Blackguards was, for me, one of the biggest surprises of E3. Going into the show I'd never even heard of the game, yet I left with it taking a prominent spot on my radar and near the top of my "Most Anticipated" list.

According to the developers, Blackguards is based off of a PnP RPG system known as Dark Eye, a system that we've been told is very popular in Europe. In particular, Blackguards is a darker take on Dark Eye, and this is apparent right from the beginning. The game begins with your (fully-customizable) player character protecting a baroness who is being attacked by wild, dangerous wolves. Unfortunately, you're not quick enough and the wolves kill the baroness and then disappear, leaving you on the hook for her murder, after which you're quickly imprisoned and sentenced to death. It's after this short intro that the game begins, meaning Blackguards jumps right into the action from the word go.

Blackguards looks to be an incredibly interesting take on the RPG genre. Playing not as heroes, but as a group of villains looks to be a fresh perspective on the genre, and the combat system provides near limitless tactical potential. Even the equipment system looked interesting, with every piece of your character being equip-able and customizable, including combat style being set to either offensive, defensive, or balanced for each weapon class. Blackguards has a lot of potential and is worth keeping an eye on.

Sean: I think the biggest thing I learned about The Witcher 3 from watching the presentation is how ambitious this project is, that you have a ton of story coming from great source material that you are going off of. You have incredible graphics and you are going to be going to Next-Gen systems, and on top of that I have been hearing approximately 100 hours of game play with 50 of that dedicated to the core main storyline. Talk a little bit about the story development and just how immersed it is ... You touched on this already a little bit. How do you balance being able to put in great side quest with great mainline story?

Konrad: It's really, really hard and putting it in an open world; it's even harder. Because the main challenge is that you need to make intensity in the storyline. In the open world it's harder because you got bigger disturbances and you can forget what you need to do from point to point. That's why we put in quests that are longer and placed in smaller areas.

When we are telling players to move from point to point, through some other location or other area in the world, and you are going there, we are going to put points of interest in your way. We don't want players to be bored, it's not good when you've got an open world game with nothing between the points of destination. We've got these points of interest and these points are created to use a player's inner motivation.

Sean: A couple of quick final questions here. In our demo it said pre-alpha but I will be honest it looked pretty good. It doesn't seem like you guys are too far off.

Konrad: It's like that because we knew that we need to do some presentations for E3 and we chose one [specific] quest from the game. It's working very well because our programmers are really cool and very good. We got plenty of time to finish the game. We are still maybe in the half of the alpha.

Sean: A lot of Witcher fans out there very excited for 2014, what message would you like your company to give to them based off of what you are showing at E3?

Konrad: Support us and we will give you the best game possible and for sure we care about you, especially now that we got a cool huge game. Everyone knows it. We still remember all our fans, we will continue our work and after releasing The Witcher 3 give you enhancements to the game. If your choice is to play on the consoles you can buy the game and play on it, it's your choice. We really appreciated your support because we are gamers and we love the games and we want to make games which give real entertainment.

Hi Everyone,

BioWare is pleased to be visiting San Diego once again to be part of San Diego Comic Con. This year, BioWare will be part of the Dark Horse Comics booth inside the exhibit hall; as part of our booth presence, Community Manager Jessica Merizan will have members of the Dragon Age and Mass Effect teams, along with special guests.

Come out and meet Jessica, along with Mass Effect producer Mike Gamble, Dragon Age editor Ben Gelinas, and Dragon Age artist Nick Thornborrow. Ben and Nick are the creators of the Dragon Age: The World of Thedas lore book, and will be on hand at the BioWare section of the Dark Horse Comics booth to sign autographs with fans; they look forward to talking with fans in attendance. We are also working to have some special guests visit us; we'll update everyone when they are confirmed.

Visiting the Dark Horse booth is your only chance to get your hands on the San Diego Comic Con exclusive, the Bronze SR-1 Normandy. There are only 300 of these available and are limited to two per person, so make sure you come to get yours before they run out.

We are back on top of things and we are keeping ourselves busy on several accounts. Most importantly we finally got everything in place with Humble Bundle so you guys can get access to the Classic Pack.

We're sorry for the delay, but we didn't anticipate that Humble Bundle wanted the full tier system in place from the beginning instead of "just" handing out download keys to a list of emails. It was also further delayed because of our choice to allow backers to upgrade their pledge via PayPal, as that means we can't put people in a final Tier box until the Kickstarter officially ends and we have sent out surveys

Humble Bundle have been flexible and great to work with and we're happy that we were able to come up with a solution together.

Classic Pack info
Some of you have already noticed the Classic Pack being made available to you on your Humble Bundle account, which is possible if you've used the same email for Humble Bundle as for Kickstarter.

For others:
To get the Classic Pack Simply go to: https://www.humblebundle.com/store/keyresender

You have to type in the email you used for Kickstarter (or Paypal). Once entered you will receive a mail with a link to the download page. If you don't have a Humble Bundle Account, Sign up, in order to claim the tier for your game library.

You can download the game without making an account, but you're going to need the account at a later point anyways to claim higher Tier pledges. Let us know if you are having any issues.

The way we've organized it is to put everyone in Tier 1 ($5) from the beginning, and then allow people to gain access to their official Tier once all data has been finalized. This way people can still download the Classic Pack and the Kickstarter can keep running.

The list Humble Bundle have received is updated to June 13. So Paypal Backers who pledged after that point will receive a mail at a later point, to notify them when they have access to the Classic Pack as well.

Progress report
Right now Space Hulk is taking up a lot of our time as we are getting a playable demo ready to show fans how the game is developing. As the final budget for JAF is also very dependent on how well Space Hulk performs, we have to make sure we do what we can to promote the game and get it done right.

However, this doesn't mean that nothing is happening for JAF

Paypal Tally
The Paypal Total is currently at: ~ $19,500

This means that we are $10,500 from the next stretch goal $400,000 that unlocks a map editor.

The Paypal Kickstarter ends at July 15th, but as mentioned we'll keep some slacker backer options open.

Story Writer and Level Designer
We finally found our story writer and he's already been set to work. He's sitting right next to me and my whip is only a few inches from my hand, ready to strike if he even thinks about taking a break.

We also have a new level designer on board and he will be working together with the story writer, to make sure that nothing is forgotten, misplaced or downright wrong. They will be responsible for the overall framework, which then needs to be filled with creative, serious, fun, cool and juicy content.

Having the overall framework is in place opens up for moving parts of the Space Hulk team on to JAF, and beginning to produce content, which we know the community always have a thirst for.

While the preview demo was showcased on PCs, I was assured that the console version of The Elder Scrolls Online would feature no changes except to the control scheme, which is a testament to the power of the next generation of consoles. Setting up my player offered a ton of different options to choose from such as nine different races that include all of the Elder Scrolls classics. From there, I was shown how to select and set up the large variety of skills exclusive to that race and chosen class. Note that the final version may include more races or classes. This comment was overheard, not told directly to me so I have no additional details on that.

The amount of customization for your character goes as deep as anything that you will find in Skyrim, and I was told by a Bethesda rep that what I was seeing for this preview was not the full scope of options that would be available in the final build. Once our characters were built out, Dan and I partied up immediately and easily to take on Tamriel multiplayer.

The mechanics of the game are fairly similar to most other MMORPGs. You find people in distress, take on their quest, complete them, earn experience points, and level up. It seems that ESO is taking this tried and true route to their game, and it doesn't markedly differ.

With the exception of the camera views you can select - it was confirmed for me that first person mode would be available and gamers would be able to select it if they wished. This more tightly ties together the ESO experience, along with the classic Elder Scrolls style of combat that singleplayers have enjoyed so far.

The game behaved similar to Skyrim when interacting with the mouse and keyboard as opposed to something one would experience in World of WarCraft or The Old Republic. While there are abilities that are unlocked through the course of play, combat is not the mundane slamming of number keys to get through battle. Fortunately, it's much more RPG than MMO in this regard as players will have to aim, move and click at the right times to have success during combat. Holding the mouse button down longer will increase melee attacks but will also be much slower to execute. More powerful abilities are loaded into the number keys so there is the element of using special powers traditional to MMOs, but at the same time, don't give the boring, grinding feeling normally associated to killing mobs.

My personal expectations for The Elder Scrolls Online change with every announcement and gameplay reveal but very few stories have had the negative impact I felt after that comment. I'm tired of the typical approach to MMORPG games. I'm tired of having to endure weeks of quest grind to reach the only aspect of the game that's enjoyable and I'm tired of developers claiming innovation when all they truly offer is the same ingredients in a new recipe.

I have no doubt that The Elder Scrolls Online will be a solid MMORPG experience. However, I have serious concerns that it will fail to feel like an Elder Scrolls game. An Elder Scrolls game has never really featured any multiplayer aspects but I would be ecstatic to get a co-op or multiplayer Skyrim. However, Bethesda are constantly pushing the PvP and RvR at the fan base, two features that have never been in place in previous titles.

Will they sacrifice too much of the wonders that make the franchise great? Will The Elder Scrolls Online have enough of the franchise charm to appeal to those used to such a solo experience? Only time will tell for sure but after reading the opinions of those from E3, my hope is dwindling.

Simkins says he feels almost "uncomfortable" calling the game an RPG, as its elements are heavily simplified. There are no classes in Frontiers, and players instead start as an apprentice in an organization known as the Pathfinders Guild. Experience is gained by exploring new regions and exploring paths. Frontiers does feature an RPG-based combat system, with players being able to upgrade weapons with magic skills or crafting. Other abilities are picked up from NPCs or books and range from magic attacks to hang gliding.

"The player's here to explore, not to grind."

"I make a point only to include mechanics if they don't discourage exploration," Simkins said. "If I find during testing that I'm being held back by some mechanic or other I alter it or remove it altogether. The player's here to explore, not to grind."

Natural threats will play as much of a role as animal threats, but players should still be wary of wildlife. Bears pose a pretty nasty threat, Simkins said, and the game's seas are plagued by Lovecraftian-inspired Leviathans. Humans pose a definite danger as well, but in a different kind of way.

"Human threats ... are resolved with dialogue, so you'll have to think your way through them," Simkins said.

Survival is the darker half of Frontiers - a force that pushes players to recognize their own mortality. It's a driving factor in real life, but a difficult one to convey in virtual territory.

"In real life, if I want to see over the next hill I have to decide if it's worth the effort of getting muddy or losing a shoe, and if it's worth adding that distance to my trip back," Simkins said. "Maybe it's getting dark, maybe I'm hungry - I have to take in and process a lot of information to make that choice, so I'm totally engaged. But if I could just teleport over there, all that brain activity would shut down. I might as well just stay home."

"Unless you're reckless it's pretty hard to die in the midst of civilization," Simkins added. "But head out into the wild and it's as simple as twisting your ankle at the wrong time. It puts things in perspective."

In the early to mid 1970s, Dungeons & Dragons was gaining in popularity. It was just a matter of time before someone tried applying that same formula to the fledgling realm of computer games. Stats and tables could be stored and referenced much faster, and random number generators can do a lot more than dice alone. These early adventure games had random loot, monsters, player stats, experience point systems and there were even some with wireframe first person perspectives. It was in 1980 when many of these elements were combined in the right proportions to create a game that would define a genre.

Rogue is a tactical turn based dungeon crawler with RPG elements. You must guide your hero down the Dungeons of Doom to retrieve the Amulet of Yendor. Each level is randomly generated and death is permanent. This gave Rogue an incredible amount of replayability. You start each game without ever knowing what you will encounter, or even if you would make it. This meant an almost infinite amount of gameplay and it all fit on a single floppy disk. Some players began making changes to the weapons, loot tables and probability formulas to create variations of the game. Eventually these changes became entirely new games built from the Rogue code, they were referred to as Roguelikes. Today there are still Roguelikes being made as well as games inspired by the genre. Let's take a closer look at some of the elements of a Roguelike.

One concept that seems to be uniquely Roguelike is Perma-Death. There are functions written into the games where exiting the game automatically saves, and loading a saved game also deletes it. This means that when (not if) you die in a Roguelike you cannot reload or go back to your last checkpoint. The only option is to create a new character and try again. For many who have never played these types of games, this seems to be a major negative of the genre. Video games have a long history where Game Over means insert another quarter, use one of your continues or reload last save. For this reason, Roguelikes have developed a reputation of being punishingly difficult for the player. However, to many fans of the genre this is one of the most important features. You can't get through a level by simple trial and error, you actually have to think very carefully about the actions you wish to take. Every decision made in the game becomes permanent, no do overs. Can your level 27 Dwarf Berserker take on a room of 5 Death Knights? Maybe, but do you really want to take that risk?

Anytime the player dies in a Roguelike it is because of a decision they made. Many newer players will find themselves in a no-win scenario and proclaim that the game has unfairly punished them. Such as having their last torch burn out at a deep level of the dungeon and not being able find their way around, when they inadvertently stumble blindly into a nest of trolls. The more experienced player will plan ahead and take various precautions to avoid finding themselves in this situation, such as bringing spare torches or learning spells of light. Within the genre, players have coined the term YASD which stands for Yet Another Stupid Death. This refers to a time when the player goes against their better judgment and dies as a result. These are the very obvious mistakes, and yet everyone makes them. Recently I was playing Angband and was making my way to the surface world.

Warsaw, Poland-based studio CD Projekt RED, responsible for The Witcher franchise and the upcoming Cyberpunk 2077, is expanding to a second studio in Krakow, Gamasutra is able to confirm.

This July we are opening an office in Krakow. As we informed in our strategy outlook some time ago, aside from The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt and Cyberpunk 2077, the studio aims to develop two smaller (approximately 20h of gameplay) premium quality titles. Consisting of 20 people, the core team in Krakow will be responsible for developing one of these games.

Dear Friends of Baldur's Gate,

We recently removed Baldur's Gate: Enhanced Edition from sale on Beamdog and the Apple App Store. We've taken this step at our publishing partner's request as we attempt to resolve a number of contractual issues.

Unfortunately, until this matter is resolved, we are unable to release the latest Baldur's Gate: Enhanced Edition patch or Baldur's Gate: Enhanced Edition for Android.

This also prevents the launch of Baldur's Gate II: Enhanced Edition. I sincerely apologize to the series' fans and promise we are working diligently to remedy the situation.

Regards, Trent Oster President, Beamdog & Overhaul Games

Paradox Interactive, a publisher of games and a serious powergaming munchkin, today invited the world to encounter Knights of Pen & Paper +1 Edition, available now on PC, Mac, iOS devices and Android devices. The new +1 Edition adds a dragon's hoard of new content to the hit mobile game from Behold Studios, including new game areas, a longer campaign, a tavern, dungeon raids, and more loot than you can shake a ten-foot pole at. Knights of Pen & Paper +1 Edition is available on PC and Mac through digital retailers for $9.99, with a premium Knights of Pen & Paper +1 Edition Digital Deluxe Edition available for $14.99. The iOS and Android versions are available for $2.99, and everybody who already owns Knights of Pen & Paper on a mobile device will be leveled up to the +1 Edition for free.

In Project Eternity, we wanted paladins to maintain their sense of selfless passion and zeal without being bound to concepts like "alignment" or a universal moral code. We also wanted their mechanics to be distinctive from the other classes while reinforcing their role in the world. Area designer Bobby Null has always liked the marshal class from D&D 3.5, which is conceptually similar to the warlord in 4E: combat leaders who are at their best when they are augmenting their teammates. This is the approach that I took when developing Project Eternity's paladins. They have persistent modal auras, strong single-target healing and buff abilities (contrasting the broad AoE effects of clerics), and can passively grant bonuses to teammates in close proximity.

In the game's lore, paladins are zealous champions of a cause that may be religious, philosophical, or cultural in nature. The "foundational" paladins in this part of the world were the legendary elite guards of Darcozzi Palace in the Grand Empire of Vailia (now Old Vailia). They set standards for selfless dedication, unwavering loyalty, and inspiring leadership that have become the pillars for similar orders that have sprung up in the two millennia since they were founded. Even among orders where the chosen cause is perceived as bleak or malevolent, paladins always place the cause ahead of their own personal interests.

Though we've previously shown one concept of a hearth orlan (the "orlan detective"), many people have asked and speculated about what the other orlans, the so-called wild orlans, look like. Wild orlans have the same general range of stature and build as hearth orlans, but are almost entirely covered with hair.

What is the Mass Effect series to you?

Mass Effect is very special to me because I was so closely involved with creating it, I was part of the original team that came up with the themes and outlines of what this universe was going to be- we helped map out how everything was going to fit together. I was there for almost the entirety of the first two games, I left near the end of the second game to work on SWTOR. I was not involved in Mass effect 3, so I don't want to talk to much about it.

For the first two Mass Effect games, we created an amazing universe- then just kept building on it and building on it. I was always amazed at how much depth the game took on, we knew we had some fantastic ideas, but even we didn't realize how big it was going to become or how much detail we were going to add to it. There were things in there that surprised even me.

Like Cerberus...from the first game, we really didn't think Cerberus was that important. They were sort of a generic pro human terrorist group that we could call on when we needed a bad guy, but there was something there that resonated with fans so we expanded their role and obviously they became integral to the story.

For me Mass Effect is something I am very proud of helping to create, and also really excited about how it's grown. The same goes for Commander Shepard's story initially it was a pretty simple story...just the cop in space, fish out of water, trying to find his way. It's a pretty common idea but once it developed into something more I think we took it into a lot interesting directions and it allowed players to explore a lot of deeper issues; of good evil, do the ends justify the means, segregation versus integration.

Looking at the forums, it also fun to see peoples comments and reactions to our hard-work.

The combat is very similar to that of the previous game, where the learning curve for swordplay was a bit steep and unrewarding. Ziemak said the combat is being redesigned with those shortcomings in mind, and said there will be attacks that can be unlocked and new, improved magical signs will be available. Unfortunately, he said he couldn't be more specific now as nothing has been finalized.

Unsurprisingly, The Witcher 3 is a gorgeous game. You can even go as far as to say it's one of the three best-looking games shown at E3. During action, the game's attention to detail is noticeable immediately; enemies hit with fire burn into cinders and sparks leave the foliage below them aflame. One section of the demonstration placed Geralt at a campfire where the time around him passed at a quick pace. The game's new weather effects and dynamic lighting were nothing short of awe-inspiring.

As a monster hunter, Geralt has special senses that allow him to track down over 80 different monsters throughout the game. In the demo we watched as he moved about the forest, noting footprints, downed trees, and claw marks to determine the beast that was terrorizing a local village. Once known, he must refer to the bestiary essential for survival and killing the monster he is chasing. For example, in the demo it was determined that beast was a Lechen, a horrific, horned, wood spirit. By looking in the bestiary, it was discovered that the creature bonds itself to a human and that human must be eliminated in order to defeat him. Interestingly, there are no bosses found within the game as each battle with these monsters should be considered epic and difficult, and they do not scale to the player's level.

There he learns that not all of the world's monsters have antlers or walk on four legs. While he was off dealing with the Leshen, the man who hired him decided to stage a coup, slaying the village elders in cold blood. Geralt calls the man a murderer but ultimately collects his fee and moves on. What else can he do? The world of The Witcher is dark and morally ambiguous, and sometimes picking the lesser of two evils is the best choice available.

Most of the core mechanics of the previous Witcher games were demonstrated in our presentation, and according to Jonas (and the press materials supplied to us) they have been greatly expanded and refined in The Witcher 3.

Like previous Witcher games, combat is comprised of skillful dodging, fluid weapon combinations, and the use of Geralt's signs (spells). According to Jonas, "the entire weapon fighting system has been overhauled and improved to provide better, more fluid combat." The game also boasts a total of 96 action sequences, compared to the 20 in the Witcher 2.

Horse and boats aside, Wild Hunt also introduces a new economy, designed to suit a world as alive as this. The economy will change based on where you travel, which opens up opportunities to make money by playing the in-game market. Going to a coastal town means the fish will be cheaper, but other supplies like bear pelts might be more expensive. Alternatively, a mountain village might have cheap pelts, while fish are exceptionally pricey. As Geralt, you can buy low and sell high for a nice profit.

Using the new fast travel system, the player teleports to a nearby location and quickly comes across a crew of bandits harassing a small house. Geralt briefly oversees the situation before drawing his sword and preparing for combat.

As a monster hunter, Geralt has special senses that allow him to track down over 80 different monsters throughout the game. In the demo we watched as he moved about the forest, noting footprints, downed trees, and claw marks to determine the beast that was terrorizing a local village. Once known, he must refer to the bestiary essential for survival and killing the monster he is chasing. For example, in the demo it was determined that beast was a Lechen, a horrific, horned, wood spirit. By looking in the bestiary, it was discovered that the creature bonds itself to a human and that human must be eliminated in order to defeat him. Interestingly, there are no bosses found within the game as each battle with these monsters should be considered epic and difficult, and they do not scale to the player's level. - See more at: http://canadianonlinegamers.com/prev....YYaARG7H.dpuf

As a monster hunter, Geralt has special senses that allow him to track down over 80 different monsters throughout the game. In the demo we watched as he moved about the forest, noting footprints, downed trees, and claw marks to determine the beast that was terrorizing a local village. Once known, he must refer to the bestiary essential for survival and killing the monster he is chasing. For example, in the demo it was determined that beast was a Lechen, a horrific, horned, wood spirit. By looking in the bestiary, it was discovered that the creature bonds itself to a human and that human must be eliminated in order to defeat him. Interestingly, there are no bosses found within the game as each battle with these monsters should be considered epic and difficult, and they do not scale to the player's level. - See more at: http://canadianonlinegamers.com/prev....YYaARG7H.dpuf