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Smarty Pants: Student Takes the Koran "To-Go"
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Defense Grid: The Awakening To Demo At PAX [Defense Grid: The Awakening]
Tower Defense-style games are beginning to crop up more and more - all desperate to hit that same sweet spot between lunchtime casual and mouth-foaming addiction typified by Desktop Tower Defense.
At PAX , Microsoft Game Studios & Hidden Path will be deploying Defense Grid: The Awakening - a glossy take on the genre for XBLA featuring all the key ingredients: lots of enemies & loads of different turrets and weapon emplacements to blow them up with, all strategic-like.
The game has an impressive-sounding pedigree. Designed by Mark terrano (previously responsible for Age Of Empires II) and using Oblivion's Gamebryo engine to render rather nice looking 3D environs.
PAX Road Trip: The Washington Edition [Day Note]
To: Ash
From: Crecente
Re: Overpaying for Real Bacon, Simply Put, Sucks
Funny thing, whenever I write road trip I think of a Talking Heads song. Today's trip was pretty uneventful. As is almost always the case poor Trish got stuck with doing the driving as I sat shotgun and blogged via cell. I was excited to spot a genuine muffler man in Idaho, but my enthusiasm for the giant piece of roadside americana was not shared. Trish did get a pretty good laugh when I told her that there was a Church of God in Zilla, Washington. No lie! She thinks I would convert if we lived there. She's totally right.
Now that we're in Seattle it's time to prep for PAX, it starts tomorrow afternoon.
What you missed:
All things PAX
Lego Batman Cartoon In The Works
Man Gets Face Full of Brass Knuckles Over PS3
Line Rider Brings Web Downloads to DS and Wii
Team Ico's PS3 Game Ready 'Soon', but not by Tokyo Game Show
Show Your Photo Game Face in Facebreaker [Facebreaker]
Being able to upload someones face on a character in Rainbow Six: Vegas was disturbingly satisfying. In this video we take a look at EA Canada's similar facial recognition feature, Photo Game Face. Watch how Heidi Montag and Spencer Pratt (MTV's The Hills) kick the living crap out of each other. The game will be out for Xbox 360 and PS3 September 5th.
Classic Oddworld Games Get Steamed [Oddworld]
While we all wait — with breath that at least slightly baited — for news of the new Oddworld game, Valve's Doug Lombardi got in touch to tell us about the release of two of the earlier Oddworld games through Steam.
Poorly-spelled platforming classics Abe's Oddysee and Abe's Exoddus are now on the Steam network for a measly $9.99 a pop, with an "Oddworld Pack" featuring both games for $14.99.
For the first week, Steam subscribers can buy either or both titles at a special 10% discount. Which is nice.
Pre-Download Spore Now [Spore]
If you pre-orded Will Wright's upcoming opus Spore from the Electronic Arts Store you can hit up EA today to pre-load the game.
Once pre-ordered you can use the EA Download Manager to download 99 percent of the game to your computer. That's the good news. The bad news is that that last 1 percent of Spore is going to take you 30 minutes to an hour to download and install on on Sept. 7 when the game hits North America.
Own a Mac? Then you're out of luck until the game ships.
I just popped over to the Sporepedia to see how creature creating was moving along. It looks like gamers have now crafted more than 3 million critters, including one from Will Wright himself. That's right he finally got around to creating his creature for the Sporelebirty contest. The three-eyed beastie is called Tricolps. (I'm stilling clinging to the number five position in the contest.)
The PSP 3000 - How Different Is It? [Psp 3000]
James Yu over at GameSpot has just posted an excellent hands-on comparison of the old Sony PSP 2000 model and the shiny new PSP 3000, announced just last week at the Games Convention in Leipzig. While we've already posted the comparison that showed up on Famitsu, the GameSpot article has a few things going for it. More comparison photos of the screen, which looks to be where the biggest noticeable differences lie, and the fact that James writes in easy-to-understand English, always appreciated by us English-exclusive humans like myself. Hit the link below for the full skinny on what has changed in obsessive detail, right down to the surface textures of the plastic.
Sony PSP 3000 Hands-On [GameSpot]
Resident Evil 2 Remake for Wii? [Rumor]
Can it be true? Now that the Wii is confirmed as the new home of violent hardcore gaming is the time right for a remake of good old Resi 2?
Japanese fan board 2ch has popped up a rumor concerning a possible remake of Biohazard 2 (aka Resident Evil 2 - but you knew that, right?) that will be exclusive to the Wii.
If the rumor is correct — and when has a random post on a Japanese fan site ever been wrong? — then we will be treated to a full Wii-ified remake, with some additional story elements. There will be a new 'swordsman' enemy (sword waggling minigame, anyone?) and 'Resident Evil 4 Viewpoints', which could mean anything - possibly 3rd-person over-the-shoulder stuff?
Its more than likely just bobbins, but even the slightest hint of RE2 is better than no RE2 at all.
Biohazard 2 Remake on the way? [The Horror Is Alive via N-Europe]
The Schwag of PAX08 [Penny Arcade Expo 2008]
The schwag of Penny Arcade Expo includes an eclectic mix of PAX-themed giveaways and buyables. My favorite among the offerings though are these three PAX-wrapped consoles.
A blue, black and grey PS3, Wii and Xbox 360 will go to the winner and runner-up of this year's Omegathon, with the winner also landing themselves a trip to the Tokyo Game Show.
If you're hitting the show and not one of the lucky few selected to compete in the Omegathon you can still get your hands on some PAX-themed goodies.
Among the stuff you can buy is a DeathAdder mouse from Razer with a PAX logo slapped on it. Only 400 of these were made and they'll set you back $60. A Collectors Edition copy of On the Rain-Slick Precipice of Darkness Episode One, which comes with a shirt, a keyring and a die, will also be on sale at the show.
The Penny Arcade Expo Omega Update Post [Penny Arcade 2008]
Last week it was the Games Convention, earlier this week it was the Democratic National Convention and now we're off this morning on the road to PAX... wasn't that a musical?
Over the past two days Trish, Tristan and I drove through Wyoming, Idaho, Utah, Oregon and finally Washington State. Today we arrive in Seattle around dinner time. Tomorrow... the show.
Keep your eyes peeled on this post as we continue to update it with all of our coverage leading up to the big show and than through-out the day updates during the show.
Pre-Show Updates
Examining the Penny Arcade Expo Show Floor
Penny Arcade Announces ?Fatal1ty? WON'T Be at PAX
Behold...The Omegathon!
Penny Arcade Expo Sched Hits
Play Xbox 360 Left 4 Dead at PAX, PC Version in France, Germany, UK
Seattle Times' Pre-PAX Profile of Penny Arcade
D3 Invades PAX 2008
Microsoft Unveils PAX Schedule
PAX Road Trip: T-Minus 2 Days
On the Road to PAX: The Idaho Edition
Sony, Whatcha Showin At PAX?
Gauntlet DS, Monster Lab at PAX
Casual Games Getting 'Sloppy' - James Patterson [Womens Murder Club]
Bestselling crime writer James Patterson is working on a series of casual games based on his Women's Murder Club books.
As well as singing the praises of the titles he is developing with I-Play, Patterson was careful to stick a stiletto blade in the back of his competitors.
"I wanted the story to have some dramatic power, something to hold you. I wanted the little side missions - which are a staple of casual games - to be a little more organic. In some casual games they can get a little sloppy. At least in WMC the little things - such as the parts where you have to mix the chemicals in the lab - have some relevance to the main story."
Well, you have to give him this much - nothing says 'dramatic power' like a chemical mixing minigame.
Casual game design 'can get sloppy' says author James Patterson [CasualGaming.biz]
Acclaim Launches MyDivaDoll, We Feel Pretty [Acclaim]
Times like this I wish they had just flat-out refused to sell former Activision CEO Howard Marks the Acclaim name back in 2005. Acclaim Games has just launched MyDivaDoll, a web-based online game described in the announcement email as "The Game of Attitude, Fashion, & Interior Design". Create your own diva, buy here clothes, decorate her house, and try not to feel violated with the knowledge that anyone can then click on her, strip her down to her underwear and just...stare. The game also features community voting for best doll and best condo, various mini-games, and a flirting game that I don't think I even want to understand.
I tried to create my own diva, but as you can see from the results I spent far too many DivaBucks on facial tattoos, leaving me no money for pants, a situation I find myself in with alarming regularity. Feel free to hop over there and create your own, but remember to share!
MyDivaDoll: Attitude, Fashion & Interior Design [Acclaim]
New Prince of Persia Developer Diary Shows Us the Works [Prince Of Persia]
Just as the title says this first dev. diary from the Prince of Persia team shows us all sorts of stuff from the new acrobatics, to animation, sound design, and even a little tid bit from the story. Bottom line, the game looks awesome and I can't wait to try the roof running. Prince of Persia is currently scheduled to hit Xbox 360, PS3, and PC this holiday season.
Team Ico's PS3 Game Ready 'Soon', but not by Tokyo Game Show [Team ICO]
Sometimes it seems as though Team Ico are taking the 'explain nothing' ambiance of their games a little too much to heart.
When asked if Fumito Ueda?s followup to Ico and Shadow of the Colossus would be ready by thi year's Tokyo Game Show, Sony Worldwide's Shuhei Yoshida could only say "I cannot tel, but But I can say that they?ve been working very hard since the release of Shadow of the Colossus."
Well, I should flippin' well hope so. But come on, a little detail about the game would be nice. Is it long? Short? Is it 3D? Does it have corners? How does it taste? Anything?
?Soon you?ll see,? says Yoshida. Gaaah.
All we can say for sure is that it is out of critical production and will be ready 'soon'. Honestly, if they ever hold a proper press event for this thing they will probably make journalists traverse a mysterious landscape populated by mute PR reps to get to it. It will be shrouded in mist, and there will be limited internet access.
Yoshida: Team ICO?s PS3 game will be shown ?soon? [VideoGaming 24/7]
Line Rider Brings Web Downloads to DS and Wii [Feature]
I was delighted in 2006 when I heard that Line Rider was picked up by a developer and headed to the DS. And almost immediately that short rush of excitement, I was perplexed.
How was anyone going to take such an open, simple design and turn it into a traditional game without totally screwing it up.
Turns out I wasn't the only one worrying about that.
"We knew (Line Rider) was a good platform," said Chris Keenan, producer of Line Rider 2: Unbound for InXile Entertainment.. "We knew there was something we could make a game out of, but we didn't just want to abandon what everyone had been playing around with."
The developers knew they would have to include a freestyle mode in the, but they also wanted to beef up the title by creating both a puzzle mode and a story mode.
"The great thing about Line Rider is its elegant simplicity," Keenan said. "We knew there was so much we could do to it, but we didn't want to ruin it by making it too complex."
So the development called on game creator and Slovenian university student Bo?tjan ?ade? to help with the concept work.
"He came out for about a month and a half," Keenan said. "We put him up across the street and have him come over every day. He and our lead engineer here, started playing around with the next update of the flash version.
"After they did that we sat down and bounced around ideas like game design stuff and what we wanted to feature in the new games."
Chief among the features the team wanted to include in the new game was the ability to capture video and share it.
"The PC build has video capture built into it," he said. "You just push a button and it spits out an AVI."
Of course the story mode was another big feature the game included.
In this mode instead of being able to draw lines wherever you want, you play through an existing course that has chunks missing. The missing areas are located in green regions on the screen. Players have to draw their own lines in those green regions to allow their rider to finish the course while hitting targets and collect tokens.
To help create these pre-made courses, InXile called on TechDawg, a gamer considered to be the best Line Rider artist around.
"I started watching these videos come out on YouTube and called up TechDawg," Keenan said. "We had him come here to help us with course design. He amazingly has really good design sense. He flew out for about three weeks and sat down and went over game design ideas and tried to figure out what we wanted out of story mode maps."
While adding new modes to the game to give Line Rider 2 more depth was a challenge, an even greater challenge for the team was figuring out how to bring the game over to the Wii and DS.
"The differences with the Wii are basically in the user interface," Keenan said. "When you go into a console version they want more screen real estate. We have collapsible menus, but other than that they are very, very similar."
Playing around with the DS version of the game, I was astounded at how well Line Rider translates onto the screen. Creating and editing course lines are a breeze and in freemode you can have your character riding your lines as you create them. You can also drop clip art into freemode tracks and even create invisible "trick triggers." When your rider slides through one of these triggers they pull off one of pre-created tricks.
The story mode, which I initially thought was going to be the game's weakest link, quickly sunk its hooks into me. In this mode you have to figure out how to complete an existing course by drawing one of three types of lines: standards, one that speeds you up or one that slows you down. In this mode, after you draw a line it creates a number of handles along the line that you can use to shape it by dragging them around.
To complete a level you need to run over all of the targets, but there are also tokens which can be collected for bonus points. Getting those tokens, though, often mean having to travel a much more difficult path, one that often involves multiple loops, drops and tricks.
While I didn't have time with the Wii version of the game, the developers told me they spent about a month working on the controller trying to finesse more precision out of it.
The team said the game won't support Motion Plus, but that they'd love to have a chance to use the Wii's new feature.
While I was taken aback by how well the game translates to the DS, I was even more surprised to hear the developer's plans for DS and Wii track sharing. The team knew early on just how important the ability to share and show off your tracks was to the game. And doing that for the PC version was a no brainer. But it wasn't as easy a task for the Wii and DS versions.
But the team were able to get Nintendo approval to allow them to have their DS and Wii versions of the game sync up with a special website where players will be able to download and upload approved courses. That means that if you have either title you will be able to download gamer created courses directly to your console or handheld.
On both versions the game gives you a code that you need to enter on the Line Rider website. Once you create a login on the website and enter your code you can sync up your DS or Wii with the page.
Using this system you can upload or download any tracks from your personal page.
On the webpage you can manage your tracks, adding them to the public database. You can also flip through tabs which separate the tracks by platform.
After the game launches the team hopes to roll out a system that will allow gamers to rate each other's tracks. Those ratings, they hope, will then affect a person's score. The idea is that those gamers who create better tracks will earn high scores for themselves and gain a reputation.
And player creations won't be limited to straightforward tracks, players will also be able to create and share puzzles.
Keenan said that the game may even support downloadable content for the Wii down the line, allowing them to release new puzzles, tracks and clip art through the Wii's store.
ESA Cheers For Pirates' Prison Sentences [Entertainment Software Association]
The Entertainment Software Association issued a press release today that for once wasn't scolding a U.S. state for pursuing unconstitutional game legislation. Instead, they take a moment to applaud the sentencing of two convicted software pirates - Kevin Fuchs of New York and Kifah Maswadi of Florida, both of whom received prison terms for their efforts at taking away money from hardworking developers and publishers.
?We commend the U.S. Department of Justice Criminal Division?s Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section, the U.S. Attorney?s Offices for the Western District of North Carolina and the Eastern District of Virginia and the Federal Bureau of Investigation for their work in bringing these criminals to justice,? said Michael D. Gallagher, CEO of the ESA... ?These decisions illustrate, once again, that game piracy will not be tolerated and the extent at which these criminals will be prosecuted. The ESA and its members will continue to support law enforcement?s efforts to protect the intellectual property of our industry.?
It's just another friendly way of saying don't f*** with the ESA.
ESA APPLAUDS PRISON SENTENCES FOR NEW YORK AND FLORIDA GAME PIRATES
August 28, 2008 ? Washington, DC ? The Entertainment Software Association today applauded the recent sentencings of two convicted pirates to significant prison time. These rulings send a clear message that intellectual property theft and game piracy are serious offenses. On August 20, 2008, U.S. District Judge Frank D. Whitney in the Western District of North Carolina sentenced Kevin Fuchs of West Amherst, NY, to eight months in prison, to be followed by eight months of home confinement during two years of court supervision. On August 15, 2008, U.S. District Judge T.S. Ellis III in the Eastern District of Virginia sentenced Kifah Maswadi of Oakland, FL, to fifteen months in prison, followed by three years? supervised release and fifty hours of community service. Maswadi was also ordered to pay $415,900 in restitution.
?We commend the U.S. Department of Justice Criminal Division?s Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section, the U.S. Attorney?s Offices for the Western District of North Carolina and the Eastern District of Virginia and the Federal Bureau of Investigation for their work in bringing these criminals to justice,? said Michael D. Gallagher, CEO of the ESA, the trade group representing U.S. computer and video game publishers. ?These decisions illustrate, once again, that game piracy will not be tolerated and the extent at which these criminals will be prosecuted. The ESA and its members will continue to support law enforcement?s efforts to protect the intellectual property of our industry.?
On January 3, 2007, Fuchs plead guilty to conspiring to reproduce and distribute copyrighted works, including entertainment software. Fuchs played a key role in the ?warez scene? where he was a ?supplier,? whose role was to obtain pre-release copies of copyrighted software, and a ?tester? who checked the functionality of pirated software after the copy protection was removed or bypassed by other warez scene members. This case was part of Operations Fastlink and Site Down, two of the largest piracy investigations conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Department of Justice. The operations targeted ?warez groups,? which illegally distribute copyrighted movies, games, software and movies online.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation field office in Charlotte, NC, handled the investigation of defendant Fuch?s activities. Trial Attorneys Richard D. Green and John Zacharia of the U.S. Department of Justice Criminal Division?s Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section, Assistant U.S. Attorney Eric Klumb, along with Assistant U.S. Attorney Corey Ellis of the Western District of North Carolina, handled the prosecution.
The Fuchs sentencing comes on the heels of a fifteen month sentence imposed on a Florida game pirate. On June 3, 2008, Kifah Maswadi pleaded guilty to one count of criminal copyright infringement. He admitted to selling ?Power Players,? which are game systems that connect directly to a television and were pre-loaded with at least 76 pirated copies of video games. From 2006 to 2007, Maswadi sold these game systems containing illegal copies of games via the Internet and earned more than $390,000 through this illegal activity. Maswadi was facing up to three years in prison but received a reduced sentence for cooperating with the government.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation field offices in Washington, DC, Tampa, FL, and Jacksonville, FL, handled the investigation of defendant Maswadi?s activities. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jay V. Prabhu and Trial Attorney Tyler G. Newby of the U.S. Department of Justice Criminal Division?s Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section handled the prosecution.
The Entertainment Software Association is the U.S. association dedicated to serving the business and public affairs needs of companies publishing interactive games for video game consoles, handheld devices, personal computers, and the Internet. The ESA offers services to interactive entertainment software publishers including a global anti-piracy program, owning the E3 Media & Business Summit, business and consumer research, federal and state government relations, First Amendment and intellectual property protection efforts. For more information, please visit www.theESA.com.
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Michael Phelps Has CoD: World At War And You Don't [Call Of Duty: World At War]
Michael Phelps — Couch Potato! [The Early Show - Thanks Levi Harman!]
Pure Soundtrack Unveiled [Pure]
Disney's upcoming four-wheeler PURE is going to be packed to the brim with house, electronic and hip-hop music it looks like.
The upcoming racer's soundtrack will include music from DJ Hyper, The Answer, Tapework and Blindside to name a few. Here's a partial track list for the game, due out on the PC, Playstation 3 and Xbox 360 later this year:
The Answer - "Into the Gutter"
Fred Baker -"Genius Touch"
Jeff Beck -"Grease Monkey"
Calyx & Teebee -"Dual Processed" Featuring MC Verse
The Datsuns -" Maximum Heartbreak' and 'Sittin' Pretty"
Diet Kong -"With Magic"
Adam Freeland -" Spin Machine"
The Futureheads -" Beginning of the Twist"
DJ Hyper -"We Control"
Midfield General -"On the Road"
The Music -"Strength in Numbers"
My Luminaries - "The Sound of Music"
Noise Control -"Cities of Dreams' and 'Mud Bath"
Pendulum -"Granite' and 'Showdown"
Pop Levi -"Wannamama"
Qemists -"Drop Audio' and 'Stomp Box"
The Radishes -"Good Machine"
Silvertone -"Try"
The Subways -"Rock and Roll Queen"
Tapeworm -"Getting Through"
The Whigs -"Need You Need You"
Zero DB -"Late in the Day' and 'Redline"
Wolfmother -" Woman"
We Are Scientists -"Inaction"
Blindside - "For the Nation"
"Music plays an integral part in action sports games and we wanted to provide the right background to complement the nonstop spectacular tricks and massive jumps in the game," said Jason Avent, game director at Black Rock Studio. "We feel that the songs we've included on the soundtrack are ideal to round out the adrenaline rush players will get while playing PURE."
I've only been able to play around with a single map in the game, but so far I really like what I've seen. And I'm not the only one.
Unsolved Crimes Investigated In September [Release Date]
Empire Interactive's 1970's New York crime drama Unsolved Crimes is one step closer to being solved, as the company announces the game has gone gold and is heading our way next month. Having only just been officially announced last month, the game should be hitting store shelves on or around September 23rd.
This is exactly the sort of development cycle I want to see more of. Tell us about the game one month, release it two months later. Makes me long for the good old days before I had the internet and those pesky video game bloggers didn't tell us about games years before they were coming out. Jerks.
Man Gets Face Full of Brass Knuckles Over PS3 [Crime]
Pittsburgh police were looking for four people who beat and kicked a teen to the ground during an argument over a Playstation 3.
Police say the 18-year-old walked up to a group of 30 or so people Friday night in Greensburgh and when he started to talk to them, four attacked him.
One of the men punched the teen in the face with brass knuckles, breaking a bone near his eye. When the teen fell to the ground the men started kicking him.
Police say the attack was the result of an argument over ownership of a Playstation 3.
Victim says assault in Greensburg was over PlayStation 3 [Tribune Review]
Runes Of Magic's Palatial Housing In Action [Runes Of Magic]
Smash Bros. Champ Joins Survivor Cast [Super Smash Bros. Melee]
Did you realize that the television show Survivor was a going concern among television viewers? I certainly didn't, having completely given up on network television after those bastards decided to cancel Journeyman after one partial season, which is why I had no idea that the one of the cast members for the latest season of Survivor is professional gamer Ken Hoang, the current international champion of Nintendo's Super Smash Brothers Melee. Survivor: Gabon premiers on September 25th, when we'll get to see Ken put his gaming skills to the test in the very physical competition.
My prediction? Ken gets ironically eaten by several wild animals who have never before appeared together hunting the same game.
Ken's Bio Page For Survivor: Gabon [CBS.com - Thanks RLJohn!]
Gauntlet DS, Monster Lab at PAX [Penny Arcade Expo 2008]
Monster Lab for the Wii, Gauntlet for the DS and Chimps Ahoy! for the iPhone will be at Foundation 9's Penny Arcade Expo booth when the show kicks off at the end of the week.
Monster Lab is a story-driven role-playing game based in Uncanny Valley. Players take on the role of an apprentice scientist who conducts experiments to create monsters from the games more than 150 monster parts.
Gauntlet DS is a Backbone Entertainment developed remake of the original arcade coin-op. The game will include overhauled graphics, new attacks and powers and a new experience-based combat system. The game also supports local and Wi-Fi multiplay for up to four players. You can play cooperatively in through the game or against one another in three competitive modes.
Chimps Ahoy! is a puzzle iPhone title currently out on the App Store.
I'm not sure about Monster Lab, but the remake of Gauntlet sounds like it has quite a lot of potential, especially since it has Wi-Fi coop play.
Foundation 9 Showcases Monster Lab, Gauntlet(TM) and Chimps Ahoy! at Penny Arcade Expo
Games developed by Backbone Entertainment and Griptonite Games
IRVINE, Calif., Aug. 21 /PRNewswire/ — Foundation 9 Entertainment today announced that it will showcase Monster Lab for the Wii(TM), Gauntlet(TM) for Nintendo DS(TM) and Chimps Ahoy! for the iPhone(R) at the Penny Arcade Expo (PAX), taking place Aug. 29-31 at the Washington State Convention & Trade Center in Seattle, Wash. The games are in development by two of the company's studios, Backbone Entertainment and Griptonite Games, and will be playable by attendees at the Foundation 9 booth, #854.
Backbone Entertainment's forthcoming original title, Monster Lab, is a story-based RPG/action hybrid set in the eerie, supernatural world of Uncanny Valley, where the evil Baron Mharti rules the region with a cruel hand. Players take on the role of an apprentice scientist who must perform a vast array of intricate experiments to create their very own monster from over 150 available monster parts. Bringing these creations to life, gamers can explore the land as they search for ingredients to make more monster parts, hunt down other monsters to defeat in combat and uncover fun quests and challenges as they attempt to vanquish the evil baron and liberate the villagers of Uncanny Valley.
Also developed by Backbone Entertainment, Gauntlet(TM) for the Nintendo DS is a feature rich game that stays true to the retro gameplay of the original arcade coin-op while boasting an updated look, additional attacks and powers, and a new experience-based combat system. The game also supports local and Wi-Fi support for four-player cooperative play, as well as three competitive multiplayer modes.
Both Monster Lab and Gauntlet are co-published by Eidos, Inc. and Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment in North America. For more information on Monster Lab, please visit http://www.monsterlabthegame.com.
Griptonite Games' original iPhone title, Chimps Ahoy! will also be on display and playable at the show. Chimps Ahoy! is a fast-paced, brick-breaking game where coconuts are bounced back and forth between two player-controlled Chimps on either side of the screen, using the Multi-Touch display. The game is currently available on the Apple App Store.
In addition to the games on display, Foundation 9 will hold raffles and have a recruiting presence at the company's booth. Numerous company representatives are also slated to participate in panels at the show.
Lego Batman Cartoon In The Works [LEGO BATMAN]
Batman has been the subject of plenty of cartoons over the years. There have been cartoons based on the comics, cartoons based on the movies, so why not cartoons based on a Batman video game? Speaking to GI.biz at the Games Convention last week, Traveller's Tales producer Rich Earl revealed that a TV show based on their latest Lego project is indeed in the works. The show is being produced by a separate studio in the states, using TT's assets to bring classic Batman characters to life.
"My understanding is that they will use the engine, the Maya files where the characters come to life, but they'll be creating animated... I think it's a 20-minute cartoon. I'm personally quite intrigued to see how it comes out. Lego, every time they've had a new brand out, they've done some CGI stuff as well, but I think this will be quite different."
This would be a perfect opportunity to bring Adam West back into the Batman fold, as I can't see Batman: The Animated Series lead Kevin Conroy's voice coming out of Lego Batman's little round head.
20-minute Lego Batman cartoon in works [GI.biz]
Pirates Vs. Ninja Dodgeball Coming To Wii [Pirates Vs. Ninjas Dodgeball]
I always knew the age-old conflict between pirates and ninja was too large to be contained by one console. Today Gamecock announces that Blazing Lizards' Pirates vs. Ninjas Dodgeball, coming out next week on Xbox Live Arcade, will also be getting a full retail release on the Nintendo Wii later this winter. Players will be able to face off in the dodgeball arena, showing their support for their favorite faction - pirates, ninjas, robots, zombies, and three unannounced teams, which I am guessing are monkeys, samurai, and Argentina.
The Wii version of the game will feature several customized control schemes, as well as all-new story and challenge modes to make the game worth of retail release. Hit the jump for the full press release, along with two more screens worth of hot pirate vs. ninja Wii action.
BLAZING LIZARD?S PIRATES VS. NINJAS? DODGEBALL ABOUT TO BE UNLEASHED ON Wii?
Intense Dodgeball Rivalry to be Settled on Wii Courts Everywhere This Winter
Cockpit, Austin, TX ? August 28, 2007 ? Gamecock Media Group announced today that Blazing Lizard?s Pirates vs. Ninjas? Dodgeball will release on Wii? this winter. The title features two ancient rivals, ninjas and pirates, along with several other teams, all looking to settle the score once and for all ? on the dodgeball court.
?The competition between the Pirates and the Ninjas is so huge that battles are breaking out all over,? said Harry Miller, El Presidente of Gamecock Media Group. ?We?re happy to bring this grand conflict to the Wii, and give players the chance to help determine who the ultimate champions are.?
Pirates vs. Ninjas? Dodgeball will have scurvy thieves squaring off against crafty martial artists in large, detailed arenas. The game allows for up to eight players and offers a total of seven teams, including pirates, ninjas, robots and zombies plus three unannounced ball slingers. Each team utilizes its own unique techniques and strategies to try and ultimately defeat the enemies. Unique to Wii version, the game will offer all-new story and challenge modes, along with several customized control schemes.
Pirates vs. Ninjas? Dodgeball is scheduled for release this winter. For more information visit www.gamecockmedia.com and www.piratesvsninjas.com.
Fallout 3 Goes Public at PAX [Penny Arcade Expo 2008]
We already knew that Bethesda was going to be at Penny Arcade Expo this week, but we weren't sure what exactly they were going to be up to.
Turns out that PAX will be the first chance the public will have to play Fallout 3. Now keep in mind that there is expected to be more than 50,000 at the show, so if you want some hands on time with what many consider to be the game of the year you better get there early and be prepared to wait.
Bethesda says they will have six kiosks setup in their booth for people to play on and a number of developers will be on hand to talk to folks. The booth will also include what we're told is a pretty sweet Fallout 3-themed Airstreme and the folks will be handing out Vault Dweller Survival Guides.
On Saturday Bethesda will be showing off a conducting a rather lengthy Fallout 3 demo in the Main Theater at 2:30 p.m. Finally, on Saturday night Bethesda is sponsoring a Post-Apocalyptic Movie Night at 9 p.m. in the Raven Theater. The movies shown there will be the ones voted on by the Penny Arcade fans. Currently it's looking like 12 Monkeys and The Road Warrior are in the lead.
ECA Expands Into Canada [Entertainment Consumers Association]
In a move I would like to think was spurred on by my startling revelation about the giant ice spider threat yesterday, the Entertainment Consumers Association has announced that they ware opening up memberships to Canadian members. The consumer advocacy organization, which already provides numerous opportunities and benefits to its U.S. members, will soon unveil plans targeted specifically towards consumers based north of the American arctic arachnid defense grid.
?With a thriving gaming community already present and growing in Canada, we are proud to extend the opportunities and benefits that our U.S. ECA members have been enjoying over the years,? said Hal Halpin, president of the ECA. ?Canada is an important area of growth for us and we are excited to welcome Canadian gamers who are interested in community and any issues that affect gamers.?
Interested Canadians can head over to the official ECA website to sign up for membership. Good luck and god speed, brave neighbors to the north.
The Entertainment Consumers Association (ECA) Crosses the Border and Expands Into Canada
Non Profit Organization Opens up Membership Opportunities to Benefit Canadian Gamers
WILTON, Conn.—(BUSINESS WIRE)—The Entertainment Consumers Association (ECA), the non-profit organization that represents video game enthusiasts, today announced they have begun offering membership opportunities to gamers and consumers who reside in Canada. Canadians who sign up to become ECA members can now take advantage of a host of discounts and benefits and will be immediately plugged into an extremely active social network of gamers that want to give their passion a voice.
?With a thriving gaming community already present and growing in Canada, we are proud to extend the opportunities and benefits that our U.S. ECA members have been enjoying over the years,? said Hal Halpin, president of the ECA. ?Canada is an important area of growth for us and we are excited to welcome Canadian gamers who are interested in community and any issues that affect gamers.?
The ECA will soon be unveiling a host of unique benefits and programs that will be specifically targeted towards Canadian consumers. Canadian chapter organizations are already underway in local gaming communities and these newly-formed networks will continue to grow and offer a great way for videogame players to stay informed and connect with like-minded ECA members in their area.
For more information on the ECA or to take action and sign up for membership, please visit: www.theeca.com.
New Full Albums Announced For Rock Band 2 [Rock Band 2]
While going into a music store to buy a full CD is becoming a thing of the past, there is a place where full albums are thriving, and that place is Rock Band. The trend looks to grow following the release of Rock Band 2 as Entertainment Weekly exclusively reports on not one but six new full album downloads to be released in the coming months for Harmonix's baby, and it's a damn fine lineup if you ask me. Foo Fighters' "The Colour and the Shape", Red Hot Chili Peppers' "Blood Sugar Sex Magik", Jane's Addiction's "Nothing's Shocking", Megadeth's "Peace Sells... But Who's Buying" and Stevie Ray Vaughn's "Texas Flood" are all in queue, along with a special No Doubt best of collection compiled just for the game.
"We're surprised by how many people opted to get full albums," says Paul Degooyer, Senior Vice President at MTV Games. "But it?s a good value proposition. Talk about something that?s been lost and forgotten."
As if the holiday season stand-alone games weren't going to cost me enough already. Thanks a lot, Harmonix.
Exclusive: 'Rock Band 2' offering new slate of full albums [EW]
Guitar Hero Lands Venue, Instrument Product Placements [Guitar Hero World Tour]
Guitar Hero World Tour will allow gamers to score in-game sponsorship and gear from a slew of real world equipment manufacturers as they play through the game, Activision announced. The game will also feature digital recreations of Amoeba Music and Live Nation's House of Blues Sunset Strip for digital bands to jam on.
?Gamers have come to expect a certain level of realism in video games and by collaborating with key brands in the industry we?re able to deliver with Guitar Hero World Tour,? said Dave Anderson, Head of Business Development for Activision. ?With the most advanced wireless instrument controllers, the in-game likeness of multiple multi-platinum recording artists and authentic on-stage gear, the game offers the ultimate rock and roll experience.?
I love that the game is getting real world venues to play in, but personally I don't think I care that much about whether I have EMG pickups or Guitar Hero Fake-O pickups. The list of gear manufacturers include: AMPEG, Audio-Technica, EMG Pickups, Ernie Ball, Evans Drumheads, Guitar Center, Krank Amplification, Mackie, Marshall, Orange County Drum & Percussion, Pork Pie Percussion, Regal Tip, Sabian cymbals, Vox and Zildjian drumsticks. But honestly, that seems more like a way for Activision to make some money off product placement than something that's going to add to the game.
GUITAR HERO® WORLD TOUR TO FEATURE EXCLUSIVE PARTNERSHIPS WITH PROMINENT MUSIC INSTRUMENT AND EQUIPMENT MANUFACTURERS
Game Set to Deliver Most Authentic Rock and Roll Experience Yet
SANTA MONICA, CA ? August 27, 2008 ? After raising the bar of authenticity with every release in the Guitar Hero® franchise, Activision Publishing, Inc.?s (Nasdaq: ATVI) Guitar Hero® World Tour is cranking it to 11 by featuring several of the most influential instrument and equipment brands in the music industry. Gamers can score in-game sponsorships and gear from AMPEG, Audio-Technica, EMG Pickups, Ernie Ball, Evans Drumheads, Guitar Center, Krank Amplification, Mackie, Marshall, Orange County Drum & Percussion, Pork Pie Percussion, Regal Tip, Sabian cymbals, Vox and Zildjian drumsticks.
In addition to featuring products, the game lets virtual bands play on the same stage as many of their favorite musicians with digital re-creations of Amoeba Music and Live Nation?s House of Blues® Sunset Strip.
?Gamers have come to expect a certain level of realism in video games and by collaborating with key brands in the industry we?re able to deliver with Guitar Hero World Tour,? said Dave Anderson, Head of Business Development for Activision. ?With the most advanced wireless instrument controllers, the in-game likeness of multiple multi-platinum recording artists and authentic on-stage gear, the game offers the ultimate rock and roll experience.?
When the house lights go down this fall, a new generation of guitarists, drummers and fearless frontmen will come together and rock with Guitar Hero World Tour. The latest installment in the #1 best-selling video game franchise of 2007, Guitar Hero World Tour transforms music gaming by expanding Guitar Hero?s signature guitar gameplay into a cooperative band experience that combines the most advanced wireless controllers with new revolutionary online* and offline gameplay modes including Band Career and 8-player ?Battle of the Bands,? which allows two full bands to compete head-to-head online for the first time ever. The game features a slick newly redesigned guitar controller, drum kit controller and a microphone, as well as an innovative Music Studio music creator that lets players compose, record, edit and share their own rock ?n? roll anthems. Music creators will also be able to share their recordings with their friends online through GHTunesSM where other gamers can download and play an endless supply of unique creations.
Guitar Hero World Tour is being developed by Neversoft Entertainment for the Xbox 360® video game and entertainment system from Microsoft and PLAYSTATION®3 computer entertainment system. The Wii? version is being developed by Vicarious Visions. The PlayStation®2 computer entertainment system version is being developed by Budcat. The game is rated "T" for Teen by the ESRB. For more information on Guitar Hero World Tour, please visit www.guitarhero.com.
Overpaying for Real Bacon, Simply Put, Sucks [Night Note]
To: Crecente
From: Bashcraft
RE: On the Road to PAX: The Idaho Edition
Every one of these PAX trip Day Notes I read, I keep hearing Willie Nelson sing "On The Road Again".
Ever had Japanese bacon? It's awful. Simply awful. There are loads of food they get right here, but damn, they get bacon so very wrong. It's actually sold (and prepared) so that it can be eaten out of the package — meaning it's already been cooked, and it's not bacon as most Americans know it. Today, Mrs. Bashcraft went to Costco, came back with bacon, American bacon, this bacon, actually. As Fahey so eloquently put it: Farmer John. Our Pigs Are Totally Fucking Doomed.
I've never had it, but it looks like real bacon. Nor did I do a taste test to see if I can eat it out of the package. The surprising thing is that while most Costco stuff is sold in bulk, this was only sold as one package of bacon. And it cost the equivalent of US$8.00. Is that just an insane mark-up? Don't remember bacon being so damn expensive...
What you missed last night
Guitar Praise - Knocking Off Guitar Hero.. For Jesus
Pandemic Batman Game Given The Arse
Why All This Gearbox Halo 4 Talk? Here's Why... (Maybe)
Xbox 360 Goes Arcade, For Reals
Itagaki Bets You A Beer The PS3 Is Easier To Program For Than The Famicom
Home Hits Asia In "Fall 2008"
New Games, Remade As Game Boy Games, Results Are Awesome
Two New PS3 Bundles For Europe
Tekken 6 Gets Arcade Update With "Bloodline Rebellion" [Rumor]
According to game site SDTEKKEN, Tekken 6 Bloodline Rebellion is apparently incoming. The game will officially be announced later next month in Tokyo, is an upgraded version of Tekken 6 and is slated for a December release in Japan. That's all that's known about the updated Tekken 6 at the moment. Stay tuned.
TEKKEN 6 BLOODLINE REBELLION Revealed! [SD Tekken] [Pic]
Hey Britain, No New PS2 For You [Playstation 2]
Like the look of that shiny new PS2, Britain? Bet you do. Better keep on looking, too, because you cannot touch. The 9000 series consoles that are already out in Japan - and the US as well - won't be coming to the UK. Some other European territories, yes, but Britain, no dice. No reason was given for the move, so feel free to come up with your own.
No super-slim PS2 for the UK News [Eurogamer]
Indiana Jones and the Staff of Kings Rated for Portables [Activision]
European video game content rater PEGI has just, well, rated what looks like a new Indiana Jones game for the DS and PSP. With the questionable title Indiana Jones and the Staff of Kings (woah!), the title is 16 and up, and Activision is publishing. We don't have any other information about it other than that, but game site Siliconera wonders if this Staff of Kings game is that other "next-gen" Indiana Jones title that was shown a few years back — and then disappeared into the ether.
Indiana Jones and the Staff of Kings [PEGI via Siliconera]
For Console Street Fighter IV, Lag Will Be "Huge Problem" [Capcom]
Face it, asking for fighting games with online to have zero to no lag is a tall order. Replicating that versus arcade experience is hard. Heck, when Virtua Fighter launched on the PS3 back in early 2007, it didn't have online. (Well, neither did the PS3, really.) Even Street Fighter IV producer Yoshinori Ono even admits that lag will be problematic for the home versions. Up front and honest, he tells the Official Xbox 360 Magazine:
Obviously lag will be a huge problem for online play. We're working on it. Compared to other games such as Virtua Fighter and Soul Calibur, they've got replay functions and so forth. It's quite difficult for 3D Street Fighter at the moment.
In order to prevent the lag we're thinking about trying to balance it up at user interface level and input timing by using joystick or something like that. We still haven't got a complete plan as yet. We're still working on it. That's all we can say at the moment.
Here's hoping they figure something out.
Street Fighter IV interview [OXM via Joystiq]
Sony Like To Provide Services For Free [Shuhei Yoshida]
In case you didn't know (and why didn't you), the PlayStation Network is free. The console may cost money, but the online service doesn't. Sony Worldwide Studios president Shuhei Yoshida explains to game site Games Industry Sony's view on free stuff:
We like to provide as many services as possible for free — we already provide our network access for gameplay for free — and the interesting thing about the network side and the Internet business is that there's a variety of revenue sources. Not necessarily getting people to pay, but with advertising and so on.Those are things we're looking at, and learning how we can provide a service without people having to pay — but we still get our operation running with funding from somewhere so that we can maintain the level of quality we want.
While there's no such thing as the proverbial free lunch, it's nice to see Sony try.
Yoshida's Island - Part One [Games Industry]
Two New PS3 Bundles For Europe [Playstation 3]
SCEE have announced two new PS3 bundles for Europe, to mark the launch of the new 80GB console. The first, to be released on September 10, will include the 80GB unit, two DualShock 3 pads and a copy of Gran Turismo 5 Prologue. A decent bundle, that, because consoles with two included controllers are a rare and precious thing these days. But the second bundle? Won't exactly have you begging "oh man, when does [your relevant market] get this?". Due for release on October 29, it'll include an 80GB PS3, one DualShock and...and...
...a copy of Bienvenue chez les Ch'tis on Blu-Ray. Which we're guessing is just for the French-speaking market. Nothanks.jpg.
Two new packs PlayStation 3 [Gamekyo]
Western Developers Are Good At Music, Yo [Capcom]
And another episode of Japanese-Devs-Being-Down-On-Themselves, Resident Evil 5 composer Kota Suzuki think American game music has surpassed Japanese game music — especially regarding post-production elements like recording and mixing:
I get the impression that production at western, particularly American developers is ahead of those in Japan. But, I think that more and more in Japan, the process of making video game music is becoming specialized.
...More and more Japanese production companies are working together with foreign companies, and sound production quality in Japan is approaching that of the west.
Stuff like this doesn't just make Japanese development, it makes game development better. Interesting side note: Capcom recorded the RE5 parts of the soundtrack at Newman Scoring Stage at 20th Century Fox with a hundred plus Hollywood Studio Symphony Orchestra. This was the first time Capcom has ever recorded a live orchestra for a Resident Evil game.
Interview with Resident Evil 5 [Music 4 Games via Develop]
Atomic Dome Underwear Dance Erotic Game Controversy [Maximum Risky]
Erotic game and upcoming Xbox 360 title TimeLeap is at the center of an atomic-bomb-landmark-panty-flashing-dancing-controversy. For one reason or another, two female students from Nagasaki University uploaded a video of themselves dancing to a tune from erotic game TimeLeap in front of the Atomic Dome in Hiroshima. In the clip, the girls briefly flash their underpants.
In Japan, the reaction to the clip has been outrage from some: ?You?re the shame of Japan!? Obviously dancing to an eroge song in front of the Hiroshima Peace Memorial, a site were people lost their lives does seem tacky. Others in Japan are blasé about the whole brouhaha, commenting: ?Why?d they pick the dome anyway?? The girls since have apologized. Hit the jump for the clip.
????????????????????????????????????? [?????? via Sankaku Complex]
"Don't Expect" Tatsunoko vs Capcom In The US (Update) [Tatsunoko Vs Capcom]
Capcom, you dirty teases! First you tell us you're "investigating" the possiblity of bringing zany-awesome fighter Tatsunoko vs Capcom to the US. Then you go so far as holding location tests! Our hopes were soaring! And now, you bastards, you go and pour cold water all over them, hinting in an official blog post "don't expect this title to show up in the US arcades". We feel used, Capcom. But we're not angry. Just disappointed.
Tatsunoko vs Capcom: it teases you with Mega Man Legends [Capcom]
UPDATE - Capcom pinged us this morning to let us know that, while the arcade release of the game probably won't ever make it to the US, there's still a chance the console ports could make the jump.
First Creepy Stalker Pics Of New Lara Croft [Kotaku After Dark]
The new Lara's certainly generated a lot of attention of late. So is it surprising to see people taking pervy, creepy photos of her through their hotel room's spyhole? Nope. Not in the least. And why would it be? Sure, the act captured - of her entering her hotel room - is totally innocent, but who knows what she got up to when that door closed? You don't.
I don't.
TOMB RAIDER GIRL IN LATE NIGHT HOTEL CORRIDOR SPYCAM SHOCK [UK:R]
Afrika In Your Japanese Hotel [PS3]
PS3 title Afrika is launching this week in Japan. And to help promote the game, the Excel Hotel Tokyu in Haneda is running a special Afrika themed campaign priced at ¥19,000 (for one person) or ¥15,000 (for two — each must pay) a night. Breakfast included! Guest will get to check out Afrika on a big projection screen via hi-def projector. What's more, guests will get a "Savannah plate" picnic meal for another ¥4,000 that includes a hamburger, grilled seafood and a salad — or as PS3 Fanboy notes, "a special exotic meal".
????????2008?9?1?(?)?2008?9?30?(?) [Haneda-E via PS3 Fanboy]
On Full Throttle 2, And What Could Have Been [Lucasarts]
Roll up your sleeves, Lucasarts fans. Classic Adventure Gaming have one hell of an interview up with Bill Tiller, a former artist at Lucasarts who worked with the company between 1993 and 2001. Specifically, it's about Tiller's involvement on the little-known Full Throttle: Payback, the cancelled sequel to Tim Schafer's badass 1995 adventure game. Basically, if you've ever wanted to hear somebody personally relate the period when Lucasarts decided to eat their own adventure gaming babies, you'll want to read this. It's got plot outlines for the game, the reason it would have been better than the other Full Throttle sequel, Hell on Wheels, as well as a ton of concept art. All of it good reading.
The rise and fall of Full Throttle: a conversation with Bill Tiller [Adventure Classic Gaming, via Rock, Paper, Shotgun]
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