Since NCSoft picked the franchise up completely off Cryptic Studios five years back, the new Paragon Studios put out the City of Villains expansion which doubled the content of the original game, and are now working on Issue 17, the 17^th free expansion. The Paragon team is, in a word, meticulous. They are always looking for new ways to liven up the City of Heroes experience, and they are always adding content that blows away the fanbase. It certainly has continued to impress me..

Matt “Positron” Miller, the game’s lead system designer, credits these plentiful (and dare I mention again, free) upgrades as the key to the franchise’s success. From new power sets and zones, to color customization, to the Mission Architect system that allowed players to create their own missions, this constant new content always does a great job of keeping things fresh. The average video gamer is attracted to shiny things, and Paragon is constantly just rolling them in front of our faces.

So what’s still to come?

Issue 17: Dark Mirror is just over the horizon, and oh is this a treat. City of Heroes is getting a complete graphical overhaul to catch up with today’s upgraded computer systems. They game will now render shadows realistically, following the sun across the sky throughout each day. This gives Paragon City and the Rogue Isles an unimaginable visual upgrade, as the Studio’s before/after pictures illustrated. They have also done incredible work on reflective surfaces. Now, water and glass will reflect the characters and the world around them, again adding a level of detail. Other subtle changes were made in ambient occlusion. These visual enhancements together are called “Ultra Mode,” and will be available for players with the proper graphical hardware. This will not slow down players on less-than-perfect machines.

In addition, some more content is being included. Moving tails will be available as a costume part, the Positron Task Force will be divided and upgraded for a smoother and more fun game experience, and some more missions will be added. The  Issue’s biggest achievement though is in the doppelganger system.

With doppelganger, players will be able to square off with evil versions of themselves within Mission Architect. These doppelgangers will be customizable. They can be a mirror image of your hero or villain, or they can be a polar opposite. They might just be subtly different, with a different costume, or legs growing out of their heads. Either way, this means an unprecedented level of customization in Mission Architect, and additional replay value, as the same mission played with different party members will result in different doppelgangers and a different overall experience every time.

Going beyond Issue 17, the team talked a bit about Going Rogue, the only paid expansion the game has seen since City of Villains in 2005. In Going Rogue, your hero or villain will be able to change sides, falling into a kind of “gray” area and then progressing to the other faction altogether. Obviously this does a lot for characters’ personal stories, and the relationships between heroes and supergroups as a whole. Most of the information on the expansion is already publicly viewable, but I’ve got a few things here you have not yet seen…

Four new power sets will be coming with Going Rogue. Dual Pistols is already available for those who preorder the expansion. Demon-Summoning will be available at pre-order soon as well. NCSoft will be putting up a video for that on Monday, so keep your eyes peeled. The other two sets were only just revealed at PAX, and here they are. Kinetic Melee will be available for scrappers, tankers, brutes and stalkers. This is a punching-based class that will focus on gathered energy. The final class is one that has been clamored for forever: Electric Control for controllers and dominators.

Even beyond Going Rogue, the team decided to spill a little information on Issue 19, and revealed that City of Heroes will be getting some end-game content very soon (look out, Blizzard). This content comes in the form of the “Incarnate system,” which will add additional and different levels, again more classes, new abilities, new rewards, and new zone events. They were very tight-lipped on what exactly these would be, but we can anticipate ten new levels and plenty to do for those stagnant level 50’s who have lingered at the top for too long.

It never ends with Paragon Studios, but, like a smooth chocolate milkshake, you never want it to. Going Rogue, and everything else to come, will continue adding new depth into a franchise that has shown innovation at every turn. Watch NCSoft’s website for upcoming screenshots and videos of the new content, which they have promised will be available soon.

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2K Games announced today that Mafia® II will be available in North America on August 24, 2010 and internationally on August 27, 2010 for the PlayStation®3 computer entertainment system, the Xbox 360® video game and entertainment system from Microsoft, and Windows PC. Mafia II is currently in development by 2K Czech, the same creative team behind the award-winning, genre-defining Mafia®, which captivated millions of gamers around the world.

Through a compelling narrative, Mafia II transports gamers into the dark and unforgiving world of the Mafia. The fiction is embellished by a sophisticated, era-evoking atmosphere that meticulously replicates the clothing, cars, music and advertising of 1940’s and 1950’s Americana. Players will easily become immersed in the game’s cinematic Hollywood-style experience with strong, believable characters in a living, breathing metropolis. By fusing high-octane gunplay with white-knuckle driving and an engaging narrative, Mafia II looks to be the industry’s most compelling Mafia title to date.

Born the son of a poor immigrant, Vito is a beaten down Italian-American who is trying to escape the life of poverty that consumed his childhood. Vito, along with his lifelong friend, Joe, will descend into the world of organized crime. Looking to escape the life of hardship that his father led, Vito dreams about becoming a “made man,” and together with Joe, will work to prove themselves to the Mafia as they try to make their names on the streets. However, the two quickly realize that life as a wise guy isn’t quite as glamorous as it seems.

Additionally, Mafia II will be playable by the public for the first time at the Penny Arcade Expo East.

We at AmpedGaming are slated to take a look at Mafia II at PAX East this weekend. We’ll provide some first-hand details and opinions as soon as we’ve gotten the chance to see the title for ourselves. For now though, just breathe deep. Gotta love the smell of tommy guns in the morning…

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EA’s huge press release revealed that they will be unlocking “The Cerberus Network” in-game at launch. Each new copy of Mass Effect 2 will ship with a one-time exclusive code and those who get the game used can buy the code online. “The Cerberus Network” is “a conduit for players to receive bonus content as well as daily messages and news on upcoming releases for Mass Effect 2 for no extra charge.” Doesn’t that sound incredible? I agree, it certainly does.

Also slated for release-date enjoyment is the exclusive DLC that will pack an entirely new mission and introduce you to the ruthless gun-for-hire, Zaeed. Bioware also announced another DLC pack that will introduce players to the Hammerhead, an entirely new vehicle, which is a hover tank that players can use to get across rugged terrain. Hold on, I know it’s overwhelming but there’s still more. New missions and in-game items are on the horizon for the game after launch, including the Cerberus Assault Armor and M-22 Eviscerator Shotgun.

Now, this all sounds amazing but I still have a question. Are we paying for the DLC released after launch? If so, what is it priced at? And why create the Cerberus Network if we’ll just end up paying for stuff at the end? I suppose these questions will be answered shortly as Mass Effect 2 will launch next week for the XBOX 360 and PC on January 26 in North America and January 29 in Europe.

We. Can’t. Wait.

[Source: EA]

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When it comes time to hold your own against rampaging creatures, it always seems to be bugs. The biggest titles to come to mind just now are, of course, Starcraft and Starship Troopers. Endless masses of flowing chitin meet a barrage of projectile lead for one massively good time. Now, we’ve got a brand new chance to relive this golden experience in the upcoming title, Battleswarm.

Battleswarm offers the same basic formula as the aforementioned titles, but with one interesting twist. Not only can you play as both sides, but the game is completely different depending on the side you play. As a human, Battleswarm functions as a 3rd person shooter. You take control of a marine, and set out into a multiplayer map to complete an objective. These objectives range from killing a certain number of bugs, to defending your own base, to planting bombs in a bug hive. Naturally, you’ll be required to rely on your heavy artillery and teamwork to get the job done against the inevitable swarms of bugs.

Now, what’s interesting is that if you play as a bug, the game is no longer a shooter. On the bug side, we are dealing with real-time strategy. That’s right. The camera shifts into a top-down view and, like in Starcraft, you manage a couple of different facilities that are pumping out bugs until you reach the map’s limit. Then, you direct your swarms en masse against the few pathetic human strewn about. As a bug, you also have the added advantage of seeing an entire level map, complete with player positions, so the game becomes much more about strategy than survival. There is no resource collection or construction, but you do get one “hero” unit that is capable of casting spells, and the ability to buy armor and upgrades is there on both sides.

Having gotten a little time in the beta, I can say that the game is certainly fun. I always wondered what getting overwhelmed by Zerglings looked like to those Marines, and now I know. Turns out, it’s horrendously painful. On the flip side, it is immensely gratifying to execute a pincer maneuver on the bug side, and run a swarm over an opponent’s back when he’s busy with something else. The downside is that the game suffers a little in two major areas. First, the menus are a bit confusing to follow. Purchasing a weapon or item does not put it immediately into your inventory. You need to navigate a cornucopia of lists and functions to do that, and it takes some getting used to. Secondly, the games themselves tend to be very one-sided. Playing for several hours, I have yet to see a close match. Whichever side clinches a map at the start, it would seem, clinches the match.

Keeping in mind that the game is still in Beta, these problems may still be addressed. Battleswarm is still a good deal of fun, and at the very least worth checking out. At the moment, beta keys are still available on their website at http://www.battleswarm.net. Sign up, log in, and join me in exploring this very innovative new title.

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Karpyshyn, who got his start writing for Wizards of the Coast, went on from KotOR to do writing for Mass Effect, a new sci-fi universe, to write several novels in both universes (as well as some original concepts), and is now hard at work on the new MMO, The Old Republic. I recently got the chance to send Drew a few questions about his past and current projects. While he (like Lucasarts) remains very tight lipped about the new project, his answers help shine some light on the insight of one of the most creative minds the sci-fi genre has seen in recent memory.

Frank Hunter: You have become a big name in not only Star Wars, but science fiction writing as a whole. What were the early influences which shaped your tone and style?

Drew Karpyshyn: I read a lot of Stephen King as a kid, along with Asimov, F. Paul Wilson, David Eddings and Terry Brooks.

FH: How long have you been a Star Wars fan?

DK: I saw the first movie when it ran originally in theaters, back when I was
seven years old. For the next 3 years I went out for Halloween as a jawa,
so I guess I was hooked.

FH: What do you like to do in your spare time, when you are not bending science-fiction universes to your whims?

DK: I golf, watch sports and play Magic the Gathering whenever I want to unwind.

FH: What does it take to come up with a good science-fiction or fantasy character name? Do you just roll a 20-sided die, or does a lot of thought go into it?

DK: I’m terrible at names. Darth Bane was a pre-existing character, and
Commander Shepard was a name created by the entire creative team at
BioWare, so I can’t even take credit for them. Basically I just jumble
letters around until I get something I like.

FH: What are you currently reading?

DK: Back issues of Golf Digest. I’m also about to start a novel called “Go Go
Girls of the Apocalypse”, but I haven’t cracked the cover yet.

FH: Were you the person who chose to set the *Knights of the Old Republic*series in the time it was set?

DK: The main creative force behind KOTOR was a man named James Ohlen – the same man behind the upcoming Star Wars MMO. The time period was mostly his idea.

FH: In writing the plot for this game, you have been pivotal in creating much early Star Wars history. How does it feel to be responsible for so much in a universe so large?

DK: I’m honored that the backstory we created has been incorporated into the
greater Star Wars universe. It’s almost like we’ve snagged our little
piece of immortality.

FH: KotOR 2 received disappointing reviews at best. What are your comments on the game, if you played it at all? If you were involved in that project, what might you have done differently?

DK: I really felt KOTOR 2 suffered from a lack of development time. It took
several years to make the original, but the sequel was demanded in only 1
year. Games are so complicated now that a 12 month development schedule
just isn’t realistic.

FH: Do you feel any deep association with Sith culture? You choose to write on main characters like Darth Revan and Darth Bane, so one can only wonder if you sympathize with the dark side.

DK: I wouldn’t say I sympathize with them, but I do like to think I’ve given
them a fresh perspective. Remember, in most good stories the villain has
to believe that he’s the hero.

FH: Who would win in a fight: Darth Bane or MacGyver with a cortosis-laced tire iron and 2kg of sulfur?

DK: I think Richard Dean Anderson is getting up there in years, so I’ll take
Bane.

FH: The universe of Mass Effect feels very much like that of Star Wars. Was this deliberate, a result of being so involved with Star Wars projects, or unintentional?

DK: I think both Star Wars and Mass Effect evoke primal archetypes in the
sci-fi genre. It’s easy to see similarities, but on a high level you can
tell Mass Effect was influenced by movies like Blade Runner, Alien, Aliens
and Terminator more so than Star Wars.

FH: Was the project significantly more work because you created the universe, or would you compare it to KotOR?

DK: The work is different. In Star Wars, much of what we did was try to work
our own ideas into the existing universe. It required us to be flexible
and adaptable. With Mass Effect, we literally started with a blank page,
so we had to do everything from scratch.

FH: The Mass Effect universe has a number of unique species in it. Is there any race you are particularly fond of?

DK: As anyone who’s read Ascension can probably tell, I like the quarians.

FH: One of the game’s few criticisms was its underdeveloped side quests. Are you planning to address this criticism for the sequel?

DK: BioWare has a well earned reputation for both quality and listening to our fans. Rest assured: Mass Effect 2 will be better in almost every
conceivable aspect of the game.

FH: Can you talk in any detail about the work done to extend the Mass Effect universe outside the original game?

DK: I can’t say much beyond mentioning my novels, Mass Effect: Revelation and Mass Effect: Ascension. If you’re a fan of the game you should read these
novels – they really help to flesh out the universe.

FH: MMOs are notorious for not being story-driven. Plots are paper-thin and characters are rarely memorable. What are you and Bioware doing to right this for The Old Republic?

DK: BioWare has always been an industry leader when it comes to story driven games, and we’re taking all our experience and applying it to the MMO
genre. I can’t get into details (wouldn’t want to give away our secrets),
but fans are going to be blown away.

FH: What else is being done to set TOR apart from industry norms? There is a lot of hope that this game will be the something new we’ve all been waiting for.

DK: Unfortunately I’m not at liberty to discuss details of TOR. You’ll have to
wait for official press releases.

FH: The devs have recently come out about how much dialogue will be involved in this game. How much help do you get when writing dialogue for a project of this scope?

DK: The writing team for most BioWare games ranges from 4-6 people. For TOR we’re already over a dozen writers, and we’re still growing. The scope of
this game is beyond epic.

FH: How much control can you manage to keep over such a script?

DK: BioWare’s been working with large writing teams for quite a while, so
we’ve figured out how to keep everyone on the same shared vision.

FH: Have you played any MMORPG games in the past? What classes do you tend to enjoy playing? What class will you be playing in TOR?

DK: I can’t really talk about the classes in TOR. As for other MMO’s, I’ve
been so busy developing games over the past decade that I rarely get to
invest any serious time in playing them.

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