from the Made in Australia file
from the Emote my face off dept.
The trailer is here. ’nuff said.
from the Boys from Brazil dept.
In a nice little review of some of the development issues related to making a Massive Soccer title like Futebol, Gamezone talks with the Interzone team :
“Question: Soccer, or football, is a rapidly moving game that requires instant field recognition and reaction from the players. Any sort of lag can adversely affect the game conditions. How do you plan on reducing that potential game-killer?
Jeff: This is a terrific question to start off with Michael! This is actually one of the earliest obstacles we faced when developing our MMO Interzone Futebol. As you said, this can be a potential game-killer and I humbly suspect that it is the main reason that true massively multiplayer online sports games have not been developed.
The first measure we took against lag was choosing the right engine. We believed this problem would be significantly reduced if we were to use a mature and well-developed engine. After reviewing different engines, we decided to use the BigWorld engine. We have developers that are experienced with it and BigWorld is very responsive and supportive toward us.”
Interzone is putting the finishing touches on their online sports title, Futebol, which is being released for testing in Brazil later this year.
from the Can we Play it yet? dept.
Jeff Lyndon, Interzone’s VP of China Operations, steps up to the plate at an interview over at IncGamers. Or maybe not a plate – maybe a goal line. Or takes position at a corner.
“Any other activities in-game that don’t have a connection to soccer?
Yes, although the world is centered on futebol we want players to be able to enjoy the game world even if they don’t play futebol. Most features will link back to futebol in some way, but you can just be a fan and enjoy yourself in the social world without ever entering a stadium.
What are the MMO aspects of your game? A persistent universe, character?
Interzone Futebol is a full multiplayer online game with persistent characters, progression and a full 3D world for you to explore. Outside the stadium you’ll find dance clubs, cafes, and shops to explore and have fun in. We are even putting lots of little secrets things for you to discover as you explore and party in the beach side neighborhood of Ipanema.”
More of the interview here.
from the Kick them where they live dept.
Those steely eyed web vultures at TenTon Hammer have swooped on yet another exclusive in the BigWorld licensee space. Interzone’s Jeff Lyndon lets loose some inside gossip on the currently beta soccer title.
Ten Ton Hammer: Opting to introduce Interzone Futebol in Brazil first is a tremendously different approach compared to the tact most MMOG companies take. Why did you decide to enter the Brazilian market first rather than Europe or North America? What sort of opportunities do you see there that aren’t available in those other markets?
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An exclusive screenshot from Interzone Futebol. |
Lyndon: When we decided to create the game we thought a lot about the people who would play it. We talked about futebol fans and places in the world where futebol was most popular. This all lead naturally to Brazil where “Futebol is Life.” We even went down to Rio and Sao Paulo to experience that culture first hand. It’s an amazing place and their appreciation and enthusiasm for the sport is not only unmatched, it’s infectious. Going to a World Cup game in Brazil is something everybody should do at least once in their life. It’s just… wow!
All this and more over at TenTon Hammer.
from the You kick I catch dept.
“CHICAGO, IL – JUNE 9, 2008 – Interzone Entertainment, parent company of Interzone Games and a BigWorld licensee, has announced its long-secret massively multiplayer online sports title, Interzone Futebol. The PC MMOG will first release in Portuguese for the Brazilian market, home to millions of avid futebol (soccer in the U.S.) fans and players, closely followed by international versions for worldwide release.”
Another BigWorld licensee opens it’s kimono this June with an MMO take on the little known athletic game – soccer. With so few real-world players of this arcane sports pastime, it is yet to be seen how this title will fare. A truly international development, with resources in sunny Australia, China, the US and Brazil all contributing to the game. Futebol!
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