News

What we're playing this weekend

Posted by: Chuck at 6/7/2008 12:33 PM - Comments (0)
More On: What we're playing Gaming Nexus
It looks like the glean has finally worn off Grand Theft Auto IV as most of us are moving onto new games this week.  GRID seems to be the popular choice although I'm going in a different direction.  Be sure to let us know what you're playing in the comments.

Ben Berry
This weekend I am going out of town for a 10 day road trip. I'm taking the laptop for work, and I'm sure I'll get some EVE Online while my fiancé is trying on wedding dresses, and some old school Playstation time in with the future inlaws, Team Bandicoot Racing is definitely in the plans.

Elliot Bonnie
Much like Randy, I am taking a break from the glory that is GTA IV and spending a lot of time with GRID this weekend. I was always a fan of Pro Race Driver and from what I have played so far... GRID is the real deal.

Sean Colleli
With finals and papers behind me, I'll be cooling off with Amaterasu in Okami, Shepherd in Mass Effect and Samus in Metroid Prime 3. I'm finally getting around to Prime 3's hard mode, and the first major boss is kicking my butt. I might get some online Smash Bros Brawl in with a good friend, and if possible join John in Team Fortress 2.

Dave Gamble
I'm downloading the GRID demo for PC. At the rate it's squeezing itself through the Intertubes, it may be next weekend that I actually play it, though.

Charles Husemann
While everyone is doing laps with GRID this week I'm going to be busting heads as Jason Bourne in The Bourne Conspiracy. I'm a few levels in and while the gameplay is a bit repetitive it's a lot of fun. I'll also be firing up Kung Fu Panda this weekend as the retail copy of the game came in this week and the girlfriend wants to see if it's as cute as the movie.

Randy Kalista
I'm escaping Liberty City's gridlock and ripping around Codemaster's GRID. And the rewind button is as brilliantly executed as it is a damage-modeling lifesaver. It's like TimeShift while shifting gears. I also want to admit from the get-go that GTA IV's rampant city-block police evasions are unsatisfactory training grounds for GRID's, uh, grids.

Matt Mirkovich
Traveling to Boston this weekend so it's going to be full of portable goodness. Believe it or not I have logged 235 hours in The World Ends With You, and I'm not stopping. I'll also be bringing my PSP and my recently purchased laptop, I've got the Battlefield: Heroes beta running so I'll be trying that out from my hotel room while I dodge the riots caused by Celtics fans.

Nathan Murray
I'm anticipating the release of the new Special Edition of Gears of War. I've wanted to own the game since I borrowed it from a friend and the special edition sounds like too good of a deal to pass up. Until it's released though it looks like I will be playing GH III until my fingers fall off.

Tyler Sager
I'm pretty much in between games right now, so I'll just be fiddling around with some older titles. I've been firing up Command & Conquer 3 a bit lately, along with some of my Stardock favorites. I've been itching for an RPG for a while, so I may pick up The Witcher or Neverwinter Nights 2 if get really ambitious.

John Yan
I won't be playing too much over the weekend but I did find my old install disk for Fallout so I might give that a try. I'm also going to try to find some time to get in some more Team Fortress 2 action.

Burn your soul this weekend with Soul Calibur IV demo

by: Chuck - posted: 8/29/2008 5:14 PM - Comments (0)
If you wanted to see why Sean liked Soul Calibur IV so much you'll be happy to know that Namco has finally released a demo of the game on Xbox Live and the PlayStation Network.  I finally got the chance to play the game still feels great to play but I'm still re-learning a lot of my old moves and combos.  Still if you're looking for something to do this weekend and aren't at PAX this is a good way to kill some time. [READ MORE]

Sins of a Solar Empire expanding

by: Chuck - posted: 8/29/2008 5:01 PM - Comments (0)
Sins of a Solar Empire was one of the more original strategy games of the year (see Tyler's review) and the folks at Stardock are going to be expanding the series in a unique way.  Instead of larger expansion packs they are going to be rolling out smaller "micro-expansions" over the next year or so.  The first pack, Sins of a Solar Empire: Entrenchment is slated for release later this year and will only set you back $10.  The new pack will add a new Starbase defense platform that you can upgrade over time and allow for a lot of cheap Deathstar jokes.

The other two packs will focus on diplomacy and ship enhancements.   No details on their release were provided.  [READ MORE]

EA looking for your help in choosing new free maps for Battlefield:Bad Company

by: Chuck - posted: 8/29/2008 4:56 PM - Comments (0)
Battlefield: Bad Company fans will be happy to know that EA is going to be releasing free multiplayer maps in the near future.  The catch is they want your help in choosing which single player missions to port over for multiplayer mayhem.  All you have to do is going to the official website and log your vote for which map you want to be able to blow to hell with your friends.  The new maps will utilize the old school Conquest style combat rather than the new gold rush mode so make sure to pick ones that are at least semi-symmetrical. [READ MORE]

Stardock announces Gamer Bill of Rights

by: Chuck - posted: 8/29/2008 4:50 PM - Comments (0)
The folks at Stardock released their Gamer Bill of Rights which addresses everything from the purchase experience to the ownership rights and everything in between.  It's a good list of items and I'm interested to see if more PC developers jump on board this or not.  Here's the full list:

1) Gamers shall have the right to return games that don’t work with their computers for a full refund.
2) Gamers shall have the right to demand that games be released in a finished state.
3) Gamers shall have the right to expect meaningful updates after a game’s release.
4) Gamers shall have the right to demand that download managers and updaters not force themselves to run or be forced to load in order to play a game.
5) Gamers shall have the right to expect that the minimum requirements for a game will mean that the game will play adequately on that computer.
6) Gamers shall have the right to expect that games won’t install hidden drivers or other potentially harmful software without their consent.
7) Gamers shall have the right to re-download the latest versions of the games they own at any time.
8) Gamers shall have the right to not be treated as potential criminals by developers or publishers.
9) Gamers shall have the right to demand that a single-player game not force them to be connected to the Internet every time they wish to play.
10) Gamers shall have the right that games which are installed to the hard drive shall not require a CD/DVD to remain in the drive to play.

These are especially important as we move toward digitally distributing games but it's going to require a lot of honesty on the part of gamers and I hope that we can live up to our part of the bargain. [READ MORE]

NHL 2K9 goes gold, skates into stores on September 9th

by: Chuck - posted: 8/29/2008 12:14 PM - Comments (0)
The NHL2KX hockey series used to be the best in the business until two years ago when EA passed them with their superb skill stick.  The folks at 2K Sports know this which is why they've gone back and re-tooled the game quite a bit for NHL 2K9 which went gold today.  Ben had some reservations about the Xbox 360 demo but the demo was a little too short to get a good feel for everything in the game.  I know he's also stoked about the Wii version of the game as he's been anxiously waiting a Wii hockey game for years.  I guess we'll get to see how good the idea is when it's released on September 9th. [READ MORE]

Gaming Gibs for 8/29/2008

by: Chuck - posted: 8/29/2008 12:08 PM - Comments (1)
Here are a few things I missed while marking my territory:

Launch trailer for Mercenaries 2 not going to win friends in Venezuela

by: Chuck - posted: 8/29/2008 12:40 AM - Comments (1)
At E3 I asked  Mercenaries 2 lead designer Scott Warner about the whole political controversy of setting a game in Venezuela and he mentioned that it didn't really impact their design at all but after seeing this trailer you have to wonder if Caesar Chavez isn't going to raise a fuss about the Americans creating a simulator to help people learn to invade his country.  While there's no obvious connection I do think that people are going to enjoy blowing stuff up in this game and it's not like you don't have the option of working for the government forces.

News Roundup: Ultimate Ninja Ninjatown Ninjas Dodgeball

by: Randy - posted: 8/28/2008 11:38 PM - Comments (0)
PATCHES
VIDEOS
SCREENS
ARTICLES
Thanks to Defunct Games, TheTechLounge, AtomicGamer, Crackle, Digit-Life, and Techgage for today's News Roundup.

Wizard101 School of Death gets lively

by: Randy - posted: 8/28/2008 10:53 PM - Comments (0)
Perhaps in response to the mini-diatribe I posted against Wizard101's over-recycled use of their own assets, these new screens -- depicting the family-friendly-titled School of Death Magic -- at least change up the camera angles a few times.  I can honestly appreciate how their summoning room doesn't just summon the creature itself, but conjures the creature's environment along with it.
[READ MORE]

Silent Hill: Homecoming king is a boy named Josh

by: Randy - posted: 8/28/2008 10:33 PM - Comments (0)
Find the boy, save the town.  Silent Hill: Homecoming switches up an old horror archetype by using a disturbed little boy instead of a disturbed little girl for that added creepy factor.  This video is about a kid named Josh.  Finding him will change everything.

SBK-08 screenshots capture fair-weather umbrella girls

by: Randy - posted: 8/28/2008 10:01 PM - Comments (0)
Filling out the previous screenshot profile we have for SBK-08: Superbike World Championship, these six new images reiterate all the slippery-when-wet roads, blurry speeds, brand-jammed bikes, and -- this is a first look -- the scantily-clad umbrella girls.  No clue what the umbrellas are for, but what the heck.
[READ MORE]

Geek Dad Takes a Shot at Super Swing Golf Season 2

by: Eva - posted: 8/28/2008 4:08 PM - Comments (0)
Wired Blog Network's Geek Dad has a review up for Super Swing Golf Season 2 for the Wii as part of his Parents' Guide series. He gives a detailed break down of what, where, why, how, when, who for the title and compares it to two other golf games: We Love Golf and Tiger Woods PGA Tour '09.

Geek Dad describes how the game handles using the Wiimote to simulate swinging a club. The only thing I would add is that as with bowling it's imperative to use the strap, unless you really wanted to buy a new television anyway. Geek Dad also gives gamers a heads up that playing 18 holes can take an hour or more playing solo and potentially much longer with a bunch of friends. Apparently it could be time well spent as you'll actually learn a little about the sport.
While Super Swing Golf doesn't quite have the level of detail of We Love Golf, and lacks the serious weighty proceedings of Tiger Woods, it still manages to provide the majority of information the player needs to make their shot selection.
Ultimately experts looking for a hardcore golfing experience are better off sticking with Tiger Woods. For kids and amateurs, it's a solid pick. If you've been looking for a golf videogame, check out Geek Dad's review of Super Swing Golf Season 2 before making your final decision.

NCsoft's "Positron" Talks Mission Architect Toolset for City of Heroes

by: Eva - posted: 8/28/2008 3:05 PM - Comments (0)
City of Heroes Lead Designer Matt "Positron" Miller has issued a letter to the community on the Issue 13: "Architect" update. He starts out by addressing the biggest new addition to CoH, the Mission Architect. This toolset will allow players to take their ideas for heroic adventures and create them from the ground up. There has been much concern (read shouting) over how to balance the system's rewards. It's not meant to spawn a bunch of scenarios that pander to "easy leveling" or "badging" or "farming". The NCsoft team is working on it and feels they've come up with a system that isn't "abusable." Positron is realistic enough to understand that virtually any system is abusable, but promises the team will keep tweaking it until they get it right.

The other big news is the "Booster Packs" coming out in an month or so. Due to popular demand, players will be able to buy the 30 day temporary jetpack from the CoH card game to use in the CoH MMO for $4.99. The Super Booster I: Cyborg Pack will also be available for CoH. The pack boasts an awesome set of costume pieces, emotes, auras and a power and will go for $9.99. For Positrons full letter visit the City of Heroes Community Site. You'll also find more specs on the update in a separate feature list for Issue 13: "Architect."

The Further Adventures of Vault Dweller, Master of Puppets Continues on Fallout Website

by: Eva - posted: 8/28/2008 2:21 PM - Comments (2)
Heads up all you Fallout and Penny Arcade fans. Your favorite web-comic artists have taken time out from prepping for PAX to upload a sixth strip to their Penny Arcade Comic on Bethesda's official Fallout website. The strip tells the tale of one lonely vault dweller and a crate of puppets.

The site is age gated due to the game's rating but well worth the small hassle for the wealth of Fallout 3 information within. Make sure to check out any strips you missed in the Vault.

Spore being pre-loaded.. one step closer to release

by: John - posted: 8/28/2008 1:14 PM - Comments (0)
Spore is launching next week but you can have it ready to go today by pre-loading the game. Those that pre-order can set their computer to start downloading some of it so you can get into the game right as it starts on launch day. It's been a long time coming and it's good to see the game finally get its release. [READ MORE]

Classic Gaming Trivia for 8/28/08

by: John - posted: 8/28/2008 12:56 PM - Comments (2)
Yesterday's offering was Escape from the Mindmaster on the Atari 2600. What was unique about this game was it came on a tape and you had to use a special cartridge called a Supercharger to play it. There were some awesome games made for the Supercharger and Mindmaster was one of the best. It had a 3D feel way back then and the mini puzzles scattered throughout the maze were a nice addition.

So what do we have for today? Well, as you can see below, it's an RPG that looked very similiar to a classic Origin game. This game had a really unique end fight and a pretty cool ceremony in the middle of the game.

Disney releases soundtrack information for Pure

by: John - posted: 8/28/2008 12:41 PM - Comments (1)
Pure's a new four-wheel action racing game coming from Disney and it's been getting some good buzz. Here we have the name of the songs and artists on the soundtrack for the game.  Some artists include The Answer, Fred Baker, DJ Hyper, and Noise Control. Check out the press release to see the rest of the folks that you'll be hearing while racing around. [READ MORE]

AMD Cinema 2.0 explained

by: John - posted: 8/28/2008 12:36 PM - Comments (1)
One of the big initiatives recently for AMD has been Cinema 2.0. If you don't know what that means, the video below does a good job explaining it and what gamers and developers will see in the future. From the video, you can see some impressive demonstrations using their latest AMD Radeon 4870 card generating some really slick effects. I als like the 3D hologram like display. Now, demos are great and all but we'll have to see if this does make it to the consumers anytime soon.

abit looks like it's exiting the motherboard business

by: John - posted: 8/28/2008 12:33 PM - Comments (0)
Hexus is reporting that long time motherboard maker, abit, will be exiting the motherboard business. The news makes me a little sad as I've owned a great deal of motherboards from them and I still have a few machines running abit mobos. It seems unless you're one of the big ones, it's hard to survive the tight margins. Thanks for all the great support and products abit. You'll be missed in this sector.

Gaming Gibs for 8/28/2008

by: Chuck - posted: 8/28/2008 11:44 AM - Comments (1)
Here are a few things I missed while tracking down the parts for my own :
  • Gamers are now doping for World Cyber Games...it's time to start testing for Red Bull and Cheetos
  • Lowest rated player in Madden 09 to play this week, it's still pre-season though
  • Video games cut into exercise time, once again people get paid for this kind of analysis
  • MTV talks to people  at Silicon Knights not named Denis Dyack
  • Old people tend to believe the "video games made me do it" argument more than others, also like prune juice more
  • Novint posts pictures of the "sweat shop" they are using to put together pistol grips
  • Full Throttle remembered, loved
  • Gearbox may do the next Halo game, try to care

EU: Rome gets an exspansion pack and I get a break

by: Nathan - posted: 8/28/2008 1:59 AM - Comments (1)
I was seriously sick of trying to spell Europa Universalis by memory but with the new expansion comes a new name. Paradox Interactive has announced EU: Rome- Vae Victis which is scheduled for release in Q4 of 2008 on GamersGate digital download service. What does this expansion bring to the table? Good question! EU: Rome- Vae Victis will bring the game characters to life by giving them a will of their own (I smell a revolt coming on), new political game play that lets you manipulate the Roman senate, revised AI, new interface, new missions and all for the low price of $9.99. You can read more about the game HERE at the games website. [READ MORE]

New features introduced to Magi-Nation

by: Nathan - posted: 8/28/2008 1:51 AM - Comments (0)
Cookie Jar, every time I hear the name it makes me hungry. Developer Cookie Jar has announced new features for their online game based on the animated television series of the same name Magi-Nation. The new features include a true multiplayer world with In-Game Chat, Expanded PvP leader boards, new areas to explore, and new items. This may seem like a shopping list for an mmorpg but Magi-Nation is actually more like a certain monster collecting game with mmo qualities. This update shows that even those small free to play "kiddie games" get a lot of attention from the public, the developers, and the publishers. You go Cookie Jar! Now I need to go buy some cookies, excuse me.
MAGI-NATION WEBSITE [READ MORE]

News Roundup: Samba de Castle Crashers

by: Randy - posted: 8/28/2008 12:37 AM - Comments (0)
DEMOS
  • Strange Attractors 2 Demo (experimental top-down action puzzler)
  • Advanced Tactics: World War II v1.20 Patch
VIDEOS
SCREENSHOTS
ARTICLES
Thanks to Defunct Games, Xbox America, Champions-Online.com, AtomicGamer, ActionTrip, Digit-Life, and TheTechLounge for today's News Roundup.

EA shows more of the Wii controls in Skate It!

by: Chuck - posted: 8/28/2008 12:28 AM - Comments (0)
Here's a new video from EA showing off how you'll be pulling off tricks in Skate It!. 

Stardock releases second phase of Impulse digital distribution system

by: Chuck - posted: 8/28/2008 12:22 AM - Comments (0)
Stardock has released the second phase of it's Impulse digital distribution center which includes the ImpulseReactor which adds match making, multiplayer rankings, and a host of of cloud computing components to the service.  Political Machine 2008 (which Tyler liked) will be the first game to incporporate these features into a game with other games (including Demigod) being based on these services.

As part of this release you'll also be able to purchase and download select 2K Games titles including Sid Meier's Pirates and Civilization III.  Stardock is going directly head to head with Valve's Steam service right now and it will be interesting to see how it shakes out. [READ MORE]