Darksiders Spawned From Kid's Stuff?

David Adams, general manager at Vigil Games, and creative director Joe Madureira took the stage at DICE and talked about developing Darksiders, taking it from concept to retail release.

Starting out, they had little in the way of concrete ideas, aside from a vague concept of wanting to make an action adventure game in the spirit of a Ratchet & Clank. Original character art showed off a lighthearted young elf, a character who could channel energy and tame beasts. The next revision, tentatively named “robot arm kid,” had a bulkier character with a mechanical arm that could be deployed similarly to the one in the Bionic Commando games. At that point, the team realized that they were skewing their designs too young.

Stepping back from the kid-friendly space, the next character sketches took on a more mature appearance. One version had a huge sickle, another wielded a tribladed weapon and yet another character had four arms—two held firearms and another carried a skull-emblazoned sword.

Internal discussions led to the concept of incorporating the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse into the fledgling project, which made it easier to discuss with people unfamiliar with the project. Pitching the idea to various people made Adams and Madureira realize that they might be onto something. Originally, the game was going to be focused on Death, but War won out. Early versions included miniguns and a variety of equally huge swords.

Even though the game had taken a mature turn, Vigil didn’t abandon some of the original ideas. While the team of four tweaked gameplay, they turned to Ratchet & Clank as an inspiration for effective controls. A special focus was placed on playability from an early stage, so potential publishers would be able to get a sense for how the game felt and played. As Adams said, art could be added later, but if the game wasn’t fun to play no amount of graphical polish would make it better.

Publishers looked at the small team and dismissed the possibility that Vigil would be able to deliver a console game. Madureira says they were told several times to think about cell phone games. They were skeptical when they approached THQ, because they only thought of the publisher as a company that worked on wrestling games. Fortunately, they were wrong.

After getting a deal with THQ, they doubled their staff to eight. Adams joked that everything they did seemed to make their lives harder, from developing their own tech to staying so small. By the third year of development, Madureira says the team was finally expanded to a point to where they were able to actually work full steam ahead. THQ’s support was instrumental in those early days, he added.

If you'd like to see more on the history and development of Darksiders, check out our Afterwords and Creating Darksiders' Protagonist features.

The[Crafty]Gamer: Joey Fernandez (Embroidered Patches)

This week The[Crafty]Gamer features Joey Fernandez, who has created some incredibly detailed embroidered patches inspired by popular video games. Check out this post to learn more about the effort that goes into designing and assembling patches, and take a peek at his work.

Full name: Joey Fernandez

Age: 30

Hometown: Peru

Occupation: Student

Tell us about your work. What’s the inspiration behind it?

It started a long time ago. Like any other kid in the world, I had favorite superheroes (one of them was Captain America), or just loved to watch a lot of cartoons on TV and play video games. I always wanted emblems for my clothes, uniforms and other stuff, but unfortunately they weren’t available in the market at that time, well at least not for me. When I was 17, I started to work at a friend’s shop making backpacks. That's when this all started. I became interested in the field that in the following years I learned how to operate embroidery machines and consequently the art of digitizing. I now make and customize my own stuff (clothing and accessories), and try to help people with their embroidery projects.

How much time does it take to create each patch?

Well, each patch is unique and the time it takes to create/make each one of them can easily vary from 10 minutes to weeks of work. The embroidery process has several steps, but let’s focus on the two most essential ones: digitizing and embroidering.

This article about embroidery digitizing pretty much explains what digitizing is:

"An embroidery digitizer must have an artist's creativity and problem-solving skills. A digitizer's canvas is the computer monitor. The keyboard and mouse are the brushes, and the embroidery digitizer's pallet is the embroidery software. However, the digitizer's work is not confined to a computer screen. Knowledge of fabric types and the push-pull factor of each is also required. The embroidery digitizer also needs to know about needles, thread, and stabilizers and, perhaps most importantly, must creatively expand the boundaries of machine embroidery."

Once work is digitized, a computerized machine equipped with needles, sensor, knives, bobbins and threads will take your digitized design and independently stitch the patch. This step requires supervision to avoid any flaws, with stitching tweaks required in the end to perfect the finished product.

Is your work up for sale? If so, where and how much?

Yes it is, and prices will depend on the nature of the work. You can find my stuff at very affordable prices from $3 to $12. If a customer wants something special, then the price can be over $20. I also have a website that you can check out. Fortunately, a few years ago I found Etsy.com and started to sell my patches there. I think their fees are, well, they are better than the rest. I also have some of my work listed on eBay and it sucks because, let me tell you, they rip small sellers (like me) off. Not cool!

Any other information you’d like to share about yourself?

I am a guy with a life like any other person, but I like to invest my spare time on what I like to do. I have been digitizing for over 10 years. I know my work and I know how things work in the mainstream world of collectibles (embroidered iron-on patches). I know how mass production is managed. The manipulation of resources in order to increase production by decreasing quality is something I am not partisan of. That is something you will notice in most of my work, manifested through the use of color blending, gradients, and other techniques.

My favorite video games are Super Mario World, Contra, Tetris (I love Tetris). I think I should make a patch of it. If you don’t see one of your favorite video games in my work gallery then let me know!

I have several projects for this year, one of them is to make custom cases for the many electronic devices out there: iPods, Nintendo DS, PSP, etc. I really hope to do that. It is just a matter of finding the supplies I need.

The[Crafty]Gamer has officially moved from the Editor Blogs section to the Features section. We are regularly looking for new entries, so if you'd like your work featured, please send me an e-mail to express your interest and I will follow up with details: annette@gameinformer.com.

The Game Informer Show Episode 17

This week's Game Informer show kicks off with some discussion of a title that's sure to be on many people's year-end lists, The Odd Gentleman's The Misadventures of P.B. Winterbottom. This XBLA and PC downloadable title combines elements of 2D platforming with cool time manipulation and cloning elements to create a truly unique experience. Host Matt Helgeson, Joe Juba, and Phil Kollar all stop by to discuss their feelings about the game.The second segment centers around the relaunch of Aliens vs. Predator. In this segment we have a debate featuring Andy Reiner and Ben Reeves, who wrote GI's controversial review of the game. We wrap things up with some scuttlebutt from Microsoft's X10 press even. Tim Turi and Dan Ryckert, who both attended the conference, give us some hands-on impressions of some of blockbuster titles, including Fable 3, Dead Rising 2, Alan Wake, and DLC for Left 4 Dead 2.

The multiplayer beta for StarCraft II is in full swing, and I've been spending every bit of free time plugged into my Command Center. It's far too early to make any judgments about balance or get a reading on the eventual face of the revamped Battle.net interface, but the beta tell us many things regardless.

Cynical types would have you believe that StarCraft II is little more than a unit overhaul and a graphical refresh of the original game. While it's true that many core mechanics carry directly over to this sequel, once you dig past the top layer, the gameplay has several substantial differences.

The interface remains largely similar, but a few tweaks make a lot of difference. The twelve-unit selection cap is gone, making managing large forces less frustrating. Multiple buildings can be selected (and hot-keyed) at once, allowing for easier production management. Flying units have a small tracer displaying their relative position on the ground. Simple abilities can be set to auto-cast, à la Warcraft III. In sum, all the small changes bring StarCraft II up to modern RTS standards while retaining the small-scale micromanagement philosophy that defines the franchise.

The factions are even less symmetrical than they used to be, with their signature abilities further integrated into their play styles [see following pages for faction-specific breakdowns]. More units, more abilities, more counters, and new map features diversify the gameplay from match to match. It'll take some time to familiarize yourself with the dozens of strategies that each faction can employ. Add mixed-race teamwork, and the possibilities explode.

Also taking into consideration the Battle.net relaunch with its integrated social networking features and supposedly improved matchmaking, StarCraft II isn't doing anything to disappoint so far. Nevermind the delays; if the game improves as much for release as it has since the last time I saw it, the wait will be worth it and then some.

Ubisoft's Michael McIntyre Talks About The Prince's Return To Form

Considering that the 2008 reboot of the Prince of Persia series offered up a totally new art style and protagonist, many were surprised when news broke about the next direction the series was taking. Rather than continuing with the new approach, The Forgotten Sands takes gamers back to the time following 2003's The Sands of Time. This means you'll once again be relying on your time-bending abilities to save you from that spike pit rather than the ethereal hand of Elika. A magic dagger isn't the only thing the Prince is packing this time around, however. You'll actually be able to control the forces of nature to assist in your quest. Check out the video below to see my interview with level design director Michael McIntyre about this return to form for the POP series.

DICE 2010: What Happens In Vegas..

DICE Summit 2010 is well underway and several Game Informer editors are out in Vegas reporting on all the latest news and updates. What happens in Vegas will be posted here for your convenience, starting with the most recent news posts. Check in regularly for all the latest posts or click here for the DICE 2010 Feed.

EA's Schappert Admits To Mirror's Edge, Dead Space Failures
John Schappert, chief operating officer at Electronic Arts used his time at DICE to talk about 20 years of technology transitions in the gaming industry. Aside from the obvious technological advances, Schappert says that one of the big changes is the number of gaming platforms and the difficulty in tracking data on such a fragmented marketplace.

Gearbox's Randy Pitchford On Perfection, Motivation
Gearbox Software’s president Randy Pitchford started off the last day of DICE with a deeper look at his studio’s philosophies and strategies.

Uncharted 2 Grabs 10 AIAS Awards
Well it looks like the AIAS is reinforcing what the rest of the industry has been saying since its release as Uncharted 2 has walked away with a stellar 10 awards this year. As is the tradition around here, Jay Mohr took the stage to host the 13th Annual Interactive Achievement Awards at DICE 2010. While the results definitely favored Naughty Dog's action/adventure game, other big winners included Batman: Arkham Asylum, Scribblenauts and Modern Warfare 2. For those of you who don't know, the AIAS awards are peer voted, meaning that the developers are picking the winners. Also honored this year were David Crane with the first annual Pioneer Award. Doug Lowenstein with the Lifetime Achievement Award and Mark Cerny was inducted into the Hall of Fame. See the full list of winners below.

Alan Wake Dev On Living With Delays
Matias Myllyrinne wrapped up today’s DICE lectures with a presentation about the long-delayed game, Alan Wake. The Remedy Entertainment president spent the bulk of his presentation discussing some of the reasons why development has taken such an extended period of time.

Brian Reynolds Talks About Harvesting Players
Zynga’s Brian Reynolds focused his DICE presentation on social gaming, which was clearly a topic on the minds of many this year. Zynga, in case you don’t know, is the company behind the ubiquitous Facebook games Mafia Wars and Farmville. Farmville now boasts more than 31 million daily users, according to Reynolds, which isn’t half bad considering that the game was developed in about five weeks. Of those users, about three to five percent of players pony up a little cash for the experience. While he wouldn’t give up any specific financial details, he said there was a reason why people are starting to take this revenue model seriously.

Kotick: Partnering With Harmonix Could Have Been Profitable
During his presentation at DICE, Activision Blizzard CEO Bobby Kotick talked about missed opportunities for the company. One such misstep was failing to explore options with Guitar Hero co-creator Harmonix.

Ultima Creator Says Game Stories Have Been Failures
The father of Ultima, Richard Garriott, made some very strong comments about the state of story-telling in games at DICE. Not only does he believe he’s written some of the best interactive dialogue in games, but he also thinks most other story-writing attempts have failed.

Bobby Kotick Traces His Roots, Announces Indie Game Competition
Activision Blizzard’s always outspoken CEO, Bobby Kotick, took the stage at DICE and used his time to talk about the early days of his involvement with the company. Anyone looking for him to make provocative statements left disappointed. Instead, the assembled audience heard a humble Kotick speak candidly about why he does what he does.

Jaffe: Calling All Cars Was A Mistake
Back in 2007, a downloadable PSN game entitled Calling All Cars was released. The game combined elements of Twisted Metal and NBA Jam’s gameplay, while glazing it with a cartoony veneer. Looking back, designer David Jaffe says it was a “mistake.”

ESA’s Legal Counsel Breaks Down Gaming Regulation
During his DICE presentation, Ken Doroshow, the Electronic Software Association’s senior vice president and general counsel, took the opportunity to talk about some of the legal challenges facing some of the gaming industry.

Professor Jessie Schell Breaks Down Social Media In Gaming
Jessie Schell, a professor at Carnegie Mellon University, kicked off today's DICE schedule by talking about the importance of social media in the gaming landscape.

Disney: Epic Mickey Could Arrive On PS3, 360
If you’ve had your eyes peeled on Game Informer since the site’s relaunch, you’re already very familiar with Disney Interactive’s upcoming Epic Mickey (check out our Epic Mickey hub page for tons of features). While originally touted as a Wii exclusive, word has surfaced from the Las Vegas DICE summit regarding the title going multi-platform at some point in the future.

Disney Kicks Off DICE, Drops Possible Name For Sony Motion Controller
The 2010 DICE Summit officially kicked off with Disney Interactive Media Group president Steve Wadsworth's keynote. After AIAS Pres Joseph Olin opened things up, Steve took the stage to discuss the company's digital content strategy, the economy's affect on the games industry, and new trends in technology that are changing the way consumers view and buy media.

Keep checking into GameInformer.com for the latest news coming out of DICE 2010.

Exclusive Video Of MLB 2K10 Gameplay

Readers of my blog have gotten a chance to see my firsthand impressions of MLB 2K10 for the last seven days, and now you can check out nine minutes of exclusive video. Take a look at the video below to see my beloved Cubs take on the Mets. Any jokes about the Cubs will be met with an immediate ban.