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[XBLA & PC] Gyromancer: Square-Enix & PopCap take on Puzzle Quest

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Posts

  • cloudeaglecloudeagle Registered User regular
    edited September 2009
    So apparently this project started as a joke.
    Jason Kapalka, PopCap’s co-founder and chief creative officer, says he was half-joking when he pitched a game concept that combined Final Fantasy’s role-playing action and Bejeweled’s addictive casual gameplay to Square Enix.

    The folks at PopCap were fans of another RPG-Bejeweled hybrid, Puzzle Quest: Challenge of the Warlords. In the early stages of brainstorming the concept that would eventually become Gyromancer, they figured it would be “karmically neutral” for PopCap to try making a similar title.

    PopCap and Square Enix last week announced their collaboration on Gyromancer, a puzzle/RPG hybrid for Xbox 360 and PC the two companies are developing.

    Kapalka told Wired.com that he brought up the hybrid idea as a goof while meeting with Square Enix, which publishes some of PopCap game’s in Japan. But once he mentioned “Final Fantasy Bejeweled,” the idea began to gather momentum: Yuichi Murasawa, designer of Final Fantasy Tactics Advance and Final Fantasy Tactics A2, got wind of the Gyromancer concept and jumped on board.

    “Suddenly it was a real project over at Square,” Kapalka said.

    Once real work toward creating Gyromancer was under way, the next task was to help differentiate the game they were making from Puzzle Quest: Challenge of the Warlords. That’s why Square Enix decided to use Bejeweled Twist as the basis for the combat rather than the original flavor of Bejeweled.

    Bejeweled Twist, according to Kapalka, had a more “strategic, hard-core feel that fit better with their vision for the game’s story line and world.”

    PopCap built early prototypes for the puzzle engine, then handed the keys over to Square Enix.

    “Square took over and did the bulk of the design and development fleshing out the RPG elements and of course adding all the incredible artwork and music,” Kapalka said. “It’s just been really fascinating to see them working, and of course pretty gratifying to see the offhand idea of ‘Final Fantasy Bejeweled‘ actually come to life.”

    http://www.wired.com/gamelife/2009/09/popcap-collaboration-with-square-enix-started-as-joke/#more-16943

    So awesome.

    Zangief wrote:
    My low point came while I was crushing man's skull like sparrow's egg between my thighs. But then I thought to myself, "who else would crush man's skull like sparrow's egg between his thighs?"
    3DS: 0344-9335-6762
    · Agree Awesome
  • RentRent I'm always right Fuckin' deal with itRegistered User regular
    edited September 2009
    cloudeagle wrote: »
    So apparently this project started as a joke.

    Man if this started as a joke I want The World Ends With Zuma to become a reality

    · Agree Awesome
  • Jam WarriorJam Warrior Registered User regular
    edited September 2009
    So it's official. Bejewelled twist is "hard-core". Square sez so.

    TingleSigBar.gif
    WiiU: JamWarrior
    · Agree Awesome
  • Vincent GraysonVincent Grayson Registered User regular
    edited September 2009
    Needs more release date. And said date needs to be now.

    · Agree Awesome
  • GoodOmensGoodOmens Registered User regular
    edited September 2009
    Rent wrote: »
    cloudeagle wrote: »
    So apparently this project started as a joke.

    Man if this started as a joke I want The World Ends With Zuma to become a reality

    When you end a battle, you say, "Gotta hop!"
    Spoiler:

    steam_sig.png
    IOS Game Center ID: Isotope-X
    · Agree Awesome
  • augustaugust where you come from is gone Registered User regular
    edited October 2009
    I AM INTERESTED IN PLAYING THIS GAME.

    Spoiler:
    face | zune | last.fm | steam
    · Agree Awesome
  • CantidoCantido Registered User regular
    edited October 2009
    GoodOmens wrote: »
    Rent wrote: »
    cloudeagle wrote: »
    So apparently this project started as a joke.

    Man if this started as a joke I want The World Ends With Zuma to become a reality

    When you end a battle, you say, "Gotta hop!"
    Spoiler:

    Every game should have a crazy math/physicist boss.

    The sound of eight hooves reaches his ears, comes from the heavenly light, two wolves howls fills his heart with fear, and he sees two ravens fly. Down from the sky a warlord rides, like fire his one eye glows, and just before the preacher dies he knows his god is false.
    · Agree Awesome
  • ForceVoidForceVoid Registered User regular
    edited October 2009
    august wrote: »
    I AM INTERESTED IN PLAYING THIS GAME.

    3DS Friend Code: 1547-5213-0970
    PM if you add me!
    · Agree Awesome
  • CantidoCantido Registered User regular
    edited October 2009
    I just got the Dwarf in Puzzle Quest, which I bought for 400 points a while ago. This game strains my eyes for some reason, but I'm fine if I take a break for a while.

    My character is a weakass Fire Mage or something. At least it has Fireball and Wall of Fire. Together with Heat Sink, it's all I use.

    This game has such cool looking polish. I've never played any Bejeweled, so this will be how I start.

    The sound of eight hooves reaches his ears, comes from the heavenly light, two wolves howls fills his heart with fear, and he sees two ravens fly. Down from the sky a warlord rides, like fire his one eye glows, and just before the preacher dies he knows his god is false.
    · Agree Awesome
  • ForceVoidForceVoid Registered User regular
    edited November 2009
    Looks like this is coming out on the 18th of November! Excitement!

    EDIT: 2009, like this year!

    EDIT-ga: Release date!

    3DS Friend Code: 1547-5213-0970
    PM if you add me!
    · Agree Awesome
  • CantidoCantido Registered User regular
    edited November 2009
    FFFFFFFFFFUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUU

    EDIT - I see this game has titties. Oh, SquareENIX. <3

    The sound of eight hooves reaches his ears, comes from the heavenly light, two wolves howls fills his heart with fear, and he sees two ravens fly. Down from the sky a warlord rides, like fire his one eye glows, and just before the preacher dies he knows his god is false.
    · Agree Awesome
  • cloudeaglecloudeagle Registered User regular
    edited November 2009
    Holy shit, it's out in less than a week?

    If this winds up being like Puzzle Quest, only minus the frustrations and plus lots of polish... my butt won't leave the couch for weeks.

    Edit: Oh my god, just saw the video. This looks FANTASTIC.

    Zangief wrote:
    My low point came while I was crushing man's skull like sparrow's egg between my thighs. But then I thought to myself, "who else would crush man's skull like sparrow's egg between his thighs?"
    3DS: 0344-9335-6762
    · Agree Awesome
  • El GuacoEl Guaco Registered User regular
    edited November 2009
    ...

    I waited for months for Galactrix which turned out to be great in concept and was just...flawed in so many ways. Now you're telling me this thing is coming out in 6 days? Just like that?

    I don't know...I want to find another PQ-style game to love, but I'm not gonna get suckered again. I want a demo before I'm buying this one.




    · Agree Awesome
  • Jam WarriorJam Warrior Registered User regular
    edited November 2009
    That trailer practically makes me salivate. Hope it lives up to its promise.

    TingleSigBar.gif
    WiiU: JamWarrior
    · Agree Awesome
  • cloudeaglecloudeagle Registered User regular
    edited November 2009
    El Guaco wrote: »
    ...

    I waited for months for Galactrix which turned out to be great in concept and was just...flawed in so many ways. Now you're telling me this thing is coming out in 6 days? Just like that?

    I don't know...I want to find another PQ-style game to love, but I'm not gonna get suckered again. I want a demo before I'm buying this one.

    Put it to you this way. Has PopCap ever released anything that wasn't fun at the very least?

    Zangief wrote:
    My low point came while I was crushing man's skull like sparrow's egg between my thighs. But then I thought to myself, "who else would crush man's skull like sparrow's egg between his thighs?"
    3DS: 0344-9335-6762
    · Agree Awesome
  • truck-a-saurastruck-a-sauras Registered User regular
    edited November 2009
    eh I loved PQ, but what does this game really offer over that? I'll probably break down and get it anyway, but I'm hoping for some kind of innovation or edge over what we've already got in PQ. Trailer showed me PQ with a different skin pretty much.

    at the very least give me different puzzle battle types for different enemy types or something like (bejeweled, zuma, peggle, card based, dice, tower defense, etc.....) like one super game with everything thrown in with an RPG wrapper or something.

    [SIGPIC][/SIGPIC]
    Steam
    XBOX
    · Agree Awesome
  • IoloIolo Registered User regular
    edited November 2009
    truck-a-sauras wrote: »
    eh I loved PQ, but what does this game really offer over that?

    Collectible monsters.
    Spoiler:

    steam_sig.png



    · Agree Awesome
  • FireflashFireflash Registered User regular
    edited November 2009
    And artwork that is actually not-crappy.

    PSN / XBL: PatParadize
    · Agree Awesome
  • El GuacoEl Guaco Registered User regular
    edited November 2009
    Fireflash wrote: »
    And artwork that is actually not-crappy.

    But does that make if fun?




    · Agree Awesome
  • useless4useless4 Registered User regular
    edited November 2009
    Am I the only one who prefers Galatrix over Puzzle Quest?

    I hope this isn't good. I couldn't afford to have my wife sucked in AGAIN.

    One moment she is on the couch saying "oooooh what's this" and the next I lose her for six or seven months to the game. Sort'a like tron.

    · Agree Awesome
  • GoodOmensGoodOmens Registered User regular
    edited November 2009
    It's odd that this isn't on Steam for preorders at all yet. I wonder if the release date is actually, you know, real or just a prediction.

    steam_sig.png
    IOS Game Center ID: Isotope-X
    · Agree Awesome
  • ForceVoidForceVoid Registered User regular
    edited November 2009
    GoodOmens wrote: »
    It's odd that this isn't on Steam for preorders at all yet. I wonder if the release date is actually, you know, real or just a prediction.

    I was thinking the same...I hope it shows up soon.

    3DS Friend Code: 1547-5213-0970
    PM if you add me!
    · Agree Awesome
  • NorfairNorfair Registered User
    edited November 2009
    I wish this was portable. Hopefully Squeenix will port it to everything under the sun at some point.

    Galactrix and Puzzle Kingdoms were both so very, very bad.

    · Agree Awesome
  • GoodOmensGoodOmens Registered User regular
    edited November 2009
    Any word on price?

    steam_sig.png
    IOS Game Center ID: Isotope-X
    · Agree Awesome
  • cloudeaglecloudeagle Registered User regular
    edited November 2009
    Hm. Here's hoping that the release date we have isn't just for Japan.

    Zangief wrote:
    My low point came while I was crushing man's skull like sparrow's egg between my thighs. But then I thought to myself, "who else would crush man's skull like sparrow's egg between his thighs?"
    3DS: 0344-9335-6762
    · Agree Awesome
  • GoodOmensGoodOmens Registered User regular
    edited November 2009
    I've been poking around, and I don't see anything about a different release date in the States. Looks like the price is $15.00.

    Heck, even if it sucks, fifteen bucks ain't much. I've had a bad pizza that cost more than that.

    steam_sig.png
    IOS Game Center ID: Isotope-X
    · Agree Awesome
  • LanrutconLanrutcon Registered User regular
    edited November 2009
    This could be awesome. Hoping we get an English version before the end of the year.

    Capture.jpg
    Currently playing: Animal Crossing: New Leaf, FFXII: Zodiac Edition
    3DS: 2766-8409-2693 (add me, pm me so I can add you)
    · Agree Awesome
  • PeewiPeewi Registered User regular
    edited November 2009
    GoodOmens wrote: »
    It's odd that this isn't on Steam for preorders at all yet. I wonder if the release date is actually, you know, real or just a prediction.

    I was thinking about that too, but it isn't exactly rare for things to pop up on Steam without being listed as coming soon beforehand.

    3DS code: 3480-2527-9521 Diablo 3: Peewi#1575
    steam_sig.png
    · Agree Awesome
  • LethardicusLethardicus Registered User
    edited November 2009
    http://www.facebook.com/pages/SQUARE-ENIX-DLG/167831379364?ref=ts

    Square Enix has a facebook fanpage for their downloadable games and they've confirmed the November 18th release date

    · Agree Awesome
  • CantidoCantido Registered User regular
    edited November 2009
    Why does Cait Sith look awesome. He's not allowed to be cool.

    The sound of eight hooves reaches his ears, comes from the heavenly light, two wolves howls fills his heart with fear, and he sees two ravens fly. Down from the sky a warlord rides, like fire his one eye glows, and just before the preacher dies he knows his god is false.
    · Agree Awesome
  • zhen_roguezhen_rogue Registered User regular
    edited November 2009
    Bought on day one.

    I was pretty disappointed in Galactrix frankly, I think the original PQ was a lot more fun.
    Can't wait to try this puppy out, i'm really interested to see how Square/Enix did on taking the puzzle games yet a step further. High expectations.

    · Agree Awesome
  • aBlankaBlank Registered User
    edited November 2009
    yeah, I never even got around to finishing Galactrix. It had a lot of good ideas but the execution of most of them was very blah :[

    · Agree Awesome
  • XtarathXtarath Registered User
    edited November 2009
    Peewi wrote: »
    GoodOmens wrote: »
    It's odd that this isn't on Steam for preorders at all yet. I wonder if the release date is actually, you know, real or just a prediction.

    I was thinking about that too, but it isn't exactly rare for things to pop up on Steam without being listed as coming soon beforehand.

    I hope it never comes out on Steam, because as soon as it does...

    I mean, now they already keep your card information, it's like two clicks!

    · Agree Awesome
  • Vincent GraysonVincent Grayson Registered User regular
    edited November 2009
    Xtarath wrote: »
    Peewi wrote: »
    GoodOmens wrote: »
    It's odd that this isn't on Steam for preorders at all yet. I wonder if the release date is actually, you know, real or just a prediction.

    I was thinking about that too, but it isn't exactly rare for things to pop up on Steam without being listed as coming soon beforehand.

    I hope it never comes out on Steam, because as soon as it does...

    I mean, now they already keep your card information, it's like two clicks!

    This is how I ended up buying Modern Warfare 2 after swearing I wouldn't.

    It's just too easy! Also, the game's webpage says "Steam" right on it, so I assume that'll be where you get the PC version.

    · Agree Awesome
  • ChewyWafflesChewyWaffles Registered User
    edited November 2009
    templewulf wrote: »
    Morvidus wrote: »
    As long as the computer isn't always 300 steps ahead of the player, this will be good.

    Not to say I still don't fucking love PQ. I have both on DS and never go anywhere without them!

    Goddamn cheating-whore AI. Oh, you moved one piece and five skulls fell down magically in a column? Screw you!

    It never cheated. This is called selective memory. Undoubtedly you moved a piece and got lucky countless times. Does that mean you were cheating?

    mwf2sig.jpg
    · Agree Awesome
  • aBlankaBlank Registered User
    edited November 2009
    ChewyWaffles wrote: »
    templewulf wrote: »
    Morvidus wrote: »
    As long as the computer isn't always 300 steps ahead of the player, this will be good.

    Not to say I still don't fucking love PQ. I have both on DS and never go anywhere without them!

    Goddamn cheating-whore AI. Oh, you moved one piece and five skulls fell down magically in a column? Screw you!

    It never cheated. This is called selective memory. Undoubtedly you moved a piece and got lucky countless times. Does that mean you were cheating?

    If you can read binary, you could read the computer bitching that it's user was a cheating asshole.

    · Agree Awesome
  • GoodOmensGoodOmens Registered User regular
    edited November 2009
    ChewyWaffles wrote: »
    templewulf wrote: »
    Morvidus wrote: »
    As long as the computer isn't always 300 steps ahead of the player, this will be good.

    Not to say I still don't fucking love PQ. I have both on DS and never go anywhere without them!

    Goddamn cheating-whore AI. Oh, you moved one piece and five skulls fell down magically in a column? Screw you!

    It never cheated. This is called selective memory. Undoubtedly you moved a piece and got lucky countless times. Does that mean you were cheating?

    If I recall correctly, the programmer has said that he didn't program the AI to cheat because he was too lazy to make it work.

    steam_sig.png
    IOS Game Center ID: Isotope-X
    · Agree Awesome
  • Mustachio JonesMustachio Jones Registered User regular
    edited November 2009
    El Guaco wrote: »
    For the love of all that is video games, please let's not start yet another thread that debates whether or not the AI cheats in Puzzle Quest. It's been disproven. You're just unlucky sometimes. End of story.

    http://forums.infinite-interactive.com/showpost.php?p=1329#2133
    Hi All,

    I can definitely state that the AI in NO way cheats, nor does it know what gems are going to fall. I wrote the AI code myself, so I am 100% certain of this.

    Look at it another way...
    a) I am a programmer, so I'm basically lazy
    b) Writing a cheating AI with look-ahead & multiple board evaluations is a LOT more work than writing a non-cheating AI that merely evaluates a single board
    c) If I wanted to make the game harder, I actually would have done the LAZY thing and just given the monsters more Life Points

    Cheers

    -Steve

    From page 2 of this thread.

    I don't really like Bejeweled Twist, but I can't resist this.

    · Agree Awesome
  • randombattlerandombattle Registered User
    edited November 2009
    Mustachio Jones wrote: »
    El Guaco wrote: »
    For the love of all that is video games, please let's not start yet another thread that debates whether or not the AI cheats in Puzzle Quest. It's been disproven. You're just unlucky sometimes. End of story.

    http://forums.infinite-interactive.com/showpost.php?p=1329#2133
    Hi All,

    I can definitely state that the AI in NO way cheats, nor does it know what gems are going to fall. I wrote the AI code myself, so I am 100% certain of this.

    Look at it another way...
    a) I am a programmer, so I'm basically lazy
    b) Writing a cheating AI with look-ahead & multiple board evaluations is a LOT more work than writing a non-cheating AI that merely evaluates a single board
    c) If I wanted to make the game harder, I actually would have done the LAZY thing and just given the monsters more Life Points

    Cheers

    -Steve

    From page 2 of this thread.

    I don't really like Bejeweled Twist, but I can't resist this.

    Why would he say the AI cheats anyway?

    "Oh yeah I made a game where the AI cheats" that's really gonna sell himself and the game to people.

    itsstupidbutidontcare2.gif
    I never asked for this!
    · Agree Awesome
  • aBlankaBlank Registered User
    edited November 2009
    randombattle wrote: »
    Mustachio Jones wrote: »
    El Guaco wrote: »
    For the love of all that is video games, please let's not start yet another thread that debates whether or not the AI cheats in Puzzle Quest. It's been disproven. You're just unlucky sometimes. End of story.

    http://forums.infinite-interactive.com/showpost.php?p=1329#2133
    Hi All,

    I can definitely state that the AI in NO way cheats, nor does it know what gems are going to fall. I wrote the AI code myself, so I am 100% certain of this.

    Look at it another way...
    a) I am a programmer, so I'm basically lazy
    b) Writing a cheating AI with look-ahead & multiple board evaluations is a LOT more work than writing a non-cheating AI that merely evaluates a single board
    c) If I wanted to make the game harder, I actually would have done the LAZY thing and just given the monsters more Life Points

    Cheers

    -Steve

    From page 2 of this thread.

    I don't really like Bejeweled Twist, but I can't resist this.

    Why would he say the AI cheats anyway?

    "Oh yeah I made a game where the AI cheats" that's really gonna sell himself and the game to people.

    Why even answer the question then? Surely silence is better than lying, don't you think? But don't let me stop the whole conspiracy theory.

    · Agree Awesome
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