB: Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare puts you in the middle of a global conflict that has many sides. From fighting as a US Marine Force Recon in the middle east against a well armed militia force, to fighting as part of the British SAS in Russia or storming a cargoship in the middle of the sea. You’ll also be put in the role of a gunner on an AC-130, beind enemy lines as a 2 man sniper team and a lot of other intense scenarios.

GVK: What can you tell us about the A.I. in the game as I have heard that they will not attempt to destroy your cover and other sneaky moves.

RB: The A.I. is extremely advanced in Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare as they are always aware of their surroundings. They’ll attempt to move up your flank, take cover as they go, even transverse cars and climb through windows if it’s the quickest and safest way for them to go. Not to mention that their always aware of danger, so their taking shots at not only you, but your entire squad, throwing frags or trying to land a sweet RPG shot on you and your team.

GVK: What are some of the locales gamers will see in the game?

RB: You’ll be fighting in a variety of locations, from assaults on towns in the Middle East looking for enemy informants, to fighting in the thick of Russia, from thousands of feet in the air as a gunner, and more.

GVK: What are some of the new weapons we will see?
RB: Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare brings a huge assortment of modern arsenal to your fingertips, from the weapons your using to the attachments you’re putting on them. We have over 40 weapons in the multiplayer with even more in Single player, everything from the standard M4 Carbine, to G36c, MP5, Ak-47, Ak74u, just to name a few. Not to mention a lot of great support from the air and ground as you fight along side tanks, or call in Air Support to soften up ground positions before moving in. How will vehicles be used in game and what will players be able to ride in? Vehicles will not be present in multiplayer, but in Single Player your vehicle support has a huge impact in your missions, whether you’re taking the Mark19 of a chopper as you insert into a hot combat zone, or you’re calling in air support from a near by gunship, not to mention that tanks are an infantry’s best friend when making a push on an urban landscape.

GVK: What gaming engine will you be using and what will enhancements will it bring to the game?

RB: We’re using our own engine developed in house for Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare which is really allowing us to set the standard we wanted to set. The new engine allows us to implement a lot of physics to the game, from how you interact with the enviornment; such as watching debris fly around, or watermelons explode from a frag in a fruit cart, to flattening tires on a car or knocking out individual windows or headlights. To how the world reacts to you, from dynamic lighting; for instance if you step infront of a light source, it’s going to cast a shadow. This plays a huge role in multiplayer when you can see if someone is coming up the stairs behind you because they cast a shadow on the wall as they would in real life.

GVK: What have been some of the biggest challenges in crafting the game and the biggest rewards?

RB: I think the biggest challenge would have to be the challenges we set for ourselves to be the best game on every platform at launch. It’s something we always strive for, especially since this time around we’re developing for three platforms across the board with the Xbox 360, PS3, and PC we wanted to make it equally as beautiful, run as smoothly at 60 FPS, and be identical across all three, which is what we accomplished. The biggest reward would be the same, the fact that we were able to make it run at 60 FPS and be as beautiful on ALL THREE platforms equally.

GVK: Since the last game in the series was console only, what was behind the decision to include this on the PC and what difference will gamers see between the console and PC versions?

RB: Our last game was actually for PC and Xbox 360, as we did not develop Call of Duty 3, because we were secretly working on Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare. PC has always been a platform we develop and we hadn’t dreamed of leaving it. There of course are more things you can do on the PC in terms of modding / mapping that aren’t feasible on consoles, such as setting up custom servers with your custom config which can tweak settings as much as you like.

GVK: Will the game support Direct X 10?

RB: The game supports Direct x10, however Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare is a Dirext x9 title but supports both.

GVK: What forms of multiplay will the game include?

RB: The game has 18 player multiplayer on both console platforms (Xbox 360 and PS3) and 32+ on the PC version. We have a wide variety of gametypes and modes available from the standard Free-for-All and Team Deathmatch to more objective based gametypes like Headquarters, Search and Destroy, Sabatoge, Domination and others. Not to mention we have game modes which you can play in addition tot he gametypes which changes the settings of the gametypes a bit. For example we have Hardcore Mode which you can play over any gametype (i.e. Hardcore Search and Destroy) where you have limited HUD, increased weapon damage, Friendly Fire is turned on, and no Kill Cam; or Old School Mode which is the opposite with increased health, increased jump and ragdoll physics, weapon pick ups and perk picups around the map.

GVK: What sort of enemies will players face and how did the decision to move away from a W.W. II. Based game arrive?

RB: Modern Warfare is something we’ve wanted to do for ever, it was just the right time to really break out and start from a creative slate both gameplay and storyline wise. In the game, players are going to be going up against two large and well trained forces from a Middle Eastern militia that is heavy on the RPG to an ultra-nationlist Russian force which is trying to take Russia back to the days of Stalin and have a pretty heavy military to back it up.

Jeff Morris Talks Unreal Tournament 3

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With the Holidays upon us, I got the chance to speak with Jeff Morris of Epic, Senior producer on Unreal Tournament 3.

I want to thank Jeff and Alex at Highwater for making this interview happen.

GVK: What is the background and setting for the game?

JM: Unreal Tournament 3 takes place in a science fiction universe of fast action and over the top carnage. You start on the planet Taryd, but before long you’ll be seeking your vengeance off planet as well.

GVK: What can you tell us about the A.I. in the game?

JM: UT has always had a unique challenge in that our AI opponents are trying to mimic human players, not say German soldiers in

WWII. This type of AI is a specialty of Steve Polge, UT3′s lead designer and programmer. He created the Reaper bot way back for Quake 1 and making opponents that are virtually indistinguishable from human players

is a real strength of our AI.

GVK: What are some of the locales gamers will see in the game?

JM: Earth is a world filled with diverse environments and Taryd is no different. As you fulfill your mercenary duties, you’ll pass from one corporate nation state to another. Some are very Asian themed, others high tech. Some levels look right out of midtown Manhattan and others like nothing people have ever seen before.

GVK: What are some of the weapons we will see?

JM: UT has a HUGE arsenal of weapons and many were updated for UT3. The rocket launcher can now pop out grenades for

instance, which is a nice tip of the hat to its functionality in the original Unreal. Our new vehicle squadron contains most of the brand new weapons, running the gamut from fixed duration welding beams to a diverse pallet of deployable hazards.

GVK: How will vehicles be used in game and what will players be able to ride

in?

JM: Warfare is our new gametype that emphasizes vehicle combat and UT3 delivers this frantic gameplay in spades. The Axon

vehicle squadron is comprised of semi-traditional hardware, including

tanks, transport vehicles, aerial fighters, etc.

The Necris squadron,while balanced against the Axon, actually comprise of lots of radically
different designs. Tripods, vehicle that can become invisible, and ones with multiple stances that effect their offensive capabilities are all available.

GVK: What enhancements have been made to the gaming engine?

JM: Unreal Engine 3 includes loads of improvements over UE2, not the least of which is the spectacular visuals.

Things that used to require great amounts of programming experience like mods are now

much easier to approach using our visual scripting language UnrealKismet.

GVK: What forms of multiplay will the game include?

JM: UT3 offers a range of gametypes from the classics ike deathmatch and capture the flag, to our vehicle focused gametypes like Warfare, and even hardcore ones like the 1 on 1 Duel gametype.

GVK: What sort of enemies will players face?

JM: In the single player campaign you’ll encounter 4 different factions, starting with the armed forces of the Axon corporation and ending with the evil undead assassins, the Necris.

GVK: The scope of the game sounds amazing, what are some of the biggest obstacles you see in creating the game, and what are your biggest goals for the game?

JM: When you work with popular franchises, it’s critical that you innovate and appeal to players who perhaps passed on the last

title, all the while ensuring you include what fans of the previous games enjoyed.

I like to use a ‘rule of 1/3rd”, namely keep 1/3rd of the game roughly the same, improve substantially 1/3rd and innovate “out of

the box” for the final 1/3rd.

GVK: How difficult was it to play balance the weapons in game?

JM: We’re fortunate in that many of the weapons are franchise favorites and have long established matchup results against

other weapons. A key element to balancing the new Necris vehicle squadron was that they fulfill similar roles as their Axon counterparts,

all the while playing as differently as possible.

GVK: Does the game offer any rewards/ranking system?

JM: Definitely. You can see how you rank up against everyone playing or just your friends.

GVK: What differences will there be between the PC and Console version if

any?

JM: Not much. The console version is a little slower and the collision cylinders are a little larger, but other than that all the

content and gameplay is identical.

Days Inn Surrey B.C.

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Located in scenic Surrey British Columbia, the Days Inn is an ideal setting for both business and vacation travelers looking for a clean room at a reasonable price.

The loby is well decorated, as there are some clever sculptures such as a moosehead made from driftwood, and during the Holidays a very nice tree and season decor bring the lobby to life.
The accompanying Tiki Lounge, has some nice Polynesian artwork and is a great place for drinks, or some live music on weekends. Should you wish something more substantial, you can order steaks, seafood, ribs,and more from the adjoing restaurant. We did not eat there on this trip, but on our previous visit, my wife and I both enjoyed a very nice steak dinner.

Our room had a microwave and a fridge as well as free wireless internet and of course cable television and pay per view movies. There was also a phone, stereo, clock radio and ample closet space.

One drawback was since we arrived after the close of the restaurants, and not wanting to go out, we ventured to the vending machines for a late night snack. On this particular night, the vending machine was spartan and we were forced to make due with the soda machine.

The bed was comfy, though a bit small as there was not alot of room for two adults. The room also had a comy fold out couch, which made a nice base of operations to setup the laptop and enjoy the free wireless internet access that was provided by the hotel.

The locale has a Bar and Steakhouse as well as a liquor store onsite. Next to this is a sportsbar where we spent Saturday night. While the ambiance was great, the service was very, very slow, as it took 2.5 hours for a bowl of French Onion soup and a sample platter. The service was also very slow in refilling our iced tea, so my suggestion would be not to go during busy times, such as weekend evenings.

Located along King George Highway, the hotel has easy access to many shops and restaurants as well as parks and other forms of recreation. The helpful staff was great and helped with directions for a conference I was speaking at, and when my wife had to complain about some very loud guests late at night, the hotel security acted promptly and quieted down a noisy hall party.

The hotel also comes with a conference room and room service, so companies looking to host a funtion would be well-advised to consider this locale as they offfer many dining choices as well as room services onsite and have close proximity to many stores and restaurants.

The hotel is also located within walking distance of a Skytrain terminal, and this quick and enjoyable mode of mass transit links several points of Vancouver and the surrounding area, including the massive shopping center Metrotown. We did not use the Skytrain on this trip but haves used it in the past which will greatly reduce the need to drive in the area. The Skytrain is also being expanded to include Richmond in the near future.

Aside from a few issues with noise and the lousy service we had in the sports bar, our trip was enjoyable and I can say that we will look forward to a future visit.

www.dayshotel.ca

Joe Pantoliano Interview

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Recently I had the chance to talk with Actor, Director, Producer, and Writer, Joe Pantoliano about his work in the new film “The Amateurs”. I want to thank Joe for taking the time from his busy schedule for the interview.

GVK: What attracted you to the part?

JP: The film was very Capra-esque and I liked the details that the script paid to the characters and their friendships. I also like the notion that the characters thought life had passed them by and they that were trying to change their lot in life by making an armature porn film.

The character of Some Idiot was also out of type for me and the chance to work with Jeff Bridges was something that was attractive to me as well.

GVK: What sort of research did you use to prepare for the part, as I am sure that your previous work did not give you a lot of background on writing and directing a porno?

JP: I read the script a lot, and took heed of the name of the character, and why he was called “Some Idiot”. The character also lives at home with his mother. I wanted to be different from the rest of the cast as I knew that the brilliant actors would kick my ass, so I wanted to be ready.

GVK: Why did the film take so long to come out in America?

JP: The film was done four years ago, but the distribution company had no money and the production got into all sorts of legal mix ups. In a very life imitates art moment, First Look got involved and got the film released. It was similar to the film where the final film meets a setback after it is completed and hopes went up in smoke.

GVK: Where there any funny moments during filming that stand out?

JP: Since it was almost four years ago, my memory for specifics is bad. I do remember that we cracked up a lot, and that I really enjoyed Ted Danson and Glenne Headly.

GVK: Since you have done both comedy and drama, which do you prefer and which do you find harder?

JP: I like comedy as you know instantly if it is working. If the audience is laughing, then it is working, but I find comedy very hard to do.

GVK: Since you have done Directing in “Just Like Mona”, do you have a desire to do more Directing?

JP: I would love to do more, I have also been producing a lot, as I love that you do not have to be on set all the time to do that.

GVK: With the writers’ strike, do you find yourself limited creatively as one of your outlets is not open to you, and does not being able to write hamper other planned projects?

JP: That is a great question; I am getting involved into some mini films that are based on the web. It is a 2 minute movie that is black and white and very film noir I was over at Matthew Modine’s and we had Sarah Lancaster who stars in Chuck.

The process is like Fellini as you have to improvise and add dialogue. There is also one with a blind writer who has her job outsourced to India. This is a great as it reminded me of when I was younger and there were few opportunities. The website is http://speechlesswithoutwriters.com/

Accent Inns Richmond B.C.

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Often when I travel, it is a mixture of business and pleasure so it is always nice to find a hotel that offers the resources to work, with the comfort and escapism needed to fully relax and enjoy time off.

One such place is the Accent Inns Airport Hotel in Richmond B.C. Located close to the airport and several bars and restaurants, the hotel is a comfortable place for travelers to stay for both business and leisure.

The spacious front room included a work desk, phone, chairs, as well as the usual couch and table.

A door separated the front room from the hallway that lead to the bathroom and bedroom. The bedroom was very comfy and also included a television as well as closet space and a clock radio and telephone.

The hotel paid attention to little details like including a fire extinguisher in the room, as well as stocked cupboards that included pots, pans, flatware, cups, and more to allow guests to cook from their unit.

Our first night in the hotel was restful as we picked up dinner from an adjacent restaurant and relaxed in the room as we watched television as we enjoyed dinner.

Since the Accent Inns offers free internet access as well as access in the lobby as well as a flight check in terminal, we were able to obtain information we needed for our weekend such as directions, schedules, and e-mails.

We spent our Saturday shopping in Vancouver, before spending the day and scenic Stanley Park, where after taking in the sites of the vast park, we capped the afternoon by taking the Bright Lights Holiday Train and enjoyed a dazzling array of lights and music that set the tone for the holidays.

After a full day we relaxed on the couch and watched television as we dined and contemplated the hot tub that was offered by the hotel, but instead ventured out to see more of the city before settling in for the evening.

The room also included free local calls and pay per view movies and games. Simply put, this was one of the most enjoyable stays I have ever had and the versatility of the hotel to handle both my business and tourism needs was superior to most hotels including the more posh hotels with very high rates that say they cater to business guests but nickel and dime you for everything from calls to net access.

We look forward to our next visit to what is quickly becoming one of our favorite places to stay in Vancouver B.C. For more information, please visit them online at www.accentinns.com

Steveston Hotel in Richmond B.C.

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Often when I travel, it is a mixture of business and pleasure so when I find a true pleasure, it is always a refreshing perk of my job. One place is the Steveston Hotel in Steveston B.C. near Richmond. B.C. in the quaint and scenic locale.

The hotel was established in 1895, and has a very rich and colorful history, thanks in part to it’s popularity with the fishing community and the nearby cannery which is now a tourist attraction.

Our first night in the hotel was restful as we picked up dinner from the Buck and Ear pub which not only offered live music, but great food. We arrived later in the evening so we had to limit our selection to appetizers but were more than happy with our selection. The Pub was packed on Friday night and also very popular on Saturday night, making it clearly a place not to miss.

The hotel had a liquor store in the lobby as well as a kitchen that was open for traditional breakfasts and other meals and offered a great menu of options at a very reasonable price. The rooms were small but comfy, and the hotel does have larger and more elaborate rooms available. Our room features two beds, and a television as well as a nice bathroom and closet as well as drawers. The hotel did not have a lot of bells and whistles like Hair Dryers, microwaves, Wifi, and such but what they offered was a great price on a very nice and comfy room, a great staff, and easy access, to the local attraction.

The local area was amazing, as small shops, restaurants, galleries, and more comprised the town, and we were easily able to walk up and down the main and side streets to see all that this charming town had to offer. We had lunch at Daves which is known for amazing fish and chips and did not disappoint. We also found a real treasure in an authentic British goods store, as my mother and I were so happy to be able to buy British goods that were not limited to candy and chips, and were able to sample their fine selection of meat pies as well.

As we continued our day, we stopped along the water where local fishermen sold their catches directly from their boats and marveled at the variety of goods that were sold. We also find a nice thrift shop that had some great deals.
We ventured into Richmond when the sun went down, and did some shopping at one of the local malls before returning to our hotel, along the way we went to a new discovery of a Mexican restaurant named The Little Mexico Cantina. Though the restaurant is small and they were expecting a large party to arrive soon, the staff and food was great and the décor was festive. The food was done in the authentic Mexican style and not the Tex-Mex style that is popular at many restaurants. The amazingly fresh taste of the food has to be sampled to be believed. There were no soggy vegetables, but very crisp, fresh toppings, to go with amazingly good meat and salsa. I highly suggest the Margaritas as well. (www.littlemexicocantina.com)

After a full day we relaxed on the couch and watched television before settling in for the evening.

The room also included free local calls and cable . Simply put, this was one of the most enjoyable stays I have ever had and was topped off by a great to go Hot Chocolate and coffee in the morning as we had to get back to Seattle for a meeting. I wished I could have stayed longer but my wife and I agreed we would be back to visit this lovely locale soon.

Please visit them online at http://www.stevestonhotel.com/home.htm