Xbox Originals: Worth a Double Dip?

Released alongside the 2007 Xbox Fall update, a new download service dubbed Xbox Originals made it's debut. Each title is available for 1200 MS points each or $15 Each one works exactly the same as the disk version. Nothing new has been added to any of the games. The only reason to buy any online this way is if you can't find them at the store. But are the game any good? Read on to find out.


Halo: Combat Evolved
The game that kept the Xbox 1 alive during a shaky launch. Arguably the best in the series, Halo is just as fun today as it was six years ago.

Pros
Perfect Control and Level Design (Yes, even the Library areas)
Great Story
Fantastic A.I.

Cons
Dated Graphics
No online mode so far
Some environment are reused to artificially lengthen game

Verdict
Chances are that you've already played this, but if not it's definitely worth a play though to see how it all started. Just don't expect anything the later installments have like duel wielding or online play.

Fable
Lionhead studios much hyped Action RPG initially disappointed fans, but sold well due to the game still being really good. The vast number of upgrades available in addition to the well done voice acting and easy to use combat system helped players forget about features that got cut. (Like online play)

Pros
Solid combat system and robust customization options
Faster load times on Xbox 360 versus Xbox 1
Funny Dialog

Cons
Linear feeling world
Somewhat predicable story
Framerate drops occasionally

Verdict
A fun action RPG that didn't redefine RPGs but still managed to be a highly polished and well made game. However, if you want the best version of Fable, it's worth it to look for Fable: The Lost Chapters for extra quests, additional locations and a longer ending.

Indigo Prophecy
This gritty, story driven action game allows players to control the actions of multiple people to tell a sort of interactive story. This is one of the only games to really make you care about what happens to the characters. The movie like picture in picture camera views, fantastic animation and superb voice acting make this feel like a movie. Action sections also help to keep the player entertained until the end.

Pros
Interesting Story with alternate outcomes and multiple controllable characters
Great Voice Acting
Unique controls

Cons
Some plot lines can get confusing
Graphics can look fuzzy in places
The camera and controls can hamper the experience sometimes

Verdict
This may be the only way you'll be able to play it, seeing as it was hard to find when it was new. Indigo Prophecy is worth it for a adventure fans or anyone looking for a intriguing and gritty, story with deep replayability.

Crash Bandicoot : The Wrath of Cortex
After Naughty Dog left behind the Crash Bandicoot Franchise, the first game to come from new developer Traveler's Tales was a safe rehash of previous games in the series. Feature the same crate breaking gameplay the seris is known for. A few problems hurt the the overall experience. Balancing issues where levels can be too easy one moment and too hard another being the biggest one. It's strange that Microsoft decided to release such a antiquated relic.

Pros
Classic Crash Bandicoot gameplay is still fun
Easy controls
Vehicle levels help add variety

Cons
Weak Story
One hit deaths and uneven difficulty hamper fun
Too short

Verdict
Almost exactly the same as previous Crash games, this will entertain fans of Platforming and Crash Bandicoot games while it lasts. It's not the worst game ever but, you're better off going with something more polished like Psychonauts.

Fusion Frenzy
In the Xbox 360 early days Fusion Frenzy was developed as a party game intended to help fill out the lineup. It turned out to be a mediocre collection of uninspired and mind numbingly boring minigames. If you want a quick easy game to play with a few friends, this is not a terrible choice, but this is certainly not anything groundbreaking.

Pros
Some minigames are kind of fun
Playing with friends can be fun for a little while
Easy to pick up and play

Cons
While running on the Xbox 360 the framerate stutters sometimes.
Most minigames are mindless and boring
Lame character selection

Verdict
Save your money for better games.

Psychonauts
From the same people who made Full Throttle and the Upcoming Brutal Legend, Psychonauts was highly reviewed, but sold poorly. Now that it has been re-released, anyone who missed out will finally be able to play this funny platformer.

Pros
Hilarious story and dialog
Solid controls
Fantastic level design and variety

Cons
Gameplay is nothing different from platforming norms
Some puzzles are unclear at first
Lots of item collection

Verdict
This is one of the funnest games I've ever played. The gameplay is pretty standard for platforming but, you'll keep playing just to see what happens next. Unfortunately, because it didn't sell very well, a sequel is unlikely. Which is too bad because it's just too original to pass up.


Most of these games can be found for less then the price offered here. However, some are quite hard to come by (Especially Indigo Prophecy). Just be sure to be completely sure you can't get it any other way before you take the plunge and buy a non refundable game.

Grand Theft Auto IV Trailer "Move up, ladies"

There's a new Trailer for Grand Theft Auto IV. Check it out!

Xbox Live goodies coming soon

Xbox Live is now five years old. From the beginning days to what it is now, Xbox live has changed online gaming forever. To celebrate this momentous event, today and tomorrow Xbox live arcade title Carcassonne is free.

Xbox Classics Come to Live
But this isn't the only reason to be excited about Xbox Live. Something that has been a rumor for years, Microsoft has finally announced that Xbox 1 titles will be available for download though Xbox Live for $15 each (1200 MS points). They all will be released alongside the Fall 2007 update(See Below). The titles included Halo: Combat Evolved, Psychonauts, Indigo Prophecy, Crimson Skies, Fable, Crash Bandicoot: The Wrath of Cortex, and Fusion Frenzy

While not all of these are fantastic titles, (I'm looking at you, Fusion Frenzy) this is an exciting announcement for anyone trying to track down some of these hard to find titles. Games that were under the radar, like Psyconauts and Crimson Skies, can now have a second chance for an audience. All of these games have been ported over using the same software for the disk versions. They don't have Achievements and games that didn't already have online play won't be any different here. The only reason to download a Xbox 1 game is if you don't already have it, or you want to archive it. Now if only they would add Metal Arms: A Glitch in the System and Beyond Good and Evil, two more games that where woefully overlooked.

Xbox Live Fall update 2007 date revealed
Microsoft has also announced the day of the Fall update: it's December 4th. If the leaked information is correct, then it will include IPTV, Xvid support, Animated themes, and tons more. See the full list here.

Xbox Live has for years been the pinnacle of online features on consoles. But with more and more online games coming out on other consoles without a fee, it will be interesting to see how long this service can stay successful. But so far it's been worth every penny.

How to make money with your blog using PayPerPost

PayPerPost is a company providing service for advertisers to get the word out about their product and to allow bloggers to make money posting. People can make thousands of dollar per week using this easy to use service. It’s also really easy to get started.

How it works
This is how it works: So let's say you want to advertise your new product. After you sign up under an advertiser, you can then create an opportunity, or opp. You can then specify a variety of different requirements that the blogger, A.K.A. postie, needs to fulfill before they can take your opp. This includes popularity, traffic and more. After that a blogger who has signed up as a postie, like me, can accept it an then write an article about it.

Afterward, they need to make sure not to forget to let everyone know you're getting paid for the post by placing a "Sponsored By" button at the bottom, naming the advertiser directly. Then the advertiser reviews your post. If they approve and it meets the agreed requirements, the money is transferred from the advertiser's account to the postie's account. That's basically how it works. There are a tons of available opps. All from companies who want to advertise their product or service in different blogs.

Another method for advertisers is the PayPerPost Direct option. This works pretty much the same way but, the main difference is advertisers visit a blog, click on the “Hire Me” button and contact the postie directly. From there, they can make an agreement about what they want from the transaction.

How I'm Using it
I signed up about three months ago so my blog has now reached the age requirement and was officially approved. PayPerPost has an opp available that gives you $20 if you talk about them. So I’ll make sure to put a sponsor button on the bottom of this page. : ) This is one of many opps available on many different subjects. It’s been very easy for me and anyone who has a blog should look into using PayPerPost.

If you would like to send me an offer to talk about your new game or website or whatever, let me know. Just click on the “Hire Me” button on the sidebar. I can only talk about things that I have either tried or know enough about, so make sure to give me some detailed info about your product. Thanks!

Picking the Right XBox 360

The XBox has been through almost as many version changes as Sony's PS3 has. Apparently, one box is just not enough. There are currently four different versions and any will do for just plain old gaming. But if you care about doing anything online or storing media, the cheapest box just isn't gonna do. Follow this guide to figure out what you should know about each set.

XBox 360 Core
The now canceled core model is, or was, a bare bones set with a wired controller, the console proper, Standard Definition audio/video cables (Although High Definition is still supported) and power cables. It's disabled because of the lack of any storage space. Meaning that you will also need to buy a memory card or a hard drive to save any games. Plus if you want to display anything in High Definition you'll need to buy Component cables as well . These are things that come with the the Pro model and above. Because of these shortcomings, this isn't a very good model. It's a good thing it's no longer for sale.

XBox 360 Arcade Model
The newest addition is the XBox 360 Arcade model. It's basically the Core model but, with a few upgrades. A wireless controller replaces the wired one included in the core set. The output has also been upgraded from the Core model to now support HDMI (But still only includes Composite Cables). Also, instead of no storage space at all, this comes with a paltry 256MB card preloaded with games. Absent from this set, although it would have been nice, is the Atari 2600 look-alike arcade stick.

This is a set designed for people who can't find a Wii and they just want a quick, easy, jump in and play game console for less money then the higher end models. Five Xbox Live Arcade games come included on the 256MB card. These are small bite-size games usually bought and downloaded from Xbox Live Arcade. (Hence the name of this model). Not very many of these games are noteworthy but, some are pretty fun. Unfortunately, what's included in the box does not necessarily feature the best titles. These are: Boom Boom Rocket (So-So), Feeding Frenzy (Boring), Luxor 2 (Not Bad), Pac-Man Championship Edition (Pretty Good), and UNO (Yawn). More can be downloaded off of XBox Live. However, you need a hard drive to access online features. (A good reason to buy a hard drive right away). These games take up most if the space on the card. This means that even before you open up your new XBox, the card is already almost full! You'll be able to save data for a few games but, it won't be long before you need more. At that point it's either buy another card or get a hard drive.Yet another disabled console, courtesy of Microsoft. The smallest hard drive is more then ten times larger (20GB) then the included memory card. You might as well skip a step and get a better model right off the bat. This is marketed as a entry level XBox for less. But the cheap price buzz wears off when you realize that you need to pay more to get what should have come with it. I highly recommend passing on this crippled money pit.

Xbox 360 A.K.A. the "Pro System"
OK, Now this is a better entry level option. The included 20GB hard drive is plenty for game saves and a few movies and Arcade games, making it a perfect way to get started playing games without having to worry about running out of space quickly. It's not ideal for anyone who wants to use their XBox for their media hub however.
This is the lowest end set to come with Component cables. A HDMI port is standard for Pro Consoles made after August 2007 but, none come with HDMI cables.

Be wary of the new Go Big bundle which includes two XBox 360 games, Forza Motorsport 2 and Marvel: Ultimate Alliance. Theres nothing wrong with the games but, the added cost for Microsoft may result in them cutting corners with the quality of the hardware. For example: I bought an Xbox 1 Bundle a few years back with a Tetris Worlds and Star Wars: The Clone Wars game disc. The DVD drive was not a quality Samsung drive but a lesser quality Thomson drive. I got disc read errors after a 16 months. I didn't even know that there was a difference until I read about it online. True, Microsoft was losing more money on the XBox 1 then they are with the XBox 360 and it was only after a year and a half that my drive stopped working. It could have been time for a new one anyway. However, If you do buy a bundle be sure to keep the warranty information.

XBox 360 Elite
This is the best and most expensive set. Thanks to the large 120GB hard drive packed in, this choice is ideal for people who want to save everything and use their XBox for a media hub. This is currently the only one to come with an HDMI cable and a HDMI port in the same box. The black paint and chrome trim help to match in with your stereo equipment (If it's black that is). This is the one to have for the complete XBox 360 setup. Also, be aware of the potential problems of the Go Pro bundle for the reasons mentioned about the Go Big bundle.

Here's the breakdown of each XBox out there (Click to expand):

Crysis Demo: How does it run on low end PCs?

Crysis has been the poster boy for DirectX 10 since it was unveiled a few years back. When I heard that not only was it compatible with DirectX 9 but also available as a free demo, a fire burned within me to try and see if I could play it on my less then stellar rig. It runs Windows XP SP2, It's got a 3.20GHz Intel Pentium D, 1GB of RAM and a Geforce 7500 LE. Yes that's right, a card that's really only intended for basic 3D acceleration and can barely run Half Life 2.

After downloading the demo off of Fileplanet, I noticed that Nvidia recommends installation of the Nvidia 169 Beta driver before playing the Crysis demo. After this quick and painless detour, I proceeded booting up Crysis. I was convinced it would overload my puny card. Surprisingly, it ran nearly perfectly. I played it on the optimal settings automatically chosen by the software. That basically meant that every setting was on low, including anti aliasing. It looked better then I hoped it would but, it wasn't the best looking game ever on these settings. Not as bad as the low settings for the Unreal Tournament III demo though. That game looks like blurry land on my PC. I was glad that it looked decent because if you've ever had to adjust setting sliders in a PC game then you know that it's basically the gaming equivalent of adjusting a old rabbit ears antenna. You don't want to move it too much in the wrong direction or else you'll lose the whole thing.

It's a fun game I enjoy the different powers and the real time equipment modification(More on that in my Demo review). The frame rate was solid nearly the whole way, even in large areas it still stayed at a fairly solid frame rate. It did drop slightly during cut scenes. Nothing that adversely affected gameplay though.

With the draw distance at minimum, trees and grass popped up throughout. There was one situation where I could see though a rock to an enemy standing behind it. I only noticed it in that one area. There wasn't any of the larger enemies like what I've seen in trailers so everything might get thrown out the window at that point.

So far, if the demo is any indication, the final version of Crysis won't be the resource hog I had thought it was. Then again this is a pre-release build and it could run better and it could run slower. I can't wait to find out.

Picking the right PS3

Sony sure likes to confound consumers. With four different PS3 options to choose from it's hard to tell head from tails. At launch, there was a 20GB version and a 60GB version. Then, they cut the price. After that, thanks to low sales, they stoped making the 20GB SKU (A few still remain however). Last spring/summer the 80GB version was announced. Now next month a 40GB version hits stores.

For everyone who doesn't follow every step and is a little bit confused about which is the best one for you, here's a easy guide to finding your perfect setup:

You just wanna play games!
Any will do but, if you care about playing PS2 games on your PS3, don't buy the 40GB or the 80 GB. The former isn't compatible with any PS2 games at all and the latter is only compatible though software emulation. That's dicey at best. Also if you prefer to play online, and you have a wireless network, be sure to buy at least the 60GB. Any thing lower and you'll need a Ethernet cable.

You need the bleeding edge
If you fall into this category then chances are that you already have one. Along with your copy of Lair. But if you don't, the obvious choice would seem to be the 80GB version because of the bigger HDD. Don't do it! Because of the software emulation noted above the better choice would be to buy the 60GB version and then upgrade the hard drive to a bigger size. Then you'll be smokin'!

You want to use the PS3 as Media hub and don't care about games.
The 20GB is by far the cheapest and the money you save can be used to buy a new HDD to save all your music videos, pictures, ETC. Of course those are very rare. If you can't find one, the 40GB model is a perfect alternative. However, if you plan it link up to a wireless network to share media, then you'll need the next step up which goes for $500. For that much you might as well buy a 80GB for the same price.

Here is a video I saw on YouTube of how to upgrade your PS3 Hard Drive:



Here's all info you need to know in one spot. Full specs for the 3 newest SKUs can be found here

SKU	PS3 Low end	PS3 Mid-low	PS3 mid high	PS3 High end
Price	$379.99	$399.99	$499.99	$499.99
USB 2.0 Ports	4	2	4	4
Max Resolution	1080p	1080p	1080p	1080p
Flash Card slots	No	No	Yes	Yes
Backware Compatible?	Yes (Hardware)	No	Yes(Hardware)	Yes(Software)
Bulit in Wi-Fi	No	No	Yes	Yes
HDD Size	20 GB	40 GB	60 GB	80 GB
Current Availability	Limited to None	Launches November 2	Out Now/Common	Out Now/Common
Colors	Black	Black /W Chrome Trim	Black /W Chrome Trim	Black /W Chrome Trim

All models include: Blu-ray/DVD/CD drive, HDMI and Blue Tooth(For controllers).
Prices do not include Sales Tax and are USA only. Prices and availability will very from store to store.

Free Game Friday: KartRider

Each Friday a new free game is highlighted.

KartRider
What do you get when you mix Mario Kart, online roleplaying games (complete with stats, guilds and a friends list) and upgradeable karts and characters? This is KartRider in a nutshell, a new online racing game from Nexon, a South Korean game developer.

Right now it's in it's beta stage so not everything has been fully implemented. But so far things are looking up. The races fly by with very little to no lag and finding other racing couldn't be easier.

While the upgrades options are somewhat lacking right now, they show promise. Each can be bought with real money or money earned from races. From new kart models (each having there own stats) to new license plates, KartRider allows for a variety of different customization options. Nexon will periodically add more as time wears on.

If you like Mario Kart but wanted more beefy online and customization options KartRider is a must.

The Nintendo DS Halo game that could have been

Halo almost came out on the DS.

An AAA developer was making the DS version of Halo with everything you expect in a Halo game. Dual Wielding, Plasma Rifles, SMGs, Worthogs, and the motion radar on the bottom screen were all included. A version of Zanzibar was even ported over! Unfortunately it was canceled before it was completed.

Here footage from IGN:





The controls are like Metroid Prime Hunters. The touch screen controlled aiming and the D-pad controlled movement. I'm not sure how dual wielding worked. The left hand is easily within reach of the left bumper. But the right hand is busy with the touch screen making the right bumper next to impossible to press with a stylus in your hand. The only available digit would be the pinky and I'm not sure how comfortable that would be after awhile.

In the video that's exactly what their doing:

Closer examination of the screens show that grenades, the scope and maybe even weapon fire could have been triggered on the touch screen:

How awesome would it have been to play Halo on the DS? The potentially hand crippling controls are probably the reason it didn't make it out. Of course it was far from being complete at this point and any number of things could of been improved and polished.

I hope that Microsoft, Bungie and whoever helped port it over (My moneys on Rare) revisit this idea. Untill then, we can only dream of the Halo that could have been.

Keep all your RSS Feed in one place with Wizz RSS

I've had the problem where I can't get an RSS feed to display as a live bookmark

I don't want to have to go to a seperate website to view them. Wizz RSS fixes this problem pretty well.

A Firefox add-on, Wizz RSS searches for feeds and all you have to do click and drag it into the Wizz RSS tab. This is pretty handy.
Try it out! https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/424

Dedicated Fan paints the Master Chief

Today I was looking around on the Internet when on Youtube I saw this video of the Master Chief being painted with an airbrush. This isn't just some slapped together stick figure art either. The attention to detail is simply astounding. It's pretty big too, measuring at 36 inches x 44 inches.

The best part is that very soon it's going up for sale. Instantly images of setting this up on my mantle place come to mind. This is one of many paintings he's made including Darth Vader and Indiana Jones. I highly suggest checking out this up and coming artist.

Here's the video, I wish I could do this.



Go here to see more.

SpiralFrog provides Unlimited Free Music. Is it any good?

There are quite a few music distribution services. First there are the ones like iTunes, charging per track. Next are the steaming music websites. These suck because the music can only be played though your browser and the quality varies based on the speed of your bandwidth. Last are the unlimited download music services that charge a monthly fee.

SpiralFrog.com is a unlimited music distribution service that doesn't have a monthly fee. SpiralFrog makes money off of ads and referrals to Amazon.com, (If an album is not available for download)not for songs. You can download as much as you want for 30 days. The songs are encoded in DRM so they stop working after that (unless you renew). After the month ends, all you have to do to keep going is renew you membership. Just fill out a survey and then you got another month, it's pretty easy! Everything will be extended by 1 month.

Around 800,000 different songs are available in 21 different genres. Including, Rock, R& B, Hip-hop, Classical, and Electronica. A large selection of music videos are also present in those same genres and yes, they have DRM encoding too.

Signing up is easy just provide a E-mail, Password, Nickname, and Zip Code. (I haven't received any junk mail....yet.) From there just install the free software and you're all set. Songs will be downloaded into a directory you specify.

There are some annoying things. For example: Although you can set up a download list, you can't just set it and forget it. You have to click download for EACH SONG. This isn't so bad if your downloading a few songs but, it gets tedious when you trying to grab an entire album. Also if you prefer to take your songs on the go, each track can only be copied to er... two different MP3 devices. CD burning is out as the DRM prevents that, unfortunately.

All in all it's awesome for a free service. Every music fan owes it to themselves to check it out.

New Halo 3 VidDoc: Cinema Paradiso

Bungie Released a new VidDoc today talking about saved films and Forge mode. Forge mode alone looks like it will truly revolutionize Halo forever.

Downloads:
The large version is here the medium size is here and the small is here

They also have a Saved Films Faq Page

Exclusive Halo 3 Crossword Puzzle

To help ease the agony of waiting for Halo 3 to come next week, I made a crossword puzzle! Print it out and enjoy! (Answer page coming soon)

Click for larger version

Update: Here's the answer key:
Update: I Replaced the old ones with more Printer friendly versions

Halo 3 single player complete Tsavo Highway videos leaked

Someone apparently has access to Halo 3 and has posted videos from the single player campaign level Tsavo Highway. 12 days early! It's been split into four parts and I've posted them below:

Part 1


Part 2


Part 3


Part 4

Gametap giving away PSPs for referring five friends

Gametap is giving away a free PSP to anyone who signs up for the 99 cents for the first month deal and then referrers five friends who then buy two months of Gametap gold subscription, the first for 99 cents and the second for $10.

This is pretty good if the stars can align and you can convince five friends to sign up. So really the only way this would work out is if you know 5 people who already want to subscribe. You can learn more here.

New Halo 3 Teaser Trailer: Museum

This is a clip from the full ad coming out on Friday

New Team Fortess 2 Trailer: Meet the Engineer

Breakdown of which Elder Scrolls IV Game of the Year Edtion is the best

When The Elder Scrolls IV came out in March of last year it received multiple Game of the year awards. Then later that year, on PC, Xbox 360 and on PS3, The Nights of the Nine Expansion pack came out. A bunch of smaller content downloads came out about the same time. Included in those are: a pirate ship, a wizards tower, a few extra quests and more. Earlier this year The Shivering Isles was released and added tons of new content; Much more then the previous expansion.

This week (or so) the Game of the Year Edition will be released. This includes the main game, Nights of the Nine, and Shivering Isles. Shivering has to be installed on a Hard Drive (on Xbox and PC at least). I'm not sure exactly how this works or if even it can be installed on more then one Xbox/PC. Not included are the other download-able content, such as horse armor (Not that great) and Mehrunes' Razor (Pretty cool). If you want these you still have to buy them separately.

So this is how the prices for everything break down for an Xbox 360 setup: (Retail prices are from Amazon.com)
Original Elder Scrolls IV (New):$29.99 + Shipping
Nights of the Nine and all the download-able content: 1,930 Microsoft Points (Or about $24.13)
Shivering Isles off of Xbox Live: 2,400 Microsoft Points (Or about $30)
Total: Approximately, $84.13

Elder Scrolls IV: Game of the Year (New): $59.99 + Shipping
The rest of the download-able content: 1,130 Microsoft Points (Or about $14.13)
Total: Approximately, $74.13

So basically if you haven't bought anything, buying the GOTY on the Xbox 360 will save you about ten bucks over buying everything separately on that platform. It's not a bad option if you have an Xbox 360 and haven't bought any version of this game.

The PC version is $50 but doesn't come with the DLC as far as I can tell. So then you have to buy the Nights of the Nine pack that comes with the DLC Plugins. But then it's around 70 bucks total.

All that's added in the $60 PS3 GOTY version is the Shivering Isles (Nights of the Nine came with the PS3 version originally). No DLC here either and I'm not sure if it ever will be supported. This version does have crisper visuals then Xbox, I hear.

None of the different versions are really better then the other. The meat of the game is what's included in every version: the main quest. What it all comes down to is what hardware you have.

Has the Xbox Fall 2007 update Details been Leaked?

I originally saw this here. I not sure if this the real list of changes or even if this lists everything or not. It looks genuine but we can't be sure until Microsoft releases the list.
Here's what is on the list:

• Compatibility with 3rd party wireless controllers
• Compatibility with messenger pad
• Xbox Live Vision firmware upgrade, sharper image filtering
• Many more Vision Cam settings
• New screensaver settings - when away from Xbox 360, screensaver will play for optional time, before screen goes dark
• New Xbox Live Arcade blade - where you can download, play and learn about Xbox Live Arcade
• Brand new “web based adver-games” flash games which aren’t downloaded, but are playable bite sized games, accessed via new Xbox Live Arcade Blade
• New Screensaver option in Themes and Gamer Pics option in Marketplace blade
• New functionality with Messenger, works with chatpad
• New XNA Game Launcher for those that have the program, new options
• New language, time and date settings
• New “advertising opportunities” in gameplay
• Xvid support
• New “favourites” option via Xbox Live Arcade, can rate according to preference
• IPTV Functionality - support for TiVo like PVR options. Will be able to record TV direct. Options include source by channel, director, actor and distributor
• Filter friends list, will be able to filter friends via games
• New clan support - will be able to launch clan games direct from dashboard, can “fold” friends into new clan category in friends list
• Better translations in settings and other options for Japanese, German and Spanish languages
• New quick option to delete via X Button in memory viewer.
• Option for having downloadable In-game content not inform when completed download
• Option for having video content not inform when completed download
• Faster settings for viewing unfinished video content downloads
• New option in Games tab - beta and others, will be launcher for MMO and multiplayer betas
• New option in Marketplace Games tab, search by letter, can be inputted via text pad or console
• Smarter game settings - you can be messaged via publishers about new in-game content for your games
• Picture in picture functionality for DVD Drive and some other updated settings
• Improved USB Keyboard settings
• Improved voice chat settings in game and from dashboard
• Faster response times to Redeem Code settings
• Option to play a Redeemed Code game straight after redeeming code
• Console will now recognise low Hard Drive space, will inform you immediately if can’t download current item, will automatically download next available that is able.
• Increased space size for gamerpics and dashboard themes
• Themes can now be animated
• Themes may now have sound effects
• Better slideshow capabilities, new options added. New sound effects and integration with Hard Drive/ PC music capable.
• New estimated timer for downloads, informing how long download will expect to take
  

I also read that there will also a timer for parents to limit game-play. Read the article here.

If this list is real, it would add some pretty cool features.

Dump your PC and Get a PS3!

Are you still running on a single core Intel with 256 MB of RAM and a nVidia 5200? You may be thinking it's time to upgrade that jalopy setup you have and go to the shiny, candy coated world of Vista. Whoa! Hold yer horses there, cowboy! A better option lies around the corner from a source you may not have expected: Your Playstation. Since late last year, Yellow Dog Linux (Made by Terra Soft Solutions) has been the official secondary operating system for Playstation 3 (GameOS is the default). Other versions of Linux have been confirmed as being compatible, including Ubuntu, Fedoro Core 7, Gentoo, and Debian but, I'm am unaware if they are as easy to install or if they even work as well as Yellow Dog.

For the uninitiated, Linux is an operating system like Windows, except that it has been completely designed from the ground up for free by programmers to run faster and be more stable. Nobody truly owns Linux so it can be distributed for free. It's a Unix-like Operating system. There is also a huge host of free software ranging from word processors to media players to games even.

Linux Games
Linux doesn't really have too many commercial games, although there is quite a few native games for it. A few stand out including X-plane and Darwinia. Some companies have ported games in-house to Linux: Bioware, Epic Games, id Software, and EA to name a few.

Cedega, has been porting PC games for a while now and, for a small monthly fee, provides patches for hundreds of games that will now work under Linux including: World of Warcraft, Elder Scrolls IV Oblivion, Need for Speed Carbon, and Half Life 2 plus loads more. These work in varying levels from near perfect to needing a little more work. Despite this inconsistency, Cedega updates regularly so if they can find a way to get your favorite game working like new, you be the first to know. Just imaging the speed that six cores (Yellow dog uses six of the eight cores and saves 2 for GameOS) can run my game of Half life 2 at makes me all warm and toasty inside. Especially when my Windows PC freezes after running it for 30 minutes.

Update: Cedega doesn't work on a PS3 because PC games require a Intel x86 architecture. However, bochs, an in development x86 Emulator, is worth a try for emulating windows software on Yellow Dog.

Put a Personal Video Recorder (PVR) on your PS3
Watch a lot of TV when not playing games? Well why not put a PVR on your PS3? With just as many options, and sometimes even more, than as Windows Media Center Edition, Open Source PVRs are a perfect alternative to Microsoft's media software. People have plugged in a USB tuner and run MythTV on it. Check it out here. The menus maybe aren't as pretty to look at and it may take a little more effort to setup but, it's just as good as the competition. The high def capability for the PS3 (Yellow Dog only runs in High-Def) means anything you record will look crystal clear too.

Oh and if we're lucky Sony will release their Official PVR in America.

Hardware
While most PC-Windows setups will run easily $1000 and up the PS3 isn't a dollar over $600 before tax (In America) and it's more than three times faster then most PCs! With one 8 core CPU and the super fast RSX graphics card, you differently won't be hurting for more power. It has Two Terraflops of system floating point performance(Whatever that means), for crying out loud! Yeah, I don't know what a Terraflop is either, but it just sounds cool...and kinda like a painful diving technique. One possible Achilles heel is the paltry 512 MB of ram, but Linux can do far more with that then Windows can. Here's the Full Spec Sheet for PS3.

Because Terrasoft knows that every PS3 will be made the same theres no need to fiddle with every option until it works. There are only a few things that they have had trouble with. One is the built in wi-fi, It doesn't work completely. Another thing is it can't take full advantage of the RSX graphics card yet. (As of version 5.0). But this may all change as time wears on.

Install
Terra oft has instructions for installation of Yellow Dog Linux of PS3 here: (PDF Alert!) Here's the Terra Soft Homepage and Downloads page too.

Setting it up is a snap. Simply backup all the stuff that you wanna keep on a USB hard drive, because ALL MEDIA WILL BE ERASED DURING HARD DRIVE FORMAT so be mindful of that. After that, all it takes is reformatting the Hard Disk to work as if it were two (Repartitioning), installing it and bam! You just kicked it up a notch! And thanks to the USB ports all over your brand new Linux monster using a mouse and keyboard is as easy as plugging it in. The hard drive can even be replaced if you want more then the hardware comes with (As long as it's a serial ATA interface). Here are some pictures from the PS3 manual.

If all this talk about reformatting and installing is giving you heart palpitations, Terrasoft has PS3s with Linux Pre- Installed available here, mice and keyboards too.

Even if you don't use it as your main computer it's worth it to try out Linux on one of the fastest commercial available computers around. Especially if you already have a Playstation 3 or plan to buy one.

Three full Ubisoft games for free on File Planet!!!!

Ubisoft has released three of their PC games for free on File Planet:

Farcry (Download Here) A wide open First Person Shooter set on a tropical island,
Rayman Raving Rabbids (Download Here) a collection of wacky minigames, and
The Prince of Persia: Sands of Time (Download Here) This time hopping platforming game is set in a fictional version of ancient Persia.

If you haven't played these yet now is the prefect time to try these out. A free account with File Planet is necessary, but thats a very painless process.

Enjoy!

Update: You also need an account with Ubisoft, that's also free.

How Alucard would work in Super Smash Bros. Brawl

This week Digital Gamer is highlighting the next generation of Wii games that really start to show off what Nintendo's little box can do.
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Undoubtedly the crown jewel of Nintendo's Fall 2007 lineup, Smash Bro. Brawl is looking like it lives up to the expectations. I was going to recount to features that have been mentioned on smashbros.com. However, I think it would be better if everyone just went there for information on what has been confirmed, because it's pretty well organized and regularly updated. What I'll do instead is list characters, stages and features I WISH were in Smash Bros. Brawl. Right up until the all the games secrets are revealed. Ready? FIGHT!

Dream Character: Alucard
From: Castlevania: Symphony of the Night
AKA: Reverse Dracula (To me anyway...)

Who can deny Alucard's awesomeness? The guy can change into toxic gas, jump 40 feet into the air, shoot fireballs out of his cloak and even choke you from several feet away! OK, maybe not that last one, but I'm he could if he tried! This is how his moves would be set up:

Can double jump: First a Regular jump and then the double jump has his cloak flapping like wings.

When Shielding: Alucard will bring out the Alucard Shield.

When Dodging: Alucard turns to mist to avoid damage.

Neutral A: Punch.

Neutral Air: Sword Strike. This would be a quick horizontal sword strike.

Up Air: Throw Ax, Une, or Plate of Curry (Random).

Up Tilt: Sword Strike

Up Smash: Fast Sword Strike up with extra swing.

Down Tilt: Slide Kick.

Down Smash: Slide Kick leaves behind flame trails.

Down Air: Drop Kick.

Forward Tilt: Sword Lunge.

Forward Smash: Faster Lunge.

Forward Air: Lance

Backward Air: Lance (Back End)

B Neutral (Hold): Spirit Orb (Can be steered.)

Up B: Swing Pole Ax.

Down B: Moon Jump (Can be strung together but each time distance
is shorter and shorter).

B Left and Right: Shoot three small fireballs.

Final Smash Crissinger Fury: Alucard attacks wildly using the Crissinger to hit anyone in his way.

So, how did I do? 'Em I way off? Don't think I chose the right moves? Is there another character you like to talk about? Let me know, leave a comment! The best suggestions will be featured in later posts.

Wii Round 2: Geometry Wars: Galaxys

This week Digital Gamer is highlighting the next generation of Wii games that really start to show off what Nintendo's little box can do.
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Late 2005, during the launch of the Xbox 360, many gamers were disappointed in the then lackluster retail games available. Thankfully, Microsoft also launched the Live Arcade along with Bizarre Creations space shooting game, Geometry Wars: Retro Evolved. Originally a hidden mini-game in Project Gotham Racing 1, 2, and 3, Retro Evolved bought back memories of arcades from the 70s and 80s where you were competing not only with friends, but also yourself. It went on to be the best selling Live Arcade game to date. This success compelled Bizarre Creations to make a sequel, but this time on the Nintendo Wii and Nintendo DS.

The controls have been completely redesigned to work with the Remote and Nunchuck. Point at any part of the screen you want to fire and shoot. The stick on the Nunchuck maneuvers the ship around. It takes awhile to adjust for Geometry Wars vets but, overall, it works well. The dual-stick setup on the classic controller can also be used for those who prefer. Also, the DS version can be linked up for competitive play.

Retro Evolved on the Xbox 360 was fun enough to play forever and that was only one level. Multiply that by 60 levels, and it starts to set in how significant this is to fans of the franchise. Each require a unique strategy to effectively tackle. Some of these include: a level where gravity spins around like a whirlpool, pulling everything (Including enemy ships) in the direction of the tide and one with a giant black hole, pulling you in as you fight the oncoming swarm.

Loads of new features are present, including a drone helper which can be set to be more defensive and watch your back or be more aggressive and actively seek out enemies. You can even go so far as to have it only go after certain types of enemies, shoot in the opposite direction as you (Spinning Wheel of Death!) or not shoot at all and collect Geoms, the currency of the game. These can be spent on new worlds, challenges and abilities.

It wouldn't be a proper sequel to Geometry Wars without strange new adversaries. Two that have been confirmed: One that weights down your ship, slowing it down (Shake the remote around to knock it off), an another one that infects other ships making them twice as deadly.

It's not the most complicated game ever made and thats OK. Sometime all you need is brilliant design and few friends.

Wii Round 2: Super Mario Galaxy

This week Digital Gamer is highlighting the next generation of Wii games that really start to show off what Nintendo's little box can do.
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When Nintendo showed off Mario 128 so many years ago, people where left wondering what would result from this tech demo. Now we know that half of it was Pikmin and the other half became Super Mario Galaxy.

A lot has changed since that press conference. The game was moved from the Gamecube to the Wii, it was graphically spruced up, and all need to control the camera was removed. In Super Mario 64 and Super Mario Sunshine, the player had to babysit the camera the whole way and sometimes it wouldn't work at all. Mario Galaxy's camera never gets in the way because of the lack of walls; the majority of the game takes place out in deep space. However, those who prefer to tweak the camera should be relieved to know that the D-pad can be used to change the perspective and the C button on the Nunchuck centers the camera.

Galaxy lacks any real overworld like previous games in the series. Instead Mario hops and flies to separate planetoids throughout space. Each have their own gravity and physics. Where one may be completely spherical, another may be completely flat. These planetoids range from giant floating apples to a walking robotic fortress to more traditional grassy plains.

Gameplay is the same hop and bop it's always been but, it also couldn't be more fresh and new. A triple jump can be preformed by tapping the jump button when Mario lands until he flips like 3D Marios past. Waving the remote back and forth will make Mario do a spin attack. In addition to jumping and running, Mario has several new powers. One of the more prominent ones is a pointer shaped like a star that appears wherever you point the Wii remote. You can grab things by pointing to them and pressing (A). A series of floating blue stars that Mario can float across are one of the things showcased in mutiple videos. Most enemies can be selected, causing them to freeze in place.

Star gems littered around everywhere can be collected by waving over them. These can then be shot at baddies, switches and basically anything. A second player can even use a second remote to help or hinder the first player, shooting stars, even preventing Mario from moving!

This is definitely the type of newness that many believed was missing from Super Mario Sunshine. This is surly to be one of the best selling Wii games to date. That is until Smash Bros. Brawl comes out...

Wii Round 2: Dewy's Adventure

This week Digital Gamer is highlighting the next generation of Wii games that really start to show off what Nintendo's little box can do.
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Dewy's Adventure is quite an original title. It's about a water droplet trying to restore his land to how it was before it got polluted. Story aside, the real charm is in the gameplay. Anyone who has played Super Monkey Ball should feel right at home. Instead of directly controlling Dewy himself, players tilt the entire world. Move the stage to make him slide around and tilting up quickly will make him hop.

Also because he's made of water, what the temperature is factors into what form he takes. Pushing (+) or (-) on the Remote increases or decreases the temperature. Other forces of nature at your command are:

• Causing earthquakes by quickly shaking the remote left and right thus changing the landscape and
  
• Blowing the wind around by waving the remote up and down.
  

Liquid Form
Keeping the Temperature at a medium level will cause dewy to be in liquid form. Naturally this allows him to get in tighter places with ease. He's easy to control in this form but also weak against enemy attacks. Cannon type plants can suck him up and then shoot him to higher spots.

Solid form
Changing the environment to a cold climate turns dewy to ice, making him hard and heavy. He'll slide more quickly across the ground and can shape himself into a sharp spinning top that makes for a deadly weapon against baddies. And now that the world is colder, lakes that would have swallowed dewy previously can now be simply slid across.

Mist Form
Turning the heat up will evaporate dewy into a misty cloud that will only move with the wind. Thankfully the wind is fully under your control. But dewy is not completely helpless in this form. Since Dewy is now a cloud he can drop lighting bolts on any thing he wants, powering switches or shocking foes.

Anyone looking for something completely different from anything they've ever seen before should check out this soon to be classic.

Wii Round 2: Metroid Prime 3

This week Digital Gamer will highlight the next generation of Wii games that really start to show off what Nintendo's little box can do.

The third entry in the Metroid Prime saga sees Samus getting corrupted by Dark Samus with Phazon. This leads to having the ability to tap into her newfound power, becoming incredibly fast and powerful. However this power comes at a price: it slowly drains her life force as it corrupts her.

For a game series that had less focus on shooting and more on platforming, it's a bit of a surprise to see more attention to combat. This is mainly because of the ingenious new control scheme. Point to somewhere with the Wii remote and Samus will look there, then push the B trigger to shoot. It's hard to imagine FPS any other way. Also, while the Wii Remote controls the right hand, the nun chuck controls the left. Open doors, grapple enemies (with the improved grapple beam), and even lock the camera. Yes, even with the free movement of the gun you can still lock the camera onto enemies and tons of other things.

Those familiar with the previous prime games will remember needing to switch to different beams. In Corruption all the beans are layered, not unlike the 2D Metroids. The different visors have also been revamped. Gone is the X-ray, Echo, Infrared, and Dark visors. New only three remain: Combat, Scan and one to control her ship. It hasn't been revealed all that you can do with the ship but, I do know that it can be summoned to save your progress and check on your corruption level.

Voice acting has never been a big thing in any Metroid game. Characters barely spoke at all and when they did it was all in pages of text. Prime 2 did have voice acting here and there but, it was too far and few between. However, thanks to more disk space and a much deeper plot, Prime 3 has tons and tons of VO. Samus, however, is still mute.

With all the casual games on the the Wii, it's nice to know that Nintendo hasn't forgotten the gamers who have been there from the start.

Assassin's Creed promises to truly shake up the platformer genre

Man I can't wait for this amazing game. The setting, the graphics, and the wide open nature just sounds like so much fun.

For those who don't know, the game takes place in the year 1192 during the third crusade. Basically, The Knights Templar are making war and the original Assassins Clan want it to stop.
You control a Master Assassin, Altair, in his quest to free his country. The Assassins don't want to kill members of the Knights Templar but, it is necessary for them to survive. In a trailer Altair even shows regret for his actions by closing his victims eyes before running from the guards.

The vast cities are full of life from guards to beggars to even the people your hunting.
And they all react accordingly to your actions. The guards don't attack you unless you do something to give them a reason. And if you help people out they will help you in return.
Give to the church and they'll let you blend in with them when your running from the law.
Help the beggars and they will be more likely to block the path of your enemies you're hunting. On the flip side if your rude and pick fights, villagers will be more then happy to turn you in.

Almost everything in three authentic looking cities in the game can be climbed and throughly explored. If you can climb it in real life then more then likely it can be climbed in Assassin's Creed. Due to a unique control setup scaling tall buildings has never been more enjoyable. The face buttons represent your head, free hand, weapon hand, and feet. This mean that obstacles can even be climbed in multiple ways. Press down and then release the "feet" button when approaching a low wall, for instance, and Altair will jump over it. Press the free hand button instead and he'll vault over it. Combat controls in a similar manner.

One of the more exciting things I heard about this game is the promise that what you do has an impact on the future somehow. Hmm... Alternate Endings?

Mystery grenade revealed

Today IGN broke the story about the forth grenade type and also confirmed something everyone hoped would be true...

The Flamethrower joins the party!
After being teased time and time again, first in Halo 1 and then in Halo 2, the flamethrower is now officially confirmed. It's considered a "turret" weapon and as such will force the camera into third person, slowing down whoever uses it considerably. The flames spit out from this monster will stick to anything (Including the bubble shield) and burn away whatever it touches. Flame walls can be used to keep out unwanted visitors from your base. The only weaknesses are that it can only be used in 3 second bursts and is very hard to aim with.

The Firebomb
The forth grenade type is like a mini flamethrower covering everything in flames when it explodes. This is a better option if you want to create a flame wall. Like the flare, when a firebomb goes off a bright blinding light is emitted. With so many different grenade types I wonder if the maximum number of grenades allowed to be held at one time will decrease.

Halo 3 adds tons of new customization options to multiplayer

Have it your way
The Halo games have always been about customizing the experience to your liking. Halo 3 has so much more flexibility that you may never want to go back to Halo 2. New to the mix is the option to modify gravity and player speed. This will surely lead to new hilarious game types. One example is a king of the hill game with 75% gravity and anyone inside the hill area is invincible. The only way to oust the opposing team is to hit them with the Gravity Hammer. In a free for all game, you could rack up the speed to 300%, decrease gravity to 50%, and then have hammers be the only usable weapon. That sounds like fun, don't it?

The new fall fashions
In addition to the newly expanded game type modifications, player armor can now be fully customized. From helmet shape and style to more visible clan markings, two players will never look quite the same. And if what I've heard is correct, instead of choosing different things in a menu your armor changes fluidly as you
win matches and use weapons of certain kinds. Although this is a cosmetic thing, how you look can reflect your skill. For example,
if you use a sniper rifle every chance you get your helmet may change to reflect your affection to long range weaponry. Some styles can only be attained if you are one of the top players. Clan specific armor can also be applied so clans can easily spot each other.

Garry's mod comes to Halo 3
Although not quite at the same level as Garry's Mod, (A Half-Life 2 modification) Forge mode is probably the biggest change to Halo 3 multiplayer. During a time limit players can add or remove items from their favorite map. Add weapons, creates, vehicles, create/move spawn points, ect. The only things not allowed are deleting buildings and other players and modifying terrain. Players can switch out of being a spartan/elite and a floating monitor (The orb like robots normally seen in the single player campaign). This allows players to run in a sand box and just basically do whatever they want. The goal is anything you can think of. From playing Jenga with explosive fusion coils to an RTS take on team slayer. After you're done fiddling around you can then save your changes and share it with everyone online.

Four Player Online Co-Op!
In Halo 1 and 2, co-op was off-line and for two players only. In the next installment up to three of your buds can team up in finishing the fight. Although only two players can be play together on one Xbox 360, you can fill up the rest of the team online or with system link. Halo co-op in the past created a time paradox by having two identical master chiefs. This was never explained. To fix this, bungie has added two new warriors to the Halo universe. The first player will control the Master Chief, Player 2 will play the Arbiter, Player 3 will play has a an elite named N’tho ‘Sraom, and Player 4 controls the third elite that goes by the name Usze ‘Taham. Their back story can be read here.

I can't wait for September 25th.

Bungie reveals new Halo 3 tidbits Part 2

Yesterday I talked about the new weapons and equipment announced in Electronic Gaming Monthly Issue 219. Today I'll outline the new vehicles mentioned in the same issue.

The Hornet
This is the human equivalent of the covenant banshee. A picture of the craft shows two guys hanging off the sides. Although it's only confirmed to be in the campaign mode it is very likely to be in multiplayer as well.

Brute Chopper
This single person motorcycle-like craft fires exploding rounds and boosts similar to a ghost. However, unlike the ghost it's grounded with one wheel (The back floats) and is far more sturdy then the ghost making it ideal for ramming.

The Prowler
The prowler is basically the brute version of the warthog. It has room for a driver, mounted gunner, and two on either side. It's looks like a cross between a turbine engine and a sled.

The Elephant
Where most vehicles move back and forth between bases, the elephant IS the base!
There is enough space on the Indestructible Elephant to hold at least 12 riders, (Inside or on the roof) a single mongoose(An ATV), the Flag for your team, and a mounted turret. It counts as the return point for capturing the enemy flag and even respawns players like a base too. With all this stuff it's not surprising that it moves very, very slowly.

With all the new things in Halo 3. I'm starting to wonder how bungie can fit all this stuff into one 9 Gig disc. Maybe they cut out stuff, maybe this will be the first Xbox 360 game to need to install or decompress pieces on the hard drive in order to run. One thing is for sure, online downloadable content will be a big part of Halo 3.

In my next post I will talk more about the multiplayer features and changes to co-op.

Update: The warthog has a larger transport version that five or six can ride. Instead of a mounted gun another couple of seats are their instead.