http://www.ps3news.com PS3 NEWS - PlayStation 3 News - PS3News - PS3News.com - PS3 Games - PS3 Hacks - PS3 Homebrew - PS3 Linux Thu, 28 Aug 2008 03:12:21 CDT en http://www.ps3news.com/General_OffTopic/sony-unveils-240hz-lcd-tv/ http://www.ps3news.com/General_OffTopic/sony-unveils-240hz-lcd-tv/ Thu, 28 Aug 2008 03:12:21 CDT takavach General/Off Topic http://www.ps3news.com/General_OffTopic/sony-unveils-240hz-lcd-tv/
Hold your breath until December (in the US), because that’s when Sony’s 240Hz LCD TVs will be available to the public. Currently LCD TVs are topping out at 120Hz for consumers, and that’s already a significant improvement in speed over the standard 50-60Hz of normal (for want of a better term) LCD TVs.

The new 240Hz technology promises to provide the smoothest, most lifelike, movement ever from an LCD TV and will be great for gamers using next-gen consoles especially. We’re still a little concerned about 240Hz with movies though. As it is 120Hz makes TV and movies look a little fake.

The 240Hz technology will be available in the KDL-46W1 and KDL-40W1 that boasts full-HD, 3,000:1 contrast ratio, BRAVIA Engine 2 and 24p support.

This isn’t the only big step forward from Sony though, they have also shown off the KDL-40ZX1 LCD TV that is just 9.9mm thick. It’s not thin on features though. With BRAVIA Engine 2, 120Hz technology and 3,000:1 contrast ration, imagine having one of these bad boys in your room!]]> http://www.ps3news.com/General_OffTopic/max-payne-3-and-new-ps3-exclusive-coming-from-rockstar/ http://www.ps3news.com/General_OffTopic/max-payne-3-and-new-ps3-exclusive-coming-from-rockstar/ Tue, 26 Aug 2008 22:48:12 CDT hunter316 General/Off Topic http://www.ps3news.com/General_OffTopic/max-payne-3-and-new-ps3-exclusive-coming-from-rockstar/ October issue of EGM is on its way out the doors of 1UP Manor and into your homes, and perhaps that bit of knowledge has left you wondering what's waiting for you in everyone's favorite section of the magazine: Quartermann!

Well, since we know how much you love getting your monthly taste of gaming gossip, we're giving a sneak peek at some of the hottest rumors in this month's Qmann column.

We've been hearing for months that Max Payne 3 is in the works, but this month we got something a bit juicier to add to this rumor: Original Max Payne developers Remedy Entertainment are currently too busy working on Alan Wake to even consider developing the new Payne sequel. Instead, the next-gen noir shooter will be handled by the same internal Rockstar team that created The Warriors.

And perhaps even more exciting, we've got word that Rockstar is still hard at work on an unannounced PlayStation 3 exclusive. Who's making it? Why, just the guys behind a little-known Rockstar release from earlier in the year....

But that's not all, loose-lip addicts. Remember earlier this summer when LucasArts finally announced Star Wars: The Clone Wars -- Lightsaber Duels, the lightsaber-wielding Wii game that everyone had been waiting for? And then not a month later, when Nintendo announced WiiMotion Plus during E3?

Well, apparently LucasArts hadn't heard anything about this new technology, so Lightsaber Duels will not be implementing it. The understandably ticked-off publisher is already in talks about another Wii lightsaber game that will use MotionPlus for sometime next year, according to our sources.

Like what you're hearing? Then be sure to check out the full Quartermann Rumor Mill column in the October issue of EGM, arriving for subscribers this week. Sure, ocassionally Quartermann gets a miss, but he calls them correctly far more often!]]> http://www.ps3news.com/General_OffTopic/tgrs-rumor-killers-halo-4-home-and-gta4-dlc/ http://www.ps3news.com/General_OffTopic/tgrs-rumor-killers-halo-4-home-and-gta4-dlc/ Tue, 26 Aug 2008 20:50:36 CDT bulletproof General/Off Topic http://www.ps3news.com/General_OffTopic/tgrs-rumor-killers-halo-4-home-and-gta4-dlc/
Gearbox Software is no stranger to high profile games, particularly those of the shooter variety. The company behind the Brothers in Arms series has been hinting for a while now that they’re working on something big, something huge, something so mind-blowing if they dared speak its name we would all prostrate ourselves and weep uncontrollably for weeks. The only problem is that we had no idea what this project was, until now.

According to Joystiq, who is in turn relying on the spies at OXM, the new double-secret game coming from Gearbox is none other than Halo 4, the next true sequel in the franchise. Furthermore, this latest edition of Master Chief’s saga would be a launch title for the next Xbox, meaning that if the game faces a normal development schedule then we should be expecting Microsoft’s next console to drop sometime in 2012.

So how realistic is this one? Gearbox is one of the preeminent FPS developers in the industry, so the idea of them doing a Halo game is completely reasonable. Also, Randy Pitchford, the head of the studio, is directing this game personally, and he has gone on record saying that he "can’t oversell this one." With all that in mind, this seems like a nearly done deal; we’ll go ahead and wait for official confirmation, but in the meantime, you can go ahead and pencil Halo 4 into your calendars for the same time as Microsoft’s new console.

TGR Verdict: Very Likely


Home to finally make its debut this year?

PS3 owners have been looking at Home much the same way the rest of us look at Duke Nukem Forever: it’s the sort of thing that is constantly promised, but the lack of any substantial new info relegates it to the reality where unicorns exist and the awkward nerd actually gets the girl because of his "personality." It seems like Sony is ready to pull Home out of that Utopian fantasy and bring it into the cold, hard real world, as the company is promising that it’s going to be done and ready by the end of the year.

Sony’s Martijn Van der Meulen gave a 100% guarantee that Home will launch this year, no doubt about it. Therefore, a lot of people were surprised when Sony, the console manufacturer with the largest presence at the Leipzig Games Convention, didn’t seize on the opportunity to make any Home-related announcements. Some assumed this meant that things had gone awry and that Home wasn’t going to make its end-of-year launch after all, but Sony Europe president David Reeves quickly squashed those rumors, telling Videogaming247, "I can look you in the eyes and tell you everything is on track."

There is a pretty extensive preview of Home available over at IGN, detailing what users can expect both in the open beta and the eventual full launch of the service. Perhaps the most important revelation is that Home will remain a free service at the basic level, with the only costs being associated with premium content. So it looks like the long wait for Home is nearing its end, as Sony has given us every reason to believe it make its debut sometime in the next four months. However, we continue to wait for the existence of leprechauns, unicorns, and Duke Nukem Forever.

TGR Verdict: Rumor Confirmed


New Xbox Experience and Grand Theft Auto 4 DLC Coming in November?

We got to see a brief glimpse of the new Xbox 360 dashboard (dubbed the new Xbox Experience) at E3 and ever since, Microsoft has been kicking the PR machine into overdrive to convince users that this really is an improvement over the current Blades system. It looks like the company better hurry, because the latest reports have the release date for the new feature pegged for November.

The new dashboard is a radical departure from what gamers have grown familiar with over the past few years, introducing party groups and Avatars and completely reworking the whole feel and presentation of the Xbox 360’s menu screens. It remains to be seen if this will truly be an improvement over the current system, but at any rate, it seems to be proceeding full speed ahead, so be expecting your major Fall Update to land in November.

Accompanying this rumor is another from the same source that says the new Xbox Experience will be arriving alongside the first batch of the long-awaited Grand Theft Auto 4 Xbox 360 exclusive DLC. The story, originally posted and then quickly pulled from RPG-TV, states that the DLC will clock in at 15 hours, longer than some new-release retail titles. Unfortunately, this is all the info RPG-TV had, and they were unable to discuss any new characters, plot points, or areas. With that in mind, we can’t really confirm or deny a now-pulled story, but the leak does give us something to look forward to and a jumping off point for when we finally get actual confirmation or denial down the line.

TGR Verdict: New Xbox Dashboard Very Likely, GTA4 DLC Possible]]> http://www.ps3news.com/General_OffTopic/ryan-payton-has-left-kojima-productions-1/ http://www.ps3news.com/General_OffTopic/ryan-payton-has-left-kojima-productions-1/ Tue, 26 Aug 2008 20:15:54 CDT Starlight General/Off Topic http://www.ps3news.com/General_OffTopic/ryan-payton-has-left-kojima-productions-1/
Why did you leave Konami and Kojima Productions?

Back when I joined Kojima Productions in 2005, I hit the ground running and didn't stop until we shipped Metal Gear Solid 4. Then, for the first time in three years, I wasn't working on any games and I had a three month vacation ahead of me. I went back home to my family's place in Washington state and literally three weeks after MGS4 launched we were hit with some pretty heavy news concerning my mom.

I don't think I need to go into details, but all of this has reminded me about how important family is. So this past month I decided to leave Kojima Productions and look to continue my career working closer to my family in North America.

It's not easy leaving my other family (the MGS team), but with everybody taking time off and not having any other big projects to shift focus to, it feels like this is how it's supposed to be. It's fate.

What did you gain from the Kojima Productions experience? How did you change?

Working on MGS: Portable Ops and MGS4 has been a life changing experience. I feel so lucky to have worked with such a talented and passionate team.

As a person, I've developed a very critical eye when it comes to game development, which was no doubt inspired by my colleages. On the not-so-bright side, I've also developed that fabled Japanese work ethic. Now hearing about friends' twelve-hour work days sound like a piece of cake to me.

Any memories that standout?

Our midnight launch of MGS4 in Hollywood was something I'll never forget. There was more than 500 people lined up outside to buy the game and get our autographs. Talking to all of these passionate MGS fans really put it all into persepctive - something you can lose when you're stuck in a Tokyo office building working on the game for three years.

Is there something that you wish you could've done at Kojima Productions, but didn't?

I'm pretty satisifed with all I've accomplished at KP. I set my goals and hit almost every one. The dream has always been to get an original game concept green lit, but that'll have to wait until I find a new home. The good news is that I've got plenty of exciting ideas that I've been keeping close to my chest.

It'll be hard not being involved in MGS5, but I've got the utmost confidence that Hideo Kojima, Ken Imaizumi, and our amazing team will put together another blockbuster game. I'll be cheering from the sidelines.

What's next?

Word travels fast, so I've been getting a lot of great offers lately. But the plan is to take it easy, spend time with my family, and carefully decide where I land next.

This is a big loss for Kojima and his team. And a big gain for whomever hires him! Funny, that.]]> http://www.ps3news.com/General_OffTopic/gamepark-unveils-the-gp2x-successor-the-wiz/ http://www.ps3news.com/General_OffTopic/gamepark-unveils-the-gp2x-successor-the-wiz/ Tue, 26 Aug 2008 20:03:24 CDT PS3 News General/Off Topic http://www.ps3news.com/General_OffTopic/gamepark-unveils-the-gp2x-successor-the-wiz/
Features on the software end include support for Macromedia Flash 7, as well as a pre-loaded MP3 player, image viewer, and EBOOK reader.

All in all, GamePark is promising at least 5 hours of battery life on a 2000mAh lithium battery. The unit itself is fairly small, weighing in at 136g with the battery inserted.

Pricing details have yet to be announced. As with previous GP2X iterations, the hardware will ship alongside the release of a free open-source SDK, allowing homebrew developers to create their own applications and games.]]> http://www.ps3news.com/General_OffTopic/ea-and-take-two-negotiating-behind-closed-doors/ http://www.ps3news.com/General_OffTopic/ea-and-take-two-negotiating-behind-closed-doors/ Tue, 26 Aug 2008 18:29:31 CDT hunter316 General/Off Topic http://www.ps3news.com/General_OffTopic/ea-and-take-two-negotiating-behind-closed-doors/
As a result, no further details on the negotiations will be revealed publicly unless the two decide to either end their discussions or formalize a deal.

From the filing: "The terms of the confidentiality agreement prohibit each of EA and Take-Two from, among other things, publicly disclosing the status or terms of any discussions or negotiations between EA and Take-Two unless EA or Take-Two notifies the other that it is terminating discussions.

As a result, EA does not intend to make any further announcements regarding the status of any discussions or negotiations with Take-Two unless and until discussions between EA and Take-Two have been terminated or such parties have entered into a transaction.

As previously disclosed, EA now requires due diligence to support any proposal to acquire Take-Two and there can be no assurance that any proposal, negotiations or transaction will result."

Once again, this doesn't mean that an acquisition is imminent, but with EA having dropped its hostile takeover attempts and the two sides seemingly on the same page, the possibility of a buyout is as real as ever.]]> http://www.ps3news.com/General_OffTopic/full-details-on-patch-2-for-madden-09/ http://www.ps3news.com/General_OffTopic/full-details-on-patch-2-for-madden-09/ Tue, 26 Aug 2008 05:06:19 CDT Starlight General/Off Topic http://www.ps3news.com/General_OffTopic/full-details-on-patch-2-for-madden-09/
Included are the disconnects that have been plaguing online, franchise progression, fixed exploits including the WR Direct Snap and Deep Ball glitches, field degradation, and gameplay improvements. Most of the gripes consumers have had with the game look as though they’ll be addressed in the coming patch. Not sure there is much more you can ask for out of this.

The work on the patch has been completed and is being submitted to MS and Sony on Tuesday. This puts the time frame to expect it to arrive still at least a few weeks out. Continue on to read the full list of issues and workarounds.

1. Kicking play disconnect: If two opponents play a game with two different camera angles, in any situation where a game winning or tying kick was to be made, a disconnect could occur. "ActionCam" forces the game to go into slow-motion to add drama to these late kicks, but unfortunately the Classic camera does not, thus forcing the "disconnect". This has been fixed…all cameras can still be used as well.

Workaround until the patch: If possible, ensure that you and your opponent have the same camera type chosen before starting an online game.

2. Stability issues in the play call / halftime highlights / postgame highlights screens (especially in Franchise mode after training games): This was a hard one to track down as not everyone was seeing it , we did find the issue however with some Instant Replay / cache corruption, and have a fix ready for patch 2.

Workaround until the patch: Save and re-boot after any point where you have entered the game. We learned that the likelihood of this issue appearing is magnified after multiple loads into and out of the game engine. From what we’ve seen so far, people that have tried playing only one game at a time (or even one Franchise training session at a time), and saving/rebooting afterwards, have had zero crashes.

3. Stability issues with Madden IQ end of game popup: This has been fixed.

Workaround until the patch: Always choose "No" at the Madden IQ end of game popup.

4. "WR direct snap" exploit: Cheesers found an exploit to direct snap to a WR for easy short yardage gain. Not only are we fixing this play (i.e. we aren’t removing it), we are also going to be re-setting records for anyone with a winning record that has been found to be using this play.

5. Franchise Progression / Regression (or lack thereof): The lack of higher numbers was a tuning value that I think everyone agreed was just too low. This has been juiced up so you should see more realistic progression now.

6. Edited players don’t progress: Players were not progressing after their jersey number (or pretty much any other attribute). This has been fixed.

7. Stability issue when exiting Madden ‘93 in CE version: This has been fixed.

8. Deep ball glitch: Some enterprising gamers found a way to throw a deep ball while crossing the LOS and hit a receiver wide open at a decent rate. We addressed this by making sure the DB will no longer break on the ball when the QB crosses the line while throwing.

9. CPU running out of bounds: This bug appears when the CPU tries to switch hands while running to the sidelines. This is fixed for patch 2.

10. Penalty sliders ineffective: A common complaint from the hardcore community was the lack of effect from the penalty sliders. We increased these substantially for patch 2.

11. Field degradation: Another common complaint was the lack of field degradation. Our effect was very subtle, which was also getting overshadowed by our lighting and post effects, so we increased this effect for the patch.

12. Stability issue with the Eagles and a full ring meter: We found and fixed a rare issue where the gamer could run into stability issues while using the Eagles in mini-game with a ring meter that was completely full.

13. Play call screen hitch: We found and fixed a bug that was causing a noticeable hitch when exiting the play call screen

14. Prevent Defense issue: We found and fixed an issue where defenders sharing a deep zone/prevent assignment would loosen their coverage (because they thought the other guy was covering for them), which allowed the receiver to get behind them even though they were in Prevent.

15. Brett Favre stats: With the late addition of Brett Favre, we were not able to get his Career and Season statistics into the game for the roster update. This has now been added for patch 2.

16. Defensive Preplay Mis-cue: We found and fixed an issue where defenders would leave their man wide open in a Cover 3.

17. CPU quick-snap: A very common complaint on the forums was the speed at which the CPU snapped the ball. We added a random length of time (no less than 5 seconds) for the CPU to wait and even make pre-play adjustments.

18. Online playbook switch: We found and fixed an issue where playbooks were re-setting to the defaults after the playbook select popup was closed.

The patch is being tested as I write this and will be sent off for verification in the morning, so we are targeting less than a 3 week turnaround from today for this to hit the general public. (Woohoo!) We will also make sure to provide updates as the patch progresses through the 3rd party approval process. As a side note, as of this moment there have been no changes to database schema, so you won’t have to re-start your Franchise or delete any files.

It makes us very stoked to be able to make this many changes for a patch, and do them based directly on community feedback. There are always going to be folks that are upset if what they felt was a top issue wasn’t addressed, but I’ll state again (as I have before) that we have to keep balancing this work against Madden NFL 2010. The longer we keep going on patches, the less we can add to the following year’s product. On a side note, there is also a Franchise stability issue that we have been investigating, and we are working feverishly to get this figured out. We will update on that issue as soon as we can. As for the rest of the items, I personally feel that we have hit a very good balance of top items because many of these issues can actually detract from an enjoyable experience, which is obviously the last thing we want.

And now that this patch is nearly out the door, I figured I’d drop some more good news… We have officially started building the "Sim Madden Gamer" DLC pack, which includes Accelerated Clock, a "Classic" Controller Configuration, CPU Sliders, and Community Gamerpics for 360. I’ll state again that there’s no promise that this goes through, but we have nearly every one of these features actually done’ internally, so now we have to figure out how to get Microsoft and Sony to allow us to release them.]]> http://www.ps3news.com/General_OffTopic/sces-macdonald-video-game-courses-are-a-waste-of-time/ http://www.ps3news.com/General_OffTopic/sces-macdonald-video-game-courses-are-a-waste-of-time/ Mon, 25 Aug 2008 20:55:33 CDT PS3 News General/Off Topic http://www.ps3news.com/General_OffTopic/sces-macdonald-video-game-courses-are-a-waste-of-time/
Jamie MacDonald, the vice-president of Sony Computer Entertainment Worldwide Studios Europe, said: ‘I can’t remember the last time I employed someone from them.’

To quote: But Skillset, the body that represents the ‘creative media’ industry, has only approved four courses as fully meeting employers’ needs.

Jamie MacDonald, the vice-president of Sony Computer Entertainment Worldwide Studios Europe, said: ‘I can’t remember the last time I employed someone from them.’

Meanwhile Britain, which gave the world Lara Croft, the heroine of Tomb Raider, is losing its hold on the global games market, worth an estimated £18billion a year. More than 200 British firms

are backing ‘Games Up?’ - a campaign to highlight threats to the UK industry, such as a shortage of suitable graduates.

David Braben of the Frontier Developments studio said he was ‘shocked and surprised’ at how little some graduates knew.

The Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills said it was down to the individual institutions to decide course content.]]> http://www.ps3news.com/General_OffTopic/star-wars-the-force-unleashed-is-strong-demo-impressions/ http://www.ps3news.com/General_OffTopic/star-wars-the-force-unleashed-is-strong-demo-impressions/ Mon, 25 Aug 2008 20:27:46 CDT Starlight General/Off Topic http://www.ps3news.com/General_OffTopic/star-wars-the-force-unleashed-is-strong-demo-impressions/
Not having played many star wars games before, my immediate thought was to run up to enemy soldiers and stab them with my lightsaber, but there really is much more to do with the combat. The close quarters is indeed fun, especially with the new combos in which you can add in force lightning or a force push. You can even force choke hostiles, then throw your lightsaber at them. The lightsaber combat is amazing, and no doubt many people would buy this game just for that.

However, the aspect that captured my mind was the power of the force. By this I mean the ability to grab an object with the force, and sweep it across the enemies flank, throw it at nearby explosives, or just completely smash one unit again a wall. It’s not something you’ll be able to do well on your first try. It’ll need some practice before your a master of the force.

I’ve player through the demo four times at this point, and can control boxes to do whatever I desire. I’ve almost mastered using a box as cover lifting it up in-front of me as I run towards the enemies. Then once I’m close enough I throw it at them ending their virtual life.

The game is meant to make you feel powerful, which it does well. For example, even on the most difficult setting, it will take quite a few bullets to bring you down. Fortunately you shouldn’t find yourself dieing as frequent as the block button will reflect all shots being fired from hand held guns. The reflected shots will rarely hit enemy soldiers, however I’m assuming you’ll be able to level that skill in the full game.

The demo starts off with a quick cinematic introduction, with an audio flashback about a master dying. The apprentice is then asked to kill a jedi for the final steps in his training. He is asked to kill both the empire and rebel soldiers alike, nobody must know he was there, especially not the emperor. This leaves plenty of room for speculation.

The level is an imperial docking bay, so there are large quantities of big open space for you to test out your skills. You can even control a full size tie fighter with the force. Appearance wise, both the environment and the characters look great, but nothing amazing. However this leaves lots of unused disk space for large explosions and fast movements.

In the demo, you do get a chance to level up. This grants you access to the "Charged Force Push" ability, which means you can hold the force push button for a more devastating attack. This gives us a small view into the leveling system. As you level new skills will just come to you rather than choosing to upgrade attributes. This is a let down for many people, because in past Star Wars games you could choose what attributes you wanted to become stronger in, allowing you to become completely overpowered in a certain skill making the game almost too easy.

From the demo, we can tell this game is a new breed off the Star Wars series. I had tremendous amounts of fun playing the demo, and I will most likely purchase the game on release, which is the 16th of September. For now, I leave you with the six most sacred words in Star Wars.

May the Force be with you.]]> http://www.ps3news.com/General_OffTopic/u-s-npd-sales-watch-january-to-july-2008/ http://www.ps3news.com/General_OffTopic/u-s-npd-sales-watch-january-to-july-2008/ Mon, 25 Aug 2008 18:27:42 CDT takavach General/Off Topic http://www.ps3news.com/General_OffTopic/u-s-npd-sales-watch-january-to-july-2008/ NPD Group, this feature will provide a quick glance of the U.S. videogame hardware situation throughout the 2008 year

The NPD Group, Inc. (formerly National Purchase Diary) is a leading global market research company providing consumer and retail information to manufacturers and retailers. Using actual sales data from retailers and distributors as well as consumer-reported purchasing behavior, NPD offers consumer panel and retail sales tracking services, special reports, modeling and analytics, and custom research.

Which company moved the most hardware? Is the PS3 gaining ground in the U.S.? How many months did Nintendo top the charts?

These and many other simple questions regarding videogame hardware units sold in the U.S. will be answered via easy to read charts. No long winded writeups, just cut to the chase concise observations and charts for your viewing pleasure.

If you have questions or concerns, please check out the F.A.Q. for more info. View all the charts linked above!]]> http://www.ps3news.com/General_OffTopic/photos-dell-studio-hybrid-vs-xbox-360/ http://www.ps3news.com/General_OffTopic/photos-dell-studio-hybrid-vs-xbox-360/ Mon, 25 Aug 2008 01:00:15 CDT takavach General/Off Topic http://www.ps3news.com/General_OffTopic/photos-dell-studio-hybrid-vs-xbox-360/
It is small - just over half the height of the Xbox judging by the photos.

The Hybrid includes Intel Core 2 Duo, onboard DVD drive, and Windows Vista, while the ASUS Eee Box has Intel Atom and Windows XP.

More pics can be seen linked above!]]> http://www.ps3news.com/General_OffTopic/ea-mirrors-edge-will-not-be-a-timed-exclusive-for-ps3/ http://www.ps3news.com/General_OffTopic/ea-mirrors-edge-will-not-be-a-timed-exclusive-for-ps3/ Sun, 24 Aug 2008 19:16:16 CDT Starlight General/Off Topic http://www.ps3news.com/General_OffTopic/ea-mirrors-edge-will-not-be-a-timed-exclusive-for-ps3/
To quote: "The PS3 will be continuously supplied with exclusive games: We are continuously, month after month publish new titles that bring something unique and different target groups. In a month, it is Gran Turismo, in the next SingStar, as well as Third-Party Title as mirrors Edge by Electronic Arts are part of this strategy. According to Reeves, Mirrors Edge will initially exclusively for the PS3 this year. PC and Xbox 360 versions would follow much later."

EA however have declined this statement by the SCEE President with the following...

Mirror’s Edge will be shipping this winter on PS3, XBOX 360 and PC. Mirror’s Edge will not be a timed exclusive for PS3.

Pretty clear. Now back to waiting impatiently for it’s release! :)]]> http://www.ps3news.com/General_OffTopic/age-of-conan-expansion-coming-in-2009-1/ http://www.ps3news.com/General_OffTopic/age-of-conan-expansion-coming-in-2009-1/ Sun, 24 Aug 2008 19:02:45 CDT Starlight General/Off Topic http://www.ps3news.com/General_OffTopic/age-of-conan-expansion-coming-in-2009-1/
Details about the expansion are sparse, but a significant amount of new areas appear to be in development for that and a free upcoming content patch.

Massively points out a video which showcases some of the new content.

Below is a piece of concept art for the expansion. Enjoy!]]> http://www.ps3news.com/General_OffTopic/rumor-mirrors-edge-ps3-will-be-a-timed-exclusive/ http://www.ps3news.com/General_OffTopic/rumor-mirrors-edge-ps3-will-be-a-timed-exclusive/ Sun, 24 Aug 2008 02:26:56 CDT Starlight General/Off Topic http://www.ps3news.com/General_OffTopic/rumor-mirrors-edge-ps3-will-be-a-timed-exclusive/
A Turn Up for the Sony?

That would certainly be good news for Sony, especially considering our impressions of the game at E3 and the seductive footage revealed at Leipzig GC 08. Moreover, it’d be better move than Sony’s Hazey chapter with Ubisoft. According to Heise.de, David Reeves has informed them that Mirror’s Edge will "initially be PS3 exclusive this year", with the "PC and Xbox 360 versions to follow much later", further stating:

We are continuously, month after month publishing new titles that bring something unique and target different groups. In a month it’s Gran Turismo, in the next SingStar, and Third-Party Title’s such as EA’s Mirror’s Edge are all part of the strategy.

Developer Confusion

DICE were bemused when asked, either by David Reeve’s incompetence, or by EA’s reluctance to inform them of the exclusivity deal; "We know nothing of that so far. But it is possible that there is collusion at the highest level, of which we are still uninformed."

So DICE certainly don’t rule out the possibility and it’s not uncommon for a publisher to collude with console giants without developer input, as was the case with Ubisoft choosing the PS3 for Free Radical’s Haze. Remember, money rules the roost in software development.

PlayStation 3 Lead Platform

We can stir the rumor a tad more by remembering that DICE’s lead platform is the PS3 and any public showing of Mirror’s Edge has been on Sony’s platform.

If the rumor is false, David Reeve’s has further diminished our view of him. If the rumor is true, David Reeve’s can’t keep a secret, has a bigger mouth than Denis Dyack, and risks Microsoft cottening on.]]> http://www.ps3news.com/General_OffTopic/sony-and-microsoft-switch-fpsrpg-roles-2/ http://www.ps3news.com/General_OffTopic/sony-and-microsoft-switch-fpsrpg-roles-2/ Sun, 24 Aug 2008 02:19:46 CDT takavach General/Off Topic http://www.ps3news.com/General_OffTopic/sony-and-microsoft-switch-fpsrpg-roles-2/
The comparison between the two generations begins with the PS2/Xbox generation. During that time, there were a variety of reasons to own both systems - there are always reasons to own a successful video game platform - and for most avid gamers, those reasons were obvious.

The Xbox was the more powerful console and its relatively familiar hardware was similar to PC, which paved the way for many great FPSs. And we're not only talking about exclusives like Halo; we're also talking about most all multiplatform FPSs, which were typically best played on the Xbox.

In general, multiplatform games really were slightly better on Microsoft's machine, simply due to the ease of development and the added power the PS2 didn't offer.

At the same time, the PS2 was following closely in the footsteps of the original PlayStation and attempting to steal the original console's crown of "King of the RPGs." If you were an RPG fan, there's no way on earth you could only own a Xbox; the PS2 was an essential piece of equipment. And because the vast majority were exclusive to that system, role-playing fans simply didn't have any other alternative.

It went far beyond the Final Fantasy franchise - as any avid RPG follower knows - and despite Square-Enix and other developers tossing the occasional bone to Microsoft and Nintendo, we RPG fanatics knew the truth of things. If you didn't have a PS2, you simply weren't a fan of the RPG. We could factor in other genres at this point, but let's just say the PS2 had a far bigger and more diverse library.

Now, fast forward to the new generation. This time, Sony has the most powerful machine, and despite the massive installed user base of its predecessor, the PS3 has to start from behind. This reversed role shouldn't really have any effect on the software, but the power reversal may have had some impact. Look at the situation now: we have no idea if Bungie will do a Halo 4 (doesn't appear to be the case), and the two biggest FPSs on the horizon are PS3 exclusive: Resistance 2 and Killzone 2.

They're also franchises, which means sequels are almost inevitable. On the flip side, RPG fans are looking around going, "hey...where are the RPGs?" Yeah, they're not here, but check out the Xbox 360. Lost Odyssey, Blue Dragon, and the upcoming Infinite Undiscovery and Star Ocean 4.

...what the heck happened? Suddenly, two genres that are almost polar opposites of each other (just don't tell that to Deus Ex) are suddenly represented very differently on this generation's consoles from Sony and Microsoft. Everything is all switched about! Many will argue they'd still rather play FPSs on the 360 due to the "better controller," but that's becoming more and more of an opinion rather than fact, and let's not talk about The Orange Box.

That's just Valve and EA being lazy in regards to the PS3. Furthermore, in regards to multiplatform games, it's becoming inevitable that PS3 versions of games will be better than their 360 counterparts before long. The PS3 is simply the more powerful machine and now that designers are beginning to use the system as their debut development console, the day of the crappy 360-to-PS3 port is just about gone.

So, as far as I can see, the software roles for the PS3 and 360 have switched, at least so far as the FPS/RPG comparison. It's kind of bizarre, actually. I'm sitting here with both systems, and I'm anxiously looking forward to several potentially awesome FPSs for the PS3 and several potentially awesome RPGs for the 360... and the whole thing is just weird. Who'd a thunk it?]]> http://www.ps3news.com/General_OffTopic/video-far-cry-2-console-gameplay-footage/ http://www.ps3news.com/General_OffTopic/video-far-cry-2-console-gameplay-footage/ Sat, 23 Aug 2008 00:50:31 CDT Starlight General/Off Topic http://www.ps3news.com/General_OffTopic/video-far-cry-2-console-gameplay-footage/
"Gameplay video from Far Cry 2 showcasing the console version of the game."

The video can be seen below from GameTrailers..

Enjoy!!

256800]]> http://www.ps3news.com/General_OffTopic/fifa-09-demo-details-ps3-xbox-360-release-september-11-2008/ http://www.ps3news.com/General_OffTopic/fifa-09-demo-details-ps3-xbox-360-release-september-11-2008/ Fri, 22 Aug 2008 22:01:39 CDT PS3 News General/Off Topic http://www.ps3news.com/General_OffTopic/fifa-09-demo-details-ps3-xbox-360-release-september-11-2008/
To quote: Hi all, just to keep the excitment flowing; FSB can now bring you details of the upcoming FIFA 09 demo due for release on Spetember 11th.

PS3 & X360 Demo
The online availability will be Sept 11.

For PS3 and 360 we’ll have a full exhibition match with the following 6 teams available. If the match ends in a draw, it will go directly to penalties.

1. Marseille
2. Schalke
3. Real Madrid
4. Chelsea
5. AC Milan
6. Toronto FC

The demo features ‘increased accessibility’ (i.e. better flow for setting up matches) as part of the EA Sports focus on letting new players into our games. The player can also practice in the Arena and view tips on basic or advanced gameplay techniques.

Both versions unveil the new Team Management feature: Custom Tactics, giving the player a chance to sample tactical options in each of the key categories (Build Up, Chance Creation, and Defence).

The PlayStation 3 demo features the FIWC Stadium, while 360 features New Wembley.]]> http://www.ps3news.com/General_OffTopic/taito-considers-suing-over-911-space-invaders-game/ http://www.ps3news.com/General_OffTopic/taito-considers-suing-over-911-space-invaders-game/ Fri, 22 Aug 2008 21:08:57 CDT PS3 News General/Off Topic http://www.ps3news.com/General_OffTopic/taito-considers-suing-over-911-space-invaders-game/
Without Taito’s consent, the game was shown off as part of the exhibit "30 Years of Space Invaders" at this year’s Leipzig Games Convention.

Demoed at GC earlier today, the game ignited controversy with alien-like creatures from the Space Invaders franchise blasting holes in a digital mock-up of the World Trade Center.

Press Release: TAITO COMMENT REGARDING THE UNAUTHORIZED USE OF SPACE INVADERS AT THE GAMES CONVENTION IN LEIPZIG

Los Angeles (August 22, 2008) - TAITO Corporation (TAITO), a wholly-owned subsidiary of Square Enix Co., Ltd., today stated unequivocally that the "Invaders!" installation by Douglas Edric Stanley and displayed at the Games Convention held in Leipzig, Germany was produced entirely without TAITO’s knowledge and that the use of the world-famous Space Invaders® content was wholly unauthorized.

The "Space Invaders: Die Jubiläumsshow!" ("Space Invaders: the Anniversary Show") exhibition of the Computer Game Museum Berlin hosting the installation was likewise planned and presented without TAITO’s knowledge and authorization.

TAITO is seriously considering all available options-including legal actions against the infringer and, if necessary, the Games Convention exhibitor involved-in order to end this unauthorized and impermissible misuse of the Space Invaders content and to protect TAITO’s intellectual properties.]]> http://www.ps3news.com/General_OffTopic/poor-earning-in-virtual-world-1/ http://www.ps3news.com/General_OffTopic/poor-earning-in-virtual-world-1/ Fri, 22 Aug 2008 06:24:03 CDT mrmiller24 General/Off Topic http://www.ps3news.com/General_OffTopic/poor-earning-in-virtual-world-1/
Research by Manchester University shows that the practice, known as gold-farming, is growing rapidly.

Researchers say the industry, which is largely based in China, currently employs about 400,000 young people who earn £80 per month on average.

Games companies have attempted to crack down on the practice. Players in the popular online game World of Warcraft acquire virtual gold by fighting monsters and completing quests.

Alternatively, some simply buy it from a fast-growing workforce employed to play this and other games.

Manchester University says the young people, described in the study as "playbourers", sell gold or other virtual goods, despite the practice being against the rules of many online games.

However, the report's authors say an industry which connects cash-rich time-poor players with those willing to work long hours for little reward is likely to go on growing.]]> http://www.ps3news.com/General_OffTopic/microsoft-hire-comedian-seinfeld-to-take-a-bit-out-of-apple/ http://www.ps3news.com/General_OffTopic/microsoft-hire-comedian-seinfeld-to-take-a-bit-out-of-apple/ Fri, 22 Aug 2008 01:51:00 CDT PS3 News General/Off Topic http://www.ps3news.com/General_OffTopic/microsoft-hire-comedian-seinfeld-to-take-a-bit-out-of-apple/
To quote: The Seinfeld ads, part of the software company’s new reported $300 million advertising campaign, are slated to begin running on September 4, and will feature the funnyman along with Microsoft founder Bill Gates.

Although his eponymous show has been off the air for a decade, Seinfeld, thanks to re-runs, is still a very bankable pitchman who starred in a series of successful American Express ads.

The Wall Street Journal also reports that Chris Rock and Will Farrell are similarly being considered as pitchmen for Microsoft.]]> http://www.ps3news.com/General_OffTopic/video-first-ever-pes-2009-gameplay-from-game-convention-2008/ http://www.ps3news.com/General_OffTopic/video-first-ever-pes-2009-gameplay-from-game-convention-2008/ Wed, 20 Aug 2008 17:44:48 CDT PS3 News General/Off Topic http://www.ps3news.com/General_OffTopic/video-first-ever-pes-2009-gameplay-from-game-convention-2008/
Video is available below, courtesy of vals38 via YouTube.

The caption simply reads: "First gameplay's video of PES 2009."

Enjoy!

ZwROVMZ7Sts]]> http://www.ps3news.com/General_OffTopic/ps3-downloading-speed-much-faster-than-360/ http://www.ps3news.com/General_OffTopic/ps3-downloading-speed-much-faster-than-360/ Wed, 20 Aug 2008 03:58:11 CDT takavach General/Off Topic http://www.ps3news.com/General_OffTopic/ps3-downloading-speed-much-faster-than-360/
So as I was downloading Wall-E on the 360, it took me 1 hour and a half, and when I tried to download it on the PS3 it took no less then 45 minutes.

So we all know now that downloading games on the PS3 is faster than downloading them on the 360. So now is the time for Microsoft to concentrate on the download speed for their next dashboard update!

The reason I did this comparison was because I just wanted to know if it was only just for me, or the rest of the 360 and PS3 customers.

Stay tuned for more comparisons between the PS3 and 360.]]> http://www.ps3news.com/General_OffTopic/codemasters-announce-fuel-largest-environment-in-race-gaming/ http://www.ps3news.com/General_OffTopic/codemasters-announce-fuel-largest-environment-in-race-gaming/ Tue, 19 Aug 2008 17:43:15 CDT PS3 News General/Off Topic http://www.ps3news.com/General_OffTopic/codemasters-announce-fuel-largest-environment-in-race-gaming/
Creating the ultimate competitive go-anywhere racing experience, FUEL will have players competing across wildly different terrain and executing spectacular death-defying stunts as they race dozens of varied two and four-wheeled rides and explore this epic world on an unprecedented scale.

1t06z0SCPzo

FUEL is set in an alternate present in which whole swathes of the globe have been ravaged by the effects of climate change brought on by decades of environmental abuse. Here oil prices have rocketed and yet a new breed of racing junkie takes to the wastelands, pitting their grungy home-tuned vehicles against each other in an all-new extreme sport as they compete to win fuel supplies.

To triumph means travelling the wastelands to challenge the best; from the tsunami-wrecked pacific coast through the Nevada wastelands, including the Grand Canyon, up treacherous snow-capped mountains, thick forests, arid deserts, abandoned lakeside resorts and much more.

Bringing this vast, open ended landscape to life is a dynamic weather system with full day and night transitions, brilliant sunshine, torrential rain and everything in between, plus destructive tornados, sandstorms, thunderstorms, lightning strikes, and blizzards requiring mid-race strategy changes. Complete with the ability to go online to explore this massive world and compete in hundreds of multiplayer challenges, FUEL is coming in 2009 for the PLAYSTATION®3 system, Xbox 360 and Games For Windows.]]> http://www.ps3news.com/General_OffTopic/street-fighter-to-debut-on-consoles-alongside-film-release/ http://www.ps3news.com/General_OffTopic/street-fighter-to-debut-on-consoles-alongside-film-release/ Tue, 19 Aug 2008 17:23:34 CDT PS3 News General/Off Topic http://www.ps3news.com/General_OffTopic/street-fighter-to-debut-on-consoles-alongside-film-release/
We do have an idea of when it’ll launch though, as Street Fighter movie producer Patrick Aiello has confirmed in a recent interview that IV will release day and date with the film Street Fighter: The Legend of Chun-Li.

To quote: Capcom is releasing Street Fighter IV in 2009, which is the 20th anniversary of the game. The film and game release dates will coincide, but I’m not certain how much of the game will coincide with the story because ours is a very partitioned off origin story of the Street Fighter universe. So the release dates will coincide, elements between the two will coincide, but in terms of them relating to each other perfectly, I don’t believe that’s the case.

Fairly sure that the only relation is the characters. Aside from that, totally separate initiatives. At any rate, releasing the game on the day of the film’s debut makes sense. Just a little surprised though, considering Resident Evil 5 is also due out in March.]]> http://www.ps3news.com/General_OffTopic/a-crumbling-tower-sony-lays-siege-to-the-360s-weak-spots/ http://www.ps3news.com/General_OffTopic/a-crumbling-tower-sony-lays-siege-to-the-360s-weak-spots/ Mon, 18 Aug 2008 18:59:42 CDT Starlight General/Off Topic http://www.ps3news.com/General_OffTopic/a-crumbling-tower-sony-lays-siege-to-the-360s-weak-spots/
The Sony PlayStation 3 is beginning to chip away at the 360's lead in both software and hardware sales in the US, and that system only seems to be picking up steam. In contrast, the 360 doesn't seem to have much real momentum these days.

While it's hard to find ways for Microsoft to get its mojo back, we can easily identify a few problem areas that are becoming clear as the 360 ages. These are the weaknesses in Microsoft's strategy that have to be addressed before the system can hope to get its groove back. Let's take a look.

You have to find your voice
When the PS3 launched, the 360 was the system with more, better games, and the better online strategy. Microsoft also did a wonderful job in poaching some of gaming's largest franchises. Microsoft even brought this up at its press conference at E3: We have Grand Theft Auto, Devil May Cry, and now Final Fantasy! Look at how we've caught up to Sony!

The problem is, these games are still on the PlayStation 3, and Microsoft isn't offering much in the way of improvements to these titles. In fact, given that Microsoft bet on the wrong optical format, we don't know how many discs Final Fantasy XIII will take up when the title arrives on the 360. What else does Microsoft have in the way of exclusives? Halo is a system-seller, sure, but Metal Gear Solid IV is still a PS3 exclusive. Microsoft has many solid racing franchises, but nothing like the power that Gran Turismo brings to the system.

Xbox Live is a great service, but it's not clear that all of its features are needed. While the hardcore complain about Nintendo's friend codes, most mainstream gamers are more than willing to put up with them. And Microsoft's competitors aren't standing still; Home could be the silver bullet that finally gives Sony the edge in online play. The PS3 has one of the most anticipated casual games ever with LittleBigPlanet, and the branding of Sackboy is already amazingly strong.

Add idiosyncratic games, such as Flower, that are coming to the PS3 and Nintendo's absolute dominance of the casual market, and you have a gaming world where cherry-picking old franchises is no longer enough. Gears of War 2 looks great, but Resistance 2 and Killzone 2 look just as good in terms of scale, graphics, and online play.

Microsoft needs to step up efforts to keep its brand strong. The new Viva Pinata game looks good, but that was a game that didn't set the world on fire with its first iteration. Lips looks okay, but with Rock Band 2 and Guitar Hero: World Tour coming up, a voice-only game might not find a home in the collection of most gamers.

Microsoft has spent so much time trying to match Sony's past glory in terms of game selection that it finds itself somewhat at a loss now that Sony has managed to keep some games as exclusives, at the same time it's developing all news ones. The new firmware update that will refresh the UI of the 360 looks strong, but the press gave it a scarily icy reception at E3; the full-scale plagiarism of the concept and design of the Nintendo Mii had many onlookers audibly laughing. It was not a comfortable moment.

Will Halo be enough in the future? With Bungie now independent, that's a very large, very open question. It's time for Microsoft to find its own voice and give itself a unique feel in the market. Its old tricks and the "first to launch" advantage isn't enough anymore.

Find a home in the world
We tend to focus on US sales, because we live in the US. But gaming is an international business, and Microsoft has seen almost all of its success in the US. Both Nintendo and Sony do very good business in Japan and Europe, while Microsoft has always struggled in those markets. Heck, in Japan, the big story is the sales of Sony's PSP.

Microsoft depends on US sales, and while the system sees spikes in other territories when there is a launch of specific, big-name titles, it tends to flounder otherwise. It's hard to think of a way for Microsoft to make in-roads in Japan, but Europe has to be seen as a major battleground. Both Nintendo and Sony have multiple systems that are doing bang-up business across the globe. Microsoft has one system that does well in one market. It might be too late for Microsoft to grab a piece of the portable business, and the Zune is hardly an opportunity in that area, so Redmond is left with one option: the 360 simply has to step it up outside of the US.

Take the PS3's advantages seriously
Whether or not Microsoft has fixed its Red Ring of Death problem, the fact remains that most gamers think the hardware is untrustworthy. You hear about it in the forums, in the game stores, from even casual gamers... everyone either has had systems go bad or they know someone who has. The PlayStation, on the other hand, is damn near rock-solid. Microsoft has to start getting the word out that it has fixed the reliability problems; pretending like this issue never happened is not the solution.

Microsoft also has to pay attention to the hard drive of the PS3. The drives are large, getting larger with the standard systems, and anyone can swap out their drive for a roomier one. Heck, Sony suggests it and gets the word out about DIY tutorials on the upgrade. Microsoft, on the other hand, is sticking with expensive, proprietary drives. It's a situation made more frustrating by the fact that, without large, standard drives, Microsoft can't begin to match Sony's efforts at releasing full games through its online portal.

There is also the fact that Sony's online offerings are free. Yes, Xbox Live is better. But how much better? There are large numbers of gamers out there who simply will not pay money for online play and are more than happy with Sony's offerings. So what if you can't send a voice message across games? Sony's newly-launched in-game XMB adds a ton of functionality, and the Trophies it brings seem to be gaining popularity; I know many people personally who are revisiting old games to tackle the new challenges. Frank and I argued about making Xbox Live free, but it may not matter; the more powerful Sony gets with the PS3, the less Microsoft can count on Live as a profit base.

There is also the fact that Sony has the Blu-ray drive, provides strong multimedia functions on its system in general, and its video rentals and sales work seamlessly with your PSP if you want to take your content on the road. The PSP-PS3 connection gives you so much cool functionality that it makes consumers want to own both for a great media experience. Microsoft has no competition for that at the moment.

We're not offering solutions, just problems
How should Microsoft fix these issues? That's a huge question, and it can be argued for days. Whatever your preferred answer, these problems are real, getting worse, and starting to show up in the sales numbers. Microsoft doesn't have the wiggle-room it did in the market even a year ago, and it's past time to step up to the competition.

Does the company have a viable plan to do that? We'll see as we move into the holiday season. What's clear is that the competition is now much stronger across the board, and that's a good thing for gamers.]]> http://www.ps3news.com/General_OffTopic/surprise-surprise-u-s-broadband-is-slow-really-slow--1/ http://www.ps3news.com/General_OffTopic/surprise-surprise-u-s-broadband-is-slow-really-slow--1/ Sun, 17 Aug 2008 23:35:22 CDT takavach General/Off Topic http://www.ps3news.com/General_OffTopic/surprise-surprise-u-s-broadband-is-slow-really-slow--1/
This means that Japanese can download an entire movie in just two minutes, as opposed to two hours or more here in the U.S. Just in case you are wondering: No, Japanese users do not pay more for their broadband connections. In fact, U.S. broadband cost is among the highest in the world.

Japan dominates international broadband speed with a median download speed of approximately 63 Mb/s, more than enough to stream DVD-quality video with surround audio in real time. Next on the list is South Korea where download speeds achieve an average of 49.50 Mb/s.

Finland and France follow with 21.70 Mb/s and 17.60 Mb/s, respectively. Canada ranked eighth with an average download speed of 7.60 Mb/s. The U.S. came in 15th with 2.35 Mb/s.]]> http://www.ps3news.com/General_OffTopic/the-top-10-artistically-pleasing-games-1/ http://www.ps3news.com/General_OffTopic/the-top-10-artistically-pleasing-games-1/ Sun, 17 Aug 2008 19:45:41 CDT Starlight General/Off Topic http://www.ps3news.com/General_OffTopic/the-top-10-artistically-pleasing-games-1/
The release of Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots took console gaming to an entirely new level as the first truly interactive cinematic experience graced millions of homes worldwide.

But games are not just about their realism. There is a determined crowd among us who wish to tarnish the good name of video games; those that deny games as being works of art or a means of storytelling, rivaling that of books and movies. To prove them wrong, I will count down my top 10 games which I believe to be the most artistic entries into our beloved medium.

10. American McGee’s Grimm

A relatively new game, American McGee’s Grimm is a three-part series (with only the first being released thus far) featuring the infamously surreal touches of the man who brought us the even more twisted version of Alice in Wonderland, combined with the familiar tales we all know and love, those of the Brothers Grimm. American’s unusual visual design for Grimm makes it seem more like an interactive comic book than a video game. Granted, the game itself is no major feat (and is by far no comparison to his earlier "Alice"), but nonetheless it is a treat to look at.

9. Grim Fandango

Every day is "Dia de los Muertos" in Grim Fandango, and every minute of playtime in this adventure game is filled with pure enjoyment and an endless amount of hysteria. The unusual and immediately-attractive visuals of Grim Fandango makes it standout above the rest in this populated genre, and there has never been another game to feature as unique a character design since its release nine years ago.

8. Rez HD

A simple rail shooter released for the Xbox Live Arcade has become a hugely successful download and likewise an incredibly appealing game in its own right. The addictive gameplay coupled with the recently-released high definition version of Rez make this a true wonder to behold. Originally developed for the Dreamcast and Playstation 2, the release on XBLA has garnered tremendous recognition for the game and almost unanimous critical acclaim.

7. XIII

The deliberately comic-book game XIII was a mild success, featuring some uneven gameplay and awkward shooting mechanics. What made it truly stand out, however, was its attention to the finite details of comic books which put this game in a league of its own. One of the most appealing features of the design was the use of onomatopoeic words contained in bubbles for sound effects similar to those found in comic books.

6. Team Fortress 2

Beautiful cell-shaded visuals combined with extremely addictive online first-person shooter gameplay makes Team Fortress 2 one of the most entertaining games of its genre. The brains up at Valve studio, the men behind Half-Life and Portal, have also been known to be top contenders in the online FPS market. Their earlier milestone, Counter Strike, has gone on to become one of the most critically acclaimed and continuously played FPS games ever.

Their first foray into a different league of online FPS games came with Team Fortress, a squad-based shooter where one picked a pre-created class. The successor to that game returns in similar fashion with 9 playable classes and a unique visual style that no other first-person shooter can compare to.

5. The Legend of Zelda: Wind Waker

Another game using the unique style of cell-shading, the Wind Waker has often been regarded as the most "kid friendly" Zelda game. The game managed to score relatively high among many reviewers, and is the fourth of only eight games to ever receive a perfect score from Famitsu. The unique visuals only aided to the success of this title, which has went on to become one of the (very few) best games for the Gamecube.

4. Eternal Sonata

Another light-hearted game and one met with mixed reviews, Eternal Sonata was, without question, a beautifully designed game. Combining two distinct styles, anime and cell-shading, Eternal Sonata manages to blend them together into a seamless world full of vibrant colors, textures, and life. The world is a reflection of the story, light-hearted and full of emotion. While the game itself was relatively linear and short, the design is nearly unmatched and is reason enough to want to experience Eternal Sonata.

3. Shadow of the Colossus

Featuring some of the best animal aesthetics in any game to date, Shadow of the Colossus was a triumph on multiple levels. It was a game full of depth and emotion, it was a thrilling platformer, it was a challenging adventure game - but most of all, it did everything in a beautifully designed word unique unto itself.

The Forbidden Land, as so named by the game’s "narrator," is the player’s world to explore, full of the dormant Colossi - until their rest is disturbed by the hero. Every square inch of this land is explorable, and is a pleasure to do so. With your trusty steed, Agro, one of the best designed animals ever, Shadow of the Colossus is a near-flawless game on all aspects.

2. Prince of Persia

I know it’s probably not fair to include this game, because it’s not out yet, but this is a list based on a game’s visual design - and looking at gameplay videos and in-game screenshots of the new Prince of Persia, it’s easy to tell why I had to put it up. The most daring and unique change to the franchise since the Sands of Time trilogy took the prince from 2D to 3D, this will take him from badass to awesome-looking badass. The Prince’s world has never looked more artistic and at the same time foreboding. His journey is sure to be a difficult but memorable one.

1. Okami

If there were ever one game that I could simply describe as "art in motion," it would be Okami. Using the sumi-e inspired cell-shading (a unique style of ink and wash painting), Okami is unquestionably the most beautiful game ever made. The celestial brush mechanic adds to that level of ingenuity and design by allowing you to be a creator yourself, adding more to the world you inhabit.

The character design itself is vibrant and awe-inspiring, but it is the world, the trees, the land, the structures, the sky - it is everything else that stands out among Okami’s endlessly beautiful features. There has never been a game as intricately designed as Okami, and I doubt there ever will be again.

Screensot below is of Shadow of the Colossus and screenshots for each game can be seen at the link up top of this news article!]]> http://www.ps3news.com/General_OffTopic/video-fallout-3-new-gameplay-from-bravo/ http://www.ps3news.com/General_OffTopic/video-fallout-3-new-gameplay-from-bravo/ Sun, 17 Aug 2008 19:39:35 CDT Starlight General/Off Topic http://www.ps3news.com/General_OffTopic/video-fallout-3-new-gameplay-from-bravo/
Video can be seen below, courtesy of ChiddaPotta at GameTrailers.

Enjoy all.

254354]]> http://www.ps3news.com/General_OffTopic/indie-dev-asks-why-and-pirates-reply/ http://www.ps3news.com/General_OffTopic/indie-dev-asks-why-and-pirates-reply/ Sun, 17 Aug 2008 19:36:19 CDT Starlight General/Off Topic http://www.ps3news.com/General_OffTopic/indie-dev-asks-why-and-pirates-reply/
They reciprocated, and of about six reasons, a righteous indignation at DRM seemed to lead the list. Harris is actually responding to the gripes in both the pricing and de-DRMing of titles in the future, with his own reasoning why it's a good idea.

The reasons pirates traffic his games, Harris found, were roughly (list quoted from Ars Technica):

• The information wants to/free anarchists think copyright shouldn't exist.
• Games are too expensive.
• The quality of gaming is too uneven.
• DRM is hurting the legitimate customers.
• Going to the shops is annoying.
• Because piracy is easy to do with low risk for getting caught.

Harris' response:

• Zero DRM. He said he only used it in one game before. He sees it as counterproductive, giving honest gamers an experience that treats them like criminals while the pirates have a cleaner, superior version.
• Longer demo game experiences.
• Reduced pricing: He dropped the cost of Kudos to $9.95 and will consider selling its sequel for far less than he'd planned.
• Regarding quality: I get the impression that if I make Kudos 2 not just lots better than the original, but hugely, overwhelmingly, massively better, well polished, designed and balanced, that a lot of would-be pirates will actually buy it. I've gone from being demoralized by pirates to actually inspired by them, and I'm working harder than ever before on making my games fun and polished.

It's an intriguing back-and-forth involving pirates who aren't treated like thieves, and a victim who won't portray himself as such.]]> http://www.ps3news.com/General_OffTopic/sony-and-best-buy-kiosks-in-the-wild-1/ http://www.ps3news.com/General_OffTopic/sony-and-best-buy-kiosks-in-the-wild-1/ Sat, 16 Aug 2008 16:39:23 CDT PS3 News General/Off Topic http://www.ps3news.com/General_OffTopic/sony-and-best-buy-kiosks-in-the-wild-1/
The Best Buy vending machine had an assortment of products that any frequent flyer may find a need for like headphones, chargers and video games. Inside there was a few Nintendo DS handhelds as well as Mario Kart and Mario Party for the DS at normal retail prices which was the real shocker, I was certain you would be charged a joy of buying in the airport fee but it was normal MSRP.

In the Sony vending machine there was also an assortment of headphones and accessories but of most important note were the Black PSP Slims, God of War, Crisis Core (which was sold out) and Patapon. Not a bad score if you are in an airport and get delayed. Had you guys seen these before?]]> http://www.ps3news.com/General_OffTopic/no-cross-platform-play-for-the-agency/ http://www.ps3news.com/General_OffTopic/no-cross-platform-play-for-the-agency/ Sat, 16 Aug 2008 16:16:44 CDT Starlight General/Off Topic http://www.ps3news.com/General_OffTopic/no-cross-platform-play-for-the-agency/
Speaking at SOE's annual Fan Faire in Las Vegas, Milton said, "There's no technological reason why you can't play cross-platform, but there’s a philosophical reason why design doesn’t want to do it. If we have to compromise one platform to support both, then we won't.

"A couple of members of our team gained a lot of experience working on Shadowrun, and no matter how well you fine-tune it, you end up with a player-base that's polarised," Milton said, referring to Microsoft's ill-fated cross-platform shooter for PC and Xbox 360.

"PC guys say, 'PS3 guys have aim assist and the controls nerfed for them'. And PS3 guys say, 'PC guys have a mouse and keyboard - it's all easier for them'. Even if it's not true.

"So what I would rather concentrate on is taking all that delicious persistent data and the community capabilities and try to find more interesting ways of putting that together," Milton added, and yes, he did describe persistent data as being "delicious".

When we quizzed him further on what kind of "interesting ways" he had in mind for combining the PC and PS3 player-bases, Milton said, "The community stuff's pretty easy - there's an economy, and there's chat. On the gameplay side, I can't talk about what we're planning. But there are metagame elements that allow us to say, 'Hey PS3 guys, the PC guys care more than you!' And they’ll be, 'No they don't! I'll show you!'"

During a Q&A session on The Agency, design director Matt Wilson also suggested that with a single account, you should be able to create characters on both PS3 and PC versions of the game. But as Milton confirmed, you will not be able to pick up on PS3 where you left off on the PC version or vice versa, and two different copies of the game will be required.]]> http://www.ps3news.com/General_OffTopic/sony-rising-ps3-opens-up-lead-on-xbox-360-in-july/ http://www.ps3news.com/General_OffTopic/sony-rising-ps3-opens-up-lead-on-xbox-360-in-july/ Sat, 16 Aug 2008 16:15:09 CDT Starlight General/Off Topic http://www.ps3news.com/General_OffTopic/sony-rising-ps3-opens-up-lead-on-xbox-360-in-july/
Nintendo
The Nintendo Wii sold 555,000 units in July, while the Nintendo DS sold 608,400 units. While this may look like a dip from last month due to the number of weeks in July, it's still much higher than anyone else on the charts. Games for Nintendo's platforms also make up five of the top ten slots in the software sales, with Wii Fit taking the number two slot with 369,600 units sold, Guitar Hero: On Tour taking the number three slot with 309,700 units sold, Wii Play coming in at number four with the 284,000 units sold, Mario Kart Wii taking the seventh place with 174,500 units sold, and Rock Band for the Wii coming in at number eight with 165,800.

Nintendo properties continue to sell amazingly well, and the Wii version of Rock Band is the only version on the charts this month. It might be a hacked down port, but the market sure doesn't seem to care. With Rock Band 2 and Guitar Hero: World Tour on the way, we'll see how much longevity the first Rock Band finds on the charts.

Sony
Sony took the number three slot in hardware sales, with the PlayStation 3 selling 224,900 units and the PlayStation Portable coming in fourth with 221,700 units. Metal Gear Solid 4 didn't seem to have the staying power that we expected; it's nowhere on the top ten software sales, although the PS3 version of NCAA Football 2009 came in at number five with 242,500 units sold. PlayStation owners still love their sports games, and the system is starting to have a large enough installed base to put these games on the charts. Likewise, the PS3 version of Soul Calibur IV came in at number nine, selling 155,800.

With Home and LittleBigPlanet on the way, as well as a standard $400 80GB system announced at E3, the PlayStation 3 looks to have a bright future. To begin to chip away at Microsoft's lead in lifetime sales, though, we're going to have to see some much larger gains.

Microsoft
Microsoft isn't doing poorly, but the company sure doesn't have much to brag about this month. The 360 sold 204,800 units, outselling only the PS2 with its 155,500 in sales. As usual, the number one slot in software sales belongs to a 360 game, as NCAA Football 2009 sold 397,000 units. In the number six slot we have Soul Calibur IV with 218,900 units sold, and number 10 is Sid Meier's Civilization Revolution, a rather surprising seller with 147,600 units moved.

Microsoft needs to do something to get its momentum back; the days when the company could rest on its higher installed base and Sony's floundering are long over.

There aren't many surprises on this month's charts, although the fact that Metal Gear Solid 4 didn't chart at all is a little unsettling. Of course, for all we know, the game is still selling very well, just not quite enough to make it onto the top ten list. The fact that Sony was able to chart two multiplatform games speaks well to its installed base, however, although Sony will have to deal with the upcoming rumored 360 price drop in the next few months.

Nintendo, as per the usual, has nothing to worry about except the online grumblings of hardcore gamers.

Below is a chart of console sales in july 2008!]]> http://www.ps3news.com/General_OffTopic/rumor-two-georgians-say-they-have-bigfoots-body/ http://www.ps3news.com/General_OffTopic/rumor-two-georgians-say-they-have-bigfoots-body/ Fri, 15 Aug 2008 18:13:22 CDT PS3 News General/Off Topic http://www.ps3news.com/General_OffTopic/rumor-two-georgians-say-they-have-bigfoots-body/
To quote: On Friday at a hotel in Palo Alto, Calif., a pair of Bigfoot hunters say they will present what they contend is the most definitive proof yet of an animal that science says does not exist: DNA evidence and photographs of a dead specimen they say they found in a remote swath of woods in northern Georgia.

"It was very frightening at first," said Rick Dyer, 31, a former corrections officer who - coincidentally - runs a business that offers Bigfoot tours. "And it got even more frightening when you saw the others."

Indeed, Mr. Dyer said he and his partner, Matthew Whitton, saw three more of the beasts nearby as they dragged the body of said creature out of the woods. Moreover, Mr. Dyer says he has video clips and photographs to prove it.

One photograph provided to the news media showed what resembled a gorilla - or maybe an old sheepskin rug - lying twisted in a freezer, with a dollop of intestines protruding from its belly.

"There’s a lot of comment being made that it looks fake, or it looks like a suit," Mr. Dyer said. "But these people wasn’t there when I was sweating, pulling this thing through the woods."

Tom Biscardi, a longtime Bigfoot booster from the Bay Area, who traveled to Georgia to see the animal, said he was "150 percent" sure that the carcass was a Bigfoot, an American Indian legend whose modern fame dates to an elaborate "footprint" hoax perpetrated at a Northern California logging camp in 1958.

"This is ‘Eureka!’ man," said Mr. Biscardi, whose operations include a Bigfoot Web site, a Bigfoot merchandise line and a Bigfoot Internet radio show. "I touched it."

Both Mr. Biscardi and Mr. Dyer said they expected skeptics to discount the find, which is being kept in a freezer in an undisclosed location outside Atlanta. But they promised even more proof, including video, a DNA test and, of course, a mission to capture one of the big guys.

"I’m not asking anyone to believe us," Mr. Dyer said. "I’m just asking them to sit and watch, because you’re going to eat your words."]]> http://www.ps3news.com/General_OffTopic/npd-ps3-outpaces-360-in-1-1b-usd-for-july/ http://www.ps3news.com/General_OffTopic/npd-ps3-outpaces-360-in-1-1b-usd-for-july/ Fri, 15 Aug 2008 17:44:50 CDT zeroburner General/Off Topic http://www.ps3news.com/General_OffTopic/npd-ps3-outpaces-360-in-1-1b-usd-for-july/
In typical fashion, Nintendo Wii handily outsold the two higher-priced consoles with 555,000 units sold in July. Sales of consoles and portable gaming devices drove hardware revenues for June to $446.9 million, a 17 percent year-on-year increase.

Nintendo DS was the top-selling piece of hardware with 608,400 units sold, while PSP and PS2 sold 221,700 and 155,500 units, respectively.

Software growth was in line with analysts' expectations, and showed the greatest sales growth during the month, rising 41 percent to $591.1 million with EA Sports' NCAA Football 09 for Xbox 360 leading the charge at 397,600 units sold.

NCAA outsold the May release Wii Fit, which sold 369,600. Guitar Hero: On Tour for DS sold 309,700 units for a podium finish. Also of note was July's Soul Calibur IV, which sold 218,900 on Xbox 360 and and 155,800 on PS3.

Sales of accessories hit $149.1 million for month, a rise of 19 percent.

July's software sales rankings by units are below:

1. 360 NCAA Football 09, EA: 397.6K
2. Wii Fit w/ Balance Board, Nintendo: 369.6K
3. DS Guitar Hero On Tour, Activision: 309.7K
4. Wii Play w/ Remote, Nintendo: 284K
5. PS3 NCAA Football 09, EA, 242.5K
6. 360 Soul Calibur IV, Namco: 218.9K
7. Wii Mario Kart w/ wheel, Nintendo: 174.5K
8. Wii Rock Band bundle, MTV Games: 165.8K
9. PS3 Soul Calibur IV, Namco: 155.8K
10. 360 Civilization Revolution, Take-Two: 147.6K]]> http://www.ps3news.com/General_OffTopic/danger-for-the-xbox-720-and-ps4/ http://www.ps3news.com/General_OffTopic/danger-for-the-xbox-720-and-ps4/ Fri, 15 Aug 2008 17:44:50 CDT takavach General/Off Topic http://www.ps3news.com/General_OffTopic/danger-for-the-xbox-720-and-ps4/
For years now - decades - these two points of view have divided people. On the one hand, the console faithful tout the stability of their platform, the assurance of a 5-year life cycle, and the relatively low-cost nature of the hardware. The PC crowd on the other hand flaunt the flexibility of their hardware: their ability to improve performance at a moment's notice and to cater for new and developing trends in gaming for as long as their screaming wallets will allow.

Now, though, for better or worse we are beginning to see a real revolution in console gaming. Where once console specifications were defined and immutable, they have started to become varied and variable. Console manufacturers, it would seem, are starting to take aim against one of the major strengths of the PC platform: flexibility. But this change is going to come at a cost, and if not handled well could end up doing more harm than good.

With the arrival of the Xbox on the scene, gamers saw the introduction of a persistent online presence with "Live." Sony soon followed suit and finally delivered a competitive interface with the release of the PS3. Regulated online play, downloadable patches and content, feature-laden firmware updates, social networking… add in upgradable HDDs, USB ports, card readers and wireless networking, and suddenly, consoles are looking a lot more PC-like.

In their struggle to compete with the flexibility of the PC experience however, there are a few sticking points that today’s console developers would do well to avoid - or at least tiptoe quietly around and try their best not to awaken.]]> http://www.ps3news.com/General_OffTopic/police-man-steals-playstation-3-says-its-to-save-his-family/ http://www.ps3news.com/General_OffTopic/police-man-steals-playstation-3-says-its-to-save-his-family/ Thu, 14 Aug 2008 17:38:35 CDT PS3 News General/Off Topic http://www.ps3news.com/General_OffTopic/police-man-steals-playstation-3-says-its-to-save-his-family/
The suspect asked the clerk to call the police as his family needed help, but the suspect fled the scene shortly after. Oh, and he was carrying a gun... :p

To quote: The suspect went into the store, picked out a video game and approached the counter to check out. He pulled out a small handgun and told the store clerk that his family was being held hostage and that he needed a PlayStation 3 in order to have them released.

As he left the store, the suspect told the clerk to call the police, because his family needed help.

Police arrived shortly thereafter, but the suspect had fled the scene.]]> http://www.ps3news.com/General_OffTopic/ea-signs-publishing-deal-with-grasshopper-epic-games-1/ http://www.ps3news.com/General_OffTopic/ea-signs-publishing-deal-with-grasshopper-epic-games-1/ Thu, 14 Aug 2008 17:16:59 CDT PS3 News General/Off Topic http://www.ps3news.com/General_OffTopic/ea-signs-publishing-deal-with-grasshopper-epic-games-1/
Under the agreement, EA will publish an all-new action game in development at Epic’s Poland-based People Can Fly studio, responsible for the Gears of War PC port and the Painkiller first-person shooter franchise. The title will be released on PC, Xbox 360, and PlayStation 3.

"Epic is excited to work with EA Partners to launch our next big IP on the global stage," said Mark Rein, vice president, Epic Games. "EA Partners gives independent developers like Epic the muscle of a global publisher like EA, along with the focus and flexibility of a smaller team committed to working with our individual needs."

On the Grasshopper side of the spectrum, EA inked a deal to publish an all-new "action horror game" produced by Resident Evil creator Shinji Mikami and directed by Suda51 of No More Heroes fame. The title is slated for a multi-platform release on Wii, PlayStation 3, and Xbox 360.

Release dates for either titles went unmentioned. At any rate, this news is both fantastic and surprising at the same time.]]> http://www.ps3news.com/General_OffTopic/confirmed-no-microsoft-press-conference-at-games-convention-1/ http://www.ps3news.com/General_OffTopic/confirmed-no-microsoft-press-conference-at-games-convention-1/ Wed, 13 Aug 2008 22:11:39 CDT Starlight General/Off Topic http://www.ps3news.com/General_OffTopic/confirmed-no-microsoft-press-conference-at-games-convention-1/
"No press conference from us per se," we were told by a rep via email, who added that the company’s booth will instead have rolling demos on its exterior and behind closed doors slots.

The news leaves only one platform holder conference left for GC 2008, that being Sony at 5pm CET on Wednesday, August 20.

Nintendo confirmed in May that it would be avoiding the show altogether.

We will, of course, be bringing you the Sony conference live from front row (ish) seats. Check out Sony’s line-up below:

- MotorStorm: Pacific Rift
- LittleBigPlanet
- Resistance 2
- Free Realms
- The Agency
- DC Universe Online
- Infamous
- Home
- Killzone 2 (single player and multiplayer hands-on)
- Heavy Rain

The show’s press day is next Wednesday, and we’ll be there. Sony’s press conference takes place at 5pm ECT that evening. We’ll bring you more details closer to the time.]]> http://www.ps3news.com/General_OffTopic/intel-wants-larrabee-in-next-generation-of-game-consoles-1/ http://www.ps3news.com/General_OffTopic/intel-wants-larrabee-in-next-generation-of-game-consoles-1/ Wed, 13 Aug 2008 17:26:02 CDT takavach General/Off Topic http://www.ps3news.com/General_OffTopic/intel-wants-larrabee-in-next-generation-of-game-consoles-1/
The Larrabee chip is a many-core processor that is primarily targeted at the graphics space but can also be used for other computing functions. It’s Intel’s latest cutting edge chip and has been in the works for some time.

Early engineering versions of the chip are expected to arrive later this year, while consumer products using the hardware will be available by 2010.

And speaking to us in an exclusive interview, Aaron Coday, manager of the EMEA visual computing group, said that Intel had been in the meantime working closely with a variety of games industry partners to work out what kind of next-generation GPU developers want - and that console manufacturers are next.

"We’ve been working with a lot of game developers. All of the input and design of Larrabee comes with the involvement of various software firms in the industry. It’s very much driven by feedback from the industry, telling us the type of things they would like to do, and how can they do them," explained Coday.

"It’s definitely something we would want to discuss with the console vendors, and hope that the architecture that we’re providing is something that is very compelling for them and be interesting."

Coday described Larrabee as an "inflection point" for games developers, saying it will help return coding to easier single chip roots - but with the enhanced power of a next generation many-core chipset.

"Larrabee allows us to come full circle and have complete programmability, and still have all the processing power to do everything that we want to do," he said.

Larrabee’s use of DirectX and OpenGL will also mean coders will find the chip easy to develop for, Coday claimed.

"Larrabee is going to be a DirectX and OpenGL solution. That means that for the majority of developers, if their resources are already strained, should not be a significant challenge for them at all. This is like any other graphics solution. And it will be performance competitive. But there are a few leading game companies out there that are saying ‘we want to push the envelope, we want to push the industry further.’ And they’re the ones that are going to work and experiment more on the Larrabee native interface as they go.

"In order to use Larrabee you don’t have to use this new native interface. You can continue to use it just like an OpenGL or DirectX solution. But that ability to go a little bit further to try things that you haven’t tried before, or that haven’t been possible before, that’s what the third interface provides for you."]]> http://www.ps3news.com/General_OffTopic/game-informer-unveils-batman-arkham-asylum/ http://www.ps3news.com/General_OffTopic/game-informer-unveils-batman-arkham-asylum/ Wed, 13 Aug 2008 00:14:55 CDT PS3 News General/Off Topic http://www.ps3news.com/General_OffTopic/game-informer-unveils-batman-arkham-asylum/
According to the latest issue of Game Informer, which has an exclusive cover story on the title, development duties are being handled by UK-based Rocksteady Games, most recently responsible for the 2006 first-person shooter Urban Chaos: Riot Response.

Furthermore, the Unreal Engine 3 powered Arkham Asylum is said to sport a "dark and gritty" visual style in line with BioShock, coupled with a story co-written by author Paul Dini.

This completely original title explores Gotham City’s darkest location, the infamous Arkham Asylum. But as a routine prison transfer goes wrong, the Joker sets his demented plan into action and Batman comes face to face with an army of his worst enemies.

Scheduled for a 2009 release across multiple platforms (namely PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, PC), expect a media blast complete with screenshots when Eidos formally announces Batman: Arkham Asylum in the coming weeks.]]>