The time for cheap games is normally in mid-summer and the holiday season -- in other words, when Steam holds one of its legendary sales. This year, everyone seems to have gone a little Halloween crazy too, though, with the latest to join the fray being strategic specialists Paradox Interactive.
Three of Paradox's titles will be available for 75% off during the course of the sale, which will be running until November 1 on Steam, October 30 on Gamersgate and Green Man Gaming, and October 31 on Impulse.
First up is the Penumbra Collection, a pair of horrific adventures that task players with navigating an underground complex and discovering the truth behind your father's disappearance. Grab it from Steam, Gamersgate, Impulse or Green Man Gaming.
Next is Woody Two Legs, a top-down arcade shooter than challenges players to hold off the advancing hordes of zombie pirates by, well, shooting them. It's a fun casual blaster for fans of score attack-style gameplay. Grab it from Steam.
Finally comes Fort Zombie, an RPG that focuses on a single location -- the titular fort -- and revolves around you defending it against the zombie hordes through completing missions and acquiring materials with which to upgrade it. Paradox describes it as "Dungeon Master meets Fallout," which sounds pretty good to me. Grab this one from Gamersgate or Impulse.
Keep an eye on the Paradox website over the next few days because it sounds like there might be some other offers over the weekend, too.
Earn money online
Saturday, October 29, 2011
Yep, Another Halloween Sale, This Time from Good Old Games
Got a bit of spare cash burning a hole in your pocket? It seems that every digital distribution platform under the sun is willing to take that spare money off your hands this Halloween, as each offers its own appealing range of special offers.
Fans of older titles (or owners of older computers) might want to check out Good Old Games' latest horror-themed sale, which offers a variety of titles for 50% off. The offer includes Sierra's excellent Gabriel Knight series of supernatural point and clickers; the dreadful-but-simultaneously-awesome Phantasmagoria series of FMV adventures; comedic action adventure Litil Divil; shooter/RPG/adventure hybrid Realms of the Haunting; terrifying puzzle adventure Scratches: Director's Cut; oldschool top-down alien blaster Shadowgrounds; psychedelic point-and-clicker Sanitarium; and the less-good of the two Vampire: The Masquerade games, Redemption. (If you do want to play a Vampire game, do yourself a favor and pick up Bloodlines instead, which is infinitely better, and available for 75% off in Steam's sale.)
For the most part, the offerings in the sale live up to the description "Good Old Games." Considering you can pick all of them up for considerably less than the price of a new retail title, it's definitely not a bad deal at all. Check out the full list here.
Fans of older titles (or owners of older computers) might want to check out Good Old Games' latest horror-themed sale, which offers a variety of titles for 50% off. The offer includes Sierra's excellent Gabriel Knight series of supernatural point and clickers; the dreadful-but-simultaneously-awesome Phantasmagoria series of FMV adventures; comedic action adventure Litil Divil; shooter/RPG/adventure hybrid Realms of the Haunting; terrifying puzzle adventure Scratches: Director's Cut; oldschool top-down alien blaster Shadowgrounds; psychedelic point-and-clicker Sanitarium; and the less-good of the two Vampire: The Masquerade games, Redemption. (If you do want to play a Vampire game, do yourself a favor and pick up Bloodlines instead, which is infinitely better, and available for 75% off in Steam's sale.)
For the most part, the offerings in the sale live up to the description "Good Old Games." Considering you can pick all of them up for considerably less than the price of a new retail title, it's definitely not a bad deal at all. Check out the full list here.
Get Beat Hazard for $1 on the Mac App Store
In celebration of the excellent Beat Hazard Ultra's recent release on the Mac App Store, one man developer Cold Beam Games has decided to sell the game for an astonishing 90% off until November 1. That means you can get a copy for $1.
If you haven't experienced this game, it's a twin stick shooter in the Geometry Wars vein, with the twist being that you can play your own music in the background -- and said music affects enemy waves, visual effects and even the power of your weapons. The game comes bundled with a collection of music, supports iTunes tracks and also has an Internet Radio facility for downloading new tunes with which to play. There's also a levelling and perk system available, along with online play and leaderboard support.
Beat Hazard is now available for PC, Mac, Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3, with an iOS version in the works releasing soon. Grab the $1 Mac version here.
If you haven't experienced this game, it's a twin stick shooter in the Geometry Wars vein, with the twist being that you can play your own music in the background -- and said music affects enemy waves, visual effects and even the power of your weapons. The game comes bundled with a collection of music, supports iTunes tracks and also has an Internet Radio facility for downloading new tunes with which to play. There's also a levelling and perk system available, along with online play and leaderboard support.
Beat Hazard is now available for PC, Mac, Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3, with an iOS version in the works releasing soon. Grab the $1 Mac version here.
Guardian Heroes | Treasure/Sega | XBLA
If you like hacking, slashing and generally causing havoc, Treasure's classic action RPG/brawler will make you very happy indeed. Offering a branching storyline with five different endings, online play and a total of 45 different characters to play with across the different modes, the game is an absolute bargain at 800 Microsoft Points.
Dungeon Defenders | Trendy Entertainment/Reverb Publishing | PC, XBLA, PSN
Trendy's innovative tower defense/action RPG combo has been a big hit on Steam and Xbox Live Arcade so far -- distribution issues on the European PSN store have meant that the PS3 version is lagging behind a bit, but sure to catch up. If you like the idea of playing online as a team with other people, but are tired of the same old guns, iron sights and grenades, Dungeon Defenders provides a huge amount of brightly-colored fun that is packed with personality for just $15.
Monday, October 24, 2011
This New Saints Row 3 Trailer Skewers Battlefield 3/Modern Warfare 3
Ah Saints Row – is there anything you won’t attempt to parody? This time round the po-faced style utilised in trailers for Battlefield 3 and Modern Warfare 3 is the target. Inside: a man in a pink cowboy hat pulling a rickshaw, a rabbit firing a rocket launcher, hoverbikes and a man getting hit in the testicles with a briefcase.
New York Comic-Con Day 5 Delivers Adventure Time, Silent Hill And Cosplay With A Side Of Bacon?
New York Comic-Con wrapped up Sunday with a schedule geared slightly more towards children. Sure there were plenty of things for everyone to do at the show, but they also made sure to have special events, panels and screenings for those younger comic, anime and video game fans out there. I took the opportunity to bring Tristan to his first comic con ever.
He loved it. Did you make it out to the show this year?
Don’t forget to click on the bottom right corner of an image to enlarge it.
He loved it. Did you make it out to the show this year?
Don’t forget to click on the bottom right corner of an image to enlarge it.
Remember This?
It’s box art Tuesday! Do you remember the game from this fragment of box art? Leave your answer in the comments! If no one gets the answer by 2pm I’ll put up a clue. If no one gets it after that I might put up another clue! Oh man, this is great.
The Best (Fake) Video Game Wedding Picture Ever?
I just went to a friend’s wedding this weekend and while it was a emotional, sincere and booze-filled good time, there was no roundhouse kicking at any point during the ceremonies.
As you can see by the pic above, that was a clear error. Especially when you consider that the groom is a games journalist in good standing. The pic’s from Reddit and commenter anyja postulates that it’s not actually a wedding, but most likely a staged shot on the Stanford University campus during one of the school’s dance competitions.
You know what that means. Some lucky unmarried couple can still make this happen.
As you can see by the pic above, that was a clear error. Especially when you consider that the groom is a games journalist in good standing. The pic’s from Reddit and commenter anyja postulates that it’s not actually a wedding, but most likely a staged shot on the Stanford University campus during one of the school’s dance competitions.
You know what that means. Some lucky unmarried couple can still make this happen.
Sunday, October 23, 2011
World Of Warcraft’s Next Big Expansion Is Mists Of Pandaria, Pandaren Playable Race
The next World of Warcraft expansion is called Mists of Pandaria, an expansion pack that includes a new race, level cap, class and talents.
The expansion pack, which was unveiled at Blizzcon 2011, but which wasn’t yet dated, will include the new panda-like Pandarens. The expansion takes place on the continent of Pandaria and comes with a new level cap of 90. The expansion also brings with it a new pet battle system, new talent system, Blizzard’s Chris Metzen announced today.
Metzen says that both factions can play as the pandas. It’s the first time Blizzard has ever tried this.
The expansion pack, which was unveiled at Blizzcon 2011, but which wasn’t yet dated, will include the new panda-like Pandarens. The expansion takes place on the continent of Pandaria and comes with a new level cap of 90. The expansion also brings with it a new pet battle system, new talent system, Blizzard’s Chris Metzen announced today.
Metzen says that both factions can play as the pandas. It’s the first time Blizzard has ever tried this.
Metal Band Unleashes Album Of Remixed Music From Zelda, Contra
In Real Life
Metal Band Unleashes Album Of Remixed Music From Zelda, Contra
By Matthew Buzzi on October 22, 2011 at 5:55 AM
An entirely original metal album remixing classic video game songs has been created by band Vomitron, entitled “No NES For The Wicked”.
Vomitron, which is actually made up of just one member, Peter Rutcho, kept the original compositions of the songs intact, but reinterpreted them using heavy metal instruments and drums.
The 14 tracks include “Contra”, “The Legend of Zelda”, “Double Dragon”, “Castlevania” and songs from others classic games.
“No NES came from loving metal, loving the songs and melodies from the games, and realising that the music from the games (very much 80s-based) had a strong heavy metal undercurrent to it. Anyone can see that,” says Rutcho.
Poking around Vomitron’s site, you can see that the band doesn’t take itself entirely seriously, but the music and album are clearly a labour of love. And while I don’t particularly like metal music, I can appreciate the quality of this, because it’s well done!
You can buy the CD for $US12 through the site if you’re so inclined, and be sure to give the sample selection a listen in the video above.
Metal Band Unleashes Album Of Remixed Music From Zelda, Contra
By Matthew Buzzi on October 22, 2011 at 5:55 AM
An entirely original metal album remixing classic video game songs has been created by band Vomitron, entitled “No NES For The Wicked”.
Vomitron, which is actually made up of just one member, Peter Rutcho, kept the original compositions of the songs intact, but reinterpreted them using heavy metal instruments and drums.
The 14 tracks include “Contra”, “The Legend of Zelda”, “Double Dragon”, “Castlevania” and songs from others classic games.
“No NES came from loving metal, loving the songs and melodies from the games, and realising that the music from the games (very much 80s-based) had a strong heavy metal undercurrent to it. Anyone can see that,” says Rutcho.
Poking around Vomitron’s site, you can see that the band doesn’t take itself entirely seriously, but the music and album are clearly a labour of love. And while I don’t particularly like metal music, I can appreciate the quality of this, because it’s well done!
You can buy the CD for $US12 through the site if you’re so inclined, and be sure to give the sample selection a listen in the video above.
Admins Will Control What’s Unlocked On Call Of Duty: Modern Warfare 3′s Dedicated Servers.
To clarify Unranked Dedicated Servers on PC. Admin has full control of unlocks. Can unlock all or fully customise whats unlocked in #MW3- @fourzerotwo via Twitter
Saturday, October 22, 2011
Assasins Creed Brotherhood Multiplayer BETA impressions
I just finished playing the Assassins Creed multiplayer BETA and I must say I'm impressed. I'm a huge fan of the first two games and have been waiting for this for a very long time. The controls are familiar to veterans of the series but they have been simplified. Assassinations happen with the square button and you don't have any other weapons. Well that and being anonymous. You earn new skills trough leveling up and in the BETA you have access to 20 levels and you can earn a few new abilities and unlock one more character.
Gameplay has clearly been paid attention to as the climbing is much easier and responsive now. The match consist of killing members of other team or cooperative mission. I have only played "deathmatch" and I must say it is very thrilling. The maps are filled with look a likes of the assassins and you need to stay hidden in plain sight or on rooftops and figure out who is your target based on a compass and the actions of the target. It is easy to find your target when they just run around but I faced quite a few who were really hard to find. Also the other members of the other team try to stop the assassins and this of course works the other way around. I'm happy that the concept works but I really wish they add more people to the final game who aren't look a likes because now the streets are filled with only 8 or was it 9 different looking people.
The characters are very personal looking and pleasant to watch. There are a lot of kill animations and they are extremely fluid. The look of the game overall is already polished but I feel like the streets at least in the Rome map lack colors and aren't as nice as in AC2.
For now the gameplay is covered well but I think there will be people who get fed up with the multiplayer after leveling up. I also think that the multiplayer isn't ready because it lacks lot of things for example other people who don't look like assassins and it could use a little more colour.
For me this is a definite buy but this is not a product that I can recommend to all at least not at this stage. It looks promising for now. I was worried the gameplay would suck but it didn't so thats good. In conclusion I'm looking forward for the full game but I have some worries about the multiplayer.
Gameplay has clearly been paid attention to as the climbing is much easier and responsive now. The match consist of killing members of other team or cooperative mission. I have only played "deathmatch" and I must say it is very thrilling. The maps are filled with look a likes of the assassins and you need to stay hidden in plain sight or on rooftops and figure out who is your target based on a compass and the actions of the target. It is easy to find your target when they just run around but I faced quite a few who were really hard to find. Also the other members of the other team try to stop the assassins and this of course works the other way around. I'm happy that the concept works but I really wish they add more people to the final game who aren't look a likes because now the streets are filled with only 8 or was it 9 different looking people.
The characters are very personal looking and pleasant to watch. There are a lot of kill animations and they are extremely fluid. The look of the game overall is already polished but I feel like the streets at least in the Rome map lack colors and aren't as nice as in AC2.
For now the gameplay is covered well but I think there will be people who get fed up with the multiplayer after leveling up. I also think that the multiplayer isn't ready because it lacks lot of things for example other people who don't look like assassins and it could use a little more colour.
For me this is a definite buy but this is not a product that I can recommend to all at least not at this stage. It looks promising for now. I was worried the gameplay would suck but it didn't so thats good. In conclusion I'm looking forward for the full game but I have some worries about the multiplayer.
Resistance 3 Wants & Needs...
After months of rumours and denials, the fourth installment (Resistance Fall of Man, Resistance 2 & Resistance Retribution being Prior installments) of the hugely successful Resistance franchise was announced to be in development for the Playstation 3 by Insomniac Games on August 17th 2010 at Gamescom 2010. Since the official reveal, there has been wide speculation surrounding the game, from gameplay mechanics to the titles story. I myself found Resistance Fall of Man to be a superb Debut for the franchise, from it's devastated world overun by the sinister Chimera to it's fun, chaotic gameplay. The game introduced us to Sgt. Nathan Hale, the American Protagonist of the first two games, with him himself being infected with the Chimera Virus, of which he still possess' in the second title were it is revealed he has hours to live. Whilst the ending of the game was both abrupt and confusing, it did leave much open to carry the story on for a Third title in the main series. The second title was brilliant, but no where near perfect, however it still proved a's an improvement to the superb first game, and with that, here is my list of what I believe Resistance 3 needs to be the ultimate installment. This is purely OPINION Based and of course I would love to hear some of yours in the comments zone below. Let's begin...
1) G R A P H I C S (Minor)
Now before you tear me to shreds, hear me out. Insomniac have to date done a great job on Resistance in the case of visuals, however, whilst there are moments of which the Graphics are brilliant, there are some things that look purely disgusting. These being mainly fire and water in the game. Whilst they were my main concerns at the time, NOW, things have changed, expectations have changed, and with the game shipping in the same year a's rivals Gears of War 3, Crysis 2 & Killzone 3, this game is going to receive ALOT of comparisons within reviews. However, looking at some of the leaked "Screens" there may be little to worry about in this area, however with some of the pictures being blatant Concept Art, I will wait for confirmation of which are Screenshots. Nonetheless, if even one of the leaked screens are in-game, it would seem this game is going to look beautiful.
2) E P I C S C A L E C O M B A T (Moderate)
Resistance 2 was a huge step up in terms of scale, featuring combat with large amounts of enemies on screen at one time, forcing you to step back and say, "Wow", however, there was one issue with the scale of things that concerned me, look up to the sky and you will see huge vehicles both human and chimeran in combat with one another, flashes and explosions lot the air, it felt a shame that this did not play in to the gameplay, now I'm not saying "Give us air combat!" because I wouldn't want that with the world being in the state it is in the Live Action Trailer, I'm saying, make the combat that bit more Epic Scale by having aircrafts spiralling from the air and colliding in to the ground before your very eyes, or challenging you in combat and dropping off large numbers of Chimera. After watching the trailer, I have fears that the game may try to be something other that that of which Resistance followers have come to expect, it resembled Left 4 Dead, a great game, but hugely different from that of Resistance in terms of gameplay...
3) L E S S S C R I P T E D B O S S B A T T L E S (Moderate)
Remember the Leviathan battle in Resistance 2? When you first witness the creature stampeding through the city, it looks like it's going to be one Hell of a difficult battle, right? Wrong. The battle, whilst cinematic was a huge disappointment, failing to live up to the standards of those approaching the battles imaginations. And this was quite a common occurrence throughout the title, not that it ruined the game, but scripted Boss battles are always frustrating for me, I want to be able to approach a battle in numerous ways, unfortunately that was never the case, with there being set ways for the larger bosses to die. If a Leviathan approaches us in the third title, let us deal with it in whatever way we wish.
1) G R A P H I C S (Minor)
Now before you tear me to shreds, hear me out. Insomniac have to date done a great job on Resistance in the case of visuals, however, whilst there are moments of which the Graphics are brilliant, there are some things that look purely disgusting. These being mainly fire and water in the game. Whilst they were my main concerns at the time, NOW, things have changed, expectations have changed, and with the game shipping in the same year a's rivals Gears of War 3, Crysis 2 & Killzone 3, this game is going to receive ALOT of comparisons within reviews. However, looking at some of the leaked "Screens" there may be little to worry about in this area, however with some of the pictures being blatant Concept Art, I will wait for confirmation of which are Screenshots. Nonetheless, if even one of the leaked screens are in-game, it would seem this game is going to look beautiful.
2) E P I C S C A L E C O M B A T (Moderate)
Resistance 2 was a huge step up in terms of scale, featuring combat with large amounts of enemies on screen at one time, forcing you to step back and say, "Wow", however, there was one issue with the scale of things that concerned me, look up to the sky and you will see huge vehicles both human and chimeran in combat with one another, flashes and explosions lot the air, it felt a shame that this did not play in to the gameplay, now I'm not saying "Give us air combat!" because I wouldn't want that with the world being in the state it is in the Live Action Trailer, I'm saying, make the combat that bit more Epic Scale by having aircrafts spiralling from the air and colliding in to the ground before your very eyes, or challenging you in combat and dropping off large numbers of Chimera. After watching the trailer, I have fears that the game may try to be something other that that of which Resistance followers have come to expect, it resembled Left 4 Dead, a great game, but hugely different from that of Resistance in terms of gameplay...
3) L E S S S C R I P T E D B O S S B A T T L E S (Moderate)
Remember the Leviathan battle in Resistance 2? When you first witness the creature stampeding through the city, it looks like it's going to be one Hell of a difficult battle, right? Wrong. The battle, whilst cinematic was a huge disappointment, failing to live up to the standards of those approaching the battles imaginations. And this was quite a common occurrence throughout the title, not that it ruined the game, but scripted Boss battles are always frustrating for me, I want to be able to approach a battle in numerous ways, unfortunately that was never the case, with there being set ways for the larger bosses to die. If a Leviathan approaches us in the third title, let us deal with it in whatever way we wish.
Thursday, October 20, 2011
The Balance of Gaming
Video games are one of the fastest growing forms of media in our generation. People who play video games on a regular basis, or gamers, use video games as a means of personal enjoyment, competition, or socialization among other gamers. Some would be as bold as to call video games their favorite past-time, maybe even compare video games to that of any Olympic sport. While one would be enticed to immediately indulge himself or herself in the joy of gaming nonstop for hours, one must always remember that every good thing almost always comes with something bad.
The original concept for the creation of video games was to create a fun experience for the player. There are many people that become immersed with the fun factor a game can provide. So much sometimes, that they neglect and ignore most of what is going on around them, and can even neglect life’s most basic functions; this can include eating, going to the bathroom, and sleeping. In November 2008, a boy from Sweden died of an epileptic seizure from playing World of Warcraft for more then 24 hours straight. This tragedy was due to the boy becoming too immersed in his game and not realizing that his body could not last as long as his mind could playing the game. A tragedy that could have been easily avoided if he took breaks to eat or sleep while possibly having his character do something that did not require his immediate attention. This is only one of many other easily avoided tragedies that have occurred due to lack of common sense.
Competition is a huge aspect in the world of gaming. Many gamers that have reached a point where they are confident in how well they play may decide to take their love of the game to the next level. That next level is being able to enter tournaments and compete with other players for different prizes, most usually and preferably cash prizes. While there is nothing wrong with wanting to win money for playing a video game, the lengths people are willing to go in order to win can be troublesome for most people. In a documentary titled “FRAG”, the directors follow the lives of a few competitive gamers and learn of the inside stories of being within the competitive field. Some of the tales told are people who want to win prize money so badly, they would willingly sacrifice their futures and personal health, without second thought, for a chance to come out on top. Most of these risk would include people dropping out of school as early as middle or high school, not finding a job with benefits, and even resorting to just consuming food and drinks that are loaded with caffeine and guarana. Taking such a plunge, without first thinking of the consequences is something that many people would consider to be not smart. Risking one’s whole future on the hope of winning a lot in a specific game is not a viable way of making a living in today‘s day and age. There is no retirement plan or annual benefits for playing a video game, nor is there a guarantee for a constant means of income. The game is just as it has always been, a source of entertainment, not a foundation for living. Pure common sense.
The original concept for the creation of video games was to create a fun experience for the player. There are many people that become immersed with the fun factor a game can provide. So much sometimes, that they neglect and ignore most of what is going on around them, and can even neglect life’s most basic functions; this can include eating, going to the bathroom, and sleeping. In November 2008, a boy from Sweden died of an epileptic seizure from playing World of Warcraft for more then 24 hours straight. This tragedy was due to the boy becoming too immersed in his game and not realizing that his body could not last as long as his mind could playing the game. A tragedy that could have been easily avoided if he took breaks to eat or sleep while possibly having his character do something that did not require his immediate attention. This is only one of many other easily avoided tragedies that have occurred due to lack of common sense.
Competition is a huge aspect in the world of gaming. Many gamers that have reached a point where they are confident in how well they play may decide to take their love of the game to the next level. That next level is being able to enter tournaments and compete with other players for different prizes, most usually and preferably cash prizes. While there is nothing wrong with wanting to win money for playing a video game, the lengths people are willing to go in order to win can be troublesome for most people. In a documentary titled “FRAG”, the directors follow the lives of a few competitive gamers and learn of the inside stories of being within the competitive field. Some of the tales told are people who want to win prize money so badly, they would willingly sacrifice their futures and personal health, without second thought, for a chance to come out on top. Most of these risk would include people dropping out of school as early as middle or high school, not finding a job with benefits, and even resorting to just consuming food and drinks that are loaded with caffeine and guarana. Taking such a plunge, without first thinking of the consequences is something that many people would consider to be not smart. Risking one’s whole future on the hope of winning a lot in a specific game is not a viable way of making a living in today‘s day and age. There is no retirement plan or annual benefits for playing a video game, nor is there a guarantee for a constant means of income. The game is just as it has always been, a source of entertainment, not a foundation for living. Pure common sense.
NGP vs PS3 Price Point Speculation
Although only rumored, and not officially announced as of yet, the most common supposed price point of the Sony's PSP2, dubbed NGP (Next Generation Portable) lies at $299.
With a confirmed launch in at least one territory by holiday season 2011, could this possibly cause confusion for buyers new to Sony's line of gaming consoles? Currently the price of the least expensive PS3 model stands at $299 with an upgraded HDD model priced at $349.
If the NGP and PS3 are going to go head to head in terms of price on the same shelf, wouldn't some buyers opt to purchase a fully fledged console as opposed to a portable? Perhaps they may not understand why the NGP wouldn't be less expensive due to its much larger counterpart being the PS3.
This is where it gets interesting:
Perhaps however, this is in Sonys plan. Introduce the NGP at the same price of the PS3. If costumers already own a PS3, then of course they'll be looking into Sonys new portable. For those who don't own either, may choose to buy the PS3 instead. Opting for a more powerful entrance into Sonys gaming market, and thus inadvertently increasing PS3 sales.
On another note, if the NGP does launch at $299, would it make sense for gamers to expect a price drop in any of the current PS3 models? Could Sony actually effectively move more PS3s if they cost less than the NGP? Of course they can, but what about those who don't quite understand the gaming market? People may negatively speculate as to why the Portable is more expensive than the console. Perhaps they may think that the NGP is overpriced.
I'm certain just as I write this Sony are asking themselves the same questions. Personally, in order to not cause any confusion among consumers, and to prevent any delusion to the NGPs identity that the PS3 suffered at launch Sony would have to introduce the NGP at or less than the price of the PS3.
With a confirmed launch in at least one territory by holiday season 2011, could this possibly cause confusion for buyers new to Sony's line of gaming consoles? Currently the price of the least expensive PS3 model stands at $299 with an upgraded HDD model priced at $349.
If the NGP and PS3 are going to go head to head in terms of price on the same shelf, wouldn't some buyers opt to purchase a fully fledged console as opposed to a portable? Perhaps they may not understand why the NGP wouldn't be less expensive due to its much larger counterpart being the PS3.
This is where it gets interesting:
Perhaps however, this is in Sonys plan. Introduce the NGP at the same price of the PS3. If costumers already own a PS3, then of course they'll be looking into Sonys new portable. For those who don't own either, may choose to buy the PS3 instead. Opting for a more powerful entrance into Sonys gaming market, and thus inadvertently increasing PS3 sales.
On another note, if the NGP does launch at $299, would it make sense for gamers to expect a price drop in any of the current PS3 models? Could Sony actually effectively move more PS3s if they cost less than the NGP? Of course they can, but what about those who don't quite understand the gaming market? People may negatively speculate as to why the Portable is more expensive than the console. Perhaps they may think that the NGP is overpriced.
I'm certain just as I write this Sony are asking themselves the same questions. Personally, in order to not cause any confusion among consumers, and to prevent any delusion to the NGPs identity that the PS3 suffered at launch Sony would have to introduce the NGP at or less than the price of the PS3.
Privateers on the Electronic Bay
Take a trip to the high seas about two centuries ago and you'd find yourself in a precarious position: trying to navigate the tumultuous waves while also hoping to steer clear of pirates looking to claim your ship and its contents for their booty. Now come back to the modern day and imagine the same scenario. Outside of perhaps the region near the horn of Africa, it is difficult to think such a travesty could befall most people. It is a common misconception that pirates are armed mercenaries who ransack marine vessels with no regard for the victims. The truth is that pirates can, and do, take many shapes and forms.
These days it is far more common for pirates to sit behind a computer, running software, trying to find back-doors and exploitations of programs and hardware designed by what many people see as faceless corporations. The truth is a far cry from that though. The faceless corporations are the ones who distribute, market, and finance the intellectual property which is being exploited, but it is developed primarily by teams of innovators. These collective minds work together in order to come up with new ideas and inventions in the hopes of designing products that will have mass appeal and/or be profitable. Unfortunately, when people decide to obtain or exploit their product, illegally, they are doing a great disservice to the people who poured so much into making their dream a reality.
Copyright infringement has turned into a widespread pandemic, affecting industries such as film, music, and interactive media. With the proliferation of digital media, it's no surprise that profits for the music and film industry have declined steadily over the past few years. It's easy to imagine an exodus of talent from these respective industries into a more profitable venture.
A large portion of people will disagree with my assessment, but the writing is clearly on the wall. Eventually the companies which have seen losses will find a way to rebound, and the consumers are the ones who will lose in the long run. Prices will increase, hurting the average customer, and the people who were once pinnacles of their respective fields in these stagnating industries will be finding a different outlet for their concepts, ones which will be harder to exploit and will be more profitable for them. This in turn will lead to mediocre products, and a diminished quality.
These days it is far more common for pirates to sit behind a computer, running software, trying to find back-doors and exploitations of programs and hardware designed by what many people see as faceless corporations. The truth is a far cry from that though. The faceless corporations are the ones who distribute, market, and finance the intellectual property which is being exploited, but it is developed primarily by teams of innovators. These collective minds work together in order to come up with new ideas and inventions in the hopes of designing products that will have mass appeal and/or be profitable. Unfortunately, when people decide to obtain or exploit their product, illegally, they are doing a great disservice to the people who poured so much into making their dream a reality.
Copyright infringement has turned into a widespread pandemic, affecting industries such as film, music, and interactive media. With the proliferation of digital media, it's no surprise that profits for the music and film industry have declined steadily over the past few years. It's easy to imagine an exodus of talent from these respective industries into a more profitable venture.
A large portion of people will disagree with my assessment, but the writing is clearly on the wall. Eventually the companies which have seen losses will find a way to rebound, and the consumers are the ones who will lose in the long run. Prices will increase, hurting the average customer, and the people who were once pinnacles of their respective fields in these stagnating industries will be finding a different outlet for their concepts, ones which will be harder to exploit and will be more profitable for them. This in turn will lead to mediocre products, and a diminished quality.
Digital distribution; How I love thee
Before this week, I had only bought a few games the digital way. Those were Star Trek Online, SEGA Genesis & Mega Drive classics and Magic: The Gathering - Duels of the Planeswalkers. But this week I discovered a few deals on steam that I simply could not resist.
I bought the Bioshock 1 & 2 deal, the GTA Classic deal and today the GTA IV deal. And I must tell you. It feels great. I realized I really don't care about having a physical copy, as long as I always have access to my games through steam of course. Digital distribution is a rising star, and it is rising fast. Digital distribution has so many advantages. My dreams are that it will lead to an industry where the developers themselves publish the games and therefor they won't be influenced by publishers opinions on how they should make their games. Don't you agree?
What makes the digital distribution even better is that is much easier to find good deals. I am a student so if I were to buy physical copies of all my games, then I could only afford like 1 new game every month (I don't really need more than one though, but SILENCE) and I like to buy games. I advise you all to keep your eyes open for digital deals! Its awesome :)
I bought the Bioshock 1 & 2 deal, the GTA Classic deal and today the GTA IV deal. And I must tell you. It feels great. I realized I really don't care about having a physical copy, as long as I always have access to my games through steam of course. Digital distribution is a rising star, and it is rising fast. Digital distribution has so many advantages. My dreams are that it will lead to an industry where the developers themselves publish the games and therefor they won't be influenced by publishers opinions on how they should make their games. Don't you agree?
What makes the digital distribution even better is that is much easier to find good deals. I am a student so if I were to buy physical copies of all my games, then I could only afford like 1 new game every month (I don't really need more than one though, but SILENCE) and I like to buy games. I advise you all to keep your eyes open for digital deals! Its awesome :)
Saturday, October 15, 2011
Angry Birds for PC
Finally, those birds that everybody likes has arrived on PC. After iPhone, iPad, Android and other mobile versions, also iPhone cases and toys, Angry Birds has finally arrived on the PC thanks to the Intel App Up store. It’ll work fine and dandy on laptops and netbooks and will cost you only $4.99 to download. Nice price for this lovely game.
Angry Birds is a global phenomenon in mobile gaming and the top grossing iPhone app of 2010. So if you’re not a smart-phone wielding hipster, you no longer have an excuse not to be part of this franchise.
Overall it’s pretty much an identical game play experience to the iPhone app, with some minor differences. It’s snappy, gorgeous, and it sounds amazing. On the netbook version you use a mouse or trackpad instead of touch. There is an open hand icon when the mouse is in hover state, and a closed hand icon when you are clicking or dragging. This visible clue when pulling the slingshot is a nice aid. It allows you to fine tune shots more than just observing the angle of the slingshot band.
Angry Birds for PC
Larger screen means more visibility in the game. On many levels you can see the target that can’t be seen on the iPhone. The previous shot trail is more easily seen, allowing fine tuning of your next shot. Overall the animations and physics seem to have more fluidity.
In terms of features, options, menu etc it’s pretty close to the original. On the netbook the replay level icon has been added to the game space. So you don’t need to pause first then replay. If you start off with bad shot, just click the replay icon, then you can start over. Saving a click is nice. There is a Menu button in the Pause menu that gets you back to the Start screen. There are some things not in play on the netbook version. The leader board and achievements are not available in the main menu. The Golden Eggs are there.
Angry Birds strikes an interesting balance of repetitive, simple tasks and challenging game play working for the many scenarios. So, if you liked this game on your iPhone or Android phone, you’ll sure like it on your big PC screen. If you are new player, don’t hesitate and join the fun now.
You must know and recognize the game from the Rovio, Angry Birds.
This game consists of seven birds with super abilities are different. By using slingshots, you can control the jump and the height of ill-tempered birds to tear down the building where the collection of green pork fat is shelter.
Where is a funny collection of birds swelled, turned into a grumpy group of birds which destroy the kingdom of lustful pigs these cunning thieves.
Angry Birds now not only for the iPhone, Android OS, PS3 and PSP. even Angry Birds has been available in Ovi Store for Nokia. And now Angry Birds have been available for Windows XP and Windows 7
Free Angry Birds for PC
Plenty of dodgy website owners want to rip off Google and push traffic towards their sites on the bogus promise of the free version of Angry Birds for PC. This is only a scam but in fact there exists a download free Angry Birds for PC nevertheless, you will need to move quickly to take advantage of that offer
Finland games producer Rovio Mobile has produced their very 1st version of Angry Birds Game for the Apple iPhone. This particular game was immediately caught by the iPhonesters, and Rovio understood that they will become successful. That has been fine. However, Rovio needed to get going by recoding Angry Birds Games for several programs, which become easier for small companies to get done.
Several weeks went by and finally, the Nokia and Android users could get themselves the Angry Birds Game. After that, the RovioMobile switched their attentions to the huge users of the PSP or the Play Station Portable and the PS3. That has been an additional huge porting project for Rovio operations.
During that time, the PC users have been reading and hearing rumors regarding Angry Birds for PC. Ultimately, in January, Angry Birds for PC was released, and downloading is not for free. However, not everybody is willing to pay for $5 for just a game, even if they will enjoy playing with it. These days, several users have grown to be familiar of getting some thing for free, so there are many who are on the lookout for a totally free Angry Birds for PC download. It can be downloaded via Windows 7 and Windows XP and Vista, or Mac support. But downloading can only be downloaded if you have an internet connection for the process to activate successfully.
Angry Birds pc is one of the well-known games that have taken the popularity with over 200 million downloads. The availability of this game is taking place in almost all of the popular platforms. In addition to playing the game online in the browser you can now download it on your laptop and take it wherever you may go to enjoy the amazing games, enabling you to play whenever, wherever you go. Take it to your workplace or even in the park, while resting and basting under the sun. Probably launching the Angry Birds for PC the wisest and the best move the game maker ever made. This availability made for the millions of platform owners, even made the popularity of Angry Birds known to more video-gaming enthusiasts more than over.
Incoming search terms:
* angry birds for pc
* activate free angry birds for pc
* angry birds FLASH SCAM
* angry-birds-online scam
* free angry birds games full version for window xp
*
- Angry Birds PC Updated
The PC version was updated last week which we talked about in this post. This update will finally include all episodes of Ham ‘Em High and the two chapters of Mine and Dine. I’m sure this is welcome news for all the PC players who have been feeling left out. It shouldn’t have taken this long to get all the episodes out but that’s in the past now so lets just get to playing. Since all the chapters are available you also have access to all of the golden eggs. You can finally complete your collection!
As a side note because I didn’t want to do an entire post about the subject, have you all seen the Angry Birds bra? It’s available over on etsy you should go check it out. I personally don’t know anyone who would wear it but i’m sure there is someone out there who would. I don’t recommend buying this for you girlfriend or wife unless she really loves angry birds
Angry Birds is a global phenomenon in mobile gaming and the top grossing iPhone app of 2010. So if you’re not a smart-phone wielding hipster, you no longer have an excuse not to be part of this franchise.
Overall it’s pretty much an identical game play experience to the iPhone app, with some minor differences. It’s snappy, gorgeous, and it sounds amazing. On the netbook version you use a mouse or trackpad instead of touch. There is an open hand icon when the mouse is in hover state, and a closed hand icon when you are clicking or dragging. This visible clue when pulling the slingshot is a nice aid. It allows you to fine tune shots more than just observing the angle of the slingshot band.
Angry Birds for PC
Larger screen means more visibility in the game. On many levels you can see the target that can’t be seen on the iPhone. The previous shot trail is more easily seen, allowing fine tuning of your next shot. Overall the animations and physics seem to have more fluidity.
In terms of features, options, menu etc it’s pretty close to the original. On the netbook the replay level icon has been added to the game space. So you don’t need to pause first then replay. If you start off with bad shot, just click the replay icon, then you can start over. Saving a click is nice. There is a Menu button in the Pause menu that gets you back to the Start screen. There are some things not in play on the netbook version. The leader board and achievements are not available in the main menu. The Golden Eggs are there.
Angry Birds strikes an interesting balance of repetitive, simple tasks and challenging game play working for the many scenarios. So, if you liked this game on your iPhone or Android phone, you’ll sure like it on your big PC screen. If you are new player, don’t hesitate and join the fun now.
You must know and recognize the game from the Rovio, Angry Birds.
This game consists of seven birds with super abilities are different. By using slingshots, you can control the jump and the height of ill-tempered birds to tear down the building where the collection of green pork fat is shelter.
Where is a funny collection of birds swelled, turned into a grumpy group of birds which destroy the kingdom of lustful pigs these cunning thieves.
Angry Birds now not only for the iPhone, Android OS, PS3 and PSP. even Angry Birds has been available in Ovi Store for Nokia. And now Angry Birds have been available for Windows XP and Windows 7
Free Angry Birds for PC
Plenty of dodgy website owners want to rip off Google and push traffic towards their sites on the bogus promise of the free version of Angry Birds for PC. This is only a scam but in fact there exists a download free Angry Birds for PC nevertheless, you will need to move quickly to take advantage of that offer
Finland games producer Rovio Mobile has produced their very 1st version of Angry Birds Game for the Apple iPhone. This particular game was immediately caught by the iPhonesters, and Rovio understood that they will become successful. That has been fine. However, Rovio needed to get going by recoding Angry Birds Games for several programs, which become easier for small companies to get done.
Several weeks went by and finally, the Nokia and Android users could get themselves the Angry Birds Game. After that, the RovioMobile switched their attentions to the huge users of the PSP or the Play Station Portable and the PS3. That has been an additional huge porting project for Rovio operations.
During that time, the PC users have been reading and hearing rumors regarding Angry Birds for PC. Ultimately, in January, Angry Birds for PC was released, and downloading is not for free. However, not everybody is willing to pay for $5 for just a game, even if they will enjoy playing with it. These days, several users have grown to be familiar of getting some thing for free, so there are many who are on the lookout for a totally free Angry Birds for PC download. It can be downloaded via Windows 7 and Windows XP and Vista, or Mac support. But downloading can only be downloaded if you have an internet connection for the process to activate successfully.
Angry Birds pc is one of the well-known games that have taken the popularity with over 200 million downloads. The availability of this game is taking place in almost all of the popular platforms. In addition to playing the game online in the browser you can now download it on your laptop and take it wherever you may go to enjoy the amazing games, enabling you to play whenever, wherever you go. Take it to your workplace or even in the park, while resting and basting under the sun. Probably launching the Angry Birds for PC the wisest and the best move the game maker ever made. This availability made for the millions of platform owners, even made the popularity of Angry Birds known to more video-gaming enthusiasts more than over.
Incoming search terms:
* angry birds for pc
* activate free angry birds for pc
* angry birds FLASH SCAM
* angry-birds-online scam
* free angry birds games full version for window xp
*
- Angry Birds PC Updated
The PC version was updated last week which we talked about in this post. This update will finally include all episodes of Ham ‘Em High and the two chapters of Mine and Dine. I’m sure this is welcome news for all the PC players who have been feeling left out. It shouldn’t have taken this long to get all the episodes out but that’s in the past now so lets just get to playing. Since all the chapters are available you also have access to all of the golden eggs. You can finally complete your collection!
As a side note because I didn’t want to do an entire post about the subject, have you all seen the Angry Birds bra? It’s available over on etsy you should go check it out. I personally don’t know anyone who would wear it but i’m sure there is someone out there who would. I don’t recommend buying this for you girlfriend or wife unless she really loves angry birds
The 3DS just can't catch a break
My condolences to the early adopters who bought a 3DS. We are going to see Nintendo's greatest decline in the handheld market directly due to the 3DS, and I'm here to lament and complain and laugh.
Am I jumping the gun and drawing conclusions waaaay to early? After all, the 3DS "just came out". Actually, I think the writing is on the wall and the writing has been on the wall since before 3DS even launched. Let's count the ways the 3DS just can't seem to catch a break.
#5 - Brand Confusion. Anyone here who works at a retail store already knows this one, but the public's confusion about the 3DS's name isn't quite so apparent if all you do is read online gaming journalists. But the brand confusion with the 3DS is very, very real. Is it a DS with 3d? Is it a new system? The game cases look almost identical to regular DS cases, and the 3DS itself (at first glance) simply looks like a DS with an analog stick. The brand confusion hurts the 3DS's case quite a bit.
#4 - No reason to upgrade. When you take a 20+ million seller game and put it on your new handheld and it sells like crap, what does that mean? It means that people don't see the reason to upgrade. I'm talking about Nintendogs and the DS crowd, of course. There's no denying that the DS crowd is a diverse bunch, but apparently they're not diverse enough to see the need to jump into the 3DS swimming pool yet. And I don't blame them. The DS is a hard act to follow. It has a massive library compared to the 3DS. While I'm not a Nintendogs fan...C'MON! It's Nintendogs. You would think that it was the perfect launch title, yet it flopped. That's because "teh casualz" are smart enough to know a cash-in when they see it.
#3 - What's the point of 3D? Even before the system came out, there were warnings that the 3D would affect children's eyes. "You can turn it off," it was screamed at anyone who said the 3D gave them a headache. Okay, Nintendo, so you're alienating one of your biggest audiences (kids), and you're telling people that the main feature that justifies the 3DS's $250 cost can simply be "turned off" if you don't like it? Riiiight, good job building confidence in your system. Beyond these issues, what really IS the point of 3D? So far, it has not added any gameplay enhancements. Sure, when the DS was announced people asked "what's the point of the dual screens?", but at least there were tangible game applications. What does 3D do that can't be done in the traditional sense? Right now, Nintendo is content to simply goof off, create the exact same games they've been making, and then add in 3D to say "see? It's a totally new game!"
#2 - the Games! I wouldn't say that the internet is exactly ablaze with the news that MegaMan Legends 3 was cancelled, but the fans who were excited for that game are certainly angry, especially after Capcom's recent Resident Evil 3DS "one save" nonsense. But other developers like SEGA and Ubisoft are also putting a hold on some of their 3DS games. Even the games coming from Nintendo are a bit...disturbing. Luigi's Mansion 2? Okaaaaay, what about a sidescrolling Metroid, a new F-Zero, or even a Pokemon Snap clone (okay, kidding on the last one)? Kid Icarus...am I the only one who remembers that this game was once a PLATFORMER? The 3DS Kid Icarus is just...some bizarre shoot-em-up/action game that does not resemble Kid Icarus in any way. What about the new Mario game? ANOTHER 3D Mario in less than 5 years? Okay, I like 'em, but if the sales of the two New Super Mario Bros games tells us anything, Nintendo has a lot of fans wanting sidescrolling Mario, not 3D Mario. There are remakes up the wazoo, but no one seems to care. Why should we be excited to pay full-price for an easy-to-acquire console game (Ocarina, Starfox, Metal Gear, SF4) just because it's in 3D? Judging by the sales, a lot of other people have been asking the same question. Looking forward to upcoming games isn't going to cut it when there aren't any worthwhile games on the system right now. "But what about MARIO KART?" you might say. What about it? The game looks like it's becoming even more eccentric and bizarre. Hanggliders? Underwater tracks? Does any of this stuff make Mario Kart better, or is it just flash? More specifically, will 3D make Mario Kart any better? No, not really. And more importantly, will Mario Kart be a system seller? There's no doubt that Mario Kart sells a lot, but Mario Kart is an assumed entry on any Nintendo console. It's not going to set the sales charts on fire, you can mark my words. While the lack of games (and lack of sales) is a big problem, it is not the biggest problem...
#1 - A Bad Direction. Some people might rememeber that - early on - the DS was being outsold by the PSP. The DS's early direction was much like the 3DS's direction. It focused on 3D games (Mario 64, Metroid Hunters). However, it wasn't until Nintendo started branching out and making more old-school and unique games that the DS took off. Initially, the DS was considered a portable N64. But when the sales took off, it became a portable SNES. If the DS had focused on traditional 3D games, it would never have taken off. But wait, apparently Nintendo thinks that the 3DS can focus on traditional 3D games and that's okay? Hah! The 3DS is following the Gamecube/N64's direction, and it doesn't look good. How can I say such a thing? JUST LOOK AT THE GAMES! Where are the unique games that made the DS such a hit? Where are the RPGs? Where are the touch-based adventure games? WHERE IS SIDESCROLLING MARIO? The 3DS is going in a bad direction, and by "bad" I mean "the same direction that caused the Gamecube to tank". The problem is that Nintendo won't simply change directions and make the 3DS like the DS. The entire identity of the 3DS is 3D. Old-school, 2D-style games have no place on the 3DS. They don't fit the direction. That's why we don't see any of those games in development. 3DS is caught in an odd place. It isn't powerful enough to enjoy the "sloppy seconds" ports that the PS Vita will get, but it's powerful enough to require better graphics (and bigger, more expensive dev team). Say bye-bye to niche games similar to Phoenix Wright, Elite Beat Agents, Izuna, and 90% of the RPGs on DS.
The bottom line is this: pay very close attention to the 3DS. You may be witnessing something unprecedented. Nintendo, the heralds and champions of handheld gaming, might lose their grip on the handheld market. No, it won't be the iPhone that does them in. No, it won't be the Vita. The thing that slays Nintendo's unbeatable handheld line will be Nintendo itself, because Nintendo refuses to respond to what the market wants.
Am I jumping the gun and drawing conclusions waaaay to early? After all, the 3DS "just came out". Actually, I think the writing is on the wall and the writing has been on the wall since before 3DS even launched. Let's count the ways the 3DS just can't seem to catch a break.
#5 - Brand Confusion. Anyone here who works at a retail store already knows this one, but the public's confusion about the 3DS's name isn't quite so apparent if all you do is read online gaming journalists. But the brand confusion with the 3DS is very, very real. Is it a DS with 3d? Is it a new system? The game cases look almost identical to regular DS cases, and the 3DS itself (at first glance) simply looks like a DS with an analog stick. The brand confusion hurts the 3DS's case quite a bit.
#4 - No reason to upgrade. When you take a 20+ million seller game and put it on your new handheld and it sells like crap, what does that mean? It means that people don't see the reason to upgrade. I'm talking about Nintendogs and the DS crowd, of course. There's no denying that the DS crowd is a diverse bunch, but apparently they're not diverse enough to see the need to jump into the 3DS swimming pool yet. And I don't blame them. The DS is a hard act to follow. It has a massive library compared to the 3DS. While I'm not a Nintendogs fan...C'MON! It's Nintendogs. You would think that it was the perfect launch title, yet it flopped. That's because "teh casualz" are smart enough to know a cash-in when they see it.
#3 - What's the point of 3D? Even before the system came out, there were warnings that the 3D would affect children's eyes. "You can turn it off," it was screamed at anyone who said the 3D gave them a headache. Okay, Nintendo, so you're alienating one of your biggest audiences (kids), and you're telling people that the main feature that justifies the 3DS's $250 cost can simply be "turned off" if you don't like it? Riiiight, good job building confidence in your system. Beyond these issues, what really IS the point of 3D? So far, it has not added any gameplay enhancements. Sure, when the DS was announced people asked "what's the point of the dual screens?", but at least there were tangible game applications. What does 3D do that can't be done in the traditional sense? Right now, Nintendo is content to simply goof off, create the exact same games they've been making, and then add in 3D to say "see? It's a totally new game!"
#2 - the Games! I wouldn't say that the internet is exactly ablaze with the news that MegaMan Legends 3 was cancelled, but the fans who were excited for that game are certainly angry, especially after Capcom's recent Resident Evil 3DS "one save" nonsense. But other developers like SEGA and Ubisoft are also putting a hold on some of their 3DS games. Even the games coming from Nintendo are a bit...disturbing. Luigi's Mansion 2? Okaaaaay, what about a sidescrolling Metroid, a new F-Zero, or even a Pokemon Snap clone (okay, kidding on the last one)? Kid Icarus...am I the only one who remembers that this game was once a PLATFORMER? The 3DS Kid Icarus is just...some bizarre shoot-em-up/action game that does not resemble Kid Icarus in any way. What about the new Mario game? ANOTHER 3D Mario in less than 5 years? Okay, I like 'em, but if the sales of the two New Super Mario Bros games tells us anything, Nintendo has a lot of fans wanting sidescrolling Mario, not 3D Mario. There are remakes up the wazoo, but no one seems to care. Why should we be excited to pay full-price for an easy-to-acquire console game (Ocarina, Starfox, Metal Gear, SF4) just because it's in 3D? Judging by the sales, a lot of other people have been asking the same question. Looking forward to upcoming games isn't going to cut it when there aren't any worthwhile games on the system right now. "But what about MARIO KART?" you might say. What about it? The game looks like it's becoming even more eccentric and bizarre. Hanggliders? Underwater tracks? Does any of this stuff make Mario Kart better, or is it just flash? More specifically, will 3D make Mario Kart any better? No, not really. And more importantly, will Mario Kart be a system seller? There's no doubt that Mario Kart sells a lot, but Mario Kart is an assumed entry on any Nintendo console. It's not going to set the sales charts on fire, you can mark my words. While the lack of games (and lack of sales) is a big problem, it is not the biggest problem...
#1 - A Bad Direction. Some people might rememeber that - early on - the DS was being outsold by the PSP. The DS's early direction was much like the 3DS's direction. It focused on 3D games (Mario 64, Metroid Hunters). However, it wasn't until Nintendo started branching out and making more old-school and unique games that the DS took off. Initially, the DS was considered a portable N64. But when the sales took off, it became a portable SNES. If the DS had focused on traditional 3D games, it would never have taken off. But wait, apparently Nintendo thinks that the 3DS can focus on traditional 3D games and that's okay? Hah! The 3DS is following the Gamecube/N64's direction, and it doesn't look good. How can I say such a thing? JUST LOOK AT THE GAMES! Where are the unique games that made the DS such a hit? Where are the RPGs? Where are the touch-based adventure games? WHERE IS SIDESCROLLING MARIO? The 3DS is going in a bad direction, and by "bad" I mean "the same direction that caused the Gamecube to tank". The problem is that Nintendo won't simply change directions and make the 3DS like the DS. The entire identity of the 3DS is 3D. Old-school, 2D-style games have no place on the 3DS. They don't fit the direction. That's why we don't see any of those games in development. 3DS is caught in an odd place. It isn't powerful enough to enjoy the "sloppy seconds" ports that the PS Vita will get, but it's powerful enough to require better graphics (and bigger, more expensive dev team). Say bye-bye to niche games similar to Phoenix Wright, Elite Beat Agents, Izuna, and 90% of the RPGs on DS.
The bottom line is this: pay very close attention to the 3DS. You may be witnessing something unprecedented. Nintendo, the heralds and champions of handheld gaming, might lose their grip on the handheld market. No, it won't be the iPhone that does them in. No, it won't be the Vita. The thing that slays Nintendo's unbeatable handheld line will be Nintendo itself, because Nintendo refuses to respond to what the market wants.
Top Reasons Next Gen Hasn't Started Yet
Now that Nintendo has jumped the gun and announced their next generation game console called the Wii U, there is a ton of speculation as to when Sony and Microsoft will follow with their next gen systems. In past console generations, the average time of a console cycle was about 4-5 years. This fall, the Xbox 360 and PS3 will be 6 and 5 years old respectively which is well past that established life cycle. Yet, both the PS3 and Xbox360 are still enjoying healthy worldwide sales, have plenty of games coming in the next 12-18 months, and still have not reached the magical price point of $199 (max price for all Skus) which is traditionally when most systems see their largest sales. How is it that these systems are able to be relevant for so much longer than their predecessors?
Here are my top 5 reasons the next generation of game consoles is taking so long:
5. TECHNOLOGY IS CHANGING TOO FAST
Tablets, 4G, wireless display, motion controls, 3D, networking, digital downloads, APUs (GPU integrated with CPU), and cloud computing. These are just some of the significant technologies that have become common in the 5-6 years since the Xbox360 and PS3 were released. All of these technologies can have profound impacts on video gaming. The hardware has to be made in such a way to enable some or all of these technologies in the next generation. The difficult question for Microsoft and Sony is which ones are the ones to bet the future on? Should the next Xbox use physical media or be all digital downloads for game distribution? Should an updated Kinect be the primary user interface to the system saying goodbye to the physical controller for good? Should Microsoft or Sony follow Nintendo's innovation and leverage a tablet-like controller interface to expand the ways users can interact with the console? Should the PS4 use Blu-ray again? Will 1080p full 3D graphics be the target for next gen? How can the next gen consoles expand on social networking and media sharing? Is OnLive really the future of video games? These are all very difficult questions that both Sony and Microsoft must answer before committing another 8-10 years and hundreds of millions of dollars in a new system. If they bet wrong, there will be a steep price to pay.
In previous generations, updating a system to the next generation was pretty straightforward. Simply update the processing power of both the CPU and GPU to enable new uses of technology and you were pretty much done. However, today the expectations for a game console has grown immensely and simply increasing the processing power is not enough. With so many variables, what-ifs, and volatile technologies in the mix, it's reasonable that Sony and Microsoft need more time weigh them all, observe their impact on the audience, and work to fine tune some of the less polished ones.
4. HARDWARE TECH ISN'T AS IMPORTANT AS IT USED TO BE
How many readers are old enough to remember the old "Genesis Does" or "U R NOT E" gaming commercials from the 90s? If you can think back to those days, all you heard or saw in ads was how many "bits" the hardware had, how many polygons it can push, or how advanced the system is (remember those "It's Thinking" ads for Dreamcast). Kids argued in school how much better the Genesis was with its 16-bits compared to the NES with only 8-bits. Or how awesome the PlayStation was because it was 32-bit and used shiny new CD-ROMs for games. For gamers then, the most exciting thing was seeing the leaps in technology with each new system adding things like full-motion video, voice, and 3D graphics. Oh the good ole days.
In 2011, consumers are much less interested in the nuts and bolts of a system and more concerned with what kind of experience it gives them. This is true not only in the video game space, but across the board in consumer electronics and technology. If nothing else, the Wii proved that people are less interested in technology and graphics than they are fun and accessible experiences. Xbox Live is a phenomenal success and is the primary reason why Xbox360 has such a large sales lead over the PS3 in the US. Xbox Live offers an "experience" that just cannot be found on the other consoles and many gamers are still buying 360s to be a part of that community. The rise of the MP3 and digital downloads again proves that consumers care more about accessibility and convenience than quality alone. No doubt Cd's, SACDs, DVD-Audio, and Blu-Ray offer superior experiences than anything you can download today, but consumers are much more interested in having the content come to them and travel with them wherever they go. The IPhone and IPAD set the world on fire not because it offered a cutting edge CPU or GPU under the hood, but because it provided a innovative, easy to use, and unique user interface that appealed to a large audience.
The changing times would have certainly made Sony and Microsoft at least hesitate before approaching the next generation. Now they have to invest a lot more resources that used to be used to increase processing power to delivering a powerful and innovative user experience. They must invest not so much in hardware but in software in order to be successful next gen. This is a fundamentally different paradigm for the hardware manufacturers to work in and there is likely a time overhead with figuring out the new approach.
3. GRAPHICS APPORACHING DIMINSIHING RETURNS IN HD ERA
I know that of all of my reasons on this list, this is likely to be most controversial and flame worthy. However, I think it is still a valid point if you can hear me out. There are two main ideas embedded in this statement:
A) That the graphics of current generation hardware is good enough to be relevant longer
B) That the difference in graphical fidelity in going to next generation is not going to be as large as before.
Here are my top 5 reasons the next generation of game consoles is taking so long:
5. TECHNOLOGY IS CHANGING TOO FAST
Tablets, 4G, wireless display, motion controls, 3D, networking, digital downloads, APUs (GPU integrated with CPU), and cloud computing. These are just some of the significant technologies that have become common in the 5-6 years since the Xbox360 and PS3 were released. All of these technologies can have profound impacts on video gaming. The hardware has to be made in such a way to enable some or all of these technologies in the next generation. The difficult question for Microsoft and Sony is which ones are the ones to bet the future on? Should the next Xbox use physical media or be all digital downloads for game distribution? Should an updated Kinect be the primary user interface to the system saying goodbye to the physical controller for good? Should Microsoft or Sony follow Nintendo's innovation and leverage a tablet-like controller interface to expand the ways users can interact with the console? Should the PS4 use Blu-ray again? Will 1080p full 3D graphics be the target for next gen? How can the next gen consoles expand on social networking and media sharing? Is OnLive really the future of video games? These are all very difficult questions that both Sony and Microsoft must answer before committing another 8-10 years and hundreds of millions of dollars in a new system. If they bet wrong, there will be a steep price to pay.
In previous generations, updating a system to the next generation was pretty straightforward. Simply update the processing power of both the CPU and GPU to enable new uses of technology and you were pretty much done. However, today the expectations for a game console has grown immensely and simply increasing the processing power is not enough. With so many variables, what-ifs, and volatile technologies in the mix, it's reasonable that Sony and Microsoft need more time weigh them all, observe their impact on the audience, and work to fine tune some of the less polished ones.
4. HARDWARE TECH ISN'T AS IMPORTANT AS IT USED TO BE
How many readers are old enough to remember the old "Genesis Does" or "U R NOT E" gaming commercials from the 90s? If you can think back to those days, all you heard or saw in ads was how many "bits" the hardware had, how many polygons it can push, or how advanced the system is (remember those "It's Thinking" ads for Dreamcast). Kids argued in school how much better the Genesis was with its 16-bits compared to the NES with only 8-bits. Or how awesome the PlayStation was because it was 32-bit and used shiny new CD-ROMs for games. For gamers then, the most exciting thing was seeing the leaps in technology with each new system adding things like full-motion video, voice, and 3D graphics. Oh the good ole days.
In 2011, consumers are much less interested in the nuts and bolts of a system and more concerned with what kind of experience it gives them. This is true not only in the video game space, but across the board in consumer electronics and technology. If nothing else, the Wii proved that people are less interested in technology and graphics than they are fun and accessible experiences. Xbox Live is a phenomenal success and is the primary reason why Xbox360 has such a large sales lead over the PS3 in the US. Xbox Live offers an "experience" that just cannot be found on the other consoles and many gamers are still buying 360s to be a part of that community. The rise of the MP3 and digital downloads again proves that consumers care more about accessibility and convenience than quality alone. No doubt Cd's, SACDs, DVD-Audio, and Blu-Ray offer superior experiences than anything you can download today, but consumers are much more interested in having the content come to them and travel with them wherever they go. The IPhone and IPAD set the world on fire not because it offered a cutting edge CPU or GPU under the hood, but because it provided a innovative, easy to use, and unique user interface that appealed to a large audience.
The changing times would have certainly made Sony and Microsoft at least hesitate before approaching the next generation. Now they have to invest a lot more resources that used to be used to increase processing power to delivering a powerful and innovative user experience. They must invest not so much in hardware but in software in order to be successful next gen. This is a fundamentally different paradigm for the hardware manufacturers to work in and there is likely a time overhead with figuring out the new approach.
3. GRAPHICS APPORACHING DIMINSIHING RETURNS IN HD ERA
I know that of all of my reasons on this list, this is likely to be most controversial and flame worthy. However, I think it is still a valid point if you can hear me out. There are two main ideas embedded in this statement:
A) That the graphics of current generation hardware is good enough to be relevant longer
B) That the difference in graphical fidelity in going to next generation is not going to be as large as before.
Thursday, October 13, 2011
Angry Birds for PC
Finally, those birds that everybody likes has arrived on PC. After iPhone, iPad, Android and other mobile versions, also iPhone cases and toys, Angry Birds has finally arrived on the PC thanks to the Intel App Up store. It’ll work fine and dandy on laptops and netbooks and will cost you only $4.99 to download. Nice price for this lovely game.
Angry Birds is a global phenomenon in mobile gaming and the top grossing iPhone app of 2010. So if you’re not a smart-phone wielding hipster, you no longer have an excuse not to be part of this franchise.
Overall it’s pretty much an identical game play experience to the iPhone app, with some minor differences. It’s snappy, gorgeous, and it sounds amazing. On the netbook version you use a mouse or trackpad instead of touch. There is an open hand icon when the mouse is in hover state, and a closed hand icon when you are clicking or dragging. This visible clue when pulling the slingshot is a nice aid. It allows you to fine tune shots more than just observing the angle of the slingshot band.
Angry Birds for PC
Larger screen means more visibility in the game. On many levels you can see the target that can’t be seen on the iPhone. The previous shot trail is more easily seen, allowing fine tuning of your next shot. Overall the animations and physics seem to have more fluidity.
In terms of features, options, menu etc it’s pretty close to the original. On the netbook the replay level icon has been added to the game space. So you don’t need to pause first then replay. If you start off with bad shot, just click the replay icon, then you can start over. Saving a click is nice. There is a Menu button in the Pause menu that gets you back to the Start screen. There are some things not in play on the netbook version. The leader board and achievements are not available in the main menu. The Golden Eggs are there.
Angry Birds strikes an interesting balance of repetitive, simple tasks and challenging game play working for the many scenarios. So, if you liked this game on your iPhone or Android phone, you’ll sure like it on your big PC screen. If you are new player, don’t hesitate and join the fun now.
You must know and recognize the game from the Rovio, Angry Birds.
This game consists of seven birds with super abilities are different. By using slingshots, you can control the jump and the height of ill-tempered birds to tear down the building where the collection of green pork fat is shelter.
Where is a funny collection of birds swelled, turned into a grumpy group of birds which destroy the kingdom of lustful pigs these cunning thieves.
Angry Birds now not only for the iPhone, Android OS, PS3 and PSP. even Angry Birds has been available in Ovi Store for Nokia. And now Angry Birds have been available for Windows XP and Windows 7
Free Angry Birds for PC
Plenty of dodgy website owners want to rip off Google and push traffic towards their sites on the bogus promise of the free version of Angry Birds for PC. This is only a scam but in fact there exists a download free Angry Birds for PC nevertheless, you will need to move quickly to take advantage of that offer
Finland games producer Rovio Mobile has produced their very 1st version of Angry Birds Game for the Apple iPhone. This particular game was immediately caught by the iPhonesters, and Rovio understood that they will become successful. That has been fine. However, Rovio needed to get going by recoding Angry Birds Games for several programs, which become easier for small companies to get done.
Several weeks went by and finally, the Nokia and Android users could get themselves the Angry Birds Game. After that, the RovioMobile switched their attentions to the huge users of the PSP or the Play Station Portable and the PS3. That has been an additional huge porting project for Rovio operations.
During that time, the PC users have been reading and hearing rumors regarding Angry Birds for PC. Ultimately, in January, Angry Birds for PC was released, and downloading is not for free. However, not everybody is willing to pay for $5 for just a game, even if they will enjoy playing with it. These days, several users have grown to be familiar of getting some thing for free, so there are many who are on the lookout for a totally free Angry Birds for PC download. It can be downloaded via Windows 7 and Windows XP and Vista, or Mac support. But downloading can only be downloaded if you have an internet connection for the process to activate successfully.
Angry Birds pc is one of the well-known games that have taken the popularity with over 200 million downloads. The availability of this game is taking place in almost all of the popular platforms. In addition to playing the game online in the browser you can now download it on your laptop and take it wherever you may go to enjoy the amazing games, enabling you to play whenever, wherever you go. Take it to your workplace or even in the park, while resting and basting under the sun. Probably launching the Angry Birds for PC the wisest and the best move the game maker ever made. This availability made for the millions of platform owners, even made the popularity of Angry Birds known to more video-gaming enthusiasts more than over.
Incoming search terms:
* angry birds for pc
* activate free angry birds for pc
* angry birds FLASH SCAM
* angry-birds-online scam
* free angry birds games full version for window xp
*
- Angry Birds PC Updated
The PC version was updated last week which we talked about in this post. This update will finally include all episodes of Ham ‘Em High and the two chapters of Mine and Dine. I’m sure this is welcome news for all the PC players who have been feeling left out. It shouldn’t have taken this long to get all the episodes out but that’s in the past now so lets just get to playing. Since all the chapters are available you also have access to all of the golden eggs. You can finally complete your collection!
As a side note because I didn’t want to do an entire post about the subject, have you all seen the Angry Birds bra? It’s available over on etsy you should go check it out. I personally don’t know anyone who would wear it but i’m sure there is someone out there who would. I don’t recommend buying this for you girlfriend or wife unless she really loves angry birds.
Angry Birds is a global phenomenon in mobile gaming and the top grossing iPhone app of 2010. So if you’re not a smart-phone wielding hipster, you no longer have an excuse not to be part of this franchise.
Overall it’s pretty much an identical game play experience to the iPhone app, with some minor differences. It’s snappy, gorgeous, and it sounds amazing. On the netbook version you use a mouse or trackpad instead of touch. There is an open hand icon when the mouse is in hover state, and a closed hand icon when you are clicking or dragging. This visible clue when pulling the slingshot is a nice aid. It allows you to fine tune shots more than just observing the angle of the slingshot band.
Angry Birds for PC
Larger screen means more visibility in the game. On many levels you can see the target that can’t be seen on the iPhone. The previous shot trail is more easily seen, allowing fine tuning of your next shot. Overall the animations and physics seem to have more fluidity.
In terms of features, options, menu etc it’s pretty close to the original. On the netbook the replay level icon has been added to the game space. So you don’t need to pause first then replay. If you start off with bad shot, just click the replay icon, then you can start over. Saving a click is nice. There is a Menu button in the Pause menu that gets you back to the Start screen. There are some things not in play on the netbook version. The leader board and achievements are not available in the main menu. The Golden Eggs are there.
Angry Birds strikes an interesting balance of repetitive, simple tasks and challenging game play working for the many scenarios. So, if you liked this game on your iPhone or Android phone, you’ll sure like it on your big PC screen. If you are new player, don’t hesitate and join the fun now.
You must know and recognize the game from the Rovio, Angry Birds.
This game consists of seven birds with super abilities are different. By using slingshots, you can control the jump and the height of ill-tempered birds to tear down the building where the collection of green pork fat is shelter.
Where is a funny collection of birds swelled, turned into a grumpy group of birds which destroy the kingdom of lustful pigs these cunning thieves.
Angry Birds now not only for the iPhone, Android OS, PS3 and PSP. even Angry Birds has been available in Ovi Store for Nokia. And now Angry Birds have been available for Windows XP and Windows 7
Free Angry Birds for PC
Plenty of dodgy website owners want to rip off Google and push traffic towards their sites on the bogus promise of the free version of Angry Birds for PC. This is only a scam but in fact there exists a download free Angry Birds for PC nevertheless, you will need to move quickly to take advantage of that offer
Finland games producer Rovio Mobile has produced their very 1st version of Angry Birds Game for the Apple iPhone. This particular game was immediately caught by the iPhonesters, and Rovio understood that they will become successful. That has been fine. However, Rovio needed to get going by recoding Angry Birds Games for several programs, which become easier for small companies to get done.
Several weeks went by and finally, the Nokia and Android users could get themselves the Angry Birds Game. After that, the RovioMobile switched their attentions to the huge users of the PSP or the Play Station Portable and the PS3. That has been an additional huge porting project for Rovio operations.
During that time, the PC users have been reading and hearing rumors regarding Angry Birds for PC. Ultimately, in January, Angry Birds for PC was released, and downloading is not for free. However, not everybody is willing to pay for $5 for just a game, even if they will enjoy playing with it. These days, several users have grown to be familiar of getting some thing for free, so there are many who are on the lookout for a totally free Angry Birds for PC download. It can be downloaded via Windows 7 and Windows XP and Vista, or Mac support. But downloading can only be downloaded if you have an internet connection for the process to activate successfully.
Angry Birds pc is one of the well-known games that have taken the popularity with over 200 million downloads. The availability of this game is taking place in almost all of the popular platforms. In addition to playing the game online in the browser you can now download it on your laptop and take it wherever you may go to enjoy the amazing games, enabling you to play whenever, wherever you go. Take it to your workplace or even in the park, while resting and basting under the sun. Probably launching the Angry Birds for PC the wisest and the best move the game maker ever made. This availability made for the millions of platform owners, even made the popularity of Angry Birds known to more video-gaming enthusiasts more than over.
Incoming search terms:
* angry birds for pc
* activate free angry birds for pc
* angry birds FLASH SCAM
* angry-birds-online scam
* free angry birds games full version for window xp
*
- Angry Birds PC Updated
The PC version was updated last week which we talked about in this post. This update will finally include all episodes of Ham ‘Em High and the two chapters of Mine and Dine. I’m sure this is welcome news for all the PC players who have been feeling left out. It shouldn’t have taken this long to get all the episodes out but that’s in the past now so lets just get to playing. Since all the chapters are available you also have access to all of the golden eggs. You can finally complete your collection!
As a side note because I didn’t want to do an entire post about the subject, have you all seen the Angry Birds bra? It’s available over on etsy you should go check it out. I personally don’t know anyone who would wear it but i’m sure there is someone out there who would. I don’t recommend buying this for you girlfriend or wife unless she really loves angry birds.
BBCW launches CBeebies games app
Games based on popular CBeebies Games series Charlie & Lola, Teletubbies, 3rd & Bird and Numberjacks are available through a new app launched by BBC Worldwide.
CBeebies On The Go is available for free on the iPhone, iPod Touch and iPad to pre-school children in Australia, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Sri Lanka and South Korea.
Developed by Tag Apps, it includes matching pairs picture games for the Teletubbies and Charlie & Lola, a Kerwhizz jigsaw game and a 3rd & Bird tap-the-fruit challenge. It also holds a number of short video clips from popular shows.
Director of CBeebies investment at BBCW, Henrietta Hurford-Jones, said the team had “worked hard to build a product that upholds the core values of learning through play”.
She added: “This new kids’ app is a first for the Channels business, so the learnings from this pilot phase will help shape any future plans to roll CBeebies Games On The Go out to new territories and different devices.”
More than 53m homes have access to the CBeebies channel worldwide.
CBeebies On The Go is available for free on the iPhone, iPod Touch and iPad to pre-school children in Australia, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Sri Lanka and South Korea.
Developed by Tag Apps, it includes matching pairs picture games for the Teletubbies and Charlie & Lola, a Kerwhizz jigsaw game and a 3rd & Bird tap-the-fruit challenge. It also holds a number of short video clips from popular shows.
Director of CBeebies investment at BBCW, Henrietta Hurford-Jones, said the team had “worked hard to build a product that upholds the core values of learning through play”.
She added: “This new kids’ app is a first for the Channels business, so the learnings from this pilot phase will help shape any future plans to roll CBeebies Games On The Go out to new territories and different devices.”
More than 53m homes have access to the CBeebies channel worldwide.
Disney-branded Facebook games coming in 2012, Playdom head says
Can we all just say, “finally?” During a panel named “The Rise of Social Games” at the f8 Facebook Developers Conference in San Francisco, Disney Interactive and Playdom head John Pleasants revealed that two to four Facebook games surrounding Disney xd brands will hit Facebook in 2012. The general topic of the panel was the fact that branded social games are taking off.
Pleasants was joined on the panel by Kabam CEO Kevin Chou, EA Interactive head Barry Cottle and Zynga CBO Owen Van Natta. Facebook director of games partnerships Sean Ryan moderated the panel with the preface that branded games will take over the Facebook platform. And he might be right: EA just released The Sims Social, Zynga will soon re-brand its new Adventure World with Indiana Jones and Kabam recently announced The Godfather: Five Families.
Playdom, which Disney acquired in July 2010 for a whopping $740 million, is ahead of the pack with two branded games on Facebook: ESPNU College Town and ESPN Sports Bar & Grill. Both games performed well, thanks to advertising through the ESPN TV network. While Disney owns the ESPN brand, notice how neither of those actually involve the insanely popular Disney characters we’ve come to love.
Honestly, we’re surprised this didn’t happen sooner. Consider this: Disney has its own cable TV channel through which it could, in theory, advertise whatever it wants. Pleasants didn’t get into why it’s taken this long for disney channel games to throw its cast of characters into Facebook games, but did reveal the power of the Disney name.
Gnome Town, which Playdom launched in the summer–and we enjoyed quite a bit–peaked at 530,000 daily players. But just plopping the Disney logo on top of the existing one made users more likely to spend in the game just through trust of the company’s name, according to Pleasants. “We think it’s an advantage, if you put game play first,” Pleasants said.
It’s comforting to hear this emphasized by these developers. (Kabam’s Chou shared the same sentiment.) Branded games on Facebook are OK in my book, but the last thing anyone wants to see is the genre become a branding machine.
Pleasants was joined on the panel by Kabam CEO Kevin Chou, EA Interactive head Barry Cottle and Zynga CBO Owen Van Natta. Facebook director of games partnerships Sean Ryan moderated the panel with the preface that branded games will take over the Facebook platform. And he might be right: EA just released The Sims Social, Zynga will soon re-brand its new Adventure World with Indiana Jones and Kabam recently announced The Godfather: Five Families.
Playdom, which Disney acquired in July 2010 for a whopping $740 million, is ahead of the pack with two branded games on Facebook: ESPNU College Town and ESPN Sports Bar & Grill. Both games performed well, thanks to advertising through the ESPN TV network. While Disney owns the ESPN brand, notice how neither of those actually involve the insanely popular Disney characters we’ve come to love.
Honestly, we’re surprised this didn’t happen sooner. Consider this: Disney has its own cable TV channel through which it could, in theory, advertise whatever it wants. Pleasants didn’t get into why it’s taken this long for disney channel games to throw its cast of characters into Facebook games, but did reveal the power of the Disney name.
Gnome Town, which Playdom launched in the summer–and we enjoyed quite a bit–peaked at 530,000 daily players. But just plopping the Disney logo on top of the existing one made users more likely to spend in the game just through trust of the company’s name, according to Pleasants. “We think it’s an advantage, if you put game play first,” Pleasants said.
It’s comforting to hear this emphasized by these developers. (Kabam’s Chou shared the same sentiment.) Branded games on Facebook are OK in my book, but the last thing anyone wants to see is the genre become a branding machine.
Phineas And Ferb 3D Game – Disney XD Games 63
New Disney Game – Phineas and Ferb
Disney released a new game. Phineas and Ferb 3D online game. Klick here to read the complete review.
The new game is available at the Disney XD discovery channel. Get ahead of the game before its officially released next week!
Disney is introducing the brand new DisneyXD game. Phineas and Ferb in: The Transport inators of Doooom!
Doofenschmitz is up to his old tricks again, and who has gone missing? Phineas! Help Ferb find his brother and try to help Agent P thwarth Doofenschmitz evil plans!
Check out this new exciting Disney XD online game before all others do at the Disney Cartoon network games website!
Check out Disney’s cartoon network to find a lot of amazing games and news. Disney offers a lot of cartoon games on their site. So head over to the Disney XD site and play the new Phineas and Ferb – The Transport-inators of Doooom! game!
Have Fun!
Disney released a new game. Phineas and Ferb 3D online game. Klick here to read the complete review.
The new game is available at the Disney XD discovery channel. Get ahead of the game before its officially released next week!
Disney is introducing the brand new DisneyXD game. Phineas and Ferb in: The Transport inators of Doooom!
Doofenschmitz is up to his old tricks again, and who has gone missing? Phineas! Help Ferb find his brother and try to help Agent P thwarth Doofenschmitz evil plans!
Check out this new exciting Disney XD online game before all others do at the Disney Cartoon network games website!
Check out Disney’s cartoon network to find a lot of amazing games and news. Disney offers a lot of cartoon games on their site. So head over to the Disney XD site and play the new Phineas and Ferb – The Transport-inators of Doooom! game!
Have Fun!
Play the Scary Maze Game With Your Friends!
Have you ever played the Scary Maze Game 8 now? If not, brotha you haven’t lived!!! This maze game is the most awesome game on earth! But in order to play it you MUST have a partner in the room with you. So go find a friend, co-hort, or even an enemy – it doesn’t matter! Then match your wits and your mouse skills with the game and see if you’re awesome enough to win the BIG prize at the end!
Chinese Couple Sells All Three Kids to Play Online Games
A young Chinese couple has sold all three of their children in exchange for money to play online Nick jr games at Internet cafes, reports a southern Chinese newspaper.
According to Sanxiang City News, the couple met in an Internet cafe back in 2007 and bonded over their obsession with online video games. A year later, the parents — who are both under 21 — welcomed their first child, a son. Days after his birth, they left him home alone while they went to play online agame at an Internet cafe 30 km away.
In 2009, Li Lin and Li Juan welcomed their second child, a baby girl, and came up with the idea to sell her for money to fund their online game obsession. They did so, receiving RMB 3,000 (less than $500), which they spent entirely shortly after. The couple then proceeded to sell their first child and got 10 times as much for him — RMB 30,000, or about $4600.
Upon having their third child — another boy — the parents followed in their previous footsteps and also got RMB 30,000 for him.
They were finally turned into authorities when Li Lin’s mother found out what her son and his girlfriend had done.
When asked if they missed their children, the parents answered, “We don’t want to raise them, we just want to sell them for some money.”
Sanxiang City Newsreports the couple didn’t know they were breaking the law.
According to Sanxiang City News, the couple met in an Internet cafe back in 2007 and bonded over their obsession with online video games. A year later, the parents — who are both under 21 — welcomed their first child, a son. Days after his birth, they left him home alone while they went to play online agame at an Internet cafe 30 km away.
In 2009, Li Lin and Li Juan welcomed their second child, a baby girl, and came up with the idea to sell her for money to fund their online game obsession. They did so, receiving RMB 3,000 (less than $500), which they spent entirely shortly after. The couple then proceeded to sell their first child and got 10 times as much for him — RMB 30,000, or about $4600.
Upon having their third child — another boy — the parents followed in their previous footsteps and also got RMB 30,000 for him.
They were finally turned into authorities when Li Lin’s mother found out what her son and his girlfriend had done.
When asked if they missed their children, the parents answered, “We don’t want to raise them, we just want to sell them for some money.”
Sanxiang City Newsreports the couple didn’t know they were breaking the law.
Official Pokemon Game Coming To Smartphones
The Pokemon Company is set to bring an official Pokemon Online game to smartphone devices, marking the first time that an official Nintendo-copyrighted app will be available on the iOS and Android.
Called Pokemon Iie Tap (rougly Pokemon: Say Tap?), the app appears to be a rhythm game where players “tap on Pokemon indigo trading cards to the beat of a song from the anime,” according to a translation by consumer video game site GamesRadar.
According to the game’s official announcement, it will be available for most iOS devices, as well as Android devices running version 2.1 of the platform.
Though this is the first iOS or Android application to carry an official Nintendo copyright, it is not the first mobile app of any kind: a Pokemon mobile phone game called Pokemate was released in Japan in 2006.
Though it is a rarity, Nintendo does have a history of releasing official games on platforms that are not its own, including a promotional Flash game to promote its Tingle character.
A release outside of Japan has not been announced.
Called Pokemon Iie Tap (rougly Pokemon: Say Tap?), the app appears to be a rhythm game where players “tap on Pokemon indigo trading cards to the beat of a song from the anime,” according to a translation by consumer video game site GamesRadar.
According to the game’s official announcement, it will be available for most iOS devices, as well as Android devices running version 2.1 of the platform.
Though this is the first iOS or Android application to carry an official Nintendo copyright, it is not the first mobile app of any kind: a Pokemon mobile phone game called Pokemate was released in Japan in 2006.
Though it is a rarity, Nintendo does have a history of releasing official games on platforms that are not its own, including a promotional Flash game to promote its Tingle character.
A release outside of Japan has not been announced.
Nick Jr., MTVN expand in Asia
Rugrats and music fans in Singapore and Malaysia will be able to tune in to “Dora the Explorer” and 24-hour music videos, docus and concerts with the launch of Viacom’s Nick Jr. and MTVN HD in the territories in coming weeks.
Nick Jr Games. will bow on Singapore’s Starhub from May 18, while MTVN HD will air on Telekom Malaysia Berhad’s HyppTV in Malaysia from June 1.
Nick Jr. will be available on the StarHub TV’s Kids Basic Upsize Group, while MTVNHD will be available to existing StarHub TV’s Entertainment Basic Group customers who are subscribed to the Basic HD Upsize group.
TM will offer the two channels a la carte to its subscribers on HyppTV, Malaysia’s newest pay TV service.
The services will roll out to the rest of the region at a date to be announced.
Nick Jr Games. will bow on Singapore’s Starhub from May 18, while MTVN HD will air on Telekom Malaysia Berhad’s HyppTV in Malaysia from June 1.
Nick Jr. will be available on the StarHub TV’s Kids Basic Upsize Group, while MTVNHD will be available to existing StarHub TV’s Entertainment Basic Group customers who are subscribed to the Basic HD Upsize group.
TM will offer the two channels a la carte to its subscribers on HyppTV, Malaysia’s newest pay TV service.
The services will roll out to the rest of the region at a date to be announced.
Wednesday, October 12, 2011
PC Gaming: The Truth
After reading countless articles and comments on this site that spread lies and misinformation about this platform I decided to share my thoughts on the matter without screaming “PC gaming is better” or “Consolez FTW”. I am biased towards PC gaming as I am a PC gamer and own neither console. However I used too and gamed on the consoles for years so I believe I have a fair insight on both sides. This is not an article to start a flame war in the comments about which platform you prefer, everyone has their opinion and I advise you not to post why your system is the best. It’s all preference.
This Blog is only here to throw away the big lies about PC gaming which I spread out into three topics.
[Price]
A lot of arguing goes on about this topic. You have the “uninformed” console gamer who believes that a PC costs around £2000 however I am going to ignore this because it’s just plain stupidity. Then you get to the real argument PC’s are a big investment, you are likely to pay triple the price of a console to get a good gaming rig that will last you a while. However console games generally cost around £10 more than a PC game at launch and drop in price a lot quicker. Then there is the factor of upgrading your PC which is not normally necessary to keep playing games which brings me to the second big lie about PC Gaming, people who say that you have to worry about upgrading your parts for every new game that releases. If you invested in a good system at launch there is no reason why it can’t still play games 4-6 years down the line. Due to most games only running DX9 because of the consoles however of course you will need to upgrade your computer if you want to run DX11 and bought a DX9 graphics card however this is not a necessity.
TL;DR PC gaming is a massive investment at first however If you buy a lot of games it will probably end up being cheaper.
[Ease of use and reliability]
Well a lot of people want their gaming platform to be simple and easy to use and in this field consoles trump PC however the jump is not as big as people think and you will actually learn something useful if you learn how to build and maintain a PC. Thinking of building a PC sounds a lot scarier than it really is, I learnt how to build a computer after watching 4 short youtube videos and glancing over my motherboards instructions. Yet it is completely understandable If someone does not wish to do this and consoles are definitely the better choice for ease of use.
A lot of gamers see PC’s as something that never works how you want it too and you need to install drivers and all of these things. However I disagree windows 7 takes care of 99.9% of driver installs automatically. The problems that do occur with my PC can normally be fixed after a quick google search or patch. Consoles on the other hand are not very reliable, The problems that occur with consoles are more likely to require you to return the console unless you have a very good technical understanding.
[Games]
“But the PC has no games” As a PC gamer I hear this a lot. However this is not true at all PC has way more games than both consoles combined. It is fully backwards compatible and with services such as GOG.com really old games are being brought back to life. PC games normally address the PC Gamer crowd. They are often less casual and more strategic. PC gamers love strategy games and so we have big series such as Starcraft and Total War, two games that also hold their own against console top sellers. PC is also the “true” home of indie games and innovation, It offers developers a complete freedom so that they do not have to abide by the rules of Sony or Microsoft which has allowed for some great titles such as Minecraft, Mount and Blade and terraria. Three games that would never have passed approval by Sony and Microsoft due to buying unfinished games and the way they evolve. Then there is Mods, a lot of console gamers see mods as something that adds a new skin or enhances a games graphics however their have been some pretty impressive mods. For example: Team Fortress, Counter Strike, Nehrim, The cube and much more. There are also mods that fix problems in games such as The Unofficial Oblivion Patch that fixes 800 bugs in the game. And of course graphics mods which seem to be getting the most publicity at the moment.
Then there is F2P games. These are regarded by most gamers as cheap and trash however some of these games are pretty good. Recent ones include KAG2D and Team Fortress 2. However I agree that most past F2P games have been plagued by pay to win and all sorts of issues. Developers seem to have noticed this and there are some promising F2P titles such as End of Nations and Firefall which both do something new and great.
So I think that throws out the no games argument.
In conclusion game on what you want to game on. PC gaming is not better than console gaming and console gaming is not better than PC gaming, they both suit different kinds of people. Gaming is primarily about fun after all.
This Blog is only here to throw away the big lies about PC gaming which I spread out into three topics.
[Price]
A lot of arguing goes on about this topic. You have the “uninformed” console gamer who believes that a PC costs around £2000 however I am going to ignore this because it’s just plain stupidity. Then you get to the real argument PC’s are a big investment, you are likely to pay triple the price of a console to get a good gaming rig that will last you a while. However console games generally cost around £10 more than a PC game at launch and drop in price a lot quicker. Then there is the factor of upgrading your PC which is not normally necessary to keep playing games which brings me to the second big lie about PC Gaming, people who say that you have to worry about upgrading your parts for every new game that releases. If you invested in a good system at launch there is no reason why it can’t still play games 4-6 years down the line. Due to most games only running DX9 because of the consoles however of course you will need to upgrade your computer if you want to run DX11 and bought a DX9 graphics card however this is not a necessity.
TL;DR PC gaming is a massive investment at first however If you buy a lot of games it will probably end up being cheaper.
[Ease of use and reliability]
Well a lot of people want their gaming platform to be simple and easy to use and in this field consoles trump PC however the jump is not as big as people think and you will actually learn something useful if you learn how to build and maintain a PC. Thinking of building a PC sounds a lot scarier than it really is, I learnt how to build a computer after watching 4 short youtube videos and glancing over my motherboards instructions. Yet it is completely understandable If someone does not wish to do this and consoles are definitely the better choice for ease of use.
A lot of gamers see PC’s as something that never works how you want it too and you need to install drivers and all of these things. However I disagree windows 7 takes care of 99.9% of driver installs automatically. The problems that do occur with my PC can normally be fixed after a quick google search or patch. Consoles on the other hand are not very reliable, The problems that occur with consoles are more likely to require you to return the console unless you have a very good technical understanding.
[Games]
“But the PC has no games” As a PC gamer I hear this a lot. However this is not true at all PC has way more games than both consoles combined. It is fully backwards compatible and with services such as GOG.com really old games are being brought back to life. PC games normally address the PC Gamer crowd. They are often less casual and more strategic. PC gamers love strategy games and so we have big series such as Starcraft and Total War, two games that also hold their own against console top sellers. PC is also the “true” home of indie games and innovation, It offers developers a complete freedom so that they do not have to abide by the rules of Sony or Microsoft which has allowed for some great titles such as Minecraft, Mount and Blade and terraria. Three games that would never have passed approval by Sony and Microsoft due to buying unfinished games and the way they evolve. Then there is Mods, a lot of console gamers see mods as something that adds a new skin or enhances a games graphics however their have been some pretty impressive mods. For example: Team Fortress, Counter Strike, Nehrim, The cube and much more. There are also mods that fix problems in games such as The Unofficial Oblivion Patch that fixes 800 bugs in the game. And of course graphics mods which seem to be getting the most publicity at the moment.
Then there is F2P games. These are regarded by most gamers as cheap and trash however some of these games are pretty good. Recent ones include KAG2D and Team Fortress 2. However I agree that most past F2P games have been plagued by pay to win and all sorts of issues. Developers seem to have noticed this and there are some promising F2P titles such as End of Nations and Firefall which both do something new and great.
So I think that throws out the no games argument.
In conclusion game on what you want to game on. PC gaming is not better than console gaming and console gaming is not better than PC gaming, they both suit different kinds of people. Gaming is primarily about fun after all.
Working with Pirates
Last week an Indie company made the headlines on a gaming websites because they chose a different type of advertising for their game. A special build of the game was released on a torrent site for free.
Before the morale debate starts I would like to state that I downloaded games illegally before(like most of you) and to some point I understand why some people do it regularly.
For 18 years I lived in Lima: the capital of Peru (South America if some of you don’t know); unlike the UK, US, EU(Developed countries), getting, I mean buying games it is much harder.
First of all not all the games are available, the release dates are different (months after released in USA), but more importantly the prices at retail are the same or very close to the ones in America.
In Peru the minimum wage is 200$ dollars a month, where a game retail price is around 40-60$, making buying videogames a banality. I’m not here to debate why is ok to get games without paying for them, we know they are not a necessity, just hear me out. I know what is it to be a teenager and the only way to get your games is to get pirated versions of them.
Here are some ideas in how we can “work” with pirates.
1) Engage the pirates: Don’t threat pirates as your enemies or loss revenue, but instead as potential customers who haven’t been reached yet. Indie Developer tinyBuild released a special build of their latest game No Time to Explain! on a torrent site for free.
The developer told Gamasutra: “Basically, on release day, we rushed to make a version of the game that is actually all about pirates”, “People were going to pirate it anyway, so we figured if we make something funny out of it (give everyone pirate hats in a pirated version of the game), gamers would appreciate that and start talking about it”
“Plus, we think it’s a great distribution channel that just hasn’t been monetized properly yet”
2) Reward Customers: DRM is not the way to stop piracy. If you are a customer it feels like you are being treated like a criminal and being kicked in the crotch.
Don’t assume all your customers are potential criminals. Imagine you go to shop to buy some clothes, and while doing so a security guard follows you all the time; that is like DRM, it doesn’t think you are a criminal but is there just in case you might end up doing something funny.
Give customers incentive for buying from you, even coffee shops give me a stamp for each coffee I buy. Why not after 3 new videogames I buy you give me 50% discount on the next DLC?
I’m sure there are a number of ways to reward customers for choosing to buy new games, giving incentives instead of punishing them for doing so.
3) Create a community: Give your customers a place where they can meet and play like-minded people. Games like FIFA give you the chance to connect with football fans around the world, create avatars, watch videos, join leagues and much more.
4) Lower prices: The current prices in the UK for a new game are between 35 £ and 45 £. I personally don’t buy games at released dates because I found it ridiculous to pay that amount for a videogame.
I Wait till the game price goes down or becomes platinum (in case of the ps3), and buy for a reasonable price. I’m pretty sure the publishers will sell more games if they sell them at 20-25 £ than at 45£.
Before the morale debate starts I would like to state that I downloaded games illegally before(like most of you) and to some point I understand why some people do it regularly.
For 18 years I lived in Lima: the capital of Peru (South America if some of you don’t know); unlike the UK, US, EU(Developed countries), getting, I mean buying games it is much harder.
First of all not all the games are available, the release dates are different (months after released in USA), but more importantly the prices at retail are the same or very close to the ones in America.
In Peru the minimum wage is 200$ dollars a month, where a game retail price is around 40-60$, making buying videogames a banality. I’m not here to debate why is ok to get games without paying for them, we know they are not a necessity, just hear me out. I know what is it to be a teenager and the only way to get your games is to get pirated versions of them.
Here are some ideas in how we can “work” with pirates.
1) Engage the pirates: Don’t threat pirates as your enemies or loss revenue, but instead as potential customers who haven’t been reached yet. Indie Developer tinyBuild released a special build of their latest game No Time to Explain! on a torrent site for free.
The developer told Gamasutra: “Basically, on release day, we rushed to make a version of the game that is actually all about pirates”, “People were going to pirate it anyway, so we figured if we make something funny out of it (give everyone pirate hats in a pirated version of the game), gamers would appreciate that and start talking about it”
“Plus, we think it’s a great distribution channel that just hasn’t been monetized properly yet”
2) Reward Customers: DRM is not the way to stop piracy. If you are a customer it feels like you are being treated like a criminal and being kicked in the crotch.
Don’t assume all your customers are potential criminals. Imagine you go to shop to buy some clothes, and while doing so a security guard follows you all the time; that is like DRM, it doesn’t think you are a criminal but is there just in case you might end up doing something funny.
Give customers incentive for buying from you, even coffee shops give me a stamp for each coffee I buy. Why not after 3 new videogames I buy you give me 50% discount on the next DLC?
I’m sure there are a number of ways to reward customers for choosing to buy new games, giving incentives instead of punishing them for doing so.
3) Create a community: Give your customers a place where they can meet and play like-minded people. Games like FIFA give you the chance to connect with football fans around the world, create avatars, watch videos, join leagues and much more.
4) Lower prices: The current prices in the UK for a new game are between 35 £ and 45 £. I personally don’t buy games at released dates because I found it ridiculous to pay that amount for a videogame.
I Wait till the game price goes down or becomes platinum (in case of the ps3), and buy for a reasonable price. I’m pretty sure the publishers will sell more games if they sell them at 20-25 £ than at 45£.
N4G's Oldest Problem:The Bubble System and How to Fix it.
The Bubble system is a great system at first. Under this system, the people who make good comments with actual thought and advanced grammar are rewarded with extra bubbles to make even more good posts with and people who troll and use indecent language are reduced to one bubble and cannot post more than once.
This works pretty good in theory. It's a merit system that rewards those who actually contribute something to the article instead of starting flame wars. Everyone starts out with the now default three bubbles and you are left to either build them up or take them away on your own. In theory, the best posters will have the most bubbles.
Unfortunately, that is not the case. The flaw of the bubble system comes in with 2 factors; the majority opinion and anonymity. If you make a post that goes against what most gamers agree with, you are sure to lose your bubbles. If someone makes a post saying that they do not like gears of war or uncharted does that mean they deserve to lose bubbles? The person was not trolling or using bad grammar but the majority of gamers here will take away his bubbles simply because they dont agree. Many members of n4g have chosen to interpret the bubble down button as a disagree button, which is not how it was intended to be used.
The second factor is what really destroys the Bubble system. Anonymity means that you can take a bubble from someone and get away with it because he doesn't not know that you did it. There is no way to report people who take away bubbles for unjust reasons so the majority of the website can freely control who gets more bubbles and who doesn't based on opinion alone.
This can call be fixed by removing the anonymity. If someone takes a bubble from you, you will receive a notification for it much like you do when someone replies to a message. If someone has bubbled you down for an unjust reason, you can report it to a mod. Then the mod will review it and decide whether to remove that vote on you or not. Under this system, no one should lose bubbles for no reason.
That is the easiest solution I can find for this system. The bubble system is not a bad system, its just a broken one that can be fixed. If you disagree with my solution to the problem that is ok but one thing you cant disagree with is that the current system has been exploited by the members of this site and must be fixed.
This works pretty good in theory. It's a merit system that rewards those who actually contribute something to the article instead of starting flame wars. Everyone starts out with the now default three bubbles and you are left to either build them up or take them away on your own. In theory, the best posters will have the most bubbles.
Unfortunately, that is not the case. The flaw of the bubble system comes in with 2 factors; the majority opinion and anonymity. If you make a post that goes against what most gamers agree with, you are sure to lose your bubbles. If someone makes a post saying that they do not like gears of war or uncharted does that mean they deserve to lose bubbles? The person was not trolling or using bad grammar but the majority of gamers here will take away his bubbles simply because they dont agree. Many members of n4g have chosen to interpret the bubble down button as a disagree button, which is not how it was intended to be used.
The second factor is what really destroys the Bubble system. Anonymity means that you can take a bubble from someone and get away with it because he doesn't not know that you did it. There is no way to report people who take away bubbles for unjust reasons so the majority of the website can freely control who gets more bubbles and who doesn't based on opinion alone.
This can call be fixed by removing the anonymity. If someone takes a bubble from you, you will receive a notification for it much like you do when someone replies to a message. If someone has bubbled you down for an unjust reason, you can report it to a mod. Then the mod will review it and decide whether to remove that vote on you or not. Under this system, no one should lose bubbles for no reason.
That is the easiest solution I can find for this system. The bubble system is not a bad system, its just a broken one that can be fixed. If you disagree with my solution to the problem that is ok but one thing you cant disagree with is that the current system has been exploited by the members of this site and must be fixed.
Console Gamer meets Cloud Gaming
User blog
It's been claimed to be a revolution in the gaming industry so naturally I couldn't resist trying out Onlive to see if it really does live up these big claims.
Onlive just recently launched in the UK and are offering a nice introductory order of one game for £1. The process was surprisingly simple, I created an account, downloaded the app and then before I know it, I was drawn into the world of Onlive.
The user interface was nice and friendly and my first port of call was the arena to check out what everyone is up to. This is probably one of the best features and that's purely because I can sit there and watch whatever game I want and really get a feel of a game - unless they quit and then of course I'll have to find someone else to stalk.
I can see that it isn't much different from just watching a few clips on Youtube, but you're diving straight in. It's a great experience and you get a great sense of what the game is like.
So next on my list was the marketplace. There were some games that had free trials which was pleasant so I started off with Assassins Creed Brotherhood. A couple of seconds later, I was playing Assassins Creed and it was just a bit of a 'wow' moment. Wow in the sense that it only took a couple of seconds and I was straight in.
Now Onlive is really a mix bag for me because there were two main scenarios when I was playing; scenario one is noticeable blurriness and input lag and scenario two, nice crisp visuals and smooth gaming. It quite often switched between one or the other.
So that is only a small snippet of what I experienced with Onlive. Do I believe it is revolutionary? Not yet, but it has so much potential to be something so revolutionary. If they nail those visuals and improve latency, I can see it as being so fantastic.
Have you experienced Onlive? Maybe you have the microconsole? It'd be great to hear from others about their Onlive experience, especially those on the other side of the Atlantic who have had it longer than us Brits.
It's been claimed to be a revolution in the gaming industry so naturally I couldn't resist trying out Onlive to see if it really does live up these big claims.
Onlive just recently launched in the UK and are offering a nice introductory order of one game for £1. The process was surprisingly simple, I created an account, downloaded the app and then before I know it, I was drawn into the world of Onlive.
The user interface was nice and friendly and my first port of call was the arena to check out what everyone is up to. This is probably one of the best features and that's purely because I can sit there and watch whatever game I want and really get a feel of a game - unless they quit and then of course I'll have to find someone else to stalk.
I can see that it isn't much different from just watching a few clips on Youtube, but you're diving straight in. It's a great experience and you get a great sense of what the game is like.
So next on my list was the marketplace. There were some games that had free trials which was pleasant so I started off with Assassins Creed Brotherhood. A couple of seconds later, I was playing Assassins Creed and it was just a bit of a 'wow' moment. Wow in the sense that it only took a couple of seconds and I was straight in.
Now Onlive is really a mix bag for me because there were two main scenarios when I was playing; scenario one is noticeable blurriness and input lag and scenario two, nice crisp visuals and smooth gaming. It quite often switched between one or the other.
So that is only a small snippet of what I experienced with Onlive. Do I believe it is revolutionary? Not yet, but it has so much potential to be something so revolutionary. If they nail those visuals and improve latency, I can see it as being so fantastic.
Have you experienced Onlive? Maybe you have the microconsole? It'd be great to hear from others about their Onlive experience, especially those on the other side of the Atlantic who have had it longer than us Brits.
Eurogamer 2011: PS Vita, Getting a Feel For It
I was not only lucky enough to catch the last group of the day to go hands on with Sony’s Playstation Vita but it was also a lightly extended session since the queue had closed behind us. Still, not enough time was given to ask ALL the questions and try EVERYTHING out but I did manage to get that all important ‘feel’ for the device. What I mean is, even in the relatively short time we were allotted, I got comfortable with all of the physical features of the hardware. This is what I’m going to try and describe to you now in hope that those of you interested in the powerful handheld can get an imaginative insight into what it’s like to use. I will use Little Big Planet as the reference game as it was the first thing I tried and it uses most of the PSVs features very nicely. Most of you may have read about all of this beforehand but I’d just like to share my personal experience with you anyway.
The first thing you notice about holding the device is also the thing with the most ambiguous future I’m afraid, the weight. I was shocked at just how light it was, when the girl handed me the PSV I held my hands out underneath expecting something as ‘stuffed’ with hardware features as this to give my wrists a slight need to adjust to counterweight. However it feels almost effortless to grasp but not so lightweight that it threatens to break or fly out of your hand. I immediately found myself trying to hold the device in one had then the other with surprising success. I asked if the model I was holding would be the same weight as the final build and was disappointed to hear that there would be a slight change with no indication as to whether it would be heavier or lighter. The demo model did in fact have the battery inside, according to the rep, and the weight change would probably be so slight as to be unnoticeable.
Now to find the buttons! Having owned a PSP, I was relatively aware of the basic button setup however I soon discovered that this may be more of a problem than an advantage. The inclusion of dual analogue sticks, while probably the greatest feature to hit handhelds ever, has forced the usual face buttons to shrink. It took me a few attempts to jump a small gap in LBP because I kept pushing the second analogue stick, thinking that it was the ‘X’ button. Once I got used to this though everything else snapped into place, the D-pad even seems to improve on the PSPs already good one, and it was now time to try out the touch screen.
My first touch evoked a mild feeling of disgust after realising just how grubby the screen had become. We can’t really blame the Vita for falling victim to the touch screen weakness though; you’d feel dirty too if 1000+ strangers queued up to fondle you all day. Returning, after a quick wipe, to the very first room in LBP which contained some of the ‘touchable’ blue material I had learned about just hours before in Sony’s PSV developer conference; I moved the object around just like I had done countless time before on various smart phones, it’s as intuitive here as it was then. There’s a certain small awe that comes with moving an object in a world as detailed as LBP using your own touch. The rear touchpad also came into use during the demo, where I was challenged with building a staircase for Sackboy by pushing ‘Tetris-like’ blocks out from ‘behind’. It’s a strange but immersive experience, which left me, optimistically, wondering about the possibilities of such input. Both front and rear touch screens are multi-touch and feel incredibly responsive, easily on par with top level smart phones.
The next challenge to put the PSV through its paces involved the six-axis function. I needed to tilt the device in order to bring a bridge across for Sackboy to jump onto; it works exactly how you would expect, after using both Move and DS3, you should feel very comfortable with this.
The dual analogue sticks seemed tiny at first, I worried that their decreased size would affect the range of control you had over manipulating the camera or minute aiming adjustments. However my concerns were put to rest after only a few short minutes of use I felt a common connection between the PSV sticks and the DS3. It might sound silly but it really did feel like I was playing a mini PS3 in my hands; which, in my opinion, is no bad thing, especially when you consider all the extra input and features available on the Playstation Vita.
I left the expo confident that Vita would be usable for me after being worried that my large hands (I’m 6’4” and can hold a basketball upside-down with arm outstretched) would be a problem. From build quality to responsiveness, Vita FEELS like a winner. There may not be another Zynga game in which Energy is more important than in Adventure World. Every switch thrown, every puzzle solved and beastie whacked costs you the Facebook game juice. Players often find themselves without Energy minutes into an Expedition. But this isn't the time for whining--it's time to show you the value of upgrading your Tools and how to do it.
Tools: The Game Changer
If you noticed, each piece of debris and monster has a life bar, and normally take multiple hits with your Whip or Machete to whittle down. This, of course, quickly becomes a waste in later Expeditions purely due to the amount of obstacles in your path. But increasing the amount of damage your various Tools inflict against said baddies could considerably reduce the Energy spend in-game.
For instance, say a Snake has three hit points and is Level 5. Since monsters can hit back in this game, it could take three to five Energy before an enemy goes down. Now, imagine if you had upgraded your Whip to Level 2. Offing that Snake would take just two to four Energy with a beefier Whip. The same situation applies to Tools like the Machete.
Adventure World Tool Shop inside
And Now For Your How-To
Adventure World Tool Shop outsideUpgrading your Tools in Adventure World is simple. All you need to do is head back to Base Camp from an Expedition, and look for a makeshift hut that should already be in place in your headquarters. When you click on the Tool Shop, a window will appear featuring all the Tools you've found thus far on your journeys. Click on the Tool you wish to upgrade.
Once you click on a Tool to upgrade, you'll notice that each Tool costs Coins to upgrade. That's it--no asking friends to help you out with materials or farming certain crops for special items. Just the goods you find during your travels in search of El Dorado. However, Coins are actually quite rare in this game, so you'll need to save and spend wisely.
When you have enough Coins for an upgrade, just click on the appropriate icon to pay up. Tool upgrades are also level-locked, meaning you must reach a certain level for most Tools before being able to upgrade them using Coins. If you're feeling impatient, you could always unlock access to those higher level Tools early using Adventure Cash.
Just One Small Catch...
However, some Tool upgrades do require an extra boost: your Tool Shop. Yes, the building itself can be upgraded, too. And this time, you will need items from your friends. (Just think of how things work in CityVille.) Luckily, you only have to do this about twice to unlock access to all of the game's Tools. Then, it's back onto leveling up to access new upgrades for Coins.
Adventure World Tool Shop Upgrade
Upgraded Tools are hands-down the way to go, if you want to save precious Energy for the good stuff, that is. You know, exploring ... uncovering the secrets of El Dorado? That kind of stuff. Your wallet might thank us later.
Click here to find all of our Adventure World Tips in one spot >
[Source: Zynga]
Have you upgraded your Tools in Adventure World yet? What other Energy-saving tips might you have for your fellow adventurers? Sound off in the comments. 1 Comment
The first thing you notice about holding the device is also the thing with the most ambiguous future I’m afraid, the weight. I was shocked at just how light it was, when the girl handed me the PSV I held my hands out underneath expecting something as ‘stuffed’ with hardware features as this to give my wrists a slight need to adjust to counterweight. However it feels almost effortless to grasp but not so lightweight that it threatens to break or fly out of your hand. I immediately found myself trying to hold the device in one had then the other with surprising success. I asked if the model I was holding would be the same weight as the final build and was disappointed to hear that there would be a slight change with no indication as to whether it would be heavier or lighter. The demo model did in fact have the battery inside, according to the rep, and the weight change would probably be so slight as to be unnoticeable.
Now to find the buttons! Having owned a PSP, I was relatively aware of the basic button setup however I soon discovered that this may be more of a problem than an advantage. The inclusion of dual analogue sticks, while probably the greatest feature to hit handhelds ever, has forced the usual face buttons to shrink. It took me a few attempts to jump a small gap in LBP because I kept pushing the second analogue stick, thinking that it was the ‘X’ button. Once I got used to this though everything else snapped into place, the D-pad even seems to improve on the PSPs already good one, and it was now time to try out the touch screen.
My first touch evoked a mild feeling of disgust after realising just how grubby the screen had become. We can’t really blame the Vita for falling victim to the touch screen weakness though; you’d feel dirty too if 1000+ strangers queued up to fondle you all day. Returning, after a quick wipe, to the very first room in LBP which contained some of the ‘touchable’ blue material I had learned about just hours before in Sony’s PSV developer conference; I moved the object around just like I had done countless time before on various smart phones, it’s as intuitive here as it was then. There’s a certain small awe that comes with moving an object in a world as detailed as LBP using your own touch. The rear touchpad also came into use during the demo, where I was challenged with building a staircase for Sackboy by pushing ‘Tetris-like’ blocks out from ‘behind’. It’s a strange but immersive experience, which left me, optimistically, wondering about the possibilities of such input. Both front and rear touch screens are multi-touch and feel incredibly responsive, easily on par with top level smart phones.
The next challenge to put the PSV through its paces involved the six-axis function. I needed to tilt the device in order to bring a bridge across for Sackboy to jump onto; it works exactly how you would expect, after using both Move and DS3, you should feel very comfortable with this.
The dual analogue sticks seemed tiny at first, I worried that their decreased size would affect the range of control you had over manipulating the camera or minute aiming adjustments. However my concerns were put to rest after only a few short minutes of use I felt a common connection between the PSV sticks and the DS3. It might sound silly but it really did feel like I was playing a mini PS3 in my hands; which, in my opinion, is no bad thing, especially when you consider all the extra input and features available on the Playstation Vita.
I left the expo confident that Vita would be usable for me after being worried that my large hands (I’m 6’4” and can hold a basketball upside-down with arm outstretched) would be a problem. From build quality to responsiveness, Vita FEELS like a winner. There may not be another Zynga game in which Energy is more important than in Adventure World. Every switch thrown, every puzzle solved and beastie whacked costs you the Facebook game juice. Players often find themselves without Energy minutes into an Expedition. But this isn't the time for whining--it's time to show you the value of upgrading your Tools and how to do it.
Tools: The Game Changer
If you noticed, each piece of debris and monster has a life bar, and normally take multiple hits with your Whip or Machete to whittle down. This, of course, quickly becomes a waste in later Expeditions purely due to the amount of obstacles in your path. But increasing the amount of damage your various Tools inflict against said baddies could considerably reduce the Energy spend in-game.
For instance, say a Snake has three hit points and is Level 5. Since monsters can hit back in this game, it could take three to five Energy before an enemy goes down. Now, imagine if you had upgraded your Whip to Level 2. Offing that Snake would take just two to four Energy with a beefier Whip. The same situation applies to Tools like the Machete.
Adventure World Tool Shop inside
And Now For Your How-To
Adventure World Tool Shop outsideUpgrading your Tools in Adventure World is simple. All you need to do is head back to Base Camp from an Expedition, and look for a makeshift hut that should already be in place in your headquarters. When you click on the Tool Shop, a window will appear featuring all the Tools you've found thus far on your journeys. Click on the Tool you wish to upgrade.
Once you click on a Tool to upgrade, you'll notice that each Tool costs Coins to upgrade. That's it--no asking friends to help you out with materials or farming certain crops for special items. Just the goods you find during your travels in search of El Dorado. However, Coins are actually quite rare in this game, so you'll need to save and spend wisely.
When you have enough Coins for an upgrade, just click on the appropriate icon to pay up. Tool upgrades are also level-locked, meaning you must reach a certain level for most Tools before being able to upgrade them using Coins. If you're feeling impatient, you could always unlock access to those higher level Tools early using Adventure Cash.
Just One Small Catch...
However, some Tool upgrades do require an extra boost: your Tool Shop. Yes, the building itself can be upgraded, too. And this time, you will need items from your friends. (Just think of how things work in CityVille.) Luckily, you only have to do this about twice to unlock access to all of the game's Tools. Then, it's back onto leveling up to access new upgrades for Coins.
Adventure World Tool Shop Upgrade
Upgraded Tools are hands-down the way to go, if you want to save precious Energy for the good stuff, that is. You know, exploring ... uncovering the secrets of El Dorado? That kind of stuff. Your wallet might thank us later.
Click here to find all of our Adventure World Tips in one spot >
[Source: Zynga]
Have you upgraded your Tools in Adventure World yet? What other Energy-saving tips might you have for your fellow adventurers? Sound off in the comments. 1 Comment
Monday, October 10, 2011
Angry Birds creator wants to publish indie games, Rovio exec says
It makes you wonder: Could Rovio be just a little bit scared that it might not strike gold again? Chief marketing officer for the creator of Angry Birds Peter Vesterbacka (pictured) said to Develop in an interview that the developer is planning to open a publishing label.
"We have some plans for this area, but not ready to announce yet," Vesterbacka told Develop. "If we do something in the publishing area, you can expect it to be a bit different."
However, it seems as if the maker of your favorite annoyed avians wants to keep things 1.) indie (independently developed) and 2.) mobile. According to Develop, Rovio has already approached several mobile game studios to form a foundation for the new business. While the Finnish company's other ventures have arguably been leaps of faith--cookbooks ... seriously?--it certainly has experience in the publishing business.
Well, at least from the other end. Angry Birds made it to the US in 2009 though Chillingo, a mobile games publisher that is now owned by EA. Of course, Rovio was able to back out of deal once the acquisition occurred, but the company is currently in another publisher relationship with Twentieth Century Fox, through which it nabbed the rights to create Angry Birds Rio.
And honestly, it would be a no-brainer for an indie game developer to team up with Rovio. For one, if the company claims to be worth at least as much as Zynga, it at least has considerable resources to offer. And seriously, could you go wrong with a team that has somehow successfully hyped up slingshotting birds into pigs for two years running? I think not.
[Via TouchArcade]
What do you think of Rovio potentially becoming an indie games publisher? Would you try a new iPhone game just knowing it was published by the creator of Angry Birds? Sound off in the comments. Add Comment
"We have some plans for this area, but not ready to announce yet," Vesterbacka told Develop. "If we do something in the publishing area, you can expect it to be a bit different."
However, it seems as if the maker of your favorite annoyed avians wants to keep things 1.) indie (independently developed) and 2.) mobile. According to Develop, Rovio has already approached several mobile game studios to form a foundation for the new business. While the Finnish company's other ventures have arguably been leaps of faith--cookbooks ... seriously?--it certainly has experience in the publishing business.
Well, at least from the other end. Angry Birds made it to the US in 2009 though Chillingo, a mobile games publisher that is now owned by EA. Of course, Rovio was able to back out of deal once the acquisition occurred, but the company is currently in another publisher relationship with Twentieth Century Fox, through which it nabbed the rights to create Angry Birds Rio.
And honestly, it would be a no-brainer for an indie game developer to team up with Rovio. For one, if the company claims to be worth at least as much as Zynga, it at least has considerable resources to offer. And seriously, could you go wrong with a team that has somehow successfully hyped up slingshotting birds into pigs for two years running? I think not.
[Via TouchArcade]
What do you think of Rovio potentially becoming an indie games publisher? Would you try a new iPhone game just knowing it was published by the creator of Angry Birds? Sound off in the comments. Add Comment
Tagged bulks up for a bout with Facebook, acquires WeGame
The imminent battle between Facebook and Google+ over social games domination has a potential, scrappy third contender. People often forget about Tagged, the San Francisco-based social network with a considerable 100 million plus users. Video games, our favorite thing to talk about, might change all that, as the company announced that it has purchased WeGame.
WeGame is a cross between a social network for gamers in vein of services like Raptr and an online store with digital copies of games. Of course, terms of the deal weren't disclosed, and it's unclear exactly how the social network will make use of its new gaming network-meets-game store.
This news is especially striking considering the fact that Tagged already offers social games to its users. In fact, the company hired former Pogo VP Andrew Pederson to oversee its social gaming efforts. Perhaps that venture hasn't produced results, or Tagged simply looks to further bolster its social gaming efforts. Unfortunately, we currently haven't a clue.
According to TechCrunch, Tagged will reveal the details of how WeGame's technology will be incorporated "in the coming months." The company in question is run by a mere four employees, so we imagine there is a good amount of automation going on there, something Tagged could be looking to take advantage of.
It's also worth noting that WeGame is heavily skewed toward the hardcore crowd, offering a number of games for sale that only fans of franchises like World of WarCraft might recognize. That said--and this is pure speculation--Tagged could be looking in a completely different direction than Facebook is and Google+ appears to be: the proverbial Call of Duty player. Hey, if the social network has found strong enough of a niche to thrive in the shadow of Facebook, perhaps it has found another.
Are you either a Tagged or WeGame user? What do you think of Tagged picking up another games service when it already offers games? Sound off in the comments. 1 Comment
WeGame is a cross between a social network for gamers in vein of services like Raptr and an online store with digital copies of games. Of course, terms of the deal weren't disclosed, and it's unclear exactly how the social network will make use of its new gaming network-meets-game store.
This news is especially striking considering the fact that Tagged already offers social games to its users. In fact, the company hired former Pogo VP Andrew Pederson to oversee its social gaming efforts. Perhaps that venture hasn't produced results, or Tagged simply looks to further bolster its social gaming efforts. Unfortunately, we currently haven't a clue.
According to TechCrunch, Tagged will reveal the details of how WeGame's technology will be incorporated "in the coming months." The company in question is run by a mere four employees, so we imagine there is a good amount of automation going on there, something Tagged could be looking to take advantage of.
It's also worth noting that WeGame is heavily skewed toward the hardcore crowd, offering a number of games for sale that only fans of franchises like World of WarCraft might recognize. That said--and this is pure speculation--Tagged could be looking in a completely different direction than Facebook is and Google+ appears to be: the proverbial Call of Duty player. Hey, if the social network has found strong enough of a niche to thrive in the shadow of Facebook, perhaps it has found another.
Are you either a Tagged or WeGame user? What do you think of Tagged picking up another games service when it already offers games? Sound off in the comments. 1 Comment
CrowdStar, others dock in Sibblingz Spaceport for mobile social games
If we haven't driven home yet that mobile will be massive in the future of social games, we clearly haven't done our job. Luckily, news like the fact that Sibblingz has signed on It Girl creator CrowdStar and a number of other developers to use its Spaceport service helps us make good on that.
TechCrunch reports that--in addition to CrowdStar--BitRhymes, IKIGames, LuckyLabs, Fortune Planet and DeezGames have signed on to use Spaceport to create mobile versions of their Facebook games. Spaceport is Sibblingz's cloud-based game development platform that allows developers like CrowdStar to create mobile games that work on both iOS and Android devices.
Essentially, it allows developers to create a mobile game once and have it run on multiple mobile devices. The platform makes use of coding languages like Javascript and HTML5, but neither of which are known for making robust or fully-featured games on iPhones or Android phones. However, Sibblingz claims that games built on Spaceport feature an app-like experience.
What Sibblingz means is that, while these games are built using simpler code languages, they will perform like, say CityVille Hometown by Zynga. That game was built using tools specifically for iOS devices and is thus more visually impressive and feature-rich than mobile browser games. However, according to TechCrunch, developers can even create games specifically for iPhones and iPads through Spaceport.
Sibblingz also says that developers can make games for Facebook's worst-kept secret, Project Spartan--an initiative to bring Facebook to mobile devices through browsers using HTML5 complete with full-featured apps and games--through Spaceport. Jeez, on paper it sounds like Spaceport can do anything but make the cash flow.
Regardless, what's important to take away here is that social game developers realize that mobile is where it's at. Frankly, it's one area where clear winners have yet to be defined, much unlike Facebook (ahem, Zynga and EA). At this point, anyone could come out a winner on mobile, and perhaps the companies that embrace cross-platform game creation like CrowdStar will have the upper hand.
Do you think these developers have a chance at winning the mobile race these social game creators are running with Spaceport? Who do you think will ultimately win the mobile social gaming war? Sound off in the comments. Add Comment
TechCrunch reports that--in addition to CrowdStar--BitRhymes, IKIGames, LuckyLabs, Fortune Planet and DeezGames have signed on to use Spaceport to create mobile versions of their Facebook games. Spaceport is Sibblingz's cloud-based game development platform that allows developers like CrowdStar to create mobile games that work on both iOS and Android devices.
Essentially, it allows developers to create a mobile game once and have it run on multiple mobile devices. The platform makes use of coding languages like Javascript and HTML5, but neither of which are known for making robust or fully-featured games on iPhones or Android phones. However, Sibblingz claims that games built on Spaceport feature an app-like experience.
What Sibblingz means is that, while these games are built using simpler code languages, they will perform like, say CityVille Hometown by Zynga. That game was built using tools specifically for iOS devices and is thus more visually impressive and feature-rich than mobile browser games. However, according to TechCrunch, developers can even create games specifically for iPhones and iPads through Spaceport.
Sibblingz also says that developers can make games for Facebook's worst-kept secret, Project Spartan--an initiative to bring Facebook to mobile devices through browsers using HTML5 complete with full-featured apps and games--through Spaceport. Jeez, on paper it sounds like Spaceport can do anything but make the cash flow.
Regardless, what's important to take away here is that social game developers realize that mobile is where it's at. Frankly, it's one area where clear winners have yet to be defined, much unlike Facebook (ahem, Zynga and EA). At this point, anyone could come out a winner on mobile, and perhaps the companies that embrace cross-platform game creation like CrowdStar will have the upper hand.
Do you think these developers have a chance at winning the mobile race these social game creators are running with Spaceport? Who do you think will ultimately win the mobile social gaming war? Sound off in the comments. Add Comment
Kabam study suggests hardcore gamers are flocking to Facebook
hardcore gamers
Have the tables finally turned? Not quite just yet, but slowly and surely they are, a study released by Kabam suggests. The Redwood City-Calif.-based creator of Facebook games like Dragons of Atlantis and Edgeworld recently commissioned a survey of 1,412 "hardcore" gamers to find just how their behavior has changed since the dawn of Facebook games.
Dubbed the "Social Gamer Study," Kabam found that the demographics of the average social game fan are slowly changing--more young to middle-aged men are playing Facebook games. And a whopping 82 percent of them come from the console game space, which is terribly important. This is because 27 percent of those surveyed report playing console games less often.
And perhaps more importantly to those looking to make cash from hardcore games, those surveyed reported spending 50 percent less on console games. Of course, Kabam threw in that players of its games are even more dedicated to Facebook games than console games: 55 percent reported playing console games less and spending 65 percent on the games.
Social Gamer Study findings
According to the study conducted by Information Solutions Group, 72 percent of these hardcore social gamers are playing two or more games at once, and 47 percent are playing three or more. If you've ever played a game like Kingdoms of Camelot or Kixeye's Backyard Monsters, you know that this is quite a lot to keep up with--much more so than, say, FarmVille.
Not to mention that this growing sub culture of Facebook gamers plays far longer game sessions than the 30 minutes or so your average Bejeweled Blitz player sits down for on lunch break. A massive 68 percent reported playing social strategy games for three hours or longer a day, and 30 percent said they play for longer than an hour per session.
Of course, it's important to keep in mind who commissioned this study: a developer and publisher of hardcore Facebook games. Vested interests aside, it's undeniable that a new breed of Facebook game fan is emerging, and fast. And you have to assume, with advances like download-free 3D gaming on the horizon, these numbers will only grow. Check out the study in full here.
Are you part of this growing portion of Facebook gamers? Do you think social game creators like Zynga, EA and wooga have anything to worry about? Sound off in the comments. 1 Comment
Have the tables finally turned? Not quite just yet, but slowly and surely they are, a study released by Kabam suggests. The Redwood City-Calif.-based creator of Facebook games like Dragons of Atlantis and Edgeworld recently commissioned a survey of 1,412 "hardcore" gamers to find just how their behavior has changed since the dawn of Facebook games.
Dubbed the "Social Gamer Study," Kabam found that the demographics of the average social game fan are slowly changing--more young to middle-aged men are playing Facebook games. And a whopping 82 percent of them come from the console game space, which is terribly important. This is because 27 percent of those surveyed report playing console games less often.
And perhaps more importantly to those looking to make cash from hardcore games, those surveyed reported spending 50 percent less on console games. Of course, Kabam threw in that players of its games are even more dedicated to Facebook games than console games: 55 percent reported playing console games less and spending 65 percent on the games.
Social Gamer Study findings
According to the study conducted by Information Solutions Group, 72 percent of these hardcore social gamers are playing two or more games at once, and 47 percent are playing three or more. If you've ever played a game like Kingdoms of Camelot or Kixeye's Backyard Monsters, you know that this is quite a lot to keep up with--much more so than, say, FarmVille.
Not to mention that this growing sub culture of Facebook gamers plays far longer game sessions than the 30 minutes or so your average Bejeweled Blitz player sits down for on lunch break. A massive 68 percent reported playing social strategy games for three hours or longer a day, and 30 percent said they play for longer than an hour per session.
Of course, it's important to keep in mind who commissioned this study: a developer and publisher of hardcore Facebook games. Vested interests aside, it's undeniable that a new breed of Facebook game fan is emerging, and fast. And you have to assume, with advances like download-free 3D gaming on the horizon, these numbers will only grow. Check out the study in full here.
Are you part of this growing portion of Facebook gamers? Do you think social game creators like Zynga, EA and wooga have anything to worry about? Sound off in the comments. 1 Comment
GameHouse hopes to build buzz on Facebook with Bayou Blast
This might be the first and last time you see these words from me: I cannot wait to hit the bayou. GameHouse just announced that its next Facebook game, Bayou Blast, is scheduled to hit the platform this October. Keeping with the recurring "Blast" theme started with Collapse! Blast, this game tasks players with matching gems to make them explode. Sound familiar?
Of course it does, but judging from an early look at the game courtesy of GameHouse CEO Matt Hulett, Bayou Blast brings a fresh twist to the sub genre. You are Bayou, the last remaining firefly of the swamp who must save his friends from a voodoo frog that has captured them in various gems. But rather than simply matching them à la Bejeweled Blitz, you must draw lines of lightning through as many identical gems as you can to destroy them.
Bayou Blast takes this hook and crams it into 60-second game sessions in a race for the high score. Much like its competitors and previous offerings from GameHouse on Facebook, Bayou Blast features weekly tournaments between friends and power-ups that unlock over time and can be bought using either in-game currency or Facebook Credits. These include staples like time extensions, exploding gems and score multipliers.
Bayou Blast gameplay
The game takes on a charming, cartoonish art style, and rewards players for blowing up gems with greater speed. In fact, match fast enough and the game board will burst into flame, which we assume means much more points. "We've really focused on the quality of the game," Hulett tells us. "I've got people outside my office who are constantly looking at different art effects. Like, 'Is the lightning looking the right way when [players] drag the mouse cursor?' The amount of detail they're putting into this game is really great."
According to Hulett, games like Collapse! Blast and soon Bayou Blast mark a significant shift in where the company is headed. About 50 percent of the GameHouse staff is now focused on creating social games for Facebook and mobile devices. (GameHouse was originally focused on downloadable casual games.) Speaking of which, both of these games will receive Facebook-connected versions for the iPhone and iPad early next year. And Hulett is confident that GameHouse's new direction will pay off.
"We have a good shot of being in the Top 10," Hulett gushes. "I think we've gotten really good at Facebook games over the past three to five months. Maybe Bayou Blast will be our first game [with 1 million daily players]." We'll see if Bayou Blast lives up to Hulett's ambitions this October. Until then, check out the trailer below.
Are you psyched to play Bayou Blast on Facebook? What do you think of GameHouse's approach the world of Facebook games? Sound off in the comments. Add Comment
Of course it does, but judging from an early look at the game courtesy of GameHouse CEO Matt Hulett, Bayou Blast brings a fresh twist to the sub genre. You are Bayou, the last remaining firefly of the swamp who must save his friends from a voodoo frog that has captured them in various gems. But rather than simply matching them à la Bejeweled Blitz, you must draw lines of lightning through as many identical gems as you can to destroy them.
Bayou Blast takes this hook and crams it into 60-second game sessions in a race for the high score. Much like its competitors and previous offerings from GameHouse on Facebook, Bayou Blast features weekly tournaments between friends and power-ups that unlock over time and can be bought using either in-game currency or Facebook Credits. These include staples like time extensions, exploding gems and score multipliers.
Bayou Blast gameplay
The game takes on a charming, cartoonish art style, and rewards players for blowing up gems with greater speed. In fact, match fast enough and the game board will burst into flame, which we assume means much more points. "We've really focused on the quality of the game," Hulett tells us. "I've got people outside my office who are constantly looking at different art effects. Like, 'Is the lightning looking the right way when [players] drag the mouse cursor?' The amount of detail they're putting into this game is really great."
According to Hulett, games like Collapse! Blast and soon Bayou Blast mark a significant shift in where the company is headed. About 50 percent of the GameHouse staff is now focused on creating social games for Facebook and mobile devices. (GameHouse was originally focused on downloadable casual games.) Speaking of which, both of these games will receive Facebook-connected versions for the iPhone and iPad early next year. And Hulett is confident that GameHouse's new direction will pay off.
"We have a good shot of being in the Top 10," Hulett gushes. "I think we've gotten really good at Facebook games over the past three to five months. Maybe Bayou Blast will be our first game [with 1 million daily players]." We'll see if Bayou Blast lives up to Hulett's ambitions this October. Until then, check out the trailer below.
Are you psyched to play Bayou Blast on Facebook? What do you think of GameHouse's approach the world of Facebook games? Sound off in the comments. Add Comment
Thursday, October 6, 2011
Apple's Game Center hits 67M users, new version hits Oct. 12 in iOS 5
Mark your calendars, proud iPhone owners. Apple announced today at its iPhone 4S event that the next version of its mobile operating system, iOS 5, will launch Oct. 12 as a free update. And with it comes a brand new Game Center, Apple's answer to existing mobile social game networks like OpenFeint and Mobage (and before that, Ngmoco's Plus network). You see, the company has been dragging its feet somewhat into the mobile social games space.
Regardless, the existing version of Game Center has welcomes 67 million able-thumbed mobile gamers, Apple CEO Tim Cook said at the event. (OpenFeint boasts 115 million users for comparison.) The service will be vastly improved next week with achievements, the ability to find new friends to play with and customizable profiles.
These features have been a part of Game Center's mobile competitors for some time, but despite being a latecomer, the service has managed to garner tens of millions of players. When Apple first revealed Game Center, it was already behind these independent services that have gone on to become, or rather be acquired by, major gaming companies.
Game Center, even with the advantage of being baked directly into iOS rather than individual games like Openfeint, has lots of work to do before it will trump its competitors. It proves that even if the iPod Touch is "the most popular portable game player in the world," according to Cook, it's still not the most popular social mobile game player in the world. That's gonna' take some time.
[Via Gamasutra, Gdgt]
Do you think Apple's Game Center could ever catch up to OpenFeint or even Mobage in the mobile social game space? What do you think the company needs to do in order to make that happen? Sound off in the comments. Add Comment
Regardless, the existing version of Game Center has welcomes 67 million able-thumbed mobile gamers, Apple CEO Tim Cook said at the event. (OpenFeint boasts 115 million users for comparison.) The service will be vastly improved next week with achievements, the ability to find new friends to play with and customizable profiles.
These features have been a part of Game Center's mobile competitors for some time, but despite being a latecomer, the service has managed to garner tens of millions of players. When Apple first revealed Game Center, it was already behind these independent services that have gone on to become, or rather be acquired by, major gaming companies.
Game Center, even with the advantage of being baked directly into iOS rather than individual games like Openfeint, has lots of work to do before it will trump its competitors. It proves that even if the iPod Touch is "the most popular portable game player in the world," according to Cook, it's still not the most popular social mobile game player in the world. That's gonna' take some time.
[Via Gamasutra, Gdgt]
Do you think Apple's Game Center could ever catch up to OpenFeint or even Mobage in the mobile social game space? What do you think the company needs to do in order to make that happen? Sound off in the comments. Add Comment
To pick up Fast Five on Blu-ray, DVD at Walmart, better try Car Town
Car Town Fast Five
Branded Facebook game promotions are a dime a dozen these days, but turning a Facebook game into a store front? Now, that's something to twirl the mustache at. Cie Games announced that Car Town was the only place Fast Five fans could pre-order the Fast Five Blu-ray/DVD combo pack at Walmart. But since the movie released today in stores, fans can also take a trip to Walmart to score some in-game rewards.
Within Car Town, players could click on a giant Walmart-themed big rig to pre-order the pack through Walmart's online store, which would have scored them an exclusive in-game locker with a Fast Five-themed bullet-proof vest to display in their garages. Though, anyone who buys the game through Car Town or in stores will net themselves a virtual Armet Gurkha armored vehicle to race their friends with.
This is the culmination of a six month-long event made possible by Universal Partnerships & Licensing that displayed the movie's trailer within Car Town. And now players can complete missions inspired by the movie's storyline by racing cars directly taken from the film. And Car Town, which enjoys over 5.2 million monthly players, has had its branding throughout the Fast Five release.
"This program is one of the most extensive and successful efforts to date by a major film studio to leverage the nexus between real-world marketing and promotion via social gaming," said Cie Games CEO Justin Choi. "Since the program began in April 2011, Car Town players have completed more than 200 million races in the virtual Rio de Janeiro race environment modeled after the movie's key location."
In other words, this was one giant Facebook game branding event, and Cie Games is far from the only developer that's in on the action. Zynga has already begun to integrate Indiana Jones into its Adventure World completely, while other studios like Ecko|Code build their business entirely around branded Facebook games. We've said it before and we'll say it again: Branding is huge in Facebook games. Our concern, however, is whether the games can grow in terms of gameplay amidst the allure of branding.
Have you followed the Fast Five event in Car Town since it started? What do you think of branding in Facebook games--has it gone too far or are you digging it? Sound off in the comments. Add Comment
Branded Facebook game promotions are a dime a dozen these days, but turning a Facebook game into a store front? Now, that's something to twirl the mustache at. Cie Games announced that Car Town was the only place Fast Five fans could pre-order the Fast Five Blu-ray/DVD combo pack at Walmart. But since the movie released today in stores, fans can also take a trip to Walmart to score some in-game rewards.
Within Car Town, players could click on a giant Walmart-themed big rig to pre-order the pack through Walmart's online store, which would have scored them an exclusive in-game locker with a Fast Five-themed bullet-proof vest to display in their garages. Though, anyone who buys the game through Car Town or in stores will net themselves a virtual Armet Gurkha armored vehicle to race their friends with.
This is the culmination of a six month-long event made possible by Universal Partnerships & Licensing that displayed the movie's trailer within Car Town. And now players can complete missions inspired by the movie's storyline by racing cars directly taken from the film. And Car Town, which enjoys over 5.2 million monthly players, has had its branding throughout the Fast Five release.
"This program is one of the most extensive and successful efforts to date by a major film studio to leverage the nexus between real-world marketing and promotion via social gaming," said Cie Games CEO Justin Choi. "Since the program began in April 2011, Car Town players have completed more than 200 million races in the virtual Rio de Janeiro race environment modeled after the movie's key location."
In other words, this was one giant Facebook game branding event, and Cie Games is far from the only developer that's in on the action. Zynga has already begun to integrate Indiana Jones into its Adventure World completely, while other studios like Ecko|Code build their business entirely around branded Facebook games. We've said it before and we'll say it again: Branding is huge in Facebook games. Our concern, however, is whether the games can grow in terms of gameplay amidst the allure of branding.
Have you followed the Fast Five event in Car Town since it started? What do you think of branding in Facebook games--has it gone too far or are you digging it? Sound off in the comments. Add Comment
Shaker transforms Facebook into a virtual bar with real music
Adam Rakib has a funny little story to share. It's about three minutes long and available in a high definition video on YouTube. Meant to introduce people to Rakib's new Facebook app, Shaker, the video also works as a decent primer on the social capabilities and limitations of Facebook interaction.
In case you can't view the video, here's a quick rundown of Shaker: It's a Facebook social game that takes all of your friends, and more importantly, friends of friends, and sticks them all into a virtual bar for a meet-and-greet.
It was also the grand prize winner of the TechCrunch Disrupt San Francisco 2011 start-up contest, beating out thirty other contestants for a Disrupt Cup and $50,000. For those of you who sport some social app savvy, another way to describe Shaker is that it's a mix of "Second Life, The Sims, and Turntable.fm" in one package, according to TechCrunch. If you love Playfish and EA's The Sims Social, Shaker promises to be The Sims Social for real.
Shaker screenshot
Unfortunately, if you want in, then you're going to have to get in line for it. Since reaching 80,000 monthly active users, Shaker is now only available in "exclusive private beta." Right now, the number of monthly players is over 100,000. To register for the chance to try out Shaker, visit their website at http://www.atshaker.com/
[Via and Image Credit: LividLobster]
Does Shaker look awesome to you enough for you put up with delayed gratification? Sound off in the comments. Add Comment
In case you can't view the video, here's a quick rundown of Shaker: It's a Facebook social game that takes all of your friends, and more importantly, friends of friends, and sticks them all into a virtual bar for a meet-and-greet.
It was also the grand prize winner of the TechCrunch Disrupt San Francisco 2011 start-up contest, beating out thirty other contestants for a Disrupt Cup and $50,000. For those of you who sport some social app savvy, another way to describe Shaker is that it's a mix of "Second Life, The Sims, and Turntable.fm" in one package, according to TechCrunch. If you love Playfish and EA's The Sims Social, Shaker promises to be The Sims Social for real.
Shaker screenshot
Unfortunately, if you want in, then you're going to have to get in line for it. Since reaching 80,000 monthly active users, Shaker is now only available in "exclusive private beta." Right now, the number of monthly players is over 100,000. To register for the chance to try out Shaker, visit their website at http://www.atshaker.com/
[Via and Image Credit: LividLobster]
Does Shaker look awesome to you enough for you put up with delayed gratification? Sound off in the comments. Add Comment
CityVille goes Earth-friendly with Eco theme of items
If you live a rather green lifestyle in the real world and want to carry on that green-living into your town in CityVille, you can now do so by purchasing a series of "Eco" items in the game's store. There are items here focusing on plants, recycling, solar power and more, so let's get started with our look at what's available.
Solar Powered Park (Decoration)
* Costs: 22 City Cash
* Payout Bonus: 22% bonus to residences and businesses; bonus 22% to Eco theme
Recycled Art Museum (Community Building)
* Costs: 65 City Cash
* Adds 3,750 citizens to the maximum population gap
Solar Reflector (Decoration)
* Costs: 4,000 coins
* Payout Bonus: 5% to residences and businesses; bonus 5% to Eco theme
Sunrise High Rises (Home)
* Costs: 70 City Cash
* Population: 2,100 - 4,100
* Rent: 326 coins every day
Tree Nursery (Business)
* Costs: 45 City Cash
* Requires: 330 Goods
* Earnings: 1,759 coins
Adobe Apartments (Home)
* Costs: 55 City Cash
* Population: 1,350 - 2,650
* Rent: 250 coins every eight hours
Energy Efficient House (Home)
* Costs: 60,000 coins
* Population: 190 - 370
* Rent: 304 coins every day
In addition to these items, there's also an "Eco Mystery Crate" available for 45 City Cash each. Inside, you'll find one of four items at random: the Recycled Art Museum, Sunrise High Rises, Adobe Apartments or Tree Nursery. Depending on the prize you win, that could be a bargain for the Sunrise High Rises, which normally cost 25 City Cash more, but if you're just walking away with the Tree Nursery, it's not that big of a deal.
Still, this Mystery Crate along with these other Eco themed items will be available in the game's store for the next 15 days, giving you plenty of time to decide whether or not to purchase any/all of them. I highly expect additional Eco items to come out in the coming days, and we'll make sure to let you know if that happens to be the case.
What do you think of these Eco-themed items in CityVille? What other sorts of green technologies would you like to see represented in your town? Sound off in the comments.
Solar Powered Park (Decoration)
* Costs: 22 City Cash
* Payout Bonus: 22% bonus to residences and businesses; bonus 22% to Eco theme
Recycled Art Museum (Community Building)
* Costs: 65 City Cash
* Adds 3,750 citizens to the maximum population gap
Solar Reflector (Decoration)
* Costs: 4,000 coins
* Payout Bonus: 5% to residences and businesses; bonus 5% to Eco theme
Sunrise High Rises (Home)
* Costs: 70 City Cash
* Population: 2,100 - 4,100
* Rent: 326 coins every day
Tree Nursery (Business)
* Costs: 45 City Cash
* Requires: 330 Goods
* Earnings: 1,759 coins
Adobe Apartments (Home)
* Costs: 55 City Cash
* Population: 1,350 - 2,650
* Rent: 250 coins every eight hours
Energy Efficient House (Home)
* Costs: 60,000 coins
* Population: 190 - 370
* Rent: 304 coins every day
In addition to these items, there's also an "Eco Mystery Crate" available for 45 City Cash each. Inside, you'll find one of four items at random: the Recycled Art Museum, Sunrise High Rises, Adobe Apartments or Tree Nursery. Depending on the prize you win, that could be a bargain for the Sunrise High Rises, which normally cost 25 City Cash more, but if you're just walking away with the Tree Nursery, it's not that big of a deal.
Still, this Mystery Crate along with these other Eco themed items will be available in the game's store for the next 15 days, giving you plenty of time to decide whether or not to purchase any/all of them. I highly expect additional Eco items to come out in the coming days, and we'll make sure to let you know if that happens to be the case.
What do you think of these Eco-themed items in CityVille? What other sorts of green technologies would you like to see represented in your town? Sound off in the comments.
FarmVille Lighthouse Cove Heritage Days Goals: Everything you need to know
While we haven't been introduced to many characters that call FarmVille's Lighthouse Cove home (perhaps they haven't heard about your restoration efforts after the storm), we do know that those that exist love to celebrate living near the Cove by throwing Heritage Days. Heritage Days appears to be a sort of carnival or fair, including animals and tons of food, and via a new three-part goal series, you'll be along for the celebration. If we're being specific, these Heritage Day goals mark the third chapter in the overall Lighthouse Cove storyline.
Hay Beautiful!
* Get 3 Horse Combs
* Harvest 70 Hay
* Harvest 3 Horses
If you don't already have a Horse Paddock on your Lighthouse Cove farm, now would be the time to build one, as it's the only way you'll get through this goal without wasting some serious time. As the entire goal series expires in a week's time, you simply can't afford to waste that much! As an aside, yes, you could also luck into having Horses already available to Harvest, but for other folks, the Horse Paddock will allow you to skip the three-day waiting game and harvest the very next day. Finishing this first goal gives you 100 XP, a Fall Color Cow, 2,500 coins and a Steel Beam.
Horsing Around
* Get 3 Horse Tiaras
* Improve the Cove to Level 3
* Harvest Lighthouse Cove
Many farmers will likely have passed Level 3 in the Cove's repairs long enough, but if you haven't, check out our guide to how the restoration process works. Meanwhile, you'll need to post a general news item to your wall asking your friends for the Tiaras. Finishing this second goal gives you 200 XP, a Fall Tree and 2,500 coins.
Set the Table
* Get 6 Romantic Centerpieces
* Make Wild Blueberry Pie Twice
* Harvest 70 Red Clovers
The Romantic Centerpieces are earned through another wall post, while Blueberry Pie is made inside your Restaurant. It's made using two Chandler Blueberry, three Wheat and two Rhubarb bushels. For making it this far, you'll receive 300 XP, 2,500 coins, a Pet Run Mystery Animal and 10 Animal Feeds as your prizes.
As has become tradition now in Lighthouse Cove, this particular goal series has been shortened in order to give users a chance to tackle some bonus (ie: much harder) goals later on to finish off the chapter. We'll bring you a complete look at Chapter 3's bonus goals just as soon as we can, so keep checking back!
What do you think of these three Heritage Day goals? Will you be able to finish all three in time? Sound off in the comments.
Hay Beautiful!
* Get 3 Horse Combs
* Harvest 70 Hay
* Harvest 3 Horses
If you don't already have a Horse Paddock on your Lighthouse Cove farm, now would be the time to build one, as it's the only way you'll get through this goal without wasting some serious time. As the entire goal series expires in a week's time, you simply can't afford to waste that much! As an aside, yes, you could also luck into having Horses already available to Harvest, but for other folks, the Horse Paddock will allow you to skip the three-day waiting game and harvest the very next day. Finishing this first goal gives you 100 XP, a Fall Color Cow, 2,500 coins and a Steel Beam.
Horsing Around
* Get 3 Horse Tiaras
* Improve the Cove to Level 3
* Harvest Lighthouse Cove
Many farmers will likely have passed Level 3 in the Cove's repairs long enough, but if you haven't, check out our guide to how the restoration process works. Meanwhile, you'll need to post a general news item to your wall asking your friends for the Tiaras. Finishing this second goal gives you 200 XP, a Fall Tree and 2,500 coins.
Set the Table
* Get 6 Romantic Centerpieces
* Make Wild Blueberry Pie Twice
* Harvest 70 Red Clovers
The Romantic Centerpieces are earned through another wall post, while Blueberry Pie is made inside your Restaurant. It's made using two Chandler Blueberry, three Wheat and two Rhubarb bushels. For making it this far, you'll receive 300 XP, 2,500 coins, a Pet Run Mystery Animal and 10 Animal Feeds as your prizes.
As has become tradition now in Lighthouse Cove, this particular goal series has been shortened in order to give users a chance to tackle some bonus (ie: much harder) goals later on to finish off the chapter. We'll bring you a complete look at Chapter 3's bonus goals just as soon as we can, so keep checking back!
What do you think of these three Heritage Day goals? Will you be able to finish all three in time? Sound off in the comments.
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