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Gamer Chip - by Craig Hill

Gamer Chip - September 2008

Cliff Bleszinski: "F*%#ing Hates" The PS3 Controller

September 30th 2008 23:43
Cliff Bleszinski


It doesn't sound like Gears Of War will be heading PS3-side anytime soon.
In his usual joy for the headline, the game development artist formerly known as Cliffy B has expressed his views on the PS3 controllers, and well, he doesn't like it.

Speaking in London, Cliff Bleszinski said “I hate the f***ing controller. I’m sorry, I can’t stand the PS3 controller. I love the Blu-ray player. “ Well, there's something for ya.

He did like some of the games on the platform though. "I think there are some great games for PS3. I think Metal Gear’s great. Heavenly Sword was great. But at the same time, right now, I’m always working on Xbox with Gears." he stated while polishing his prop chainsaw gun.


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Posted By: Colin Stevens - Category: Xbox 360, Other
   


Nintendo To Announce Game "Everyone Is Waiting For"

September 30th 2008 23:27
nintendo mystery


There are a lot of games we are currently waiting for, so for Nintendo to come out and say that they are preparing to unveil a game that "everyone is waiting for" might seem like a stretch, particularly since no one seems to have any idea as to what that game might be.

According the the story from Gamekyo, the game will come from a franchise buried in the Nintendo vault. We shall have to wait unti the press conference later this week to see how Nintendo can wow us. With the quality of the christmas season releases, it's gunna have to be a big one.
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Microsoft: 360 Outselling PS3 Two To One

September 30th 2008 23:15
xbox 360 sales


Marketing and sales information company no. 573556, Chart Track, have released figures showing that Microsoft have shot ahead in sales across Europe. Up 214 per cent in the past two weeks, the recent price cuts have catapulted the 360 well into the lead.

"This data shows that the Xbox 360 trajectory continues upwards, and not just in the UK," said Chris Lewis, VP of Xbox in Europe.

"We've seen uplift in all countries in Europe and are confident that even at this rate of growth we can keep retail satisfied with a steady supply of consoles throughout the Christmas season."

Chart Track do not actually supply sales figures, which means perhaps we should take the information with a grain of salt (or Saccharin if you are watching your weight).

More information can be found at the original article at gamesindustry.biz
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Posted By: Colin Stevens - Category: Xbox 360, Other
   


Playstation Australia Crashes Under Beta Key Traffic

September 25th 2008 04:20
littlebigplanet


Only minutes afer the news came out that LittleBigPlanet beta keys could be obtained from the official Playstation Australia website the site has become innaccessible.
The official site and the area where the terms and conditions could be accessed seem to be buried under a pile of ramant Sackboy wanna-be's.

No official word is yet released, more news as it comes to hand.
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Posted By: Colin Stevens - Category: Other
   


LittleBigPlanet Beta Codes Now Available

September 25th 2008 03:43
sackboy LittleBig Planet



Who would have thought? Sony Australia is giving a little extra love with the announcement of 500 LittleBigPlanet beta codes being made available through Screen Play.

The LittleBigPlanet beta runs until October 12, and there doesn't seem to be any reason why anyone can jump in, up to the 500 limit that is.

Follow this link to read the terms and conditions and to register your PlayStation Network user name.

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Xbox 'Live Your Moment' Ads Blows Your Mind

September 25th 2008 01:13
xbox live


I've felt a little like this after one of those gargantuan nights out, the one that leaves you feeling like you've licked a thousand postage stamps, wired your eyes open while holding a hair dryer to them set at mach 4.

The new 'Live Your Moment' campaign from Microsoft is a little Tim Burton, and perhaps doesn't really get any discernable message across, but hey, it's way cool.

Live Your Moment


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Posted By: Colin Stevens - Category: Xbox 360
   


Halo 3 TU2 FAQ Launched

September 24th 2008 23:55
halo 3 TU2


For those Halo 3 gamers who have questions about the latest update to the Xbox killer-app, the good people of Bungie have launched the Halo 3 TU2 FAQ to help get to grips with the changes.

It clears up some confusion around how certain achievements will be earned, reassures that there will be no affect to the network performance, and so much more.

The full FAQ can be found here.
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Posted By: Colin Stevens - Category: Xbox 360
   


PS3 Left For Dead By Valve

September 24th 2008 05:30
valve


Valve are among the most respected and successful game developers of recent history. With a string of uber-successful titles franchises such as Half-Life, Counter-Strike, Portal and in the future the highly anticipated Left 4 Dead. Add to that what is arguably the most used and reliable digital distribution system, Steam, and you have a very desirable business partner.
Which is a shame for PS3 owners. If you are a fan of any of these games, combining that with a love of the Sony console means that something has had to give. That comprimise has come in the shape of EA. GamerChip examines the implications of this predicament and why poorer versions of these great games are set to continue for Playstation gamers.

Looking at the history of Valve products, The brilliant Orange Box had to be handed over to EA to even get a version for the PS3. A lack of any development team in Valve gives a fairly clear indication of their priorities and resulted in a pretty dissapointing port. While this was appreciated by the consoles owners, the port suffered from unique issues, such as dropped frame rates and inconvenient load times. The polish and talent that created the original games never had the chance to give the PS3 version the spit and polish that is their trademark.

Secondly, Valve have flat out denied that they are developing a PS3 version of Left 4 Dead. Adding a groan to the already vocal chorus of "Wha?" reverberating through the Playstation forums, EA have once again raised their hand to get the title across.

It's a sorry situation for Playstation gamers. While the Xbox360 and PC get the benefit of the master touch of a beginning-to-end product from Valve, PS3 owners suffer the fate of the slow start to life of the console, hampered by the exhorbitant development costs and lack of install base. The result? Even at this point in the consoles life cycle we are seeing lazy coding due to the percieved lack of return from PS3 titles.

I can only wish PS3 owners the best of luck, your tenacity in investing in the futureproof console has been tested over the last couple of years. It is time for developers and Sony to give you your dues.
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Posted By: Colin Stevens - Category: PC, Xbox 360, Other
   


Fallout MMO Hot On The Heels Of Fallout 3?

September 24th 2008 00:17
fallout 3 MMO

The pre-release hype machine is building Fallout 3 to almost unachievable proportions, with any possibility of more Pip-goodness being lapped up like water for a thirsty canine companion. Interplay has supplied one more ration for Fallout starved fans with the hint at a Fallout MMO currently being worked on at their new Orange County office.

The part of the story that adds credence to the rumour is that Interplay negotiated to keep working on an already in development MMO in the Fallout universe as part of the sale of the IP to Bethesda. They must get a product ready to ship by April 14th, 2014, but if the stars align this all adds up to more adventures through the ravaged future world.

The question enquiries minds may ask is "Do we want a Fallout MMO?" Good question mind. We have witnessed the death and/or basstadisation of a few well loved worlds recently, and the last thing any of us want is for that to happen to our favourite nuclear family.
The other question is whether or not this would come out across the consoles. With the podium place Fallout has been given by Microsoft through the recent gaming exhibitions, you would have to say it is a certainty. Perhaps Sony Home could adapt and allow you to socialise in the ravaged wasteland of the future?

Thanks to Destructiod and their newsbot dyslixec.

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Posted By: Colin Stevens - Category: PC, Xbox 360, Other
   


Halo 3 Update 2 = Halo v4?

September 23rd 2008 23:54
halo 3 title update 2


Microsoft and Bungie continue the support that has seem Halo 3 play leapfrog with Call Of Duty 4 for the top spot in the most played on XBL charts by adding 'Title Update 2', releasing details through the Bungie.net site.

There is quite a bit of new content, most notably the new Achievements and Playlist Ratings. Bungie are playing coy and teasing that "there are a lot more achievements that are now visible as a result of TU2. However, only the ten listed above are ones you should be concerned with for the time being. The other achievements are tied to things we have yet to reveal and there's really not much we can say on the matter right now. It's no mystery we have more maps in the works though and once we have a release plan finalized with our publisher we'll share that news immediately."

The full details of the Bungie post are below. Enjoy the section explaining Playlist Ratings, it makes the system sounds like a high school science quiz.

Title Update 2 Has Landed

Today marks the long awaited arrival of “TU2” for Halo 3. Despite plenty of rumors to the contrary, this update is not ushering in a new “BR spread,” nor does it incorporate enemy AI and campaign components to the Forge map editor. However, beyond the behind-the-scenes technical implications, there are two major components for fans to note.

New Achievements!

The most exciting piece of the update for many of you is the addition of TEN brand new achievements to Halo 3. We’ve covered these in detail in prior weekly updates but in case you’re just joining us, you forgot, or you’re just too lazy to go back and read… here’s the full list:


Vidmaster Challenge: Lightswitch (0 points) – Get to the rank of Lieutenant in any playlist in the new EXP progression system.
Vidmaster Challenge: 7 on 7 (0 points) – Enter into any ranked or social playlist with 7 EXP on the 7th of the month.
Vidmaster Challenge: Annual (0 points) – After 9/25/08, complete Halo on 4-player Legendary LIVE co-op, with Iron, and everyone in Ghosts.
Double Double (25 points) – On a Legendary map, get two Double Kills during any ranked or social match.
Poor Yorick (25 points) – On a Legendary map, get 3 Oddball melee kills during any ranked or social match.
Came…From…Behind (50 points) – On a Legendary map, get 3 assassinations during any ranked or social match.
Defend This (50 points) – On a Legendary map, get a flag melee kill during any ranked or social match.
Flag Dropped (25 points) – On a Legendary map, get 2 flag carrier kills during any ranked or social match.
Road Rage (25 points) – On a Legendary map, get 5 Warthog chaingun kills during any ranked or social match.
Look Both Ways (50 points) – On a Legendary map, get a Splatter Spree during any ranked or social match.

Let’s dive into this a little deeper and try and address some of the questions that will no doubt arise from the community. First off are the “Vidmaster Challenge” achievements. These three will not earn you any gamer points but there will (eventually) be a pay-off. We’re not going to spoil the fun just yet but suffice it to say that gamerscore isn’t everything. There is a pot of gold at the end of the Vidmaster rainbow and it is something you will want. More details later.

The “Annual” achievement will be obtainable starting on 9/25, to celebrate the anniversary of Halo 3. Your first chance at earning “7 on 7” will be on October 7th (Shishka has informed me that it will be a version of the “Icy Treats” playlist). After that, you can try again on the 7th of every month. To earn this, you simply need to earn a total of 7 EXP in any single playlist on the 7th of the month. Finally, the “Lightswitch” is something is you can start working towards NOW. (Note: there’s more info on the new playlist rating system down below).

The other seven achievements will result in 250 gamer points and can be earned by playing ranked OR social Xbox LIVE multiplayer matches on any of the Legendary DLC maps (Blackout, Avalanche and Ghost Town).

There is… Another

You may have already heard about more or perhaps you have even seen more Halo 3 achievements than the ten listed above. We’re not ready to comment on any other achievements right now – all will become clear in due time. Stay tuned.

UPDATE: This time with less subtlety - Yes, there are a lot more achievements that are now visible as a result of TU2. However, only the ten listed above are ones you should be concerned with for the time being. The other achievements are tied to things we have yet to reveal and there's really not much we can say on the matter right now. It's no mystery we have more maps in the works though and once we have a release plan finalized with our publisher we'll share that news immediately. In the meantime, rest assured that the other achievements aren't going anywhere, they will still be there when the time comes for them to finally be earned. As soon as we know, you will know.

Playlist Ratings

The other major outward facing component of TU2 is the addition of “Playlist Ratings” to Halo 3. In a nutshell, playlist ratings are the playlist-level decoupling of Trueskill values (the in-game number next to your name) from Experience (the icon next to your name). You will now have a separate military rating (based purely on EXP) in each playlist. So this means that being a General in a playlist is based on how many games you’ve won in the playlist, not based on the Trueskill number next to your name. Your Trueskill values are NOT being reset. If someone checks your service record, they will still see your Highest Skill.

The most important thing to note here is that nothing is being taken away – you are not losing your existing global ratings. We are in fact ADDING new stats via per-playlist EXP and ratings.

To further clarify things, I asked Tyson (Multiplayer Designer) and Shishka (Playlist Designer) to answer a few questions on this topic.

Hey guys, one of the main points of interest for TU2 is the addition of a new online rating system. What all does this entail?

Tyson: In TU2, our rating system is starting to track a rating per playlist, in addition to your traditional global performance rating. As you earn EXP in each playlist, you can earn a rating specific to that playlist, to show off your progress in the playlist of your choice. Of course, your old ratings remain fully intact and will continue to progress.

What will this ultimately mean for players?

Tyson: More stats, in the form of more detailed breakdown of your progress. If you spend most of your time in Team Slayer, you’ll be able to see the progress you’re making there.

How does this new system differ from the previous ranking framework?

Tyson: The nice thing is that it doesn’t change any of the old ratings—your prior accomplishments remain fully intact. When you’re sitting in a playlist lobby, you will see the new rating symbols instead of the old global ones, but your global rating is still front-and-center in your service record.

Why was the decision made to implement this new rating system?

Tyson: Two reasons: first, so that people who prefer to play in particular playlists can compare themselves more directly against other people in that playlist. Second, so that players who are a long way from meeting the EXP requirement for their global rating have some new, more immediate feedback regarding their progress.

Will the EXP I earn in playlists count toward my global rating?

Shishka: Yes. That’s why we call it your “global” rating.

How does this affect Double EXP weekends? Could I become a General in Griffball?

Shishka: Double EXP weekends will continue to make a regular appearance in Halo 3 for the foreseeable future. Yes, it is potentially possible to become a General in a double EXP weekend playlist, and yes, it will occur in half the time it’d take to become a General in a regular playlist.


Odds & Ends

As we've said previously, there are plenty of other things beneath the hood that are being addressed in TU2. We have some new and devastating powers being applied to our Banhammer and even more ways to detect and thwart cheaters and miscreants who are ruining the game experience for other players.

You can also rest easy knowing that the "old" version of Halo 3 will still work fine with the "new" version. If you update your box and play with your friend on a LAN who doesn't have LIVE, you can still play together.

Thanks everyone for being patient as we roll out this new update for Halo 3. It's been a hell of a first year and we're definitely not done with Halo 3 yet. Stay tuned to Bungie.net for the latest info and if you have any questions about TU2, please post in our forums and we'll try to address in a future update.
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Posted By: Colin Stevens - Category: Xbox 360
   


Blizzard Invitation 2009 Location Decided?

September 23rd 2008 06:50
blizzard worldwide invitational 2009


Okay, this is a rumour. I repeat, a rumour. From an un-named report from an un-named source.

pacificepoch are reporting that qq.com (feel free to check it out, I couldn't get it to translate through google) has come across information suggesting that a decision has been made on the location of the next Blizzard Invitational... And if it is the case, I may have to rsvp with a "thanks but no thanks."

From the site;
Blizzard Entertainment has chosen Shanghai as the host city for the 2009 Worldwide Invitational, reports qq.com quoting an unnamed insider. The event may exceed 30,000 participants, said the report. Paris played host to the 2008 invitational in June.
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Quantum Of Solace Release Date And Exclusives Announced

September 23rd 2008 06:34
quantum of solace


Bond. James Bond. I am a fan, always have been. I've even dabbled in a Martini or two based on nothing more than that they are the drink of choice in the movies. They're good by the way.

For fans world over, Activision announced today that Quantum of Solace will be released on November 4, 2008. Additionally, beginning September 22nd and continuing through early November, those who pre-order Quantum of Solace through GameStop will receive an exclusive token for a multi-player map pack on Xbox 360 and PS3 that will be available post-launch.

Thanks to Gamefocus.
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Posted By: Colin Stevens - Category: PC, Xbox 360, Other
   


Fallout 3 The Weapons: Video Montage

September 23rd 2008 06:15
fallout 3 guns weapons


This may be the only video that could replace the simple yet entrancing appeal of a model in a bikini firing a machine gun, Fallout 3 and its weapons in a glorious montage.

The video features a few interviews with the development staff, gore splattered corridors and a little of the cheesy nuclear families from the original that we know and love.

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Ensemble Studios "Shocked" At Closure

September 23rd 2008 03:38
halo wars ensemble


Ensemble Studios' Bruce Shelley has let it be known that the recent closure of Ensemble Studios has come as a complete shock to the staff, citing their success and profitibility as reasons why none there saw the decision coming.

"Everyone at our studio was shocked, and I think remains very disappointed that this is going to happen. I believe we thought we were immune to shut-down talk because our published games have done so well and have been so profitable.

"Plus we felt we had built a really stable (low-turnover), talented, hard-working, and creative team, which is not easy to do. We thought we were among the best studios in the world, and that may be true, but we don’t fit in the future plans of MGS as an internal studio so we’re out," said Shelley.

It seems that in the attempt to make sure of the success of Microsoft first party games something had to give.

But never fear Halo fans, Shelley has ensured us that Halo Wars will be be title that shows us all what we'll be missing without them. "We want a great Halo Wars game to be the final tribute to everything that Ensemble Studios has come to mean to us and perhaps you as well, over the past 13 years," declared Shelley.
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Posted By: Colin Stevens - Category: Xbox 360
   


Hollywood Deal May Spell The End Of Blu-ray

September 19th 2008 05:19
blu-ray


Most analysts are predicting that Blu-ray has around five years in it. And the major players in Hollywood and technology are looking to seal deals that will ensure that it is the case.

"I think it has five years left," Andy Griffiths, a director of consumer electronics at Samsung, the second-biggest seller of Blu-ray players, told the media this month. And both Intel and Hewlett Packard agree. Heading a consortium of the big players in technology they announced a plan to work more closely with Hollywood to make downloading of digital content more accessible. "The traditional content owners had an epiphany and realized they could no longer afford to dillydally in moving their businesses into the Internet Age," says Carmi Levy, senior vice-president at consultant AR Communications.

It would seem then that a ten year lifespan for the PS3 may see it enter a time where the Blu-ray becomes redundant. There is a massive push already underway through the gaming industry to deliver content directly, and for the first time it looks like we might have a solid enough internet backbone to practically do it.
Having said that, the PS2 is still alive and kicking with the PS3 around, and there is no reason why two Sony consoles couldn't co-exist cosily in the five years everyone seems to think Blu-ray has left in it.

Bring on the big, cheap hardrives.
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New Shots From Sony Home 'Extended Closed Beta'

September 19th 2008 03:21
sony home


The more that people see of Sony Home, the more interested they are becoming. Perhaps the time spent at dock has paid off for the embattled interface with the new screenshots looking quite intriguing. beautiful panoramas outside your home make me get all wistfull as I sit in the office typing, while the social gaming still makes me wonder why people find bowling entertaining.

Check out the before and after galleries here.
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Uwe Boll Lets You Be The Rat In Tunnel Rats 1968

September 19th 2008 01:00
tunnel rate 1968 uwe boll


I don't want to like it. I have even found myself watching one of his movies without even knowing it was his and feeling that there was no hope for the future of Hollywood or gaming.

So there's this game coming out, Tunnel Rats 1968. And Boll is the producer. “Replay Studios, in Hamburg, developed the game with the Viet Cong engine,” he told Eurogamer. “They based it on my movie, and we delivered our script, screenshots et cetera to them."

You know Replay Studios, right? They brought us Crashday? You know? Me either.

The game is based on a movie he is also producing and is due out soon. Perhaps too soon.
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Posted By: Colin Stevens - Category: Xbox 360, Other
   


AMD 'Fusion' To Solve PC Gaming Problems

September 18th 2008 23:56
fusion utility AMD


Let's face it - with the amount of slightly suspicious websites we visit each day in our quest for internet entertainment, the quantity of dodgy cookies, programs and viral crap that buries itself in your operating system will eventually bring your uber gaming rig to its knees.
Microsoft have tried to address this is some small way through Vista, but now AMD are promising a solution through their Fusion utility, which according to AMD Gaming Strategist Brent Barry works by "getting rid of all the unnecessary process that you don't need to run".

The utility will allow users to optimise their system in a simple way. "[The basic profile] is not gonna knock your socks off in terms of performance," said Barry. "We made it to be the easiest, safest, most non-invasive form we could make so any mainstream user could be comfortable with it." But depending on what you want to use your system for, you can optimise it for anything from gaming to increasing the battery life on your laptop by disabling power hungry features.

The rest of the article can be found at Joystiq
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Fracture Multiplayer Video Terraforms Gaming

September 18th 2008 23:46
fracture


It looks crazily hectic and a load of laughs. Check out the world mangling fun of Fracture mutliplayer in the clip below.

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nVidia Brings 3D Back With Call Of Duty 4

September 18th 2008 05:01
3d glasses


In the days when Viewmasters roamed the Earth, when Hypercolour t-shirts encouraged us all to touch one another, cinema broke through the third dimension. nVidia want those days back, and though others have tried and failed before, they believe now they have the technology to succeed.

The old school cellophane goggles are gone, replaced by hip Vin Diesel approved style. Screen refresh rates have improved and things like motion blur have been worked on and apparently perfected.
Check out the full article, including a review of Call of Duty 4 at Maximum PC.
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Guitar Hero Outselling Rock Band 6:1 - Activision

September 18th 2008 04:15
guitar hero rock band


Guys who run gaming companies are the kind of people who don't like to let you die wondering. In a classic piece of schoolyard pouting, Activision boss Bob Kotick would like to let you know that Guitar Hero is doing well. So well that Rock Band can go suck eggs because it has girls germs.

At the Goldman Sachs Communacopia XVII Conference (you know who you are) Kotick let loose some big ones. "We're outselling [Rock Band] 6:1. When you think about the access we have to 30% of the world's music at Universal, we have a unique advantage there. I would also say when you look at resources, you know, our next-nearest competitor has a couple of hundred people working on these projects, we have close to 2000 people just dedicated to the Guitar Hero note tracking, introduction of new hardware, introduction of new software, and so we just have a lot more in the way of resources available to us to continue to dominate the category," he roared triumphantly.

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Posted By: Colin Stevens - Category: PC, Xbox 360, Wii, Other
   


Microsoft TV Ads: Clone Wars The Next Step

September 18th 2008 03:56
bill gates windows


They say that imitation is the sincerest form of flattery. Others say it's a desperate attempt at attention from people out of ideas who have been soundly whipped by the new bully in the schoolyard. That bully is Apple, and with the resounding panning of the new advertising campaign from Microsoft, Bill Gates is poised to flatter the pants off Steve Jobs.

In the new ads, A man dressed very much like the original PC guy from the Apple ads lets it be known how he feels about being portrayed as a whiny stereotype, by stereotypically whining about it. Microsoft will attempt to portray themselves as the hard done by underdogs, calling upon the nerd brigade to rally around the Windows logo and defend their platform. This action could trigger a computing fanboy civil war... and let's face it, the losses from both sides would improve state of the human race significantly.

The ads will also likely star Microsoft employees, with the article reporting that even their email addresses will be shown. You know how this will turn out.

The ads are due tomorrow and we'll eagerly await the public reaction.

Jump to TheStandard for the full story.

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Posted By: Colin Stevens - Category: PC, Other
   


Sony Share Price Takes A Hit

September 18th 2008 02:46
sony ps3


While the gaming division for Sony has staged a late resurgence, the second largest maker of consumer electronics have been uncerimoniously pants by Gold, Sachs & Co. who have downgraded their investment rating on the stock.
By moving their investment rating from "buy" to "neutral", with the stock price dropping 7.3 percent to 3,320 yen, the lowest close since June 2003.

I'm no investment banker, but the really disturbing number comes from Goldman. Reacting to the news, Sony's share-price estimate was cut 20 percent to 3,700 yen from 4,600 yen.

What effect this will have on the core blu-ray and gaming segments of the business remains to be seen. Let's hope Sony don't get crazy and start thinking about doing something radical like charging for their online service or something...

Thanks to Bloomberg for the article.
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Microsoft's Plan To Buy Nintendo: How Gaming Would Have Been Different Today

September 17th 2008 03:32
wii xbox


In a recent interview with guardian.co.uk, Peter Moore mentioned that Microsoft had at one point considered how they might give Sony a couple of old fashions knuckle sandwiches by purchasing Nintendo. You might put the idea down to ink poisoning from the various tattoos blazed across his body, but what would Microsoft's most famous franchises look like if they had?

HALO 3
halo 3


The Wii controls are perfectly set up for a FPS. Twin Spikers aimed through the Wii-Mote, vehicles driven via a Mario Karts style setup, you name it, you can simulate it. Halo 3 cross platform online play with the PC would be more competitive with console gamers able to aim much faster than the standard 360 controller. I want in.

GEARS OF WAR
gears of wars


Chainsaw controlled by the Wii-Mote, complete with piercing sound emitting from the controller and vibrating as your weapon ground through bone... Enough said.

VIVA PIÑATA
viva piñata


The garden would be filled in classic Mario characters, probably adding the much needed star appeal that the otherwise solid game lacked. Mario would tend the garden and defend it from those cursed tortoises and Koopa Kids who would come in to attack your candy filled Piñata. Not for everyone, but how much better would the game, and Mario already has his gardening outfit on.

On the console front, things may not have been extremely different. Of course we would now have a 1080i Wii system, and an Xbox would at last have a web browser.

We know you couldn't quite save the Dreamcast Mr Moore, but acquiring Nintendo would have relegated that to the annals of history and created the greatest gaming console in the history of the universe. Too bad really, it's probably a little late now.
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Posted By: Colin Stevens - Category: Xbox 360, Wii
   


God Of War III Detail Revealed

September 16th 2008 06:39
god of war III


No, that's not a typo. One single details about God Of War III have come through. Well, okay, in fairness there are two, but both are so thin on details that they have to be pressed together to get one bite sized story.
This details pertains to the storyline of the game, which proports to weigh in at an impressive 120 pages. Although the storyline is under wraps, Writer Marianne Krawczyk was able to disclose that it would be a "very specific three-act experience."
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Wii Hacked To Run Copied Games

September 16th 2008 06:31
wii pirate


It took longer than expected, but it looks like the boffins in the piracy community have figured out a way to pirate Wii games. With the mainstream audience the Wii has it probably won't make a huge impact, but Mario could not be happy.

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Call Of Duty 6 - Permission To Burn Money Granted

September 16th 2008 06:12
Activision Blizzard


Activision have made a healthy business out of yearly updates to their gaming franchises. So the news that the Call Of Duty series, one of it's most successful, is taking a year off would seem like an odd decision. But following it is the news that there will be plenty of DLC to fill the void - all of which, if the current titles are anything to go by, will be thrown away when COD 6 finally lands.

Activision Publishing CEO Mike Griffith has let it be known that Call Of Duty 6 has been pushed back from the initial 2009 launch date to some time in the 2010 calander year. In the meatime, downloadable content will be made available for Call of Duty: World at War.
“The average Call of Duty player has spent five full 24-hour days playing online,” Griffith proudly proclaimed, “and over time, we’ll find ways to increase the monetization of this opportunity.”

Everybody remember the first time you heard this. The name of the all-new premium form of DLC that will, in the future, change the enjoyment of this past-time for gamers forever. That name? Day 1 Advantage. “What Day 1 Advantage gives you is the ability to accelerate your experience points,” said Griffith at Activision Blizzard’s analyst day in Santa Monica.
This means that not only will players most likely be able to 'power-up' through the purchase of premium weapons and vehicles, but accellerate the speed in which they earn experience, the currency for upgrading and unlocking items. Gameplay balance is firmly in the back seat to the "monetizing" of the franchise.

It may be just that those with the money to throw away and a lack of skill to justify it will use the "advantage", but at least for the opening months of any new Call Of Duty multiplayer games, there will be a huge imbalance. And in the fine tradition of every title before it, the money spent on getting you that edge will dissapear with the players who migrate to the next in the series.

Good luck gamers. Use your heads and not your wallets, this trend is set to decide how much and for how long we pay for the games we play.







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Duke Nukem 3D Trailer Hits XBL

September 16th 2008 02:46
duke nukem 3d


Sometimes you can't beat the original. Sometimes you have no choice. Duke brings action movie antics to XBLA through the first trailer to hit showing us the action from the rebirth of a legend. A legend that we almost forgot about but endures, like something stuck to your shoe after a pleasant walk through the park.


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Sony Delivers Home Features Video

September 16th 2008 01:18
sony home the sims


It's almost here... I know, we've been knocking at the Sony door and no-one has been in, but the promise is out there and they can't take it back - Home will be released this year.

After watching the video, it's obvious that the community has been unfairly judging Home, calling it a Nintendo or Second Life rip-off... This couldn't be further from the truth.
It is actually a blatant, unapologetic carbon coy of The Sims. From the icons appearing over the avatars heads, to the socialising between them in the bars and lounge rooms, down to the beige furniture that can be purchased for the Ikea life houses, Sony are looking to draw fans of the most successful franchise in gaming history to the PS3.
And you can play games.

27CDB6E-AE6D-11cf-96B8-444553540000" width="437" height="266" id="viddler">
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'Xbox Activision' And 'PS Crytek' The Next Generation?

September 16th 2008 00:49
console design


The role of the killer AAA title has for some time been recognised as one of the most important features of a new console. And according to the likes of Activision CEO Robert Kotick, Epic Games president Mike Capps and Crytek CEO and President Cevat Yerli, the influence of the developer will go beyond mere software to shape the next generation of consoles.

The most vocal of the developers, Activision's Robert Kotick, has firmly set the the scene for his company to play a major part in the next generation.
"Now that we have the weight of being the largest payer of royalties to the first-parties of any third-party company, I definitely see us as starting to influence hardware design, and they're thinking about the evolution of the next generation of hardware," said Kotick, speaking at the Activision Blizzard Analyst Day in Los Angeles.

And with the proliferation of peripheral based games such as Guitar Hero, you can see the influence of developer based hardware already.

From Epic, Mike Capps speaks of his companies development of the next generation of game engines. His vision leaves no doubt that the Unreal Engine, the basis for a huge number of titles, is being developed specifically for a new generation. "We've got Unreal [Engine] 4 in production right now... it's going to be in the next console generation - our rough guess is 2012 [to] 2018," says Capps.
"Version 4 will exclusively target the next console generation, Microsoft's successor for the Xbox 360, Sony's successor for the Playstation 3 - and if Nintendo ships a machine with similar hardware specs, then that also. PCs will follow after that."
Epic have definite start dates for the next generation in mind. And in developing the new Unreal Engine for these systems there can be little doubt that they are a part of the discussion as to the specifications of these systems.

Crytek are also planning a new engine by 2012. With the beating Crysis took over its perceived PC hardware requirements, they have responded by building their own Crysis Warhead-friendly system. Some have lept to a sensational conclusion that this would lead to their own console, but if the current speculation is confirmed we will see the new engine ready for the next generation of the Xbox console.

From the developers, one thing is clear. That with the lineup of new engines hitting in 2012, this will be the next leap ahead in gaming. This is also the date that most are expecting the Xbox 360, and if this is the case then the claims made by Kotick look to be more than just posturing. The coincidence is compelling. If I were a rumour monger, I would even say that Microsoft is currently discussing the hardware setup for the next Xbox with these developers, and that each is putting forward their requested specifications. And if I were to take it one step further, and this pure speculation were indeed fact, then it would be a masterstroke, ensuring that the next generation of titles is optimised for an Xbox that is shaping to be released years ahead of a new playstation.

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Games News Week For 15 Sept 08

September 15th 2008 07:06
EA Monopoly


When the world is light on for content to fill a days worth of blogging, the logical alternative is to pile together a 'best of' episode. And here it is folks, from around the grounds, the first Games News Week for GamerChip... Until a better name makes itself known.

The new Lara Croft is showing that she can play the part, and do it sexily.

To assist with fitting four consoles into your home cabinet, the slim thin (or thin slim) PS2 has arrived... possibly through the letter slot in your door.

Another developer bites the dust, this one possibly taking down Age Of Empires and Halo Wars with it as Ensemble looks to restart without the big M.

Microsoft decide that competing with the PS3 is for suckers by dropping the price on the 360 to give it a little Wii flavour (eww).

The time has come for us to confront the deluge of fantastically hyped games and scream "We're as mad as hell, and where not going to take it anymore!", while at the same time thanking the gaming gods for the quality of the upcoming christmas releases.

RROD-gate came full circle with the news of the Microsoft employee who spilled the defective beans on the 360 being fired shortly afterwards.
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Which Console Is Right For You?

September 15th 2008 01:45
xbox 360 ps3 wii


An article that will be written every three months until the sun sputters for a final time before extinguishing forever and draining the life from the Earth, the opressive, souless darkness punctuated only by the impossibly distant pin pricks of hope from distant stars, is that of the guide to choosing a console.

This version from Neoseeker adds a dollop of humour to further incite fanboys but give the rest of us a medium sized chuckle.

The summary goes a little something like this.

Xbox 360: "...inspire the image of a roudy fraternity punk humping a beer bong because of its many FPS exclusives."

PS3: "...As such, PS3 archetypes are typically more sophistocated than the 360 stereotype, though everyone winds up sounding like an idiot when they get into fanboy forum fights."

Wii: "...the Wii is also viewed as a light weight, with its target demographic being the new casual gamer group that encompasses just about anyone with motor skills and hand-eye coordination."

xbox 360 ps3 wii
[
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Posted By: Colin Stevens - Category: Xbox 360, Wii, Other
   


New Handheld Gaming Console Confirmed By Gizmondo Boss

September 12th 2008 00:48
gizmondo


Tired of your PSP? (Probably not, sales have lifted considerably recently.)
Bored of your DS? (Well actually, there are a stack of new games, home brews and peripherals coming out to add life to the classic handheld.)

Well then, whatever. Who asked you anyway. For the rest of us there is the new improved Gizmondo 2, now confirmed by Mediapower boss Rich Jenkins, who has shown off the (unpowered) system and has assured that it will be available throughout Europe by Christmas.
Jenkins also led slip that a Chinese manufacturer had been sewn up to produce the units to meet the expected demand, so there should be plenty available (hopefully not for too long after launch...)

If you are interested in a handheld console powered by a new nVidia chipset, this could be for you - at a price. The original cost US$99 (rrp) which will be increased for the latest version. But with the power to run Windows games through the Windows CE 6.0 operating system, there should be plenty of gaming goodness available.
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Spore Simulates GameStop Interest in GAME

September 12th 2008 00:01
gamestop


The gaming industry of late is a study of the food cycle. And the retail gaming industry in particular. For Australians, Gamewizards are purchased by GAME, and now the bigger, hungrier (and possibly uglier) animal in GameStop are potentially looking to evolve through assimilating GAME.

The report itself is a little heavy on the business speak, but the gist is that the GAME share price has dropped significantly through a "Crazy" price drop, which could open the doors for a takeover.

Perhaps this would lead to a decent competitor to EB Games? (No offense JB hi-fi)

You can read the full report below, thanks to MVC.


The Royal Bank of Scotland has relit the touchpaper on the long-running rumour of US retail giant GameStop’s interest in acquiring The GAME Group.

The rumination came in an RBS note to analysts today, in which it also allayed fears that Morrisons' ‘crazy’ prices drops on games this week will have a serious effect on GAME's trading.

It read: ‘Game Group's shares were hit hard, following Morrisons' decision to launch a one-off promotion on video games this week, offering top 20 chart titles at half price.

Clearly, this brought back unhappy memories of the Argos price promotions of 2002, which resulted in Dixons following suit, significantly hitting Game Group's like-for-likes and margins.

‘However, there are significant differences. Morrisons has a 0% share of the games market, so a one week promotion is in itself going to be immaterial for Game (its market share this week would still probably be less than 1%).
No other supermarkets or retailers have followed suit.

‘And Morrisons' stocks and range are extremely limited. There has been no impact on Game thus far, and given its significant preowned trade, it is more insulated from price discounting elsewhere. Assuming no follow-through from other retailers, we would not expect any impact on numbers.

‘Interestingly, GameStop's chief executive recently stepped down, but he remains as chairman, with responsibility for acquisition opportunities and international expansion – the only two obvious large-scale acquisitions would be Micromania in France, and GAME in the UK (one of the few major international markets in which GameStop is absent). We expect strong results on September 30, which should help rebuild confidence.’

GAME’s share price, which have dipped sharply over the past couple of days, has recovered by 2.75p today to 223.25p
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Top Ten Hidden Features Of The Xbox 360

September 11th 2008 23:08
gaming secrets


The Xbox 360. closed to the world, it's secrets buried deeper than the business plan of the Scientology religion. Now those secrets are revealed in this guide with the top ten secrets of the Xbox 360. Read on believer.

1. Connect your Xbox 360 to two screens at once

If you've got one of the component/composite dual video cables – the one that comes in the box with most 360s – you can have your console display its gamey goodness on two TVs simultaneously. The trick is to flick the cable's switch to Standard Definition but hook up the composite (yellow) cable to one screen and the component (the red, green, blue) cables to another. It won't be high-def, but it could be handy if you're staging a mini LAN party and want to set up a display for bored spectators to point their eyes at.

2. Play your own music in original Xbox games

That you can fire up your own MP3s during a 360 game is common knowledge (and re-soundtracking moody horror games with the Benny Hill theme tune never stops being funny), but it doesn't work if you're playing a title from the original Xbox. There's a way around it – start playing your album or playlist before you load the game, and it'll keep on playing once you do fire the title up. The game's own music won't be muted, however, so if you can't do that in its settings you'll go mad from the weird cacophony.

3. It can write its own blog

Ah, the internet – founded upon crazy men making crazy things for free. Such as a blog supposedly written by your 360, based on what you've been using it for. It monitors your Live account and automatically generates entries about what it's been up to that day (or what it hasn't been up to – expect many posts about neglect if you don't turn it on for a while). The tone is very much American geek, but it's a fun record of your own gaming habits, and of keeping an eye on what your chums are up to. Get set up at www.360voice.com.

4. Play Xbox 360 games online for free – without a Live account

That you have to pay a subscription for online gaming, something that's free on other consoles and on the PC, is perhaps the 360's greatest bugbear. Stage your own form of peaceful process by playing online without paying a penny. You'll need XLink Kai, a free app you run from a PC on the same network as the console that tricks the 360 into thinking the internet is a LAN.

So it'll treat remote opponents as though they're in the same room as you – and you don't have to pay for local multiplayer. Clever! One snag – Microsoft has set the 360 to boot out anyone with a ping higher than 30ms, so you'll have to be selective about who you play with. Local chums are best, not your Chinese penpal.

5. Interact with your Xbox 360 music

Hit X whilst playing a music CD or file (whether from the 360's hard drive, an MP3 player you've plugged in, or streamed from a PC) and you'll enter Psychedelic Wonderland. Well, some artful visualisations, anyway. Grab a controller or two (or up to four, as it happens) and start moving thumbpads and pressing buttons to interact with the crazed shifting colours. There are actually some fairly elaborate controls – read the full manual at Really Long Link Good at parties, this.

6. Connect your Xbox 360 to a wireless network without an official adaptor

The good news is you don't have to drop £50 on Microsoft's offensively overpriced Wi-Fi adaptor. The bad news is you'll need a laptop with W-Fi to do it. Head to Control Panel – Network Connections (In Windows XP) or Network & Sharing Center – Manage Network Connections (in Vista). Select the Local Area Connection and the Wireless Network Connection at once, then right-click and hit 'bridge connections'.

Disconnect then reconnect to your wireless network, run a network cable from the laptop's Ethernet port to the 360's, and you should be good to go. Unfortunately, you may have to remove the bridge (repeat the above process and you'll see the option) whenever you want to browse the net with the laptop.

7. Play music from your iPod

Not a secret as such, but Microsoft doesn't exactly shout about the fact it plays nice with a device made by uber-rival Apple. Hidden in the depths of the Marketplace, you'll find a teeny download called 'optional iPod support'. Once you've grabbed that, plug in your iPod (iPhones aren't supported yet, sadly) and head to the Media Blade. You'll see your pod appear there, and can now browse its music by album, artist, genre or whatever. It'll also charge via the USB port, usefully.

8. Reset your Xbox 360 video settings

Remember this one if you're in the habit of carrying your console to chum's houses and hooking it up to different displays. It can end up trying to output the wrong signal, so you can't see anything or get a flickering screen. Fortunately, there's a fairly simple fix if this happens. Remove any discs from the tray and turn the thing off. Then turn it on using a gamepad. As it boots, hold down the Y button, then hit and hold the right trigger. The video settings will reset to default, and you'll stop your sobbing.

9. Play any media file, plus online videos on your Xbox 360

Free app Tversity neatly sidesteps the pointless video/audio restrictions Microsoft, Sony and Nintendo alike slap on their consoles, making them able to play any format. Again, you'll need a PC on the same network, but it's a simple matter of installing the program and having it scan the folders you keep your media in. It'll replace the standard network file-sharing system Windows uses, but behaves pretty much the same way at the 360's end. As well as that, it'll convert unsupported files on the fly – though you'll need a pretty beefy PC to do this with large video files, otherwise you'll be waiting ages. You can also add online video URLs on the PC's end – including Youtube – and then access those from the console.

10. Use any HDMI cable and still get digital surround sound

Though the newer 360s have an HDMI output for optimal video quality, they've built the ports in such a way that you can't have the standard component/composite video cable, with its crucial optical audio output, plugged in at the same time as HDMI. Instead, you're supposed to drop a frightening amount of money on the official HDMI cable with audio adapter. Balls to that. See the big plastic box at the end of the standard video cable that connects to the console? Wedge a knife or screwdriver into the join and twist to pop it off. The result looks messy, but is small enough to plug in alongside a standard, cheapo HDMI cable.

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Posted By: Colin Stevens - Category: Xbox 360
   


Vancouver Man Confirms Worlds First Xbox360 with Blu-Ray

September 11th 2008 03:35
update


Update: Confirmation has come in from the alleged owner of the worlds one and only Xbox 360 with Blu-ray drive. The entire transcript can be found below. Only the names have been omitted to protect the innocent.
Also note the cautionary words from Craigslist to be alert but not alarmed by possible frauds. Timelords and government agents are expected to take action shortly.
GamerChip:

> Hi there,
>
> You have quite an item there! Could I confirm that your Xbox 360 has a
Blu-ray drive as well?
>
> Cheers,
>
> Colin.
A.T (Xbox360 with Blu-ray owner):

Sure do!


> ** CRAIGSLIST ADVISORY --- AVOID SCAMS BY DEALING LOCALLY
> ** Avoid: wiring money, cross-border deals, work-at-home
> ** Beware: cashier checks, money orders, escrow, shipping
> ** More Info: here
>
The following photos have also been obtained.

xbox 360 console
xbox 360 pedals steering wheel


Note: If anyone is taking this at all seriously, please seek immediate medical assistance.
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Posted By: Colin Stevens - Category: Xbox 360, Other
   


Downtown Vancouver Man Claims To Own Worlds Only Blu Ray Xbox 360

September 11th 2008 02:32
xbox 360 blu ray


In the fine tradition of randomly located contacts with extra-terrestrial life forms, a Downtown Vancouver man has listed for sale an Xbox360 with Blu-ray.
Could he be a disgruntled member of the Microsoft R & D team, hell bent on getting his dues and kicking some ass by selling off the one existing prototype of a new console? A time traveller from a distant future, looking to fund repairs on a malfunctioning vehicle? Or some guy with no grasp on technology or the danger he has put himself in with fanboys everywhere?

GamerChip will attempt to contact the man and bring the latest breaking news as it comes to hand.
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More Age Of Empires On The Way?

September 11th 2008 02:19
age of empires


With the demise of Ensemble, the Microsoft owned development team, rumours and concerns have circulated as to the fate of the venerable Age Of Empires franchise.
While preferring my redskins as an individually wrapped candy treat, Gamerscoreblog has moved to reassure fans of the franchise that the Empire has not been defeated.
kevinu says in the post, "As many of you have heard, Ensemble Studios will be closing after Halo Wars is complete. If you’re a PC gamer, you’ve likely played some version of Age of Empires somewhere along the line. I want to reassure you that Microsoft will still own the Age of Empires intellectual property. As a company, we’re very excited about the future potential for Age of Empires, and as a PC gamer I’m looking forward to what that future holds. Stay tuned."

The possibilities are endless... XBLA re-release of the old titles? A new Xbox 360 RTS? As the man says, stay tuned.
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No More Heroes Conceived While On The Toilet

September 11th 2008 01:16
no more heroes toilet story


Thanks to the DS, the bathroom is now a gaming destination. According to Suda51, Grasshopper Manufacture's creator of No More Heroes, a development studio.


Suda51 reveals all. "I actually came up with the initial idea for a game featuring a [Johnny] Knoxville-style character whilst on the toilet", Suda says, revealing details behind his unique I.P.

Flushed with success, Suda gushes with pride in an interview with the Official Nintendo Magazine. "I decided to use that inspiration as the save game mechanic," Suda confided.

Actually, rumour is that Little Britian: The Video Game was conceived in a similar fashion.

I guess you could say that No More Heroes was one inspired Wii release.
Okay, the article is over. Thank you.

Thanks, err, Kotaku, for the original story.
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Sorry World, R18 Rating In Aus Won't Stop Games Bans

September 10th 2008 23:40
fallout 3


Australia is an island. And that's we way we want to stay according to Home Affairs Minister Bob Debus. Debus wades into the debate surrounding the modification, or non-modification of Fallout 3 to comply with the Australian Classifications Board. "In the board's view the game warrants an RC classification in accordance with item 1(a) of the computer games table of the National Classification Code," Debus said.
"As a general rule material that contains drug use related to incentives will be refused classification."

Okay, we already know that. And from this has sprung the argument that we need an R18-plus rating to allow such things for a discerning consumer audience. Now here is the clanger, the back-breaker that sinks syringes full of Syanide(tm) into the hearts of gamers world round. "The availability of an R18-plus classification would not necessarily have resulted in a different decision by the Classification Board." Et tu, Debus?

WIth Bethesda claiming that the Fallout 3 hitting the shelves shortly is the same version globally and was always intended to be, it seems that the grab for a wider audience will forever tame developers. If one country insists developers change a title including their definition of particularly unsavoury content, that decision will be made for gamers world-wide.

For anyone hoping that an R18-plus rating would make a difference, a review is currently underway. The only thing standing in the way of a policy change? The unanimous agreement from all state, territory and federal censorship ministers...

Thanks to computergame.com.au for the original story.
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LittleBigPlanet Not Possible On Xbox360 Without Changes

September 10th 2008 22:55
littlebigplanet


Sackboy could ony ever have one love, according to Media Molecule head honcho Alex Evans. And as much as Xbox owners stare on with heavy hearts, LittleBigPlanet "as it is" could not work on Xbox 360 as the game was only ever developed with one system in mind.
Having said that, it is possible, if changes were made, that LBP could still cross over, "So yes, you could make this game on the 360, but it'd be a different game," Evans reassured.

Keep those words in mind fanboys, nobody is saying that it couldn't be done at all, they are stating that it was designed knowing a Blu-ray drive and hard drive were available in every system. Evans explains, "The 360 is an incredibly capable machine, and you could make a user-generated content game on it, no question - just as you could make one on the PS2 or the Mega Drive, or any platform," adding, "But because we picked our platform, you go and you use every available bit of space, every little processor cycle."

The main difference is that LBP squeezes the last megabyte out of the Blu-ray disk, jamming in 40GB odd of content.

LittleBigPlanet is due out exclusively for PlayStation 3 on 31st October.

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Confirmed: Emsemble Closing, New Sudio Opening

September 10th 2008 02:02
halo wars
m

Put this down as the shortest lived rumour witnessed by the gaming industry. Microsoft has confirmed through Gamespot that Halo Wars developer Ensemble Studios will be shutting its doors for good. The press release goes along the lines of, "This decision does not reflect at all on Ensemble's talent or the quality of Halo Wars--in fact, many people who have had a chance to test drive Halo Wars agree that it is on track to being a fantastic game."

Never fear though, it sounds like the game will be unnafected. Ensemble's "leadership team" is founding a new development studio and will continue to support Halo Wars after launch.
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Fallout 3 Edited Version Now The Only Version

September 9th 2008 23:37
fallout 3


There are some great things about Australia. Our beaches, appreciation of English humour and Jennifer Hawkins to name but a few. Then there is the Classifications board. The anti-Hawkins. I say this because all of the great work she has instigated to create the image of Australia overflowing with fantastic sights and beautiful people is about to be overshadowed by what is being called Fallout 3 - Australian Edition. This is the now infamous version of Fallout 3 that has to be created to cater for the Australian Classifications Boards willingness to ignore the fact that discerning adults play video games.
The reason why the world, who has so far really dug the Aussie way of life, is about to look at us in the same way they do Rusell Crowe is because Bethesda has decided that the Australian Edition will now be the Global Edition.

Bethesda vice president of PR and marketing Peter Hines has responded to questions about the decision by stating "We want to make sure folks understand that the Australian version of Fallout 3 is identical to both the UK and North American versions in every way, on every platform.”

He continued, “An issue was raised concerning references to real world, proscribed drugs in the game, and we subsequently removed those references and replaced them with fictional names. To avoid confusion among people in different territories, we decided to make those substitutions in all versions of the game, in all territories.”

Hines explained, “I didn't want people continuing to assume the version in Australia was some altered version when it's not.” Finally, he explained that, “There are no references to real world drugs in any version of Fallout 3.”

The reason for the universal version of Fallout 3 seems to be a reaction to the frustration experienced in having to create separate versions for various regions in the first place.

And even though the extent that the changes will change the gamplay (if at all) remains to be seen, you can be sure that Fallout fanboys (most of who wouldn't know the original if it were thrust into a compatible orifice) will create a maelstrom of flames pointed Down Under.
Let's pray that Jen comes out of this all unscathed.
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The Fail List: Games That Won't Survive Christmas

September 9th 2008 00:40
christmas video games


The drought has officially broken for gamers. This upcoming Christmas is set to be one of heartbreak for many as tough decisions are made as to which titles will make it into the collection and which will have to wait or become a weekend rental.

Someone has to do it as friends and relatives will be soon asking what we want for Christmas. And so as not to disappoint them, this list has been developed to give you the games that will make it, and those that will fail (probably...). Let's start with the biggest title to be a cannot miss, sell a relatives organ to purchase, must own smash hit, to the one that will cause the most anguish over having to be sacrificed:

KING HIT: Fallout 3
fallout 3










EPIC FAIL: Mirrors Edge
mirrors edge








Fallout 3 speaks for itself. Although some of the content may sound questionable to casual gamers, the sheer scope and word of mouth will sell a burnt out bus load of units. Bethesda are masters at creating the type of world that will be able to handle the diverse story. Will be a massive hit and a deserving one.
Conversely, Mirror's Edge is starting to sound like a tech demo. You could argue that Geometry Wars and Portal started out in a similar way. The big difference though is that those had compelling gameplay, whereas we have heard very little of the reason behind this games existence. Sure it looks kinda cool, if it were a Nike ad, but as a twenty hour game?

HITS
fracture xbox ps3

Viva Piñata: Trouble In Paradise
Brothers In Arms: Hell's Highway
LittleBigPlanet
Fracture
Fallout 3
Fable 2
Dead Space
Guitar Hero: World Tour
Mortal Kombat vs DC
Resistance 2
Gears Of War 2
Warhammer Online
Left 4 Dead

FAILS
silent hill 5 ps3 xbox

Spore
Too Human
S.T.A.L.K.E.R: Clear Sky
Mercenaries 2
Star Wars: The Force Unleashed
Crysis Warhead
Silent Hill
Saints Row 2
Bioshock (PS3)
Rock Band (Aus release)
Mirrors Edge
Red Faction: Guerrilla

The deciding factor between most games was the amount of choice in each genre. Crysis Warhead, Red Faction 2 and Mercenaries 2 are fairly solid, but in the face of Gears Of War 2, Resistance 2 and Brothers In Arms, it will be a case of empty multiplayer servers pretty quickly.
And as much as I love it, S.T.A.L.K.E.R just cannot survive in the face of Fallout 3. Reportedly buggy (still!), Clear Sky is similar in concept but the lesser game in execution from what we have seen.
Spore huddling in the Fail category might raise a few eyebrows, and although it will initially be successful, The Sims players won't cross over and hard core gamers will become bored.
Star Wars: The Force Unleashed is a game before its time. LucasArts are rightfully miffed about not getting the lowdown on the Wii Motion Plus, it makes this game pretty redundant.
Guitar Hero to own Rock Star. Nuff said.
Silent Hill might do fairly well, but there is no chance that you would pick it over Dead Space. Hype alone will make you choose.

The Hits column shouldn't surprise too many, and still adds up to around $1200 of your Australian dollars. I just couldn't find any more to cull. The new Viva Piñata will be great, it's unique, and you know Microsoft will be pumping up this franchise in the face of LittleBigPlanet.
Fracture is the sleeper hit of the season. Not a lot is out about the title just yet, but with LucasArts at the helm, near future weaponry and terrain deformation on a scale not yet seen, this is sure be be a massive online gaming hit.

So there you have it. Start hounding Grandma for gift vouchers, this is going to be a Christmas for gaming. And to all of you who live in the hemisphere of the perpetually snowing Christmas, having an excuse to stay in and play them makes you some lucky SOB's.
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Posted By: Colin Stevens - Category: Other
   


Microsoft Knew Of Xbox 360 Faults Before Launch

September 8th 2008 02:16
rrod


The Red Rings Of Death have become a part of gaming culture, with many Xbox 360 suffering from the affliction that many now talk about how many consoles they've exchanged rather than if at all. Now in a new report by VentureBeat's Dean Takahashi (author of the tell all books "Opening the Xbox" and "The Xbox 360 Uncloaked"), Takahashi claims that Microsoft knew of the problem and proceeded to mass produce and launch the console, red rings and all. He goes on the claim that the issue has forced the price to stay higher than Microsoft had planned.

An anonymous source from inside the Microsoft bunker says that "They were adding too many features after things were locked down. That incremental feature adding just made it fragile."
The most amazing of these claims is that of Microsofts knowledge of the extent of the problem. The XBox 360 began production in August of 2005, and (according to our insider) tested with a mind blowing 68 percent defect rate. Microsoft have yet to confirm a number themselves, but have of course restated that failure rates are no higher than acceptable levels for the rest of the industry.

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Spore Matches The Sims Launch Success - Almost

September 4th 2008 23:48
spore


The reception that Spore has received has been a strange one. Most people are declaring that the game has not quite hit the mark, falling short of the all encompassing God machine that the frenzied fans envisaged through the pre-game build-up. Yet at the same time, the Metacritic score has managed to hit 88%. The general consensus seems to be that the sheer scope of the game is more extraordinary than anything that has been attempted, and that the mini games are amazingly addictive, yet the reviewers were left feeling slightly empty. Perhaps they started that way, being professional critics and all, but the reviews and scores need to be put into perspective. That perspective is easy to find.
Looking at the metacritic scores, Spore has hit only 4% behind Will Wrights original industry shaping title, The Sims (PC version), clocking in a very respectable 92%.

It's an interesting comparison, seeing as Spore could be for the next ten years what The Sims has been for most of the last decade. We already saw the Creature Creator rocket to the top of the charts (the only thing not yet recreated in meaty hybrid form), and the likelyhood is that in the same way The Sims has dominated sales charts with add ons, so will Spore.

Check out some of the comparisons below... Ahh, the olden days.

IGN - Spore 90%
While Spore is an amazing product, it's just not quite an amazing game. I can't help but feel that Spore is ambitious and memorable, but I also admit that, save for the cool Space Stage, there's not a lot of depth here. Rookie gamers are going to feel at home here, but veteran gamers may feel like they need more.
IGN - Sims 95%
The game isn't just addictive, it's downright dangerous.

GamePro - Spore 80%
Spore is a good game held back from greatness by a few flaws and gameplay mechanics that won't appeal to everyone. But there is plenty to like about the game and if you dig its particular style of open-ended gameplay, you'll definitely enjoy yourself.
GamePro - The Sims 100%
The uniqueness of the game, the sound, graphics and the ability to control a little Sim life hooked me almost immediately.

GameSpot - Spore 80%
Taken on their own, its pieces are nothing special. As parts of a singular ambitious vision, they work far better. Throw in the best customization tools seen in years and an enthusiastic community brimming with creativity, and you have a legitimately great game that will deliver hours of quality entertainment.
GameSpot - The Sime 91%
The Sims' actual gameplay is rather limited in some respects - either by odd inconsistencies or by actual restrictions placed on your actions.

EuroGamer - Spore 90%
We're all familiar with the innovative, web-aware customisation cloud that underpins Spore, but nobody's done it better (even though many now do it - apparently years after Maxis thought of doing it here) and the final game is proof that it was all worth it: you're all one big Designer, and Spore succeeds as much because of you and me as the many worlds scattered across the stars and the many ways we've been given to explore them.
EuroGamer - The Sims 90%
The lack of any real objectives becomes somewhat tedious after a while, but it is still hard not to recommend The Sims to everyone.
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PS3 Set To Be The New Home For MMO Gamers

September 4th 2008 00:51
SOE the agency


Ten Million Gamers. That's how many potential new customers await the console that can create the best MMO experience. And in these early days, Sony are set to take the lions share.

In recent times the two Sony and Microsoft have taken serious steps into the mass market of gaming. Both have embraced casual gamers (hereafter refered to as the common folk) and have indicated that the next step will be towards the MMO market. The Xbox 360 prides itself on its online experience and community, but fans of games such as World Of Warcraft, Eve Online and that guy still playing Pirates Of The Carribean may find their new home on the PS3.
Looking at the future titles planned, the 360 has quite a few new IP's, wheras the PS3 has quite a few tried and tested brands:

PS3
The Agency
Free Realms
DC Universe™ Online
Final Fantasy Haresis XIII (rumoured)
Blade & Soul (rumoured)

Xbox 360
Age Of Conan
Champions Online
Huxley
Kingdoms Under Fire

Star Trek Online and the Knights Of The Old Republic MMO are rumoured to be cross platform and currently in development, but it is easy to see that Sony have the ascendency. And if you consider the IP's already under their belt, such as Everquest and an ill fated Star Wars attempt, there is a lot of room for expansion. On the flipside, the 360 has had Marvel Universe cancelled (which was to be a MGS joint venture), and untried or non-MMO converted games in the wings.

The 360 already has gamers paying for online play, and although so far there has been value in this, with Sony catching up in its offering there is little chance gamers will be happy to pay for a twelve month subscription to Live Gold as well as a monthly MMO fee.

All in all, as it stands at the moment, Sony are leading the way in the gaming market that has the more players than there are people who own consoles (you'll have to take my word for that, I can't find the original article) and that's a huge PC gamer base who might consider a console if they don't already have one. Sony's move into the MMO space looks to be a good one.
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Age Of Conan To Hit Xbox 360 With MMO Goodness

September 3rd 2008 23:16
Age Of Conan 360


After the slew of MMO's announced for the PS3, Xbox 360 fans have at last something to raise their swords in the air and scream "By Crom!" about, with the news that Age Of Conan is definitely hitting the console.

"The Xbox 360 version is still very much set to happen and we are working on it," said Erling Ellingsen, head honcho at Funcom.

As to when it shall arrive, Ellingsen says "However, there are no dates set, even though we aim for a 2009 release. Our big priority now is, of course, the PC version and fixing the issues with it and improving it for our current players."

Good numbers for AOC so far have put aside the initial fears that Funcom would not be able to support the MMO. With a patch is already available and further work is being done in the form of a PvP rewards patch, things are looking solid.

Attempts have been made in the past through the Final Fantasy series, but that never hit any earth shattering heights. And earlier, a superhero themed MMO was cancelled, leaving 360 gamers wondering if we would ever get any tasty MMO action. Recent games such as Left 4 Dead will have dedicated servers, and AOC would have to be in the same situation. Perhaps this is why we are finally getting something?


Much thanks to Eurogamer for the info.
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Posted By: Colin Stevens - Category: Xbox 360
   


GamerChip First Impressions Of Google Chrome

September 3rd 2008 02:31
google chrome


Google has taken the plunge into one of the only area of the internet not assimilated by the company with Chrome, a new web browser recently released in Beta form. And even in these early days, it looks like Google know exacly what they are doing.

It is no small thing for a new browser to hit the market. As our interface to the internet, it is probably the single most important application users will ever have. And with more applications and personal information such as our photos, banking and blogs being stored and accessed through the net, more and more of our home PC's are moving into the online space. According to the press release, Chrome is Google's attempt to reinvent the web browser to suit these changing ways in which we use the internet.

google chrome


In an attempt to communicate the pretty complicated theory behind the new design, Google have released a comic showing the details in an accessible way. And although all of that is very interesting, the important thing is how it actually changes the speed and ease in which the average person can navigate around the web.

On first booting Chrome (after importing your IE favourites and links) a sleek, clean interface appears. The users most frequently visited sites are graphically displayed in a user 'home page'. This new feature actually will eventually pre-display these pages for you, the theory being that you can quickly check for updates. This features learns as you go, only taking a few web page visits to get things started. Navigating pages is slick and seamless. Multiple tabs are opened in a familiar Firefox manner, but genuinely seem to live up to the press release hype. There is no slowing down as multiple tabs are opened. Searching for web sites is also simple, with a quick and accurate search dropping down from the address bar. And this, apart from everything else, is where you will fall in love. Chrome is impossibly fast. Even for sites that were visited for the first time, content loaded as if it were locally stored. Although there seemed to be little benefit when flicking through Youtube, there was a distinct improvement on buffering times for HD videos played through Gametrailers.com.

google chrome
The whole interface has more than a passing resemblance to Safari, even down to the default font that appeared in some tables. The only gripe so far has been a few of the proprietry sites I use for work have links that could not be opened, meaning that I can't use Chrome as my all purpose browser. Still, this is a beta, and open source, so the chances of this being fixes are very high.

All of this is great, but how about the most important thing - gaming?
Actually loading and playing flash games felt no different, but as the Google blurb said, there was zero slowdown as multiple pages and tabs were opened and closed, a very different experience to IE. There was no lag as I switched tabs or back and forward between applications... Nice. There is even an Incognito Window that can be opened which will not record any history of the sites, so everyone at work can keep a seperate place for their personal browsing.

All in all, Google Chrome does just about everything promised, an impressive feat for a beta browser and a virgin effort. Google cannot seem to put a foot wrong, even allowing for the small issues I encountered that wouldn't affect 95% of users.

If you are currently happy with Internet Explorer and Firefox, it's only because you haven't used Chrome.

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Epic Hitting The "Upper End" Of What The Xbox 360 Can Do

September 2nd 2008 23:08
xbox 360


It looks as though Epic are a lot further down the trail to having optimised the Xbox 360 to it's limits than they would have expected.
Rod Fergusson from Epic has told Gamasutra that they are hitting the "upper end" of what the Xbox 360 can do, and that the gaming community has another two years until we notice that game development has topped out. Fergusson believes that the developers have "room to grow" on titles in production over the next two years, but it sounds as though after that the Gears Of War team will have done as much as they can with the console.

This is a little different from the Xbox and PS2 story, where we were seeing games improving right up until new models arrived. It also makes the prediction of another ten years for the current generation of consoles sound a little unlikely.
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Posted By: Colin Stevens - Category: Xbox 360
   


PS3 Faces Ban Over Patent Infringement For A Third Time

September 2nd 2008 06:52
ps3 blu-ray


Like bottom feeders on a whale, big targets such as Sony and Microsoft are in constant states of litigation. Sony alone already has three legal actions against its Blu-ray format, the latest of which has recently been filed in a Texan court by Orinda Intellectual Properties USA.

Orinda claim that Sony has performed a patent infringement over it's Blu-Ray technology, citing patent number 5,438,560, an incredibly vague patent that seems to cover basically anything that is an optical disk. The patent was originally filed by Hyundai in October 1993 and granted by the US Patent Office in August 1995.

The action asked for is an injunction on all Blu-ray technology, meaning that if the courts ruled for Orinda, the PS3 would be banned from sale.
With the threat of this established, Orinda is asking for a ‘reasonable royalty' from Sony for using its technology... an offer, Orinda would be hoping, they can't refuse.

It is incredibly unlikely that the action will go any further, and at worst the ransom is sure to be paid by Sony. But by the sounds of the patent, this is just another blatant attempt to extort a wealthy business. Back to your bottom feeding Orinda.
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Xbox Japan "Disappointed" In Price Cut Leak (LINK)

September 2nd 2008 04:16
xbox 360 japan


Japan. It's getting feudal out there as Sony And Microsoft take turns deciding that it's important or not to succeed in the land of the Rising Sun, sadomasochistic game shows and kooky engrish.

The big news of late has been the announcement at the Tokyo Xbox Media Briefing 2008 of the wholesale slashing of Xbox 360 console prices. Sounds like good news, but Xbox Japan were less than happy, as the news was leaked out.

Xbox Japan honcho Takashi Sensui had the following to say about the matter.

Was it disappointing that the console price cuts leaked before you could announce it?
"It was disappointing. Very unfortunate."

That was your only big announcement today.
"That was one of our big announcements."

Oh yeah? ... Are there any surprises in store at next month's Tokyo Game Show?
"Well, you'll have to wait and see."
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Posted By: Colin Stevens - Category: Xbox 360
   


PAX Attendance Over 58,000; Bigger Than E3

September 2nd 2008 01:56
penny arcade expo


The mainstream appeal of gaming has never been more obvious. PAX, now the biggest gaming event there is, has attracted record crowds of both regular folk and gaming geeks, with the smell of 58,000 ateendees still lingering across Seattle.

Penny Arcade business guru Robert Khoo has told BigDownload that this year's PAX notched up 58,500 people in three days, putting it in the stratosphere of the now mythical "Old E3." These figures have surpassed the PAX 2007 population of 37,000, showing the emourmous growth of the gaming industry over the year.

PAX 2009 now becomes the focus with more expansion planned to help with the sweaty Atari shirt wearing throng. "At 2 or 3 of the main theatre events 3-4% of the line wasn't able to make it," said Khoo, "but we hear those 3-4% loud and clear. We have a few ideas to manage that problem for 2009 including wristbands for popular events or just a straight-up hard count of people in line. The worst thing is if people line up for something and end up not getting in." The next PAX will take place again in late August, with the first PAX East Coast opening its Bostonian doors in late March 2010.

So when do we get a proper event in Australia? Even small German towns have their accommodation sold out when a decent show comes to town...
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Exclusive Xbox 360 Guitar Hero: World Tour Content Announced

September 2nd 2008 01:00
guitar hero III metallica


Exclusive content continues to be the tug-of-war across the consoles, with Metallica, who were the first to wade into the online music war, now supporting the idea through exclusive Xbox 360 content.

Best Buy shoppers will receive “exclusive bonus tracks” for Guitar Hero III when they purchase a copy of the new Metallica album, Death Magnetic. Although the tracklist has not been revealed, punters could be pretty well assured there will be more screaming guitar than four part haromony.

Being Xbox 360 exclusive, you could safely say that this is also an exclusive for the Microsoft console version of Guitar Hero: World Tour, seeing as it will be backward compatible with Guitar Hero III tracks.
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Posted By: Colin Stevens - Category: Xbox 360
   


Is Left 4 Dead Creating Brainless Gamers?

September 1st 2008 07:11
left 4 dead


It is well established that this generation of gaming platforms are for different gamers. The Xbox was for your online community gamer, Playstation for your Asian style games and Nintendo for casual gamers. And then there was PC. The venerable gaming platform has suffered from a complex recently, with analysts predicting everything from its death by console in the imminent future, to it being the only platform available within a console generation. With the latest games requiring costly upgrades, only the MMO and solitaire gamers seem to have stuck by their trusty, clunky boxes. The most worrying thing about consoles taking more of our gaming time is the concessions being made for the convenience of the controller. It started within strategy games, the RTS scene. Different aspects had to be compromised in many peoples eyes to allow for the lack of hotkeys and mouse. And though a few RTS titles have managed to please both sides of the fence, the reality is that a dozen odd buttons cannot replace a keyboard.

Now there is Left 4 Dead. The hype surrounding the title has us all chomping at the bit to get our hands on it co-op zombie slaying goodness. For most people, that will be on console. But there will be some major gameplay altering changes that are being made to cater for the lack of the movement speed that you can reasonably get out of analogue sticks. It has gone as far as to affect the AI in the game, and here is the crux of the matter. Zombies in the console version will be less likely to attack from behind, but rather assist the player by preferring a frontal assault. These are zombies. They want to chew on your brain like beef jerky. Queuing up because you can't turn around in time shouldn't be in their undead minds. Not only that, but a moderate level of auto-aim will be incorporated, further nursing the player.

All gamers should fear these changes. We already know that games are becoming simpler to cater for casual gamers, and now with a distinct differentiation between the platforms, PC gamers will rightfully be able to claim that they are the hardest-core gamers around.
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Posted By: Colin Stevens - Category: PC, Xbox 360
   


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