id Software

Quake Champion’s Early Access Period to Start Next Week

/ Dustin Murphy / Leave a comment

For nearly a year, Quake Champions has been sitting in closed testing. This close testing included limited invites, limited player bases, and a onslaught of champions to enjoy for those who’ve been testing it, have been doing so quite eagerly. While the testing was announced back at QuakeCon 2014, the game has since gone on to ensure its longevity, but also that it would keep the competitive edge that the franchise has been known for.

Today, the studio announced that the game would be exiting Closed Beta on August 22nd, just two days before Bethesda and id Software’s event QuakeCon in Dallas, TX at the Gaylord Texan Hotel and Resort. Tim Willit’s, Studio Director at id Software, announced that Quake Champion’s is heading into the Early Access “version of Quake Champions is, obviously, a work-in-progress, but represents a solid and robust version of the game, with four modes, 11 Champions, a variety of maps, and a thriving community of fans. Early Access will allow us to work closely with players to improve the game and add additional features before the official launch of Quake Champions in the coming months.”

If you are looking to frag your way to the top of the global leaderboards, id Software announced that

Players who want to jump in and frag their way to global dominance will be able to buy the Champions Pack, which will unlock all current and future Champions as well as other exclusive in-game bonuses for $29.99, 25% off the final retail price of $39.99.

To play Quake Champions during Early Access, players can buy the Champions Pack, which includes:

  • All 11 current Champions, including Ranger, Visor, Scalebearer, Nyx, Anarki, Clutch, Sorlag, Galena, Slash, Wolfenstein’s BJ Blazkowicz, and the new DOOM Slayer
  • All future Champions, including at least six additional Champions expected to release before the end of 2018, and any that follow
  • An exclusive Early Access skin for Ranger, available only during the Early Access period for Champions Pack players
  • Three Reliquaries (loot chests containing three in-game items for profile, Champion and weapon customization, including skins, shaders, nameplates and more)

DOOM Goes ‘Ultimate DOOM’ With New Update That Makes ALL DLC Free

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For just over a year, id Software has been the recipient of critical acclaim for their reboot of the DOOM franchise. Their game took players to new heights as the game explored not just what it took to kill demons of Hell, but what it took to smash your way through player created content. They reinvented the “ultimate” DOOM experience with this new update and even dropped the games price to a “Hellishly” low price for fans to enjoy.

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AMD’s Radeon Vega Frontier Beats Nvidia’s GTX 1080 in 4K Test Playing DOOM

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There’s no doubt that id Software’s DOOM is one of the most beautiful games in recent years. It’s a game that is – artistically speaking – one of the most demanding games out there to date. It’s a game that pushes PC hardware to the limits when it comes to 4K gaming as many know. It is even a game that has become one to benchmark your 4K PC builds with if you want to know what your computer can handle.

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QuakeCon 2017 Dates and Location Announced

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QuakeCon_BYOC

[Courtesy: David Murphy/QuakeCon 2016]

Ladies and gentlemen, that time of the year has begun to get underway as we prepare for our favorite event of the year, and the very one we are looking forwards to. For many of you, you have already known that QuakeCon is one of the most distinguished festivals of all time. Originally started in 1996, QuakeCon premiered in Dallas, Texas, where it has remained growing ever since.

This year fans can once more find themselves in the Dallas metro through August 24th to August 27th this year.

As usual, the year will remain free thanks to id Software, Bethesda Softworks, and the amazing QuakeCon volunteer staff, and this years sponsors as well as exhibitors.

However, the event location has changed from the usual Hilton Anatole where we’ve been seeing it for the past few years. This year, attendees, exhibitors, and even developers can expect to visit QuakeCon this year at the Gaylord Texan Resort and Convention Center in Grapevine, TX. You’ll want to take at a special message from Bethesda below.

WHERE:

Gaylord Texan Resort and Convention Center
1501 Gaylord Trail
Grapevine, TX 76051

Guests can make room reservations at the Gaylord Texan Resort and Convention Center by calling 1.877.491.5138 or going online to: https://aws.passkey.com/go/QuakeCon. A special room rate of $185 per night is available when you reference QuakeCon 2017!

DETAILS:

Entering its 22nd year, QuakeCon 2017 will continue to celebrate games and the people who play them by hosting North America’s largest BYOC (Bring-Your-Own-Computer) LAN party. With over two thousand BYOC seats available, participants can showcase their custom computers and join the QuakeCon gamer community to play their favorite games either solo or against one another on the same local area network.

QuakeCon is free for general attendees and open to the public. This year’s event will offer diverse activities for all, including those who choose not to bring their own computer. Attendees are first to see sneak peeks of Bethesda’s upcoming titles and announcements while also attending a wide array of presentations, tournaments, workshops and exhibits from leading tech companies showcasing the newest gaming accessories and hardware.

About the Writer:

dustin_batgr_prof

Dustin is our native console gamer, PlayStation and Nintendo reviewer who has an appetite for anything that crosses the boarders from across the big pond. His interest in JRPG’s, Anime, Handheld Gaming, and Pizza is insatiable. His elitist attitude gives him direction, want, and a need for the hardest difficulties in games, which is fun to watch, and hilarity at its finest. You can find him over on Twitter, Google+, and or you can find him on PSN with RaivynLyken.

Sit-Rep: DOOM (Multiplayer) – A Bloody Good Time

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Pros:
+Weapon load-outs take away the need for hunting down basic weapons, leaving only power weapons to be found via pick-ups.
+The verticality in maps allow for players to traverse into combat how they please.
+Demon rune changes the entire approach to combat that players may have.
+Maps variate between UAC themed and Hell themed while some use both in “Unto the Evil” DLC pack.

Cons:
–Intermittent lag issues can cause some to be deterred from playing.
–Connecting issues can cause some frustration when connecting to the servers.

Editor’s Note: Our review for the multiplayer portion of DOOM features Unto the Evil DLC content. The content is now available for 14.99 USD or through the Season Pass for Season Pass holders.

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Heralding in the multiplayer genre via LAN or Online; DOOM as a franchise has remained at large as one of the greatest arena style shooting games of all time. In the recent years, we’ve seen a decline in games that follow the idea of fast momentum, no camping, and constant blood bathing as foes are turned into masses of viscera.

Something that DOOM has always been known for is its constant push for fast movement speeds, shotguns, blood, and a constant need for fragging enemy players. With a smash-hit campaign, DOOM‘s multiplayer is just as strong as its single player campaign in its own creative rights. So much so, that we decided to give the game its own individual review from the rest of the game. While the formula changes from being a badass taking on Hell to badass Space Marines chasing other badass Space Marines in order to see who can acquire the most objectives completed. This renders the game rather different from the singleplayer experience. While it’s damning to say, the game feels more like Unreal than it does DOOM or Quake.

This isn’t because the game is actually bad; instead, it makes since with the recently announced Quake Champions seeking to fill the arena shooter aspect of the game. With loadouts in the game, DOOM seeks to fill those familiar spots with random pick-ups such as speed boosts, demon runes, invisibility, and even things such as regenerative health. Even weapons such as the Gauss Rifle (railgun renamed), and even the BFG have made sporadic appearances through ever game mode in timed intervals.

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While sniper weapons like the vortex rifle remain useful, they aren’t mainstay weapons like one would hope, which leaves them as weapons that could potentially be hyper lethal almost useful. Their diluted usefulness is mostly due to weapons such as the rocket launcher, lightning gun, and even the chaingun as weapons that can be placed in player loadouts from the get-go. This even has something to do with the fact the game’s doublejump from the campaign has made its way into the multiplayer, which eliminates camping from the game overall. If you aren’t used to this style games? Weapons such as the Vortex Rifle and the Stasis Rifle can dish out some heavy amounts of damage in a short few seconds.

Along with virtually every gun being able to be used in loadouts, there are a few new additions as well such as hack mods that will allow players to gain unique advantages in combat such as shared XP with the Osmosis perk, Bloodtrail, which allows players to hunt down enemies as they run away during combat. While these are usable for those instances, accessories have also made their new debut. These little tools include things such as the personal teleporter that allow players to move through combat in an instant while putting out as much damage as possible. Accessories such as the kinetic mines allow players to set lethal traps for their enemies while maneuvering throughout the battlefield. A long with these comes weapons such as the Siphon Grenade that allow players to regain health while damaging enemies as much as possible.

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The most unique change to combat isn’t necessarily just the games hack mods, but also a few disgruntlement’s that also lie within the game. First and foremost is the fact that most alternate fire modes are limited to the games overall progression. Players are limited to the combat shotguns grenade round, the heavy assault rifles scoped mode, the rocket launchers remote detonation, and the plasma rifles heatblast that allows for players to cover an area in heated plasma in order to take out enemies. Even weapons such as

While I’d have loved to have seen all the modes stripped away all together, DOOM does offer a clean and unique vision of what the multiplayer should be like. Unfortunately, the reason behind why some of these may not be possible? Is because things such as the Heavy Assault Rifles rocket rounds may not be all that favorable with the games netcode. That or just the fact it could quite possibly do too much damage in the short term. If anything, it does leave room for glory kills to remain satisfying as players take one another out in rapid combat while smashing each others skulls in. The netcode issue shows true as it won’t be uncommon to see players connections drop from 3-4 bars ping only to hit yellow or red for the rest of the match. However, this is infrequent, and shouldn’t take away from the games overall enjoyment.

Overall, DOOM’s multiplayer offers a unique vision of what a game could possibly do in the near by future with game modes such as Team Death Match, Soul Harvest (kill confirmed for those who have played Call of Duty), Warpath (King of the Hill with a moving objective), Freeze Tag, and a few others. Each of the modes offer a unique blend of variation while keeping players amused and combative against one another while completing their objectives. Game modes such as Exodus (Capture the Flag), which force players to cooperate while locking down a traveling turn-in point.

Our review is based on a retail copy of the game and a season pass we purchased. For information about our ethics policy please click here.

 Final Score: 8 out of 10

About the Writer:

dustin_batgr_prof

Dustin is our native console gamer, PlayStation and Nintendo reviewer who has an appetite for anything that crosses the boarders from across the big pond. His interest in JRPG’s, Anime, Handheld Gaming, and Pizza is insatiable. His elitist attitude gives him direction, want, and a need for the hardest difficulties in games, which is fun to watch, and hilarity at its finest. You can find him over on Twitter, Google+, and or you can find him on PSN with RaivynLyken.

QuakeCon Has Wrapped Up, but the Memories are Here to Stay

/ Dustin Murphy / Leave a comment

Alas Quakecon 2016 has come to an end – It was a great three days. When you first walked into the exhibit hall you were at a stage where you could compete in the DOOM “Unto the Evil” Death Match Tournament. The screens were set so spectators could watch the action from the front of the stage – it is a great DLC that I will have to get here soon.

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Credit: David Murphy | Build Credit: Cyberpower PC/Thermaltake

Thermaltake had their booth decked as usual. We’ve been looking at expanding our reviews to do more PC gaming and at the beginning of our adventure – the Thermaltake Core P5 Case had my interest. Once our adventure ended – the Core P3 case became the case of choice. Shannon Robb was a tremendous help in closing our decision. He had a P3 set up very close to what we’d been speccing and it will work perfectly for what we know.

In the back of the exhibit hall Bethesda had a short Doom and Fallout 4 VR example you could play. One that relied on the HTC Vive. I had never tried to play a game with the Vive VR headset. Those two games are excellent normally, but the VR took it to a whole different level of intensity. It will be a must down the road when they are available.

The people of DXRacer were there again this year. I love the look of their chairs. I sat in several during the event. These gaming chairs are special – they are made in many sizes with a decent enough price range between each type. I found two, both of which I really liked and took notes. Later this fall we are going to order one and do a review on it. We will start with how hard it is to assemble and then a follow up on how it is holding up and how we feel about it.

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Credit: David Murphy | Game: Dusk by New Blood | Chair: DXRacer

There were several new games there again this year. The one that caught my eye was Dusk by New Blood Interactive. It’s a fast paced first person shooter – one, in which, I loved the retro look and feel of. There isn’t much story, but there is a lot of stuff that needs killed.

There were several seminars we attended. All of them were well thought out and the panels very informative as to what went into gaming, development, and story writing. We will have articles on those in the coming days.

When you’re at QuakeCon you always have to go by Modders Inc – the builds they have on display are always top notch and the best of the best on the floor. I love going over because I can ask whatever question I have and they try to answer it. They’ve never treated me with the look of “that was a dumb question”, and I know I’ve asked several of those. Instead they are happy to share their knowledge so you can do your build and just enjoy your PC builds and gaming.

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Credit: David Murphy | Booth: Modders Inc.

We did see three games coming up that will have to be on the get list. We saw trailers for Prey, Dishonored 2 and Quake Champions. All three of these looked great. Dishonored 2 will be out this year on 11/11/16 for PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and PC. Prey and Quake Champions is a bit further out. I can’t wait to see more on these titles.

Last, but not least, I want to thank all the people and sponsors that put this on each year. Without the companies like Alienware, Bethesda, id Software, DXracer, Nvidia and everyone I missed, we wouldn’t be able to enjoy this.

About the Writer:

David_Murphy_Vault_BoyDavid Murphy is B.A.T.G.R.’s behind the scenes man who helps get things up and going as well as keeping things in order. Don’t  be surprised to know that the old man contributes rather heavily to editing, news, and information he digs up so that editorials as well as articles are done properly. He also likes Fallout… A lot. We’re not sure he’s not secretly the Vault Boy in disguise.

QuakeCon Day 1 Recap – A Glimpse of a Beautiful Future

/ Dustin Murphy / Leave a comment

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It’s a nice day here in Dallas, Texas, one that has brought hundreds of gamers together to move among the crowd in unison. With plenty of games to see such as Dusk by New Blood, Shadow Warrior 2 as well as Strafe by Devolver Digital, DOOM (2016) on Vulkan API, and even The Elder Scrolls Legends for fans to enjoy. Among the group of vendors, exhibitors, and showings, Bethesda has once more brought the largest LAN party in North America together again. With games such as Dishonored 2, Fallout 4 VR, DOOM VR, and even Quake Champions on the way, the lineup is huge for fans to expect.

As the event opens, we are given a warm welcome by Tim Willits, a man that brings the event to life with Pete Hines. With much of this, we’ve learned that there will be upcoming panels, giveaways, and even more as the weekend gets underway. As a kickoff, we are introduced to many of the sponsors for the event such as AMD, Nvidia, id Software, and many more as the event begins to come to life.

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The focus this year isn’t just at what makes QuakeCon live outside of the fans, but it’s also the fact that fans have come across the country to make this happen – the fans that serve as volunteers. With QuakeCon remaining as big as it is, we learn that it’s not just the fans and teh volunteers, but the vendors, the companies that want to get their product out. The community itself is what helps make this event live the way it does.

As the stage lights up Pete Hines, VP of PR & Marketing steps out onto the stage. As his opening speech begins, he welcomes in the volunteers for this year in order to recognize them for their hardwork they will do. With games coming up in the VR booths such as The Elder Scrolls: Legends, which is upcoming for PC, Android, MAC, and Linux. Guess what makes this even better? The best part? It’s going Open Beta for PC as of today. Yes, that’s right. All you have to do is head over to the website in order to play the game.

As this news breaks? Pete goes on to let us know that Prey will be getting a new trailer here at QuakeCon. Doing so we are given a glimpse of a screen opening up to display the future we will see. One that is grim, dark, and troubled as our protagnist walks out, pistol in hand, our character? Morgan warns us about what is happening – a nightmare that is happening – a place where their is no room for uncertainty, there is no room for mistakes – this is the reality and humanity is lost. To fix it? Someone must die in order to save humanity. As the trailer ends, Pete once more comes to stage to inform us of the that the QuakeCon Trials are once more live. This includes Fallout Shelter on PC, Dishonored, DOOM, and even the Elder Scrolls: Legend.

With DOOM having released this year, they have announced that DOOM’s Eye on the Prize, which just reuqires attendees to wear a DOOM shirt. That’s all- it’s that easy. With DOOM also being the big game, the SnapMap Jam also gets underway starting Friday and Saturday between 12-4pm. With it being a big title, there’s prizes to win. With this news? Attendee’s will also be getting this free in order to enjoy the new content. This also comes with news of sales that include games up to 60% off for fans that don’t have them.

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This news also comes with what donations people make by purchasing games through Amazon or partners will go to partners of theirs. With this news ending, Marty Stratton takes to the stage in order to talk about what’s going on with id Softwares latest work on DOOM. With DOOM being a critical acclaim by the press, the fans, and more. They recognize both forums and critics, but also the development team for the games success. As he discusses this, he also recognizes the fans love and passion for what they have worked on. He takes note the game has been getting a good size amount of new and additional content as it comes out. Some of this includes the new multiplayer DLC 01 called “Unto the Evil” releasing today and will be playable by those who have been waiting for it. The pack includes new maps Cataclysm, Offering, and itual. All Hell themed maps. One is a new weapon called the new Kinetic Mine and the AUC EMG pistol and the new Demon titled “The Harvester”, which many will remember fro the base game.

The screen dims, we get a look at Dishonored 2, giving us a look at a world much different than the one we had gotten to know. With whales in the water and a boat headed to shore titled the “Dreadful Wale”, we’ve gotten a glimpse of what has happened to the world. With the future of the city gturning grim, we once more get to learn we will be under taking the roles of Corvo for this mission view in the world set before us. His future is grim, dark, but memorable as he once more gives glimpse of his skills as an assassin using his weapons and his teleport entitled “Blink”. We’ve also gotten a glimpse at his capabilities as a figther. This includes abilities such as possession, his ability to take over the enemy, but also his ability to sneak past his foes. As his assination target comes into play, we learn that Corbo remains as a master assassin in a world that is grim, a world that is dark, and quite easily troubled. With slow time remaining possible, his chance to be as deadly as ever remains true. His enemies? Set aflame with his incendiary bolts before being taken out by Corvo.

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Like before, the verticality in the world plays a major role as Corvo displays his need to continue his status in the world. To right wrongs, and to fix what has troubled the world around him. His combat prowess is deadlier than ever as he takes out his target Paolo, as he assists his new group – the Overseers, which players can side with. Dishonored 2 will be out November 11th. As the gameplay comes to an end – Pete Hines reminds us that the imgarey that people take with the cameras and phones is not allowed. As he finishes Raphael Colantonio and Ricardo Bare come to the stage to tell us about their upcoming title – Prey.

For those new to the game, it is a much different take on the title we knew before. Prey this time takes place on a Space Station titled Talis 1, one where a new project has gone underway, but as it does? Something has gone wrong: Aliens have invaded. These Aliens are hunting our main protagonist. With the game being open world, we’ve learned that the game will take the approaches we’ve never seen before, which doesn’t change much from the direction we could have imagined. The beauty of it? The world is deadly, it is alive, but it is also barren of the world where we wanted. A lockdown has occured, which leaves our protagonist fighting enemies such as weapons, but we’ve learned that weapons are rare, they aren’t as easily obtainable as one would hope.

This gives the element of ideology that the world of it exists. We’ve learned players will grab new abilities called Neuromods. This will allow players to upgrade their character to fit their playstyle as they do. The upgrades can be made by human while some can be directly learned from the aliens themselves. With weapons such as the Gloo Gun being capable of being around, we’ve learned the game will make it so that the player can freeze enemies in place, use an alien power, and even turn ourselves into things such as coffee cups with the Mimic ability. The Gluu gun itself can also be made for players to create their own path as they explore the world around them. With enemies around the corner, players will have to be readily aware for combat with weapons such as the shotgun, which can bring players down to fighting for survivability. With a weapon and ability wheel at their disposal, fans can easily get underway with what they are doing. A weapon titled the recicyling charge, players can gather ingredients to craft what they need. This also can open up paths they will need in order to explore the world around them.

Prey in this era will change heavily from the one we knew, and even become its own entity for players to enjoy. It will be a game that sets into a genre that fans of Bioshock, Dishonored, and even System Shock will enjoy quite a bit. Especially with items being fabricated for their use. Prey is a promising glimpse of open exploration of freedom as the demo takes us forth into outer space, where players can see a place to explore – an open world scifi experience that requires awareness of O2 and their supplies to keep alive. Abilities can be upgraded for players to use, making them more effective, more powerful, and even attract the attention of deadly enemies. This will be a game that will be a must have for PC, Xbox One, and PS4 owners when it launches in 2017.

About the Writer:

dustin_batgr_prof

Dustin is our native console gamer, PlayStation and Nintendo reviewer who has an appetite for anything that crosses the boarders from across the big pond. His interest in JRPG’s, Anime, Handheld Gaming, and Pizza is insatiable. His elitist attitude gives him direction, want, and a need for the hardest difficulties in games, which is fun to watch, and hilarity at its finest. You can find him over on Twitter, Google+, and or you can find him on PSN with RaivynLyken.

Bethesda Softworks and id Software to Support National and Local Charities

/ Dustin Murphy / Leave a comment

With its 21st year underway, Bethesda Softworks and id Software have announced that they will be helping give back by hosting several charitable organizations in order to help give back to the communities around them. This year they have announced they will be teaming up with the American Red Cross, 1Up on Cancer, Dallas Pets Alive, and Extra Life.

“We’re honored to host these amazing charities at QuakeCon this year,” said Pete Hines, VP of PR and Marketing, Bethesda Softworks. “Giving back to the community is extremely important to us, and we’ve got a wonderful group of attendees that come to QuakeCon year after year to lend their support to great causes.”

With the largest BYOC LAN Party in  North America under their belt, Bethesda Softworks and id Software will host the organizations at the Hilton Anatole in Dallas, Texas starting Thursday, August 4th through Sunday, August 7th, 2016. Lets take a look at how you can help, what these charities look at doing, and what they are about. We know we will be donating to help out the communities we love and know.

  • The American Red Cross will be collecting blood to provide lifesaving contributions to people in need during the critical summer months. Attendees who wish to donate blood can sign up with an American Red Cross representative onsite in the Topaz room from 11 a.m. until 5 p.m. on Friday, August 5 and Saturday, August 6. Donors who take part in the Blood Drive will receive a limited edition Bethesda Softworks t-shirt to honor the donation, while supplies last.

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**Donors must be at least 17 years old and meet American Red Cross requirements for donating blood, which can be found at http://www.redcrossblood.org/donating-blood/eligibility-requirements.

  • 1Up On Cancer, a gaming community-based non-profit organization dedicated to direct financial assistance for adults in the United States undergoing cancer treatment, will be in booth #703 in the Exhibit Hall.

  • Dallas Pets Alive, a local non-profit dedicated to promoting and providing the resources, education, and programs needed to eliminate the killing of companion animals, will be on hand with adoptable dogs and raffles of various prizes, including signed merchandise and a custom Vault-Tec™ Animal Friends Xbox® One. Attendees who adopt a pet or contribute a charitable donation will receive “Vault-Tec Animal Friends” Frisbee while supplies last. Visit Dallas Pets Alive in the Exhibit Hall (booth #701) throughout the event.

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  • Extra Life, a peer-to-peer fundraising group that raises money for Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals through the power of play, will be in attendance raising awareness at booth #702 in the Exhibit Hall. Players can visit http://www.extra-life.org/team/quakecon2016 to register an account and join the QuakeCon 2016 Team to join a group effort to raise $10,000 during the weekend.

As they continue to express appreciation with their ability to give back, Bethesda Softworks has announced they will be offering a QuakeCon Sale in partnership with Amazon.com in order to help benefit GameChanger. They have also announced they are also supporting a cure against paralysis by also helping battle cancer by teaming with with  Conquer Paralysis Now, the leading authority on spinal cord injury research and treatment committed to finding a cure for paralysis. Beginning August 2 through August 8, all digital PC Bethesda titles and a number of others will be on sale with a portion of the proceeds benefiting both organizations. For full details on the QuakeCon Sale and a complete list of the deals, be sure to visit Amazon.com/quakecon on August 2.

About the Writer:

dustin_batgr_prof

Dustin is our native console gamer, PlayStation and Nintendo reviewer who has an appetite for anything that crosses the boarders from across the big pond. His interest in JRPG’s, Anime, Handheld Gaming, and Pizza is insatiable. His elitist attitude gives him direction, want, and a need for the hardest difficulties in games, which is fun to watch, and hilarity at its finest. You can find him over on Twitter, Google+, and or you can find him on PSN with RaivynLyken.

QuakeCon’s Annual Welcome Features Dishonored 2, Prey, and Quake Champions

/ Dustin Murphy / Leave a comment

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QuakeCon 2016 is almost upon us. The show will undoubtedly herald in a higher anticipation than ever for some of their upcoming titles that have already received a heavy round of applause. On August 4th, at 10am CT, the doors for QuakeCon will open, welcoming in thousands of the publishers fans from all walks of fandom. Remaining open till 12pm CT on August 5th, fans will prepare to see a rather large kick-off at 3PM CT where they will open up the show with the highly anticipated title Quake Champions only to give attendee’s some exclusive gameplay presentations of their recently announced Prey and the follow up title Dishonored 2.

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If you can’t make it in time for the Thursday presentation? Arkane Studios’ Harvy Smith and Raphael Colantonio will return to the Ventrillo stage on Saturday, August 5th, where they will lead up with encore presentations of both Prey and Dishonored 2 for another exclusive look at the game.

 

Along with these presentations, Bethesda has announced that attendee’s will have a chance to experience DOOM‘s multiplayer, Fallout Shelter for PC, and the in-beta title The Elder Scrolls: Legends. In addition to this, players can also head down to the Exhibit Hall where they can get their hands on Bethesda VR. While down there, attendee’s can also meet up with featured exhibitor events, exhibitors, and sponsors for the event. 

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If you’re looking for something to do Friday and Saturday – look no further. Bethesda is offering the opportunity for attendee’s to see their developers as well as industry personalities discuss the importance of creating entertainment, giving fans a behind-the-scenes looks at went on behind the scenes with the development of DOOM and much, much more. Take a peak at the full list below. If you are attending? Head over and download the official QuakeCon App on your Apple, Android, or Windows mobile device to ensure you don’t miss a thing! The app will contain a full listing of daily events and will be continually updated throughout the show.  It’ll be updated over the course of the event.

If you can’t attend? Don’t be worried, you aren’t being left out, you can head onto Twitch.tv/Bethesda for live streaming of select panels and presentations, as well as Twitch.tv/QuakeCon to watch all of the official QuakeCon tournament action in real time. So stay tuned for our coverage as we will be covering the event live at QuakeCon with constant article updates, and possibly some live interviews!

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Before we wrap up, we want to give a special thanks to all the support that both id Software, Bethesda Softworks, the exhibitors, the 2016 event sponsors, and all of the Volunteer Staff give for the event to happen. If you are interested in attending, head on over to http://registration.quakecon.org, and pre-register now. For more information on QuakeCon 2016, you can check out: www.quakecon.org.

Official Schedule

(Please note: All times listed are Central Time.) 

FEATURED EVENTS AND ACTIVITIES

 

Thursday, Aug 4th 

 

 Annual QuakeCon Welcome

3:00pm | Streaming Live from the Ventrilo Main Stage

 
 

Friday, Aug 5th 

 

  

Panel: Uncapped: DOOM and the Power of idTech 6

Moderated by Marty Stratton, Game Director

2:30pm – 3:30pm | Sapphire Room

·         Sit down with members of id Software’s technology team  (Robert Duffy, Chief Technology Officer; Billy Khan, Lead Programmer; Tiago Sousa, Lead Rendering Programmer; Shale Williams, Technical Specialist) to get an inside look on how they drive technology decisions and push the limits on graphics, framerates, and performance.

 

Panel: Creating Worlds: A Discussion About Bringing Life to Games, Movies, and Books

Moderated by Andrea Rene and Geoff Keighley

3:30pm – 4:30pm  | Streaming Live from Topaz Room

·         Join Hugo Martin (id), Harvey Smith (Arkane), Ricardo Bare (Arkane), Andrew Reiner (Game Informer), Scott Porter (Actor), and Rick Malambri (Actor/Streamer) as they discuss the creative process and differences behind entertainment.

 

Fast as Hell: Live Speedrun

Moderated by Bethesda’s Global Community Lead, Matt Grandstaff and id’s Peter Sokal (Gameplay Systems Designer) and Kurt Loudy (AI Gameplay Designer)

4:30pm | Streaming Live from Sapphire Room

·         Watch as record-holder DraQu puts his world class speed-running abilities on display while playing DOOM running on Vulkan.

 

Master Pancake Theater

9:00pm – 12:00am | Ventrilo Main Stage

 
 

Saturday, August 6th 

 

  

PC Perspective Hardware Workshop

10:00am – 12:00pm  | Streaming Live from the Ventrilo Main Stage

·         Get ready for two hours of prizes, games, and raffles during the annual PC Perspective Hardware Workshop

 

Panel: Creating Hell: The Art and Design of DOOM

Moderated by Adam Sessler

12:00pm – 1:00pm | Sapphire Room

·         Join key members of id Software’s development team (Marty Stratton, Game Director; Hugo Martin, Creative Director; Shinichiro Hara, Animation Director; Jerry Keehan, Level Design Director; Chris Hite, Audio Director) to get a unique look at creating and designingDOOM’s epic single-player.

 

QuakeCon Attendee Exclusive Presentation of Prey and Dishonored 2

2:00pm | Ventrilo Main Stage

 

Panel: Bringers of DOOM

Moderated by David Houghton (GamesRadar+)

3:00pm – 4:00pm | Streaming Live from Topaz Room

·         Join DOOM’s senior leadership team (Marty Stratton, Game Director; Hugo Martin, Creative Director; Robert Duffy, Chief Technology Officer) as they share stories about their journey to bring DOOM to a modern audience.  Learn about their reactions to the post-launch acclaim as well as get an exclusive look at never-before-seen production assets and art.

 

Official QuakeCon Tournament Finals Party!

6:00pm | Streaming Live from the Ventrilo Main Stage

 

 

QUAKECON TRIALS

Participants in this year’s QuakeCon trials will need to complete five unique goals tied to DOOM, Dishonored, The Elder Scrolls Legends, Fallout Shelter, and Quake Champions for a chance to win raffle tickets for Ventrilo ‘Ultimate Power Up’ sweepstakes. All participants will also have an opportunity to win $5,000 during the QuakeCon Finals Party. The QuakeCon Trials will be held Thursday, August 4th – Saturday, August 6th from10:00am – 5:30pm in the Exhibit Hall. Visit booth #212 to register.

 

FEATURED TABLE TOP VILLAGE ACTIVITIES

Table Top Village will be open for the duration of QuakeCon (Thursday, August 4th at 10am – Sunday, August 7th at 12pm) and the full schedule of events will be available on the Official QuakeCon App.

 

FEATURED EXHIBIT HALL EVENTS AND ACTIVITIES

This year’s Exhibit Hall hours, exhibitors and sponsors are listed below. In addition to the schedule of events above, the Exhibit Hall’s Alienware Event Stage will feature numerous presentations and activities from our 2016 exhibitors and sponsors. The full Alienware Event Stage schedule will be available on the Official QuakeCon App.

 

Exhibit Hall Hours:

Thursday, August 4th: 10:00am – 6:00pm

Friday, August 5th: 10:00am – 6:00pm

Saturday, August 6th: 10:00am – 6:00pm

QuakeCon 2016 Sponsors

  • Alienware (Premier Sponsor)
  • AMD  (Premier Sponsor)
  • BenQ America Corp. (Premier Sponsor)
  • Corsair
  • CybertronPC
  • DXRacer (Premier Sponsor)
  • iBuyPower
  • Fatal1ty
  • HTC VIVE
  • Intel (Official Tournament Sponsor)
  • Magic Box
  • NVIDIA  (Premier Sponsor)
  • Razer
  • Ventrilo  (Premier Sponsor)

 

QuakeCon 2016 Exhibitors:

·         1UpOnCancer
·         Alienware

·         Altex Computers and Electronics
·         Attic Space Games
·         BAWLS Guarana
·         BenQ America Corp.

·         Bethesda Softworks

·         Catalyst Mints
·         Cheshire Cat Studios
·         Corsair Components Inc
·         CPU Magazine
·         Dallas Pets Alive
·         Devolver Digital
·         DXRacer

·         Extra Life
·         FSP Group USA
·         Glitch Gaming Apparel
·         iFixit
·         Inspired by Nerd
·         Modders, Inc.
·         New Blood Interactive
·         NVIDIA
·         Roll2Play
·         SolarFlare Games
·         Steam Knight
·         ThermalTake USA

·         Think Geek

Attending? Let us know, we’d love to meet up, and talk!

About the Writer:

dustin_batgr_prof

Dustin is our native console gamer, PlayStation and Nintendo reviewer who has an appetite for anything that crosses the boarders from across the big pond. His interest in JRPG’s, Anime, Handheld Gaming, and Pizza is insatiable. His elitist attitude gives him direction, want, and a need for the hardest difficulties in games, which is fun to watch, and hilarity at its finest. You can find him over on Twitter, Google+, and or you can find him on PSN with RaivynLyken.

Review: DOOM (Campaign)- DOOM Metal of the FPS Genre

/ Dustin Murphy / 3 Comments

Pros:
+A generous nod towards the 1993 version of DOOM
+Puts story second and places gameplay at the forefront
+Amazingly realistic and beautifully Hellish landscapes
+A metal/industrial soundtrack for fans to enjoy
+New Demon’s make for a fun and positive enjoyment of the game
+Fast Paced Combat with Demon filled “arena’s” give the game a classic DOOM feel

Cons:
-Can’t get enough of those damn demon’s

Editor’s Note: Due to the sheer size of DOOM’s content across multiple features, we’ll be breaking our review for both Campaign and Multiplayer into separate entities due to their differentiated play styles and take on the title. We’ll keep you posted when our multiplayer review covering SnapMap and Competitive goes live.

DOOM_20160516015040

Much like in previous titles, the latest installment of one of the most famed franchises in history wastes no time throwing players into the heat of combat. Within the opening moments of the game, players will find their protagonist chained to a Satanic alter where their character is soon to be executed. Within seconds player will find themselves in a rather familiar curve of adrenaline pumping combat that is fast, ultra-violent, and even demon filled. Much like every title in the franchise, there isn’t anything that’s not bigger than life in this title. This remains true as players find themselves mowing through demon’s with familiar guns such as the plasma rifle, rocket launcher, super shotgun, and even the chain gun as players move in to execute a demon with a glory kill.

If you were expecting rainbows, sunshine, and green fields? DOOM is everything, but that. As players will move across Hellish landscapes that sit true to what could consider a Christian Hell. At the forefront of bringing these landscapes to life, id Software doesn’t cut any corners as players will find things rather pumping with life across the industrial Mars station, and Hell’s landscapes. With things such as pipes, vents, shaft, hydraulic pumps, condensation on windows, and even bottles scattered across the ground bring the world to life. This is something that id Software should be proud of as Video Game Environment Design has once more come to life. While moving through each of the landscapes, players will find themselves scaling walls, cliff sides, pipes, and even industrial shipping rooms as players across the map both vertically and horizontally in order to lower down the levels of demonic infestation.

DOOM_20160513130412

If these aren’t a real thing, they definitely need to be, because they are astoundingly adorable. Plus they play the classic E1M1 from DOOM (1993).

As players do, they won’t find themselves alone as they will find conversations with the AI companion Vega or even UAC leader Doctor Samuel Hayden speaking to them through the communications systems. While this seems the only source of story, the game delves into the vast oceans of exploring codex entries where players are able to undertake a better understanding of who and what their enemies are, but also a bit more idea of what is about to come. While this seems simple, the story is quite complex and deepened by the team at id Software’s creativity. While these codex entries seem quite easy to understand, the secrets hidden with the game make this story even deeper as players will find each of the collectibles, some include chuckle worthy moments when reading about the idiocy within the UAC as they learn about demon day jobs. While these seems quite a bit to take in, it truly isn’t, and offers a variety of flavors for players to enjoy as many of the codex entries have multiple ones that can be found for more background information.

When you aren’t digging through these for information, the game focuses on the use of verticality like no other game has. Maps are not linear arenas where players will simply run around pillars with their hands flailing in the air as if they were about to beat up by the schoolyard bully. Instead this game insists on players scaling walls, pipes, shipping containers, walls, and fixtures galore in order to take out their nearest by enemy. With the design that id Software aimed for, players will find themselves constantly moving forward, climbing up, jumping down, and ultimately feeling like the genuine badass that the game wanted you to feel like. Thanks to this maps are not boring, nor will they be seen in the same way each time they are played. Instead each of the maps persists in being a living creature and manages to do so as each of them come to live in a blood bath of demonic blood and body parts. Let alone do each of the environments live thanks to the creativity of the level designers and artists, the game also tells a vivid story with each room that will eventually be flooded with demons.While it would be quite easy to carry on about the level design, the monsters have also gotten a rather unique re-imagining that brings them to life no more than ever.

DOOM_20160515182004

Bosses are bigger, meaner, and more pissed-off than ever. Also, they don’t go down without their say so.

As it would be hard to imagine, demons have been reimagined to have a more Hellish look with a sense of cyberpunk twists to them. This includes the famed Cyberdemon, Mancubus, and even the famed Revenant. All are more terrifying than ever as they are now twisted flesh, machine, and weaponry that will send players riveting in pain when hit by them. While their combat tactics seem all too familiar, they don’t hesitate pursuing playes in lethal ambushes. Within my 26 hour campaign that included 93% of all secrets found on Nightmare, I found myself constantly running for the nearest enemy in order to glory kill them. This only soon lead to familiar enemies like the Hell Knight or even the all-to-familiar imps as well as the scary as hell itself Barons of Hell turning my character into a visceral mess. Let alone will they pursue the player, they will not hesitate leaping up after the player or unleashing an entire payload of attacks in a attempt to take players out at their own will. It’s terrifying at the concept that these demons seem more real than ever, but to know they don’t hesitate climbing up after the player? It’s even scarier when seeing a Mancubus’ large cannons appear on a ledge while it pushes itself up only to unleash a torrent of flames or plasma like energy at the screen.

If players are quick enough, weapons equipped can unleash Hell itself upon enemies. Let alone do weapons also get a redesign like the monsters, DOOM offers up something it had never done so before. Weapons have been given a much needed redesign. While the pistol itself offers up a unique blend of being powerful as its precision shots can offer a honest amount of damage, but is quickly quieted by much bigger weapons. While weapons such as the Heavy Assault rifle can offer precise shots or even a salvo of micro-missles. Weapons such as the combat shotgun can be used to stun enemies with a grenade round or even offer up a quick burst of shots that can stun enemies like Pinky and even Hellknights to open up players a chance of opportunity to unleash a few more extra hits in while they recover. Once the damage needed has been built? Players can move in to Glory Kill their enemies if a large enough amount of damage has been dealt. This lethal blow can offer up a gory animation that will satisfy any player who doesn’t mind some blood, guts, or even broken jaws. Once done players will find themselves being given health drops, ammo drops, and or even some armor depending on the demon runes equipped.

Revenant_Fight_1437988262

Think the Revenant is the biggest and most baddest of this group? Think again.

While combat has taken a huge re-work that pushes players forward through moments of combat to ensure survival, there’s a bit of work that has been done in the background. While the game will offer challenges for players to unlock Demon Runes that will offer perks such as “Armor Shards” on pick-up, “Extended Power-Up Duration”, or even other “Larger Pick-Up Radius” these items won’t be easily earned. While many players may see a few of them up for grabs, many of these Demon Rune shrines are hidden throughout many of the games levels, and each come at a cost. The challenges are the cost. While some of these challenges are quite easy, such as “kill ?? imps before the time runs out”, others are even harder as players will find time quickly ticking down as they attempt to take out Hellknights using a shotgun only to attempt glory killing them from above.

Let alone do these runes benefit player, they are not nearly as beneficial as the weapon upgrade unlocks or even the games “Ardent Shards” that can be picked-up in order to upgrade the suits lethality. This includes three important things that will bend the way combat favors the combat, but not enough to make you a total badass without some skill. the upgrades include health, armor, and ammo. All three can be obtained for those who decide to traverse the various paths in each level as well as going out of their way in order to discover secret rooms. While it sounds like the Praetor’s upgrades may make you feel like a badass, don’t feel this way. Those upgrades are only minor and still mean players can quickly find themselves in a deathworthy situation as enemies such as the Baron of Hell or Cacodemon look to eat the Doomguy alive as if he were a gummy shark waiting for a toddler to eat.

DOOM – PlayStation 4 (Reviewed), Xbox One, and Windows PC.
Developer: id Software
Publisher: Bethesda Zenimax
Price: $59.99 USD
Released: Available Now

While it seems that DOOM offers up plenty to discover, the game doesn’t attempt to overwhelm the players who decide to traverse each of the game’s missions in order to uncover what is going on or why. The game itself is not shy that it’s simply about four things: Big F**king Guns, Heavy Metal, demons, and Hell getting its ass kicked in. If you are a fan of DOOM or new to the series? DOOM (2016) does it right and doesn’t shy away from its origins in any form. If this is what the future of DOOM remains to be and continues to do so with fine-tuned tweaks? I’ll be on board for another 23 years to come.

Our review is based on a copy we purchased for review.  For information about our ethics policy please click here.

 Final Score: 10 out of 10

About the Writer:

dustin_batgr_prof

Dustin is our native console gamer, PlayStation and Nintendo reviewer who has an appetite for anything that crosses the boarders from across the big pond. His interest in JRPG’s, Anime, Handheld Gaming, and Pizza is insatiable. His elitist attitude gives him direction, want, and a need for the hardest difficulties in games, which is fun to watch, and hilarity at its finest. You can find him over on Twitter, Google+, and or you can find him on PSN with RaivynLyken.