Game Developers Conference 2011 Highlights

he Game Developers Conference is obviously not as flamboyant as an E3 or a Tokyo Game Show. That probably has something to do with the fact that this is a conference for game developers and not the media. Most of the event is full of keynote speeches, demonstrations and previews so expecting earth shattering announcements is a tad silly. However we’ve combed through the entire event and here’s what we found interesting.
Battlefield 3 will melt your face

Will it decimate all competition?

Without a doubt I would say Battlefield 3 was the highlight of the event. After teasing us with an uhh teaser trailer, DICE finally blew open the doors to their highly anticipated military shooter and it did not disappoint. Not only were we treated to photo realistic visuals but thanks to EA Sports’ animation system, character movements now seem extremely fluid and lifelike. In addition to this, the destruction synonymous with the Bad Company series is back in a huge way. This game also marks the debut of Mother Nature in the Battlefield series where she’ll be tearing stuff down through some immensely powerful earthquakes.

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Never judge Dead Island by its trailer

Where’s all the drama gone?

The Dead Island trailer took the world by storm when it hit the internet two weeks ago. People couldn’t get enough of a family’s plight as they were torn apart – quite literally - by a zombie outbreak on a sunny, tropical island. It was obvious the game wouldn’t play like the trailer but you’d assume that the game would definitely sport a somber and more morbid vibe than most zombie games out there. However, it seems developer Techland have adopted a more over-the-top, comical vibe as seen in games like Dead Rising, according to IGN. In addition to this rather disappointing direction, packing in a token black dude who’ll sprout phrases like “Daaaaaamn, that b***h was huge!” and “You a dead b***h now!” when he kills zombies doesn’t particularly instill us with confidence.

Epic unveil “next generation” of Unreal 3 engine

Smoking will still kill you - even in HD

Are you of the opinion that the Unreal 3 engine now looks dated? Well then Epic sure have a surprise up their sleeve in the form of a “next generation” version of this engine showcased at GDC 2011. Headache inducing jargon aside (stuff about DX11, PhysX and Tessellation) you can make out it looks real swell. Unfortunately you won’t see it in action anytime soon as Epic feels the current crop of consoles won’t be able to handle it. You’ll have to make do with some cam footage for now as Epic haven’t officially released a video yet.

Ninja Gaiden 3 Teased

Ninja Gaiden 2 was like the bloodiest game ever made and it looks like Ninja Gaiden 3 could up the ante. Being a teaser trailer, there isn’t much to analyze here but Team Ninja have promised a full reveal at E3 2011.
Steam coming to TVs

Coming soon to a TV near you

There’s no doubt that Steam is the Holy Grail for PC gaming today. Valve however understand that sometimes you may want to play certain Steam games on your television set and so at GDC they announced a initiative through which users will be able to do just that. How this works wasn’t revealed, and all we know is that “Big picture mode will enable gamers to enjoy Steam and their library of Steam games on more screens throughout the house.”

Create your own missions in inFamous 2

Level editor FTW!

Allowing users to create content for any game will significantly increase its shelf life. This was most evident in LittleBigPlanet where users created thousands of free levels for others to play. And now it seems developer Sucker Punch’s open world game, inFamous 2 will allow players the very same creative liberty. You’ll get a taste of things to come when Sucker Punch launch a public beta this April.