It's super effective!

Spiderman THE MUSICAL

2010-09-10T10:13:00.000-07:00

Living in the New York/metropolitan area, I'm lucky enough to have access to the greatest city on earth. But with great power, New York, you have a great responsibility. Then you go off and do this shit:

I don't think anything in life could have prepared me for that.

If I could make a list of the top 10 things I hate most, that clip would make up at least two, with the remaining eight slots reserved for every other song on the Playbill for Spiderman the Musical.

This play is going to be so terrible that it requires a Surgeon General's warning for eye and ear cancer stamped on every ticket.

Spiderman the Musical killed JFK.

Watching this show is the cause of every bad thing that has ever happened and also will ever happen throughout history.

If you buy a ticket for Spiderman the Musical in person, the ticket seller is, by law, required to punch you in the genitals.

Spiderman the Musical is definitive proof that Bono supports and has always supported terrorism.

If this video is not removed from YouTube by the time I finish this post, it means there is no God, because no just and loving God would allow such an abomination to continue an infinite virtual life where it can never die.

Watching this play erases hope from the universe and completes the Anti-Life Equation.

Hearing music from Spiderman the Musical singlehandedly murders my ability to chain together humorous anecdotes about how bad that play is going to be.

Okay, I'm done.

Edit: One more -- Spiderman the Musical raped my blog's frames and killed my wife.

An Inebriated Look at Scott Pilgrim vs. The World

2010-08-13T06:25:00.001-07:00

When I first started discussing the Scott Pilgrim movie, I referred to the screen adaptation of the Canadian manga series as "Twilight for Hipsters," based solely on a barely-fleeting knowledge of anything the book was about (in both cases) -- it was immensely popular among the alt-nerd crowd and was a constant topic of discussion on 4chan's Comics and Cartoons board, along with Avatar the Last Airbender and fan-drawn pictures of DC and Marvel divas farting. So, I had those as points of comparison to leverage a fair and modest assessment of Scott and company. Oh, and I read the Wikipedia entry for the comic and I think it caused me to develop some form of malignant eye cancer. As a medical journalist, I feel most adequately prepared to endure such a hardship.

Also of note is that I refused to read a page of the series, because I'm a journalist and have integrity. Needless to say, I was ready to be entertained by this movie, self-trolling or otherwise.

Given that I have all the logical faculty of two infants fighting over a toy train, I asked a friend night-of to go see the movie with me after we "prepared" beforehand. This ultimately turned out to be the best decision before seeing the movie, as it dulled my normally hyper-critical sense of viewership and allowed me to sit back and have the screen do the work for me.

Scott Pilgrim, if for some reason you fall into my "hipster garbage" stereotyped ignorant line of thinking and know nothing about the line, follows the relationship-related antics of an early 20-something living in Toronto Canada. Scott is kind of a looser -- he mooches floor (and bed) space in a gay friend's apartment across the street from his childhood home, he's in an admittedly not-very-good band (The Sex Bo-Bombs) with his friend and an ex-girlfriend, he lacks any real job outside of his role as bassist of the barely-trademark-legal band, and probably some other things because the movie doesn't really go into much more detail than that. It is also clear, from the onset, that our boy is prone to making bad relationship decisions, as he's introduced as in a relationship with a 17 year-old Asian Catholic schoolgirl, which is both fundamentally kinky-if-you're-a-weeaboo and kind of pathetic, after a much maligned breakup with a past ex who is, from the looks of things, doing pretty well for herself.

Our hero dreams of the mysterious Ramona Flowers, a colorfully-headed "hipster chick" with a good deal of emotional baggage not so much carried around as the baggage follows her around and challenges any potential suiters to a series of battles to the death. A League of Extraordinarily Childish Antics, if you will. The two meet in person once at Scott's girlfriend's school library and again at an after-party following a Sex Bo-Bomb's gig. Scott, while still in a relationship with the Asian child, attempts to woo the aloof Ramona, but lol, Michael Cera movie. Whatever sort of magnetism Pilgrim resonates apparently has some effect, as the two wind up making out in Ramona's bed that night and leaving with promises of a second date. It is in the coming days that Scott will meet the first of seven "evil exes" that he must duel with "and defeat" to finally win Ramona's love.

From the onset, the viewer is greeted with a pixelated UNIVERSAL logo over a chip-tuned rendition of the company's theme. This should give you some idea of what's to come -- lots of nerdy pats on the back, video-game like visuals, over-the-top meta-humor, and a readily apparent sense of self-deprecation. Or at least you should consider it self-deprecation. Look at it this way -- every time you pick up on a reference to some facet of nerd culture, punch yourself in the face, hard. By the time you get to the end of the second evil-ex battle, you will either be in a trauma ward or will find Family Guy really funny. I'm not sure if it's this constant wink-nod relationship with the nerds in the room (the adults buying manga-style books, written and drawn in Canada) that draws people to the series or is the exact element that causes so many others to lash out at the series online and otherwise.

The pacing of the movie is rather staggered. It starts out slow, which is fair, as there are many characters introduced early on with interesting backstories covered more in context than in brief manga-panel-animated cutscenes, but by the end of the third battle, exes start crawling out of every nook and cranny because, hey, we need to wrap this shit up at some point.

This necessary drive toward a timely end also stifles what should be one of the most interesting aspects of the entire movie -- development of the evil exes' backstories. Early battles are prefaced with the aforementioned book-styled overviews of Ramona's relationship with the assorted exes, but this gets completely removed later on to the point where a DJ versus Indie battle of the bands is reduced to mere visual effects warring than the tense interplay between scorned and new love established in earlier fights. Then two fucking Chinese myth dragons shoot out of the dj-duo's speakers, and at this point I start screaming because I am not messed up enough to handle this.

And that was a good place to be, just inebriated enough to turn my brain off for a bit. If there's nothing else this movie has going for it, it is fun. Stupid, simplistic, nerdy fun. Sound effects appear as animated text, hearts fly around as the two dream-crossed lovers kiss, giant caps K.O. appear onscreen during an ex's knockout ala EVERY FIGHTING GAME EVER, the style of shots are arranged in a way that most visually encapsulates the still medium of the comic book onto the moving pictures brand of storytelling. And it all works.

Sure, when I see this movie a second time next week, very likely sober and following a day at the office, I will probably pull hair at how XD SO RANDOM Scott and his Asian date act. I will probably shout in contempt, "WHY IS EVERY CHARACTER IN THIS MOVIE IN A BAND?" I will probably boo the preview the new M. Night movie... again. But hopefully I don't get too serious'd the fuck up, because otherwise I'd be missing out on the genuinely enjoyable movie-going experience I probably paid far too much money for (the second viewing will be in New York, for price point reference). I will still not buy this Americanized manga trash, though. Gotta have some standards.

Fuck video games

2009-11-18T20:28:00.000-08:00

I could not rage harder if I tried.

They released Devil May Cry but WACKY and with this instead of Dante.

BRB, crying forever.

A Tangental Review of DJ Hero from Someone Who Only Played It at a Demo Station in Toys R Us pt. 2

2009-11-04T07:49:00.000-08:00

We've established that in this story I am presently located in Toys R Us and it's something like 9:30. Ok? Cool.

Never having touched a turn table in respect to DJing and because fake plastic instruments cause me to drop on all fours and start barking like a dog, I decided my best course of action would be to try the tutorial mode before playing the 3-song playlist.

My journey's beginning was an epic. The almost grandfatherly voice of Grandmaster Flash greeted me, affirming that he would help learn me some DJ skills to begin my journey to DJ Hero celebrity (a process easily summarized in the DJ Hero track "DJ Hero vs. Jukebox Hero"). The Grandmaster guided me through the various features of the turntable, including the 3 colored stream buttons and crossfader. To help matters along, Flash apparently precognated my love of the "Another One Bites the Dust vs. Da Funk" mix. Using this mix and a brief rundown of what each function of the table did and a following test of your new skills, verbal pats on the back were aplenty. I went for the real game's only song set of 3 for the demo station.

Both very afraid of the fickle looseness of the crossfader and unsure of how deep my skills at fake plastic DJing were, I set my sights on "easy" mode (as using my pinky on Guitar Hero's guitar actually causes me mental trauma). Easy mode limits your turntable interaction to stream buttons and scratches. Button presses run simultaneous with scratches, making the movement process only slightly more involved than your average Guitar Hero song.

Some of the scratches are very (read as: very) short and choppy and I don't think the actual scratching process recorded some of my back scratches -- not used to the process, I used short forward-reverse wrist motions, but apparently broke a number of cut's chains, simultaneously ending my note streak and dropping my score modifier considerably.

I am not sure if the turntable's crossfader is naturally limber or if disease ridden children's hands had fiddled with the device so often that it became looser than (insert obvious misogynistic joke here), but it made the process of cross fading and almost immediately disastrous process. Maybe I was too jittery, hoping to impress my adopted Grand-father-master, and just slipped a bit, but the crossfader -- a straight line lever requiring movement left or right to focus music on one or both songs -- easily broke my chains due to overshooting where the lever would need to be. I'm sure I just need practice and that many of you already playing expert are having a good laugh at my expense.

Anyway, playing "I Heard it Through the Grapevine vs. Feel Good Inc.," "Hollaback Girl vs. Give it to Me, Girl" and "Satisfaction vs. Boom Boom Pow" is probably the most fun I've had without violently beating others with foam and plastic swords down toy store aisles. Also because my ears were leaking precum.

Long story short, DJ Hero is pretty good, I guess. If you like "that kind" of music, I would highly recommend the game. One of my friends with more arrogant musical tastes in her club music actually greatly enjoyed many of the remixes I forwarded her after finding a torrent of ALL songs (thanks anonymous YouTube channeler!) and sending her a select favorite batch. Even if you don't, I would at least try the demo station or do a search for songs online. I've been met with shock and surprise when I admitted my addiction to the soundtrack, as apparently I don't seem the type to get a massive erection over egregious affronts to more classic songs being piledriven into techno and other electronic songs and then injected into my aural cavities, but then again I also really like a Notorious BIG/Miley Cirus mashup, so there's also that.

A Tangental Review of DJ Hero from Someone Who Only Played It at a Demo Station in Toys R Us pt. 1

2009-11-04T07:31:00.001-08:00

DJ Hero is the latest installment of Activision's "Expensive Plastic Instrument Peripheral" Hero line of electronic entertainment medium. How does this make you feel?

I first became interested in DJ Hero not through being excited about the game (because what kind of guy actually LIKES video games?) but through a late night advertisement for the game starring digital avatars of the techno pair Daft Punk playing the most skull bustingly fantastic remix of personal favorite song "Around the World" mixed with "Television Rules the Nation" (which, at the time, I could not identify what the drop-out song was). Then the magic of television showed me I was not to expect some new godsend of a cd, but something possibly even more awe-inspiring: a video game.

For a few weeks or maybe a month, I basically ignored DJ Hero, only regaining interest when the Tee Vee would spam messages asking me to buy this game that wasn't out yet. "Thanks, TV, but this game doesn't exist yet!" I clamored, "Also I just really like these songs and don't want to actually work to have to hear them. Also I imagine carrying my PS3 (or my bricked Wii... or Xbox I don't own) around to listen to music I enjoy would be quite cumbersome!"

Well, sometime shortly after the game release, that same heart-on Daft Punk mix got stuck in my head, so I traveled to the last bastion of people who have no idea where to find audio files online go, YouTube.

DJ Hero had its own channel, sporting only bite-sized clips of the game's track list, a paltry selection, not even complete. A further search lead me to some game music connoisseur's YouTube channel (no link to save him from the lambasting of Activision - more on this in a second) to find THE MOST ABSOLUTELY RIDICULOUS COMBINATIONS OF SONGS I NEVER ASKED FOR BUT SUDDENLY HAD PIPED DIRECTLY INTO MY EARS CAPSLOCK. I spent the entire afternoon at work looping mixes while reformatting a spreadsheet I'd created and played "Around the World vs. Bust a Move" no less than 20 times.

Like any good user of the internet, I immediately made it my life's work to rip and iPod-ify this music, a task which spanned mere minutes after a YouTube MP3 ripping service created the equivalent of aural diarrhea out of the song and an immediate move to the /rs/ board of 4chan brought me in contact with some "new friends." The rest of Halloween weekend was me drunk off of song and actual drink induced euphoria.

Ok, so I'm pretty much the farthest into a blog entry and I haven't touched the game. Well, sorry.

Before the weekend ended, Activision started deleting videos uploaded by "my new internet best friend" on his YouTube. I was out so many songs, many of which did not appear in the RS files I'd found. Way to share love for your product, Activision.

However, this turn of events and potential incoming suicide-over-music-withdrawal led me to Toys R Us with a friend where I heard a very familiar mash up of Daft Punk songs playing in the not so distant background. A station was set up with DJ Hero. Now comes the part where I actually play the game.

...and we're back

2009-11-04T07:30:00.000-08:00

Trust me, you don't want to know.

Let's Talk About: ZENDIKAR

2009-09-23T08:36:00.000-07:00

Oh, I like Magic cards and stuff. Yeah.

Zendikar is the newest set, coming soon to a store near you the week after this weekend, which is the Prerelease for said set.

I'll be dressing up like a butler and greeting people at the New York Anime Fest, so you can imagine my disappointment that the two events are co-scheduled for the same weekend. Also, I want to win cards for being good at a game and make free money. Frown town.

Here's my primer for you guys on Zendikar Limited without cracking a single pack of the set, so take this with you to your local prerelease, release, or events immediately leading up to people who are professionals define what is or isn't good in Limited.

To start, check the spoiler on MTGSalvation, which is still about 40 cards shy of complete at the time of writing, but I've been scanning it for months now so you can clearly trust everything I have to say.

The first thing you want to note about Zendikar is that it's VERY similar (in a bare-bones kind of way) to M10 Limited: you're dealing with a slower format that requires you to build up a board and drop big dudes that are better than your opponent's big bomby dudes to win. Being really aggressive with anything aside from building up your board to support dropping your big, bomby dude is not as strong (but still a possible) strategy as, say, playing defensive guys early until you have 5-9 lands in play and dropping Iona or some other crazy stuff.

This also applies for most aggressive strategies in this format: aggressive Landfall-centric decks need a steady flow of land in play to make your 1R for a 1/1 First-Striker into 1R for a 9/9 turn 3. The other thing you should note is that relying entirely on dropping one or multiple lands every turn is not a good idea unless you decide to play 20 lands. This is also probably not good.

You need to get a balance out of your cards that rely on Landfall and let your "cards that cost more than them" do the rest. A good example of this is in UG - Windrider Eel is fine as a 2/2 for 4 that flies, but then gets huge with a land and becomes impossible with Harrow or something similar.

Another thing that carries over from M10 is that Blue looks like it will be horribly underdrafted. Although Blue lacks Divination and Ponder coupled with Merfolk Looter (though all three effects can be found in the set, lawl), blue has a solid early defense plan backed by a plethora of fliers, the only counterspell in the set, and extremely playable bounce. UG or UW look to be solid combinations archetype wise.

Black is also pretty good, as the "Vampire Theme Deck" of limited seems to recommend, but Black also lacks the sheer number of removal cards and life-cushioning effects it had in M10 (see Tendrils of Despair, Consume Spirit, Child of the Night). It still has retarded-good removal and its creatures are mostly all pretty good, but there is a decent want for a larger guy who won't get eaten by more defensive late drops or white and greens' "We're 2/3s for 2" men.

Red seems like a self-sustainable color this set, as well. This is probably more an on-paper than in-practice notion, but I'm ok with being wrong since I only ever splash red in M10 for Fireball and Lightning Bolt.

Allies also are pretty much all good on their own, except for several of the "Comes into play, effect happens" ones, like in Red and Black. They're GREAT when you have a deck with several Allies, but you need to really bunker down and draft them to make them worth the 5+ mana they cost. Also the Rare allies are fine on their own and bonkers with multiple Allies in play. Obvobv.

Until the spoiler is finished, this is my assessment of Zendikar limited. Top 15 picks will come when the spoiler is over.

Sup dawg I heard you like news updates so I put a news update in your news update so you can learn while you learn.

2009-09-23T08:27:00.000-07:00

Getting hit with inspiration for a new entry while coming in and updating my tumblr. That's something to start your morning.

While raiding a drug dealer/chop-shop owner's home the other day, cops were playing Wii Bowling on the dealer's TV.

Personally, I think this is awesome (read the story, if you can follow up on the story, there are pictures of stills from the surveillance footage) and that cops should be caught trolling people they're busting more often. I don't really know if this is good or bad for the police, unless it drew out the investigation they were conducting (gotta get that spare in before you dust for prints, bro), I just think it's The Best that they give such a shit about the dealer that they're playing his Wii.

A 24 year-old lv. 14 buddhist monk (editor's note: there is no D&D style leveling system in buddhism) plays the vidya. Also, he suggests it's a good method of emotional output and a great relaxifier. Sweet deal. Worldly attachments are ok if they're vidya related (I will stand by this theory forever).

Oh, uh, video games aren't diverse enough for people who play them and they suck and are dumb and someone should make a good game or something, I don't know whatever.

HRRRRNNNNNNNNNNNN

2009-09-03T22:24:00.000-07:00

More No More Heroes 2: Desperate Struggle News & Previews

Musings from a Magic: the Gathering PTQ - Edison, NJ

2009-08-24T10:24:00.000-07:00

If it comes as a surprise that I'm a huge nerd when I use my free time to write about how cool it is that I found a Wobbuffet plush at Toys R Us, clearly you're out of the loop and should uninstall your internet and throw your computer out of a window.

This weekend, I decided I would play in my first Magic Pro Tour Qualifier since my freshman year of college, when I just missed the top 16 of an Extended PTQ by scooping to my opponent for packs after suffering from an ailment I like to call, "Playing Magic Competitively For 14 or So Hours on No Sleep." I was supposedly more well-prepared to play in this event than my previous one, so I figured my odds were pretty awesome at walking away with prize: I was playing the best deck, had the best preparation, had a great understanding of what the other decks in the metagame did (entirely based on the fact that I've playtested with ALL of the decks)... basically, I expected to do well, not entirely hedging bets on repeating my last performance but also not being entirely surprised if I did.

0-3 drop later, 2/3s of which can be attributed to "Really slow and ineffective draws" and 1/3 of which can be summarized as "I am a terrible player and should feel terrible," I walked around, $150 richer from a process I call "cleaning my room," and generally in a good mood.

My day's highlight comes not from being awful at Magical cards or the money, but from the processes I followed to enter and play in the event and my doings in and around the event. I decided to go to the event as ironically as possible (in the hipster sense of irony and not with any actual dictionary definition or irony or coincidence, as it is sometimes misattributed); I wore my 3-cat Keyboard Moon shirt, was playing with Pokemon TCG sleeves and had a Dragon Ball Z trading card game deckbox (from the late 90s TCG which I coincidentally played... only coincidentally because a friend who had not played mysteriously presented the box to me as a gift for use during the tourney).

The shirt brought about some of the best conversations I've had with people in ages, particularly since most of the people I've interacted with at Magic events in the past Forever have been scumbags and meanies alike. Some genuinely awesome bros (and Jacob van Lunen, Pro Tour winner, MTG.com writer and long-time friend/associate) started conversations with me entirely based on my wearing the greatest shirt known to man (possibly). My first conversation started with a man wearing some Hot Topic-esq "wordswordswords" shirt, a dog collar and chain, huge tail and shoulder-mounted wolf plush asking where the shirt could be acquired. If you missed the tweet, this was not meant ironically.

This was followed by a game with a man wearing a Gengar shirt in the same vein as my Wobbuffet shirt from the Nintendo World Store in NYC. During our match (which I lost to a mull-to-5 and "too fast" start games 1 and 3 respectively), we talked about the Pokemon DS game (spurred by my Pokemon sleeves) and various other malarky. Fun times.

My third round opponent was Ivan somethingoranother, though I like to imagine he was a time-shifted Ivan Drago, as his sour attitude (more from other people being jerks and the judges being UP HIS ASS) and thick Russian accent hinted at him being the future heavyweight boxing machine. The judges hounded him most of the match due to his lost DCI card, culminating in a judge telling him he would receive a game loss from that point on every time he did not have his DCI card at the start of a tourney due to him not entering his new DCI number into his phone IN THE MIDDLE OF A MATCH HE WAS PLAYING AGAINST ME. Dick move, I thought, especially since it didn't help me win.

After losing to Ivan, he proceeded to tell me an unnamed group of people "Trained me to play this deck like dog, woof woof." This was said jovially, but we should both pretend it was said over my felled and barely-conscious form as he pounds his chest with a boxing glove.

Not much else to say about the event, since most of the rest of my time at the event centered around wheeling and dealing, commenting on other decks people were playing, beating other people with my deck (people with better, non-drop records... COOL TIMING ON GOOD DRAWS, BRO) and slowly dying of lack of food and sleep. I went back home to play in a draft at my local gaming store to victory... which was a nice contrast to losing in the Big Show.

Conclusion: Playing Magic just to be ironic leads to the best fun I've had at a room packed with sweaty dudes and random girls there to either be paraded around by their boyfriends with ridiculously oversized jewelery on rappers or show up dudes with the "I'M IN YOUR GAME, HAVING A VAGINA" factor.

Video game pull: Uhh... the Garruk Wildspeaker from Duels of the Planeswalkers for the XBOX 360 was going for all the money or something, I guess.

I would crack a joke about /v/, but

2009-08-24T09:08:00.000-07:00

Gamers are old and depressed according to Reuters.

A recent survey of 552 respondents showed 45% of those surveyed play the vidya, 56% were male, "most" had a high BMI and were around 35 years old.

Most female gamers were described as "depressed" and in poorer health than non-gamers.

Clearly my personal sphere of gaming friends are not representative of everyone, but also bear in mind that 552 people is not really a significant portion of the population - let alone population of people playing video games. Also keep in mind these are just the people who took the time to respond to the survey. While I'm sure 35, fat and older than your stereotypical Bro who plays Madden and chugs PBR is not the farthest stretch for "average gamer" (then again, enough kids who would not be able to fill out the survey travel with DSes and PSPs [or play Halo rotf lol] would probably skew the ages quite a bit in favor of the younger crowd, if included), the data sample isn't representative enough to say 'this is a guy who plays games.'

Also Batman is being heralded as "Game of the Year." Which isn't saying much as it's in competition with inFamous and maybe BlazBlue.

Cool Story of the Week: Pokemon Champion Crowned, His Parents Aren't Good At Video Games

2009-08-20T08:35:00.000-07:00

11 year-old Jeremy Fan is the World Pokemon Champ, I'm assuming only through video game play (since the PWC is for both the game and tcg). The article Google News shot at me is available here. I didn't think that the article was all that good (half the time, it's about the kid's family... I want to know about his and his opponent's teams, about the event, about Nintendo, ABOUT THE KID WHO WON). I mean, you get that he can't play all that much. No, there's something else here I thought was a great resource:

"Humbly, unlike their offspring, neither Fan parent says they're any good at games. Jian Fan said when he was growing up in Fujian, China, people of his generation were too poor to have time for such things. And now, with full-time jobs in Silicon Valley, he and his wife are simply too busy."

LOL WUT. Thanks, Asian stereotype parents. Who thinks to include this stuff while reporting on a kid winning a World-spanning event. Like... he's the best at something... in the world... And we're talking about how his parents came from China and aren't good at video games.

Official "Cool Story" of the week.

All Time Lows, All Time Highs

2009-08-12T21:59:00.000-07:00

I know my last few entries of "Nothing is happening and that's pretty much it so yeah" have been more than thrilling to my more than captive audience (of maybe two), but a google search for some good old fashioned video game news (you know, when I can't magically form ideas for entries on my lonesome) yields several low-tier titles, Tekken 6 (ok, not exactly the best example of "not low tier" gaming) and this.

That's when it hit me, "Mother of fuck," something I routinely say when I'm thinking to myself and need to have my mouth washed out with soap, "Video gaming is at its height. The economy is awful and we're celebrating a game based off of a half-decently rated parody of a campy summer blockbuster based off of a Hasbro toy line and 80's cartoon."

But then you have to take a step back for a second. The game is in 3-D. I don't think, short of the headache inducing VirtualBoy, that's ever been done before. And last time I checked, you could not make video games, let alone tie your shoes without using the bunny ear system (at least I know I can't); making games that can be played in 3-D? That's some kind of new-age wizardry that I can't even comprehend.

Then I thought about it even more... the Wii operates with 3-D controls. Yeah, you're playing on a 2-D realm based on a flat TV screen using some kind of avatar that sort of moves around in 3 dimensions but is still confined to 3-D. Then you have the new motion controls of Natal and whatever the PS3's equivalent of 3-D controls are (I can't be asked, as a video game news person, to keep up with this stuff). The screen pops out at you, but it's essentially no different than the 2-D imagery we're given through the simulated 3-D world in most modern gaming. Without physically controlling your game in that third dimension or operating in virtual reality, you're not really doing anything.

I'm currently trying to playtest for a Magic PTQ, so my ability to dig through mounds of dung are hampered a bit. If things don't pick up soon in the video game world, I'm going to start either jabbering endlessly about cool stuff that isn't timely or just start writing about other nerdy stuff that is. Also there'll be pictures. But no pictures for this post, I'm talking about G-Force. And that's terrible.

Ever Wonder What The Bottom of an Empty Con Idea Well Looks Like?

2009-07-28T08:44:00.001-07:00

Otakon has come and gone. As has San Diego Comic Con, but let’s ignore that for a second because I was actually at Otakon and can report on it. You see, Otakon is usually the con of a given con season that restores my faith in the world of nerd culture: crazy costumes get busted out, people gather, new ideas abound. This year, not so much.

Also, sorry I haven't been around enough to make updates as frequently as I'd like. Preparing for Otakon takes preference and priority over writing about nothing.

You can usually gauge what the new “it thing” is from Otakon, at least in my experience. This Otakon seems to be the exception; didn’t see much of any new vidya related costuming (the same is generally true of Anime costumes and the like… hell, we didn’t even have the usual overabundance of Naruto, Bleach and Kingdom Hearts and the latter even has a new game coming out).

Since there isn’t a whole lot of exceptional stuff to promote in the world of gaming at this time (what else is new?), it’s easiest to just continue my trail of gloom and doom: THERE IS NO ORIGINAL CONTENT OUT THAT IS DRIVING MAJOR INTEREST. GAMING INDUSTRY, DO SOMETHING PLOX.

Maybe you guys noticed something else out there, maybe you have some zany super wacky awesome pics showing how I’m an idiot and blind and didn’t see the 600 BlazBlu costumes paraded around con or some awesome Final Fantasy group that shows where the fan interest is drawn to. I didn’t see much, though… and only a smattering of No More Heroes costumes (I was the only NMH2 Travis, gantstare.gif).

It’s all been done, a woo woo woo.

Video Games Live Brings Tracks to Concert Halls

2009-07-10T09:14:00.000-07:00

The music of gaming has been listened to in and out of games, remixed, parodied, and used to create entirely original music.

Traditionally, though, when you think "Battle at the Base" from the Metal Gear Solid 3 soundtrack, your first thoughts probably aren't "CONCERT VENUE!"

Well, despite ignoring my attempts at an interview, I'm reporting that the concert series "Video Games Live" is bringing video games composers Tommy Tellarico and Jack Wall's creation of a concert of entirely orchestral video gaming music to stage in Virginia TONIGHT.

Popular series like Myst, Metal Gear Solid, Zelda, Mario and others will be represented through music, video, lasers and live gaming on-stage.

On the show's website, the tour continues through the US and Asia with stops in other locals around the world, as well as making an appearance at the San Diego Comic Con (so glad this is a timely story, ya herd)

Check it out if you're located near any of the venues, ticket prices vary by location (highest priced NYC tickets break $80 after surcharges and tax, while the lowest are around $40).

Oh, and it's not just no-games

2009-07-09T08:14:00.000-07:00

According to analysts, video game sales aren't on the decline due to a lack of new "AWESOME CONTENT, PLEASE REPLICATE," but a combination of the lack of blockbuster titles and the game resale and rentals market.

Game makers aren't making as much money due to recycling of games through resale chains like GameStop and rental services such as GameFly (let's try and be more redundant between paragraphs, shall we?). So the next time you see that high-pitched voiced rabbit on TV or get a request to sign up for low introductory rates on GameFly, remember you're actually helping to kill the games industry.

That and stealing games.

That and game makers aren't making new good content (you know, doing their jobs).

Pac Man ate all my monies.

2009-07-06T09:02:00.000-07:00

If you're like me and you don't have a gambling addiction, but the prospect of gaining money while purchasing nick-nacks bearing the visage of familiar characters, games and other niceties turns you right on, this post is for you.

Well, that and if you live in New Jersey.

The New Jersey State Lotto has introduced Pac Man scratch offs (apparently this has happened in Texas, too, as there's Kotaku article on it) celebrating the 30th anniversary of the lovable yellow pie-minus-a-slice.

I didn't win anything and the game is not as interesting as many other match-up games (but then is the preset "you win only if you get one of these two" game ever really that great?), but it was $2 and I could have had a return on my money or greater! Also, I found it while buying a slurpee at a 7-11, so I don't know what else you really want from me.

Don't buy it if you have a gambling problem because gambling more doesn't help resolve such issues!

Downloadable Content and Piracy in Games

2009-07-01T09:33:00.000-07:00

You like Steam. Admit it. The Valve game-downloading platform elates you and cuts out the middle-man in game purchasing. You can't get enough of it.

While nothing new (BUT WHAT IS NOWADAYS IN THE VIDEO GAME WORLD?), an examiner article cites that analysts predict that downloadable content will be the next wave in gaming.

Downloadable content has added value to many games, such as map packs for first person shooters, additional sections and areas of sandbox games and new hats for your custom fighter. Downloadable content as a stand-alone has also generated revenue for console makers, allowing them to rerelease old games for play on new systems, bringing updated versions of Street Fighter 2 or even entirely new games, like Megaman 9, to current-gen consoles.

However, one thing downloadable content adds is for publishers - protection from piracy. While many game manufacturers and console makers have continued in an escalating digital rights management (DRM) arms race with pirates who then work to crack whatever codes and encryption is put on discs and other games, companies like Valve have used the downloadable content model to protect or minimize damage from piracy.

An argument that frequently comes up in /v/ "piracy" threads is what would make it so that a pirate would stop "stealing" games. The answer to this is make the process neutral, enjoyable and simple. Going to a game store, like GameStop, involves a middle-man who frequently resells games from a business model that shortchanges both creator and buyer. Modding a system or cracking a CD allows a user to play a game for free. By forcing users to download content from the company, manufacturers create a loophole in the way games are purchased and consumed, one that forces a user to connect with the creators for validate and obtain new content as well as play games such as TF2 without the aid of "standalone" servers (as is popular... or rather, the only option for the pirating community).

DRM has been routinely considered a blow to the gaming community; it punishes only those who legally obtain copies of games by bogging down the title with extraneous software bordering on malware. However, if Steam is any indication, DRM can be more than just another speedbump for pirates to roll over.

Vidya Industry Shrinks in US

2009-06-30T10:18:00.000-07:00

Yeah, you thought the entertainment industry was unassailable, even in recession, didn't you? You were wrong, friend.

According to a recent CNet article, the video games industry has dropped in sales by 23% over the past year, dropping below the $1 billion mark for the first time since 2007.

The article says that the fault is felt across the board from all aspects of gaming, hardware and software alike.

NPD, the group tracking most vidya-related statistics, pointed out that it was more likely lack of blockbuster games (man, I'm on fire) rather than a weak economy that was bringing the industry low, citing that the top 10 games from last year sold almost one and a third times as many units as the current top-10 list.

NPDs May analysis continues to show a trend in declining sales, which continues from April.

NYT Newsflash and Michael Jackson VIDEO GAMES

2009-06-29T09:19:00.000-07:00

This just in: the New York Times has just discovered the iPhone plays video games.

I know it comes as a shocker, what with the iPhone video game billboards and bus stop adverts ALL OVER THE CITY and whatnot, video game app ads popping up in nearly every other form of print media and that whole "New iPhone releases being kind of Media Big Deals" (not that the story isn't sooooo last two weeks). Thanks for the breaking and relevant news, though. The best part, though? Comments from actual gaming companies:

"At the end of the day, you buy the iPhone to make calls and you buy the PSP to play games," a quote from Sony rep Al de Leon. COOL THANKS FOR THE HELP, AL.

In other news, Michael Jackson video games Wiimote PS360. Since Jackson is a popular topic, what with him dying suddenly and all, video gaming talking heads on the internet have started exploring Jackson's inclusions in the world of video gaming. Unfortunately, the above article neglects one of Jackson's easily most memorable and well-received inductions into video gaming: the Sonic the Hedgehog 3 soundtrack. Did you know the man who brought us the Moonwalk ALSO created the music for Ice Cap Zone? Samples of Jackson's voice can be heard in Launch Base Zone!

So, my tribute to Michael Jackson, Prince of Pop, the man responsible for Obama's presidency, a youtube video:

I'm an awful human and should be better at blogging

2009-06-15T17:16:00.001-07:00

I've been doing that whole "Going to Anime Cons like a really cool guy" thing and not being a very good BLOGGER. Sorry, gents.

Things I was right about #1: Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker

2009-06-04T16:26:00.000-07:00

So you know how I predicted what turned out to be Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker to be the interim tale of Big Boss between Metal Gear Solid: Portable Ops and Metal Gear? Well, check this crazy stuff out!
Click the image to view it larger. Stolen from the Kojima Productions E3 page, which now has video of the game trailer as well as screenshots of the "Metal Gear Solid Arcade" game, which I have no relevant information about!

More E3 updates to come, though I guess most of the important stuff is already around the net. Sorry. :[

Metal Gear Solid: Rising

2009-06-01T14:15:00.001-07:00

Metal Gear Solid prequel? Sequel? FILL IN THE BLANK SEQUENCE BETWEEN GAMES!?! Metal Gear Solid: Rising has been announced at the e3 conference. Tru faq time: it's for the 360.

What does this mean, though?

Well, for some time, series creator Hideo Kojima has been seen around 360 events, talking with people and generally having an air of rumor about him over the Tubes about the future of the Metal Gear series and possible future interaction with the XBox. Does this mean anything for MGS4 and the 360? Who knows.

What it does say is that MGS is going multi-platform in its current iteration and that Raiden is the current face of the franchise over at Microsoft. Additionally, MGS5 and Konami's PSP title are still up in the air (see previous update for more clarity on this).

Knowing Raiden is a cyborg ninja in the promo images, I would imagine the game is set between MGS2 and 4, during the time Raiden goes about searching for Sunny and transforming from blank-slate protagonist to ultra-cool future robot fighter guy. This would leave lots of room for exploration of details between games not addressed or all that important in MGS4, but still something of note from MGS2 absent in 4 (and would tie the last MGS title for the XBox to its most recent game).

But that's just speculation on my part.

MGS5: Countdown!

2009-06-01T14:05:00.001-07:00

Ok, so I'm finally on the E3 2009 KOJIMA PRODUCTIONS SPECIAL SITE. It's just "english" or "japanese" and the field scene from the loading screen. Cool story so far, right? Yeah, cool story, Psycho Mantis.

Next, asked to enter my birthdate. You know, because MGS games are rated M for Mature gamers, such as myself. No strange occurrences so far, the site is working after about an hour of "KOJIMA'S NEXT TITLE IS PAGE LOAD ERROR."

The main page is similar to the MGS4 preview page from waaaaay back when (and is probably an awful point of comparison as no one likely remembers it at all); access to content is limited based mostly on what's been shown at e3. "Mask" and "Metal Gear Solid: Rising" are the only previews available on the main page.

Clicking the Rising image just loads a larger "poster" of the image. There is room to its right for more images to pop up as, I'm assuming, the convention goes on. Clicking the "Mask" button loads a new tab, which quickly showed further development plans for "Page Load Error" from Kojima Productions! So, I guess I'll have more when the page updates (works)!

Update: The mask page is just an image of a mask with some orchestral music playing. I'm guessing more updates will come to/about the page when more is shown at e3 or at some point afterward!

Don't mind me, just being the best game ever.

2009-05-31T01:45:00.000-07:00

Scuse' me while I change my shorts.

PSPGo - wat.

2009-05-30T14:26:00.000-07:00

The PSPGo is supposed to be Sony's big unveil Tuesday at this year's e3 conference. However, a GCN leak article has an interview with a Sony rep going over the new features of the hand-held "upgrade."

The new system is supposed to feature a slide screen while maintaining its single d-nub and single r and l bumpers. Rumored also is a lack of UMD compatibility, though this is not confirmed.

Size seems to be the emphasis with the new model, which now looks a lot more like a phone than anything else.

Also highlighted is the use of downloaded content for the new system, which features 16 gigs of memory for downloadable content. This includes downloading or renting movies through the PS Network, exchanging content to and from your PS3 and downloading or updating games. Much talk has also been given to the new Metal Gear title, which may be on the PSP rather than PS3 (bear in mind that content from Metal Gear and other games have been referenced).

/v/, never the one to give much praise to Sony post-PS3, had much ire for the lack of additional directional nub and lack of UMD slot (the latter of which is not confirmed and only rumored based on the 16 gigs of memory and emphasis on downloadable content). While I don't agree adding another nub would do much for the system (as games previously designed for the PSP were made without the use of 2 d-nubs), a potential lack of UMD support erases the portable console's previous gaming library and old UMD movies for those who happened to buy into that sort of nonsense.

Another question left open is the PSP battery life. As is the use of a touch-screen while closed and ease of scratched screens. Hopefully we'll hear more Tuesday.

MGS5: Around the net

2009-05-26T22:32:00.000-07:00

In case you don't have the patience to sit through ambiguous letters and lightning, I've done the sit work for you (and scanned the net really quickly!).

MGS5 looks like it'll be another prequel about Big Boss (or a very young Solid Snake who just happens to look about MGS2 old... I SMELL A METAL GEAR REMAKE [no]). If you're new to the Metal Gear world, Big Boss is the original Snake - the greatest soldier whose genetic material was used to create clones Solid, Liquid and Solidus Snake, major players throughout the Metal Gear series. He was also the "Snake" you play as in Metal Gear Solid 3.

Since 3 and Metal Gear Solid: Portable Ops, rumors have been abound that the future of the series would be a look back, following the father figure turned "Vader" of Metal Gear through his rise and fall. Portable Ops left the "past" of the series rather ambiguous, with the then Ocelot (before gaining his Revolver name) had killed members of the CIA to gain more of the Philosopher's Legacy and Big Boss having just started up the Foxhound unit.

Since Old Snake's saga has pretty much been bled dry and wrapped up, the only facets of the Metal Gear world left to explore are: the period of change between 2 and 4 (where the world moves from Arsenal Gear crashing into New York and into the age of ID control, etc) and the period leading up to the first Metal Gear game, when we first meet Solid Snake. When will this game be set, then? Will Solid Snake be a fetus? A recruit in Foxhound? Will 5 return to Portable Ops' recruitment mechanic?

Updates will come when the timer runs out, I suppose!

Image grab courtesy of perezstart.

Bet no one could have seen this one coming!

2009-05-26T22:25:00.000-07:00

http://www.konami.jp/kojima_pro/next/index.html

ffffffffffffffffff I.
Don't.
Even.

MGS5. Coming to some video gaming console at some point ever. Maybe when the countdown's up. Maybe not.

DO HOHOHOHOHOHOHOHOHHOH

Video Games out-entertaining Movies

2009-05-21T11:15:00.000-07:00

A recent NPD group, a research firm, survey says video games have outstripped movies as a form of entertainment in the US.

63% of those surveyed had played a video game in the past 6 months, while only 53% had done the same with movies.

So what does this tell us? Well, these are just percentages and numbers based off of about 11,000 people. So. Maybe not much. Both the games industry and movie industry (arguably) are in slumps, with no "major titles" coming in the immediate future for any consoles, while it seems the summer's capping off this weekend with Terminator, while Wolverine received less than stellar reviews (and, let's not mix words, the movie was awful) and... not a whole lot else on the blockbuster front.

The video games industry is coming off from a boom, but sales are on the decline, the industry is firing a lot more than it's hiring and the aforementioned lack of new hot titles seem to be cooling down the industry. Maybe we'll see some heat come Christmas, but this summer is pretty arid on blockbusters for both entertainment industries.

What's going on in the world today?

2009-05-16T23:34:00.000-07:00

So now that I've graduated (shower me with praise, please), I'm free to POST ON MY BLOG more. And boy, howdy, do I have some retreading to do.

An IDG article provides commentary on the subject of the canceled Konami title "Six Days in Fallujah," what would have been the first game to recreate scenes from Operation Iraqi Freedom within the context of a first person shooter. As the article points out, it isn't the first title to "tackle" the conflicts going on in the Middle East but it is the first one to try to remain "true" to actual events, people and places from the scuffle.

However, the article presents the game as fodder for derision rather than a true step forward in games as both communication and entertainment medium. Think about it: movies, the news, TV shows, music, all popular forms of media in our culture are "allowed" to provide timely interpretations of current events, much of them rewarded for "speaking out" on a subject. A video game is still not held to this standard, is scoffed and canceled for being "too controversial a topic." I can garrote sociopaths in any number of ways, shoot insurgants as 50cent over concert payment, but an attempt at (what I assume is) tasteful digital recreation of a real conflict is too much? Even under the guidance of actual marines who'd faught? What kind of homage is that to their sacrifice, both of the living and dead? Is it because it's a game that it's unsuitable and too controversial a topic?

In other news, the DSi is the shining star amid a dregscape in current gen gaming. The new DS helped boost system sales for Nintendo during a season of poor economy and lacking titles, while other companies and their respective systems did not experience any similar windfall.

Do these two things, a relative stagnance in video gamery coupled with a collective lack of taking gaming serious as an artistic medium (yeah, games aren't art, etc, etc, but bear with me; TV's farther from art than most games are and it's clearly taken infinitely more serious and has been taken more seriously), does this spell a downturn for gaming? Is this the retread of my first post and gameoverthinker ranting? We'll have to wait and see. In the mean time, try and support some real games.

Busy busy busy so I'm taking the easy way out!

2009-05-12T08:48:00.001-07:00

Hey guys, you know you want to learn more about the Gold and Silver remakes, right? No? Sorry! Replace this text with some old timey piano music instead.

/v/'s recent ire over the change in female protagonist in G/S through the DS remake is apparent, as Crystal, the first playable female protagonist in a Pokemon game (introduced in Pokemon Crystal, the third game in the Gold/Silver/Crystal generation), has been replaced with a completely different looking character.

Gold, the game's male protagonist, seems to be unchanged. Cool story, as he was probably my favorite/second favorite protagonist design!

Also rumored on /v/ and elsewhere online is:
-Release date 11th Sept
-Preorders start on July 20th, same date as new movie, speculative preorder movie cross promotion
-From the Johto map, Kanto is hinted at
-Wifi Features Expanded
-Boy/Girl choice
-Skateboard
-Rival shown

The "preorder/movie" cross promotion refers to the notch eared Pichu you acquire from the latest Pokemon movie, which stars Arceus, God of the Pokemon universe. There is speculation that the special Pichu will trigger some in-game events in Heart Gold/Soul Silver.

Scans are courtesy of Corocoro magazine and /v/ with information from Pokebeach and rumor mongers.

Yeah, this could be a twitter update. What of it?

2009-05-08T10:13:00.000-07:00

Something I've noticed in pretty much all American events: there are no Celebi in the U.S. I mean, there are some for trade over on Smogon, but legitimacy is really a big shoulder shrug and a lot of throat-based noises that just sound like you're about to throw up or are choking on something.

With remakes of Gold and Silver coming to DS, the number of legitimate Lugia, Ho-oh and legendary dog trio increase exponentially (particularly if the game works off a similar RNG to the DPP trilogy of games). But what about Celebi? The forgotten plot device of Pokemon: Jhoto, the GS Ball, was given away through special event in Japan, where you could use the GS ball to trigger one of the first in-game unlockable events (in so far as "mystery gifting" was concerened), meeting Celebi in the Illex Shrine.

At present, virtually every other legendary Pokemon is available through some fairly open source (Deoxys had two U.S. giveaways, Darkrai had one with a likely pending item Mystery Gift event... the same is true of Shaymin. Mew is available through Ranch, Jirachi has its own disc from the Pokemon Colloseum demo, FR/LG have Mewtwo, etc), but Celebi has had virtually no exposure in America (particularly since the Japanese equivalent of the Jirachi disc had Celebi... thanks Gamefreak).

Be on the lookout for Celebi rumors to start popping up as more is known about the Gold and Silver remakes, I am sure you will see them.

Pokemon Heart Gold and Soul Silver

2009-05-07T19:15:00.000-07:00

Confirmed on the Pokemon fan site Pokebeach by way of Yahoo! Japan, Pokemon Heart Gold and Soul Silver are going to be released for the Nintendo DS.

The games are supposed to be remakes of the original Pokemon Gold and Silver, often argued to be the best games of the franchise (with and without nostalgia-goggles; personally, I think Platinum is the height of the franchise).

The games will be updates in the same vein as Fire Red and Leaf Green were updates to the original Red/Blue/Green/Yellow games, with improved graphics and sound and likely other new features, including aspects that take advantage of new handheld technology.

The game is set to be released in Fall in Japan. No word when American releases will occur.

I, for one, welcome our new Poke overlords.

Original article here.

Oh! Hi? Oh, gozaimasu!

2009-05-04T20:37:00.000-07:00

Ever wanted to show off your love for anime, video games and Japan, period? But when you go outside, some gross neckbeard is wearing that same super-trendy shirt you got off some site that reuses Lolcats jokes and pairings from some erotic yaoi hentai doujinshi your girlfriend's friend downloaded and tried to share with you? You know, the one who smells like meat and ends your name with "-san" when she talks to you? Well, if you live in New York (and probably other places, I don't know or really care), you can worry a whole lot less, now it's fashionable to love really nerdy things and not have your trendy threads be open to everyone with access to a modem and a tripcode on 4chan!

Uniqlo, a Japanese clothing store with global stores, especially one in my local NYC area, has recently unleashed a new line of print t-shirts, now with more anime and video game references than you can shake a stick at! Do you really hate the fake "Objection!" shirts that purveyors at Anime Conventions sell for a premium in the dealers room? Now Capcom has licensed official ones through the Japanese clothing chain. Like Pac-man ghosts, Megaman and Dig-Dug? They got shirts for that! Detective Conan? Gundam? You're covered. Inu Yasha and Full Metal Alchemist? Drink bleach, you're unclean and should check your local Hot Topic for your nerd culture.

Oh, and here's the news angle: from now until my birthday (MAY 12, DOH HOHOHOHOHO), there's a sale going on at Uniqlo - normally $15.50 each, you get 2 shirts for $29.50, 3 for $39.50 and 4 for $49.50. Their stock is huge and goes well beyond just random nerd stuff, you also have a lot of pretentious hipster garbage from international artists as well!

My only regret is that I couldn't find any Parappa the Rapper swag while I was there, as he's featured on the bag and I'd heard rumors of him being on clothing from the new line. Also no word from personal favorite Metal Gear like at the Japanese Uniqlo stores last summer.

Uniqlo is located at 546 Broadway, NYC near the Prince St. station on the yellow line.

To conclude: me wearing hipster trash and looking like a major bell-end. You're welcome.

Hey, don't copy that floppy!

2009-04-29T21:11:00.000-07:00

A PSA from the early 90's about software piracy. Hopefully this will keep you would-be pirates out of trouble now that you've learned something important about the damage you're doing to the games industry!

Neat trinkets from gaming #2: Wobbuffet and Lego DSi

2009-04-29T18:45:00.000-07:00

As my struggles with finals continue, it's nice to spend an afternoon with friends in the ole' City of New York. Even better is when you find a bunch of new doodads to write about for your video game blog about video games.

First up is one of the new releases from Jakks Pacific line of Pokemon toys. Previously, I thought the high of Jakk's talking plush line would end at Piplup, which every girl I know is inexplicably transfixed with. Little did I know that during a stop at Toys R Us with friends yesterday that I would find one that is superior in every way (and if you disagree with me you are a liar and a communist): Wobbuffet.

For those of you less-than-familiar with the Pokemon franchise (why are you reading my blog, then, though, since that's all I talk about), Wobbuffet is well known both in the Pokemon anime cartoon for its appearance alongside Team Rocket as a kind of comic relief to the already comical trio (its name in Japanese is based off of the expression, "I don't think so." which is why when he pops out of his ball after Jessie and/or James say something in the cartoon to quip "WOOOOOBBBBAAAAAFFFFEET," it's a lot funnier in context when he's saying it in Moonspeak, where his name is Sonansu). Also it is known in the competitive battling community for being one obscenely broken mother, bringing games to a standstill through stall in the 3rd Pokemon generation when it gained the ability Shadow Tag (which prevented your opponent from switching Pokemon) and battles between Wobbuffet would never end because the "Struggle" matches would never deal enough damage to either Pokemon to make up for the Leftovers recovery.

Anyway, in case you haven't seen my full Twitter picture, it's me wearing a Wobbuffet shirt and I'll be damned if I don't love that endless-battle making miscreant. For $15 at TRU, I got to take the lovable lump home and cuddled with it in lieu of a Jenni (insert Pokemon police officer joke here). It's roughly 15" tall, so it's rather large, adorable and says its name when you squeeze its hand.

Second on my list of things is something you cannot buy but maybe with a fortune and a lifetime of Lego collection you could possibly make: the Lego DSi at the Nintendo World store. Let me tell you, I didn't even play with Legos when I was a kid but I was taken aback by this construct from the future or space or from space future.

I wish I had stolen a shot when my friend was standing next to it just to establish the scale of this thing. Also I wish the Lego DS stylus that was crafted appeared in my picture, but then again I'm taking pictures for my blog using a 1.3 megapixel camera phone on low battery, so that should be some indication of how quality I am.

Needless to say, this thing is huge and very good looking. The detail given to all of the minute aspects, be it screen graphics to lens on the internal camera (yes, they included a Lego bit that resembles the DSi internal camera lens), work of art, waste of time, welcome distraction while ambling through Rockefeller Center, the Lego DSi is an important piece of video gaming paraphanelia that should be seen at all costs if you're in the area.

Back to back. This time about war time.

2009-04-27T14:53:00.000-07:00

To make up for the fact that I'm uber abgestoppt and have not been updating regularly (also winning 12 hour, multiple Magic limited events), here's a double dose of vidya gaiman news.

Konami has recently come under fire for their now canceled title, "Six Days in Fallujah," a first person shooter that looked to recreate a 2004 Iraq war skirmish. To clarify, the title was cancelled due to the antipathy from those for and against the war and not because Hideo Kojima sneezed or something crazy like that.

While I'd like to have something snarky to say about taking video games too seriously, being able to fight in scenarios in recent history with people you may even know/have known and how cool that would be, or people's tendency to jump all over various forms of media just because it's entertainment that doesn't sit right with them and "people" have this ridiculous sense of entitlement to not be offended by anything ever, I think I'll have to call this one on a count of "too-soon syndrome."

The game was only announced a few weeks ago and was handed over to military simulation makers Atomic Games. The press release expounded the necessity to convey the heaviness of war rather than, I'd assume, running around as some kind of steroid-bound super soldier with a regenerating health meter and automatic gun/chainsaw combo that would easily overheat and probably kill you and any immediate soldiers in your vecinity before it could be used for actually shooting the opposing force. From the description, it just seems like the game would be handled in a tasteful manner as possible. Guess people just can't embrace alternative venues storytelling outside of the History channel or children's books.

I just shot a Poland Springs bottle in my recycling bin from my bed, I'm pretty sure I'm the best sports anything ever.

What swine flu doesn't kill video games will.

2009-04-27T14:45:00.001-07:00

You know how I generally stand at a blazing pulpit preaching against the video game nay-sayers who bemoan video games as a potential source of violence? Well, sometimes, video games do lead to violence. Sort of. I guess.

Two recent instances (ONE HAPPENED BACK IN DECEMBER, INCREDIBLY RECENT, I TELL YOU WHAT) of murder occurred in and around playing video games. While the nature of game (though game system XBox 360 was identified in the more recent of the two altercations) is unspecified, apparently people are shooting each other over video games.

Bear in mind, of course, that these two outbreaks occurred with older gentlemen who owned guns and these are not the Columbines of yore nor the "whoops, I left my pistol out and my kid took it to school and tried to play Grand Theft Auto on the jungle gym at lunchtime," "we"'ve been worried about. Grown men. Shooting each other over video games. Thanks, poverty-rich apartment block housing.

Neat trinkets from gaming #1: Metal Gear Sound doodads

2009-04-21T20:34:00.000-07:00

Rather than fish through studies about whether or not video gaming increases your riboflavin consumption, I've decided to expand a bit into the simpler realm of "really cool things from video gaming I just happened to run into" and see if it takes off. Which is to say I'm going to post this until you like it.

Today, I ran into Toy Tokyo while out with a friend and in the midst of her being enamored with their selections of Extremely Expensive But Well Crafted 12" Figures, out of the corner of my ear (THIS IS HOW HEARING WORKS I SWEAR) I heard one of the most beautiful sounds known to man: a Codec ring.

Behind me were two peg racks near the register filled with 6 different noise-making octagons labeled with either "Snake" or with other game-related symbols (the Codec ring was labeled with the screen prompt "CALL" from the Metal Gear Solid games) in different colors, signifying that each made a different sound. I don't speak moon-speak so well, so it's not like I knew what any of the Japanese Snake sound-a-gons said (though the one I bought WAS familiar, Snake's "Gojira Snake." - what he says while responding to a Codec call), but even without the three Snake-speak boxes, you have Item Pickup sound effect, the afforementioned Codec call and Alert (!) sounds.

I have no idea how new they are, but they're MGS4 related items and I love the heck out of them. I picked them up for $7 a piece because I'm that much of a Metal Gear nerd. Be on the lookout if you are too! Or just head over to Toy Tokyo.

Rotom Forms: Yeah, I'm still talking about Pokemon.

2009-04-20T14:37:00.001-07:00

This past Sunday began the Secret Key Pokemon Mystery Gift event at Toys R Us stores in the U.S. and Canada. But the real story here isn't that it's just another event, but what comes after this week: the Secret Key will be available as a WiFi Mystery Gift giveaway if you can't make it to a Toys R Us store during this week.

In line with recent giveaways in Japan, now Mystery Gift events will be available for download over WiFi connection, such as Oak's Letter and ... whatever it was that got you access to Dakrai, allowing players (at some point in the future) to catch legendary Pokemon using techniques available to capturing other legendary Pokemon in-game (and once the Wild Pokemon Random Number Generator is broken, like the breeding and Shiny Egg RNG have before it, this will open up capturing perfect IVed legendaries in events).

The WiFi event/s are currently limited, both in Japan and America, to item giveaways. Future Japanese giveaway of a level 100 Arceus and Pikachu-colored-sprite Pichu for the next Pokemon movie are limited to theater downloads and will likely be the same for Toys R Us stores in the U.S. when the event comes overseas.

The Secret Key event opens access to a locked room that allows the Pokemon Rotom to change forms into one of 5 electrical appliances, enhancing its stats and allowing it to learn a special move based on the form it's taken. The download is only available for Pokemon Platinum carts and not for Diamond or Pearl. More on the form and event at Serebii!

Unrelated to video games, but worth mentioning either way:

2009-04-14T14:59:00.000-07:00

Blogger has just set up Mobile and Email posting. Whether this is a move to one-up upstart technologies like Twitter (though 20 160 character posts vs. 5 substantial, edited and HTML-enabled blog entries... which really is better?) or if it's just some new experiment to see whether this technology can integrate with existing writing formats is both interesting and something of note.

Clearly my Twitter feed (as bland and infrequently updated as it is, it being a jumble of inside or context relevant information/jokes and only about 4% of it relevant to anything else) is an element of this blog, but what if I could merge the blog itself into Twitter or vice versa? Does this expand my reach or create too much cross-tension?

An interesting topic of debate (please don't let me say interesting anymore this post), surely one relevant to the video game blogging world as a whole, as many developers and other company members tend to have blogs (and Twitters?), why worry about a lengthy blog post when you can just update from a meeting what's going on with the game? Or make notes in the middle of coding a sequence? The possibilities are pretty open, though I'm sure this is the same discussion that was had when people first started Twittering and figuring out ways to post to blog via Twitter.

Clearly if I can update this blog via DSi, updating it via phone is certainly a step in a similar direction.

H/o, updating from my DSi.

2009-04-12T13:21:00.000-07:00

So now I know what its like to be in the 21st century, what with making this update from my portable (gaming) device.

I was under the impression that Dr. Mario would be available on release. I would try the eyetoy WarioWare game, but lol, no.

Still getting used to typing with a stylus. Not too too slow though and the response for fast typing is better than the old ds, which is a huge plus.

All hail our robot overlords!

DSi: The Internet Conundrum and error code 051300-1

2009-04-12T12:53:00.000-07:00

So, it's already 16 hours into Easter Sunday. Around 12 hours in, I finally acquired my DSi and charged the sucker. However, that 15th hour was when the battle began.

See, my house has Verizon FiOS, possibly one of the most unfriendly non-computer wireless internet access points I've had to fight with (and even when friends visit with laptops in hand, I often am bombarded with "WHY CAN'T I GET ONLINE? WHY DO I NEED TO MAINLINE YOUR ROUTER?" fits).

While preparing to write this update, I tried in earnest to find my WEP key and log on. Only to find that my first router instance gave me a giant middle finger, between connection quality and allowing me to actually connect, whenever I'd test the connection settings. 051300-1, you're on my list.

After going to Nintendo's service page (not helpful, though the people who are on their phone lines are extremely so, to the point where I emailed the support staff at Nintendo after one of their representatives helped me with their WiFi USB connector last year to thank the service member who'd helped me through the process), calling to find the offices were closed for the holiday and basically giving up hope, I tryed resetting the connection. And found the scroll menu had my router listed twice. Oh.

The second connection was also A+++++++, causing my internet connection to somehow supercharge itself and load pages before I even went to them. Ok, that's an exaggeration, but updating my firmware was now possible to do and an enjoyable thing to do.

Still don't have anything downloaded, but hopefully this tidbit helps anyone who has a DSi and may be confounded by finding error code #051300-1 stopping their gameplay and internet dreams.

DSi Review prior to internet

2009-04-07T22:12:00.000-07:00

So out of the potential good ideas I've had, walking around New York City with an injured back is probably not at the top of the list. But the good news is the Nintendo World store in Rockefeller Center had the DSi available for some hands-on demoing. Additionally, I got one of my friends No More Heroes (without the Red Steel +$10 dual packaging. Buy it if you see it and don't have it because it won't be around for much longer!) and myself a pair of really comfortable Wii pajama bottoms.

Anyway, the DSi. The DSi is just... a lot of new fun things in a portable console. Will all of it seem relevant a month from now? Maybe not. Let's explore.

One of the new features on the DSi is its camera. The camera is about as simple to use as any cell phone camera, just minus the one-button activation on most phones (or at least on my LG Verizon whateveritis). The interior camera is only 0.3 megapixels, but the exterior one is a full 3.0. Funnily enough, the interior camera is actually really good, with photos showing up very clearly, probably even better than pictures I'd take on my phone (I SMELL A NEW PORTABLE NON-CAMERA CAMERA-ING DEVICE TO USE ON THE BLOG!!1oneforty). The menu allows you to toggle between cameras, meaning you can take pics of whatever's outside your DS or whoever happens to be playing with your DS.

From there, you can play around with the images, adding filters, morphing pictures, throwing in effects and other neat edits that won't be giving Photoshop a run for its money, but does give you a surprising number of options for photo editing software you use 100% on the fly. In fact, I had my handsome mug transformed by pulling my lovable kisser all-about using the touch screen.

Aside from the photo taking and editing capabilities, you also have a sound recorder using the DSi's microphone (or the DS headset, sold separately), which allows you to record sounds, slow them down, speed them up, change their pitch and not a lot else. Reviews say you can use this software in conjunction with your sound media files saved to any SD card, but since I was using a display model and don't randomly carry SD cards filled with AAC sound files, I couldn't be asked to actually test this feature out.

Needless to say, if I can entertain myself for a good 20-30 minutes playing a sound file of me saying, "Hey dad, can we get on sites? Nope," forward and backward in various speeds and pitches, adding the potential to mix and record your own audio files seems like a pretty sweet endeavor. And hey, why not throw on a beat AAC and sing over it for recording studio...ing on the go? If you're an aspiring singer, songwriter, or rapper, you could do worse if a flash of insight hits you while in the middle of an Ace Attorney trial.

In my previous post, I touted the DSi's ability to function as its own EyeToy peripheral from the PS2, as demonstrated on the DSi Store game download WarioWare title. Since it was available on the display systems, let me say that you wasted your money on an EyeToy without the WarioWare title, but the downloadable game (basically free if you buy the DSi during its limited time "Free 1000 Nintendo WiFi Store Credit" offer) just cements this fact. It's Smooth Moves but on the DS and, therefore, anywhere.

Finally, the Opera web browser. It wasn't available on the store DSi-s. So.
:D

Guy waits in line for DSi for 15 minutes, gets it

2009-04-05T18:47:00.000-07:00

The guy in question is me. I got up at 7:30 this morning hoping I'd dodge the PS3 bullet for video game hardware releases. Turns out I was the only one in line this morning, questioned by another guy who was up with his 11 year-old son whether I was there for the PS3 bundle or not.

I would link now to the NYT DSi review, but it's so bland that it may as well be about generic-brand mouth freshener as it just sort of lists DSi peripherals and then says that it's like an iPhone. Yeah, it's the iPhone minus phone you'd hoped it'd be, but the iPhone doesn't have the Nintendo WiFi Store backing it, with an entire history of titles, liscenced or otherwise, going back to gamings glory days. Why download Super Monkey Ball when I can get Dr. Mario and Pokemon Platinum in the same system.

I think the best review of the device is a San Jose Mercury News article highlighting what the DSi is, what it does and what to expect from it, particularly that in addition to all the relevant games and such, the portable system easily emulates the capabilities of the EyeToy from the PS2, as seen in the download launch title WarioWare: Snapped!

Sony didn't take the release lying down. On Wired, we can see a response to some outright crazy statements made by Sony about the PSP's relevance to the non-kids market of gamers (ignoring, of course, that an unholy amount of DS owners are adults that could care less about Rock Band or Hannah Montana and would prefer some Brain Age or Spanish Instructor).

I don't have a lot to add right now because, even if my DSi was opened, charged and ready, I don't have WiFi access at school. So. Hopefully next Sunday I'll have a full review for you!

Video Gaming Improves Vision

2009-04-01T18:40:00.000-07:00

Yeah, I'm just as shocked as you.

According to a University of Rochester study, playing action-oriented video games increases fine-contrast vision.

Normally the eye cannot discern between slight differences in shading easily and scientists had believed that increasing one's ability to see such minute differences would not be possible.

The study shows that the gamers had become 58% better at distinguishing between the shading as the result of their video game play by showing "action video games decrease visual crowding and increases visual attention," which, when translated, means that your eye is able to pick out individual elements of things that are packed tightly together or have a lot of detail to them and that your eye is able to attend to more objects in its visual field.

tl;dr - You see more and see more details.

The study was reported in March's Nature journal.

Pokemon News - The Acid Rain Glitch

2009-03-31T19:20:00.000-07:00

Yet another quick update - the new hot topic in Competitive Battling in Platinum is the weather glitch being called "acid rain," a field weather effect that causes every weather effect to trigger between turns and doing damage to each Pokemon.

The glitch was discovered in the Japanese release of the game months ago, but has undergone some serious testing since its discovery.

The glitch works like this: after a weather condition has been set up, by attack or automatically through a Pokemon's ability, a player's Pokemon is knocked out by using Pursuit when said Pokemon switches out (ex: Player one brings out Tyranitar against Starmie, triggering Sandstorm with Tyranitar's Sand Stream ability. Starmie's controller switches it out while Tyranitar's controller selects Pursuit as his attack. Starmie goes to switch, causing Pursuit to attack first and knock it out). The knocked out player switches in a new Pokemon and, from that point on, Rain, Sun, Hail and Sand weather conditions trigger (not sure of the order, bro), each causing Pokemon to take damage as though it were Hail or Sand (and causing some Pokemon to recover HP depending on weather condition).

Apparently other field effects, such as Gravity or Trick Room, can also trigger the glitch. A research thread detailing every known aspect of the glitch can be found on Smogon's forums.

One interesting effect of the glitch is that it causes an infinite loop for Weather-transformative Pokemon like Castform, effectively drawing the match as neither player can continue battling.

Research has not shown whether this will have any effect on the 2009 Pokemon Championship Qualifiers, though it is possible Pursuit has no such effect in double battles, the format for the championship.

A video of the glitch showing up in the English Platinum game can be seen here.

Quick update: Wiihab

2009-03-25T22:20:00.001-07:00

Dr. Bruce Battles, who still has the coolest name of any researcher I've ever talked to, took some time to talk to me for a feature piece I'm writing. Battles' has finished his first study with "Wiihab," using the Wii to aid in physical rehabilitation and actually, you know, get fit.

Battles let a number of patients at Western Kentucky University's Brain Trauma unit use Wii Sports (he specifically mentioned bowling, but there was no word on whether any other programs were used) to help the injured individuals help regain gross motor and socialization skills. And the final word? It worked.

Battles says that while Wiihab does not replace traditional therapy for trauma patients, it is a good supplement to their regular workouts, making the repetitive tasks involved in regaining motor functions fun. Additionally, the multiplayer aspects of the Wii allow individuals who've had this brain damage to recover social skills lost in their respective accidents, putting (and pitting) patients together in a shared experience on the Nintendo system.

Battles' first study was successful enough to spawn a second spin-off study, this time using the Wii Fit in addition to Wii Sports to test balance and other functions.

The doctor has not yet finished his article on the first study, but says it should be ready in early-to-mid April. If so, he should be the first person to report statistically relevant results with the Wii in rehabilitation.

Really quick post. It's about Platinum. Oh joy.

2009-03-24T15:14:00.000-07:00

One major problem I've noticed in-game so far: lag.

In Eterna Forest and Hearthome City, trying to run places causes the game to randomly start dropping in frame rates and slowing down pretty frequently (this is especially true in Hearthome).

I haven't really noticed the effect if you avoid running/increasing your movement frames and the effect isn't too crazy (though this makes leveling in Eterna Forest while walking around with Cheryl much more difficult).

While it's clear Hearthome's new "there are like 800 moving objects on screen at the same time" is detrimental to the frame rate, I'm not sure if Eterna Forest's drop is due to the new "canopy" effect with shadows and breaks for sunlight on the forest floor or if the effect is due to you dragging two bodies around instead of one (coupled with the new visual effects). I guess I'll have an update the next time I'm partnered with another trainer.

Other than that, my progress has stifled in-game due to OCD with completing my Pokedex as well as GRINDAN/power leveling my team between gyms.

Just a heads up for those of you still unsure about buying the game or who've had even less time to play than I have. Kind of mad at myself for not reporting this sooner.

Rockefeller Plaza Poke-Invasion

2009-03-23T13:41:00.000-07:00

Saturday, March 21 was quite a day for Rockefeller Center's Nintendo World Store.

Patrons were lined up around the block, most all with DSes in hand, many dressed up as or carrying Pokemon characters, in anticipation of the prerelease of the latest game in the Pokemon series, Pokemon Platinum.

The store opened an hour early, 11 A.M., to a massive crowd. Employees tried to bottle-neck traffic to the store by allowing only ten people at a time to enter to reduce congestion throughout the store, though, to be honest, moving around was a difficult task.

The first floor was decked out, as it always is, with mountains of Pokemon merchandise. The merchandise was then surrounded with Pokemon Platinum related paraphernalia, such as standees of the male and female game protagonists, lots of posters and cut-outs (and masks!) of Giratina, the focal Pokemon of the game and promotional back packs, masks and other items related the game's release.

In addition to the giveaways of promotional items, customers purchasing the game were randomly selected to win copies of the game autographed by Game Producer Junichi Masuda and Game Director Takeshi Kawachimaru to enthusiastic shouts and ringing cowbells.

If the crowd and employees weren't enough excitement, the outdoor set-up was just more icing on the cake.

A play area, including ball pit, carnival games, demo stations of the new game, a live stage where young Pokefans could play games, dance and answer trivia questions and a bean-bag chair area with a screening of the new Pokemon movie "Giratina and the Sky Warrior" for patrons. Mascots of DPP starter Pokemon Piplup and Chimchar were walking around to greet fans and take pictures, while various inflatable Pokemon were spotted throughout the fenced-off courtyard.

Oh, and the game's official release date was only one day later.

The massive fan support is just a very slight sign of Pokemon's still massive popularity for all ages, parents, children and those teens who happened to grow up with the gaming phenomenon.

Platinum Release Party: AVAST!

2009-03-20T00:57:00.001-07:00

March 21st, aka this Saturday, at Nintendo World in Rockefeller Plaza, NYC, Noon-4. Get ready. It's a party.

Nintendo's celebrating the overly-anticipated (to me, anyway) release of Pokemon Platinum in style with a release party, with giveaways, signings, costumes and, best of all, selling the newest release in the Pokemon series a day early.

Information is available on Pokemon.com, but the real treat is the fact that I'm going and you get to see me. No, just kidding, it's the Pokemon. You guys can see me fanboy over Pokemon like the ridiculous man-child I am. I will demand battles from everyone. No one is safe.

The lost world of the portable console.

2009-03-17T22:58:00.000-07:00

While I was growing up, there was one thing that still had some level of "in vogue" to it before the world of portable gaming became sexy... before anything could really be described as "portable."

Yeah, you had Game Boy Color to play your Kirby, Mario, Tetris and Pokemon on and not long after was the Gameboy Advance.

The real unsung gem of that era, however, was the Sega Nomad, what boiled down to a handheld Sega Genesis system that ran off of wall outlets, 6 AA batteries, a car charger and probably other potential power sources. Ignore for a second that it consumed these batteries en masse like it was some sort of device made to consume batteries (and that rechargable battery technology was nowhere near perfection), it was a system you could play any "Sega" game on anywhere. And when you were, say, at a family friend's shorehouse and didn't have the gual to bring your whole system with you, you could hook the Nomad up to the TV and play on the big boy screen. The box even had a second controller port for second players if you so desired.

More recently (though none too recent), Sony released the PSone, a smaller, white, extremely compact Playstation system*. What's more, the system was prepackaged with a fold-up LCD screen, allowing you to plug the system into wall ports in an airport or use a cigarette charger to power you on the fly for a FF9 (because FF7 and 8 are awful games and you should be ashamed for liking them) speed run on a long family car ride across the country.

Now we have behemoths like the PS3 and Xbox360 (and motion sensitive Wii; good luck playing that in the back of an Oldsmobile). We have the Nintendo DS, PSP and iPhone as compact, pocket size, non-cirgarette lighter-charged systems that are almost on par with (even at times outstripping) PS1 graphics. We also have mods to let you play games like Sonic 3 and Knuckles and FF7 on the fly.

So what happened here? Nomad was poorly marketed and released at a time when the Genesis was ending its lifecycle, but the PSone was around well into the age of the PS2 and other last-gen systems, even offering a lower price tag to keep it competitively priced and well-moved from shelves. One was a potential success marred by timing issues, the other a success despite timing. We cannot get "current gen" specs running on a DS. And while we have laptops, there's a lot to be said for controlling Dante on a touchpad.

We're in an age of behemoths and little gnomes that fit in your pocket, but it seems there's no space open for something in between. I remember the fun, but maybe I'm one of the few who do, when systems like the Nomad only sold 1 million units (total).

*Special note: mine did not have a phone.

I didn't hear anything about a recession.

2009-03-15T14:23:00.000-07:00

A TMNG projection says the video games industry will hit $40 billion by the year 2012.

The assessment claims that mobile platform gaming will be bringing major money over to the industry, such as through iPhone apps and the like.

In a statement taken from a Boston Globe article on the analysis:

"The expansion of casual games, simpler user interfaces and the proliferation of innovative business models is broadening the gamer demographic. The timing is ripe for service providers to hedge the business cycle."

In short: casual gaming, particularly through mobile phones or anything that can be played quickly via broadband (be it Peggle or Brawl).

So what does this mean for you? Numbers say ~50% of gamers a girls, most are around 33 years-old and, as I reported way back, mobile gaming's stake in the market is growing. Does this mean "more expensive" platforms like the DS and PSP are going to go out of fashion for iPhone apps store downloads? Probably not. But it does mean that gaming is going to cater less towards sitting down for hours and make way for a more on-the-fly experience.

A video from moviebob (THE GAME OVERTHINKER ZOMG) shows a possible third way for gaming to go, though this seems like more of a "full game" experience rather than the portable craze way. The "idea" posits a game that turns into a movie, similar to the failed Alone in the Dark remake, which allowed you to "skip scenes" and go to whichever level you like.

Casuals who can't beat Dante Must Die mode get their full game "experience," while the hardcore set gets the gaming experience. Yeah, you should just watch the video for this one.

...And now I twitter.

2009-03-15T14:15:00.000-07:00

Sup' dawg. I heard you liked Twitter so I linked to my Twitter so you can see me Twitter while you Twitter.

In case you don't click links, thiscoolirl is my Twitter name. Hopefully I can use it for something useful. Or not. I'll try not to be an awful Twitterer since I really don't like the concept of Twitter in the abstract.

3 new posts on Vidya Gaem forthcoming! :D

Parents mad about MadWorld.

2009-03-12T23:02:00.000-07:00

I'm on a roll with these titles.

So everyone apparently forgot about the over-the-top sexual, profane and violent antics of my lord and savior Travis Touchdown as Sega's "MadWorld" has raised some ire in parents groups in the U.S.

Apparently missing the "M" rating on the game, the game is being condemned for its blood-bath heavy gameplay, according to a New York Daily News article.

MadWorld is a Wii (obv) game where you control mechanic and former marine "Jack" who has inadvertently replaced one of his arms with a chainsaw. The game is in black and white with the only color to the game coming from rampant bloodspatter as you hack your way through a group of terrorists who have turned your town into a murder-themed game show.

MadWorld is not the first M-rated title for the Wii (in fact, a fast Google search shows there are 14 reaaaalllly old games that make that cut), I guess you could argue ads for it showed up on Cartoon Network's Adult Swim late night programming lineup, but I don't buy that for one second. There are tons more M-titles with much less "THIS IS OBVIOUSLY FANTASY VIOLENCE LOL" in their character than the Tarintino-esq MadWorld. Looks like parents groups don't have much to complain about these days. Or it's a slow news day for the Daily News.

Thanks, /v/. You're my only friend sometimes.

2009-03-11T16:39:00.000-07:00

"RICK SANCHEZ HATES RAPELAY, WHY DON'T YOU?" was how a /v/, 4chan's Video Game board, started early evening tonight.

Thinking I was well past reporting based on "what was hot on /v/" with my old blog, it doesn't help when the rage-hordes happen to resonate with a note I just happened to have reported on. Well, I mean, when a group of screaming anonymous internet people happen to say what would be considered reasonable counter-arguments to the overwhelming hate this game is getting in press lately.

An early post in the thread (I'd link to it, but in any likelihood it'll be gone before you read this):

"I hate the public outrage over this game. It fucking comes out years in the past and nobody cares. Amazon carries it briefly and suddenly a wave of butthurt feminists catches on, causing other people to catch on. Murder is commonplace but rape causes a stir? I can cut off people's limbs while they cry until they bleed out. I put my dick in a woman who doesn't want it and suddenly there's a news story. The jackass has no experience in video games, so he still thinks that games are all for children. WHAT DO YOU MEAN THERE'S MATURE THEMES IN VIDEO GAMES? Not to mention this game is impossible to buy without importing it from Japan, which a parent would need to be involved in.

What's next, a call to ban Custer's Revenge? That's a game about rape. Hell, it's even racist on top of that."

It's true. Video games have evolved well past being merely childrens' toys. This is as true now as it was when Mortal Kombat stopped being a news item and it took violent snuff fantasies being sold at stores like GameStop for people to even get more than half a rise out of extremity in video games. The medium has different demographics now, just as any film or brand of literature (or website, for that matter).

It doesn't help those outraged that the game is rated Adults Only and can only be made available through import.

I really hope Rick Sanchez is an epic troll of some form, because half of the content of the blog entry is not only filled with double standards for other graphic and adult themes in video games, but doesn't take the time to identify what "folger" content is. Maybe a hot-coffee mod for the game already laiden with sex?

edit: Hopefully my comment makes it to prime time on his blog-
This entry ignores several important things that need to be accounted for in video games:
1. The medium has moved past being for "children only." This isn't even just for extreme cases like "Manhunt" or "RapeLay," I mean both in content AND thematic nature. Games like Metal Gear Solid, Gears of War, or even these extreme cases are rated for Adults to play and for good reason.

2. The game is available only through import. You cannot find it sitting in the back of a GameStop or Best Buy. It is not going to magically jump into childrens' hands, nor is it even readily available without considerable searching on the part of the intended buyer (especially after its Amazon.com recall).

3. The game is fantasy. Games, by nature, are fantasy. Fantasy. Not real. As awesome as shooting people in the head with a sniper rifle is in any number of console and computer shooter titles, no reasonable person uses this as an excuse to buy a gun and go for an Ultra-Kill high score. The same is true of this game. While I'm sure some people have sexual "rape-fetishes" (you can google it. I will guarantee hits for it), no reasonable person acts out the fantasy in a fantasy setting and then says, "Wow, that was great. You know what would be better? If I went out on the street right now and raped the first girl I saw."

4. Placing any kind of ban or legislation against a GAME NOT EVEN READILY AVAILABLE ON US SOIL BECAUSE IT IS NOT MADE OR SOLD IN THE US is a tremendous double standard when the video games industry is already ripe with other "socially unacceptable" content that is not or is no longer questioned with more than passing concern.

Is showing a graphic depiction of some guy's head getting blown off repeatedly better than poorly rendered digital non-consensual sex? Probably not, when we take two seconds to consider neither is a desirable thing to do publicly but really no one else's business when acted out in a fantasy setting in the privacy of our homes.

More PR Struggle for Games Industry... also, btw, RE5 comes out tomorrow.

2009-03-11T16:13:00.000-07:00

In a bout of responsible advertising, a British ad depicting a child holding a video game controller with the giant text "RISK AN EARLY DEATH, JUST DO NOTHING" was released by the Change4Life campaign.

The ad is one of many, both in print and other media, released by the group, including an television ad showing a child playing video games and getting fatter over the course of the ad.

According to a cnet article on the media blitz, major companies have said nothing on ad-attacks. Whether this means that they are not threatened, have not otherwise been affected, or simply agree with the ads is left unsaid.

The column also points out other attacks made against the games industry with little complaint from them.

This, of course, at a time when gaming is hitting its largest and widest audience in history thanks to the likes of non-gamers taking part in the gaming world (woo who, Wii and Brain Age). But Don Reisinger raises a great point, when will the video game industry start fighting back? Countless studies (JUST CHECK THIS BLOG ROFFLECOPTERS) show that video games aren't all bad news and obviously anything taken to excess will have a detrimental effect. Why should a mud-slinging campaign be allowed to fly when all it does is show the extreme (and not even an accurate portrayal of the extreme side of things, thanks MMORPGS) effects of prolonged, uninterrupted video game use? Why this when there are so many more harmful first-party pressures that can have detrimental effects on a child's life, do we need to first cast blame at what may even serve as an escape from these problems?

Also, in case you're still reading, Resident Evil 5 comes out tomorrow. I won't have a copy because I didn't pre-order the game, but I hope reviews point in either direction for quality- either that it's over the top awesome or a simple rehash of RE4 but in Africa and now you have some spicy ethnic chick as your partner. I'd hope for the former, as this past year and some months have suffered deeply from "Rehashing or Poor-quality Sequel-itis."

Steam has made an art.

2009-03-09T16:01:00.000-07:00

I'm not too huge on defining "art" so don't hate me for talking about this... I mean, I got the report from /v/.

Steam, Valve's video game downloading service (the same one you use to download content for Half-Life2 and Team Fortress 2), has a new game on the menu... well, it's not really a game, per say. More like an interactive "painting" than a game. Or an interactive Sundance short.

According to the Steam page, "The Graveyard is a very short computer game. You play an old lady who visits a graveyard. You walk around, sit on a bench and listen to a song... The full version of the game is exactly the same as the trial, except, every time you play she may die."

It's nice that Valve and video gaming in general is trying to go for "something more," but for about the same price, you can get iPhone game downloads or even something for your virtual console on various current-gen systems. And given the choice between watching an old woman die and playing Megaman 9, I think the choice is obvious.

The download is $4.99 through Steam if you want to give it a try. If you have $5 to spare and are willing to give a thumbs up to possible future projects of the same sort, give it a try. I'm sure you've wasted more on lesser experiences.

Who gets to be Ringo?

2009-03-05T09:48:00.000-08:00

You must admit you've had fantasies of being a Beatle.

The Beatles - Rock Band has been announced through it's publisher, MTV. While the link is to what boils down to a press release, the concept of "Rock Band" and "The Beatles" should not be too abstract for you to grasp: you play plastic instruments to the tune of Beatles songs in what is likely to be a dorm or basement setting with a group of friends, gathering Star Power, wailing out solos and possibly smashing your expensive toy guitar peripheral through your TV after achieving 100% on "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band."

Important stuff:
"Available on 9/9/09:

• The Beatles: Rock Band Software - Xbox 360, PLAYSTATION 3, Wii: $59.99 MSRP
• The Beatles: Rock Band Standalone Guitars - Xbox 360, PLAYSTATION 3, Wii: $99.99 MSRP
• The Beatles: Rock Band Limited Edition Premium Bundle: Xbox 360, PLAYSTATION 3, Wii: $249.99 MSRP"

To be fair, I'll buy ten if there's an unlockable Blue Meanie character skin.

Regigigas and neat Pokemon Platinum News

2009-03-03T16:51:00.000-08:00

I am sure you're tired of my harping on Pokemon. Big whoop, wanna fight about it?

This Sunday, March 8, you too can get your very own Level 100 Event Regigigas at any U.S. or Puerto Rican Toys R Us! Wow!Regigigas is a legendary Pokemon regularly available in your Diamond and Pearl game cart, so why bother? This Regigigas unlocks an in-game Platinum event that allows you to capture the Regi-trio (Regice, Registeel and Regirock), similar to how the Shaymin event several weeks ago allows you to unlock Shaymin's Sky Forme when traded to the unreleased game.The event lasts until March 21st, the day before Platinum is released, so if you're reeling from daylight savings March 8, it's no big deal.From a battling perspective, Regigigas is kind of awful; it has an ability that halves its attack and speed. While its stats allow it to be very bulky (its HP and defenses are wonderful), waiting 5 turns to be a useful attacker is no small feat for even the bulkiest Pokemon. The Regi-trio, however, all make rather good walls or tanks (walling is a defensive play while taking involves taking damage and then being able to dish it out in turn).
In Soviet Russia, Regi-trio unlocks Regigigas. Pokemon.com has all the info you need to know before the event!

More violence, more problems

2009-03-03T12:22:00.000-08:00

According to a joint U.S.-Dutch study, as reported in the Chicago Tribune, the more warnings and restrictions you put on a game's package, the more a minor is going to want to play it.

The study took 310 Dutch children aged 7-17 and handed them game descriptions with varying degrees of violence and the like in each summary. Participants were asked to rate how much they wanted to play the game and, as a result, the games with the most graphic content were rated highest.

The piece also cites a similar effect with television and movies.

The study should not be very surprising: sex and violence always sell! However, the study SHOULD be a good basis for how to advertise adult-themed games, cut down on all the factors that make it attractive. Or, at the very least, tone down the description of what less-than-wholesome activities you can do in-game.

With the constant legislative struggle with video games (and recent "can't not sell to minors, row row fight the power against what games can be sold in the U.S.") media string, studies like this really reinforce what everyone should already know- sex and violence sell, but if you don't want to sell them based on those merits... don't make them focal.

I'm not an advertising guy (at least not for video games), so I don't know how the video game industry and keeping kids safe from a controlled fantasy violent setting go hand-in-hand. I know showering blood and gore on the cover of your packaging is appealing, though, and not just to 7-17 year olds.

Some video-hype-dates

2009-02-26T22:31:00.001-08:00

Two major gaming updates for the immediate future:
Halo Wars, Halo's induction into the Real-time Strategy world is coming out Tuesday, March 3rd. While I'm not a fan of the Halo series, I am a fan of RTS games (being born and raised on Starcraft and all) and am interested to see what Wars does for the genre, especially with Starcraft 2 hot on its tail.

In other gaming-related news, "Street Fighter: The Legend of Chun-Li" comes out... now. I don't think it's possible to top the original Street Fighter movie, particularly with a focus on the series' non-main character (ok, she's one of the fan favorites but we all know Ryu is the star of the show).

Both forms of entertainment are approved for teenage audiences, with violence driving the rating past child-safe viewing!

Wii-hab

2009-02-25T13:48:00.001-08:00

Follow trends in video gaming relevant to the real world they said!

I was recently able to talk to Bruce Battles about using Wii Fit in the rehabilitation process. The Amplifier has an article about WKU and Battles's work here.

Battles says that while the Wii Fit (and similar virtual exercise programs) are no substitute for the nitty-gritty rehab work done at centers around the country, virtual programs are a great supplement to the rehabilitation process. And he would know, he and his son used the "Wii-hab" method to help overcome his son's right-arm paralysis after a traffic accident.

"It makes doing those exercises fun, so you do more without realizing what you're doing," says Battles.

Battles believes that more research needs to be done to prove that the method is effective in maintaining fitness in the infirm or injured, which is where research from Dr. Scott Owens comes into play.

While Owens could not divulge any information on the current progress of his study in an email interview, he did assure me results should be available around May.

FritoLay, a-ok. RapeLay? Not so much.

2009-02-23T21:02:00.000-08:00

That is the worst title I have ever written. I'm so sorry.

Anyway, Japanese dating sim "RapeLay," a game that promotes raping women, has come under some fire for its availability in the U.S!
According to the PC World article, New York City Councilwoman Christine Quinn is asking for U.S. retailers to ban sales of the game, which is not available in mainstream game retailers, such as GameStop.

I know back-to-back entries on basically the same thing are kind of tedious (and hey, I could even go so far as to merge them into one!), but games are fantasy. And the game is strictly targeted to adults. A kid would have to go quite out of his or her way to get his or her hands on this game. And guess what? Even if they did, it's still a game.

Can you really quantify whether rape is worse than murder? Yet, despite this, some of the most brutal murder, dismemberment and evisceration is available for viewing in video games aimed at a responsible, first-amendment protected adult audience. Unless Christine Quinn has a room filled with love pillows and has unlocked all of the possible endings for "Let's Meow Meow," she is not qualified to tell someone who has what is acceptable for him or her to play. It's a private safe area to do unspeakable things in. I would be drawn and quartered by PETA if I tried to capture animals in plastic balls to make them battle one another for sport and money.

Coincidentally, SomethingAwful totally panned RapeLay. Maybe if she was basing the ban on game quality she'd have an argument.

Can't stop your kid from Manhunting or doing some Grand Theft Auto

2009-02-23T20:49:00.000-08:00

Want to stop your kids from buying violent video games? A California appeals court ruled that it's against the first and fourteenth amendments to prohibit the sales of violent video games to minors.

Although research has shown that watching violent acts leads to violent tendencies (don't ask me to look up the study, it's a basic thing in developmental psychology. I promise), which has been the backbone argument against letting kids play Mortal Kombat and GTA, it also does clearly inhibit letting youths make their own choices.

Yeah, that's really callous in one sense- let Johnny shoot his eye out to learn how not to play with shooty toys, but let's be real for a second: kids play war, kids play Cowboys and Indians (maybe. or maybe they play Space Marines and Aliens or something now), kids have pretty vivid imaginations (or at least I did, maybe kids don't have those anymore). Giving kids violent video games, or video games in general, allows kids to act out in a safe fantasy environment. Blocking kids from a safe fantasy environment to learn about violence (or merely see it acted out, as I don't learn much from watching Dante of Devil May Cry fame get impaled by demonic scythes and then punch a guy's head off) forces children to learn through real world experience only. Additionally, it's not that hard for parents to establish a safe environment for a child. They will learn about these things one way or another, be it through video games, television, newspapers, movies, other children, school, or a drive-by shooting on the block. The safety of the home and the educated gaze of a parent should (emphasis on should) be the best learning environment for a child. Learning fantasy from real? Just as important. Video games allow this.

But yeah, video games are ruining America or something. Whatever.

...I'm a regular Nintendo hype machine.

2009-02-19T07:59:00.000-08:00

I was under the impression GameStop didn't take preorders on hardware, as was the case with the past two major video game hardware releases in the storm surrounding the Wii and Playstation 3 two years ago. Well, the DSi (the new Nintendo portable DS hardware that emulates many features of the iPhone) is available for preorder at GameStop for a $25 deposit. For those unaware, much of GameStop revenue (and job structure) is based around preorders, with benefits and security going to those who can get the most money for games before they come out.

I'm not sure what the demand will be for the DSi at this point, as technophiles will already be inundated with the mostly superior gadgetry of the iPhone and iPod Touch for their "must have the latest" needs. Unless you're in it for the DS games themselves, other apps do what the DSi does and better (unless you find a 20 gig SD card stolen from the future and the camera is on par with most low-par SLRs) and, if you're in it for the games, don't you already have a DS?

What's also disappointing is the lack of Gameboy Advance compatibility, essentially cutting off a quarter of the functionality of the DS (and a very relevant portion of Pokemon Diamond/Pearl/Platinum) to make room for SmartPhone and WiiWare apps. This also, of course, assumes that the WiFi internet browser capability isn't a lie and that I can draw sex organs in PictoChat and watch YouTube videos while I catch a Pikachu. I'm totally buying the DSi because I'm not hip enough to own an iPhone, but I'd like to see how well the unit sells given the current state of the economy when most kids who will be bawling for one already have a DS and don't really need another.

Also, in the event I'm not making this clear, the DSi ISN'T a phone, unlike that foreign-exclusive cell-phone expansion on the Gameboy Color for Pokemon Crystal.

DSi finally has a release date: April 5. Preorder it, wait in line outside of your local electronics retailer, or whatever.

More Platinum news.

2009-02-18T12:10:00.001-08:00

Nintendo has released the official site for Pokemon Platinum, which wouldn't be spectacular except for the fact that it hints at events for the Rotom-form Key, Regigigas evevnt that triggers the other Regis in Sinnoh, introduces the expanded gameplay available through Battle Frontier and introduces many more gameplay additions.

This is a fairly uncommon mass-reveal (particularly for those of us who are spoiled about the game's contents) on the part of Nintendo, but also increases hype for the game, as previously Nintendo events were few and far between in the US and far removed from their Japanese equivalents.

March 22nd, a Sunday, is when you can get your hands on this. The Regigigas event happens prior to Platinum's release at an unannounced time.
Thanks to Serebii for the update!

Street Fighting 4 release or How I learned to stop worrying and embrace 2009 sequels.

2009-02-17T15:34:00.000-08:00

So tonight I got to play Street Fighter 4 at NYU's Gaming Club, which is a good thing because I don't have my PS-Triple in my dorm (leaving me with a Ryu statue to stare at my game box and soundtrack and wonder what I'm doing with my life). Hope you guys like game reviews, because you're in for a treat.

Our last venture into the Street Fighting vidya-game world was Street Fighter 3: 3rd Strike. This, of course, excluding the prettied-up remakes of Street Fighter 2 available for various virtual consoles, the cross-company games like Capcom vs. SNK and the Japanese exclusive (but hopefully not ;_;) Tatsunoko vs. Capcom and fan made games like Mugen. SF3 has routinely been labeled as a tourney-player-oriented game due to its technicalities like the Parry System and character tiering (if this is confusing to you, don't worry, you're not alone. if it isn't, gb2posting YouTube combo videos). It also doesn't help that the largest release for the game was the home of tourney boot-camping, the world of arcades and other coin-op havens and that the various iterations of SF3 were limited to Street Fighter Collection status.
SF4 has been proclaimed as a return to Street Fighter's roots, more SF2 oriented and probably many other things.

The first thing you should know about Street Fighter 4 is that it is not like Street Fighter 3. The parry system, as I said, is gone. EX-moves are still in abundance, but there's no more parrying. Ken is not the beast he used to be. I feel like his Shoryuken doesn't have the same PAUNCH his SF3 attack did. Also the Tatsumakisempukyaku (Hurricane Kick AKA Spinny Kick) feels so much slower (but, imo, gets more hits/damage in) and has really low priority. I'm not the technical guy to go to on these things, it's just my experience between the two games talking as a fairly casual player. I figure this will get the very technical things out of the way so I can talk about it like a game rather than an algorithm.

Because the game I was playing was freshly cracked at a club meeting, you can imagine that the character list was limited to your starters. And yes, only about 5/8 of your roster is unlocked at the beginning. For those of you who love Cammy and, my personal favorite, Sakura, get ready for some Super Smash Brothers Brawl syndrome, because you have some unlocking and replaying to do, potentially turning you into "that guy" by the time everyone else is available.
Of the starting roster, you have classics in the form of Zangief, Blanka, Dhalsim, Chun-Li, Guile, M.Bison, E.Honda, Vega, Balrog, Sagat, Ken and Ryu. They are joined by newcomers Abel, an amnesiac mercenary out to discover his past, Rufus, an overweight self-made martial artist from America who dreams of defeating Ken, El Fuerte, a Mexican wrestler who strives to become a renown chef, and Crimson Viper, some broad with a cell-phone and immense cleavage.

Most of the returning characters play like themselves, almost stereotypically so. Ryu is just... omni-balanced between his defense and offense, while Dhalsim is as slow as ever and M.Bison's Psycho Crusher (or whatever that move where he dashes through the screen in a streak of purple is called) completely ruins lives. Oh yeah, and people don't like when you scream, "TIGER!" after every one of Sagat's special moves. Just a heads up.

The newcomers, however, are a whole new story. I only had hands-on time with C.Viper and El Fuerte (essentially pigeonholing me as a man who is very interested in zany Mexican wrestlers and breasts), but did get to watch some screen time with Abel and Rufus.
If you've looked in the SF4 guide on C.Viper to see that she's hard to control, don't listen to it. Her attack list is not very technical and most controls like Sagat in reverse, except for her "ground pound" (not real name) which uses the Shoryuken/Tiger Uppercut control.
El Fuerte is a guy you want to practice with. He essentially only has two special moves, one of which chains into 6 different spin-off moves. The problem is that the frames... nevermind, talking technical again. You can get hit out of the first part of the move and not with much difficulty. Maybe he's a character who you want to use normal attacks first and foremost with. I was tossed into the thick of it with some more-experienced players, so I wouldn't know.
Abel looks like a chore because it seems like many of his moves are grappels as opposed to the normal fare. No one was able to really get much time in with Rufus because he's a huge fat guy, which is off-putting in a game with classic characters and new guys who look like they belong in a battle with the propriatary members.

Obviously this isn't the be-all, end-all of SF4, but there wasn't one person who was completely dominating in the night, which is probably a good sign in terms of playability both as a tourney game and as a fun thing to do with friends. It doesn't have the same childish appeal of SSBB, but I never had Mario fighting Pikachu when I was a kid.

One final note: the SF4 guide essentially demands that players strive for tournament-player status (or at least take their game to the competitive rather than casual level). While I'm all for making the best of your ability to do whatever, be it shoe tying, dog raising or video game playing, setting the common barrier for fighting games at "tourneyguy" is NOT a good direction for video gaming in general. It generally turns off new or less experienced players who are just in it to have fun at home and occasionally have massive fight-fests with their friends. I've been on both sides of the "tourneyguy" fence, and I can honestly say I enjoy Brawling with my best friend instead of trying not to die against PC Chris and BlurrLee.

Video Game manufacturer Midway files for bankruptcy

2009-02-17T12:59:00.000-08:00

Manufacturer of Mortal Kombat, Ms. Pac-man and Spy Hunter Midway filed for bankruptcy on the 12th, citing a recent change in leadership as the cause of its financial woes.
The company had changed hands from Sumner Redstone, Head of Viacom/CBS Corp, to a private investor who picked up the game maker for $100,000 and some $70 million in debt.
Midway's major contributions of the video game world, aside from the aforementioned titles, include a huge library of arcade titles, a huge quantity of which saw success in both arcades and consoles.

According to the AP, a judge has okayed the bankruptcy filing and has agreed to let the company pay vendors and employees to continue operating.

While times are obviously difficult for most people, video games sit in that generally presumed to be unassailable entertainment niche. While other companies, such as Take-Two Interactive, have faced financial losses, no company as large and well known as Midway have filed for bankruptcy. Hopefully this doesn't become a trend.

Want your kids to be awesome at life? Give them vidya.

2009-02-12T00:34:00.000-08:00

According to a European Study, "video games can stimulate learning of facts and skills such as strategic thinking, creativity, cooperation and innovative thinking, which are important skills in the information society."

The Guardian reported on the study, which said video games had practical applications as both entertainment and should be looked to for the future of education. Maybe in a few years, your kids will take Wii Fit instead of Gym and Math Blaster instead of Algebra.

Comic Con: The Saturday Chronicles

2009-02-12T00:09:00.000-08:00

Not much more to be said about Saturday that wasn't said earlier (I mean, I got the "news" out of the way). A lot more people dressed up for Saturday, I got to take more pictures of people and things.
I had a brief conversation with one of the Ohio Ghostbusters about the coming game from Atari! The Wii release is essentially a third person shooter that takes place immediately after the end of Ghostbusters 2, back in the strange world of the late 80's/early 90's. Ghosts did done got out and it's up to you to capture them!... As a Ghostbuster!
The game seems kind of kiddy (no jokes about the Wii here, promise), but I guess that's what made the Ghostbusters and its ensuing cartoon series so over-the-top-awesome. Original voices are used. Some new ghosts are had. You do zany Wii controls to fire proton packs and catch ghosts. The demo was pretty straightforward (strafe around a library, suck up the spooks, repeat), but, as always, that's the demo. Saturday also boasted a Slimer ice sculpture. Yeah.
And just so we're clear, the Rockstar booth was kicking. I never did get to talk with anyone important, but the spectacle (and demo) were enough, really. And the free shirt in "not basement dweller x-tra huge" was a plus. But hey, here are pictures. A van, lots of DS stations, lights, killer sound system... the works.
Playmates offered a working Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles "Turtles in Time" arcade box at their booth. In case you've failed in your mission to live a fulfilling life, the game is a classic of the 90's in the realm of planar 2D beat-em-ups, up there with The Simpsons and X-Men Arcade.
The Video Game Cosplayers gathered upstairs. Since there's not a lot to say about that, here are some highlight pictures (Final Fantasy and Kingdom Hearts can't get in the club):

...I'm gone.

Get your Pokemon Diamond and Pearl carts ready

2009-02-09T17:56:00.000-08:00

Final summary of NYCC is coming up, I have a lot of pictures to upload before I make such posts.
Before that, though, correction: Konami DID have a booth there, it just wasn't as huge and epic as its booth last year. My apologies to Konami and anyone whose feelings were hurt by my exclusion of them from my coverage. My opinion: it's hard to top back-to-back Metal Gear Solid 4 - Metal Gear Online 2 two years in a row.

This week, as of yesterday, starts the Toys R Us Shaymin giveaway event. Shaymin is one of the new event-only Legendaries from Pokemon Diamond/Pearl, much like Mew, Celebi and Jirachi in previous generations (this generation, we're gifted with two base-100 event Legends, the second of which is Manaphy). The Shaymin has the additional benefit of activating the Gracedia event in Florma Town in Pokemon Platinum (available 3/22, zomg) that transforms your Shaymin into its Sky Form(e), where its stats, typing and learnable moves change. If that's all jargon to you, lrn2playPkmn,bro.

The event ends 2/14 (nothing like catching an event-only Pokemon for your sweetie on Valentine's Day) and requires no purchase. Just be sure to activate Mystery Gift on your Pokemon cart by talking to the guy on the third floor of the Jublife TV building and inputting the phrase "EVERYONE HAPPY" and "WI-FI Connection." If you have 5+driving minutes and love Pokemon, you could do worse with your time.

Brief Day 2 recap!

2009-02-07T22:25:00.000-08:00

When I mentioned in my previous post that the show had sold out today, it was with good reason. Getting around was a chore as the floor was filled to capacity throughout the day.
The DC Universe Online demo was playable. It was noted during the day that one of the Speedster characters (any super-being with the power of super speed ala Flash or Quicksilver) started clipping through the floor of the world, causing him to run around upside down under the street of the city. I'm sure this isn't a common occurrence and, I mean, it's only a demo. Just something humorous of note.
The video game costumes were not common sites to the main show floor, which was confusing until I visited the third floor stage, where the "World's Largest Video Game Character Gathering" had been held and many remnants of the record-breaking attempt were still hanging out, listening to a nerd-comedian's set and taking pictures of one another (lucky me, I missed the main show, which reportedly gummed up any hope of entering or exiting the third floor).
Nothing new in addition to yesterday's video game spectacle, though I will upload more pictures and information from booths I was able to hit (unfortunately, no new hands-on demoing occurred).

Tomorrow is the last and final day. I'll try to get more hands-on demos to report back with along with pictures and information passed on from Day 2.

Fears for RE:5 and the anti-cipation.

2009-02-07T00:12:00.000-08:00

In my last post I made my off the cuff remark about my fears for the coming year of video gaming, partially summed up by my wanting to respond to the moviebob video in my first entry (a lot more detail to come in part 2 of that).
After Comic Con day 1, I had some hands-on time and got to watch other people demo what looks to be a healthy selection and quality of games. My real issue has been with the games I've been waiting for.
This video is probably one of the general summaries of what infuriates me about the recent mire of video gaming (and shut up, I know there have been some awesome SHOOTAN titles as of late, I could care less). Up to about 3 minutes in, you have almost a copy-paste of RE4 with some new "does nothing" partner, your enemies do the "sprint at you and then lurch closer when they're in pouncing range" and at that three minute mark... the voice acting... "PAHTNAH!" ffffffffff. Seriously? I know RE isn't a series backboned by dialog, but at least try not me make some... well, I don't know where your partner's from, but it isn't the deep south. Let's not emulate that.
In case you're missing it, it's rehashing the same old stuff that gaming has grown past. I'm not asking for the game to crush you, especially not in the demo, but there's a sense of terror that existed in the RE franchise before RE4, and a lot of it had to do with how the enemies around you acted. Prince of Persia had so much going for its first reiteration with Sands of Time, the story, just everything... it may be my (as it is for a number of others) favorite game of all time. The new game doesn't copy that. You're playing Dante in a PoP game with less stylized combat and doing now more off-the-wall, over-the-top acrobatics. In Sands of Time, you had that "I WANT TO DO THAT!" feel happening. You could do that. You could run along a wall and jump off using momentum. Cool. Now you're flying around, wall-running upside down and other malarky... it goes from fantastic to just fantasy.

Ok, those are two totally different gripes, a third of which can be said for Mirror's Edge. Needless to say, these gulches in in games people were supposed to be excited for, along with a list of titles I don't have anything to base expectations off of lead me to fear the impending implosion of popular gaming. Some of my fears have been hacked into, at least for 2009, thanks to Comic Con. But there's still a lot to be said about the current state of gaming.

...the end of the first day. NY Comic Con '09 - Day One

2009-02-06T21:11:00.000-08:00

Set sail for image dumping.
NYCC (or Knee-Cuc, as the pros like it call it) has started off in full force and the one thing the exhibitor's floor, the largest room of the convention and feature attraction (aside from the IGN theater, filled with movie previews and premiers available at the con before anywhere else), has in spades are video game companies. And let me tell you, this year everyone's getting in on it.
Marvel is showing off it's hero-based RPG sequel, Marvel Ultimate Alliance 2. Countering the massive offline RPG is DC's MMORPG, DC Universe Online. (yeah, my image of the product is far from the most interesting)

Atari, Sega, Ubisoft, Rockstar... most everyone is in show, MISCLICK: KONAMI WAS THERE, KIJIN IS A LOSER. At the company booths, playable demos are where it's at. I promise to get shots of it for tomorrow's update, but my favorite is the Atari booth, which offered a demo of its long delayed but highly anticipated Ghostbusters game. Hopefully I'll be proven right, but when I stopped by the booth, all sides were flanked with fully-garbed Ghostbusters, including an Egon Spengler who was being interviewed by TV cameras. I hope they based the game on the original Atari classic from the floppy-disk era of gaming. Oh the memories.
Rockstar's booth (also unphotographed in hopes that I can have a podcast interview available tomorrow or Sunday) featured their newest GTA iteration, Chinatown Wars. The only game I played hands on (I mean, I was offered a free t-shirt in a wearable size for my neigh-skeletal frame for trying it out from an attractive booth girl, how could I resist?), Chinatown Wars is a DS title that plays much like the original 2 over-the-top-view GTA games, with your touchpad functioning as your start menu, where stats, equipment, relationships and other game functions can be reviewed and monitored. Car controls are much less erratic than in GTA4, while your movement controls put you at a rather slow pace (though I likely didn't learn how to run during my demo, as who has time to read controls when there're civilians to beat up and police cars to steal?). In the short time I played, I had roughly the same fun I would playing a full-scale GTA game, only with the added struggle of squinting to see the cityscape details and "enemy" units (the DS screen is quite small to play an over-the-top view game). Hopefully more from game staff later.

As for game merch, Previews offered a slew of new video game toys and mini-statues, particularly one of my all-time favorites, Metal Gear Solid. After their previous line of mini-statues, including a good number of items available as covention promotional items, the "finished" series still has much blood for fanboys. At least for me, anyway.

Tomorrow, some highlights of comic-related going-ons, the Guiness Record-break attempt for "Largest Gathering of Video Game Characters" cosplay event (which I'm upset I'm unable to participate in), other cosplay shenanigans and stuff about movies if I can mosey on over to the IGN Theater.

Emergency Edit: Anyone following- NYCC sign ups are closed; if you don't already have a badge pre-registered for tomorrow or have one in-hand, you cannot purchase a badge on-site. Sorry dudes, 56k can't get in the club.

New York Comic Con: Beginning of the First Day

2009-02-06T07:42:00.000-08:00

Today is Day 1 of NYCC. While I'll be reporting on the going-ons later today, here's a shot from last night's pre-show party over at Dave and Busters! It is action packed (not really)!

Iron Man at the App Store

2009-02-04T14:05:00.001-08:00

So upon finishing my reading of this week's issue of Amazing Spiderman, I close the issue to find none other than Iron Man's red-and-gold mug painted across the back of comic. Yeah, nothing special, what with a movie, dvd release, action figure line and video games to the Marvel movie and RD Jr. career inflating box-office hit. Wait. That was all months ago.

I look down and see still shots from a new game. Graphics are a little light, so it's probably for a new DS or PSP title. I mean, it's a little slow, what with Iron Man on the run from the law in his own monthly and the movie being the fading summer memory it is. Then I start paying attention.

This: the words "Only on iPhone." The ad is puntuated by a review from "AppCraver," which doesn't tell me much from an actual video gamer perspective, so I looked to IGN as the first video game reviewer I could find in Google (I don't have an iPhone, so I can't be asked to review the game myself). From the 9/10 AppCraver review, the game plunged to a 6.5 (granted, a mediocre score rather than "bad" one) with the punchy line, "You don't actually control Iron Man; you just control his crosshairs as he flies in a along his set path." While it doesn't sound very super-heroic, it does sound reminiscent of 2-D sidescroller shooters in a more 3-D rendered environment, dressed up by whatever leftover movie budgeting they could find. Or Iron Man in Star Wars: Arcade.
That and the game is only $8 (which the reviewer laments). Compare this to the average $35 DS title punctuated by the additional functionality of the iPhone. Not to provide copious smoke-blowing for a platform I don't even own, but at $8, even if the game is a repetitive mire of mediocrity with Iron Man's repulsor-blasting mug taped over what would be a plane or one-man firing squad, it's only $8. Compare this to the aforementioned $35 (usually lower on less high-end releases; the DS title still costs more than double at $19.99 on GameStop's website). Even if the game's a dud, you didn't blow most of a $20 bill on it.

iPhone - new gaming platform living up to hype?

2009-02-02T20:35:00.000-08:00

According to a comScore press release (thanks Kotaku), Apple's iPhone makes up 14% of all mobile phone game downloads.
The report showed an overall growth for the mobile phone as a gaming platform, but most interesting was the statistic that nearly 1/3 of iPhone users downloaded a game this past November, when the survey was taken.
Reports about the iPhone's gaming potential left early critics exclaiming the mobile phone as the future murderer of the Nintendo DS and Sony PSP, the industry's two major mobile gaming platforms. While the DS and PSP are far from feeling hurt by the mobile phone market, Nintendo seems to be taking its cues from the iPhone's tech.
The Nintendo DSi, the latest model in Nintendo's DS line of portable gaming systems, offers a downloadable Opera web browser, two cameras and an SD card slot (which replaces the Advance cartridge slot from all older models). Although Nintendo hasn't jumped the "every form of multimedia, but mobile and with its own game software" shark yet, clearly the DSi looks to capitolize on the recent trends in camera and web browsing on mobile phones as well as high demand for web books.

Nintendo has not set a release date for the DSi in North Amerca. It became available in Japan in November, 2008 and has already sold over 1 million units.

Gloom and Doom for the Video Gaming Industry p. 1

2009-01-28T14:52:00.000-08:00

5 months ago, a YouTuber named moviebob posted a video as a part of his Game OverThinker series foreshadowing the collapse of the video game industry boom through parallel to the fall of the comic book industry in the 90's. (what better way to discuss current events than to bring up something from 5 months ago, I always say)
moviebob makes a number of very clear analogies between the two industries, very few of which I would find fault in aside from a few:

1. The large market of licenced-title games:
While I'm painfully aware that most of the culprits of this category fall into the realm of Nintendo products, such as d3's Ben10: Protector of Earth for the Wii and countless Bratz titles for the DS (or, for the most hardcore of gamers, the Barbie Horse Adventures series, luckily a PS2 example), most children aren't 1080 dpi whores like the rest of the hardcore gaming contingent. While this is not an excuse for game manufacturers to create poor titles and further spit out piles of shovelware, it is possible to make a merely GOOD children's game that will sell well enough.
Possibly the best example of this, which has come from merely cel-shaded graphics to higher budgets and months of hype are the Naruto brand of fighting games. Kids these days love the anime and Cartoon Network has become a serious contender for the hearts and wallets of our youth as one of the most prominent licensees of some of today's most popular anime series. The games are usually well received and sell to the point where they keep pushing out sequels hyped by the appearance of whichever new ninja has become the new villain of the week.

2. Some more mature titles have moderate to heavy appeal to children:
Halo may be the best example of how you can have a fairly graphic first person shooter that is attractive to kids outside of the crazy violence- Halo is a fairly simple title, as most first person shooters are, in surroundings that are usually very colorful, vibrant and attractive to kids (inside of spaceships, alien worlds, canyons, etc) with a variety of similarly colored weapons and goofy aliens speaking backwards.
Halo is possibly the perfect storm of demographic appeal, as it is easily grasped and contains bright stimuli for younger players with co-op options to play with a friend, while online gaming and tournament modes attract older casual and tournament-minded players to the series.
Finally, the violence isn't as over-the-top as it is in series like Gears or GTA; aliens spew the same neon-colored blood as they run around flailing their arms screaming in an incoherent tongue. Which brings me to my next point-...

3. Violence in video games, in general, is a lot harder to track than in mediums like comic books and, also in general, is mostly more accepted:
This may just be from personal experience, but as a child of the 90's, I happened to be a collector during the "Knightfall" arc of Batman, when Bruce Wayne and his caped alter-ego were assaulted and "broken" by the drug-fueled villain Bane. One of the covers from the series depicted a sadistically gleeful Batman preparing to strike a villain of some sort with a board with a nail through it. As X-TREME as the 90s were, this didn't sit well as casual reading material for an impressionable youth in the minds of my parents and I was told to lay off the Batman comics after issue 500, when Batman got his CYBERNETIC INSANE 90'S POUCHES MAKEOVER (and subsequently beat Bane within an inch of his life with extreme [not XTREME, mind you] violence).
While it's no surprise that the cover of a Halo game implies you're going to be shooting things, what with a futuristic robotic super soldier poised with future-guns in the future, there's no Technicolor-blood spattered aliens askew or energy-sword impaled SPACE MARINES layering the ground in some kind of blood-meat sod. To be brief, it's no Animal Crossing.
While I don't expect parents to be so naive as to expect those guns to be used to hug enemies into submission, a cover like that is much less telling than 90's RIP AND TEAR IMPOSSIBLE MUSCULATURE AND MACHISMO comic books. And since it's equally difficult to discern the contents of the game (both on and offline), you won't know about your son calling some guy he's never met a homosexual and informing him that his mother is a woman of ill repute until well after the game has been purchased. Game ratings are there for a reason, but say a lot less to a general audience that doesn't play or have in-game experience with a title.

I will try and throw my two cents in on what the video game industry is doing wrong in part two.