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.”
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.
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.
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?
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Posts
http://www.wired.com/gamelife/2009/09/popcap-collaboration-with-square-enix-started-as-joke/#more-16943
So awesome.
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!"
IOS Game Center ID: Isotope-X
Every game should have a crazy math/physicist boss.
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.
EDIT: 2009, like this year!
EDIT-ga: Release date!
EDIT - I see this game has titties. Oh, SquareENIX.
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.
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?
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.
Steam
XBOX
Collectible monsters.
Steam profile.
Getting started with BATTLETECH: Part 1 / Part 2
Battle.net: Fireflash#1425
Steam Friend code: 45386507
But does that make if fun?
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.
IOS Game Center ID: Isotope-X
I was thinking the same...I hope it shows up soon.
Galactrix and Puzzle Kingdoms were both so very, very bad.
IOS Game Center ID: Isotope-X
Heck, even if it sucks, fifteen bucks ain't much. I've had a bad pizza that cost more than that.
IOS Game Center ID: Isotope-X
Currently playing: GW2 and TSW
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.
Square Enix has a facebook fanpage for their downloadable games and they've confirmed the November 18th release date
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.
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.
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.
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.
IOS Game Center ID: Isotope-X
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.
I never asked for this!
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.