The WoW Schools Gold Cap Course has been taken by many professional gamers and gold-making enthusiasts around the world! You’ve probably seen other gold-making solutions available on the market. This course is not simply another gold guide or strategy book; it is THE building blocks to becoming good at making gold.

If you’re serious about WoW and you don’t already have this course then you’re missing out. Do yourself a favor and grab this course.

“Liked this post? Subscribe to my RSS feed and get loads more!”

More posts:

Download Unlimited Wii Games With Wii Download Hub

Download Unlimited Wii Games,Movies, Music & More for Incredibly Low One Time Fee and Never Pay for those Expensive Wii Games again.

Cool features of our Downloads for your Wii:

Rich Database: Wii Download Hub has the most updated database of games, movies, TV-series and music for your Nintendo Wii. The database is great and the very best you can find in the internet. No need to catch up with your friends as you can get an updated database frequently. See the Top Games for yourself.

Download Quality: Our download is the best that you can find. Customer satisfaction is our only goal. We never give the opportunity to complain.

User Friendly: All of our service from the membership to the download is user friendly and like “putting candy into the mouth”. Anyone can do it as there are Tutorials available. Also there are FAQ’s available for the new users.

Membership: The membership process is secured and encoded for the Paypal payment process. Only $39.95 and you get the very best and latest Wii add-ons there available. No monthly fees at all. Register here.

Compatibility: Many Nintendo users have issues with Wii downloads being region locked but this only happens in other sites as our downloads are fully compatible with NTSC and PAL and works in all Wii Consoles worldwide.

Downloads Speed: Wii Download Hub has the best server speed to offer as you can download the Latest Games, Movies and Music sooner than the others.

“Liked this post? Subscribe to my RSS feed and get loads more!”

WoW Schools Gold Cap Course

Wii Games Complete List A to Z

Xbox 360 Games Complete List A to Z

PlayStation 3 Games Complete List A to Z

What Do I Need To Play Xbox Live?

What Is The PlayStation Network ?

But another, nerdier record, was shattered this week when six Dutch video game players went on a 50-hour, or 3,000 minutes, gaming marathon to break the Guinness World Record for longest period of time playing a video game.

The previous record was set last year by Chirantan Patnaik, an Indian gamer who played for 40 hours and 20 minutes.

The new world champions, who are probably sleeping right now, played the game Red Dead Redemption, a first-person cowboy game set in the early 1900s, for more than two days. The gamers played on Sony PlayStation 3 and used a special power docking station, TwistDock, to keep their video game controllers charged during their record-breaking exertions.

During the game, the players were allowed to take a 10-minute break every hour for humanitarian purposes — to use the restroom and eat.

The players were originally competing with each other to break the previous world record, but decided to band together to pass the milestone together. As a result, the six players shared a cash prize and the publication of their names in the Guinness Book of World Records.

The six winning gamers are Sven de Vries, Renzo Bos, Robbie van Eijkeren, Marcel van Waardenburg and Edward and Maykel Leest, who are brothers.

“Liked this post? Subscribe to my RSS feed and get loads more!”

Red Dead Redemption Tames The Wild West

Fighting video games

Graphic quality in online downloaded games have reached the same level as games bought in a store. The conflict between purchased and downloaded games is raging into an all out war. Free games can now offer an consistently exciting experience to its players with the use of intelligently designed graphics, inventive artwork, and comparable special effects.

Due to this, online players no longer want to spend their hard earned cash to be able to play an exciting game since they are readily available online without the need to spend a dime. Video clips, special maps and tips, coupons and referral incentives are some of the ways that site owners are keeping their game site subscribers loyal and returning to the site. Sites are giving the video game players more and more reasons to keep coming back.

Exclusive games not found on other sites or consoles will always have their own following and guarantees loyalty to that game. Gaming consoles in my opinion, still offer the best graphics and playability for the money in the long run.

Though free video games have indeed won a lot of fans worldwide, it will still boil down to your personal preference on what kind of games you want. If your internet speed is fast enough and you like the games offered that may be the right option for you, but downloaded and store bought games are always playable even without your internet being connected.

Graphics are so much better on a dedicated console. If you don’t have and internet connection than gaming consoles are the only choice. Whichever fighting video game you like to play there will always be a platform available to choose from. Getting the most out of your fighting game experience is a talent that is learned with practice so just keep playing.

“Liked this post? Subscribe to my RSS feed and get loads more!”

Which Video Game Console Should I Buy?

PlayStation 3 Games Complete List A to Z

Xbox 360 Games Complete List A to Z

Wii Games Complete List A to Z

What Do I Need To Play Xbox Live?

What Is The PlayStation Network ?

Gaming is having a ridiculously huge T.V. in a tiny one room apartment. It’s staying up until 3AM to win a trophy that isn’t real….BUT IS! And it’s girls that know the way to a man’s heart is through a melee attack. I love gaming and fighting video games in particular and I know you love it too, that’s why you’re here. And while millions of people are pretending to work while they watch E3 at their desk.

That’s why says Kevin Butler they made the PS3 Move, “So every person on this great blue marble can get a taste of the PS3 sugar. Families, kids, grand-parents, the new hardcore guys and even you.” He implored the crowd at the E3 2010 gathering to not hate on the new gamers that will be using the PS3 move. It will open gaming up to everyone and can even make a ten years old kid in Fresno can make a frat boy in Boston question his own manhood. We can all box using game characters that have important features like… arms and necks.

As the theme to Star Wars played in the background, Butler said,” When we said the PS3 move can do everything we meant it. The PS3 move brings a whole lot more everything to the table. Because every gamer is a real gamer. Motion Gamer, Hardcore Gamer, everyone. And though we may pledge fan boy allegiances to different flags, deep down inside we all serve one master, one king and his name is Gaming! Forever may he reign!”

“Liked this post? Subscribe to my RSS feed and get loads more!”

E3 2010: The Big Games List

Xbox 360 allows two types of audio connections: analog and digital.Both analog and digital audio connections can give you surround sound or stereo sound, depending on the sound system that you use with your Xbox 360 console. Remember, your Xbox 360 audio setup applies to both games and DVD videos.

The Xbox 360 audio connection that you should use depends on the sound system that you connect to your Xbox 360 console:

• Digital audio is the best option if you have both of the following:

• A sound system with a Toslink digital audio input

• A Toslink audio cable (which you can get from most stores that sell Toslink-equipped sound systems)

Toslink is the optical version of SPDIF (Sony/Philips Digital Interconnect Format) digital audio.

• Analog audio is used for most TVs and inexpensive audio systems.

Digital Xbox 360 audio

You make an Xbox 360 digital audio connection by using an optical cable (called a Toslink). To connect your Xbox 360 to your stereo using a digital cable, follow these steps:

1. Make sure that you’re using one of the following Xbox 360 AV cables that connects digital audio:

• Component HD cable.

• Advanced Syndicat des Constructeurs d’Appareils Radiorécepteurs et Téléviseurs (SCART) cable (United Kingdom).

• VGA cable.

• S-Video cable.

• S-Video is the only standard TV cable that works with digital audio.

2. Connect a Toslink cable to the connecting plug of your AV cable.

Turn the stereo volume down before you connect the cable.

3. Plug the Toslink cable into your receiver.

The manufacturer sometimes covers this input to prevent dust from damaging the input. Check your input; it may be covered by either of the following:

• A plastic shutter that moves automatically when you plug the connector in

• A small square-shaped plug in the input

• If the input has a plug, pull it out now.

4. Switch your receiver to the digital audio source.

5. Fire up the Xbox 360 and pick the appropriate output type in the System blade.

Analog Xbox 360 audio

You make the analog audio connection with a pair of RCA jacks. The two analog audio connections are usually two different colors:

• Red for the right channel

• White for the left channel

This has been the standard connection method since before the original Atari game console was released.

Don’t have an optical input? Use analog audio and hook up with the RCA cables.

If you can’t use an optical input, you have two ways to make an analogaudio connection from your Xbox 360:

• Directly to the audio system
  
  

  (receiver):

Connecting directly to the stereo system may improve sound quality a bit. Analog audio usually sounds better when you reduce the number of connections between the signal’s source and its destination.

• Through the TV’s audio input and output to the audio system:

Extra connections may hurt the sound quality a little. Your TV set can automatically send the matching audio to your sound system when you change video sources (such as satellite boxes and VCRs).

Many TVs that have audio outputs have two options:

• Variable output: Adjusts its output volume based on the volume setting on the TV (and the TV remote control)

• Fixed output (sometimes called “audio out” or “line out”): Volume is not adjustable with the TV remote control

Analog output

If you use analog Xbox 360 audio output

, you can choose between two types of output:

• Mono (single-speaker sound)

• Dolby Pro Logic II, which works with most analog sound systems:

• Standard stereo TV sound systems

• Two-speaker stereo sound systems

• Simulatedsurround sound systems (such as Dolby Virtual Surround and SRS TruSurround)

• Dolby Pro Logic surround sound

• Dolby Pro Logic II 5.1 surround sound

• “.1″surround sound systems, like Dolby Pro Logic II, can use a subwoofer.

Mono output

Mono puts all the game sounds through bothXbox 360 analog audio jacks (red and white).

Mono sound technology

When you use mono, it doesn’t matter which Xbox 360 audio jack you connect to your sound system. If your TV sound system only has oneaudio jack (usually white), you may find that this the best connection.

If you use mono sound with a multispeaker sound system (like a stereo TV or a surround sound audio system), you can hear sound from all the speakers, but you can’t tell the directionof the sound:

• If you’re connected to a stereoaudio system, Xbox 360 mono audio doesn’t tell you whether sounds are on your left or right.

• If you’re connected to a surround soundaudio system, Xbox 360 mono audio doesn’t tell you whether:

• Sounds are behind or in front of you

• Sounds are on your left or right

Mono sound setup

If you need to use mono sound with your Xbox 360, follow these steps:

1. Open the System blade of the Xbox 360 Dashboard.

2. Select Console Settings and press the A button.

3. Pick the Audio option.

4. Pick the Analog Output option.

Under Analog Output, you have two choices (as you can see in Figure 1):

• Mono

• Dolby Pro Logic II

Best described as an action-RPG, Alpha Protocol is a quiet revelation – delivering dynamic shooting, insane levels of customization and a thumping near-future dose of espionage and sinister conspiracy – where the bad guys are occasionally good, the good guys invariably bad and everyone else is hovering somewhere in between.

As far as the talky stuff goes, instead of traditionally responding via various dialogue options, Thorton is instead able to mould conversations via aggressive, professional, suave or cocky replies. It’s a decent enough system, but a bit vague and Mike sometimes comes across as borderline schizophrenic.

Granted, Obsidian may not be the best when it comes to graphic engines, but when it comes to dialogue this team pulls out all the stops. There’s no black and white here – just so many shades of grey, which means learning to trust your gut becomes vital. Then, when the often dramatic consequences unfold, you genuinely feel it was your actions that shaped them. Cause and effect, baby.

GET SMART

Despite Thorton’s rather weedy, campy player model (more Maxwell Smart than Jason Bourne) you will feel like a super spy at times – especially when ‘using the shower’ in your dilapidated Taipei safehouse operates a lift that transports you down into what can only be described as Thorton’s Batcave – complete with high-powered motorbike tunnel exit! Here you’ll indulge in intelligence gathering, liaising with your handlers, experimenting with facial hair and even some email flirting.

THAT’S JUST UNREAL
The shooting’s nowhere near as slick as that other Unreal Engine-powered RPG fave, Mass Effect 2, but it’s more gratifying and multifaceted. As Thorton levels ups and develops his weapons specialities/perks the initially frustrating: ‘I’m shooting this goon repeatedly in the face, but he’s not actually taking any damage’ routine fades to black and combat becomes very exciting indeed.

There are more than a handful of exceptionally fun shootouts – and most levels are labyrinthine, offering plenty of opportunity to flank (and be flanked!), loads of goodies to pick up and bonus objectives to achieve.

Alpha Protocol’s a technical turkey but it’s also a gripping, innovative and deserving of both success and a sequel. It might look like a dog, but dig deep and you’re in for an undercover treat – it’s a stonking feeling when a game we were expecting to stink turns out to be a revelation. If you’ve any interest in RPGs that also deliver explosive action, don’t let this double agent slip through the net.

This article was originally published in GamesMaster issue 227. Why not subscribe and get it posted to your door here.

“Liked this post? Subscribe to my RSS feed and get loads more!”

UBISOFT® UNCLOAKS DETAILS FOR TOM CLANCY™’S GHOST RECON: FUTURE SOLDIER™

Tom Clancy’s EndWar Cheats and Hints Guide

Alpha Protocol Interview With IGN

Ghost Recon: Future Soldier First Look

Tom Clancy’s Splinter Cell Conviction

Alpha Protocol First Look

Tom Clancy’s EndWar

Red Dead Redemption Feature

Red Dead Redemption puts you in the shoes of a reformed criminal named James Marston, who is trying to get his life back on track. Unfortunately, his former allies have different ideas, threatening his family and forcing him to take on his former gang members and their leader, Bill Williamson. You’ll meet many people on your journey, some of which will help or hinder your pursuits. Your quest will take you all around the vast state of New Austin, which is as expansive as they come.

The game gives you a choice on how to build your character’s standing in the community. You can choose to go the good path, building up a positive honor rating by helping out innocent people who are in need of your services, or opt to go the bad route by becoming an infamous criminal to get what you want. Depending on your chosen path, you will receive different missions to complete, opening up the replay ability of the game immensely.

Earning honor is done in a variety of different ways. One way to earn positive honor points is by taking down your bounties and your enemies non-lethally, be it by using your lasso to take them down and hogtie them, or even by shooting the gun out of their hand so they’re no longer a threat to you. Additionally, you can help out random people that you meet throughout the game, rescuing them from an attack and earning a small amount of money as thanks and some honor. Aside from the honor gauge, performing missions and tasks will grant you a fame rating as well, as more people throughout New Austin will begin to hear your name and of your exploits.

Rockstar has always succeeded with when it comes to creating a living, breathing sandbox for players to explore, and Red Dead Redemption definitely does not disappoint in this regard. The sheer amount of activity taking place in the game is astounding, as NPCs have their own stuff to deal with, often requiring you to step in and intervene, either positively or villainously. As in Rockstar’s Grand Theft Auto series, law enforcement plays a crucial role in the environment, and will step in should you start getting a little too rough on those around you. Witnesses, which can be silenced through bribery or more violent means, will run to the local sheriff or marshal and report your actions, and you might even see wanted posters up calling for your capture.

Players will never find themselves lacking in something to do in Red Dead Redemption. You’ll always have a great amount of side-quests to take on outside of the main campaign. You can bust up gang hideouts, go bounty hunting, have shootouts with people in duels, and take on many odd jobs in order to earn extra money and fame. As you complete objectives, you’ll also be able to unlock new outfits, which will grant you specific boosts – including the ability to cheat at cards and so on.

There is a variety of mini-games for players who just want to horse around as well (pun not intended). You can play horseshoes, gamble, break wild horses, or go hunting or gathering flowers and other flora. You can find new horses to break in, including some rare ones that will grant you some nice travel boosts. Stagecoaches can be used to get from one area to another quickly, should you not want to take your horse. What the developers where able to accomplish in this regard is truly a feat, as there is never a dearth of content in Red Dead Redemption.

The combat feels a lot more fluid and well made than the system in Grand Theft Auto IV. You can still take cover behind rocks and other objects in the environment, and the game’s weaponry is robust, including a variety of rifles, handguns, sniper rifles, and even Gatling guns to take out your foes. The finicky auto-aim feature has been replaced with one that still gives you assists, but is not nearly as limiting. Additionally, the Dead Eye feature from Red Dead Revolver has returned, allowing you to slow down time in order to get off a better shot at your enemies. There is a gauge on the HUD that decreases when you use Dead Eye, which replenishes over time as well as when you kill enemies.

If the single-player doesn’t keep you entertained (and it will), Red Dead Redemption offers a robust multiplayer element that will keep you coming back time and time again. There are online free-for-alls and team-based game modes as well, each beginning with a Mexican stand-off. However, the real meat of the online component comes from the Free Roam mode, which could be a separate game in its own right. In Free Roam, you’re able to hop online with some friends and form a posse, taking on other gangs in online skirmishes, busting into their hideouts and taking them out. The scope of the multiplayer element is fantastic, and a great way to eat up time if you’re a multiplayer fanatic.

Graphically, Red Dead Redemption looks phenomenal. The environment is astoundingly created, and the character models are very impressive. While there are some graphical quirks and bugs here and there, including framerate hiccups, they do little to detract from how great this game looks. The sound is also very impressive. Rockstar’s industry-defining production values come into full form here, with a tightly written script and fantastically performed dialogue. The music, while sparse, does an excellent job of setting the pace and overall theme for the action.

With tons of content both online and off, stellar production values, and solid gameplay, Red Dead Redemption is an absolute blast to play, and a time-consuming one at that. Be prepared to dump a lot of time into this one, which stands as one of the best games of the year, and certainly the best Western-themed game you can find.

“Liked this post? Subscribe to my RSS feed and get loads more!”

In 2016, the world is in pieces. Russia has been taken over by the Ultra-Nationalist party, a hostile government. An American soldier is embedded into a Russian extremist’s party. He uses the undercover American to frame a severe terrorist attack on America, and an invasion and war soon follow.

As we near the show, we get a better sense of what games we’ll see. IGN’s Big Games List compiles all the titles confirmed by publishers or developers. There are plenty more games we know or expect — this list isn’t for those. These are the things that have been promised publicly. Check the list. Come back to it often. And if you want even more info on what to expect from this year’s event, head over to IGN’s E3 2010 destination for anything and everything related to the show.

If you’re not even sure what E3 is or why you should care, check out IGN’s E3 FAQ for everything you never wanted to know. So what games are you looking forward to at E3? Hit up Twitter and give us your thoughts with the hashtag #E3IGN. We’ll keep an eye on your tweets. Who knows, yours may even be featured on IGN!

LAST UPDATE: May 10, 2010 09:50 PDT

2K Games
Mafia II (PC, PS3, X360)
Sid Meier’s Civilization V (PC)
Sid Meier’s Civilization V (Digital Deluxe Edition) (PC) NEW
Spec Ops: The Line (PC, PS3, X360)
XCOM (PC, X360)

505 Games
Grease (DS, Wii)
Naughty Bear (PS3, X360)

Anaconda
Gray Matter (PC)

BigPoint
Battlestar Galactica Online (Webgame)

D3 Publisher
Ben 10 Ultimate Alien: Cosmic Destruction (DS, PSP, X360)
Ben 10: Ultimate Alien (Wii)

DTP (Digital Entertainment Pool)
Drakensang: Phileasson’s Secret (PC)

DreamCatcher Interactive
Arcania: Gothic IV (PC, PS3, X360)

EA Sports
EA Sports MMA (PS3, X360)
NBA Jam (Wii)

Electronic Arts
Bulletstorm (PC, PS3, X360)
Crysis 2 (PC, PS3, X360) NEW
Dead Space 2 (PC, PS3, X360)
EA Sports Active 2.0 (Wii)
FIFA Soccer 11 (DS, PC, PS3, PSP, Wii, X360)
Madden NFL 11 (PS3, PSP, Wii, X360)
Medal of Honor (PC, PS3, X360)
NBA Live 11 (PS3, PSP, X360)
NCAA Football 11 (PS2, PS3, PSP, X360)
NHL 11 (PS3, X360)
Tiger Woods PGA Tour 11 (PS3, Wii, X360)

En Masse Entertainment
Tera (PC)

Hudson Soft
Deca Sports 3 (Wii)

Konami
Castlevania: Lords of Shadow (PS3, X360)
Def Jam Rapstar (PS3, Wii, X360)
Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker (PSP)
N3: Ninety-Nine Nights II (X360)
Rocket Knight (PC, PS3, X360)
Rush’N Attack Ex-Patriot (PS3, X360)
Saw II: The Videogame (PS3, X360)
The Cages: Pro Style Batting Practice (Wii)

Little Worlds Studio
Animal Color Cross (DSi, Webgame, iPhone)
Color Cross (Webgame)
Cosmicrew (Webgame)
DJ Mix Bob Sinclar (iPhone)
Sea Pong (iPad)

LucasArts
LEGO Star Wars III: The Clone Wars (DS, PC, PS3, PSP, Wii, X360)
Monkey Island 2: LeChuck’s Revenge — Special Edition (PC, PS3, X360)
Star Wars: The Force Unleashed II (DS, PC, PS3, PSP, Wii, X360)
Star Wars: The Old Republic (PC)

MTV Games
Rock Band 3 (PS3, Wii, X360)

Majesco
Crafting Mama (DS)
Greg Hastings Paintball 2 (PS3, Wii, X360)
Swords (Wii)
Zumba Fitness (tba)

Microsoft
Fable III (X360)
Gears of War 3 (X360)
Halo: Reach (X360)

Microsoft Game Studios
Project Natal (X360)

Namco Bandai
Ace Combat: Joint Assault (PSP)
Clash of the Titans (PS3, X360)
Dragon Ball: Origins 2 (DS)
Enslaved (PS3, X360)
Naruto: Ultimate Ninja Storm 2 (PS3, X360)
Splatterhouse (PS3, X360)

Natsume
Gabrielle’s Ghostly Groove (DS)

Nexon
Dragon Nest (PC)
Dungeon Fighter Online (PC)
Vindictus (PC)

No Publisher Announced
Color Cross (DS)

Paradox Interactive
Commander — Conquest of the Americas (PC)
Lionheart: Kings’ Crusade (PC)
Ship Simulator 2010: Extremes (PC)
Victoria 2 (PC)

Perfect World Entertainment
Battle of the Immortals (PC)
Forsaken World (PC)
Heroes of Three Kingdoms (PC)

Slang
Lucha Libre AAA: Heroes del Ring (DS, PS3, PSP, Wii, X360)

Sony Computer Entertainment
EyePet: Your Virtual Pet (PS3)
God of War: Ghost of Sparta (PSP)
Gran Turismo 5 (PS3)
Hot Shots Tennis: Get a Grip (PSP)
Invizimals (PSP)
Move Party (PS3)
SOCOM 4: U.S. Navy SEALs (PS3)
Slider (PS3)
TV SuperStars (PS3)
The Fight: Lights Out (PS3)
The Shoot (PS3)

Sony Online Entertainment
Free Realms (PC, PS3)

THQ
Homefront (PC, PS3, X360)
The Last Airbender: The Movie (DS, Wii)
UFC Undisputed 2010 (PS3, PSP, X360)
WWE SmackDown vs. Raw 2011 (PS3, X360)
WWE SmackDown vs. Raw Online (PC)
Warhammer 40,000 MMO Project [untitled] (PC)
Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine (PS3, X360)

Tecmo KOEI
Quantum Theory (PS3, X360)
Trinity: Souls of Zill O’ll (PS3)
Warriors: Legends of Troy (PS3, X360)

Trion Worlds
End of Nations (PC)
Rift: Planes of Telara (PC)

Warner Bros. Interactive
Batman: The Brave and the Bold (DS, Wii)
Cats & Dogs: The Revenge of Kitty Galore (DS)
F.E.A.R. 3 (PC, PS3, X360)
LEGO Harry Potter: Years 1-4 (DS, PC, PS3, PSP, Wii, X360)
Scribblenauts 2 (DS)
The Lord of the Rings: Aragorn’s Quest (DS, PS3, PSP, Wii)
The Lord of the Rings: War in the North (PC, PS3, X360)

cdv Software Entertainment
Divinity II: Ego Draconis (PC, X360)
Divinity II: Flames of Vengeance (PC, X360)

“Liked this post? Subscribe to my RSS feed and get loads more!”

E3 2010 Kevin Butler Funny Speech On PS3 Move

They cover everything from the inspiration behind Halo Reach to the geeky computer stuff and even the music production. Very cool!

Watch the making of Halo Reach

CLICK ON THE FULL SCREEN BUTTON!!!

“Liked this post? Subscribe to my RSS feed and get loads more!”

Halo: Reach Weapons, Armor & Vehicles Revealed

Halo Reach Reaches Over A Million Players

Halo 3 Secrets, Cheats and Hints

Halo Reach: New Weapons List

Halo 3 Tips

Though many of us have been studying this week, many other have been spending a lot of time playing the “Halo: Reach” beta that was released to the public May 3. If you’re one of those who have been sudying, then you’re really missing out.

On May 3, video game developer Bungie opened the download door for individuals who purchased their last game, “Halo 3: ODST,” to play-test the beta version of the next Halo game.

“Halo: Reach” is a prequel to the best-selling Halo franchise on Xbox and Xbox 360. It takes place on the planet of Reach, home to the SPARTAN-II program, and the new release is set prior to the first Halo game.

But the iconic hero of Halo, Master Chief, will not be making an appearance. Instead, the protagonists will be a group of Spartan-IIIs called Noble Team. The action takes place during the last days of the battle for Reach before the planet is rendered uninhabitable by the alien armada known as the Covenant.

It’s still unclear whether the game will follow any of the storyline from Eric Nylund’s book “Halo: Fall of Reach,” but the final game is scheduled for release in fall 2010.

Like all Halo games, “Reach” consists of a single player/cooperative campaign and online multiplayer. The current beta is the online multiplayer. Bungie plans to gathering data from all beta matches played to work out the glitches. Users have already found and posted video of several visual and functional glitches on Youtube.com, but for the most part, gameplay is fairly solid. The servers for “Halo: Reach” were shaky at best on May 3; they constantly crashed because so many people were trying to play, but now the problem has been fixed.

So what should you look for in “Halo: Reach”? A multitude of things have changed from “Halo 3.” First, the Spartans are different. Their armor doesn’t look anything like Master Chief or the ODST armor. The new armors are much more customizable. They have updated the emblem creation system, adding new emblem icons and making the process much faster. You still have plenty of colors to choose from as well. Additionally, credits will allow players to unlock new equipment to customize their Spartan. Every game you play earns credits as you acquire medals and kills, along with credits for playing the game all the way through and victory bonus points.

New ranks also unlock new items to be bought with credits. Another cool item to return to Halo is the health pack which was taken out after “Halo: Combat Evolved.” But good luck finding one when you need it.

The next big change, and probably the most challenging, is the controls. The controller layout for “Halo: Reach” is very different from “Halo 3,” and is almost reminiscent of the original Halo, “Halo: Combat Evolved.” You can still customize your controls, but the defaults are still different. I am just grateful that the A-button is still jump. I can survive if I can jump, even if I don’t know what the other buttons do.

ARMOR ABILITIES

One of the main reasons for the changing the buttons is new armor abilities. Armor abilities are divided into classes or “loadouts” including Scout, which has a sprinting ability, Stalker, which utilizes active camouflage and jams radars, Guard which has an armor lock that holds you in place but makes you invincible for the duration of the power up and the very awesome jetpack-capable Airborne class.

Be warned: you can receive damage from the jetpack if you go too high and fall. Personally, every time I see people using jetpacks, I just giggle and wonder which Star Wars nerd at Bungie begged to have a Boba Fett-type ability.

Additionally, every time you spawn, you can change your class. In the beta it is also possible to play as the Elites, but only in very limited Covy (Covenant) Slayer matches. The Elites have a rolling dodge in place of armor abilities and also have more shields and health than their Spartan counterparts.

GAMEPLAY

Other changes include new game types in online matchmaking. Anyone familiar with Private Jimmy or the skulls from previous Halo games will enjoy Headhunter. In Headhunter, you collect the skulls of fallen enemies. Stockpile, on the other hand, is a capture-the-flag based game where two teams must collect as many neutral flags from the surrounding area, bring them to their designated base, and guard them until collected, then rinse and repeat until the game is over. First to collect 10 wins. Of course Team Slayer is still available, where you can continue fighting over who is better, Reds or Blues. Two other game types which I have not played in the beta are General Defense and Invasion. These games pit Spartans against Elites. Also new is the Arena, where it’s basically a more competitively minded free-for-all-let’s-kill-everybody match where all the people who had Hayabusa armor in “Halo 3” will be hanging out, thinking they’re better than everyone else.

An improvement over the Veto process in online matchmaking allows players to vote between three different game types, maps or none of the above (which brings up 3 more options, one of which must be played). The map with the most votes is the one you play.

So far, there are only two maps available: Powerhouse and Sword Base. Neither map is a vehicle map. Powerhouse has a similar feel to High Ground from “Halo 3.” Although not as open as High Ground, there is water to play in. Sword Base is very basic, just like it’s name. The name doesn’t really fit this map at all, and I hope they consider changing it before the final release. Additionally, the map is very human, which doesn’t match the Covenant weapon it was named for. This map is essentially divided into two tall white buildings connected by walkways and a narrow plaza on the ground floor. If you enjoy smashing things, this map has plenty of computers to be destroyed.

Another new way to earn kills and medals is through an assassination called “take downs.” Basically, it’s a awesome way to assassinate someone with a cool third-person animation instead of the customary melee strike. From what I’ve seen in game play, it’s just as humiliating as teabagging.

WEAPONS     (new weapons in Halo Reach)

Most of the weapons in this game have been upgraded from “Halo 3,” which doesn’t make that much sense since it’s supposed to be a prequel. All the weapons have new sounds to give them a more realistic feel. The assault rifle has a new, detailed look and finally packs a real punch on enemies. Although this weapon is still best when used in bursts.

Replacing the battle rifle is the Designated Marksman Rifle. This is a good mid- to long-range weapon that packs a much stronger punch than its predecessor with less recoil. I would recommend headshots over bursting for this weapon.

My least favorite weapon is the Focus Rifle, which replaces the Sentinel Beam and Beam Rifle. This weapon isn’t as unwieldy as the Sentinel Beam and can reach far across a map for those who favor long-distance kills.

Bungie has also debuted human and Covenant grenade launchers. The Covenant’s grenade launcher is called the Plasma Launcher. This weapon shoots plasma grenades and it has a tracking ability to follow targets. This weapon seems very overpowered, and only time and beta testing can tell if Bungie will tone it down. The human Grenade Launcher has two firing modes, one which shoots a group of grenades and another for timed explosions.

The Magnum is back, and has finally regained some of the power that Bungie stripped off after “Halo: Combat Evolved.” The ridiculous melee gun flip has returned from the original Halo as well. The Needler is back and it’s lost some of it’s cuteness. The Needler’s cousin, the Needle Rifle is meant for accuracy, making it essentially a Covenant version of the Designated Marksman Rifle, which makes it a good mid- to long-range weapon. So if you used the Needler because your accuracy isn’t very good, you might need some practice before you use the rifle. But never fear, you can still needle bomb an opponent with the Needle rifle.

The Plasma Repeater is a better version of the old Plasma Rifle. This weapon doesn’t have the bad recoil from overheating like its predecessor. Instead, this weapon just slows down when it overheats.

Returning weapons that really haven’t changed include the Plasma Pistol, Shotgun, Sniper Rifle, Gravity Hammer, and the Energy Sword.

AT A GLANCE

From my gameplay I found the game to be much faster paced. I know one common complaint is that the characters move too slow. Even without sprint, I felt that the characters moved faster, and battles happened quicker. While I’m still trying to gain experience with all armor types, I have one complaint with the invisibility. While playing splitscreen, my teammate chose to go invisible. When using the invisibility the noise gets muted during and briefly after the effects of the invisibility. Normally that doesn’t seem so bad, but every time he did it, my sound glitched and died, so as a result, my enemies sneaked in and shanked me. I couldn’t hear my enemies coming, and I wasn’t even the one who was invisible. Hopefully, Bungie will fix that glitch; otherwise, I won’t be playing splitscreen very often.

“Halo: Reach” has new games, more customization, and brings back some lost jewels from “Halo: Combat Evolved.” Also worth noting, all medals and ranks will reset when the final game is released. If the beta is anything to go by, the final game is sure to be a best-seller. If you haven’t spent time playing this game, then you owe yourself a study break.

- Ashton Archer is a sophomore in mechanical engineering and political science. Please send comments to edge@spub.ksu.edu.

“Liked this post? Subscribe to my RSS feed and get loads more!”

Halo: Reach Weapons, Armor & Vehicles Revealed

Halo Reach Reaches Over A Million Players

Halo: Reach Backstage Insider’s Look

Halo Reach: New Weapons List

Halo 3 Secrets, Cheats and Hints

Halo 3 Tips

HAWX’s enhanced-reality system helps you shake missile locks and target enemy aces.

HAWX follows the story of the titular squadron and its leader, Major David Crenshaw. After you’re transferred to HAWX as squadron leader, the group is disbanded by the US Air Force in 2014, following events in the Ghost Recon Advanced Warfighter games. (You get the cool task of rescuing Captain Mitchell and the Ghosts in the first mission of the game.) After this, Crenshaw joins Artemis, a private military contractor that works both for corporations and the Brazilian government. Artemis attacks US forces, causing Crenshaw to have a change of heart and goes back to what he does best: defending the US against hostile forces, namely Artemis. HAWX’s story, like those in other Tom Clancy games, is presented via cutscenes, radio chatter, and video updates. The story is largely inconsequential, but it sets the scene well enough for your numerous engagements and keeps the game moving along at a brisk pace.

HAWX is instantly accessible and is a lot of fun to pick up and play in short bursts. The controls are uncomplicated and work well enough that even issuing orders to wingmen during a dogfight is easily accomplished. One of the major gameplay innovations in HAWX is the Enhanced Reality System. ERS is essentially a series of gates projected onto your heads-up display that, when you fly through them successfully, let you shake missile locks or catch up to challenging enemies. For example, in one mission ERS helps you fly a predetermined course to avoid radar detection, which in turn lets you knock out a base’s air-defence grid. There are a number of scenarios in which ERS proves useful, but thankfully it’s not a system that you can use as a crutch to get you through every single mission.

The ERS definitely makes portions of HAWX significantly easier than they would be without it, so for the experienced pilots among you, there’s an option to fly with all of the assistance turned off. Unlike similar options in racing games, the assistance option can be toggled on the fly by double-tapping one of the triggers. When flying without assistance, you can perform sharper turns to avoid missile locks, but you’re more susceptible to stalling if you brake too hard. In this mode, the camera angle switches to a wider view of the landscape, which affords you a better view of your current target and incoming missiles. However, because the camera is constantly moving, it can be a bit disorienting and makes controlling your plane even more difficult. HAWX’s gameplay is fast-paced, frantic, and ultimately satisfying. It’s easy to get swept up in the tense saga while dogfighting over famous cities and picturesque landscapes, and there’s enough variety in the missions that the action never gets stale. Dogfights are nothing like bombing runs, and escorting a friendly VIP is a quite different challenge compared to defending a base. There are 19 missions in the single-player campaign, spanning multiple continents that you’ll visit both in daylight and at night. Locales include famous city skylines such as Washington, Tokyo, and Rio de Janeiro, as well as remote areas in Nevada and the Magellan Strait.

There’s only one competitive multiplayer mode, but it’s a lot of fun.

HAWX is an arcade-style game rather than a simulation at its heart, which is why your payload can include upward of 100 missiles for each mission. As you progress through the story, the odds against you become increasingly steep, as enemy aircraft are joined by ground and naval forces and antiair defences become more common. Thankfully, you have a large and varied arsenal at your disposal that includes long- and short-range missiles, antiground “dumb” bombs, cannons, rocket pods, and countermeasures. Though it would be unrealistic for a small, single-seater jet to carry that much firepower in real life, it’s a triumph of gameplay over realism that in HAWX you can stay in the heat of battles without ever needing to land and resupply.

HAWX rewards you with dozens of unlockables throughout its campaign. Licensed planes include the iconic F-22 Raptor, the stealthy F-117 Nighthawk, the devastating A-10A Thunderbolt II, and other models from the likes of MiG, Eurofighter, and Saab. There appears to be no shortage of variety in the hangar, but the handling of the planes doesn’t change much when you move between cockpits, which is disappointing. Despite the fact that HAWX is set in the future, you earn your stripes flying older fighter jets before being allowed into the cockpits of more modern aircraft in later missions. Despite the High Altitude Warfare–Experimental acronym in the title, there are no experimental fighters in the game, and most of the warfare takes place just a few thousand feet above ground. That doesn’t make the game any less enjoyable, though, and flying over famous landmarks in an F-22 without having to worry about throttle gauges and limited ammunition is a real treat.

Many of HAWX’s missions group you with a pair of wingmen. You can order your comrades to attack targets or to concentrate on defending you, but they’re not always reliable and you certainly shouldn’t expect them to get much done without your help. At best, they’ll destroy the occasional enemy unit, but you still have to do the majority of the work in each mission. You can also fly with your friends in the four-player cooperative mode, which definitely makes the campaign more rewarding. You can drop in or out of an existing co-op game at any time, and though the gameplay remains the same, it’s much more rewarding to devise strategies and coordinate with real people than it is with AI wingmen.

HAWX’s competitive multiplayer offering is also fun, but it’s limited to just one eight-player Team Deathmatch mode. Multiplayer battles take place in a good selection of 19 maps based on those from the campaign missions, and it’s far more satisfying to take down a human opponent than it is an AI pilot. Furthermore, if you string together a number of kills in succession then you gain access to special abilities such as an enemy-stalling EMP blast, which is a nice touch.

Missions take you to varied locations all over the globe.

From a distance, the environments–which are created with real satellite data–look beautiful. Natural landscapes and expanses of water are incredibly lifelike, and city skylines are nicely detailed. But if you fly too low, the illusion is shattered. Trees look rough and pixelated, and Chicago’s skyline might as well be a collection of cardboard boxes on close inspection. The planes are the game’s stars, and each one is modelled realistically with great attention to detail. Light bounces off of wings, afterburners glow with blistering heat, missiles launch in clouds of smoke, and explosions serve as a gorgeous reminder of just how much power you have at your command. The frame rate occasionally takes a hit when there’s a lot of action onscreen, but for the most part the engine holds up extremely well. Realistic sound effects add a great deal to the presentation; slow jet burns give way to intense growls as your speed increases, and the various beeps and buzzes associated with missile locks really add to the feeling of being an ace pilot.

Tom Clancy’s HAWX is a rewarding arcade aerial-combat experience that looks and sounds every bit as good as it plays. The controls, and in particular the ERS innovation, make dogfighting in iconic planes over famous cities as accessible as it is enjoyable. It’s unfortunate that the multiplayer options are so limited and that the various aircraft all feel very similar to fly, but there’s lots of fun to be had here for novices and top guns alike.

Liked this post?

Subscribe to my RSS feed and get loads more!”

Splinter Cell Conviction List Of Weapons

Tom Clancy’s Splinter Cell Conviction

Less than 24 hours later, Bungie revealed exactly how big the beta’s first-day turnout was. “We had over 1 million unique players login to the Reach beta,” the studio announced via Twitter. It also promised that it had rectified many of its server issues and the beta experience should be “smoother” as the week progressed. The developer expects over 3 million people to play the beta before it ends on May 19.

The Halo: Reach beta can be accessed through the menu of last year’s hit shooter Halo 3: ODST. It will initially include three different playlists that players can experiment with. While a variety of new and old match types will be covered, the playlists will feature the game’s new four-on-four Team Deathmatch Arena mode. Bungie will add in a fourth playlist, which focuses on large-scale Spartan vs. Elite matches and introduces the “Generator Defense” match type on May 14.

For most of the beta, access will be limited to Xbox Live Gold subscribers, as is typical for multiplayer gameplay on the Xbox 360. However, Xbox Live Silver members will get a chance to play the Reach beta (as well as Halo 3 and Halo 3: ODST) online for free from 9 a.m. PDT on May 14 through 9 a.m. PDT on May 17.

“Liked this post? Subscribe to my RSS feed and get loads more!”

Halo: Reach Weapons, Armor & Vehicles Revealed

Halo: Reach Backstage Insider’s Look

Halo 3 Secrets, Cheats and Hints

Halo 3 Tips

California originally passed the anti-gaming law in 2005 by arguing that the state should be able to prohibit the sale of violent games to minors in the same way they restrict the sale of sexual material. California argued that violent games harm children psychologically and make them more violent, antisocial or aggressive.

The Entertainment Software Association and another industry trade group challenged the law in court by characterizing games as a form of artistic expression protected by the First Amendment, and pointed out that the industry already regulates itself in the form of the ESRB Lower courts agreed with the game industry.

“None of the research establishes or suggests a causal link between minors playing violent video games and actual psychological or neurological harm, and inferences to that effect would not be reasonable,” Judge Consuelo Callahan said in the 9th Circuit ruling.

California appealed the 9th Circuit ruling, and now the matter will move on to the big, legal show: The Supreme Court.

The lower courts accepted arguments that California failed to show sufficient evidence that games are harmful to minors. That, combined with the guarantee of free expression the first amendment provides, seems to me to be pretty strong evidence that the law will be ruled unconstitutional…but I’m no Supreme Court Justice. We shall see when this big case goes down in the fall.

Source: ABC News

“Liked this post? Subscribe to my RSS feed and get loads more!”

What Do You Think About Video Game Violence?

Fighting Video Games Do Not Cause Violence

Join the Fight Against H.R. 231

Martin Zavrel, Development Manager at 2K Czech, talks about his work in the studio and on the game. (You may already know Martin from around the 2K Forums — if so, here’s your chance to learn a bit more about what he does when not posting about Mafia II!)

Tell us about your background – how long have you been at 2K Czech? How did you get in the industry?

Originally I started out as a game journalist. I was freelancing for several media outlets (online, print, television) before settling down as a chief-editor of magazine Doupe. By that time, Petr Vochozka, who was Illusion Softworks CEO back then, approached me. He told me that he liked the ideas and opinions in my articles and that I should make better use of them by actually making games, not just writing about them. Obviously this was an offer you can’t refuse. I joined the studio in 2004 and since then I have taken on several duties on few consecutive projects, starting with Hidden and Dangerous 2: Sabre Squadron.

How does your work differ now from when you were a journalist ? Would you be less critical if you wrote articles again now?

It was a big change to go “through the looking glass.” Even when a journalist is fortunate enough to participate in many studio tours across the world, he will never really see the raw development process up close and personal. There is just so much that goes into inventing and putting together everything that makes a big game – you cannot describe all the difficulties, emotions, energy and hard work that go into the process. But even though I say that now, understanding better how games are born would actually not change my writing attitude as a journalist – a game is still as good as it plays: the end-user experience is not and should not be influenced by the development experience. What’s it like to be on the inside of the studio, and how do you view the industry after coming from journalism?

Working in a big Press company before, I was always somehow lonely. Being a game journalist, my colleagues from different media/publications either did not understand my area of expertise or they considered it inferior. The best thing about moving into a game development studio is that I can share my passion for games with literally everyone and they are as excited about our projects and all the good games out there as much as I am. Anyway, my view of the industry got much wider thanks to seeing almost all of its sides (hardcore user, publishing and development) and I still consider it to be the most interesting media of our generation. It will grow into more powerful and interesting entertainment in the future, thatґs for sure.

Tell us about your day to day role at 2K Czech?

My title/position has actually changed few times, from assistant producer to lead designer to music producer to the current development manager of our “media group.” I guess it is not only due to different needs of the projects that I have been working on but also due to my rather wide spread of interests. Currently I am handling the managing of music, audio and cutscenes for Mafia II while I also take care of the marketing requests that are coming into the studio. Recently I was given a chance to participate on the official 2K Forums for Mafia II and although I’m swamped with my studio duties, I still enjoy my time among our fans very much.

What do you like about your job? What is a good day for Martin Zavrel?

Well, I am quite passionate person and I do have a very strong relationship with our music department. I love to come in, sit with Matus and listen to the newest piece of music. The same goes for sitting in front of a newly finished cutscene from our animators. Other than that, as a manager, I obviously love when a week or month ends and work is delivered as planned. Last but not least, being the communicative character that I am, I enjoy to spend time with the journalists or focus group people when they come to visit us.

What are you most proud of so far concerning Mafia II?

I did play a special role in setting up the music. I was in charge of the “musician contest” a few years ago and was fortunate enough to select Matus Siroky as the winner. After that I have helped him get used to the game industry and his work within the studio. Together we went through the difficult process of defining the musical style for Mafia II. Although we are aware of the Mafia I heritage, we really wanted to come up with something new and bigger than before. We were struggling between classical movie style (Godfather movie), modern movie style (Road to Perdition movie) and contemporary jazz. In the end, reactions of the fans to some of the musical bits we have already released prove that we went in the right direction.

What sorts of games do you play in your spare time? What are you playing at the moment?

I am a huge fan of anything with a strong story, beautiful music and generally strong emotions. Because of that, I play a lot of RPGs (Final Fantasy, Mass Effect, Oblivion,) but also heavy story based action/adventure games such as Metal Gear Solid or Silent Hill. At this very moment, I am still playing Resident Evil 5 (although I have unlocked all the achievements already) but also Call of Duty 5 multiplayer, Killzone 2 multiplayer, Riddick: Assault on the Dark Athena and Godfather 2. I always play more than one game at a time and I always have all the platforms that are out there, including handhelds.

And what is your favorite game of all time?

To pick just one is so damn hard! All right, I would have to say the original Metal Gear Solid (PSOne, 1998). For me, even though being a hardcore movies fan, this game has broken the barriers and proved that a videogame can be the ultimate form of narration, literally plunging the player into the virtual world – and when he eventually surfaces, he does so richer and wiser as if he actually went on that trip for real. Also some of the melodies and dialogues from that game will never let go of my mind: “You mustn’t allow yourself to be chained to fate, to be ruled by your genes. Human beings can choose the kind of life that they want to live.”

Source: Mafia2Game.com

“Liked this post? Subscribe to my RSS feed and get loads more!”

Mafia II E3 2009 Big City Interview

Mafia 2 Cars-What’s Your Favorite?

Mafia List Of Weapons

Jimi Hendrix explodes onto the screen in the Central Hall of the Las Vegas Convention Center. It’s an iconic, well-worn sequence of archival footage from Woodstock, the stuff of retrospective montages and ’60s music anthology infomercials. Only now, it’s in 3D. Hendrix seems to pop out from the screen, while the stage and band members are mashed flat behind him. A crowd shot reveals not so much a massed sea of fans, but sliding layers of them. Just before the Sony logo appears, one of those fans flashes the peace sign. It doesn’t look like a three-dimensional hand. It’s more like a cardboard cutout, jutting out into space like a half-finished work of hippie origami.

This breaking up of old footage into somewhat arbitrary layers is the opposite of remastering. And it’s one of many problems with 3D entertainment. Sometimes 3D is eye-popping. But not everyone fell in love with Avatar’s 3D wizardry—with so much groundbreaking digital performance capture and panoramic CGI on display, why suffer through the migraine-inducing view from behind a pair of RealD passive polarized glasses just to experience the occasional moment of vertigo? Even for those who were unabashedly amazed by Avatar, did the magic of its 3D elements really last past the two-hour mark? And sometimes, as in the case of Jimi Hendrix, 3D is just a bewildering parlor trick. In either case, it never manages to be more realistic than 2D, since it can’t copy the way the eye flickers from foreground to background, or mimic the more complex cognitive function of processing depth. In movies and on TV (and with all due respect to Avatar’s $1.3 billion box office) 3D will never be much more than a gimmick. But everything that makes it so wrong for television and movies makes it perfect for video games.

At CES last week, the atmosphere at Sony’s 3D gaming area and at Nvidia’s panoramic 3D Vision Surround gaming demo stations was totally different from that at the many booths with 3D TVs on display. Middle-aged regional distributors slip on the same glasses that they had just used to watch animated characters over-emote in Monsters vs. Aliens on Blu-Ray, and looked at the same LED-backlit displays, but now they were grinning like children, belting out things like “whoa” and “that’s cool!” Some games looked better than others in 3D—Avatar: The Game, ironically, featured strangely flat, 2D water effects, while the downloadable PlayStation Network title Super Stardust HD, with its tiny arcade spaceships and ball-like revolving planetscape was awesome. One of the most impressive glimpses of 3D gaming, though, wasn’t playable. A demo reel at Sony’s booth showed 3D footage from various games, including the off-road racer MotorStorm Pacific Rift, and a spine-quivering jump from a cliff. It’s not the first video-game stunt to induce vertigo. But it might be the first to inspire a complete stranger to turn to me, bug-eyed, and say, “Holy s**t.”

The point here isn’t that all games are universally great in 3D. There are bound to be specific 3D effects that work better in some games, and some games that are naturally more or less of a fit for 3D. Gran Turismo 5 is exciting in 3D, but is it exciting enough to justify buying a $50 pair of glasses and high-end LED 3D-ready TV, not to mention a family-size bottle of ibuprofin for the resulting headache? On the other hand, playing Avatar: The Game on Nvidia’s three-monitor setup is completely astonishing: Its use of 3D is more consistent and universally effective than in the movie. Somewhere in the middle is the 3D-ification of Little Big Planet, which was already composed of layers of 2D imagery, now just a little more visually striking with those layers placed more distinctly forward or backward. The effectiveness and overall impact varies, but nowhere in these games does the 3D look bad. There’s no equivalent of the shoddy, cardboard cutout effect seen in that Hendrix clip, or in other hit-and-miss footage from 3D movies or television.

There’s a simple technical reason for the high quality of 3D visuals in games—virtual cameras are easier to control than physical ones. 3D’s central optical illusion is pulled off by either filming with two cameras, which recreates the stereoscopic effect of perceiving depth with a pair of eyes, or else massaging existing footage until it kind of looks as though it has depth. The latter nearly always looks bad—the image is still mostly flat, but now it’s flat in layers. The former, which is referred to as native 3D content, requires incredibly precise double-camera rigs, and generally some amount of post-production cleanup to keep pixels captured by both cameras from straying too close or too far.

On the other hand, maintaining image quality in 3D games is as easy as inserting an additional virtual camera into the game, whether a game is developed in native 3D or retroactively patched for 3D, according to Atsushi Honda, an electrical engineer who worked on Sony’s new 3D LED displays. Developers routinely add in-game independently moving cameras to a given gaming environment, such as in split-screen multiplayer modes. For 3D, the only difference is that both cameras are “grafted” onto each other, with a tightly controlled amount of space between them (enough to accomplish that depth-perception trick). More processor-heavy is the fact that, unless developers are willing to live with a plunge in image quality, the frame rate essentially doubles, to some 120 frames per second. The PS3 should be able to handle this graphical bump to 3D with a firmware upgrade, available later this year. And although everyone else at the Sony booth dodged the question, Honda confirmed that the PS3 will run in 3D on any 3D-ready TV, so long as it’s compatible with HDMI 1.4, an updated transfer protocol.

As important as the PS3’s imminent 3D upgrade might be for the technology to go mainstream, PC gaming has been compatible with 3D for years. “Every PC game, starting from later versions of DirectX 8 [a suite of development applications], had the 3D information in it,” says David Chechelashvili, head of the gaming division at 3D hardware-maker XpanD Cinema. “There was no media, however, to display it.” The dual virtual cameras have been running since 2002, but until recently there was no way to check the quality of the combined footage, or to tweak a given scene or 3D effect. The result is a library of some 400 PC titles that will run in 3D right now, provided you have the right setup: a monitor that’s 3D-ready, a graphics card that can tap into Direct X’s 3D capabilities and active shutter glasses like the ones available from Nvidia. (By this summer, XpanD will sell its own set as well.)

Game developers’ experience with native 3D, plus the inherent precision of virtual stereoscopic cameras, which don’t require NASA-grade stabilization motors to keep out-of-sync frames from melting into an eye-crossing haze, might explain why some 3D games look good, some look great, but none look truly bad. “In terms of image quality and impressiveness, gaming is far, far ahead,” says Chechelashvili. “With movies and entertainment on TV, you see a more varied opinion of 3D. With games, everyone loves it, except for those die-hard skeptics, who aren’t talking about the way the games look. They’re just saying we’re never going to wear those stupid glasses in front of the TV.”

There’s one other possible explanation, though, for why 3D seems to be such a perfect match for gaming. It’s harder to quantify, and even harder to defend. Here it is: No matter how incredible the graphics are, and how immersive the gameplay is, games are silly. They are unapologetically gimmicky, and only nominally realistic. Ammunition counts and targeting reticles are stamped into your virtual mind’s eye, and peripheral vision is replaced by red semicircles and dinky little grenade icons pointing to incoming threats. You’re a half-blind, half-deaf ghost in every game world, able to hit 120 mph on a dirt road without feeling the engine screaming in your chest and the steering wheel bucking in your hands. Time, space, even physics are all approximations, and you learn how to interact with all three. So when the alien jungle you’re crashing through in 3D looks like one magnificently painted strip of cardboard stacked behind another, or the view from the driver’s seat ignores the windshield entirely, that’s okay. The sense of interactive depth when your pistol rounds streak downrange and thud into an alien creature, or the visceral panic that hits the moment before you drift into a wall—that’s what 3D is for. Think of it as a consolation prize—even if the biggest gamble in consumer electronics crashes and burns, 3D is still well positioned to become the new state of the art for video games.

And if you think gamers can’t bear to put on a bunch of dumb-looking glasses and embarrass themselves in front of each other, consider Dance Dance Revolution, Guitar Hero, Rock Band and every single game on the Nintendo Wii. Gaming is a safe haven for silly. 3D will fit in just fine.

“Liked this post? Subscribe to my RSS feed and get loads more!”

Top 10 Video Games Trailers That Could Pass As Movies

3D Gaming Releases in 2010

According to the tipster, Microsoft is building a “sensor bar” that detects full body movement and sound. In other words, being able to move around and control the action without the help of a controller.

Compatible with any Xbox 360 system, the “Project Natal” sensor is the world’s first to combine an RGB camera, depth sensor, multi-array microphone and custom processor running proprietary software all in one device. Unlike 2-D cameras and controllers, “Project Natal” tracks your full body movement in 3-D, while responding to commands, directions and even a shift of emotion in your voice.

Let’s establish some facts with the precursor: the Wiimote. Wiimote is a two sensor system made of one 3-axis rotation sensor and one optical (IR) sensor located in the pointer lens that tracks where on the screen the Wiimote is pointing at, relative to the sensor bar that comes with the console. An additional Nunchuck that also contains a motion sensor can be connected by a cable to the Wiimote. The recently introduced Wii Motion Plus is an add-on to the Wiimote that contains an angular rate sensor that can help differentiate between “twisting” and linear (movement) motion, thus making the overall motion sensing and interpretation more accurate.

Note that all these sensors only know what’s happening (rotation, acceleration) relative to their own position. They are the center of their small universe. Because of that, every Wii game is using some sort of context to “guess” how to interpret the data. They often need a “start position” that will tell them what the point of origin is (archery or golf are good examples) or games like Tennis sense simple swings and mostly adapt themselves, depending on the player’s position on screen. It’s robust because there are no external factor that can interfere and it’s arguably an efficient way to tackle the problem.

The Sony Motion Controller also use a motion sensor but it is augmented with visual information fed by a camera that can see a tracker (the glowy end of the remote). The presence of the motion sensor in Sony’s product is significant because that’s what propelled the visual motion tracking from “relatively bad” to “really cool”. Why? Because optical (color) tracking alone was simply not good enough. But when combined with a motion sensor, it actually surpasses the Wii Motion Plus.

Thanks to the internal sensor, the Sony Motion Controller knows exactly what orientation/acceleration it currently has but it also knows exactly where it is in space and what kind of motion the controller is really doing in the real world. Unlike the Nintendo solution, Sony has much less “guess work” to do because it can “see” what’s going on, although we think that games will still have to make some assumption about the current activity.

Optical tracking is not without challenge. Some external factors such as strong lights or sensor occluders might be problematic, but overall, Sony has done a good job of demonstrating the capability of their concept. We will know for sure when this will be an actual product but Sony’s motion sensing solution is theoretically superior to Nintendo’s. The controller itself will have buttons, so it is something that players should be accustomed to.

In short, Microsoft senses more: color, depth and voice. From a high-level, takes a visual approach to the problem, but the additional depth perception helps Microsoft overcome the barrier onto which Sony’s EyeToy color-based approach crashed. That makes it less prone to color interference. Anyhow, by using a virtual skeleton of the player (created once, then stored), Natal is capable of figuring out the body’s motion, including its position in space. Microsoft’s Natal greatest strength is that it can scan full body motions, something that neither Sony or Nintendo are capable of doing with their motion sensing solutions. Natal should, in theory, be much better for a boxing/fighting game or for the next Dance Dance Revolution type of products. It could also teach you to swing perfectly by comparing your skeletal motion with Tiger Wood’s…

It is however far from being a product and while we think that it mostly works, we wonder how much setup is involved. The video footage that shows how Natal works in the living room is a concept, Microsoft warns, and while we hope that it will be as good in reality, we are cautiously optimistic.

Theoretically, with Natal you could also hold a rolled-up magazine and use it as a “sword” – no accessory needed. In its promotional video, Microsoft hinted that you could use any objects with Natal and it depends entirely on the application. We have heard that Microsoft has already approached game developers, and that so far, it is “very usable”.

In addition, unlike other devices, the “Project Natal” sensor is not light-dependent. It can recognize you just by looking at your face, and it doesn’t just react to key words but understands what you’re saying. Call a play in a football game, and players will actually respond. Want to log onto Xbox LIVE? Simply step in front of the sensor.

This setup will apparently be able to pick up full body and gesture control, including small gestures like pinching, grabbing and scrolling.

“The next step in interactive entertainment is to make the controller disappear,” said Steven Spielberg, visionary director and producer. “With ‘Project Natal,’ we’ll see games that bring everyone together through technology that actually recognizes us.”

Moving beyond just rumors, Sony’s finally put a name to their motion controller, and it’s called PlayStation Move. The launch window is set for the Fall of 2010 with the release of multiple packages that include a Move controller or The Eye and Move game combo for under $100.

We thought that Sony and Microsoft would have come up with something to counter the Wiimote years ago, but “late” is be better than “never”. Both companies have realized that non-hardcore gamers represent their future growth – that’s what Nintendo itself said too- and if they want to cash on this new manna, they have to have motion-based games that seem so popular.

On the paper, Microsoft’s solution looks to be the most flexible one, but as always the content (and pricing) will dictate its success. In our view, the lack of button is a problem (do you believe in gestures for everything?) that is easy to solve with a cheap, small, wireless controller. But, because it is so different (superior?), developers might take a wait-and-see approach before creating games that cannot be ported to PS3 and Wii even if we expect an initial rush to be bundled with the hardware when it launches.

Sony’s solution is factually better than Nintendo’s and uses relatively known and proven concepts. It looks close enough to be a product, so we don’t expect bad surprises at this point. Sony’s Motion Controller might not be as “cool” as Microsoft’s Natal, but it might be enough to get new gamers on-board, and that’s what counts in the end. We think that because it is closer to Nintendo’s solution, game developer might port their Nintendo titles to the PS3 easily.

Nintendo seems to be the “loser” of this story, but the low price of the Wii will protect them in the short term, and they have another year before competitors have real products. Conceptually, they too could come up with a vision-based solution, although the weakness in processing power would probably come back to bite them in the butt. Another non-negligible fact is the incredible branding credit that Nintendo has acquired in non-gaming (aka new customers) circles. Finally, the Wii might be just “good enough” for these games – at least for this round of consoles. For sure, Nintendo will have to find another trick for its next-generation console.

“Liked this post? Subscribe to my RSS feed and get loads more!”

Which Video Game Console Should I Buy?

PlayStation 3 Games Complete List A to Z

Xbox 360 Games Complete List A to Z

Wii Games Complete List A to Z

What Do I Need To Play Xbox Live?

What Is The PlayStation Network ?

In the recent years though, websites offering games for free continued to improve and today they have achieve a certain level of quality that the difference between a purchased game and a game played for free has been lessened to a certain degree. The games that are now downloadable or played online for free has become more and more competitive that it has become a compelling rival against the games that are purchased. Free games can now offer an equally exciting experience to its players with the use of intelligently designed graphics, imaginative artwork, and comparable special effects.

Due to this, online players no longer want to spend their hard earned cash to be able to play an exciting game since they are readily available online without the need to spend a dime. These days a lot of online vendors that offer games for a price often charge a monthly subscription fee to enable the players to continually use the game or upgrade the version of the game. Online gamers no longer continue these kinds of subscriptions because they obviously are now able to play a game with no monthly fee which is usually being updated automatically with no cost on the player at all.

This is of course applicable to those online players who love a game just for the fun of it. If you are the kind of player who prefer a far superior kind of graphics, then you would still probably enjoy those games that are available for purchase which are kind of heavier than the free flash games offered by numerous websites online.

Though free video games have indeed won a lot of fans worldwide, it will still boil down to your personal preference on what kind of games you want. With the free games, most of them will be played with a flash player and speed will depend on the reliability of your internet connections while purchased games would mostly be downloaded and can be played even when your internet connection is turned off.

Aside from this there are also types of games which you can play through a game console which provides a better player experience since the graphics are far more better than what you can play online. These types of games can also be played without the need of a computer as well as an internet connection. Whatever fighting video game you choose to play, you will certainly have a very entertaining experience with it. Thanks to all the developers and those who came up with this technology that people can now experience an exhilarating time while staying at home and getting that adrenaline rush every time we get to face our strongest enemies and beat him in his own game.

“Liked this post? Subscribe to my RSS feed and get loads more!”

Wii Games Complete List A to Z

Xbox 360 Games Complete List A to Z

PlayStation 3 Games Complete List A to Z

Which Video Game Console Should I Buy?

What Do I Need To Play Xbox Live?

You could even watch the BAFTA Video Games Awards 2010 ceremony live on the Internet which is a great sign of how serious they are becoming in terms of entertainment awards, who knows we may see them broadcast on TV in a few years!

As far as 2009 is concerned it was a good year for games, and unsurprisingly some of the big names were prevalent across the board in the nominations: Batman: Arkham Asylum, Uncharted 2: Among Thieves, Assassins Creed 2 and of course Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 all featuring heavily.

Action

But on with the awards, and the first one to be announced was that for best Action game which went to Uncharted 2; managing to fight off all of the other big names such as Left 4 Dead 2 to win its first but by no means last award of the night.

Family

Secondly we had the Family game of the year which deservedly went to Wii Sports Resort which as anyone who has played it will testify is great fun: nothing is quite as fun as beating the virtual stuffing out of your nearest and dearest!

Use of Online

The first of the completely new categories for this year was ‘Use of Online’ which went to the incredibly popular (selling more than 9.7 million copies) FIFA 10.

Use of Audio

I certainly couldn’t argue with the winner of this award, Uncharted 2 picked up its second award of the night for ‘Use of Audio’.

Handheld

Next we had the Handheld category, which went to Little Big Planet which has now proven to be a success on both of Sony’s platforms beating off some big names in the handheld world including the likes of Mario and Professor Layton!

GAME Award

One of the most interesting awards in the gaming BAFTAs has got to be the GAME award which due to the fact that it’s the only award given by a public vote gives a better reflection of what the most popular game of the year was – so it came as no surprise that it went to Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 with Assassins Creed 2 taking a well deserved 2nd place and Uncharted 2 receiving 3rd place.

Strategy

Last year we saw Sid Meier’s Civilisation Revolution take the Strategy award, and this year it again went to the latest of an amazingly successful series of games, this time the Total War games and the latest (as of 2009) incarnation of the brand: Empire Total War.

Original Score

Next came the proof that perhaps the ‘Use of Audio’ and ‘Original Score’ are very much connected as Uncharted 2 won the latter to collect their 3rd (but not last) award;

Multiplayer

Next up was the ‘Multiplayer’ award in which Left 4 Dead 2 followed in its predecessor’s footsteps by bringing the award home for Valve, an interesting choice given the initial outcry of how many fans thought it should have been free DLC content.

Gameplay

‘Gameplay’ was another category which due to the impressive list of nominees was set to be close, but it was Batman: Arkham Asylum which won it in the end – leaving Assassins Creed 2 the only of the big four nominees not to have received an award!

Sports

Unsurprisingly (given its earlier success and hyping-up by multiple ‘award givers’) FIFA 10 took its second award of the night in the ‘Sports’ award category.

Story

With so many games offering great stories these days, it was good to see a truly cinematic game story being the winner in the shape of Uncharted 2 who took their 4th and last award of the night for best ‘Story’.

One to Watch

One of the other new awards for this year was the ‘One To Watch’ award which celebrates some of the more inventive and ‘off the wall’ games around at the moment and was won by ‘Shrunk’ in which, as the title suggests, you play a shrunken pepper-pot sized character out to save the world, and was received by a very charming group of students all of which wished to thank their families which was a nice touch!

Artistic Achievement

The penultimate award was for ‘Artistic Achievement’ which went to the Flower for its aesthetically pleasing design, and was picked up by an equally likeable representative who by his own admission was very surprised to win the award which was well deserved!

Best Game

The final, and quite possibly biggest, award is that for Best Game and it went to Batman: Arkham Asylum, and although that may not have been my first choice it has to be said that it was a very good game and very well deserved.

So that’s the end of this year’s gaming BAFTAs, so we can all start looking forward to the games yet to come this year and the good fun it will bring! In the meantime you can check out the video highlights of the BAFTA Video Games Awards ceremony below.

“Liked this post? Subscribe to my RSS feed and get loads more!”