AGE

[Gamer Spotlight]: OutboundChef

grumpyshrapnel — Sun, 07 Sep 2008 12:36:00 GMT

AGE Username: outboundchef
XBL Gamertag: outboundchef

What does your Xbox Live Gamertag mean?

It stands for two things, one is I am a part time Chef in my friends restaurant here in Connecticut, the other is it is a tribute to my favorite badass chef, Chef Anthony Bourdain.

How old are you?

Where do you live?

Granby, Connecticut

Do you have any kids? If so ,what is their age?

How did you learn or hear about AGE and what brought you to our community?

My wife got me a 360 for Xmas 2006. I joined Xbox Live shortly there after playing Gears. The GP was so bad I was about to give up on Live and probably never use my 360 again. Then in desperation, I started to scour the Internet search engines to find people (adults) that shared my interest in video games and wanted to have fun with little or no drama. And there it was, AGE, like a beacon shining bright on a dark rainy night, so, I joined and my friends list filled up rapidly, and now here I am. And I must say, the only reason Microsoft still gets my business is because of AGE. If AGE was not around, I would be doing something else.

How long have you been playing videogames?

30 Years

How long have you been playing games online?

About 10 years

What's your favorite game to play online?

Hands down, Gears.

What was the first game you played online?

Doom, it was a blast!!!! On the LAN...

What was the first game you played online with fellow AGE members, if you can remember?

Gears

Is there an arch nemesis on Live that you always feel is your best competition or someone you always want to beat?

Nope

When you sign on to Live is there someone you always look for to play online with?

What I do is once I am signed on, I look to see what games my friends are playing, and based on what they are doing and what I have in my games library, I usually join based on that. And if I'm in the mood for a SP game, then I'll try to ignore the Gears invites. But, that can be hard to do.

Which do you prefer, single player or multiplayer games?

Multiplayer FTW!!!!

Which do you prefer, ranked or unranked games?

Unranked

Which do you prefer, co-op or multiplayer?

Co-op is cool, but Multiplayer is the best.

Which, if any, achievements are youmost proud of?

The Haybusha helmet in Halo 3

Do you play inverted or normal?

Inverted is normal, for me anyway...

What is your first video game memory?

Unwrapping an Atari 2600 on Xmas morning.

What game systems do you own or have owned in the past?

Atari 2600, 5200, Sega all kinds of systems from them, Atari Jaguar, Dreamcast, Intelevision, PS1, PS2, Xbox, Xbox 360

What is your favorite video game of all time, and why?

Mechassault, the online community was the best, no bullshit with them, you respected everyone and played by the rules, good times.

If you could only own one system (from systems now or from the past) from now on which one would it be? and why?

Xbox 360, the games are outstanding and the online community (AGE) is awesome.

If you could only own one game for the above system from now on which one would it be? and why?

Gears, the dead room social club is the best, I think you know what I mean fellow Gear Heads.

If you could create your own videogame, what would it be?

Another Mechassault for the 360, I loved that game, and it would be awesome with the 360's power.

Who is your favorite video gamecharacter?

Sub Zero from Mortal Kombat

Who is your favorite video developer?

Epic and Bungie

What do you do for a living/work?

I have three major things going on in my life right now. First I am by trade an I.T. dude. I work part time at The Hartford Housing Authority running the I.T. department. I used to work full time there, but my health no longer permits that. Second I still fill in for my friend at his restaurant as a chef from time to time, just to give him some time with his family. The third thing is I have End stage renal disease, I am currently on dialysis three times a week, Tues. Thurs. and Sat. I hope to get on the kidney transplant list soon, and hope in the next 3 years to get a transplant. Then maybe I can work full time again and enjoy the many things I cannot partake in now. But, no matter, everyday above ground is a good day.

What game has consumed the most hours of your time in the past month?

Gears

What game has consumed the most hours of your time in the past year?

Gears

Do you play Windows casual games at home/work? Which ones? (solitaire/minesweeper/hearts/pinball etc.)

Nope

Do you have any pets? If so, what are their names?

I have two doggies, Dane is the chihauha, and Whiskers is the terrier.

What's your favorite animal?

Doggies

What other interests do you haveoutside of gaming; hobbies, sports, associations, family, etc?

I like building and tearing down servers of all kinds. I am currently building an awesome media server for my home. I also enjoy RC helicopters when I don't crash them.

What's your favorite movie?

Wayne's World

What is your favorite type of movie;horror, action, comedy, sci-fi, thriller, etc?

Sci-fi for sure, with lots of sexy alien babes.

Who are your favorite actor and actress?

Nathan Fillion for the actor and Jewel Staite for the actress - Firefly of course.

What's your favorite TV Show?

Firefly and Northern Exposure - no longer on the air, but I have their DVD's

Who is your favorite band?

Duran Duran

What is your favorite song?

Even Flow

What's your favorite food?

Cheese Burgers with bacon

What's your favorite candy?

Peanut M&M's

What's in your CD player right now?

I have an Ipod last song listened to Even Flow

What's your favorite car?

Saab 9-3 Turbo, I have one plus a Mini Cooper

Besides the AGE site what other sites do you visit regularly?

Drudge Report.com Xboxlive.com Weather Underground.com

PC or Mac?

Are you right handed or left handed

Right handed

What is your favorite season of the year (Summer/Winter/Spring/Fall)?

Fall, I love the crisp air and fresh apples picked off the trees. Fall in New England is awesome.

Where is your favorite place to go on vacation?

Colorado, there is a little town there called South Fork, I would like to retire there some day.

What, if any, is your favorite comicbook?

Don't read comic books.

If you have a favorite comic book, whois your favorite character?

See above

If you have a favorite comic book,which is your favorite Marvel or DC or other?

See above

If you could do anything for a living what would it be and why?

I would like to be a Vet Tech. I love animals.

If you could do anything for a day what would it be and why?

Spend the entire day at Epic game studios that would be a blast. It would be so cool to wander around my favorite game producer.

If you could meet anybody living or dead who would it be and why?

The man or woman who invented the dialysis machine, thanks to them, I'm still around.

What upcoming games are you planning on getting?

Star Wars Force Unleashed

Left 4 Dead

Fallout 3

Gears 2

Maybe some type of Hockey game, not sure.

If you don't have a Wii or PS3 do youplan on getting one?

Not sure, depends on the wife.

What's the best thing about AGE?

AGE is the best period. I love everything about it. It is my little oasis to escape to.

What, if anything, can we at AGE do to make this a better place?

I think it is great just the way it is.

[Gamer Spotlight]: Rapida

grumpyshrapnel — Sun, 07 Sep 2008 12:36:00 GMT

AGE Username: Rapida
XBL Gamertag: Rapida

What does your Xbox Live Gamertag mean?

I just made it up one day while playing Alpha Centauri with a friend.

How old are you?

Where do you live?

L.A. (Lower Alabama)

Do you have any kids? If so, what is their age?

How did you learn or hear about AGE and what brought you to our community?

I played Shadowrun with Coffeestain and a few other AGErs for a few weeks then decided to check the site out.

How long have you been playing video games?

Um, long as I can remember?

How long have you been playing games online?

A few years after, “as long as I can remember?” This whole remembering stuff is hard.

What's your favorite game to play online?

Shadowrun (big surprise, huh?)

What was the first game you played online?

Let’s see, Age of Empires 2 on the MSN Zone.

What was the first game you played online with fellow AGE members, if you can remember?

Shadowrun

Is there an arch nemesis on Live that you always feel is your best competition or someone you always want to beat?

Well, pretty much anyone on my friends list, but I’ve got to say I enjoy fragging Greasy a lot. Though in Shadowrun, if I see Wasek it’s on! Wayne is always satisfying because I get to hear him yell at work the next day.

Really though, I enjoy killing each and every one of ya’ll!

When you sign on to Live is there someone you always look for to play online with?

Capt T, Greasy Monk, Nick War, Peshtigo, and pretty much anyone that has managed to survive on my friend’s list for more than a week.

Which do you prefer, single player or multiplayer games?

Multiplayer

Which do you prefer, ranked or unranked games?

Ranked, I’m a little competitive…

Which do you prefer, co-op or multiplayer?

Multiplayer, preferably with AGEr’s on my team (and against me!)

Which, if any, achievements are you most proud of?

(Too Human) Unstoppable: Ice Forest was nice to earn on my own

(Unreal Tournament III) I’m not on a holy war was great to earn in co-op

(Ninja Gaiden II) Way of the Warrior also felt like an actual achievement

Do you play inverted or normal?

Normal

What is your first video game memory?

Watching my dad play Super Mario Bros. on the original Gameboy

What game systems do you own or have owned in the past?

Sega Genesis, Gameboy, Gameboy Lite, Gameboy Color, Nintendo DS, Wii, N64, SNES, PS2, Xbox, Xbox 360

Currently I’ve just got a Wii, DS, and the 360.

EDIT: I forgot the Wii the first time going over this. Shows you how much I play it, huh?

What is your favorite video game of all time, and why?

Shadowrun! Because there are so many different ways to play

Berserker? Katana Troll,

Support? Elf,

Annoying? Dwarf,

Etc.

If you could only own one system (from systems now or from the past) from now on which one would it be? and why?

I’d be fine with having a 360, just for its online components.

If you could only own one game for the above system from now on which one would it be? and why?

I’m tempted to say Shadowrun, but I’m going to go out on a limb and say Left 4 Dead. I think it is going to have a LONG shelf life.

If you could create your own video game, what would it be?

A sequel to… (You guessed it)…. Shadowrun! I think the first one got a bad rep, and with just a little more polish could’ve been one of the killer titles of this generation

Who is your favorite video game character?

Master Chief

Who is your favorite video developer?

Valve, I’ve never played a game of theirs that wasn’t up to par.

What do you do for a living/work?

I’m attending college for a Computer Science degree (anyone want an intern?), and I work as a Computer Technician for a local Board of Education on my off days.

What game has consumed the most hours of your time in the past month?

Too Human is probably leading the pack at the moment, but Battlefield: Bad Company is probably way up there too

What game has consumed the most hours of your time in the past year?

Between the tournaments and league, Rainbow Six Vegas 2

Do you play Windows casual games at home/work? Which ones? (solitaire/minesweeper/hearts/pinball etc.)

All of the above, and a few more on my Linux laptop

Do you have any pets? If so, what are their names?

Not at the moment, but I’ve been debating getting a cat.

What’s your favorite animal?

Sharks! Though, I enjoy seeing any wildlife (barring hostile ones)

What other interests do you have outside of gaming; hobbies, sports, associations, family, etc?

I love to read, and would take a good book over most games any day. I also SCUBA, hike, and dabble in photography.

What's your favorite movie?

Pretty much any of the recent super hero movies (Spiderman, Batman, Ironman, etc.)

What is your favorite type of movie; horror, action, comedy, sci-fi, thriller, etc?

Sci-fi, action, and fantasy are good (though I’d take a book over a movie)

Who are your favorite actor and actress?

Indifferent, when I talk about movies people have to tell me a character they played not names.

What's your favorite TV Show?

Heroes

Who is your favorite band?

Not that picky, whatever sounds good

What is your favorite song?

I like “Crazy” by Gnarles Barkley

What's your favorite food?

Nothing beats a good steak, preferably with a side of steamed broccoli and A1 (for the broccoli, the steak shouldn’t need it)

What's your favorite candy?
Snickers bar

What's in your CD player right now?

A burnt CD most likely, but I mostly listen to random music from Pandora

What's your favorite car?

The one that gets me from Point A to Point B

Besides the AGE site what other sites do you visit regularly?

Since the upgrade to Firefox 3 (counting just desktop visits):

AGE: 725 times

Google Reader (Full of video game, tech, and world news): 568 times

Anti-rebate: 146 times

Woot!: 78 times

PC or Mac?

PC mostly, though I’ve dabbled in Linux

Are you right handed or left handed

Right Handed

What is your favorite season of the year (Summer/Winter/Spring/Fall)?

Fall, otherwise it’s usually rather hot down here

Where is your favorite place to go on vacation?

I loved Greece this past summer

What, if any, is your favorite comic book?

All the Spider Man comics, though the web comic The Order of the Stick is a close second

If you have a favorite comic book, who is your favorite character?

Spiderman

If you have a favorite comic book, which is your favorite Marvel or DC or other?

Marvel

If you could do anything for a living what would it be and why?

I’m going to program video games one day. I’d love to help create something that brings people enjoyment to play.

If you could do anything for a day what would it be and why?

Hmm, I don’t really know one day isn’t a very long time for any cool powers…

If you could meet anybody living or dead who would it be and why?

I would love to speak to my Great Grandmother again. I was too young to realize how blessed I was to have her there growing up.

What upcoming games are you planning on getting?

Left 4 Dead!

If you don't have a Wii or PS3 do you plan on getting one?

Wayne keeps pushing me to get a PS3, but until a killer app drops I’m not willing to put down the cash. Little Big Planet may send me over the edge though…

What's the best thing about AGE?

The people, I don’t know if I’d still have Live without the great people here on AGE.

What, if anything, can we at AGE do to make this a better place?

I’d love to see some kind of reliability chart for tournaments and leagues. Nothing public but something the organizers could use to help create the teams with reliable and not so reliable people.

BONUS QUESTION:

What’s your favorite book?

My favorite series at the moment:

Dune, Odd Thomas, Lord of the Rings, pretty much any forgotten realms book, World War Z, and I just started Terry Pratchett’s Disc World series

Rock Band DLC - 9/9/08

jigsawhc — Fri, 05 Sep 2008 18:36:00 GMT

The DLC for the week of Sept 9th will be a 3 pack from the metal band All That Remains. The track listing and pricing is below.

ALL THAT REMAINS 3 PACK - $2.99 (240 Microsoft Points)

THIS CALLING - $.99 (80 Microsoft Points)

CHIRON $.99 (80 Microsoft Points)

TWO WEEKS $.99 (80 Microsoft Points)

Two Weeks and Chiron are exclusive to Rock Band for one week before their new album Overcome is released on September 16th.

Each track will be available for a one month special offer of $.99 (80 Microsoft Points) per track or $2.99 (240 Microsoft Points for Xbox 360) for the three-pack.

These tracks will be up on the Xbox Live Marketplace on Tuesday, and the PlayStation Network Store on Thursday.

All tracks are masters.

Source

360 Hard Drive Price Cut

dboss — Fri, 05 Sep 2008 13:04:00 GMT

Still not enough IMO, but at least its a cut.

Xbox 360 Hard Drive Gets A Price Cut Too

Now that the Xbox 360 line-up has been giving a serious price gutting in the US of A, the cuts continue, with the 120GB hard drive seeing a $30 reduction. Previously at $179, it would have been an even harder prospective purchase for anyone picking up a $199 Xbox 360 Arcade. The hard drive add on is now slightly more reasonably* priced at $149 at both EBGames and Amazon. Thanks to Matt for the heads up.

Source: Kotaku

Live Marketplace Sale

dboss — Fri, 05 Sep 2008 12:27:00 GMT

Definitely some pretty decent deals here. I know I'll be picking up the Mass Effect add-on and Shivering Isles for Oblivion is a great deal at 1600 points. If I didn't have the Game of the Year version of the game I'd be all over that deal as well.

Extended Play Download Days (price drop on DLC)
For a limited time only (well, until the end of October) the Marketplace is running an ‘Extended Play Download Days’ promotion which is offering some pretty good savings on some of the more popular DLC.

Here is a list of all the content, the new pricing and the savings:

Title Content Original Price Promo Price Savings

Mass Effect Bring Down The Sky 400 300 100 (25%)

Lost Odyssey Triple Bonus Pack 200 120 80 (40%)

Forza Motorsport 2 Motegi Track Pack 400 240 160 (40%)

Forza Motorsport 2 The September Car Pack 400 240 160 (40%)

Forza Motorsport 2 December Car Pack 400 240 160 (40%)

Forza Motorsport 2 FINAL March Car Pack 400 240 160 (40%)

Oblivion The Elder Scrolls IV- Oblivion Shivering Isles 2400 1600 800 (33%)

Guitar Hero 3 Def Leppard Track Pack 500 360 140 (28%)

Guitar Hero 3 Foo Fighters Track Pack 500 360 140 (28%)

Guitar Hero 3 Classic Rock Track Pack 500 360 140 (28%)

Beautiful Katamari Accessory Set A 200 120 80 (40%)

Beautiful Katamari Accessory Set B 200 120 80 (40%)

Beautiful Katamari Accessory Set C 200 120 80 (40%)

Beautiful Katamari Accessory Set D 200 120 80 (40%)

Beautiful Katamari Special Accessory 250 120 130 (60%)

Beautiful Katamari Just-size Stage 300 210 90 (30%)

Beautiful Katamari Big-10 Stage 200 140 30 (60%)

Beautiful Katamari Big-11 Stage 200 140 30 (60%)

These prices are effective immediately. Posted: Sep 05 2008, 02:00 AM by Major Nelson | with 13 comment(s) | Filed under: Marketplace

Source: Major Nelson

Tiger Woods 09 Tournament Sept 26th

cdub998 — Fri, 05 Sep 2008 11:21:00 GMT

Go here for Official tournament thread

Thread Here

We could use a few more subs just in case. Feel free to sign up.

[PS3] Sony Unveils PS3 Headset

soul embrace — Thu, 04 Sep 2008 15:45:00 GMT

UPDATE: Here's some more info. that was posted on the PS Blog yesterday. There are some very cool features in there, but I especially like the ability to charge/dock the unit and still chat.

Hey everyone, I’m Anand Agarwal, Product Manager for PlayStation Peripherals. Two weeks ago, we informed you about the Wireless Keypad for PS3, and today we want to tell you more about the official Bluetooth Headset for PS3 that we unveiled during SOCOM Media day.

This headset will be offered in one retail version of SOCOM: U.S. Navy SEALs Confrontation this October, as well as a standalone peripheral this fall. It features a prominent Mute button and a Charging Cradle. It will work with not only your PS3 but with Bluetooth enabled cell phones. But this is information that you already know about. Today we want to talk about some really cool features of this Headset that we have been working on behind the scenes. These features will be unlocked by the PS3 through a firmware update that is scheduled for this fall.

The headset will feature “High-Quality (HQ) mode” with PS3. In this mode, the headset will take advantage of advanced voice technologies and noise cancellation techniques to provide clear and wideband voice input to the PS3. The HQ mode will ensure a much better voice chat quality on the PS3.
HQ mode will also enable accurate speech recognition required to support or enhance ‘Voice Command’ and ‘Voice Animation’ features. Voice Command was originally used in SOCOM: U.S. Navy SEALs for PS2 to administer the AI-controlled teammates using the WHO, WHAT, and WHERE format (example: Bravo, Attack, Nav Point Zulu). Voice Animation refers to the in-game character mimicking you during voice chat. With HQ mode, these features can be enabled on a much larger vocabulary in select PS3 games.
PS3 will display an in-game status indicator exclusively for this headset that will show the headset’s connection status, battery charge level, speaker volume level and microphone mute status.
Tired of wearing the headset during a long multiplayer gaming session or is your headset battery running out of charge? Just dock the headset in the supplied charging cradle, and the headset will work as a desktop microphone while charging.
Last but not least, the headset will automatically pair with the PS3 by connecting with a USB cable.

SCEA was one of the first companies to popularize VoIP technology within a console videogame through SOCOM: U.S. Navy SEALs for PS2. As you can see, we have made a great effort to expand on this legacy and develop the most compelling headset for the PS3 community. We are really excited to bring it to market this fall with the SOCOM: Confrontation bundle ($59.99 MSRP) and as a standalone peripheral ($49.99 MSRP).

Source: PS Blog

Updated by dboss.

While the PSP was the center of attention in Japan today following announcements regarding the PSP-3000's release and updated network functionality, Sony did make one major announcement for the PS3.

The company announced the Wireless Headset, a Bluetooth headset for the PS3. The device hooks on to your ear and features noise canceling technology for high quality sound. Running on an internal lithium battery, which is charged when you place the device on an included cradle, players can get 8 hours of continuous use.

PS3 titles will support the device at the software level. Players will be able to check remaining battery charge, switch muting on and off, and adjust volume level through software. This will presumably be done by entering the XMB interface during your play sessions. The device also has external volume and mute controls.

Sony will offer the Wireless Headset to Japan on October 30 for 5,000 yen. That price includes the headset itself, the charging cradle, a 0.3m USB cable, and replacement ear pieces.

Source: IGN

Double Demos Today: Pure & NBA Live 09

jigsawhc — Thu, 04 Sep 2008 15:04:00 GMT

Pure actually looks like a racing game I could play.

Content: PURE Single-Player Downloadable Demo
Price: Free
Availability: Not available in Japan and Korea
Dash Text: [ESRB: E (Everyone) MILD VIOLENCE] PURE is an action sports trick racing game that features vertigo-inducing massive aerial jumps and spectacular airborne tricks in photo-realistic real-world locations all over the globe.

Content: NBA Live 09 Demo
Price: Free
Availability: All Xbox LIVE regions
Dash Text: [ESRB: E (Everyone)] Get your first chance to check out NBA Live 09 as you recreate the matchup from the 2008 NBA Finals with the Los Angeles Lakers and the Boston Celtics. Play with their current rosters or step back in time to play two different games based on the players performance in two of their classic matchups with the all new NBA Rewind.

Thanks Major Nelson

Xbox 360 Price Cuts in Effect Sept 5th

cosmo — Wed, 03 Sep 2008 20:58:00 GMT

Been really busy at work but just saw this come over the wire. No surprises here but I still liked the Dell deal for an Elite @$299 better!

It's official: We've got an Xbox 360 price cut coming to the US. Our friends in Japan announced their price cut earlier this week, but now it's time to roll one out here. As of September 5th, the new prices will be as follows:
Xbox 360 Arcade $199
Xbox 360 $299
Xbox 360 Elite $399

Business Week has just posted an article outlining their thoughts on this latest round of pricing.

Thanks Major Nelson

Demo: NHL 09

jigsawhc — Wed, 03 Sep 2008 20:37:00 GMT

For all you hockey fans there is a nice new demo waiting for you.

Content: NHL 09 Demo
Price: Free
Availability: All Xbox LIVE regions
Dash Text: [ESRB: E10+ (Everyone 10+) MILD VIOLENCE] Building on last year’s Winner of Seven Sports Video Game of the Year Awards momentum. Try out the all-new Be A Pro mode and step onto the ice and play an entire career as you level-up and progress from the AHL to the NHL. Learn about the first true console sports MMO game that allows you to assemble a team and play as yourselves in 6-on-6 online team play in the new EA SPORTS Hockey League. If you love sports video games, you have to try this demo.

Thanks Major Nelson

[PSN] Savage Moon - Debut gameplay

Crimson Mazz — Wed, 03 Sep 2008 19:09:00 GMT

Finally we get to see some in-game footage for this game...for many of you probably first time you hear about this game

it should support mouse and keyboard, a shame that multiplatform RTS games don't take advantage of that on the PS3 but this one should.

[AGE 101] AGE Friends of Friends Game Lists - Updated

jigsawhc — Wed, 03 Sep 2008 18:10:00 GMT

While the most recent dashboard update doesn't expand your friends list over 100 people it does give an option to allow you to see the Gametags on your Friend's Friends List. From here you can message or invite any of those Gamertags. With a growing community like AGE many of us have friends lists at or approaching 100. To help our fellow AGE Members find other like minded people to play with community members have setup Gamertags specific for AGE Members who are looking for other people to play the same multiplayer games they are. By having these Gametags on your Friends List you have access to a list of other AGE Members who also play that same game. For more info about any of these just visit the related forum thread by clicking on the game's title. To automatically add yourself to any of these FoF lists just click on the gamertag you're wanting to add as a friend.
** How to use our AGE Friends of Friends lists **

Daytime Gamers = AGE Daytime FL

Battlefield: Bad Company = AGE BFBC FoF

Burnout Paradise = AGE Burnout

Call of Duty 4 = AGE CoD4 FL

Culdcept Saga = AGE Culd FoF

Forza 2 = AGE Forza FL

Frontlines: Fuel of War = AGE Frontlines

Gears of War = AGE GoW Friends

GRAW 2 = AGE GRAW Friend

GRID = AGE GRID FL

GTA4 = AGE GTA Friends

Halo 3 = AGE Halo3 FL

NHL 08 = AGE NHL 08 FL

Rainbow Six Vegas 2 = AGE R6V Friends

Rock Band / Guitar Hero = AGE Rockers

Shadowrun = AGE SR Friends

Team Fortress 2 = AGE TF2 Friends

The Bigs = AGE The Bigs FL

Tiger Woods 09 = AGE Tiger FoF

Too Human = AGETooHumanFoF

Unreal Tournament III = AGE UT3 Friends

Updates:
- You can click on the link to the right of the equals (=) sign to add the FoF account to your friends list

If you have any questions please feel free to ask them in the comments or in the specific thread you are interested in.

More details on how the Friends of Friends feature works are available here

Left 4 Dead Q&A (With versus info)

Rapida — Wed, 03 Sep 2008 11:44:00 GMT

With so much info on the co-op I was beginning to wonder if the versus had even made the cut. Luckily it looks ike we will be able to enjoy eating our fellow AGErs along with running from the zombie hoards.

The Left 4 Dead booth proved one of the most popular locations on the PAX show floor this year, and I was lucky enough to get some hands-on time with its Xbox 360 version. Valve's Chet Faliszek ran myself and three other players through several dark, intense, and bloody maps of the same cooperative campaign mode featured in The Escapists's E3 2008 Left 4 Dead coverage.

Left 4 Dead looked and played great on the 360, and its controls seem well-tuned for its fast-paced first-person shooting. Faliszek assured me that except for some subtle auto-aim calibrations (which I didn't notice while playing), the 360 version of Left 4 Dead will play exactly like the PC game.

Faliszek took some time to explain Left 4 Dead's Versus mode, which will allow players to fight as zombies against the player-controlled human survivors from the cooperative campaign. The zombie team will fight alongside the computer-controlled zombie horde as boss-type characters with special combat abilities. At the end of each map the players on the human team will switch to the zombie team, and vice versa, for another go at the same map before the game moves on to the next. At this point Valve hasn't yet determined how many of the co-op maps will be available for Versus play at launch.

Versus mode respawns infected zombie bosses much faster than co-op mode, and Faliszek says it'll be a more intense experience for players on the human team. To keep things manageable, the computer will determine which bosses the players on the zombie team will become as they begin and respawn. Although co-op and Versus modes will both fill out the four-party human team with AI-controlled allies when necessary, in Versus mode the zombie bosses will always be controlled by human players.

One of Valve's goals for Left 4 Dead has been to prevent players from ever quitting or dropping out of matches due to frustration or anger. "No rage quit," has been their motto, says Faliszek, and they've taken it into account as they've balanced, tweaked, and polished the game's combat, death, and respawn systems.

Gamers can expect fully-functional multiplayer features from Left 4 Dead, including a lobby that will make for easy team arrangements and the means to kick undesirable players from matches. Left 4 Dead for the 360 will be playable solo, in split-screen, via system link, and online. It'll also allow players split-screening on the same console to join games with other online players. Working with Microsoft, Valve has arranged to provide and manage dedicated servers for the Xbox 360 in order to reduce connectivity issues.

Lest there be any confusion, Faliszek says there are absolutely zero plans to bring Left 4 Dead to the Playstation 3 at this point. Left 4 Dead will hit retail as a full-priced PC and Xbox 360 title.

Valve hasn't announced any specifics about downloadable content, but Faliszek says gamers can "absolutely" expect to see ongoing support for both versions, as Valve has "lots of ideas" inspired by classic zombie films. Faliszek reports that they've looked at the way Team Fortress handles stat-tracking and unlockable content as one possible way to introduce new features to Left 4 Dead. I couldn't pin him down on any specifics, but I did get him to admit that chainsaws and flamethrowers would fit in quite nicely. Pricing issues for expansion content are still up in the air, but Faliszek said any pay content will be reasonably priced.

Valve's multiplayer shooter credentials are well-established, and I'd be very surprised if Left 4 Dead didn't amass dedicated followings on both the PC and Xbox 360. How large those followings will be will depend upon how many gamers are willing to pay full-price for a multiplayer-only title. Left 4 Dead is due for release on November 18, 2008, so Valve still has plenty of time to make some firmer promises about how they plan to satisfy gamers' cravings for fresh material in the weeks and months after its launch.

Source: The Escapist

[PS3] Resistance 2 MP demo this October

Crimson Mazz — Tue, 02 Sep 2008 16:52:00 GMT

If, like us, you're eagerly awaiting the launch of Resistance 2 for PLAYSTATION®3 this November, you'll no doubt be pleased to hear that an opportunity to play the game before launch is coming in October.

Sony Computer Entertainment Europe (SCEE) has just announced a competitive online multiplayer event running in October, powered by PLAYSTATION®Network. The event will allow PS3 owners the opportunity to be the first to explore new levels, modes and weapons – as well as provide Insomniac Games, the developer of Resistance 2, and SCEE with feedback on the game.

No further details are available as yet, but we'll bring you more info as soon as we have it

Source: community.eu.playstation.com

PS3 Getting Exclusive Content for Mirror's Edge

dboss — Tue, 02 Sep 2008 14:02:00 GMT

This seems to be the new trend in the 'console wars' and is becoming a big way for MS and Sony to differentiate their third-party games.

Mirror's Edge On PS3 Gets Exclusive DLC

Mirror's Edge is coming out on PlayStation 3. Then again, it's coming out on Xbox 360, too. And the PC. How are we gonna tell the versions apart? Or if you've got all three platforms, which one will you get? This might help. Sony have confirmed that they've signed a deal with EA, which will see the PS3 receive exclusive DLC. No idea what it is, exactly, or how exclusive it really is; there's no stopping EA having "exclusive" DLC planned for the 360 and PC as well. OK, just kidding. For the 360.

PS3 to get exclusive Mirror's Edge DLC News [Eurogamer]

Source: Kotaku

[PS3] Killzone 2 MP classes revealed

Crimson Mazz — Mon, 01 Sep 2008 20:17:00 GMT

The first screenshot of the cloak suit from Killzone 2 has just plopped from Sony's loins and it's starting to get us excited about the forthcoming multiplayer beta. The pic shows a group of Helghast troops running along a darkened corridor – no surprise there – but the solider nearest the camera appears to be dissolving. It's the first time we've seen the game's active camo suit in action and players who choose the Scout class in the beta (and indeed the final game) have this cloak suit at their disposal, meaning they're incredibly difficult to spot in the middle of a firefight.

Here's how it works: with the camo suit equipped, players who remain motionless are practically impossible to see, appearing only as a visual glitch much like the Predator suit in the classic '80s movie. When you move the effect lessens somewhat depending on your speed, although you'll still be partially concealed if you walk slowly through the shadows, as displayed in the screen below.

The Scout also has a secondary ability that enables them to tag all on-screen enemies with a hidden marker, broadcasting their coordinates to team-mates.

Sony has also lifted the lid on the other classes that will appear in the Beta, which is currently in internal testing and is scheduled to go live over the PSN later this year. First up is the Rifleman, who's the default troop type in the game. They start with a variety of primary and secondary weapons, including grenades, and bigger and better guns can be unlocked as you progress through the ranks. Then there's the Engineer, whose primary skill is the ability to set up an automated turret that targets the enemy, plus they can repair ammunition dumps, mounted guns and turrets that have been damaged in battle.

Although not a natural first choice to Beta players, the Medic can revive downed team-mates if they get to their bloodied bodies quickly enough, plus they can throw health packs which can be collected by other players. The Assault trooper is the heavy weapons guy and it kitted out with thick armour that can take twice as much punishment as a regular Kevlar vest. His secondary ability is a temporary speed boost that enables him to get stuck into a firefight in double-quick time, or run in the opposite direction if you're low on health.

The Tactician is the captain of the group and can drop coloured smoke grenades throughout a level, which serve as spawn points for the rest of the team. This skill proves essential on the bigger maps in the Beta as it allows for a steady flow of friendly troops on the front line. Tacticians can request air support too, calling in a sentry bot that fly low and tear through the enemy.

Finally there's the Saboteur, who can infiltrate the opposition by assuming the guise of a random enemy player and is also equipped with sticky proximity-activated C4 charges – perfect for lobbing near the enemy spawn point once you've crept through their ranks!

Here's the really interesting bit though - the classes in Killzone 2 aren't as rigid as those in other games, so if you choose to play as a Scout you're not necessarily limited to just those skills. Instead you're free to mix and match to some extent, taking a class's primary ability and mixing it with another's secondary.

Read full article at IGN UK

Games Releasing This Week - 9/1/08

jigsawhc — Mon, 01 Sep 2008 15:21:00 GMT

Xbox 360:

Viva Pinata: Trouble in Paradise
Mercenaries 2: World in Flames
Warhammer: Battle March
Rapala Fishing Frenzy
Infinite Undiscovery
FaceBreaker
NFL Head Coach 2009

PS3:

Mercenaries 2: World in Flames
Rapala Fishing Frenzy
Vampire Rain: Altered Species
NFL Head Coach 2009
FaceBreaker

Nintendo Wii:

Rapala Fishing Frenzy
Defendin De Penguin

PS2:

Mercenaries 2: World in Flames

Nintendo DS:

Picto Image
Defendin De Penguin

PC Games:

Prison Tycoon 4: SuperMax
Mercenaries 2: World in Flames
GTR Evolution
Flatout: Head On

Microsoft Prices 360 Below $200 in Japan

chipgm — Mon, 01 Sep 2008 13:39:00 GMT

TOKYO -- During a media event held in Tokyo today, Xbox Japan general manager Takashi Sensui announced price cuts for the Xbox 360 in Japan starting September 11.

The bare-bones Arcade unit -- it comes with no hard drive -- will be priced at 19,800 yen ($183), making it the first current-gen console to dip under the $200 level. Nintendo's Wii is currently priced at 25,000 yen ($230) in Japan.

A new model equipped with a 60GB drive will be priced at 29,000 yen ($275), replacing the current 20GB model which sold for 34,800 yen ($320). The Elite is getting a price reduction of almost $80, down to 39,800 yen ($367).

The news had leaked earlier in the day following a story in Japan's Nikkei financial paper that was also picked up by Forbes, causing Sensui to joke onstage that his announcement was the "official" one.

So now we know the real story behind the apparent sell-out of the 360 in Japan. Microsoft promises to have consoles in stores by September 11, just in time for the launch of Square Enix and Tri-Ace's Infinite Undiscovery RPG, which comes out that day.

Source - Wired.com

Gears of War 2 Multiplayer Hands-On Impressions

Rapida — Sat, 30 Aug 2008 15:55:00 GMT

Sorry it wasn't me personally (blast it all), but here is a good article from G4.

One of the biggest reasons to come to PAX 2008 is the first public hands-on showing of the highly-anticipated Gears of War 2 multiplayer modes. We put some time in with the game and are ready to give you our hands-on impressions of Epic's great follow-up to the highly addiction multiplayer of the original Gears of War.

First things first... the game is 5 versus 5 and it definitely adds a lot more action to the matches. Thankfully, adding two more players doesn't seem to have slowed down the game and it runs smooth, even is the most hectic firefights. We cannot comment on how these two extra gamers will affect lag over Xbox Live as we were playing over a local System Link.

So is the game "bigger, better, and more badass?"

Yes. Yes it is. If you were a fan of the original Gears, we're pretty sure you're also going to love Gears of War 2. It takes everything that was great about the first game, amps it up, and adds a lot of new things to freshen up the gameplay. Let's take a look at the new weapons first. Sadly, we didn't get to try them all.

New & Updated Weapons

Flamethrower (NEW) - The flamethrower is definitely brutal and can down an enemy in a matter of seconds. An active reload sends the guns range into overdrive and it's fairly deadly from a good distance away. We think we also noticed a bit of splash damage for burning people behind cover, but don't quote us. While the original power weapons from Gears seemed to focus on ranged power, the flamethrower will become the dominant force in close-quarters combat.
Boomshot (UPDATED) - The Boomshot is mostly the same, but now comes with three rockets for all your gibbing pleasure!
Shield (NEW) - The shield deflects bullets and melee strikes alike, but locks you to a pistol. It can be planted in the ground to be used as an improvised piece of cover. A group of two teammates can move on an enemy position with a shield up front with a good deal of success. Gears of War has always been a cover-based game and going mobile with cover takes the game to the next level.
Gas Grenade (NEW) - The gas grenade is an effective area-denial weapon, but it's a little hard to see the gas. We noticed a few people standing in the gas without even realizing they were being damaged. It doesn't obscure your vision like smoke grenades, however.
Smoke Grenade (UPDATED) - Get ready for this... smoke grenades are useful now. Extremely useful. All players start with two smoke grenades and will actually use them. The new smoke grenades will send enemies flying with a forceful explosion before laying down a smoke screen. This is great for clearing out the area around a power weapon and grabbing a bigger gun while your enemies struggle to their feet.
Planting Grenades (NEW) - Grenades can be planted on walls and cover and act as proximity mines to enemies. We were able to get some great kills by covering the corners with frags and smoke grenades while retreating.

Maps

River - River was playable and fits the formula for a great Gears map. Players start on opposite sides above a canal, which has the Boomshot in the middle under a bridge. On top of the bridge, the flamethrower sits in between some sandbags. On either side of this bridge are each team's tower, which holds the sniper rifle in one and the torque bow in the other. It plays well and was definitely the better of the two new maps we played.
Security - This map features a laser grid guarding a power weapon, but no one seemed to figure out how to turn them off. They were happy to congregate in the middle for some straight-up fragging. It's a well-designed map, but we're concerned it'll play out like Garden with no one bothering to turn the gas off to grab the sniper rifles.
Gridlock - Gridlock has received a makeover, but plays exactly the same. This is a good thing.

Updated Melee System

Chainsaw duels are exciting, awesome, and bring the thrill of a button mashing mini-game to sawing your opponent in half. Unlike Gears of War, the sequel doesn't offer invulnerability to the man with the saw. You better make sure you're in the clear before revving your Lancer, but catch your enemy from the back and get a great new bottom-to-top sawing animation.

We are pretty sure we also saw melee clashes (think about swords in Halo 3), which would send players back from each other with no damage dealt. This should help deal with lag issues deciding who hit the melee first.

We also noticed a lot more chainsaw kills, but this could be due to the 5th man on a team.

New Observer Mode

The original Gears had a fairly lackluster observer mode for deceased players, but this is all fixed for Gears 2. You'll get the original chase cam and map views, but Epic has added a full, free-floating camera for manual observation. It definitely lets you keep on top of all the action instead of watching your stupid teammate search around the map for that elusive enemy they just can't seem to find.

Stopping Power and The Tale of the Nerfed Shotgun

Stopping power is a BIG deal. It completely changes the flow of the game and mostly puts an end to the frantic shotgun dance that was so popular in the original game. It's much harder to charge an opponent head-on, as you will lose all of your speed as you take more fire. This makes the Lancer extremely powerful at mid-range because shotgun users will have a harder time closing the gap.

This doesn't mean, however, that the shotgun isn't still deliciously powerful up close and personal. Well, unless your opponent has picked a downed enemy up and is using them as a...

Meat Shield

The meat shield is a useful new ability that let's players grab a downed enemy as a human (or Locust) shield. The enemy's corpse holds up quite nicely to incoming fire and will even take a few shotgun blasts before it disintegrates. If you have any skill with the pistol, you'll probably want to think twice about curb stomping your foes and start picking them up for a nice shield instead.

Crawling

When you're downed, but not out, you'll be able to tap the 'A' button and a direction to crawl away from your impending death. It won't get you too far, but it can get you behind cover to give your teammate time to come revive you or even make an enemy miss from a distance.

Player Lobby

While we weren't playing on Xbox Live, we were able to check out the party system before each match. There were several options we noticed including selecting your starting weapon, map voting, and changing gametypes on the fly. Definitely an improvement over the first game and we can't wait to see how it performs on Live.

Closing Thoughts

At the end of the day, Gears of War 2 takes the team-oriented gameplay from the original game to the next level. There are more options, balance fixes, and two more players. We still regularly play Gears of War, and we're looking forward to playing Gears of War 2 for the next 2 years.

Source:G4

You choose Battlefield Bad Company Conquest maps

Rapida — Sat, 30 Aug 2008 15:48:00 GMT

Cool, I didn't know there was another free map pack coming out.

Already registered via Xbox Live to vote in November's general election? Here's a different vote to rock: EA is letting players have a say in which two existing Battlefield: Bad Company multiplayer maps will be tweaked to become Conquest battlegrounds when the free Conquest Map Pack deploys this fall.

The six maps are up for vote at EA's Bad Company site, and include Acta Non Verba, Crossing Over, Par for the Course, Ghost Town, Welcome to Bad Company, and Crash and Grab. Developer DICE will pick the two top vote-getters on September 2. The golf course themed Par for the Course is currently way out in front, but, hey, you might change that. DICE is working on two more Conquest maps to join the fan favorites.

By the way, we've checked, and your vote really will count. You know, unlike a certain Spider-Man: Web of Shadows poll Activision conducted last month.

Source: Joystiq

Title	Content	Original Price	Promo Price	Savings
Mass Effect	Bring Down The Sky	400	300	100 (25%)
Lost Odyssey	Triple Bonus Pack	200	120	80 (40%)
Forza Motorsport 2	Motegi Track Pack	400	240	160 (40%)
Forza Motorsport 2	The September Car Pack	400	240	160 (40%)
Forza Motorsport 2	December Car Pack	400	240	160 (40%)
Forza Motorsport 2	FINAL March Car Pack	400	240	160 (40%)
Oblivion	The Elder Scrolls IV- Oblivion Shivering Isles	2400	1600	800 (33%)
Guitar Hero 3	Def Leppard Track Pack	500	360	140 (28%)
Guitar Hero 3	Foo Fighters Track Pack	500	360	140 (28%)
Guitar Hero 3	Classic Rock Track Pack	500	360	140 (28%)
Beautiful Katamari	Accessory Set A	200	120	80 (40%)
Beautiful Katamari	Accessory Set B	200	120	80 (40%)
Beautiful Katamari	Accessory Set C	200	120	80 (40%)
Beautiful Katamari	Accessory Set D	200	120	80 (40%)
Beautiful Katamari	Special Accessory	250	120	130 (60%)
Beautiful Katamari	Just-size Stage	300	210	90 (30%)
Beautiful Katamari	Big-10 Stage	200	140	30 (60%)
Beautiful Katamari	Big-11 Stage	200	140	30 (60%)