New 3D camera eyes Nintendo Wii-style gameplay

The success of Nintendo's Wii video game console and franchises like Activision's "Guitar Hero" have prompted companies to explore new ways to allow players to control their games.

One of the latest is from an Israel-based technology firm that is trying to take gameplay to the most interactive level yet.

This week, digital imaging company 3DV Systems of Yokne'am, Israel, announced the creation of the ZCam, a new 3D camera for personal computers that is so sensitive to motion that players can control on-screen action by merely flicking a finger.

"The Wii has shown us the way, but this device can take things so much farther," said 3DV Chief Executive Zvika Klier during a recent demonstration for Reuters.

Because it can sense depth, the camera tracks movements in three dimensions.

More from Reuters

Gamer jargon becomes word of the year - WOOt!

A word widely used among online gamers has topped an online poll for Word of the Year run by US publishing group Merriam Webster.

The word "W00t" got most votes in the poll looking for the word that best sums up 2007.

It is now included in the Merriam Website open dictionary that exists on the web.

More from the BBC

"Record" betting on UK Christmas number 1

GBP 11,000 riding on the result of next week's videogames chart

Bookmaker Paddy Power has announced that it has seen a record amount of money wagered on the outcome of this year's Christmas number one videogame.

According to the company around GBP 11,000 has been staked altogether, with EA's Need for Speed ProStreet favourite to come top.

The company started offering odds on Christmas videogame sales in 2003 when it recorded a total of 60 bets amounting to GBP 180, while this year has seen around 650 bets laid.

And the Christmas videogame number one is second only in popularity to the UK number one music single, the company revealed.

The latest top odds on the site are listed below:

8/11: Need for Speed ProStreet
2/1: Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games
5/1: The Simpsons Game
8/1: FIFA Soccer 08
8/1: Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare
12/1: The Golden Compass
18/1: Super Mario Galaxy
20/1: Assassin's Creed
20/1: High School Musical: Sing It!

Source: Games Industry

User created content for Microsoft Xbox Live Arcade

New digital initiatives in face of PSN and Wii Ware competition

Having established Xbox Live Arcade as the leader in downloadable content for consoles, Microsoft is looking to be the first to successfully deliver episodic and user created content as the next evolution of the service.

With retro, brand new IP and advergames already part of the offering, David Edery, worldwide games portfolio planner for XBLA, has told GamesIndustry.biz about a number of options that the company is actively pursuing to keep ahead of competition from Sony's PlayStation Network and Nintendo's Wii Ware.

"We have some really big initiatives going on right now and I can say that everyone internally is really excited about user created content," said Edery.

"Multiple internal groups are trying to think about the best way of supporting it on the console and I can tell you for sure that things are happening, I just don't know if we'll see any of them in the next 12 months," he said.

While Microsoft is working on internal architecture to deliver user generated content – whether to support its XNA Studio creations or something more playful like Sony's LittleBigPlanet – it's also encouraging potential Arcade developers to look at the true potential of episodic gaming.

"We're really excited about trying to bring episodic content to XBLA," enthused Edery. "We haven't really done it yet and we're trying to think of the best ways to do so.

"The Penny Arcade guys are going to be bringing their episodic game to Xbox Live Arcade but I think of that as only the beginning – it's just one model for episodic and there are lots of different models."

Conceding that the market hasn't yet seen episodic content in the same context as episodic TV – half an hour to an hour long shows delivered weekly – Edery says that as soon as the right quality titles come along, Microsoft wants to continue to push the boundaries of digital delivery.

"It's an obvious statement but we don't want to put out bad content. We need to see a really, really good episodic franchise before we go ahead and throw a bunch of half an hour or hourly gameplay episodes on our service.

"The day a developer comes to us with that is the day we'll sign it. We're making it clear that we're very open to this sort of thing," he said.

Edery also accepts that new delivery methods are going to be met with a little bit of trepidation, at least until they can be proven to be a reliable and convincing route to market.

"Game developers are not used to thinking and designing in this way, it's a fundamentally different process and I think it's just a learning thing where developers and ourselves need to experiment and figure out what works and what doesn't.

"There's also a certain amount of fear, frankly. If you're an independent developer betting your company on this, something that has never been done successfully before, it's scary when there are literally no good examples of successful episodic gaming," he concluded.

Senior citizens bowled over by Nintendo Wii video-game system

With a cheer and a "high five," Charlene Lingo saluted Jim Sander after he picked up a spare in the 10th frame to finish 11 pins ahead of her when they bowled last Wednesday.

However, Lingo came back strong, bowling a personal best of 214 to win the next game, all while seated in a wheelchair at the Five Counties Nursing Home.

Sander, 73, scored a 146 in the first game, but stayed consistent, bowling a 156 in his second game.

Not bad for someone who has never touched a bowling ball.

Sander, who lives in Bison, handles the wireless remote for the nursing home's Nintendo Wii video-game console with the skill of a teenager. His average is climbing while he recovers from surgery at the nursing home.

"It's not that hard to learn," he said, demonstrating how the "trigger" on the back of the Wii remote works.

Sander takes advantage of his mobility to stand up and "loft" his balls to miss a curve in the digital alley that tends to throw balls off.

Lingo, 63, is a temporary resident of Five Counties while she waits for a broken leg to heal.

Joining Lingo and Sander for the weekly bowling session was another resident, Lorraine Schneider, and Kim Roy, a member of the staff.

Schneider is also confined to a wheelchair. She has a gentler touch on the remote and a tendency to "hook" her shots, but she bowled a 130 and a 161.

Roy graciously handicaps her game by sitting in a chair when she bowls. Her scores of 160 and 185 are "pretty consistent" with her average at the bowling alley.

Six of the nursing home's 38 residents provided a cheering section for Wednesday's game, monitoring the balls rolling down the lane on a 42-inch flat-screen television that is mounted on a wall in the nursing home's common room.

A continuing-education grant paid for the flat-screen television, which arrived about the same time as the Wii, according to nursing home director Jan Van Beek. The staff uses the television for in-house training sessions.

The larger screen has been an excellent addition to the nursing home for residents as well. Van Beek said residents have an easier time watching movies on the wall-mounted screen.

With the addition of Wii Sports to the nursing home's weekly activities roster, the flat screen has added a new dimension to residents' lives.

Van Beek went searching for the hard-to-find Wii system after seeing the excitement and interaction between residents of Chamberlain's Sanford Mid-Dakota Care Center when they used the game.

She "lucked out" and found a system advertised in an area newspaper.

Van Beek admits a few people were skeptical about the nursing home's need for a video game.

One criticism was that she bought the game for her children to play.

"My kids did come and play the game, but I told them they had to involve residents," Van Beek said.

In fact, Van Beek's daughter recently complained the residents "won't let me play."

At first, residents were leery about plunging into the video-game world, according to Ruth Waller, activities director at Five Counties.

"Once we got it going, we have some who really like it," Waller said.

Other residents are content to simply sit and watch others play. Occasionally, another resident is tempted to try to play.

Although a few adventurous residents have dared to try Wii baseball or boxing, bowling remains the most popular of the Wii Sports package.

Digital bowling is much better than taking aim at a set of pins standing on the floor and reaching down from a wheelchair to launch a bowling ball, Lingo said.

That old game is now in storage, according to Niki Goben, an activities supervisor.

For people confined to wheelchairs, using the motion-sensitive remote is easier than trying to roll a ball, Goben said.

"We have some people who love to bowl, but they are in the wheelchairs, and it was harder with the real bowling ball," she said.

While Goben talked, the game continued in the background with cheers and shouts from the bowlers and their gallery.

There's always an audience when someone is playing Wii, Goben said. Even residents who are normally hesitant about being involved in activities will stop in to watch someone play.

"We have some ladies who don't really do anything, but they come down and get really excited about it," she said. "It's fun to hear all their comments."

Even the staff is hooked. A few employees stop by on their days off to play with the residents.

Occasionally, children in the community stop in to try their skills, Goben said.

Goben has noticed children who accompany parents on nursing-home visits will draw a crowd when they play the game.

That contact between residents and children is one of the benefits of having the popular video-game system, according to Mandy Mahnke, activities director at the Mid-Dakota Care Center. A family memorial gift paid for the game for the activities program.

"It's a lot of fun, and it's worth it," Mahnke said. "It's a neat item to have."

Children from a neighboring day care and Head Start group frequently visit the Chamberlain care center, she said.

The game is a big attraction, but it also encourages children to overlook physical limitations and communicate with the center's residents.

Residents also love watching the children play various games, Mahnke said.

In Lemmon, Waller has noticed residents interacting more with each other. Even a resident whose vision is impaired comes to bowling just to hear what's happening.

Another added benefit to the Wii is the physical activity required to operate the remote when playing the games.

"It's good range of motion (exercise) for their arms," Mahnke said.

Like Sanders in Lemmon, Mahnke has noticed residents stand and walk toward the game when they bowl. "It is a get-up-and-do type thing."

Mahnke said seniors are also excited about the challenge of learning "new things."

"They get involved," Waller said.

"It was a little tricky at first, but we have a semi-bowling league right now," Mahnke said.

For Lingo, the weekly bowling helps pass the time, especially since the arrival of the Wii.

"I need one of these when I go home," Lingo laughed.

Source: Rapid City Journal

1000s of people will buy the top ten PC games this Christmas and won't be able to run them

Even worse, once they open the package, they can't get their money back either.

For many people who get computer games this Christmas, the day won't be so merry. Results from over 3.5 million user tests in the past two months show that 44.1% of the time, the person's computer doesn't meet the publisher's basic requirements to run the most popular computer games.

Beside the disappointment of not being able to run the game, there is the shock that comes when a person tries to return the opened software and finds that most retailers do not accept returns of opened software packages.

Fortunately, there is a solution. Plus, it is fast and it's free.

It is a special testing website called CanYouRunIt.com (http://www.CanYouRunIt.com) and it is a free service by System Requirements Lab, who developed the patent-pending technology behind the site.

"CanYouRunIt.com provides a simple, one-click solution," said John Hussey, president of Systems Requirements Lab. "Users simply select the game they want to test, and hit the Can You Run It button. In less than 30 seconds a comprehensive report tells them if their computer can run it. If not, it displays what is wrong and exactly what is needed so the user can run the game."

An amazingly large number of computers can't run the most popular games being offered. This is because the graphic demands for games have outpaced all but the most recent personal computers' and graphic cards' capabilities.

CanYouRunIt.com was created out of the same frustration many people are about to experience this coming holiday season.

"Frankly, I was so mad, I was seeing red," said Hussey. "I had just bought a new computer and I thought I'd treat myself to a game. After installing the game, it wouldn't run. I spent two days on the phone with tech support and finally found out my graphics card wasn't correct. I thought, 'I've been in the software business since 1989, if I can't figure this out, how is anyone else supposed to?' I decided to make sure this never happened to anyone again."

The result is the technology behind CanYouRunIt.com along with a pledge to provide this service free to all web users.

"The message is this, ideally, you should always check to see if you can run a game before you buy it. And if that doesn't happen, always check it before you open the package, so you are able to return it," said Hussey.

About System Requirements Lab

System Requirements Lab (http://www.CanYouRunIt.com) provides Instant Expert Analysis, a patent pending web-based service that was launched in summer 2005. Over 16 million tests have been performed for clients such as NVIDIA, AMD, Activision, CNET, Eidos, IGN, and Electronic Arts UK.

System Requirements Lab is a division of Husdawg, LLC, a leading provider of electronic registration and customer relationship management solutions and technology for the computer software and hardware industry since 1991,

Speedball 2 video game - Tournament: The Championship Goes Online

LEAD YOUR TEAM TO VICTORY AND CLIMB THE WORLWIDE RANKINGS

Speedball 2 – Tournament, the ferocious and extreme sports game for PC, now with state-of-the-art 3D graphics combines brutal gameplay with extreme online multiplayer action. Control your team of heavily armoured players as you play on the extensive online network accessed through the game’s innovative GameCenter.

The GameCenter provides a unique opportunity to play friendly matches or official ladder games against other ranked players. For official matches it offers a sophisticated ladder and ranking system where all match results are saved on the server and integrated into the player and league statistics.

Once you have logged into the GameCenter you can also view Speedball rankings, player blogs or join the network of individual clans. Create your own profile to display your match statistics and then add friends, images and information on your team.

Manage your team

Before joining the online battle for glory, choose from a selection of 32 teams from 4 different leagues, each with their own emblem and uniform. Or customise your own personal team and choose every aspect of its style including team skin, armour colours and tags. Then select from one of 4 futuristic arenas to start playing.

Select a winning combination from three differently skilled player classes in order to triumph in Speedball 2 – Tournament. Teams now incorporate all-new female and cyborg players so you can choose males for power, females for speed and dexterity or droids for their strength against vicious attacks. All players vary in their abilities, so it’s up to you to use your team to its best advantage.

About Speedball 2 - Tournament

In a degenerative futuristic society, gang disputes are ultimately settled by a brutal street sport called Speedball. Two heavily armoured teams, nine-on-nine, must fight a vicious battle for possession of a steel ball using brute force. Punch and kick your way through the opposition, pounding players to the ground as you go. Use any violent, dirty or malicious tactics to score goals and other points and win the game.

Fast facts:

• Publisher: Ascaron Entertainment


• Web: www.Ascaron.com / www.Speedball2.com


• Developer: Kylotonn Entertainment


• Co-Producer: The Bitmap Brothers & Frogster Interactive Pictures AG


• Release date: February 2008


• PEGI: 12+ (expected)


• Format: PC


• Genre: Futuristic Sports

UK TV videoGaiden Christmas Special

videoGaiden celebrates a very special Christmas with a very special Christmas Special this Christmas, and every gamer is invited.

The blockbuster festive show features a catalogue of legendary icons, and will be available for your viewing pleasure on Sunday 23rd December at 11:30pm, on BBC2 Scotland (Sky Channel 990). There has never been a Christmas special like it.

The videoGaiden party is already rolling at www.bbc.co.uk/videogaiden with two of eighteen webshows already online, and a new one arriving every single weekend. Jump on board.

Good Meeting!

About videoGaiden

videoGaiden began in 2005 with a run of 6 x 10 minute episodes, the second series following a year later with 6 half hour shows. This third season sees the show switch primarily to the internet, with 18 x 15 minute (approx) episodes, and 3 TV specials.

These shows are complimented by the continual release of extra content on our website (www.bbc.co.uk/videogaiden), as demonstrated in the first instance by the advent calendar. Check the calendar – content ranges from the whimsical to the downright unpleasant, dependant on your sensibilities of course.

Specially shot reviews for mobile phones will be going live next week, with further content being continually released until the end of March.

videoGaiden is written and presented by Robert Florence and Ryan Macleod, the brains behind the internet hit, Consolevania.

Pro Evolution Soccer - PES 2008 arrives on Sony PSP and Nintendo DS

PES 2008 comes to handheld

Konami Digital Entertainment GmbH's unveils bespoke versions for PSP (PlayStationPortable) and Nintendo DS

Konami Digital Entertainment GmbH has released details of its handheld versions of PES 2008, with versions for PSP and Nintendo DS scheduled for release in the New Year.

Developed by Konami’s football Studio in Tokyo, both contain all the realism and intuitive controls associated with the series, but within bespoke versions tailored for their host format. The PSP version of PES 2008 shares a lot in common with the existing PlayStation 2 game, with a wide range of tournaments and leagues on offer, alongside an all-new World Tour mode, wherein users are set a series of challenges as they tour the globe. As each task is successfully completed, further tests designed to show the capability of your chosen squad are unlocked.

Full Edit modes have also been incorporated into PES 2008, while the data sharing aspect has been totally reworked to allow users to continue building their team while away from their home system. As such, Master League information can now be swapped between the PSP and PlayStation 2 versions, as can League, World Tour and Cup Mode data.

Similarly, the Nintendo DS version of PES 2008 includes Exhibition, Penalty Shoot-Out and Konami Cup elements, and a variant on the World Tour system where the player faces elite teams from every continent. The wireless elements of the Nintendo DS have also been well used, with a Network Mode facilitating multi-player games of up four users with copies of the game, while one-against-one matches can be played with just one copy of PES 2008. Players can also trade players with friends, while coins are collected and can be used to add the world’s best players to your team.

With PES 2008 still enjoying major success on PLAYSTATION 3, Xbox 360, PlayStation 2 and PC-DVD, handheld users can look forward to stunning versions of the truly beautiful game in 2008.

PES 2008 will be released for PSP (PlayStationPortable) and Nintendo DS in Q1, 2008. Versions for PLAYSTATION 3, Xbox 360, PlayStation 2, and PC-DVD are available now.

BubbleWorld PC video game download

From the creative minds at Bibo Games comes BubbleWorld, an enjoyable, refreshing mix of hidden objects, matching skills and mouse control, for kids, their moms, dads and even grandparents!

The objective of BubbleWorld, according to Marco Pesce, CEO of Bibo Games, is to bring all the family together for hours of gameplaying fun. BubbleWorld has been created as a family game, one that could be as challenging and fun to play for kids as for their moms and dads. Not only does it offer you an entertaining way to pass your free time, but it may also serve as a great learning game for your kids because it raises their powers of perception and their confidence and dexterity with the PC’s mouse.

Can you help poor Cindy? She and her friends are trapped in a world of bubbles as a result of a wicked spell cast by the evil Witch Makeeba.

In seventy levels of fascinating gameplay, becoming increasingly more difficult, you must click on the matching bubbles trapping each pair of her friends to release them. Sounds easy but you have a limited time available and the bubbles bounces all over the screen! Special “bonus” bubbles give you a chance to increase the time you have remaining – a green pair gives you another 20 seconds, while a blue pair gives an extra 50 seconds. But, to make things more difficult, from time to time a pair of bubbles will start to flash. When this happens you must rush to free that pair before they burst and you lose ten seconds of your valuable remaining time.

Each level ends when you run out of time or have managed to free all the trapped friends, and you earn 100 points for each freed pair. If you complete the level without running out of time, you go on to the next level. Otherwise you start back at your opening position for that level. To make things more interesting, new types of friends appear in later levels.

Be Warned – Don’t start to play this game unless you are prepared to keep going as you progress through the various levels, because it’s truly addictive! Don’t blame us if you suddenly find that hours have magically disappeared while you enjoy the fun, for believe us – you will enjoy it!

Read more information about BubbleWorld at http://www.bibogames.com/

Download an evaluation copy from http://www.bibogames.com/bubbleworld.exe

BubbleWorld requires Microsoft Windows 98/ME/2000/2003/XP/Vista and costs $19.95 (USD). All registered customers are entitled to free priority technical support. Additional information on BubbleWorld, as well as its evaluation version is available at no cost from http://www.bibogames.com