Of Two Minds - Brains in Video Games

Check out Mother Brain from the Metroid series.

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Puzo estate sues over 'Godfather' games

The estate of author Mario Puzo has filed suit against Paramount Pictures, claiming the studio owes it at least $1 million in revenues from the series of video games based on the Oscar-winning film "The Godfather."

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RSNO - Video Games Live concert live in Glasgow Scotland

News from my home town...

As the RSNO prepares to play a concert of music from videogames in Glasgow, Dave Cook looks at the history of game soundtracks

Last year in the UK, videogames overtook the music industry in terms of money made and it looks like the film industry could be next. But today’s gaming technology is working in tandem with these industries in interesting new ways, making cut-scenes increasingly cinematic and soundtracks more atmospheric. Music in particular, has been used as a gameplay tool as opposed to an accompanying feature.

But who could have foretold, as Mario Brothers creator Shigeru Miyamoto was putting his now iconic 8-bit soundtrack into his game, just how big an influence music in games would have on pop culture? Back in the early 80s, music in games was embedded in chipsets incorporating said consoles’ technology to produce various pitches of blips and bleeps that sound distinctively primitive by today’s standards.

However, these songs were composed nonetheless, from the madcap preamble that preceded a game of Pac-Man to the insanely infectious main theme from The Legend of Zelda on NES, and each composer had a vision of how these tunes should sound. Incidentally, both of these songs have stood the test of time and are used in modern incarnations of each series.

The 16-bit war between Sega and Nintendo circa 1992 was crammed full of releases boasting superb soundtracks, from Sega’s dab-hand with multi-layered techno beats à la Sonic the Hedgehog 2 and Streets of Rage, to Nintendo’s penchant for the cute and catchy. This was something of a golden age in composition, with many of these tracks being parodied, covered or remixed by droves of fan websites and bands (Google and ye shall find). Over the years the trend would continue and a whole new level of orchestrated music scores and licensed soundtracks have become possible thanks to the advances in technology.

So here we are in 2008 with a very special gaming event about to hit the Glasgow Royal Concert Hall. The brainchild of composer Tommy Tallarico, who has worked on such fantastic series as Prince of Persia and Splinter Cell, Video Games Live is something of an orchestrated cover gig devoted to delivering classical renditions of classic video game tunes past and present.

‘We really had two goals in mind with Video Games Live,’ says Tallarico. ‘Our first was to prove to the world how significant video games have become and how culturally and artistically relevant they are. They are pieces of art. VGL isn’t just about the music, but about all the other elements of games, visuals, art, special effects, characters, interactivity, storyline.’

With the help of the Royal Scottish National Orchestra, Tallarico will be belting out music from such legendary scores as Final Fantasy, Outrun and Halo, all set against the backdrop of a state of the art, synchronised light show. Tallarico concludes: ‘If Beethoven were alive today, he’d be a videogame composer.’

Now that would have been interesting.

Source: The List

Already have my tickets...

Metal Gear Solid 4 - Brilliant Mixture Of Storytelling & Game.

A brilliant mixture of storytelling and gameplay,Mind-blowing audiovisual presentation,Tight and compelling shooting mechanics,Gratifying stealth mechanics,Lots of cool gadgets and weapons that you can tailor to your own style of play.

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Sacred 2 - Fallen Angel - Fact Sheet

Sacred 2 - Fallen Angel is an Action RPG with a rich story that takes place in a giant, open-ended and seamless world. This world contains hundreds of dungeons, treacherous opponents and a variety of challenging quests. Intelligent enemies, steadily adapting in number and difficulty based on player progress, challenge in heroic single- and multiplayer battles.



Sacred 2 - Fallen Angel provides numerous unique items that can be gathered in this mystical world. A deep reward system further enables advancements of character, individual attributes and character-specific fighting styles, each designed to keep players returning to the world of Sacred 2 - Fallen Angel to discover what is around the next bend. Drop-in styled cooperative multiplayer gameplay ensures players will enjoy the game alone or seamlessly with friends at any time. Five unique multiplayer modes round out the experience and offer a refreshing, first-class gaming experience in Sacred 2 - Fallen Angel.



Key features

• A huge, seamless and dynamic world that allows for free-form exploration
  


• Two campaigns: play as the “Light” or “Shadow” side, complete with distinct skills, rewards and story-elements tailored to the chosen path
  


• Six exceptional, playable characters, each with a distinct look, capabilities and in-game motivation
  


• Modifiable combat arts: change and upgrade your alter ego’s combat skills as you make choices throughout the game
  


• Fight effectively from the back of a number of mounts under your control
  


• Deities offer unique combat disciplines to players
  


• The ultimate multiplayer experience – seamless transition between single- and multiplayer gaming modes via the Internet or Xbox Live
  


• Captivating online modes of play challenge gamers in cooperative and PvP play
  


• Extraordinary, cutting-edge graphics utilize the latest technologies
  

Grand Theft Auto 4 Hooker Map

Ever wonder where the hookers are in GTA 4, well here is the perfect map for you. No more pulling up to random curbs honking your horn only to get a comment from some asshole on the street. With this map you have a clear and easy way of finding the closes hookers near you!

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Google coming to PSP with 4.0 update

Google is heading to the PlayStation Portable and will have a place on the handheld's Cross Media Bar (XMB) menu, Sony said Tuesday.

It will appear when users upgrade their PSPs to the version 4 firmware, which will be available "soon," according to Eric Lempel, director of the PlayStation Network, who was posting on Sony's PlayStation Blog.

"This new upgrade replicates the Google Internet search experience, delivering the same search results that you'd get at www.google.com. And with a search history recall of 20 items, Web searches couldn't be easier," he wrote.

Google will appear in the network section of the XMB. Also new in the version 4 firmware will be the ability to change viewing speed when playing back videos from Memory Stick cards.

Sony has regularly offered updates to the firmware of the PlayStation Portable since it was launched and through such updates has added a host of new features. Previous updates have added features such as a Web browser and support for a wider range of video formats.

Source: The Standard

Postal 3 Trailer - dark comedic third-person action

POSTAL III is a dark comedic third-person action with a twisted sense of humor, currently being co-developed by Arizona-based company Running With Scissors and Moscow-headquartered Akella and TM Studios.

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Why Xbox Live Isn't Free

Until recently, Microsoft could brag about how Live was by far the most feature-complete online service on any platform, with a unified Friends list, the best online shop, voice and video chat as standard and a consistent and stable online experience. But in recent months there’s been a shift in the market, and even bigger changes are coming. . .

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Code of Honor 2 - Conspiracy Island - Fact Sheet

Code of Honor 2 - Conspiracy Island

Product: Code of Honor 2: Conspiracy Island
Developer: City Interactive
Format: PC CD-ROM
Game Type: Action/Modern First-person Shooter
SRB Rating: T.B.D.
Availability: August 2008
SRP: $19.99

PRODUCT DESCRIPTION
Developed by award-winning developer and publisher City Interactive and the follow-up to the international best-seller Code of Honor - Foreign Legion, the new Code of Honor 2 - Conspiracy Island immerses players in extreme action as they try to save the region of Guiana after a terrorist group apprehends an experimental nuclear reactor.

STORY OVERVIEW
On the coast of South America, in the quiet region of Guiana, lurks a deadly terrorist group. The Global Revolutionary Front rebels are heading to the Isle of Ile Royale to gain control of an experimental nuclear reactor. A series of events including the stealing of the nuclear reactor thrusts the whole territory in extreme danger. It is up to the Foreign Legion to capture the terrorist group and save the day.

The player becomes a member of the Foreign Legion and heads into battle to conquer the enemy and save Guiana. Using military skills in order to overcome the terrorist group, the player will have to think fast in order to stay one step ahead. The player will be forced to perform under intense pressure with no time to spare in regaining control of the reactor. The clock is ticking, can the region be saved?

FEATURES

• Nine different missions filled with a dramatic storyline that causes the player to explore the mind of the rebel army in order to regain control of the nuclear reactor


• As a member of The Legion, experience and travel through rugged terrain including a labyrinth of caves, a 19th century prison, research facilities and more to stop the enemy and obtain the nuclear reactor


• The modified JupiterEX Engine delivers astonishing graphics that immerses the player in a realistic world of stunning detail, dynamic lighting and breathtaking effects; the engine also provides outstanding AI


• Special effects new to the series include a covert firing system that allows the player to “blind fire” from behind walls or low obstacles; a new “bullet penetration” special effect, allowing the player to shoot enemies taking cover behind thin walls or barriers; and weapon modification features so the player can modify his main firearm for maximum results (sniper mode to assault mode at any time during the game)


• Two totally different endings

SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS

• Windows 98 SE/ME/2000/XP(SP2), DirectX 8.1
• CPU 1 GHz, 512 MB RAM
• Video card Nvidia GeForce or ATI Radeon 32 MB RAM, DirectX 8.1 compatible
• 1 GB of free HDD
• DVD-ROM 4x or faster, mouse, keyboard, sound card compatible with DirectX 8.1