My first stop at E3 2013 was the Power A Booth. I was pretty excited because, as you know, I am a fan of the products. I still get people asking me where I got my 3DS case and it still looks brand new...it is incredible quality. Similarly, Power A got on the Skylanders wagon early in the game cranking out some great products to provide custom storage solutions and enhanced gaming with carefully crafted accessories.
This year, they have really upped the ante. They had some of the most innovative storage/display products I have seen. It is almost as if someone imagined this concept and then instead of the bean counters saying, "No!" it actually went into production.
For those of you who aren't just content with the cases (upgrades there as well!), they now have flush mount islands that turn your wall into Skylands. If you were to use some of the wall stickers, or paint a custom mural it would be over the top. The islands connect with bridges and comfortably hold Giants and Swap Force characters as well as your regular SSA cast. They are very cool.
If you are more interested in say putting your display on a desk or table of some sorts you can have the full on 3D treatment! The island display is ridiculously awesome as is Flynn's Ship. These are products and displays many of us have dreamed of, but never really thought we would see outside of attempting to have one fabricated at our own expense.
Power A has these new storage and display innovations along with some other cool new products. They have recently gotten into the mobile side of things and have smart phone, iPod, and tablet covers and sleeves ready to go...I saw a few "insiders" sporting the Hot Dog cover at the show...Amazing what a keen eye will show you!
On top of the new product line and innovations the cases and controllers are just as good as ever.
What caught me off guard was their box display. This is akin to what you might see in your local Game Stop, Toys'R'Us, Target or Walmart. It featured artwork for Ninja Stealth Elf, Blast Zone, and what should be S3 Chop Chop and S2 Hot Dog. Inside they had product boxes to highlight the potential display layout. However, what was a total surprise was getting to see the box art for some of the new Swap Force characters! It was a very big surprise and was just a taste of what was to come...
It was difficult to get great pictures or video due to the volume of people, lighting, and noise, but I think you will get the gist of things...Power A and Skylanders make a great team with killer products for us, the end users!
I have a separate video to highlight their back section which features even more great products for all platforms and from brands like Nintendo, Mario, Pokemon, Call of Duty, and more!
This is just a record of what I wrote shorthand from our ultra cool trip backstage with Activision!
If you prefer video formats, here you go...be warned, it is long:
Going Backstage
We were taken from the E3 floor of the Swap Force booth to a hallway that led to a backroom filled with an assortment of media insiders, high profile figures, Activision staff, and more...It was absolutely bustling and just as crowded as the main floor. The only difference was the area was like a large oasis (see lounge setup) and had food and water on hand.
Entering the Private Screening Room: No Cameras!
All along the back hall of this room were separate, smaller rooms. These rooms are the private screening rooms. Close doors, seats 10-12 comfortably (stadium style for optimal viewing) and no cameras or recording. Lucky for you, I took short hand notes of the entire thing!
Why so tight? Quite simply put it is because they are gracious enough to show us (myself and some other Skylander fans) never before seen gameplay elements that are still in what they called an "alpha build." To put that in laymen's terms, the game will look great, but it could have a few issues etc.
Potential Level Settings and Environments
They covered a few basics and actually began with Crusher. Giants work just fine in Swap Force. They mentioned a few locations like the Old West, a snowland, and Lush Jungles (which you will see some gameplay of from others).
Legacy Skylanders: Activision is Honoring Your Past Collection
One of the first things mentioned was how they plan to honor existing collections. Every Skylander you currently own will work in Swap Force. It is that simple. Nothing to argue, no ifs, ands, or butts...they will just work. Take it for what it is, don't argue with common sense, and accept it. This is great for fans and collectors of the series and Activision is 100% committed to maintaining this attribute. They realize we have put in a lot of time and money into acquiring the different characters and upgrading them and they appreciate that. To prove it, they refer to all returning characters as "Legacy Skylanders." This is not to be confused with Legendary Skylanders, but is a stand alone term. If the character has previously existed it has a legacy they are going to preserve. I know a lot of people will aruge this and mention Activision is a huge company, and makes tons of money. I will counter that is true, and they have the business sense to know it is smart to keep previous figures active.
Vicarious Visions: New Graphics Engine and Game Play Elements
The next topic was Vicarous Visions and how they created a brand new graphics engine...It truly looks amazing. If you have followed along on the blog or my YouTube Channel, you know I play games for the gameplay itself, not the graphics. Great graphics are a bonus to me...Swap Force looked incredible...I've said it many times and I can not stress it enough...I may finally buy an HD TV just to fully enjoy the depth of the scenes.
New Game Element: Jumping--Hey, It Solved a Glitch in the Alpha Build!
What was hilarious and awesome at the same time was a glitch that popped up...keep in mind this is the alpha build. I've actually had it happen in SSA and Giants. It is basically where a move (Crusher's Rock Slide in this case) netted the player outside a fence at the edge. They tried pulling him and placing him back on (ha, same things we do!), but it worked to no avail. As a last ditch attempt to keep from resetting, they jumped...It worked. I don't know if they planned this (I truly believe it just happened), but the biggest and most flaunted core improvement (Jumping) saved the day! After this the Alpha Build performed flawless.
Why Are We Just Now Jumping?
As far as why jumping wasn't included in the first few titles there response was they "wanted each character to feel different." I assume this means they wanted players to use other moves to get to bounce pads. For example all characters can walk to the bounce pad, but they each have unique abilities. Terrafin can burrow, Warnado has the tornado to get around, Stelth Elf has her tertiary move...Zap can slide, Thumpback can slide, Sunburn can teleport etc...You get the general idea. They really wanted players to USE THE ABILITIES to navigate Skylands, not just walk.
Swap Force Alert! Undead Element Night Shift: The Vampire Boxer
After this, they pulled Crusher and put on a new Undead Element Swap Force Character named Night Shift. He was acclaimed as a Vampire Boxer with a killer upper cut (I saw it...I think it must have been fully upgraded..it was along the lines of a Soul Gem to me...just like a charged up attack that released a giant glove cutting up through the screen...very cool!). I believe it was also mentioned he could teleport, which makes sense given the "Shift" part of his name.
New In-Game Character: Willowbark
We then saw a nice, vivid cut scene where a guy I dubbed Tree Ranger, although I think his name was Willowbark, (just an in-game character, think Arbo) approached and mentioned some crystals had been stolen. He had great personality....He is like a Stump Smash looking guy with facial hair and what I equate to a Canadian Royal Mounted Police Officer...very official and a distinct voice. He has the prototypical army/cop vibe going on...
Drop-In, Drop-Out Coop Game Play
They then highlighted the Drop-In, Drop-Out Gameplay Mechanic...It worked flawlessly and the two helped clear the area...Naturally, to finish the demo the main speaker dropped out. While in he used the new Air Element Swap Force Skylander Free Ranger...he kind of had lasers that he shot out and got around by way of tornado...looked really good.
Swap Force Alert! Air Element Free Ranger: Jet-Vac Meet Warnado
Shortly after, Freeze Blade, the new Water Element Swap Force Skylander was introduced. He has great projectile attacks.
Swap Force Alert! Water Element: Freeze Blade
To highlight to us the "Swapability" we saw them mention a scenario where you would want Freeze Blade ranged attack coupled with the speed and mobility of Free Ranger's tornado lower half...So, a quick press and the figures are apart....We now were introduced to Freeze Ranger. They used this swap combo to make quick work of the enemy at hand.
We were then reminded that 16x16=256...As the slogan goes, our new power is choice definitely rings true!
Dual Element Zones: Twice as Nice
The next portion of the level highlighted a brand new game component: Dual Element Zones. This is NOT YOUR SWAP FORCE AREA. The Dual Element Zone is basically your garden variety Elemental Gate, but with two elements. The one we saw was Fire and Magic.
So how do you get in this Dual Element Zone? There are two ways...First, if you have a SwapForce Character say like Hoot Loop (Magic) and Blast Zone (Fire) you can option them out together and the gate will open. If you are playing coop you could enter in as one player being Ignitor and the other being Spyro.
The coolest thing to me is not the method of opening the gate, but the look inside. It is a very visually stimulating look that equally divides the path through conceivably the entire area. One half looks like your Fire Zone and the other looks like the Magic Zone...just in stunning HD thanks to Vicarious Visions' new graphics engine.
Character Brief
We then got briefed on the 16 Core Characters and 32 New Characters (no names or details, just the numbers). They again stressed how the 100+ Legacy Toys would all work.
Magic Element LightCore Star Strike: LightCore AND Regular Pose?
We had all seen Star Strike, the highly questioned mystery Magic Element character. The packaging at the Power A booth indicated her as LightCore. Someone asked if she would have a regular pose and the answer was something along the lines of "I believe so." Assuming that is correct, we will likely see the same set up as Giants where the 8 LightCore are reposed characters with light up effects. I also heard Star Strike will be very cool (more on that later).
The Fate of the 8 Castaways from Spyro's Adventure
While we had some down time, we got to ask some very quick questions. I jumped at the chance and asked, "Will any of the 8 original Castaways (Warndo, Boomer, Camo, etc) be back for Swap Force. The answer was YES!! I didn't get details on which ones, all, 1, 2, 4, 6, etc, but at least "some" should be back...This is big news for a lot of folks, myself included...Many of my favorite characters are amongst the 8 Castaways!!
Swap Force Alert! Life Element Stink Bomb, The Ninja Skunk
They then got back into the demo and talked about Stink Bomb. He is basically a Ninja Skunk who will use his musk to hide himself (think along the lines of Steath Elf's Scarecrows). They said his bottom half combines very well with some of the other characters!
Willowbark and Evilized Sugarbats: New Enemies, New Kaos Plot
The next portion saw Willowbark (think that is his name...the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, Stump Smash like character) introduce us to Sugarbats and Evilized Sugarbats...a product of Kaos Magic and attempts to take over the Cloud Break Islands. You basically have to battle them to break the spell and return them to normal. The character who took on this task was Stink Shift...and yes, it made for interesting gameplay!
Swap Force Introduces New Game Play Mechanics
We then caught the drill of the 8 New Gameplay Mechanics via the Swap Force bottom ends. This led us to a very cool demo with Wash Buckler. His bottom half has the Ladder Image to indicate he can climb. This opened up the Swap Force area and what we saw was a long, chaotic wall you had to ascend...It reminded me a lot of some of the Super Mario Galaxy upward areas...You climb up while dodging obstacles, navigating blocked paths, and of course dealing with enemy items etc.
Puzzles, Mini Games, Bonus Missons, and More Platforming!
This led into the mention of new Puzzles and Mini Games and the chance to use the jumping ability to make use of more platforming. They also mentioned the 20 Bonus Missions you can unlock. They also verified there will be the Individual Screen for objectives to clear and review etc...basically the same thing you are used to seeing after clearing a level.
Battle Packs and Adventure Packs
As we got a little downtime before leaving, I was able to inquire about Battle Packs and Adventure Packs. There will be two of each. One is said to involve Cali if I understood correctly.
The End of Our Private Demo: The Fun Was Over All to Soon
This was pretty much it for the "behind closed doors, private screening of gameplay" end of things. It was a blast and with the low number of people we had a great setting to see and experience the new mechanics and visuals from the team at Vicarious Visions!
E3 Exclusive Copper Metallic Hot Dog
Last but not least, before exiting we were all given the E3 Exclusive Copper Metallic Hot Dog!
Exiting the Screening Room and Private Back Room
I actually got to stay in the doorway a little while longer for my Portal question you wanted to be asked...They made every effort to find out, and they just couldn't confirm anything...Luckily, I got answers later in the evening...And yes, it should work with Skylanders: Spyro's Adventure and Skylanders Giants.
Private Viewing of the E3 Exclusive Swap Force Trailer
It was a killer experience and as much as I wish we could have filmed, all you really need to know is things looked great and there is going to be a lot to like about Swap Force!
More Swap Force Info to Come
Stay tuned for the next post as I'll highlight your questions and their respective answers in greater detail!
Here it is...2 AM just inland of the Pacific Ocean...it is 4 AM back home, and I am heading out in just a few short hours. That said, I wanted to get some of this information up for you to take in...I have much more on tap AND hope to learn even more. That said, here is something to tide you over...I'll basically be out of commission all day Wednesday due to travel etc. We will start with the obvious and go from there...
Starter Pack Characters Console
Wii, Wii U, PS3, PS4, 360, Xbox One
-Of Note: Swap Force will be a day one (ie launch day) title available for both PS4 and Xbox One
Wash Buckler, Water Element, Swap Force
Blast Zone, Fire Element, Swap Force
Ninja Stealth Elf, Life Element, Series 3
3DS
Free Ranger, Air Element Swap Force
Rattle Shake, Undead Element Swap Force
Volcanic Eruptor, Fire Element, Series 2
*I am going to go out on a limb and call this as I see it. Volcanic Eruptor, is in my mind, a Starter Pack Exclusive for the 3DS. I view him just as I do Dark Spyro and Punch Pop Fizz, basically an in-game variant. I say this because while at E3 I uncovered Lava Barf Eruptor...same look, different colors (again think Dark Spyro and Punch Pop Fizz).
**Sidenote: Pretty sure this means you can expect to see not only a few more in-game variants (Granite Crusher, Jade Flashwing, etc), but chase variants as well...They have really become a part of the series. I am going to be seeking verification of this and info on any Sidekicks and Legendaries, both of which I personally still expect we will see.
Portal of Power
This one proved quite tough to answer, but I did get word that the portal would work in SSA and Giants. The new portal is very sleek and I am particularly fond of the arched and lighted cutaways. Characters New Character Info
There are so many pics and videos involved in this I am going to hold out and might just update the SF Character List post, although I'll likely still highlight what I saw at E3 with a video and post...Several are still unknown to us at this point, name wise anyway. Legacy Characters
This is a term I heard by several folks higher up the chain and in the behind closed doors demo. This does not refer to "Legendary" Skylanders, but rather established and returning characters! Contrary to what some have and continue to profess...Activision has full intentions of keeping your PREVIOUS Skylanders up and running. They realize it is an investment and that now, at this point, each successive series will bring new elements and experiences to the table. They are truly on the consumers side here...Granted, they will continue to innovate and make you want the latest and greatest, but your old Series 1 Spyro will still be there right along this year's S3...fully functional and playable. They almost view them like the elder statesman...they just deserve respect.
The Fate of the Castaways: They will be back...at least some of them!!
New Series 2 Characters (ie Blizzard Chill) will receive a Wow Pow! And yes, that is "Blizzard" Chill. Apparently, from this, we can take that each individual Skylander will be classed as a "Series #" to distinguish their successive repose. So, while we have Series 3 Spyro, this is a Series 2 Chill, and a new character like Countdown is in his Series 1 trim for Swap Force. That also leads me to believe that any reposed Castaway, let's just pick Camo would be labeled accordingly and be a Series 2 for Swap Force since it is his 2nd repose. And no, I have no proof of Camo, I just picked him as an example.
Series 3 Character's old Wow Pow is gone, but replaced with a newer, more powerful Wow Pow!
Will there be any Adventure Packs?
Yes, there will be 2 New Adventure Packs. As best I learned it will be a location piece only. I also believe one will involve Cali.
Will there be any Battle Packs?
Yes, there will be 2 New Battle Packs. I would have to assume they would follow the same format as in Giants with a 2 Characters and possibly a Magic Item.
Game Play Questions
How Many Chapters are in the Game?
There will be 12 Chapters in Swap Force. While chatting with the developers about this, they said things are not pre-determined, but that 12 Chapters is what it took to play out the story line.
What is the Storyline?
Kaos is using his magic powers to turn good things bad...he has entirely decimated Cloudbreak Islands and our job is to rebuild and restore order to Skylands.
How Does Play Time Compare to Giants and Spyro's Adventure?
The play time is roughly the same, BUT with all the characters and combinations it has immense replay value!
What is the main hub of the game?
Woodburrow or Woodborough? It is more of a setting, but it is the main hub. I had a hard time hearing when I asked...I feel confident that is at least close to being correct.
Will the new Swap Force characters have more individual personalities?
Yes! This was, as predicted, something the developers loved talking about...they spent a lot of time articulating everything. Each and every character in the game will offer up more of a unique persona: different reactions, voices, and emotes are now involved via the D-Pad. A very subtle, but incredibly cool trait mentioned is that characters will have their own way of letting you know that you are near something special..more on this later!
Will the Beenox version be the same as the other versions?
Yes! Just not with the same graphics, which is only a big deal when you have seen the amazing graphics...it is that point you know what you are missing out on enjoying.
Will the 3DS version continue with a different story line?
Yes!
Oh, and the ultimate asset to 3DS gameplay is in store...If you are a 3DS owner you will likely know what this is..if not, stay tuned for a video!
Will there be a solo Battle Mode?
No, but there will be a Survivor Mode similar to Brock's Arena Challenges where you battle enemies.
Will there be any benefits to having Giants in the gameplay?
Yes! More on this later!
Will fan favorites and established elements like Auric's Shop, Hats, Legendary Treasure, Story Scrolls, Treasure Chests, Battle Arenas, and Sky Stones be back?
Yes to some of this...more info soon. For now, just now there will be a lot of hats!
What happens if you put only half of a Swap Force character on the portal?
I have found out...I will let you know by way of video!
Skylanders Mobile
Will there ever be Android versions?
I have the answer and will report back!
Skylanders Merchandise and Accessories
Here is what I know...there is a virtually limitless market for these products.
Power A is cranking out some ridiculously awesome stuff (that will be a stand alone post (or two, or three...it is that cool)).
Penguin was mentioned and one can only conjure that we will continue to see Skylander books etc.
I have a few questions on this matter that I plan to continue to investigate.
Conclusion
Well that is it for tonight ladies and gentleman, boys and girls...I have quite a bit of info I haven't released yet and some I may have been the only person to bother to investigate. I can't stress enough how great Swap Force looked...I will go into greater detail back at the desk, er, um...pool table.
If you've followed along on the blog, YouTube, Google +, Facebook, and other outlets I have posted on, there have been a lot of questions submitted..the vast majority overlap, or are the same thing just worded different, so here is a more concise list, sorted for ease of viewing.
Skylanders Swap Force
Characters
Who Are the 16 Swap Force Skylanders?
Who Are the 16 New Skylanders (Series 3)?
-Are they all going to be "adjective" landers (ie "Ninja" and "Volcanic").
Who Are the 16 Returning Skylanders?
-What are their new powers based upon?
Who are the 8 LightCore Skylanders?
-Will they have WowPows or anything past the "FlashBomb" Effect in Giants?
Will there be in-game variants again?
-If so what lines does it apply to (S3, Returning, LC, SF, etc)?
What is the fate of the 8 SSA Castaways?
-Do sales figures dictate who survives and is reposed?
Will there be SF Sidekicks? If so, when and of what characters.
Starter Pack Specifics
What are the names of the Starter Pack Characters?
Will Starter Pack Characters be released for solo purchase at launch, or sometime after?
Will there be any special Starter Packs? (Ie GITD, etc).
Will any in-game variants be tied in with the purchase of a new console?
Will the new Portal of Power be backwards compatible with Giants and SSA?
Adventure Packs and Battle Packs
Will there be Adventure Packs and/or Battle Packs?
-If so, how many of each?
-Also, if there are APs and BPs how will they be packed (same as usual, 1 Location, 1 Character, etc).
GamePlay Questions
How Many Chapters are in the game?
How does the length of SF compare to Giants and SSA?
Will the new SF Skylanders (all lines) have more individual personalities? If so, how will they showcase it? Voice acting, cut scenes, special interactions with others etc.
Will the Beenox version for the Wii be the same as the Vicarious Visions version?
Will the 3DS version continue with a different story line?
Will the same villains continue to reappear?
With the new jumping ability, will there be "upward" flight?
Will there be online play in Swap Force?
-If so, how?
-If not, will there in future releases.
Will there be a Solo Battle Mode?
How will the Heroics work this time...do old characters unlock anything new?
What, if any benefits, will there be to having Giants play in Swap Force?
Is Flynn a staple?
Where will the hub for Swap Force be located?
Will fan favorites and established elements be back?
-Auric's Shop, Hats, Legendary Treasure, Story Scrolls, Treasure Chests, Battle Arenas, Sky Stones
What Happens if You Put Only Half of a Swap Force character on the portal?
435 AM...I'm beat...didn't sleep much last night...Going to hit the hay.
I hope we can get answers to some of these questions...and yes, I will have the archived post up as well!
So, the anticipated Nintendo Direct aired this morning and the focus this time was almost entirely on the Wii U's upcoming software. I can't stress enough that the "BIG" Nintendo Direct will likely be in early June PRIOR to E3. They are ditching the usual press conference format and going in favor of a "direct to you" approach they adopted awhile back (I guess that means they read and value all those Club Nintendo forms I submit, lol). You can expect the big news breaks in that installment...I'm thinking we'll get word and possibly footage on: Mario Kart Wii U, the new entry in the Smash Bros. franchise (Wii U and 3DS), the new 3D Mario, and likely some other very cool stuff. They will still be at E3, but basically to just let attendees check out the new games and source first hand feedback and user impressions etc.
That said, content wasn't lacking in this one...
I did this on my lunch hour so these "notes" below are a very, rough draft...I'll get something more formal typed up later tonight. Just kind of use them to help you navigate the video for what you want to see etc.
Future Wii U Content to air around E3
1. Sega--Mario & Sonic Olympic Winter Games Wii Remote Plus, improved graphics, added figure skating...GamePad used in some like curling...Dream Events looks cool...take place in Sonic & Mario Worlds...
2. Worldwide partnership with Sega on Sonic Franchise...Sonic Lost World..brand new action adventure platform...only Wii U 3DS...Sega GameGear titles
3. Nintendo Tree House
-A: Legend of Zelda Oracle of Ages/Seasons...3DS VC...ultimate adventure...$5.99...1st 3 weeks promo $4.99 each, both $10
-B: Mario & Donkey Kong Minis on the Move: player created puzzles
-C: DKCR3D 8 New Levels: New Mode with New Items 5/24
-D: Animal Crossing New Leaf: nintendo created video series treehouse localization team...StreetPass Mii Plaza=Puzzle, SwapNote=Game Theme Message
-E: Wii U Game & Wario: Out Fronk Your Friends...Ninja Twins Cat & Anna: Patchwork...flow between gamepad and tv....Kung Fu & dumplings...6/23 $39.99
Iwata
Resident Evil Revelations...coming to Wii U soon with updated graphics and content. 5/21
New Super Luigi U: DLC NSMBU-Year of Luigi: 8/25 Disc, 6/20 DLC...play as Nabbit...all courses updated. DL=$19.99, Disc=$29.99
Wonderful 101-Platinum: 9/18/13
Pikmin 3: Ollie...3 new main characters: Alph, Brittany, Charlie...GamePad info=koppad...August 4th
Reggie: e3 excitement...inro new hardware in previous years...this year=games. past focus on attendeeds...now for the ple...partner with bestbuy us & ca experience select unreleased Wii U games. More details soon
