The Grand E3 Game Thread

[Ace Pace]

The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess First Look

E3 06: The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess First Look
Nintendo announces and demonstrates a version of Twilight Princess specifically designed for the Wii.
By Bob Colayco, GameSpot
Posted May 9, 2006 10:50 am PT
LOS ANGELES--Nintendo announced today that the upcoming Legend of Zelda game, Twilight Princess, will ship in two different versions--one made for the Wii and one for the Revolution. Nintendo representatives showed off the Wii version of the game in action during their E3 press conference, giving specific details for the first time on how the game will work with the Wii controllers.

The player demonstrating Twilight Princess used both the remote and the "nunchuk" attachment to control the game. Movement will be done using the analog thumbstick on the nunchuk, while you will be able to switch between items on link using the plus pad on the remote. Targeting on screen is handled by using the Z button on the nunchuk, which will bring up a sparkling fairy on screen as a cursor. It appeared from the video that you can use the fairy as a secondary means of selecting items using the interface indicators on screen. You'll use the remote to swing your sword, holding down the B button on the bottom of the remote unit. Bow aiming will also be handled freely with the remote, with a visible cursor on screen showing you where you're aiming.

While showing off the bow, Nintendo revealed a new detail about the remote--a built-in speaker will be utilized while firing the bow. You'll hear the bow string stretch and go taut, and when you fire, you'll hear the fwip of the arrow, and then the sound of the arrow striking the target will come out of the television speakers, simulating a dynamic soundscape. You can imagine other games using this feature to make the sound of gunshots come out of the remote speaker, for example.

Nintendo reps showed off a number of other interesting control options in the Wii version of Twilight Princess. Jabbing with the remote for example, will let Link do a shield bash move to stun enemies. The rumble feature will let you feel it when you connect with a shield bash. The pointer will also be used to aim and map out waypoints for your boomerang, which will have puzzle solving applications in the game, as shown when the Nintendo reps hit several switches in succession to open up a doorway. We then got to see Link picking up a crate, using the A button on the remote. The demonstrator then flicked the nunchuk to throw the box, revealing that both the nunchuk and the remote have motion-sensing capability. This capability also applied to the sword play, as you can rotate the nunchuk to execute a spin attack, or stab down with the nunchuk to do Link's signature coup-de-grace move. Fishing with the controller will also be in the game, as you use the remote to cast and reel in fish with intuitive flick and pull moves.

The level used to demonstrate the game appeared to be some kind of dusty canyon or mining area with imp-like enemies. Delving deeper into the area revealed caverns with some lava, and a giant stone door with a lock on it, at which point the demonstration ended. We didn't get to see too much from a strict level or gameplay standpoint, but we were certainly impressed with our first concrete demonstrations of gameplay using the Nintendo Wii's unique controllers.

[Mobius]

the paddle?

[Sephirius]

http://www.gametrailers.com/player.php? ... mv&pl=game

^new HD trailer from E3

[Ace Pace]

Microsoft conference live feed.

11:21: Booming but nasal voice tells audience that the show will start in 10 minutes. Blaring big-beat techno resumes playing.

11:26: A big screen at the front of the theater is displaying the Xbox Live GamerTags of conference attendees.

11:28: A curtain goes back on the left-hand side, revealing a series of recessed green alcoves, each with a 360 inside, behind a podium.

11:30: Scheduled start time reached, but dozens of attendees still mill about the hall, waving to each other. Some look very disoriented. Other just looked tired.

11:32: Even with the carefully selected techno-rock soundtrack inducing premature hearing loss in the first three rows, the sound of laptop keys clacking is clearly audible.

11:33: Rival game journalists in the audience exchange handshakes, waves, nod, and the occasional hostile stare.

11:33 Still more stragglers arriving. Apparently they got lost on the 200-foot section of Hollywood Boulevard lined with Microsoft banners.

11:34: One nervous usher waits patiently as a burly man well over six feet talks obliviously on his cell phone in the middle of the isle.

11:35: A contingent of huge bodyguards in suits walks down the far left isle of the theater. Could Gates be here?

11:36: Another reminder of the ban on photography. More flashes.

11:37: Another wave of attendees mills in. Apparently they were on a stand-by list, which Microsoft has opened up in order to fill all the seats.

11:38: "Ladies and gentlemen, take your seats, the show is about to begin," says the voice from the speakers. Sounds like a weird mix of Rick Moranis and Charlton Heston.

11:39: The huge screen in the front swirls with various namer tags and the music dies.

11:40: SHOW BEGINS.

11:41: Gears of war trailer. It's a spectacular battle with giant spider-thing crushing people. Locust troopers rip apart humans.Insane fire fight, blood and fire everywhere. No date given.


11:42: Cliffy B takes on stage to show off level of Gears, mission has two troopers trying to escape area. Cut to underground bunker, troopers then go up stairwell to ruined city for airlift, locust troops everywhere.

11:43: Shotgun blast purees locust guy--blood EVERYWHERE, close-up shotgun blast splatters another, lead trooper now in firefight in hall,bullets flying everywhere, frame rate a tad chuggy. Antoher close-up shotgun blast rips Locust apart. His severed arm plops onto a large stone.

11:45: Heat effects blur fire from the guns in Gears of War. It's these details and its visceral combat that evoke Halo. Close combat melee moves, shotguns to the face, and bullets, bullets, bullets are the plan to make this a hit with the kids.

11:46: Grenade blast takes out last of locusts, troopers emerge into open. Another firefight. More blood. Frame rate totally chugging at this point, but it's definitely real-time. Lead human trooper--Marcus--slaughters the last of the locusts. Blood jets everywhere when he sticks his chainsaw bayonet into a locust and rips him in half.


11:47: The ruined city of the game is in shambles. Enemies are relentless, as the oafish soldiers can take bullets with the best of them. The action is in intense. This is the first level. I repeat, this is the first level. Marcus can shoot blindly from behind cover, as he spends most of his time moving from cover spot to cover spot. The AI looks fabulous.

11:48: Message over radios warns of movement below ground. Whole earth shakes, cocrete snaps like peanut brittler. HUGE spider locust coomes out. Trailer ends with no release date. Cliffy B cedes stage to Peter Moore, who talks about "the most powerful next-generation experience ... with the most spectacular games ever."

11:49: Talks organizational changes, says games are driving Microsoft's entire agenda. "Your lifestyle always takes center stage," he tells the crowd.He says Xbox 360 generated more interest than anticipated. Jokes that shortages were not due to consoles being hidden in Area 51. Few laughs.

11:50 As the end of May, Microsoft will have sold over 5 million 360s--the faster console seller everywhere. He says the goal is to catch up to iPod in cultural signifance. He gives more stats, notes three of top 10 March games were Xbox 360.

11:52 Moore says three pillars are "Your lifestyle, your games, and your friends." Says 360 isn't a hub, it's a "gateway to all kinds of HD entertainment." Moore moves onto Xbox Live. Says it is the "One true unified gamespace." Friends lists, matchmaking--6 million members by next E3.

11:54 He says current attach rate for XBL is 57 percent, adds that Xbox Arcade is the secret to the success. Announces series of new games: Pac-Man, Contra, Galaga, Frogger, Sonic, Defender, Street Fighter II, Time Pilot, Ultimate Mortal Kombat 3, Rally-X, Dig Dug, Ms. Pac-Man, PaperBoy, and Rootbeer Tapper.

11:56: Namco, Konami, Sega, and Midway all on board. All arcade classics will have updated HD graphics, some will have XBL muliplayer. "With Xbox Live Arcade, we're doing for games what Sundance does for movies," says Moore. "We provide up and coming talent with a venue to show their skills." He adds that Lumines Live will be coming to the system.


11:58: Moore announces deal with Warner Bros. Music to put music videos--Madonna shown as an example--in the background of Lumines Live.

11:57: Moore moves on to the "next wave of Xbox 360 games": Jamiroquai blares, teailers: Lost Planet, Table Tennis, BIA Hell's Highway, Mass Effect, NHL 2k7, FEAR, Too Human, Viva Pinata, MotoGP 06, LOTR: BfMEII, Sonic, Madden 07, World Seris of Poker, Saint's Row, WWE Smackdown, Stranglehold, Enchanted Arms, Test Drive Unlimited, NCAA Football, Dead Rising, Dance Danc Revolution Universe, Prey, Superman returns, NBA 2k7, Crackdown, 99 Nights, and Gears of War.

12:01: Xbox 360 logo comes up to applause. Moore says by the holidays, there will be over 160 Xbox 360 games. Says Madden will make next-gen debut on Xbox 360.

12:02: Formally announces Fable 2, runs trailer. Sinister woods, lady with hat with paper fortune teller thing from grade school. Fable 2 logo--name now official. Lady asks lady to show destinity. Amazing montage of fire and shadow, Xbox 360 logo comes up to enthusiastic applause. 12:04: Moore thanks Molyneux who's sitting in the front row. Molyneux smiles.

12:05: Moore announces Forza Motorsport 2. A trailer goes up--insanely intense race featuring a BMW gives way to conceptual art montage, then fades back to race. Car driving shifts to exposed view showing disasembled engine, then back to race. Superclose-up of wheel well inside crash shows red-hot brake pad buckling. Forza 2 logo comes up.

12:06: Moore cites Forza's GameRankings score of 93 percent--then announces game will come out in this fall. And then announces first wireless steering wheel and...



12:07: Xbox 360 Camera, Xbox Vision, announced. Xbox Vision will have interoperability with World Series of Poker, allowing players to watch each other.

12:08: Moore introduces Sakaguchi as he talks up importance of Japan. Rolls trailer. Shows kid piloting spaceship over battlefield crawlig with cartoony robots--think Iron Giant gone bad. Blue Dragon logo comes up. Applause.

12:10 Blue Dragon available in Japan this year, says Moore. Announces new title for next Tecmo game--now officially Dead or Alive Xtreme 2. Says trailer will be available later this month.

12:11: Moore moves onto Tom Clancy games, gives Ubisoft props. Trailer for Double Agent comes up, shows Sam Fisher getting mission, Fisher losing his job to go "deep undercover," shooting dude in alleyway, then parachuting into artic base. Guard walks by, and Fisher comes up OUT OF THE SNOW and slits his throat. Guy saying "I am Sam Fisher" is NOT Michael Ironside. Release date confirmed--this September.

12:13: Moore turns subject to Viva Pinata. Many in the audience snicker. MGS designer Jim Veevaert gets on stage to talk about game. Says the concept originated at Rare. Says goal is to turn little plot of land which will attract wild, free-roaming pinantas. Bashing those pinatas with bats to harvest their candy entrails is apparently not part of the game.

12:18: However, accordig to Veevaert, buying and selling pinatas on Marketplace is part of the game. Players will be able to trade said pinatas and buy cusomtization features. Shows the "scary" pinata, a red "Macaracoon." Players can breed their pinatas by successfully completely a "romance dance" minigame which causes the pinatas to asexually reproduce. Those hoping for hot pinata-on-pinata action are visibly disappointed.
12:18: Moore moves subject to Xbox live Marketplace--18 million downloads so far. As of today, over 1,000 pieces of "downloadable content" available. Says publishers like Marketplace, since it changes the way people buy and play the game. Says Fight Night Round 3 demo led to a fivefold increase in pre-orders of the game. Says content partners: Epic Records, Paramount, Lionsgate, Parammount.

12:20: Moore announces first TV show on XBL Marketplace, the Gears of War experience, will be avaible tomorrow.

12:21: Moore whips out Xbox 360 HD-DVD peripheral--it looks like a mini Xbox 360 with a black front. The name is "Xbox 360 Player" and it will be available this holiday season.

12:22: "Major announcement about one of greatest franchsies of all time." Says its so exciting that he has to take his shirt off. Shows Halo 2 tatto--GRAND THEFT AUTO IV tatoo on other arm. Grand Theft Auto IV October 16 to Xbox 360 ONLY.


12:25: "Microsoft and Rockstar have entered into an exclusive deal to privide episodic content via Xbox Live Marketplace."



12:26: Grand Theft Auto IV will be updated with regular fresh content, more details later. Crowd is stunned, gasps all around.

12:25: Subject turns to PC gaming, Crytek developer gets on stage to show off "Windows exclusive" Crysis.

12:30: Demo of crysis: Soldier goes into darkened room, comes out to night sky filled with smoke and fire. A HUGE metal walker--think the War of the Worlds tripods on steroids--is laying waste to the landscape. It is surrounded by smaller walkers who attack the human soldiers. Humans hammer away at big walker with rocket launchers. It eventually goes down in flames.

12:31 Moore says Crysis will run on Windows XP and Windows Vista, contrary to some reports.

12:31: Demo footages from games: Crysis, Age of Conan. Slick graphic shows orange tree and tagline "evloved." Moore talks up Vista, says it has "more options for games than ever before."

12:33: Moore talks about more "dual releases like Elder Scrolls IV," and cues up trailer for Shadowrun. Shows a lot of combat with elves and orcs with assault weapons fighting magic-using humans in burnt-out city.

12:36: Release date--next January, "right alongside Windows Vista." Trailer shown for second Vista/360 dual release, Alan Wake. Microsoft publising now, apparently.

12:38: Clip shows sun setting on town, Alan Wake running around darkness. Moore confirms game will be published by Microsoft, exclusively for Windows and Xbox 360. Bill Gates takes stage! He's here to present future of gaming!

12:39: Gates takes stage, talks about how he loves playing Xbox Live Arcade games with his kids. Then he starts talking about big picture things, about how games will be extended to all platforms--PC, mobile, Xbox 360 ... something major seems in the offing.

12:40: Gates says Microsoft's goal is to make "gaming appeal to people of all ages" and expand the market.

12:41: Gates predicts that Xbox 360 will have a 10 million-unit head start on its competitors, then talks up Live--how that buddy list facilitates community. Says that when you include mobile phone users, the potential gamer population is 1 billion.

12:44: Gates announces new platform--"Live Anywhere." Will be part of Windows Vista--will have one user interface, one identity, one friends list, one message center, one marketplace. Same as Xbox Live 360, same interface, embedded in Windows.

12:45: Gates talks up mobile phone gaming, says there's a "lot of opportunity."

12:48: Gates says Live Anywhere will extend to mobile phones, but is vague on specifics. Says that Microsoft is the only company in the world capable of such an undertaking.

12:51: Scot Henson, director of platform strategy for Xbox and Windows takes the stage to show off Live Anywhere. Starts up game of Shadowrun, connects with friends list--which shows whether his friends are on a PC, Xbox 360, or mobile phone. He sends message to Major Nelson, who is working on a Vista PC. On the right-hand side is his friends list, just like Xbox 360--GamerTag on there too. Henson says acheivements on any platofrm will add to one single gamer score, and GamerTag will be the same too.

12:53: Live Anywhere will have the same reputation anywhere, says Henson. He then pulls out a Motorola Q cell phone with Windows Mobile. The phone has the Xbox Arcade games he downloaded on his Xbox 360 ON HIS PHONE. He plays a game of Zuma. Then he plays a music video he downloaded onto his Xbox 360 on his phone. The phone menu also has a movie options for "X-Men."

12:54: I get the official Rockstar Games announcement of Grand Theft Auto IV in my e-mail--it says that the game will be release simultaneously on Xbox 360 and PS3. Moore said it was coming to 360 first. What the...?

12:55: Moore gets on stage and gives recap. Says games will all be playble, then Gates says "Hey Peter, let's play these people a snippet of a game they might like to see..." Crowd goes wild, trailer comes up. Halo theme plays, scen of a wartorn wasteland. Long figure can be seen therogh the smoke. Cortana alerts screen. MASTER CHIEF WALKS OUT.

12:59: HOLY CRAP, GIGANTIC Covenat dropship... dozens of them. Sky swarming with banshes over gian crater is actually a giant forerunner gateway--the gateway lights up, screen goes white, HALO 3 LOGO APPEARS.

1:00: Crowd goes ballistic. Lights come up and the conference is over.

[Ace Pace]

Red Steel MUST see video

The usage of the controller seems to natural and easy to get used to.

[npisd]

Halo 3 trailer up on Xbox Live right now. 100MB though.

[Ace Pace]

GTA exclusive to the Xbox360? Sony just got Pwned, HARD.

[Ace Pace]

1:01: Crowd gets up to leave, but weird audio recording comes over PA. Female voice asks "Master Chief to pick up white courtesy phone," and urges people not to feed any "grunts they might encounter." Then she says "The Locust horde has a scheduled attack at 3pm in this venue." Some laughter from the obviously stunned crowd.

Hah!

[Vehrec]

Video for Halo 3: Quicktime Small Trailer
Windows Media Large Trailer

[Spanky The Dolphin]

the paddle?

Looks kind of like a job.

[Ace Pace]

Dosn't seem like anything I've seen for Videos, nevermind images.

Infact, it dosn't seem real at all compared to gamespots hands on usage.

The second part of the controller, the analog attachment that goes by the "nunchaku" moniker, had a more streamlined shape and featured a tweaked button design. The two shoulder buttons, named Z1 and Z2 respectively, have also been reshaped and renamed since we last saw them at the Game Developers Conference a few months ago. The top shoulder button, now called C, is a good deal smaller than the lower shoulder button, now called Z. The C button was oval shaped, while the Z button was a more traditional square.

[Mobius]

Dosn't seem like anything I've seen for Videos, nevermind images.

Infact, it dosn't seem real at all compared to gamespots hands on usage.

The second part of the controller, the analog attachment that goes by the "nunchaku" moniker, had a more streamlined shape and featured a tweaked button design. The two shoulder buttons, named Z1 and Z2 respectively, have also been reshaped and renamed since we last saw them at the Game Developers Conference a few months ago. The top shoulder button, now called C, is a good deal smaller than the lower shoulder button, now called Z. The C button was oval shaped, while the Z button was a more traditional square.

seems pretty official to me
Nintendo japan

[Ace Pace]

Ah, talking about differant things.

[Mobius]

PC kid is supposed to be playable on the nintendo stand according to the french site Gamekult.com

[Mobius]

US version of Ouendan:
video
i want the tracklist!!

[phongn]

the paddle?

Looks kind of like a job.

Check the source URL for that image.

[Hamel]

GTA exclusive to the Xbox360? Sony just got Pwned, HARD.

That's what everyone originally thought, but GTA is only getting exclusive downloadable content on 360. There will be a PS3 version.

[Spanky The Dolphin]

Check the source URL for that image.

Yeah, I noticed that since. Seems that rather than a shell it's now a wholy seperate alternate controller. According to the Wiki, the classic controller still plugs into the Wii Remote for operation.

By the way, here's a hi-res version of the classic controller, as well as the final version of the Wii Remote itself:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Wii_ ... roller.jpg
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/e ... w_0501.jpg

[Chardok]

So...any of you savvy motherfuckers hear anything out of the KOEI stand at E3? (Dynasty Warriors 6, anyone?)

[Ace Pace]

So...any of you savvy motherfuckers hear anything out of the KOEI stand at E3? (Dynasty Warriors 6, anyone?)

KOEI's E3 lineup.

PlayStation 3:
Fatal Inertia
Blade Storm: Hundred Years War

Xbox 360:
Samurai Warriors 2

PlayStation 2:
Samurai Warriors 2

PSP:
Gitaroo Man Lives!
Dynasty Warriors Vol. 2

Nintendo DS:
Dynasty Warriors DS

PC:
Uncharted Waters Online
Dynasty Warriors BB (working title)

[Vympel]

C&C3 first screenshots

Where is all the PC E3 stuff, anyway?

[Ace Pace]

Since conferences are run by the big 3 console makers, no one represents PC stuff. However, in...6-8 hours we'll see a SHITLOAD of E3 articles coming up as E3 officially kicks off. Asumming someone tells me how Praxis looks like, I'll even try to catch a picture of him at the doors

[Vympel]

Since conferences are run by the big 3 console makers, no one represents PC stuff. However, in...6-8 hours we'll see a SHITLOAD of E3 articles coming up as E3 officially kicks off. Asumming someone tells me how Praxis looks like, I'll even try to catch a picture of him at the doors

He'll be the guy in the Mario outfit

[Ace Pace]

He'll be the guy in the Mario outfit

We do have some PC games already shown off, yesterday during the microsoft demonstration. Crysis, Shadowrun and another game I forgot the name of.

[Ace Pace]

Red Steel interview live:

God the french accent.

Single player story is all told in game, no cut scenes.

AI that cares for its life, will try to stay alive if possible, including surrender.

Single Player is single character, MP is generic characters.

Usage of speaker: Simple basic sounds like gunshots will utilise speakers.

Full usage of the Wiimoto, it'll be very hard to play this like a couch potatoe.

Release date: Launch title