Disney Infinity Series

[Kchrpm]

So...I'm just going to admit, I really dig the Disney Infinity series. I bought in at the 2.0 stage for Avengers, and I've spent untold hours in the ToyBox games that came with the game or that I've downloaded. My Captain America is pretty bad-ass, I just like to roll into the endurance/arena challenge stuff and fight unlimited waves.

Anyway, I say all that to say this: Disney Infinity 3.0 has been officially announced, and in addition to adding Marvel characters from Age of Ultron, it will also bring Star Wars, Tron Legacy and (finally, oddly) Mickey and Minnie Mouse. My body is ready for Mace Windu, but he hasn't been announced or shown.

http://oyster.ignimgs.com/wordpress/stg.ign.com/2015/05/GI-Cover.jpg


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DWnA-yXUmJI

So yeah, space battles, Battle of Hoth, lightsaber duels, AND IT WILL BE ON WII U YAAAAAAAAY!

https://cdn1.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/HsL1qTY8Cxj7txmB4tK_cM79gl0=/800x0/filters:no_upscale()/cdn0.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/3671558/vlcsnap-2015-05-05-12h41m29s027.0.png

https://cdn3.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/XinJxH7RCRSp3he44c9vVDsjHOw=/800x0/filters:no_upscale()/cdn0.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/3671562/vlcsnap-2015-05-05-12h42m12s363.0.png

http://cdn2-www.comingsoon.net/assets/uploads/gallery/disney-infinity-3-0/newinfinity006.jpg

http://cdn2-www.comingsoon.net/assets/uploads/gallery/disney-infinity-3-0/newinfinity002.jpg

http://cdn2-www.comingsoon.net/assets/uploads/gallery/disney-infinity-3-0/newinfinity004.jpg

http://cdn2-www.comingsoon.net/assets/uploads/gallery/disney-infinity-3-0/newinfinity005.jpg

[21Kid]

Will you have to buy 3.0 in order to use the new characters and what not? I was thinking of getting 2.0 for my son... But, don't know if I should now wait for 3.0

[Kchrpm]

Yes, new characters/campaign modes require new software. You can get 2.0 kit now and then just get 3.0 software when it comes out (from only following one release, I think the software only packages come out a month or so after the starter packs).

I may wait until there's a digital download available.

[Yw-slayer]

Mickey is gonna kick your ass, BRO.

[Kchrpm]

New images released from the playset set during the prequels/Clone Wars (http://www.polygon.com/2015/5/26/8656403/star-wars-twilight-of-the-republic-images-released)

MACE WINDU SIGHTING! (https://cdn0.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/3726138/i-pQjx84p-1641x923.0.jpg) But no figure shown yet, he might just be an NPC

https://cdn0.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/3726148/i-VcbR22w-1641x923.0.jpg

https://cdn0.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/3726146/i-WDsSpzS-1641x923.0.jpg

https://cdn0.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/3726116/i-2TxfsSs-1641x923.0.jpg

https://cdn0.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/3726118/i-bWzKgp6-1641x923.0.jpg

Also pictures of the figures from that set are in the gallery

https://cdn0.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/3726108/i-6ZbW6vj-X2.0.jpg

https://cdn0.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/3726124/i-pv8526k-X2.0.jpg

[Kchrpm]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZOVoMcB0we8

[thesameguy]

A friend of mine is into this, but I have no idea what it is and I sort of resent having to buy toys to play a video game. I am initially very turned off.

[Yw-slayer]

You have to buy toys to play? That sucks, bro.

[Kchrpm]

DLC characters are purchased by buying figurines, Skylanders set up the genre and Disney added elements from Minecraft and Little Big Planet. Those three popular game styles, plus Disney licenses, make for a lot of potential.

[thesameguy]

But what does it do?

[Kchrpm]

Is that a meme or do you actually want to know? :)

[thesameguy]

Both?

[George]

My kids have Skylanders, so I've seen how you place a player on a USB-connected sersor pad of some kind and then you "become" that player in the game. I think there are other items besides characters that you can place on the pad and those enter the game also.

I just saw something new along these lines for the iPad, and unfortunately I can't rememeber what it's called, but here's how it works. My son built something out of lego-style blocks that came with the game, or are designed to be used with the game, at least. I assume they are some special kind of block that the game can recognize. Then he launched the game on the iPad and then, from within the game, he used the iPad's camera to "scan" the thing he had just built into the game. I didn't watch much more than that so I can't elaborate, but it certainly seems like impressive technology and a way to keep selling stuff to people who have already purchased the basic game.

"Collect them all!"

[Kchrpm]

Back in the heady days of licensed content, every major new Disney movie/TV show got it's own 3D platforming game to go along with its release. For example:


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qj9YBrxw4Tg

3D platforming, melee combat, simple shooting, various powers. Serviceable, repeatable gameplay in the world(s) you love.

Disney Infinity combines those games into one main game, for which you then buy content. Instead of buying a Brave game, a Lilo & Stitch game, and a Frozen game, you buy Disney Infinity and then characters and/or levels for whatever licensed property you want. That content is tied to little physical figures, because kids like toys and it makes the finances make a little more sense for both consumers and manufacturers.

It also helps a lot because it focuses the work on engines. Instead of constantly working separately on different games for different release dates, they have the time and money to bring in outside firms to polish each gameplay loop (combat, platforming, driving, flying, etc) and every piece of content going forward can take advantage of it. The characters do as well, as old characters and vehicles get updated with each new game. Levels do not, though, presumably because they were designed around previous character/gameplay capabilities.

To add to the replayability, in addition to the main gameplay modes, there is ToyBox mode, which is basically Minecraft/LEGO + Little Big Planet. You can build your own worlds/levels, and then add enemies, obstacles, race tracks, whatever, and create your own minigames (which can be uploaded for anyone to play). Or just download what others have made (there is an arena game that I play a lot, great for leveling up and a good challenge).

And all of this is two-player local co-op. ToyBox mode also has 4-player online.

Another way to put is that, quite recently, I had StarLord fighting alongside Maleficent in an underwater level, protecting Odin's Treasures against the jocks from Monsters University, the palace guards from Aladdin, and Zurg's robot army.

[Yw-slayer]

I just want to roll around as Mickey and/or Donald while beating the shit out of everyone else.

[21Kid]

Are there user created levels? Like in Little Big Planet, Trials, etc...

[Kchrpm]

Yes, I mentioned that. There are tons of them, and you can sort them based on whether they're a world or a game (with missions/scoring), if they're based on action, platforming, flying, racing, etc, and a few others, I forget. They can have storylines with NPCs providing exposition via text, NPCs to save, weapon/item/enemy generating, and other scripting elements.

[Kchrpm]

http://kotaku.com/disney-infinity-3-0-is-actually-a-pretty-interesting-st-1709520408

It's interesting to know that the original game's main playsets were more vibrant/varied than the Avengers one, and the Star Wars ones are a return to that. Lone Ranger's is described as being a Disney-fied Red Dead Redemption, that alone makes me curious to give it a try.

[Kchrpm]

http://www.ign.com/articles/2015/08/14/new-disney-infinity-30-toys-tools-and-features-announced

They've added a lobby-system (branded Flynn's Arcade) so that you can play online with people not on your friend list. Good for those of us who have no friends with the game.

[21Kid]

My son has it... On the PS3.

[Kchrpm]

The lobby system actually seems really janky from the little I've tried it. There are 5 premade gametypes/lobbies, and you just jump into one of them and hope another person wants to play the same one of those game types. You can't see where people are waiting for someone without jumping into each room individually.

But this game will definitely scratch my endless waves of enemies itch. Just need Mace Windu to be playable!

[Kchrpm]

http://www.polygon.com/2016/5/10/11652866/disney-infinity-ending

Didn't realize I hadn't posted updates from this year (4-player Power Stone style arena combat, and dedicated kart racing add-ons), but alas, the series is coming to an end anyway. Disney is switching to a purely licensing model, so no more Disney Infinity (I presume the Lego Dimensions series will take over for the licensed toys-to-life Disney stuff, which is disappointing for me because I've never enjoyed basic Lego aesthetics). Basically it seems they don't want to deal with the risk of having toys sitting on shelves anymore, because it's hurting their bottom line.

There will be two more releases (Alice Through the Looking Glass and Finding Dory) this year, and then no more.

[21Kid]

My son lost interest in them. Which is why I was afraid to spend so much money on an expendable game. Luckily he got it for his birthday last year.

[Kchrpm]

Perhaps it was just a fad, like music games. I don't know anyone that is into the Skylanders or Lego Dimensions series, so I don't know how they're doing comparatively. Amiibo seems like it's own weird thing, since they do a lot less but on far more games.

[Rare White Ape]

I've got Dimensions and a few of the packs. The Portal 2 one is an absolute blast, and one of the best moments in gaming in the last five years. GLaDOS pretty much steals the show once she appears halfway through the game, then makes it hers until the credits roll.

If you can score a Dimensions set el-cheapo 2nd-hand, do it just for the Portal 2 pack, as well as the Portal 2 content that comes in the man game (which you don't need the pack for).

The final few add-ons for Dimensions come out this week, then it's on to series 2, which haven't been announced yet. If anything, it's a good way to provide Lego fans with a supply of awesome minifigures, such as Slimer from Ghostbusters which is otherwise only available in the expensive GB Firehouse set.