Motion controlled golf 3D on Nintendo Wii

A Singaporean company called Affineon aims to pick up where Wii Sports Golf left off. At CES they have a demo of a three axis motion tracking system used for a golf game. Their technology measures the position of the club through a camera and it adds depth, something that Wii Sports doesn’t have.

In Wii Sports Golf you just mimic the motion of the swing. In Affineon’s game you have to line the club up with the ball. A LCD screen on the floor shows the position of the ball in relation to the club. You do not have to have the LCD to use the system, a picture-in-picture style window with the same information is on the big screen. The process of lining the club up was quite cumbersome. I watched as the club clipped right through the golf course and into the grass. It took a good minute to orientate the ball and club before I could hit it. Of course, this is just a beta, but the experience immediately made me wonder if the extra layer of complexity would make a game more entertaining. Sometimes simplicity is key. Affineon’s system feels too complicated to capture the neocasual market the Wii attracts.

Interesting note about the photo: The team at Affineon was very proactive about including the girl holding the equipment. I was originally planning on just taking a picture of the club or someone else playing, but they insisted the girl would be a better model.

Source: Siliconera

Pimped Out Nintendo Wii in gold and diamonds for Zelda

Well, for only $10,000 this 24 KARAT GOLD DIPPED SWAROVSKI CRYSTAL LEGEND OF ZELDA WII can be yours!

Now you may have seen this puppy before, as it made the rounds on several blogs when people found out it existed. This is the first time one has been on eBay however. One problem however, is that as far as I’m concerned, this is a fake auction.

From what I understand, this puppy is/was on display in Nintendo World, NYC - for $5000.00. Created by the fine makers of such wonderful products as the Swarovski Crystal Xbox 360 Faceplate and the Swarovski Crystal Nintendo DS, I’m not sure if this is a one time jobbie, or if they supply them directly to the store (but I assume the former).

More from... GamesSniped

Nintendo NES Flintstone game sells for $810 on EBay

In absolutely wonderful condition!

This is Flintstones 2: The Surprise At Dinosaur Peak, the ultra rare Nintendo NES game by Taito that was rental only and released at the end of the NES lifespan in November 1993. WOW. It has been about 15 months since a CIB copy of this game was listed on eBay.

There have been a few boxed ones, and a few manuals, but none complete in a LOOOOONG time, and it will be a long time before another is listed. This one is also in IMMACULUATE CONDITION!. WOW. Are you ready to add a new center piece to your collection?

EBay listing...

Xbox will host BT's TV service

BT is teaming up with Microsoft to offer its television service via the software giant's Xbox 360 console.

On-demand films and sports content from the BT Vision service will be available via the Xbox games console from the middle of this year.

Unlike the dedicated set-top box the Xbox will not be able to receive or record live TV.

To get the service, customers will have to first subscribe to BT broadband.

More from...

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/technology/7178661.stm

16GB memory stick for Sony PSP

Tired of deleting all your old episodes of Battlestar Galactica just to make room for new ones? 

Wishing you could move your entire porn collection over to your PSP instead of just alphabetised chunks? Sing and rejoice, then, for your prayers, well, they have been answered. 

Sony have announced a new 16GB MS Duo, which when combined with a longer battery life may finally make the PSP your first and only multimedia companion for long-distance flights. Or...it will be if you think spending $300 on a memory stick is acceptable behaviour. If you do, this baby's out in March.

Source: Kotaku

http://kotaku.com/341376/sony-announce-16gb-memory-stick-for-psp

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Save £30 XBox Half-Life 2 only £9.99 at Play.com with Free P&P

By taking the suspense, challenge and visceral charge of the original, adding startling new realism and responsiveness, Half-Life 2 opens the door to a world where the player's presence affects everything around him, from the physical environment to the behaviours - even the emotions - of both friends and enemies.

The player again picks up the crowbar of research scientist Gordon Freeman, who finds himself on an alien-infested Earth being picked to the bone, its resources depleted, its populace dwindling.

Freeman is thrust into the unenviable role of rescuing the world from the wrong he unleashed back at Black Mesa. And a lot of people - people he cares about - are counting on him.

Buy it here ... http://www.play.com/Games/Xbox/4-/742148/Half-Life-2/Product.html

Source Code for SimCity released

"Source code for SimCity has been released under the GPLv3. For legal reasons the open source version was renamed Micropolis, which was apparently the original working title. The OLPC will also be getting a SimCity branded version that has been QA'ed by Electronic Arts.

Some very cool changes have been made by Don Hopkins, who updated and ported what is now Micropolis. (Here is an earlier Slashdot discussion kicked off by a submission Don made.) Among other things, it has been revamped from the original C to using C++ with Python. Here is the page linking all the various source code versions. Happy hacking!"

More here...

How Halo 3 Changed Game Development - Tom Carroll

The Difficulty of Difficulty

The success of the Halo franchise has led to a need to appeal to a wider collection of gamers than just those labeled "hard core." As a result, in Halo 3 the easy and normal settings are easier than they might have been prior, and the heroic and legendary settings are likewise more difficult. Casual gamers will be overjoyed with the easy setting, but they'll miss out on numerous cool features of the game, including hidden skulls and cool enemy AI. Dedicated gamers, the ones who have invested hours mastering earlier incarnations of Halo, will want to jump in on heroic or legendary, lest they risk becoming bored from the start.

The secret skulls were first included in Halo 2, but then they nearly always activated some challenging feature, such as not being able to see anything on your HUD. In Halo 3, the system of skulls is much more challenging (read: fun) for anyone choosing to find them and activate them. A skull might make it so you can't see your gun scope, or enable enemies to throw grenades faster. Activating a golden skull makes the game harder for the player, but by surviving you earn a lot more points.

More from... http://www.gamecareerguide.com/features/482/how_halo_3_changed_game_.php?page=2

Sony discontinue 20 & 60 gb PlayStation 3 in Japan version left cannot play PS2 games...

SCEI made an announcement in reference to Japan no longer shipping the 20GB and 60GB PlayStation 3 configurations.

"We have already stopped shipping these in the US and have been focused on the 80GB and 40GB configurations which are currently at retail," the company said in a statement.

"As we've said, we will also continue to read and evaluate market trends and communicate with consumers to determine appropriate configurations for each territory."

The 40gb model was introduced last November and in the US where the 20gb has also been discontinued - the last few were in great demand.

Sony release a 40gb US model in October but this doesn't play older PlayStation 3 games.

Tough year for Microsoft and the Xbox 360?

Success comes in many guises. Most people would agree that 2007 was a successful year for the Xbox 360 - a year when the firm's head-start over rival Sony was used to great effect, and when the console's software line-up was widely considered to be one of the strongest the industry has ever seen.

It was the year in which Halo 3 arrived, was critically acclaimed, and sold around 8 million copies - and perhaps most impressively of all, it was the year when Halo 3 almost seemed buried in an avalanche of superb games, whereas in any previous year it would have stood astride the software landscape like a colossus. It was the year when Xbox Live user figures passed the 10 million mark, and the year when Microsoft registered its second ever profitable quarter for the Xbox division (although it almost certainly slid back into a loss in the following quarter).

A good year, then? Well - maybe. Success is multi-faceted, and it's important to look at it from many angles before you make up your mind and stick a label on something. There are other ways in which 2007 was a terrible year for Microsoft - and in some regards, the company's lacklustre showing at CES in Las Vegas last week may be a hangover from those failings.

More from ... Games Industry

Sony PSP titles available on PlayStation Network download

Sony also plans "bite-size" games for download service

Sony plans to give PSP titles a new lease of life by making them available digitally over the PlayStation Network.

Games that have been dropped by retail but are still in demand by consumers will head to Sony's online store, as well as short "bite-size" titles, according Sony's senior product manager John Koller.

Speaking to Kotaku, Koller said that PSP titles which "retailers aren't interested in carrying at this stage, games that we hear a lot of demand from PSP owners," will be re-released over the service.

Sony has already released a handful of retail PSP titles via the newly re-launched PlayStation Store, most notably first-party releases B-Boy and Fired Up.

Demos, trailers and classic PSone titles are already part of the offering, but Koller said the company is keen to experiment with shorter, more immediate gaming experiences.

"We have an opportunity to bring bite-size experiences to the system, ten minute, pick up and play content that can be downloaded from the store," said Koller.

Movies on the UMD format are likely to benefit from a price reduction, and Koller also said Sony was happy to see Blu-ray movies come with an embedded PSP-formated version of the title, as recently announced at CES.

"Any way we can help get that multimedia content onto the PSP, we're going to take it," he said.

Source: Games Industry - Kotaku

Japan - top ten video games ALL Nintendo Wii and DS titles

Wii and DS titles pack out the entire top ten and 25 of the top 30

If ending 2007 on a dominant note wasn't enough for Nintendo, the first Japanese software chart of 2008 will be depressing reading for Sony and Microsoft in that territory.

All of the top ten in the software sales chart for the week ending January 6 were games for either the Wii or DS, with those platforms taking up 25 of the top 30 positions as well.

According to the latest Media Create data only three PlayStation 2 titles and two PlayStation Portable games prevented a complete whitewash.

Top of the list was Mario Party DS, selling just under 200,000 units, while Wii Fit broke the million total sales barrier in second and Wii Sports saw a revival in third.

Final Fantasy IV raced past the 500,000 mark in fourth, Super Mario Galaxy was fifth with Dragon Quest IV in sixth – but not one of the top ten was a new entry.

In total there were four Mario titles in the top ten, while Nintendo itself published seven of the games present – Square Enix was responsible for two, and Level 5 for one

The highest non-Nintendo title was Monster Hunter Portable 2nd for the PSP in 14th place.

The full Japanese top ten chart is as follows:

1. Mario Party DS (DS)
2. Wii Fit (Wii)
3. Wii Sports (Wii)
4. Final Fantasy IV (DS)
5. Super Mario Galaxy (Wii)
6. Wii Play (Wii)
7. Dragon Quest IV (DS)
8. Prof Layton and Pandora's Box (DS)
9. Mario and Sonic at the Olympic Games (Wii)
10. Mario Party 8 (Wii)

New Scorpion trailer released

Suffer the agonies and
Catch a trouble but still
Oppose the rotten government’s control,
React to what they do to your life now that
Peace’s been forgotten.
Initiate the resistance,
Outfox those who’s stronger and
Nothing can stop you since you’re Scorpion, the special agent whose destiny is to fight the evil.

Just imagine the world where there’s no place for mercy, compassion, or sympathy. That’s the Earth of 2028. Drastic changes that followed the sudden crisis split the society into several parts – all of them opposing each other. You are offered to wear the shoes of a special agent who has to penetrate the Zenith Corporation that breeds monsters, initiates killings and, actually, rules the world.

There’s a new trailer available to show you more of these dark and somber surroundings, ugly zombies and dangerous dungeons you’ll need to go through. 

The trailer can be downloaded at Scorpion’s webpage: http://en.akella.com/Game.aspx?id=3&mode=video



About Scorpion

Genre: FPS
Platform: PC
Publisher: Akella
Developer: B-Cool Interactive
Release date: Q2 2008

After several major economical and political crises the world as we know it ceased to exist. Only few major states survived 2020s, while the lesser authorities have collapsed, leaving behind anarchy and pollution. The power vacuum was filled by key international companies which acquired control over derelict territories, forming Free Commerce Areas (FCAs).

In early 2030s ruins of unknown origin were discovered in Sudan. Several artifacts possibly of alien nature were quickly revealed and soon major dig has started. But few months of work as well as the bulk of the dig team were lost to the underground explosion followed by contamination of the region. To prevent diseases from spreading a series of nuclear strikes were made to completely annihilate the site. These events have caused major resonance and soon a treaty limiting the usage of dangerous technologies and weapon systems was signed between the FCAs and UNO. As a result the International Committee of Technology and Warfare Supervision (ICTS) with its own military and intelligence units, was created.

Same time few survivors of Sudan Incident emerged as founders of newly formed Zenith Corporation. This institution with HQ in Zagreb FCA quickly established itself as a notorious player on weapon, pharmaceutics and IT markets. But in 2028 several instances of Zenith weapon systems together with samples of unidentified biological weapons were discovered during the liquidation of the extremists’ Albanian group in Kosovo.

ICTS immediately started investigation. It was planned to infiltrate Zenith as a customer with clear ties to one of the terrorists’ organization and get a proof of its illegal activity. One of the best ICTS field agents, codename Scorpion, has been assigned to this mission…

Key Game Features
Intense action in cyber-punk styled Earth 2028
Futuristic storyline supported by multiple cut-scenes
Combination of first-person combat and stealth action elements provides unique gaming experience
Impressive arsenal of upgradeable weapons
Characters can gain access to several paranormal psychic powers including the ability to subdue the will of enemies for a short period of time
Advanced squad-oriented combat AI creates a strong challenging opposition
Elite opponents possess supernatural powers similar to those of the player’s character
Cutting-edge game engine produces a detailed realistic picture

World Domination, Hordes of Aliens, Ray Guns, Mind Control and Three Teenage Zombies!

Atari is today pleased to announce its continued distribution partnership with publisher Ignition Entertainment with the forthcoming UK release of Teenage Zombies: Invasion of the Alien Brain Thingys! releasing in the UK this Easter exclusively for the Nintendo DS™.

The Earth is under attack by a horde of Alien Brain… uh…Thingys! Humans, succumbing to ray-guns, mind-control and shiny flying saucers, have failed to defend their planet and let it fall easily into the clutches of The Big Brain and his army of Brain Thingys. The only hope left for mankind is three Teenage Zombies that have arisen from a graveyard disturbed in the invasion. The undead trio ignores their normal human victims in favour of the pulsing pink brains they see everywhere - all the while being lured to the ultimate lunch: THE BIG BRAIN! The Big Brain soon realizes he’s overlooked this “Super Race” as they inexplicably resist mind control, are unaffected by ray-gun wounds and devour his Brain Thingy Armies like sweets! He refocuses his efforts and resources to battle the Earth’s greatest champions: The Teenage Zombies!

Teenage Zombies uses a quirky style that focuses on and parodies the Zombie genre, as well as 1950s style Science Fiction. This is presented in a comic book style featuring panels, dialogue boxes and story telling. Gameplay involves side-scrolling adventures opening up to stylus mini-games, double-screen boss battles and brain busting puzzle challenges.

Key features:
Unique Comic Mode which drives the story with an interactive comic book style presentation
Platform game-play that requires the player to swap between characters to solve levels
Each character has their own unique abilities to aid them through their adventure
Mini Games featuring the zombies (or their body parts) using all the Nintendo DS™ features
The Big Brain Challenge – a series of quick micro mini games that happen at anytime during gameplay to win or lose against the Big Brain
ZAPS! (Zombie Assembly Pop-up Screen) – a mini-game where you use collected body parts to quickly create a zombie to regain your “unhealth points”

Atari Swings Into Action With 'George Of The JungleTM' On Consoles This Easter In The UK!

Atari today is pleased to announce its continued distribution in the UK with publisher Ignition Entertainment and the forthcoming UK release of George of the Jungle™ for PlayStation2, Nintendo Wii and DS, releasing this Easter. The game features a hilarious adventure through the jungle featuring all the favourite characters from the popular animated series.

The King of Swing is Back! – take a vine and ride with George the undisputed King of the Jungle. George lives in and protects the jungle of Mbebwe, a wild playground packed with quirky creatures, vicious villains and wacky wilderness adventures. His jungle family includes his best buddy, an Ape named Ape, friends Ursula and Magnolia, his faithful dog Shep (actually an elephant) and Tookie Tookie Bird.

For these friends, everyday is a new adventure full of missteps, mayhem and monkey business – where there’s always another tree to crash into!

George of the Jungle™ is one of Entertainment Rights Plc’s most popular properties aimed at boys aged 6-11yrs. It is now broadcast daily on popular children’s TV channel Nickelodeon at 7-7.30am & 8.30-9pm and is repeated on Nicktoons. This new game is the ultimate for George of the Jungle™ fans offering them the complete experience of the animated series.


Key Features
Swing, Run, Jump, Climb and Charge your way through exciting adventures as George of the Jungle!
Based on the classic Jay Ward Series and the highly anticipated new animated series airing on Nickelodeon UK.
Join George on his hilarious quest through the jungle – dangerous to some, a playground to George to interact and explore.
Interact with the whole gang – Ursula, Magnolia, Dr. Scott, The Witch Doctor, Shep and of course Georges’s Best Buddy ‘Ape’.
Battle hostile monkey tribes, ferocious crocodiles, tiki warriors, and many other entertaining enemy encounters.

Spice Up Your Day With 'Spice Invaders' – it's 'bloody' great

As anything deemed as ‘retro cool’ seems to be making a comeback these days, a new viral game is bringing a fresh twist to a much loved 80’s game, which also celebrates the rise in popularity in another classic – the Bloody Mary cocktail.

Based on the original Space Invaders game, ‘Spice Invaders’ challenges gamers to defend against attacking generic drinks such as beer, coke and wine, by splatting them with tomato juice. Their weapon is a bottle of Big Tom Spiced Tomato Juice, which proudly stands out in the drinks universe for daring to be different. The attacking drinks aim to obliterate Big Tom and keep the drinks universe dull and boring. After all who could blame them, calling Big Tom a tomato juice is a bit like calling a Ferrari a ‘car’ or Brad Pitt ‘some bloke’.

All players have to do, to keep the universe fresh and exciting, is to log on to www.spice-invaders.com - control the Big Tom bottle and defend against the attacking dullard drinks and annihilate them with a splat of tomato juice, gaining as many points as possible. Scores can then be entered into a leader board and a weekly highest score winner will be sent a specially designed limited edition Big Tom T-Shirt, which will make them stand apart in their universe as a Spice Invaders champion. The highest monthly score will win a free case of Big Tom Spiced Tomato Juice.

The overall highest score winner will win a trip for two to the infamous La Tomatina Festival in Spain next year, where they will experience tomato splatting in the real world instead of a virtual one!

So log on in your lunch break, at home or with friends and pit your wits against the Spice Invaders…

CAPCOM'S APOLLO JUSTICE: ACE ATTORNEY COMING TO NORTH AMERICA ON FEBRUARY 12

Capcom Entertainment, a leading worldwide developer and publisher of video games, today announced that the latest installment of its highly popular courtroom drama series, Apollo Justice™: Ace Attorney™ is scheduled for release in North America on February 12, 2008. The first Ace Attorney game developed specifically for Nintendo DS™, this is the fourth title in the series and will feature all new characters, including new defense attorney Apollo Justice. Apollo Justice: Ace Attorney has been rated T for Teen by the Entertainment Software Ratings Board (ESRB).

This new chapter to the Ace Attorney series will drop players into the shoes of Apollo Justice, where they'll make use of his uncanny ability to uncover witnesses’ lies by studying their body language. But as talented as our hero is, he wouldn't get far without the support of his assistant Trucy, a mysterious female magician. Apollo also receives invaluable advice from Kristoph Gavin, his ultra-cool mentor whose perfect logic and natural instincts have won him numerous cases and the respect of his colleagues.

Fans and newcomers alike will get a chance to experience the game early by way of a flash demo that will be found on both www.Capcom-Unity.com and www.Ace-Attorney.com in January. Similarly, Nintendo DS™ owners will have the opportunity to download via wi-fi a demo of the game from Nintendo Stations which can be found in various retail locations. By sampling the unique puzzles, characters and storyline of Apollo Justice, gamers will see for themselves what the hysteria surrounding Ace Attorney series is all about – unrelenting fun!

Apollo Justice: Ace Attorney Features:

• All-new courtroom adventure from the creators of Phoenix Wright™: Ace Attorney™
• 1st fully new title to be developed specifically for the Nintendo DS.
• Classic Ace Attorney gameplay with new modes that let you survey crime scenes, interview witnesses and gather evidence before defending your client in court!
• Microphone can be used to yell “Objection!” and “Hold it!” as you cross examine witnesses
• All new “Crime Recreation Mode” that allows players to reveal hidden clues by re-creating the scene of the crime
• Two distinct gameplay segments:
o Investigation phase – survey crime scenes, interview witnesses and gather evidence that will be used in court
o Court phase – present findings from the investigation to support your case, listen to testimonies and examine witnesses
• Diverse cast of characters:

Apollo Justice: the new defense attorney who leads the series.
Klavier Gavin: in addition to being a top prosecutor, Klavier is also the lead singer in a highly successful rock band who brings his star qualities into the courtroom.
Kristoph Gavin: the coolest character on the judicial circuit, and Apollo’s mentor. His cool headed thinking means he always provides his clients with the best defense.
Trucy : The mysterious magician Trucy started working with Apollo after a chance encounter.

Football ManagerTM 2008 Scores For Xbox 360

SEGA Europe Ltd. today announced that Football Manager™ 2008 for the Xbox 360™ video game and entertainment system from Microsoft will be hitting stores in Spring 2008. Football Manager™ 2008 is the next chapter of the renowned Football Manager™ series developed by BAFTA winning studio Sports Interactive Ltd. The latest console version of Football Manager will be fully updated for the new season, including transfers being made in the mid-season transfer window, allowing players to select their favourite club or international team and guide them to the title.

While retaining all the depth and realism of the record breaking PC version, the Xbox 360 version also features revamped online play to the PC game via Xbox Live, permitting you to challenge friends to one-on-one matches and even host tournaments.

“Football Manager 2008 on Xbox 360 gives console gamers the chance to dive into the wonderful world of football management.” commented Miles Jacobson, Studio Director of Sports Interactive Ltd. “With the same feature set to the PC version and various online modes, we hope that there is something for every Xbox 360 owner to get stuck into.”

With all-new features, improved gameplay and a depth only seen from Sports Interactive Ltd., the whole range of Football Manager 2008 titles offer a management simulation that is second to none.

Xplosiv To Scale New Heights Off Road!

Xplosiv, a wholly owned subsidiary of Silverstar Holdings (NASDAQ: SSTR), has announced it will be releasing Off Road from its highly regarded and best selling Ford license series, for the PlayStation 2™, PSP™ (PlayStation Portable), Wii™ and PC.

Off Road takes the multi-million selling Ford franchise away from the tracks and urban streets of its predecessors, to rugged, tough terrain for the very first time. Off Road also marks the introduction of the prestigious Land Rover brand, synonymous like Ford, with a rich heritage of producing pioneering off road vehicles.

Players can now race some of the world’s toughest off road trucks, 4x4’s and SUV’s through beautifully detailed environments, stunning, scenery and wide sweeping tracks designed for rough-tough, high-speed racing.

Ian Higgins, CEO of Empire Interactive, said, “Off Road is an exciting step forward for the Ford franchise. We have some impressive vehicles, stunning environments and great new features. The introduction of the Land Rover brand has brought real excitement and an even stronger appeal to the franchise.”

Clive Kabatznik, CEO of Silverstar Holdings, added, “The release of Off Road illustrates Empire’s ability to continually garner new interest from already successful licenses. We are thrilled to be introducing the Land Rover brand and the mass market appeal that having two truly global brands will bring.”

With real time, on-the-go vehicle damage repair, acceleration faster than any previous Ford game, and alternative routes. Off Road brings a plethora of new and exclusive features to test players driving prowess at high speed. The racing has never been this exhilarating!

Key Features
18 officially licensed Land Rover and Ford off road vehicles.
24 detailed tracks encouraging high speed racing.
3 off road environments, Desert, Water and Ice.
Real time, on-the-go damage repair.
Discover hidden routes to gain a racing advantage.
Power sliding; throw powerful 4x4s around the tracks.
In-game pickups: Discover repair pods, time extensions, artefacts & cash.
Multi-player racing via split screen (PS2 – 2 players ) and Wi-Fi (PSP – 6 players).
12 race modes: Standard Race, Elimination, Time Attack, Overtake, Slalom, Checkpoint, Checkpoint Sprint, Seconds Out, Gold Rush, Gauntlet, Low Damage Race and Expedition.