News

Wii rolls into fun centers

Posted by: Sean Colleli at 10/13/2006 9:34 PM - Comments (0)
More On: Nintendo
Nintendo's ongoing project to place video games in hospitals will soon involve Wii.  With the help of Jamie Lee Curtis's endorsements, the 5000th Fun Center opened in the Cedar-Sinai Medical Center in L.A. yesterday.  While the current Fun Centers, designed to ease a child's recovery in the hospital, use GameCubes, future Centers will feature Nintendo's next-gen console, Wii.  I love to see the game industry do things like this, especially with so much ignorant litigation staring the ESA down these days.


Nintendo of America, longtime 
 
manufacturer of Fun Centers for the Starlight Starbright Children's 
 
Foundation, is donating the 5,000th Fun Center to Cedars-Sinai Medical Center 
 
in Los Angeles at 10 a.m. on Oct. 12 with the help of Jamie Lee Curtis.  First 
 
designed by Nintendo and Starlight Starbright more than a decade ago to combat 
 
the anxiety and weariness faced by hospitalized children, the latest Fun 
 
Center model includes a Sharp(R) AQUOS(TM) liquid crystal flat-screen monitor, 
 
a DVD player and a Nintendo GameCube(TM) system.
 
    (Logo:   http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20050516/NINTENDOLOGO )
 
    (Photo:  http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20061011/LATH050-a
 
             http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20061011/LATH050-b )
 
    Jamie Lee Curtis has been a proponent of the Fun Center ever since her son 
 
was hospitalized at age 5 with a ruptured spleen.  "The nurses rolled in a 
 
Starlight Starbright Fun Center, and he was completely transformed.  His 
 
anxiety and pain gave way to happiness, playfulness and distraction," said 
 
Jamie Lee.  "That night I came away with a conviction: We need Fun Centers in 
 
every hospital!"
 
    "It is fitting that Starlight Starbright's 5,000th Fun Center is a gift 
 
from Nintendo; we wouldn't have it any other way," said Don James, Executive 
 
Vice President, Operations of Nintendo.  "I'm also pleased to announce that we 
 
will begin shipping new-and-improved Fun Centers to hospitals starting in 
 
summer 2007."
 
    The new Fun Centers will feature Wii(TM), Nintendo's newest home console 
 
which is poised to be one of the hottest gifts for the holiday shopping season 
 
when it launches in November.  Wii lets users control the action on the screen 
 
through the motion of the Wii Remote controller itself.  It's designed to be 
 
playable by kids, adults and even grandparents.  It has great games, but also 
 
is easy enough that anyone can pick it up and start playing, even if they've 
 
never played a video game before.
 
    "While diversion is the Fun Center's primary purpose, these entertainment 
 
centers do much more -- they improve the quality of a pediatric patient's 
 
life," said Paula Van Ness, CEO of Starlight Starbright.  "Tens of thousands 
 
of Starlight Starbright children and their families join us in thanking 
 
Nintendo for its steadfast commitment to making a world of difference."
 
    In addition to manufacturing the units, Nintendo has also sponsored more 
 
than 3,500 of the 5,000 placed to date.  The company donates some units 
 
through an annual corporate gift and others through a matching program.  These 
 
efforts have yielded a remarkable in-kind donation of more than $3 million to 
 
Starlight Starbright.  More than 1,000 hospitals throughout North America have 
 
received one or more Fun Center units since the program's inception.
 
    "Cedars-Sinai was a lucky recipient of one of the very first Fun Centers 
 
back in 1992, so we've seen over and over again how they transform the 
 
hospital experience for children," said Charles F. Simmons, Jr., M.D., 
 
chairman of the pediatrics department at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center.  "It is 
 
our goal that one day each of our pediatric rooms will be equipped with its 
 
very own Fun Center -- we value them that much."
 
    James also announced that Nintendo would increase its corporate funding to 
 
Starlight Starbright, so that even more patients will be able to benefit from 
 
them.  The ease with which Fun Centers roll right up to the side of young 
 
patients' beds or anywhere in a hospital setting makes them perfect for 
 
hospitalized children in numerous situations: anticipating surgery, during 
 
long outpatient clinic treatments, waiting in the emergency room or fighting 
 
loneliness after visiting hours have ended.  It is this versatility that has 
 
made Fun Centers an invaluable tool in Starlight Starbright's programmatic 
 
efforts to counter the isolation and fear often experienced by sick children.  
 
Caregivers report that Fun Center use may even result in a reduced need for 
 
pain medication.  To learn more about the Fun Center program or to view our 
 
current hospital waiting list, visit www.starlight.org/funcenter.
 
 
 
    The first of seven hospitals in California whose nurses have been honored 
 
with the prestigious Magnet designation, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center is one of 
 
the largest nonprofit academic medical centers in the Western United States.  
 
For 19 consecutive years, it has been named Los Angeles' most preferred 
 
hospital for all health needs in an independent survey of area residents.  
 
Cedars-Sinai is internationally renowned for its diagnostic and treatment 
 
capabilities and its broad spectrum of programs and services, as well as 
 
breakthroughs in biomedical research and superlative medical education.  It 
 
ranks among the top 10 non-university hospitals in the nation for its research 
 
activities and is fully accredited by the Association for the Accreditation of 
 
Human Research Protection Programs, Inc. (AAHRPP).  Additional information is 
 
available at www.cedars-sinai.edu.
 
 
 
    Starlight Starbright Children's Foundation is a nonprofit organization 
 
that transforms the lives of seriously ill children and their families through 
 
imaginative programs that educate, uplift their spirits, foster a sense of 
 
community, and help alleviate the pain and fear of prolonged illness.  
 
Starlight Starbright offers an impressive array of in-hospital, outpatient, 
 
school and home-based programs and services that touch the lives of more than 
 
180,000 children and families each month.  To learn more visit 
 
www.starlight.org.
 
 
 
    Created exclusively by program partner Nintendo of America, the Fun Center 
 
design is the latest example of the company's extraordinary commitment to the 
 
Starlight Starbright Children's Foundation.  Nintendo's ongoing support of the 
 
Foundation has resulted in a donation of over $3 million and the placement of 
 
over 3,600 Fun Centers in hospitals worldwide.  In addition, they continuously 
 
match Fun Center sponsorships from other corporate donors.  As a wholly owned 
 
subsidiary, Nintendo of America Inc., based in Redmond, Wash., serves as 
 
headquarters for Nintendo's operations in the Western Hemisphere.  For more 
 
information about Nintendo, visit the company's Web site, www.nintendo.com.

New dance: The "Red Alert 3 Step"

by: Randy - posted: 8/30/2008 1:42 AM - Comments (0)
The Command & Conquer series is about to enter into those awkward teenage years as it prepares to celebrate its 13th birthday.  But this is one of those celebrations where the birthday kid gives you the presents.  I know.  This Sunday, August 31st, you can download the first Command & Conquer: Red Alert for free.  There's no better four-letter f-word in the English language.  (Well...)  But not only that, if you pre-order Red Alert 3, then you'll also get Red Alert 2 for free, too.  That's the "Red Alert 3 Step."
  • Step 1 -- Download the original Red Alert from www.RedAlert3.com starting Sunday, August 31st.  For free.
  • Step 2 -- Pre-Order Red Alert 3 from participating retailers and receive Red Alert 2.  For free.
  • Step 3 -- Pick up your pre-ordered copy of Red Alert 3 when the game hits this holiday season.  (Not for free.  Red Alert 3 is $49.99 standard edition, $64.99 premier edition.)
That's three games for as little as 50 bucks.  And that comes fully equipped with a Maxim-worthy cast including Jenny McCarthy (aka Hot Allied Barracks Girl), Gemma Atkinson (aka Hot Allied Lieutenant), Gina Carano (aka Hot Russian Poster Girl), Autumn Reeser (aka Hot Mystery Girl?), and Kelly Hu (aka Hot Mystery Girl #2).  Sorry.  Didn't mean to turn this into Spike TV. [READ MORE]

Lara Croft shows off her skills with the big cats in new Underworld demo

by: Chuck - posted: 8/30/2008 1:27 AM - Comments (0)
Poor Lara Croft, she's always exploring new places, meeting new animals, and then being forced to kill them.  Here's a new trailer from Tomb Raider:Underworld that has  Ms. Croft exploring a Thai temple and having to take on a pair of tigers.

Yakuza 2 screens profile four new characters

by: Randy - posted: 8/30/2008 1:12 AM - Comments (0)
These screens from Yakuza 2, a mix of cut scenes and fight scenes, throw four different characters into the Asian gangster mix.  Daigo Dojima, the dude in the white puffy coat; Kaoru Sayama, the chick in the sharp pants suit; Kazuma Kiryu, the dude in the unbuttoned white suit; and Ryuji Goda, the dude in the fur-lined coat.  The screens don't elicit much excitement in and of themselves, but I always like the sound of "Japanese underworld" when reading a game's premise.

Yakuza 2 ships to retailers on September 9th (see it on shelves the 10th) for the Playstation 2.
[READ MORE]

Rolling Stones' favorite, Locksley, now in Rock Band Music Store

by: Randy - posted: 8/30/2008 12:54 AM - Comments (0)
Added to the Rock Band Music Store is one of Rolling Stone magazine's "25 Best Bands on MySpace":  the Brooklyn-based Locksley.  Locksley contributed a three-pack of songs from their 2007 album Don't Make Me Wait, to include the rollicking drums of the title track, the rollicking guitar licks of "All Over Again," and the rollicking, semi-screamy hooks of "She Does."  It's definitely some tweenie, Generation Y garage pop rock that won't leave Gen X too embarrassed to download it too.

Each track is $.99 (80 Microsoft Points) for one month, but doubles to $1.99 per track (160 Microsoft Points) after that. [READ MORE]

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 (1)
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 (2)
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]