A Rube Goldberg Machine built in Minecraft.
The periphery of the gaming industry
Friday, December 31, 2010
Thursday, December 30, 2010
Nintendo issues warning against 3D games
"For children under the age of six, looking at 3-D images for a long time could possibly have a negative impact on the development of their eyes."
On the release of the warning and a weak broader market, Nintendo shares dropped 2.4% drop on the Tokyo Stock Exchange. Nintendo's 3DS features technology known as autostereoscopic 3-D which does not require the use of special 3D glasses to view the 3D effect. The 3DS includes a slider control which adjusts the level of 3D effects that are shown on the handheld screen.
The Nintendo 3DS is scheduled to be released in Japan on February 26, 2011 and in North America and Europe in March 2011.
Square files trademark for Final Fantasy Type-0
Square Enix has filed a trademark in the European Union for "Final Fantasy Type-0" which was accompanied by a logo in black calligraphy script as shown below. No additional details have been divulged by Square concerning the project.
Kids opening video games
These kids are well-behaved and don't freak out at the sight of video games.
Too many Video Games
We also operate www.thestickfigure.com which is currently on hiatus so I figured I'd throw in a stick figure video on GEX until TSF returns next year.
Wednesday, December 29, 2010
C64 Commodore Ms Pac-Man
The quality of the C=64 port of Ms Pac-Man is almost 1:1 to the arcade original.
The Jimquisition: The shittest games of 2010
A fat bastard who speaks with a chuff accent talks about the shit games that were released in 2010. If you turn down the volume, you could dub in dialogue so that the fat bastard talks about all the burgers, fries, and chips he gobbled in 2010. Do it.
Arcade Jumper iOS Preview
I don't really want this game but I'll probably buy it anyway since I'm a sucker for the old school.
"The most amazing video game dances"
I think the word, "amazing" is used too liberally these days. Spiderman is amazing but video game dancing?
Tuesday, December 28, 2010
NASA: UFOs From Nowhere
Fast forward to 2:30 for the show. The people who speak in the background refer to the objects as "material" and at one point, someone asks, "Are they thicker?"
Can you count how many UFOs?
What the person taking the video thinks are UFOs are probably just insects.
Lets Play Minecraft Episode 12
Minecraft is facking addictive. Minecrack is a more appropriate name.
Monday, December 27, 2010
Sunday, December 26, 2010
X-Ray Camera Captures Lightning Strike
The article was originally published on December 23, 2010 and the image was taken at Camp Blanding, Florida.
Saturday, December 25, 2010
Friday, December 24, 2010
MERRY NERD CHRISMAS!!
Checking in with Nerdphilia who gives out her Christmas greetings and gripes about the cold and snow in Sweden. She should probably move to Hawaii.
Wednesday, December 22, 2010
ACTIVISION SUES EA
This is a funny video because the speaker doesn't understand the lawsuit. The details of the lawsuit may be viewed here.
Tuesday, December 21, 2010
Lake Lure Inn host to a ghost?
Ghost in Lake Lure Inn & Spa photo? Looks more like a reflection of something off the ice sculpture than a ghost...
Dead Space 2: Head to Head - X360 vs PS3 (HD 720p)
A head-to-head comparison of Dead Space 2 on the Xbox 360 and Playstation 3.
Monday, December 20, 2010
Mt. Wilson Observatory Webcam - UFOs over L.A.- December 2010
From the description for the video: This webcam takes 1 picture every 2 minutes. The daytime one (at the beginning) was awesome. I want to know what the streaks are that show up at night. If it is due to a slow exposure/shutter speed on the camera then I would like to know why not ALL of the objects appear as streaks. Some appear as orbs/dots of light that move across the screen in succession to the time.
WoW Cataclysm Guide : Secret Hyjal Achievement
How to clear an infestation of bears in WoW Cataclysm.
Saturday, December 18, 2010
UFOs Live Webcam NYC - Dec 17, 2010
The video purports to show UFOs but if you visit the webcam's live feed here: http://wirednewyork.com/webcam3, you'll see that there's always lights in the sky which leads me to believe that they're planes, reflections, or something entirely mundane. Not UFOs.
UFO sightings in Amsterdam
The guy taking the video and his friends in the background sound like a bunch of yokels. The video is of shaky-cam quality but there never seems to be any real good equipment on hand when UFOs are floating in the sky.
UFO Shreveport #36 (bright over Hardman Hydroponics)
If I was trying to debunk this, I'd just say it was the planet Venus.
Friday, December 17, 2010
Best Magazine Covers of 2010
In our office, we get a lot of magazines because subscriptions are either very cheap or the workers in the other offices in the building give them to us when they're done instead of throwing them away. Despite all of the magazines we get every week, we've only seen half of the magazine covers featured in Moonward's "Best Magazine Covers of 2010" which gives the top prize to a Rolling Stone cover where the cast of Glee make like the cast of "Friends." The second best cover is the Mad Magazine cover seen to the left where Alfred E. Neuman proclaims his lost love for President Obama.
Electric Eel Lights Up Christmas Tree
A well-fed pond of electric eels can probably provide enough power for a small apartment building.
Nerd news with nerdphilia 2
Nerdphilia gives this year's Video Game Awards a thumbs down. She also calls "Call of Duty," COD. As in the fish.
Thursday, December 16, 2010
Dead Space 2 Trailer
DS2 ships on January 25, 2010. J-Sonoma is on vacation for the remainder of 2010.
Wednesday, December 15, 2010
Mark Zuckerberg "Man of the Year"
Facebook's founder Mark Zuckerberg has been named TIME magazine's Man of the Year. Well, the politically correct heading that they're been cowed into using is, "Person of the Year" but I'm not cowed.
Tuesday, December 14, 2010
Thursday, December 9, 2010
1-UP: Yu Suzuki Interview Part 2
The second part of James Mielke's interview with Yu Suzuki "The Disappearance of Yu Suzuki: Part 2" may be viewed on 1-Up. Yu talks about Shenmue, Space Harrier, and discloses that his favorite current game is Tomodachi Collection on the Nintendo DS.
Wednesday, December 8, 2010
Mortal Kombat Reboot News
The January issue of Official Playstation Magazine also reveals that Kratos of God of War fame will be a playable character in the upcoming Mortal Kombat reboot.
World of Warcraft Cataclysm CE Unboxing
The guy who made this video cut his hand "making potatoes" with a cheese grater. It's a wonder he didn't injure himself further whilst unboxing the CE bundle.
Tuesday, December 7, 2010
1-UP: Interview with Yu Suzuki
James Mielke returns to 1-Up (momentarily) for a guest-interview with Yu Suzuki titled The Disappearance of Yu Suzuki. The first part of the interview is up today and the piece is an entertaining read.
Monday, December 6, 2010
Wedbush Morgan's Michael Pachter = Dumbass
In a recent "Pach Attack" segment on Gametrailers, Michael Pachter of Wedbrush Morgan flapped his gums and uttered the following:
"We're not even close to saturated on the videogame consoles, and we are way approaching saturation on the handheld market. We're starting to see DS hardware sales crack. I think the ubiquity of the iPod Touch is cutting into the handheld market. I think the PSP2 is gonna be dead on arrival. It looks to me like young kids are just as happy playing with an iPod Touch or a Nano. The Touch is cool, it plays games, it plays music, they're gonna put a camera in it, you're gonna have all sorts of cool stuff."
I've read this guy's stuff before. He's not very bright and really shouldn't be commenting on videogames. He's old, he's tired, and he enjoys comparing apples to oranges and then tries to make an argument out of it. I'll destroy him sentence by sentence:
We're not even close to saturated on the videogame consoles, and we are way approaching saturation on the handheld market.
According to who? You? You don't have a clue as to what the saturation point of the console or handheld market is so how can you say what's saturated or not? Stop creating artifacts out of this air and then base your reasoning on a self-crafted artifact.
We're starting to see DS hardware sales crack. I think the ubiquity of the iPod Touch is cutting into the handheld market.
Yeah, the DS was really supposed to sell like hotcakes forever. Things slow down, Michael. Even the iPod Touch will slow down one day. The Rubik's Cube once sold like plastic was going out of style. Look at it now.
I think the PSP2 is gonna be dead on arrival. It looks to me like young kids are just as happy playing with an iPod Touch or a Nano. The Touch is cool, it plays games, it plays music, they're gonna put a camera in it, you're gonna have all sorts of cool stuff."
Anyone else think this guy's a paid Apple shill? What's his motivation? He pushes the Apple iPod and Nano at the drop of a hat. What's the story, Michael?
"We're not even close to saturated on the videogame consoles, and we are way approaching saturation on the handheld market. We're starting to see DS hardware sales crack. I think the ubiquity of the iPod Touch is cutting into the handheld market. I think the PSP2 is gonna be dead on arrival. It looks to me like young kids are just as happy playing with an iPod Touch or a Nano. The Touch is cool, it plays games, it plays music, they're gonna put a camera in it, you're gonna have all sorts of cool stuff."
I've read this guy's stuff before. He's not very bright and really shouldn't be commenting on videogames. He's old, he's tired, and he enjoys comparing apples to oranges and then tries to make an argument out of it. I'll destroy him sentence by sentence:
We're not even close to saturated on the videogame consoles, and we are way approaching saturation on the handheld market.
According to who? You? You don't have a clue as to what the saturation point of the console or handheld market is so how can you say what's saturated or not? Stop creating artifacts out of this air and then base your reasoning on a self-crafted artifact.
We're starting to see DS hardware sales crack. I think the ubiquity of the iPod Touch is cutting into the handheld market.
Yeah, the DS was really supposed to sell like hotcakes forever. Things slow down, Michael. Even the iPod Touch will slow down one day. The Rubik's Cube once sold like plastic was going out of style. Look at it now.
I think the PSP2 is gonna be dead on arrival. It looks to me like young kids are just as happy playing with an iPod Touch or a Nano. The Touch is cool, it plays games, it plays music, they're gonna put a camera in it, you're gonna have all sorts of cool stuff."
Anyone else think this guy's a paid Apple shill? What's his motivation? He pushes the Apple iPod and Nano at the drop of a hat. What's the story, Michael?
Star Wars Alphabet
The letter "A" is for Akbar and the letter "L" is for both Luke and Leia. "H" is for Han Solo and "V" goes to Darth Vader. Twelve selections from the Star Wars alphabet are featured in today's album.
WOW 4 New Continent
World of WarCraft Cataclysm, the third expansion in the wildly popular game series is being released tomorrow. Blizzard's lead systems designer Greg Street spoke to CVG today and mentioned that the fourth expansion would likely add a brand new continent. Street said:
http://www.computerandvideogames.com/article.php?id=279290
"I think the next expansion will be something more like a new continent approach. More like the Burning Crusade or Nothrend, where we send players somewhere new that they haven't seen before. I think the Eastern Kingdoms and Kalimdor are good now, we won't have to mess with them. There might be some small areas that may require polish or changing if things still don't feel quite right. On the other hand we have this weird story now where you almost go back in time when you hit the Burning Crusade and Lich King content. We're going to have to do something to bring that up to speed.
"You're hearing all about Deathwing and all the destruction and then you leave Azeroth and go to Outland and they're talking about Illidin. That's a little bit of a non-sequitur, particularly for new players. We need to make that whole story a little smoother," he said, adding that the plot-fixing might be something Blizzard will update via a patch or wait until the next expansion to do. We want to get expansions out on fairly regular schedules so we can't really sit back for too long.
http://www.computerandvideogames.com/article.php?id=279290
"I think the next expansion will be something more like a new continent approach. More like the Burning Crusade or Nothrend, where we send players somewhere new that they haven't seen before. I think the Eastern Kingdoms and Kalimdor are good now, we won't have to mess with them. There might be some small areas that may require polish or changing if things still don't feel quite right. On the other hand we have this weird story now where you almost go back in time when you hit the Burning Crusade and Lich King content. We're going to have to do something to bring that up to speed.
"You're hearing all about Deathwing and all the destruction and then you leave Azeroth and go to Outland and they're talking about Illidin. That's a little bit of a non-sequitur, particularly for new players. We need to make that whole story a little smoother," he said, adding that the plot-fixing might be something Blizzard will update via a patch or wait until the next expansion to do. We want to get expansions out on fairly regular schedules so we can't really sit back for too long.
Tumblr Down
http://tumblr.com/
We'll be back shortly.
We're working quickly to recover from an issue in one of our database clusters. We're incredibly sorry for the inconvenience.
Update at 2:38PM EST: Still down.
Update at 3:54PM EST: Still down, which makes it 19 hours and counting.
Update at 5:15PM EST: 20 hours and not a peep. Can we make it to 24 hours?
Update at 6:35PM EST: 21 hours and Tumblr's own site is online. One of my blogs there is up but the archive is unaccessible. According to a recent Tumblr tweet, full service should be restored soon.
Update at 2:38PM EST: Still down.
Update at 3:54PM EST: Still down, which makes it 19 hours and counting.
Update at 5:15PM EST: 20 hours and not a peep. Can we make it to 24 hours?
Update at 6:35PM EST: 21 hours and Tumblr's own site is online. One of my blogs there is up but the archive is unaccessible. According to a recent Tumblr tweet, full service should be restored soon.
Sunday, December 5, 2010
Michael Wolf's Tokyo Compression
Michael Wolf is a German/American photographer whose oeuvre explores the unique cultural identity of China and Hong Kong which has been his home since 1995. Along with Wolf's photographic record of the Hong Kong skyline and the environs below, he also photographs the citizens of the city and their living spaces.
In a new exhibition titled, "Tokyo Compression," Wolf captures the morning commute of Tokyo's citizens where they pack themselves into subway cars in overly cramped conditions. If I were to label the series of photographs with a single adage, I'd choose, "Suffer in Silence." Link to photo album.
Bravia TV with Built-in PS2
Who would buy this you ask? Well, folks are are still in the market for a PS2 as previously mentioned and TV buyers who enjoy a good gimmick. The new Bravia Freeview HDTV supports 720p, comes with 4 HDMI ports, 3 USB ports, and accepts component, SCART, and ethernet inputs. The Bravia KDL-22PX300 is currently only available for sale within the United Kingdom at a suggested retail price of GBP200 which is US$315.50 as of this morning.
Angry Birds is NOT the new Pac-Man
I laugh at dumb writers. Laugh at 'em with the hearty fire of at least two suns. Here's one of them:
Pac-Man has been around for three decades. Angry Birds has been around for a year. One year. Let's hold off on the facile Pac-Man comparisons for at least another year, mmkay? Oh, I get it though. John Gruber and Dan Frommer know about Pac-Man and maybe Donkey Kong because those are icons of gaming and I guess in their eyes, Pac-Man was the shit. Why not compare Angry Birds to Frogger? How about Kangaroo? At least those were animals... like Angry Birds.
If you walk down any street in America and ask a random person about "Angry Birds," he'll look at you and say something like, "Well, I saw some pigeons that were pecking seed that looked kinda angry." No, Angry Birds is not "EVERYWHERE" as Dan so eloquently expresses himself.
I also like it when a writer uses the word "We" and "Us" to refer to his own opinions and actions. I guess his thoughts and actions are by committee. Sigh.
, On Friday December 3, 2010, 10:09 am EST
Is there a single new mobile brand that has become as ubiquitous as fast as Angry Birds, the addictive little casual game that started on the iPhone and is now EVERYWHERE? We were wondering what a good analogy for Angry Birds might be, but Daring Fireball's John Gruber beat us to it on a recent episode of his "Talk Show" podcast. Angry Birds is the new Pac-Man.Pac-Man has been around for three decades. Angry Birds has been around for a year. One year. Let's hold off on the facile Pac-Man comparisons for at least another year, mmkay? Oh, I get it though. John Gruber and Dan Frommer know about Pac-Man and maybe Donkey Kong because those are icons of gaming and I guess in their eyes, Pac-Man was the shit. Why not compare Angry Birds to Frogger? How about Kangaroo? At least those were animals... like Angry Birds.
If you walk down any street in America and ask a random person about "Angry Birds," he'll look at you and say something like, "Well, I saw some pigeons that were pecking seed that looked kinda angry." No, Angry Birds is not "EVERYWHERE" as Dan so eloquently expresses himself.
I also like it when a writer uses the word "We" and "Us" to refer to his own opinions and actions. I guess his thoughts and actions are by committee. Sigh.
Wikileaks IP
Wikileaks.org, the domain name, is down but as Wikileaks tweeted yesterday, "WIKILEAKS: Free speech has a number: http://88.80.13.160." Cut and paste that string of numbers into the address bar of your browser and wikileaks.org pops up. The I.P address resolves to http://213.251.145.96 as of this morning. Punch that into a traceroute and the following information appears:
Results returned from whois.arin.net:
Results returned from whois.arin.net:
# # The following results may also be obtained via: # http://whois.arin.net/rest/nets;q=213.251.145.96?showDetails=true&showARIN=false # NetRange: 213.0.0.0 - 213.255.255.255 CIDR: 213.0.0.0/8 OriginAS: NetName: RIPE-213 NetHandle: NET-213-0-0-0-1 Parent: NetType: Allocated to RIPE NCC NameServer: TINNIE.ARIN.NET NameServer: NS-PRI.RIPE.NET NameServer: SUNIC.SUNET.SE NameServer: SNS-PB.ISC.ORG NameServer: SEC3.APNIC.NET NameServer: NS3.NIC.FR NameServer: SEC1.APNIC.NET Comment: These addresses have been further assigned to users in Comment: the RIPE NCC region. Contact information can be found in Comment: the RIPE database at http://www.ripe.net/whois RegDate: Updated: 2009-03-25 Ref: http://whois.arin.net/rest/net/NET-213-0-0-0-1 OrgName: RIPE Network Coordination Centre OrgId: RIPE Address: P.O. Box 10096 City: Amsterdam StateProv: PostalCode: 1001EB Country: NL RegDate: Updated: 2004-12-13 Ref: http://whois.arin.net/rest/org/RIPE ReferralServer: whois://whois.ripe.net:43 # # ARIN WHOIS data and services are subject to the Terms of Use # available at: https://www.arin.net/whois_tou.html #Results returned from whois.ripe.net:% This is the RIPE Database query service. % The objects are in RPSL format. % % The RIPE Database is subject to Terms and Conditions. % See http://www.ripe.net/db/support/db-terms-conditions.pdf % Information related to '213.251.145.96 - 213.251.145.111' inetnum: 213.251.145.96 - 213.251.145.111 netname: WIKILEAKS descr: wikileaks.org country: AU admin-c: WL805-RIPE tech-c: WL805-RIPE status: ASSIGNED PA mnt-by: OVH-MNT changed: noc@ovh.net 20101202 source: RIPE person: Wiki leaks address: BOX 4080 address: University of Melbourne Branch address: Victoria 3052 address: Australia phone: +33974760185 e-mail: abusesp@gmail.com nic-hdl: WL805-RIPE abuse-mailbox: abusesp@gmail.com mnt-by: OVH-MNT changed: noc@ovh.net 20101202 source: RIPE % Information related to '213.251.128.0/18AS16276' route: 213.251.128.0/18 descr: OVH ISP descr: Paris, France origin: AS16276 notify: noc@ovh.net mnt-by: OVH-MNT changed: noc@ovh.net 20010217 source: RIPE
Saturday, December 4, 2010
Space Invaders Fruit Juice Packaging
Assassin's Creed 3 Survey UK
Ubisoft has commissioned a UK-based polling company to conduct a survey on what the Assassin's Creed demographic would like to see in the next game. However, the target demographic isn't easy to determine because I wasn't allowed to take the survey even though I'm a young and virile male who plays Assassin's Creed. Is this a new "design by crowd-sourcing" methodology that game developers are turning to nowadays? In any case, the following questions are in the survey:
http://qsurvey.gmisurveys.com/dc/index.html?p=Pny9Ep4
Would you like to see ____ in the sequel to the ASSASSIN"S CREED: BROTHERHOOD?
1) An upgrade to the assassin's blade that increases the fluidity and speed of free-running
2) An enhanced Eagle Vision: see the patrol paths of guards, spot clues to complex navigation puzzles, detect when characters are lying during interrogations, etc.
3) An intuitive crafting tool that lets you create custom bombs from dozens of ingredients found throughout the game world
4) Tactical use of a variety of bombs suited to unique contexts and situations (smoke, poison, flash, explosive, etc.)
5) An additional objective where you and your Assassins guild fight against the Templars to gain control of a city, district by district
6) Playing as a new Assassin, in a different historical time period
7) A continuation of Ezio's story as the leader of the Assassins, set outside of Italy
8) Deeper connectivity between all the Assassin's Creed projects (eg. an action you make on the Facebook game will impact your game experience on the console; events that you read about in the comics will be related to the storyline of the videogames, etc.)
9) Online Cooperative Mode
10) Offline Cooperative Mode
11) The availability of new maps for the Multiplayer
12) A choice of additional Multiplayer characters with new skill-sets
13) Playing new Multiplayer modes
14) A deeper team-based Multiplayer experience (guilds / squads that have common objectives, new tools for clan management, etc.)
15) A customization of the Multiplayer experience (logos, avatars, objects, team names, etc.)
http://qsurvey.gmisurveys.com/dc/index.html?p=Pny9Ep4
Would you like to see ____ in the sequel to the ASSASSIN"S CREED: BROTHERHOOD?
1) An upgrade to the assassin's blade that increases the fluidity and speed of free-running
2) An enhanced Eagle Vision: see the patrol paths of guards, spot clues to complex navigation puzzles, detect when characters are lying during interrogations, etc.
3) An intuitive crafting tool that lets you create custom bombs from dozens of ingredients found throughout the game world
4) Tactical use of a variety of bombs suited to unique contexts and situations (smoke, poison, flash, explosive, etc.)
5) An additional objective where you and your Assassins guild fight against the Templars to gain control of a city, district by district
6) Playing as a new Assassin, in a different historical time period
7) A continuation of Ezio's story as the leader of the Assassins, set outside of Italy
8) Deeper connectivity between all the Assassin's Creed projects (eg. an action you make on the Facebook game will impact your game experience on the console; events that you read about in the comics will be related to the storyline of the videogames, etc.)
9) Online Cooperative Mode
10) Offline Cooperative Mode
11) The availability of new maps for the Multiplayer
12) A choice of additional Multiplayer characters with new skill-sets
13) Playing new Multiplayer modes
14) A deeper team-based Multiplayer experience (guilds / squads that have common objectives, new tools for clan management, etc.)
15) A customization of the Multiplayer experience (logos, avatars, objects, team names, etc.)
Playstation Phone Video
This video was released yesterday and shows a demo of the Playstation Phone which is apparently codenamed "Zeus Z1" and is powered by Google's Android. The model when it goes on sale is the Sony Ericsson Xperia Z1. From the video, it's clear that the phone has a camera, a slide-out control panel, a touch-sensitive screen, and a portrait/landscape viewing mode. A control pad, four buttons, and shoulder-trigger buttons are also built into the phone along with a "Playstation" button which alludes to PSP gaming. So, is this basically a PSP-GO with phone capabilities? I think so.
Friday, December 3, 2010
Groupon Rejects Google
According to a news story out of the Chicago Tribune a few minutes ago, Groupon has apparently rejected Google's $6 billion takeover attempt. This probably won't be apparent to Google now in their throes of takeover passion but this is a good thing. I've mentioned before that Groupon is a fad. It's a fad business model that preys on businesses. There is no long-term sustainability in the social buying business model but Google can probably build their own "Groupon" using their ample resources for a tenth of what Groupon would have cost them.
Cats Playing Patty-cake
Cats Playing Patty-cake with accompanying audio track. I love how the facial expressions of the cats are so impassive and stoic.
Thursday, December 2, 2010
Battle Grids (Wii™) behind-the-scenes video (TRON: Evolution)
This is looking good... for a Disney game.
Wednesday, December 1, 2010
Keiji Inafune Resurfaces
After being a career Capcom employee for over 23 years, Keiji Inafune left the company in late October 2010. Keiji has resurfaced with a personal blog where he espouses his future plans and goals. According to his posting, Keiji is looking forward to producing new types of games in the social networking and online areas. Keiji added, "I'd like to challenge things that I couldn't do during my salaryman era and greatly exceed my former self," in a reference to his former position at Capcom. Keiji's blog link: http://inafking.exblog.jp/
Playstation 3 Supercomputer
In a Gamasutra story released yesterday, the Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) has built a supercomputer made up of 1,760 Playstation 3 consoles. According to the AFRL, the PS3-supercomputer named "The Condor Cluster" is the fastest interactive computer in the Defense Department. The cost for the project was $2 million and the Condor Cluster uses 1/10 of the power of comparable supercomputers. The Condor is currently located in Wright-Patterson AFB in Rome, NY
Nerdphilia: DREAMHACK WINTER 2010
Nerdphilia is batty, blonde, and occasionally entertaining. She reminds me of a teacher I had in school who was like a Nordic Valkyrie - tall, blonde, and imposing but she taught math instead of carrying her chosen dead to the afterlife. All the boys were in awe of her.
Tuesday, November 30, 2010
EA CEO Talks Acquisitions
Playstation Move Reaches 4.1 million Units Sold
Microsoft also released sales figures for their Kinect motion-sensing device today at 2.5 million units sold since its launch on November 4, 2010. Microsoft expects to sell another 2.5 million Kinects during the 2010 holiday season.
Sony Patent Application #20100299595
Akihabara News and other sources that have picked up on the news appear to speculate that this might be a future PSP model but the device looks more like a PDA of some sort that might be capable of playing multimedia applications such as games, music, and video. The patent application #20100299595 may be viewed at http://appft.uspto.gov.
The abstract for the patent reads as follows:
A hand-held electronic device, method of operation and computer readable medium are disclosed. The device may include a case having one or more major surfaces. A visual display and a touch interface are disposed on at least one of the major surfaces. A processor is operably coupled to the visual display and touch screen. Instructions executable by the processor may be configured to a) present an image on the visual display containing one or more active elements; b) correlate one or more active portions of the touch interface to one or more corresponding active elements in the image on the visual display; c) operate the one or more active elements according to a first mode of operation in response to a first mode of touch on one or more of the active portions; and d) operate the one or more active elements according to a second mode of operation in response to a second mode of touch on one or more of the active portions, wherein in the second mode of operation, the second mode of touch activates an enhancement of one or more of the active elements.
Saturday, November 27, 2010
Kinect doesn't connect in Japan
Following the stunning sales of the Kinect in the United States, the Xbox 360 hardware accessory has met a more muted response in Japan. According to new data from Media Create, the Kinect sold 26,000 units in its first two days of sales on November 20-21. Earlier this month, Microsoft sold a million Kinects in the first 10 days of availability in the United States. The Kinect currently retails for JPY14,800 which converts to roughly US$175.
Pirate Bay Loses Appeal
http://news.cnet.com/8301-1023_3-20023915-93.html?tag=mncol;posts
I thought the following statement related to the Pirate Bay case was absurd: "In two years, this type of piracy will be over. After a ruling like this and all the pioneers start to get older and have children and families, piracy won't occur to this extent," Monique Wadsted, an attorney representing American record companies, told the Swedish news agency TT.
What Monique doesn't take into account is that every generation of pirates is replaced by a newer generation. She's dumb (for a lawyer) if her mind can't comprehend the fact that the pool of pirates is constantly replenished just like the pool of software designers is constantly replenished. So many people in this world can't think beyond their own little boxes that they've build around themselves. Feh. I'm done.
What Monique doesn't take into account is that every generation of pirates is replaced by a newer generation. She's dumb (for a lawyer) if her mind can't comprehend the fact that the pool of pirates is constantly replenished just like the pool of software designers is constantly replenished. So many people in this world can't think beyond their own little boxes that they've build around themselves. Feh. I'm done.
Wednesday, November 24, 2010
Imageepoch sticking with J-RPGs
PSP Black Rock Shooter (http://fps.jrpg.jp/)
PSP Tale of the Last Promise (http://brs.jrpg.jp/)
PS3 Chevalier Saga Tactics
NET Chibito Rock Shooter
Japanese-style RPGs may have gone out of style stateside sometime in the past 5 years but Imageepoch doesn't appear to care. They are targeting the Japanese and Asian market with their upcoming games and there are currently no plans to release them outside of Japan.
Tuesday, November 23, 2010
DoubleFine Reveals "Stacking" Trailer
DoubleFine has released a trailer which includes footage from their upcoming "Stacking" game which features Russian nesting dolls aka matryoshka. There's stacking, flatulence, and thrills galore...
Sony shows commitment to 3D
Sony released a firmware patch in June 2010 to give the Playstation 3 the ability to render games in stereoscopic 3D. Note however that a 3D-capable television and 3D glasses are required in conjunction with the games to view them in 3D. Mick also mentioned "holographics" in his keynote speech, as follows,
"Well, our focus absolutely is the home space right now. That’s where 3D will triumph. On the big screen is where, for the moment, players can experience 3D at its best.However, 3D on mobile devices, and other forms of 3D, are all possible and many companies are working on them right now. We also have techniques like holographics for the PS3 that I think will be very interesting for the future 3D games."
You heard it folks, "holographics" are on the way.
Monday, November 22, 2010
Details on Fallout: New Vegas’ first DLC, “Dead Money”
http://www.bethsoft.com/newsletter/newsletter-11.19.10.html
On December 21st, Fallout: New Vegas' first DLC, Dead Money, will be available exclusively on Xbox 360 for 800 Microsoft Points.
To give you a sneak peek at the content, Senior Designer Chris Avellone answered a few of our questions about the heist-themed content.
Here's the interview…
Can you discuss the setting for Dead Money?
Dead Money is set in the Sierra Madre, an opulent and extravagant resort that was supposed to be the greatest casino in the west – except that it never opened. Bombs fell before the gala opening, and the Sierra Madre froze in time, its state of the art security system locking the place up tight. Nothing could get in, and none of the guests could escape. Years passed. The climate control and air conditioning system within the facility began to spit toxins into the surrounding city, causing a slow cloud and haze to form over the area - which proved lethal to anyone who tried to explore the city. Only a mysterious group called the Ghost People survived to call the city home, trapped inside what appeared to be hazmat suits and never speaking to their victims... only capturing them alive and dragging them away to the depths of the city deep within the Cloud.
And so the Sierra Madre faded from the history books, only occasionally being seen in posters across the wastes, until it took on mythic ghost story status... a supposed "City of Gold" in the Mojave Wasteland where all the treasures of the Old World were rumored to be held. It was kept alive as a late-night saloon story by prospectors who'd claimed to have found maps leading there... and were willing to part with the "map" for a few caps. Or a drink. Or a warm place to sleep.
How will the player reach this area?
The Sierra Madre is a mythical place in the wastes, with travelers all risking their lives to find it. Only one man truly "found" it - and lived. After the fall of HELIOS One, Father Elijah of the Brotherhood of Steel set out to find new weapons to eradicate NCR. And in the process he found the Sierra Madre. The Courier is lured to the Sierra Madre by a faint radio broadcast advertising the gala grand opening.
From a gameplay standpoint, Dead Money is accessed by loading a save file from any point in Fallout: New Vegas prior to the endgame sequence, in the same way as Operation Anchorage, Point Lookout, The Pitt or Mothership Zeta were triggered in Fallout 3.
Can you share details on some of the new creatures/enemies players will encounter?
This being an extension of Fallout: New Vegas, players will encounter several unique characters, each with their own motivations, all of whom will have to work together if any of them are going to survive. Aside from just struggling with their would-be companions, the courier will also have to deal with the mysterious Ghost People as well as the casino's substantial defense systems.
Kingdom Under Fire II Headed to PS3
In addition to single-player action, KUFII also features a multiplayer online mode where hundreds if not thousands of players may participate in the carnage of a bloody battlefield. Despite the “II” in the game title, KUFII will be the third game in the series; it is the sequel to Kingdom Under Fire: A War of Heroes and Kingdom Under Fire: The Crusaders which were original Xbox games. KUFII is currently in development and no release date has been announced thus far.
Saturday, November 20, 2010
Vivendi CEO praises Call of Duty: Black Ops
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| Jean-Bernard Lévy, CEO Vivendi |
Activision Blizzard’s chief executive Robert Kotick said, "Call of Duty has become the first entertainment property in history to set five-day launch records for two consecutive years across all forms of entertainment, The title’s success illustrates the mass appeal of interactive entertainment as millions of consumers are choosing to play Call of Duty: Black Ops at unprecedented levels rather than engage in other forms of media. The number of people playing online and the number of hours they are playing demonstrates how online gaming has become a mainstream form of entertainment and certainly validates Activision Blizzard’s leadership role in online entertainment."
Friday, November 19, 2010
The 3rd Birthday : Debut Trailer with subtitles
Fans of Parasite Eve rejoice with the upcoming third game in the Parasite Eve series which is titled, "The 3rd Birthday."
Gaming News Bits for November 19, 2010
The classic Atari 2600 game "Yars' Revenge" is undergoing the remake treatment courtesy of Killspace Entertainment. In the game, players control a fly-like insect known as a Yar who retailiates against an alien species known as the Qotile. Yars' Revenge is slated for release in 1Q 2011 and will be available as a download for the Playstation 3, Xbox 360, and PC.
- Portal 2 Pushed Back
Valve has delayed the release of Portal 2 by two months to April 20, 2011. In Portal 2, players take control of a protagonist named Chell who is able to open "portals" on walls and floors by using an aptly device called a portal gun (Aperture Science Handheld Portal Device). Chell's objective is to find his way out of the Aperture Science Lab which has been abandoned. His nemesis in the lab is a sentient computer named GLaDOS who observes and attempts to derail Chell's escape attempt. Portal 2 is being developed for the PlayStation 3, PC, Mac and Xbox 360 platforms.
Thursday, November 18, 2010
Tetris headed to Playstation 3
Just like Jello however, there's always room for Tetris and EA is planning a version for the Playstation 3 which is being developed by EA Mobile. Tetris fans can look forward to the single-player default "Marathon Mode" or get competitive with a multi-player option which allows up to six gamers to rotate blocks in "Shared," "Team Battle," and "Battle" modes. To see how your elite scores stack up against other players, a regional and global leaderboards list the scores of top players around the world. EA touts 1080p and 5.1 surround sound for a high-definition Tetris experience.
Tactics Ogre leads Japanese sales
Rounding out the top ten were: (4) NDS Pokemon Black, (5) NDS Tongari Boushi to Mahou no Omise, (6) PSP God Eater Burst, (7) PS3 Winning Eleven 2011, (8) Wii Party, (9) Wii Sports Resort, and (10) Wii Keito no Kirby.
Wednesday, November 17, 2010
Marvel vs Capcom 3: Fate of Two Worlds on February 15, 2011
Capcom finalized the ship date for their upcoming 2D fighting game which pits the camps of Marvel and Capcom against each other. The game will be available in a regular edition as well as a Gamestop exclusive limited edition which is packaged in a steelbook case. The cast roster is as follows:
» Capcom: Amaterasu, Chun-Li, Chris Redfield, Dante, Mega Man Zero, Nathan "Rad" Spencer, Wesker, Tron Bonne, Viewtiful Joe, Ryu, Morrigan, Felicia, and Trish.
» Marvel: Captain America, Doctor Doom, Dormmamu, She Hulk, M.O.D.O.K., Spider-Man, X-23, Thor, Deadpool, Hulk, Wolverine, Iron Man, and Super-Skrull.
Marvel vs. Capcom 3 will be available for Playstation 3 and Xbox 360.
Tuesday, November 16, 2010
Shenmue City on Mobagetown
In the game, players can interact with citizens of Yokosuka, work part-time jobs, practice kung-fu, run a dojo, operate an arcade, and battle other online players. The game includes 11 scenarios and will be available on the Mobagetown mobile service as well as the Yahoo Mobagetown service for PCs. In related news, Yu Suzuki recently revealed in a Famitsu interview that Shenmue 3 could become a reality.
Microsoft Moves a Million Kinects in 10 days
Sony's answer to the Nintendo Remote and Wii is a device called the "Move" which shipped to American retailers on September 17, 2010. According to Sony, over 1 million Move devices have sold in the first 30 days of availability.
Monday, November 15, 2010
Games Japan Festa 2010
Sony and Microsoft were the main exhibitors along with smaller publishers but Nintendo doesn't do shows. That's right, Nintendo doesn't exhibit at the Tokyo Game Show or Games Japan Festa and they opt to hold their own press conferences and the occasional "Space World" event to showcase their products.
Popular exhibits at this year's event included Level 5's Ninokuni Shikkoku no Madoushi adventure game, Chunsoft's Zombie Daisuki, and Sega's Sonic Colors. A stage show featuring Radio Osaka and free prizes kept the visitors entertained.
Using Kinect to Capture Video in 3D
The Kinect hacks keep coming. Check out this video from "KinectHacks" which shows off 3D images that have been captured by the Microsoft Kinect camera... but that's not all. He's projecting the color images back out into space to create a "holographic" representation of the persons or objects that are bring captured.
Sunday, November 14, 2010
Nintendo targeting 45 million in total Wii sales before next console
"After we've reached an installed base of 45 million here in the U.S., we can have a conversation about the next generation," said Fils-Aime. He also went on to say that a succesor to the Wii would not be forthcoming for the 2011 holiday season. The Wii was released on November 19, 2006 so it took the company four years to sell 30.4 million consoles. Sales are slower nowadays but they'll probably move the next 15 million consoles within 3 years time. If that's the case, then the successor to the Wii won't be heading to retail until 2015.
Friday, November 12, 2010
Kinect costs $56 to manufacture
Before griping about the nearly $100 difference between production cost and retail price, consumers will have to take into account the manufacturing costs, Microsoft’s promotional campaigns for the Kinect, R&D, and the costs of getting the product into stores.
“Basically, the strength of the design is the huge design win for the Israeli fabless company PrimeSense,” said Allan Yogasingam, a technical marketing manager at UBM TechInsights. “They’ve provided the most innovative portion of the Kinect with their image processor, audio and video interface.”
A listing of the major parts found by UBM TechInsights within Kinect:
* PrimeSense PS1080-A2 – PS1080 SoC image sensor processor (works with CMOS image sensor and an IR light source)
* Marvell 88AP1-BJD2 – Possible Marvell camera interface controller
* Elpida E5116AJBG-6E-E – 70nm DDR2 SDRAM (SI#18324)
* (2) Marvell G39 00A1P
* H1025519 XBOX1001 X851716-006 GEPP – Serial EEPROM for Marvell Controller
* Fairchild Semiconductor FDS8984 – N-Channel PowerTrench MOSFET
* NEC uPD720114 – USB 2.0 hub controller
* (2) Wolfson Microelectronics WM8737G – Stereo ADC with microphone preamp (one for every two microphones)
* STMicroelectronics 25P16V6G – M25P16 – 16 Mbit, low voltage, Serial Flash memory with 50 MHz SPI bus interface
* STMicroelectronics H28A 9017
* WT245 – Texas Instruments SN74AVC4T245RGYR – 4-bit noninverting dual-supply bus transceiver
* Texas Instruments 70530-08T-AVF4 – TPS3705-30 – Processor Supervisory Circuits with Power-Fail
* Texas Instruments TAS1020B – universal serial bus (USB) peripheral interface device
* Kionix KXSD9 – 3-axis accelerometer
* (2) Analog Devices AD8694 – Quad, Low Cost, Low Noise, CMOS Rail-to-Rail Output Operational Amplifier
* TI ADS7830I – 8-Bit, 8-Channel Sampling A/D Converter with I2C Interface
* Allegro Microsystems A3906 – Low Voltage Stepper and Single/Dual DC Motor Driver
* STMicroelectronics M29W800DB – 8 Mbit (1Mb x8 or 512Kb x16) NV Flash Memory
Thursday, November 11, 2010
Trademarking "It's On Like Donkey Kong"
Does Nintendo really need to own that phrase? Are they seeking the control of the phrase so that it can't be used in trite advertising from other companies? Nintendo didn't even come up with the phrase. Sure, they own "Donkey Kong" but if another phrase pops up in popular culture with "Donkey Kong" in it, will Nintendo try to trademark that too? When will it end? If the phrase "I'm eating pie like Pac-Man" becomes popular, should Namco seek to control and own that phrase too?
I can see the outcome of the trademark application already: DENIED.
I'm back. I was at a 3-day wedding in Vegas for a college buddy. -J-Sonoma
Wednesday, November 10, 2010
Spain names streets after video games
The government-sponsored Arcosur project aims to build more than 21,000 residences for people ages 20 to 35 who are buying their first homes, he said. Construction began last year. A dozen of the development's streets will be named for video games, Almudi said. Names of musical composers and Spanish monuments will grace the neighborhood's remaining 46 roads.
Tuesday, November 9, 2010
Cook in 8-bit (NCSX syndicated content)
If these questions have ever crossed your mind, take a gander at Jude Buffum’s limited edition giclee prints which depict video game characters as… meat. The characters that are drawn and quartered into chops and filets include Yoshi, Blooper, Cheep Cheep, and Chocobo.
Monday, November 8, 2010
Call of Duty: Black Ops - Eminem "Till I Collapse"
CODBO is shipping tomorrow so here's a little taste. Eminem sounds like he's mad-spittin' all over the place though.
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