Gary's Blog

Just a place to find out what's on my mind, or what's occupying my time whilst I avoid actual "work."

 

VGN for September 30th, 2005

Video Game News:

Halo coming to a cell phone

In-Fusio in "Halo" mobile game deal with Microsoft Tue Sep 27, 8:05 AM ET
 
SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - Microsoft Corp. (Nasdaq:MSFT - news) has struck a three-year licensing deal giving French mobile games maker In-Fusio rights to its blockbuster "Halo" video game franchise, In-Fusio said on Tuesday.

The French company can make mobile games and other mobile products such as ringtones based on the game.

Financial term of the deal were not disclosed.

Microsoft's "Halo 2" last year rang up $125 million on its first day in stores and fueled sales of Microsoft's     Xbox video game console.

 
More Courses on Video Games offered.

By MICHAEL HILL, Associated Press Writer
Fri Sep 23, 8:06 AM ET
 

TROY, N.Y. - More and more, video game-related courses are being offered in colleges around the country in response to the digital media industry's appetite for skilled workers and the tastes of a new generation of students raised on Game Boy and Xbox.
 
Animation I, Cognition & Gaming and Computer Music are being offered as part of the year-old minor in game studies at RPI, one of dozens of schools that have added courses or degree programs related to video gaming in recent years.

RPI, which plans to offer a major in the field next year, graduated 27 gaming minors in its first year and expects a jump this year.

DVD dispute burns at PC makers

Inter-corporate squabbling continues as Dell and HP fire back in wake of Microsoft and Intel's "inaccurate" HD-DVD claims.
After quietly heating up over recent months, the battle over next-generation DVD formats boiled over Thursday, as Dell and Hewlett-Packard assailed Intel and Microsoft, which have lined up in the opposite camp.

Earlier this week, Microsoft and Intel announced that they were backing the HD-DVD format, saying its approach will spur easier home networking of movies and make it simpler to distribute hybrid discs containing both high-definition and traditional DVD movies. Dell and HP shot back Thursday, saying the world's largest software and processor makers were spreading "inaccurate" information. They also reiterated their backing for the rival Blu-ray format.

"From a PC end-user perspective, Blu-ray is a superior format," HP personal-storage unit general manager Maureen Weber said in a statement. Weber said Blu-ray offers anywhere from two-thirds to 150 percent more storage capacity, as well as higher transfer rates, and fits easily into slim notebooks. "The technical merits and consumer benefits of Blu-ray Disc make it the ideal solution for HP's customers."

What I've been playing:

Burnout Revenge on Xbox.

Far Cry Instincts.

What I NEED to play NOW!!!

We Love Katamari

Anime News:

Funimation channel

Funimation is launching the "Funimation Channel", the second 24-hr anime digital cable network in North America. The website for the channel will go live within a few weeks. OlympuSAT is the exclusive distributor and the FUNimation Channel is now available to video service providers throughout the United States.

Anime Network

Last week we reported that there would be changes coming to The Anime Network's (TAN) offerings at Comcast.

As of this morning TAN will be available on Comcast in two flavors. They will continue to be available in The Cutting Edge folder as a free on demand channel, and they will also be available on a pay-per-watch basis in the Events & Specials folder on the main On Demand page.

At this time ANN has not been able to confirm what difference there will be between the two offerings.

Convention Corner:

Screamfest!!  October 14th-16th.

Necronomicon!!  October 28th-30th.

posted by: Gary1059 at 21:37 | link | comments |

VGN for September 23rd, 2005

Video Game news:

Japanese interest soars...

Posted: 20:35 on 22 Sep 2005
By: Chris Leyton

An impressive Tokyo Game Show presence lifts interest in the Xbox360...

Microsoft may have scoffed at the significance of surveys prior to the Tokyo Game Show, however this week’s Famitsu could have them changing their minds.

A strong presence in Japan last week saw potential Xbox 360 purchasers rise from 6% to 22%, as commitment to the 360 in the shape of Resident Evil 5, Ridge Racer 6, Armoured Core, Gundam and Bomberman appear to have won over a significant proportion of Japanese gamers.

With Hironobu Sakaguchi’s Lost Odyssey and Blue Dragon on the horizon it appears that Microsoft have laid a good foundation to build upon, however the US giant will have to ensure that Japanese orientated titles continue long after the launch of the system if they want to guarantee a significant footing the second time around. 

 

Video games directly responsible for anime popularity?

Posted Sep 22, 2005, 8:00 AM ET by Vladimir Cole
Related entries: Culture

The Associated Press writes, “The popularity of animé, that uniquely Japanese form of animation, can be traced directly to the growth of video games, especially the Final Fantasy series and other role-playing epics like Dragon Warrior.”

The relationship between the two media is more complicated than that. First of all, anime has been around for nearly 100 years, so it’s far more likely that anime has had greater influence on games than the other way around.

Second, the relationship is more symbiotic than the article implies. Fans of the two entertainment forms tend to appreciate many of the same techniques, plot devices, and tropes. It’s difficult to imagine either form of entertainment evolving to the state that each is in today without the other. Anime is constantly referencing video games and games anime.

 

Read the whole article...

Whose job got cut?

Sony reorg follows earlier changes at PlayStation division

Sir Howard puts his mark on Sony's future; cuts 10,000 jobs, admitting to past "missteps."
Sony is planning a company-wide restructuring that will result in the loss of 10,000 jobs and the closure of 11 plants, among other changes, the electronics giant said Thursday.

The company known for its Walkman music player, the Spider-Man movie franchise, and the PlayStation game console will "eliminate the corporate silos" of its Sony Corporation Network starting October 1, and it will replace them with a new structure that it hopes will allow for better coordination on product planning. Centralized decision-making authority over key areas will go to president and electronics CEO Ryoji Chubachi.

Because of the changes, Sony will report a financial loss of about $90 million on sales of about $65.1 billion for the year, the company said. Sony previously said it would post a profit of $90 million.

See it in action...

Nintendo's new controller

By Nathan Alderman (TMF Nato)
Mon Sep 19,12:09 PM ET
 

Once the king of the video game hill, Nintendo (NQB: NTDOY - News) took a tumble in recent years. The hotter sales and more powerful hardware of consoles like Sony's (NYSE: SNE - News) PlayStation and Microsoft's (Nasdaq: MSFT - News)     Xbox made Nintendo's GameCube look like kids' stuff, and hardcore gamers began to snicker at its cute and happy games.

 
But the makers of Mario may have the last laugh: Nintendo's focus on creative new ways to play video games finally seems to be paying off. The most recent example: a bizarre, but impressive new controller for the company's upcoming Revolution system.

The Revolution device Nintendo unveiled at the Tokyo Game Show last Thursday looks like a regular TV remote control, with one button under gamers' thumbs and another for their trigger fingers. In a unique twist, the wireless controller senses its position, angle and orientation relative to the screen. Now, fantasy fans can slash their broadswords at goblins with a swing of the arm. Shooter-game enthusiasts can take pinpoint aim at onscreen foes. Virtual racers can really lean into those hairpin turns. At least one reporter who got to try out the new gizmo found it intuitive, impressive, and a lot of fun.

It's not Nintendo's first offbeat experiment with game controllers. The classic Nintendo Entertainment System originally came with R.O.B., a "robot" that could move and stack small weights in tandem with onscreen events (yeah, I don't get it either). More recently, Nintendo created a series of Donkey Kong games where players controlled the famous ape through claps, shouts, and rhythmic beats on a set of touch- and voice-sensitive bongo drums. The company also pioneered games for its line of portable Game Boy systems that detect when the system is tilted or shaken.

Watch the video, look at the pics...read what you can.  When you hold it in your own hands, then you can form a proper opinion.:)

 

What I've been playing:

Burnout Revenge!!!  Holy Crap!

Pirates!

Land of the Dead demo...zombiiiiieeeees.

 

Anime News:

Review of Final Fantasy:  Advent Children--thanks Tasha!

Another chance to see it on the big screen!

From Anime Gaijin America:

Hey guys -
Thanks to everyone who came out Friday night. We filled all 279 seats
at Anime Explosion last Friday night. Sadly, we actually had to turn
some of guests away.  :(

But fear not, we have made arrangements to do an encore screening this
coming Friday night at Midnight.  Standard Anime Explosion procedures
apply... arrive early (by 10:30pm) and get your wristband.  We are in
our regular room, so we only have about 150 seats.

If you saw FF:Advent's Children at Anime Explosion last week please let
those who missed out have a seat.

Con Corner:

Screamfest!!

Come get spooky with me!

posted by: Gary1059 at 07:06 | link | comments (2) |

VGN for September 16th, 2005

Video Game News:

Breaking Tokyo Games Show coverage!!!

Nintendo releases Revolution Info!!!
By Yukari Iwatani Kane and Michael Kramer
1 hour, 40 minutes ago
 
TOKYO (Reuters) - Nintendo Co. Ltd. (7974.OS) surprised the game industry on Friday with an unconventional one-handed controller for its next-generation "Revolution" console that aims to draw in new players.

Motion detector sensors in the controller, which resembles a TV remote, allows players to control the game by wielding it like a sword, waving it like a conductor's baton, or swinging it like a baseball bat depending on the game, Nintendo President Satoru Iwata said in a keynote session at the Tokyo Game Show.

"It's designed like a TV remote because that's familiar to everyone including those who are intimidated by a two-handed controller," said Iwata. "Its intuitive form allows both experienced and new gamers to stand on the same starting line."

Microsoft set the release date!!!!

By ALLISON LINN, AP Business Writer
Thu Sep 15, 8:55 PM ET
 SEATTLE - The next version of Microsoft Corp.'s   Xbox game console will be available in the United States two days before Thanksgiving, in time for the important holiday shopping season, the company said Wednesday.

The Nov. 22 launch of Xbox 360 in North America will be followed by a Dec. 2 launch in Europe and a Dec. 10 launch in Japan.

The releases will allow the Redmond-based software maker to get a head start over rival Sony's PlayStation 3, which is slated to replace the market-leading  PlayStation 2 next spring.

Bonus!
Xbox 360 trailer

Video Games take on Michigan
Posted: 22:33 on 14 Sep 2005
By: Chris Leyton

The Entertainment Software Association responds firmly to the controversial new Act...

The American videogames industry today hit back at the State of Michigan and its controversial decision to restrict the sale of videogames containing certain violent content, stating that it contravenes the US Constitution's First Amendment on free speech.

The Entertainment Software Association (ESA) will file suit asking that the state’s new Act be overturned, recalling similar laws found unconstitutional and thrown out in St. Louis, Indianapolis and Washington State, incurring taxpayers hundreds of thousands of dollars in legal fees in the process.

"If this law is implemented, it will not only limit First Amendment rights for Michigan's residents, but, by virtue of its vagueness, it will also create a huge amount of confusion for Michigan's retailers, parents, and video game developers," said Douglas Lowenstein, president of the ESA, the trade group representing U.S. computer and video game publishers. "I'm confident the court will affirm our position given the rulings on similar statutes in other jurisdictions; indeed, the facts, the science, the law, and the U.S. Constitution have not changed since those decisions were handed down."

Focusing on the bill’s “hopelessly vague” definition of content subject to the Act, the ESA maintains that retailers will have no objective way to determine whether they are in compliance with the law and game developers not knowing whether their games would be covered.

Alleging that the bill will turn retailers into surrogate parents, the ESA states that video games are being unreasonably and unfairly singled out. President of the ESA, Douglas Lowenstein, acknowledges that although a few games have content that could cause offense, the same can be said for TV, films, music and books and asks the government not to regulate the sale of video games as is the case with these other entertainment industries.

Metal Gear Solid 4!!!
Posted: 02:00 on 16 Sep 2005
By: Chris Leyton

Inner qualities will pave the way towards movement away from realism...

Following the shocking revelation that Snake’s aged quite a bit since the last time we saw him (but don’t tell him we said so), Konami today revealed brief details on the title ahead of its 9-minute debut trailer at Tokyo Game Show.

Taking place in the not-too distant future Solid Snake must initiate his most dangerous mission yet. Using the breadth of PS3, director Hideo Kojima takes on the task of “creating inner qualities”. The inner aspect is unseen and establishes its presence only through time and the volition of the player. This will pave the way towards a revolutionary change that will lead us away from past concepts based on “realism” as we move towards the “natural”.

Sounds like Snake’s developing a softer side as he slips nearer to retirement; we’ll have more on Metal Gear Solid 4 soon.

What I've been Playing:

Burnout Revenge!!!!

Indigo Prophecy--Demo

Pirates!

The Suffering: Ties that Bind--Demo

Anime news:

Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children
Finally a Final Fantasy movie based on Final Fantasy!
 
Join us for a free Midnight Showing of this gorgeous CG Masterpeice at Universal Cineplex at Universal Studios Orlando.
 
Wristbanding will begin at 10:30 and the Movie starts at Midnight!
 
Cya There!
 
Summary:
 Two years after the events in "Final Fantasy VII", a disease called 'Seikon-Shoukougun', or 'Geostigma', is spreading through the planet. This disease is believed to have been caused by the body fighting off foreign material that invaded the body two years earlier, at the end of "Final Fantasy VII". Guilt-ridden and haunted by his past, ex-SOLDIER Cloud Strife has decided to live a secluded, solitary life away from his friends while maintaining "Strife's Delivery Service", whose headquarters is located in Tifa Lockheart's bar, the Seventh Heaven. Tifa's bar serves as an orphanage for children stricken with Geostigma. Here, Tifa keeps an eye on Barret's six-year-old daughter, Marlene, while Barret searches the planet for an alternative energy source to the fossil fuel, Mako. One day, Cloud receives a phone call from the former Shinra, Inc. president, Rufus, asking him for protection from a mysterious man named Kadaj. Kadaj, in the meantime, along with his brothers Loz and Yazoo, are searching for their "mother", and seem to believe that Cloud knows where to find her. Meanwhile, Vincent Valentine has been wandering the planet gathering information on Kadaj's scheme, and Cloud and his friends must come together again to fight these new enemies.

NEW GAIKING!!

"I think I need a bathroom break? Is this possible? -W"

 

Convention Corner:

I miss Dragon*Con...

 

 

 

posted by: Gary1059 at 07:01 | link | comments |

VGN for September 9th, 2005

Video Game news:

Games get you off the couch.
By LOU KESTEN, Associated Press Writer
Wed Sep 7,10:37 AM ET
 
Every article about America's obesity epidemic seems to mention video games. That's not surprising, considering that video games have been blamed for juvenile delinquency, low SAT scores, teenage promiscuity, high gasoline prices and just about every other problem facing the nation.

But being a dedicated gamer doesn't mean you have to turn into a Jabba the Hutt-sized couch potato, particularly if your regimen includes selections from the ever-growing genre of rhythm games.

To play games like Konami's "Dance Dance Revolution," you have to replace your controller with a floor pad and try to match the onscreen action by stepping on different sections. Even the most devoted gym rats will work up a sweat during a good "DDR" session.

Any of the following games are a good bet to get you up off your La-Z-Boy:

_"Pump It Up: Exceed" (Mastiff, $59.99, for the     PlayStation 2,     Xbox): "Dance Dance Revolution" remains the most popular rhythm game in America, but in Asia it's being challenged by "Pump It Up." Likewise, "DDR" experts will find themselves challenged by this newcomer, thanks to a simple gameplay twist. Instead of having pressure points directly to the left, right, front and back of the player, the "Pump It Up" pad puts them on the corners, demanding quite a bit more agility.

Burnout Revenge goes gold.
Posted: 11:22 on 07 Sep 2005
By: Jon Wilcox

The countdown to Revenge and Legends continues with the announcement of lots of gold...

Electronic Arts has announced that Burnout Legends for PSP, and Burnout Revenge for Xbox and PlayStation2, has gone gold ahead of their release on September 16th and 23rd respectively. Set to include a raft of gameplay enhancements and modes, Burnout Revenge continues to develop the franchise picking up where Burnout 3: Takedown, whilst Burnout Legends takes the best of the first three titles and gives them an update for PSP.

New Xbox Live details.
Posted: 18:21 on 08 Sep 2005
By: Chris Leyton

Xbox Live subscriptions will no longer need a credit card as Microsoft attempt to expand the appeal of its online service...

Microsoft today delivered further details on how the Xbox Live service will shape up on the Xbox360. In addition to the free Xbox Live Silver membership, Xbox Live Gold membership will cost $49.99 for a year’s service throughout N America, with European pricing set to follow shortly.

An Xbox Live Gold Pack contains 12 months subscription, the new Xbox 360 headset, Xbox Live Arcade games, Microsoft Points for use in the Xbox Live Marketplace and a mail-in rebate for up to $20 off any Xbox 360 title.

Perhaps the biggest attempt to appeal to a larger audience is the fact that credit cards will no longer be required to create an account, removing a significant barrier. Gamers can purchase 12 month Xbox Live subscription cards via cash or other payment methods at any participating retailer.

PS3, 360 Sonic leads wave of Sega announcements

Publisher reveals next-gen Hedgehog and current-gen Sonic Riders for 2006; Chromehounds dated and detailed.
It might not have been the fabled "Segaton," (but hey, what is?) but today's flurry of announcements from Sega will elate devotees of the publisher. Late Thursday PDT, the company took the wraps off two heretofore unknown projects and dated one of its top next-generation titles.

First up was the announcement that yes indeed, there is a next-generation Sonic game in the works. Billed as a "re-invention" of the classic franchise, Sonic the Hedgehog will make its debut on the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 sometime during 2006.

Presiding over the game's development will be none other than Yuji Naka, who, along with character designer Naoto Ohshima, created the original Sonic game for the Sega Genesis in 1991. According to Sega, Naka will "create the most intense sensation of speed ever experienced in videogames" with "an innovative combination of art, physics and game design."

"We are proud to re-create our famous friend, Sonic, for a new generation of gamers on PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360," said Naka. "With Sonic the Hedgehog, we have gone back to our starting point, more than 15-years ago, to reinvent the attitude and speed that made our hero a legend. The 'rebirth of Sonic' will offer an unparalleled sense of speed that is only possible using the processing power afforded by the new systems."

Sega also had good news for Xbox, GameCube, or PlayStation 2 owners. The company simultaneously announced Sonic Riders, a new title that "integrates extreme sports, high-speed racing and head-to-head battles," will ship in winter 2006 for all three platforms.

 

What I've been playing:

Nothing, I was in Atlanta and St. Augustine for a week.

I didn't even have teh intarwebs.

Shocking.

Anime News:

Anime Explosion next week?

Me at Dragon*Con.  Choking them all out.

posted by: Gary1059 at 07:08 | link | comments |