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GDC 2015: How eSports shapes League of Legends

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GDC 2015, or the Game Developers Conference, has been invaded by GeekReply! Yep, that’s right! Yours truly has managed to infiltrate this incredible week long gaming extravaganza featuring professionals from all over the world who gather to share, learn, and discuss all facets of video game development. This morning I had the pleasure of sitting in on a fascinating discussion where Riot Games Design Lead, Ryan “Morello” Scott, chatted about the impact that eSports has had on the League of Legends design team. For those of you who don’t know, eSports is not the name of a sports bar internet cafe, but is the official term used for competitive gaming. The popularity of eSports has exploded in recent years (much like putting Peeps in a microwave), thanks to multiplayer online battle arena or MOBA games like League of Legends.

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Contrary to what stereotypes may have you believe, eSports teams do not look like this.

Competitive League of Legends players dream of snagging the top prize at the League of Legends World Championship that last year drew over 27 million viewers worldwide and was cast in 19 different languages. Millions of League of Legends and eSports fans watched the top teams in the world battle it out for the $1 million dollar prize. As you can imagine, the League of Legends team at Riot Games feels the pressure that comes with such intensive worldwide attention, massive corporate sponsorship and more. Here’s some insight into how Riot Games balances eSports’ rigorous demands while still ensuring that they have an enjoyable game.

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Casual LoL players after queueing with serious LoL players.

One of the biggest challenges that Design Lead Ryan Scott mentioned was how to ensure that League of Legends could still be enjoyable for both the casual gamers and the most serious and competitive League players. How does Riot do that? They selectively insulate their game design processes from outside influences like competitive LoL players. Riot takes the ‘mentos and diet coke’ approach when involving high level players into the design processes meaning that they only mix the two when they want to have a blast. Why? This is because that highly competitive players have very focused goals (like winning, duh) whereas the Riot design team wants to create a fun and rich gaming experience that can be enjoyed by diverse group of players. So when does Riot reach out to their super advanced community? Testing is one instance where Riot turns on the Bat, er, LoL signal to summon top tier LoL players to help. Since Riot has been mostly reactionary in balancing and making adjustments to gameplay, they hope that with the help of diamond level LoL players they can be more proactive in future League designs.

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Riot does not take the Scrooge McDuck approach to game design.

Another way that Riot wants to ensure that LoL remains an engaging and fun game is by working to keep business and pleasure separate. This has been more of a priority as LoL’s popularity as an eSport draws large sums of money. Ryan Scott said that the Riot’s designers take a K.I.S.S. approach to their design but not in the gross Gene Simmons tongue kind of way, but in that they Keep It Simple, Stupid. They design the game with the core idea that if you make cool stuff that people want to buy, they’ll buy it. And if League of Legends’ eSports popularity is any indication, it would appear that the gaming community likes the way the Riot Design Team K.I.S.S.

Hey, I'm Sara! I'm a fan of all things geek so you'll usually find me immersed in everything from comic books to auto sports. I often wish that I was born in the future so that I could have experienced adventures worthy of Star Wars or Star Trek. To cope with the fact that we don't even have flying cars yet, I generally infuse everything I do with a healthy dose of humor. I mean, we may as well laugh while we're waiting, right? (Also, it's a great excuse to include as many Simpsons references as possible)

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Gran Turismo 7 Update 1.46 introduces an exciting addition to the roster of exclusive cars available in the PS5 and PS4 racing game

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Gran Turismo 7 has just received an exciting update to version 1.46 on both PS5 and PS4. This latest update introduces a unique addition to the game: the Škoda Vision Gran Turismo, a car that you won’t come across in any other game. Škoda makes its debut in the franchise with a visionary study of a single-seater, all-electric racing concept car, designed exclusively for the Polyphony Digital racer.

Once you’ve downloaded update 1.46, you’ll have the opportunity to test drive not one but two additional cars: the AFEELA Prototype 2024 and the iconic Chevrolet Chevelle SS 454 Sport Coupe ’70. Get ready for an exhilarating ride! Watch as they take to the track in the video above.

Additionally, the update introduces a new menu for players to tackle in the GT Café. At Collector Level 38, players have the opportunity to delve into the fascinating world of Ferrari 12-cylinder engines, gaining knowledge and expanding their collection. In World Circuits, players can look forward to exciting new events such as the Japanese Clubman Cup 550, the American FR Challenge 550, and the Vision Gran Turismo Trophy. For all the avid fans of Photo Mode, there’s an exciting opportunity to explore the captivating city of San Diego in a brand new Scape.

What are your thoughts on the latest update for Gran Turismo 7? Feel free to leave your thoughts in the comments section.

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ReFantazio Takes a Different Approach to Romance, Setting Itself Apart from the Persona Games

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Atlus’ highly anticipated RPG, Metaphor: ReFantazio, appears to incorporate familiar systems reminiscent of the developer’s acclaimed Persona series. The game features turn-based battles that heavily rely on exploiting enemy weaknesses. Additionally, players have the ability to summon warrior spirits during combat. However, the most significant aspect of this game, which will be discussed in this article, is the bonding system. Through this system, players can spend time with important characters and gain deeper insights into their personalities and stories.

In contrast to the Persona games, the bonding system ends at that point. Unfortunately, players will be unable to pursue romantic relationships with their beloved waifus, which may come as a disappointment to those who have developed strong feelings for Hulkenberg, the party’s charismatic red-haired elven knight.

According to Siliconera, the absence of romance came up during a recent question and answer session. Atlus emphasized the continued opportunity to develop meaningful relationships with your allies while also introducing additional narratives through substories. In addition, familiarizing yourself with the supporting characters will grant you access to new archetypes, which serve as the game’s character classes.

In the Persona games, romance is not obligatory; rather, it serves as a means to customize your playthrough. However, it is quite unexpected that Metaphor has chosen not to pursue such a venture, considering the significant amount of discussion it typically generates!

Were you anticipating any romantic elements in Metaphor? If you’re not satisfied with your pre-order, feel free to share your thoughts in the comments section below.

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Shift Up unveils the intriguing details behind the physical packaging of Stellar Blade for the PS5

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It appears that many

are eagerly anticipating the launch of the highly anticipated PS5 exclusive, Stellar Blade. Shift Up, the developer, has shared a lengthy video showcasing the “secrets” found in the physical box of the game for PS5. From what we can gather, these secrets include a reversible cover/dust jacket and a download code for cosmetic items.

We must clarify that while we do appreciate the variant cover, it may be more appealing than the game’s standard art. However, it is not something we would typically classify as a “secret.”. However, what’s interesting is that Shift Up has confirmed through the comments section that this will be the case in all regions. Additionally, the visually striking action RPG will remain uncensored worldwide.

It’s refreshing to witness a developer going the extra mile for physical collectors, and it’s evident that the developer is determined to leave a favorable mark in the console realm. Stellar Blade is set to make its highly anticipated debut this Friday, April 26th, exclusively on the PS5.

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