Wednesday, July 15, 2009

PS3 - Logitech Announce New Drum Controller For Guitar Hero


Logitech have announced a new Drum Controller for the Guitar Hero Series. The controller is also compatible with the Playstation 2.
The Drum features three audjustable drum heads and two cymbal pads. The drum heads are designed to reduce accidental rim shots. it has a 50 hours battery life on two AA BAtteries and has a Suggested Retail price in America of $229.99. It is set for release in the begining of July in America and August in Europe.

Press Release

REMONT, Calif. --(Business Wire)-- Jul 15, 2009 So you can really rock out to Guitar Hero® on the PLAYSTATION®3 (PS3) computer entertainment system, Logitech (SIX:LOGN) (NASDAQ:LOGI) today introduced the Logitech® Wireless Drum Controller for the PLAYSTATION 3 system. Licensed by Activision Publishing, Inc. (NASDAQ: ATVI), for the award-winning Guitar Hero franchise, the Wireless Drum Controller features premium drum heads with recessed rims – making it easy for you to play like a rock star.

“When you’re ready to experience a new premium drum controller or expand your band, you’ll want to rip on Logitech’s new drum controller,” said Ruben Mookerjee, Logitech’s director of product marketing for gaming. “With the Wireless Drum Controller, you can mark time, keep the backbeat, color up your riffs and crash down on the cymbal pads. Joining the Logitech® Wireless Guitar Controller, the new Wireless Drum Controller lets you rock out to your favorite songs on the PS3 system.”

The Logitech Wireless Drum Controller features three fully adjustable drum heads and two cymbal pads. Each piece can be positioned to fit your reach and suit your style. Offering a unique playing experience, the new Logitech Wireless Drum Controller provides quiet, responsive heads that deliver a lively feel, won’t distract you from the music, and are designed to let you take advantage of all the latest features of Guitar Hero games.

But Logitech did not just replicate typical drum heads. The recessed rims help make it easier to score points and avoid accidental rim shots. The kick pedal uses a stainless steel surface and an adjustable spring – providing a highly durable, responsive drumming experience.

Delivering up to 50 hours of battery life on two AA batteries, the Wireless Drum Controller gives you enough juice to perform a concert’s worth of hits, encores included.

Compatible with the PS3 system as well as the PlayStation®2 system, the Wireless Drum Controller uses a 2.4 GHz wireless USB receiver, so the connection is as steady as a drum beat. When you’re ready to play, the Logitech Wireless Drum Controller sets up quickly and folds flat in seconds. You can start playing within minutes of opening the box and when the show is over, the set can be easily stowed away. (Roadies are not required.)

Pricing and Availability
The Logitech Wireless Drum Controller for the PS3 system is expected to be available in the U.S. beginning in July and Europe beginning in August for a suggested retail price of $229.99 (U.S.).

About Logitech
Logitech is a world leader in personal peripherals, driving innovation in PC navigation, Internet communications, digital music, home-entertainment control, gaming and wireless devices. Founded in 1981, Logitech International is a Swiss public company listed on the SIX Swiss Exchange (LOGN) and on the Nasdaq Global Select Market (LOGI).
Logitech, the Logitech logo, and other Logitech marks are registered in Switzerland and other countries. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners. For more information about Logitech and its products, visit the company’s Web site at www.logitech.com.
PLAYSTATION is a trademark of Sony Computer Entertainment Inc.
Guitar Hero is a registered mark of Activision Publishing, Inc. All rights reserved.
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EA Hosts A Videogame Masterclass At Shine Festival 2009

At This years Shine festival, EA held a videogame master class with pupils from Berger primary School and Lady Margaret School. They used Boom Blox as an example of level editing and what its like to be a videogame developer.





Press Release

LONDON 15th July - As part of Shine Week, the national festival to celebrate talent in children and young people, Electronic Arts and Shine hosted a videogaming masterclass to inspire Britain’s next generation of creative talent to consider a future career in the gaming industry. The masterclass took place in Pall Mall London yesterday where children from Berger Primary School, Hackney, and Lady Margaret School, Parson’s Green became gaming developers for the day and created their own levels on the latest game from Electronic Arts: Boom Blox Bash Party.

The BAFTA award winning game franchise Boom Blox, designed by Steven Spielberg provides editing tools for players to create their own levels and gives them a taste of what it’s like to be a games developer.

The development team for Boom Blox flew over from the EA Studio in Los Angeles to hold the masterclass and taught the lucky children an insight of what it’s like to be a games developer. Each school was shown first hand what it takes to create fun and entertaining videogame levels and then given the chance to create their own.

The children were joined by Siôn Simon, of the Department for Culture, Media and Sport, and upcoming urban music artist Master Shortie who attended the event to encourage children to embrace the creative industries as a possible future career option and offer some personal advice about breaking through in the industry.

Siôn Simon said ‘It is in the creative industry’s interest to foster and develop the next generation of talent and clearly, it is in the government’s interest as well’.
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Re-Cap of Yesterdays News (oldest to newest)




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PC - Funcom To Announce, At GamesCon, A Age Of Conan Expansion

http://www.ageofconan.com/landingAssets/img/box_eu.png
Funcom have announced that at this years GameCon they will be announcing an Expansion for the PC MMO Age Of Conan.

Press Release

Funcom would like to inform you that we will be revealing the first expansion for ‘Age of Conan: Hyborian Adventures’ at the GamesCom show in Cologne, Germany in August. Details on Funcom’s presence at the show will be provided later, but we would already now like to invite you to join the fun!

[Unfortunately i am unable to show the rest of the press release]
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Nintendo - Military Island, New York, Is being transformed for Wii Sports Resort Launch

http://www.wiisportsresort.com/images/top-header.jpg
Nintendo have annoucned that Military Island, Times Square New York, is being transformed in celebration of the launch of Wii Sports Resort. From Thursday July 23rd, 9Am to 3PM, anyone is welcome to come and play the game. there will also be giveaways, and a bar serving non alcoholic tropical drinks.

Press Release

What
Nintendo is transforming New York’s famed Military Island in Times Square into an urban island getaway to celebrate the launch of the Wii Sports Resort™ video game. On July 23, anyone who visits this Manhattan landmark will be treated to a mini-vacation, complete with a sandy beach, swimming pool and tropical lounge — all smack dab in the middle of the city — plus a chance to play Wii Sports Resort in advance of its U.S. July 26 release date. Based on the imaginative Wuhu Island locale featured in the game, this interactive oasis will also offer game demonstrations, giveaways (while supplies last) and a bar serving tropical non-alcoholic drinks.

Wii Sports Resort is the next phenomenon in active-play gaming and the first Nintendo game to feature the control enhancements of the Wii MotionPlus™ accessory. While enjoying resort-themed in-game activities such as swordplay, basketball, table tennis and archery, players will experience the unique motion-sensing controls of the Wii system with greater precision and accuracy than ever before. Just as the original Wii Sports™ attracted millions of casual and nontraditional players to the world of video games, the new Wii Sports Resort delivers an inclusive, interactive entertainment experience that consumers of all ages can enjoy.

WHO
Adults, kids, seniors, families, tourists, New Yorkers and consumers of all kinds

WHEN
Thursday, July 23, 2009
Event: 9 a.m. - 3 p.m.

WHERE
Military Island
7th Avenue and Broadway Avenue
Between 43rd and 44th streets, Manhattan, NY 10036

VISUALS
Crowds gathering on a tropical island in the middle of Times Square.
Experts in various sports going head-to-head with fans in Wii Sports Resort .
Visitors lounging on a simulated beach and enjoying Wii Sports Resort game play in the middle of Times Square .
Kids and parents wielding Wii Remote™ controllers to participate in activities like archery, table tennis, golf and basketball at interactive game kiosks .
Children and adults demonstrating the unique cross-generational appeal of the Wii console by playing Wii Sports Resort together .
B-roll and photos available .
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Tuesday, July 14, 2009

Xbox 360 - Forza 3 Screenshots Of Various Sports Cars And SUV's

Microsoft have released screenshots of Forza 3 showing various cars in the game. the cars in these screenshots are the Audi Q7, BMX M5, BMX X5, Chysler 300C, Jaguar XKR-S, landrover range Rover, Mercedes ML 63, Mercedes SL 65, Pontiac G8GXP, and VW Touareg.
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Xbox 360 - Madballs Screenshots

Microsoft has released some new screenshtos for their upcoming Xbox Live Arcade game Madballs.
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Xbox 360 - The Secret of Monkey Island Special Edition Screenshots



Microsoft have released Screenshots for Xbox Live Arcade game from Lucas Arts The Secret of Monkey Island
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EA - Battlefield Heroes has Reached 1 Million Users - Press Release


EA has announced that their Free to play Online game Battlefield Heroes has already reached 1 million users. Join at http://www.battlefieldheroes.com.

Press Release

STOCKHOLM --(Business Wire)-- Jul 14, 2009 Calling all soldiers! Electronic Arts Inc. (NASDAQ:ERTS) today announced that Battlefield Heroes™, the unique Play 4 Free third-person shooter, has already recruited one million players to sign up for the game. With no barriers to entry, Battlefield Heroes is EA’s most recent title under the web-based free to download, free to play business model which generates revenue through advertising and in-game item sales. Recently going live in June, tens of thousands of new players are joining the battle daily.

Battlefield Heroes is easy to pick up and delivers all of the award-winning signature Battlefield sandbox multiplayer gameplay. The game features robust character customisation and a deep ability and mission system where gamers can spend hours building up their characters. Now anyone can be a hero on the battlefield.

Players can now quickly download and easily launch the game from http://www.battlefieldheroes.com. Before going into battle across four intense maps, gamers can create a number of personalized characters. Battlefield Heroes features a non-traditional third-person camera view so players can admire their one-of-a-kind hero while taking out the enemy. Character customisation items are available for Valor Points (points earned by playing the game) or with Battlefunds (a fictional currency bought with a credit card or PayPal) so players can update or change their hero’s style at any time.

Battlefield Heroes is a new EA title that is offered completely for free* and with its fun cartoon-style graphics, the game caters to players of all skill levels. It also features a built-in matchmaking system to ensure that each gamer in the 16-player matches are of equal skill and paired together for fair play.

“The team is really proud to have hit 1 million registrations at this early stage,” said Ben Cousins, General Manager, Battlefield Heroes Team. “Creating a character and gameplay experience that is totally yours is what sets this game apart – your hero can be anything from a bazooka-toting pirate, a grenade-throwing ninja or even a mime assassin!”

Battlefield Heroes is rated “T” by the ESRB and “16+” by PEGI. Please visit www.pegi.info for rating information. For more information on the game, please visit www.battlefieldheroes.com or www.ea.com. Or follow us on Twitter at http://twitter.com/bfheroes.
*Internet connection required.

About Electronic Arts
Electronic Arts Inc. (EA), headquartered in Redwood City, California, is a leading global interactive entertainment software company. Founded in 1982, the Company develops, publishes, and distributes interactive software worldwide for video game systems, personal computers, wireless devices and the Internet. Electronic Arts markets its products under four brand names: EATM, EA SPORTSTM, EA Mobile TM and POGOTM. In fiscal 2009, EA posted GAAP net revenue of $4.2 billion and had 31 titles that sold more than one million copies. EA's homepage and online game site is www.ea.com. More information about EA's products and full text of press releases can be found on the Internet at http://info.ea.com.
EA, EA SPORTS, EA Mobile and POGO are trademarks or registered trademarks of Electronic Arts Inc. in the U.S. and/or other countries. Battlefield Heroes is a trademark or registered trademark of EA Digital Illusions CE AB. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.

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NIS - PS2 Game, Mana-Khemia 2 Box Art And Special Edition Announced.


NIS has released pictures of the Box Art for it's upcoming game Mana Khemia 2.

they have also announced a special edition. it comes with a CD with 30 songs and a large unique Poster.
Click the pictures to see them full size.
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Konami - AntNation Announed for WiiWare and DSiWare - Press Release

Konami have released screenshots for their upcoming WiiWare and DSiWare AntNation. The game is set for a July 13th release on Wiiware and Summer 2009 for DSiWare.
The WiiWare game is set in a backyard, where you help a colony of ants survive against other bugs like spiders, beetles and ladybugs. there are tools like flames, lightning, hammer, and even a rocket to help them survive.
The DSiWare game is also set in the backyard with an ant colony, but this time a mad scientist has a nearby lab, and by working with him, the ant colony staves of an alien invasion.

WiiWare Screenshots


DSiWare Screenshots


Press Release

Konami Digital Entertainment, Inc. today revealed new screenshots from Ant Nation, the strategy simulation game

launching this summer on Nintendo WiiWare™ and DS.
Life in the ant colony isn’t easy, but fortunately they have you to help them. Ant Nation for WiiWare enables gamers to venture into the unseen backyard world of an ant colony struggling against attacks by ladybugs, spiders and whole lot of beetles. Help your ant friends survive by utilizing the tools in your shed to build their strength. Use flames, lightning, a hammer and even rockets to zap, torch, and manipulate your ants, making them numerous enough and tough enough to survive the increasingly difficult challenges they will face in the bugeat-bug world of the backyard ant colony!

Ant Nation for DS returns gamers to the beleaguered backyard ant colony and life hasn’t gotten any easier. Aliens and their robotic bug minions are invading! Fortunately, a scientist has just started working at a nearby lab, and not just any scientist, but a mad scientist… and they’re the best kind to have on your side if you’re facing annihilation by alien invaders. With his help you can create an army of unstoppable ant soldiers to counter the alien threat! Work quickly to whip your ant comrades into shape, so they can build up resistance to heat, water and poison, and become strong enough to evolve and defend their settlement and the planet against foreign intruders. With nearly 100 missions available and six different environments, Ant Nation for DS is the one ant vs. alien real time strategy game every gamer must own!

Ant Nation for Nintendo WiiWare™ will be available on July 13, 2009
Ant Nation for DS will be available later this summer 2009.
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Re-Cap of Yesterdays News (oldest to newest)



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Monday, July 13, 2009

[Updated With box Art] Sega - Mario And Sonic At The Olympic Winter Games Logo Revealed


Sega have released the logo for thier upcoming game, Mario And Sonic At The Olympic Winter Games.

[Update]
Sega have also released the box art for the UK Wii and DS versions of Mario And Sonic At The Olympic Winter Games


Old Screenshots for Both Wii and DS games

DS Screenshots


Wii Screenshots
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Sega - Mario And Sonic At The Olympic Winter Games Logo Revealed


Sega have released the logo for thier upcoming game, Mario And Sonic At The Olympic Winter Games.

Old Screenshots for Both Wii and DS games

DS Screenshots


Wii Screenshots
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Sony UK PR Rep Comments On PS3 Slim Video

I Got hold of Sony UK to ask about the PS3 Slim video that was found yesterday. i asked if they knew what it was, and if there was a PS3 Slim coming.
the response was
"Not really sure what that video is. But as always in situations like this, we do not comment on rumour and speculation."
No conformation of a PS3 Slim. but little bits of information being leaked here and there, a future release of one seems fairy certain.



This is the video thats causing the commotion.
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Re-Cap of The Weekends News (oldest to newest)





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Sunday, July 12, 2009

What Have You Played This Week?

Football Manager 09 – PC – Still playing, still going. It is my vice and will be for many years to come.

Space Invaders Extreme – PSP – I found this game at a local Morrison's for only £4 and I had to get it. The 360 version is fun, but on the PSP's small screen, the busy backgrounds are almost insane, but it doesn't detract from the gameplay which is fast, fun and just as crazy.

Ratchet & Clank – PS2 – I Had a old save file, and I really wanted to finish the game. The story is really good, and for a old PS2 game,the graphics were quite impressive. It didn't run well on the PS3, framerate would regularly drop to a slideshow which made the already difficult levels tough. The story is compelling enough to wade through this, but the end battle tested me. Still glad I finally finished it and seen how the series started.

Motorstorm Pacific Rift – PS3 – Played a lot of multiplayer, but the problem is the game doesn't match to rank, so i'm finding it hard to progress against those who have been playing the game much more. The main game has a similar problem. The races are much much harder and can be frustrating. But the game is good because there is always at least 4 very different races/tracks to race on, so if one is getting frustrating there is always another to try. What I did want, but couldn't do, was a simple casual race. I couldn't find one. I even tried to create one but after 15 minutes only 1 other person had joined.

Pokèmon Platinum – DS – Another guilty pleasure for me. Loved the series since Blue, and got platinum for my birthday. Over 24 hours into it i'm two gyms away and only 5 Pokèmon in my squad so far. As good as this series of Pokèmon games are, it really makes me want a Pokèmon MMO. There's not much else to say to be honest, like Football Manager, it's a series I always enjoy.

So What have you played this week. feel free to comment on what i've played, or add the games you've played in the comments below.





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Saturday, July 11, 2009

Current UK 1 VS 100 Beta Show Schedule


The UK Beta for 1 VS 100 went live last night. personally i managed to get into a couple of games but i was also kicked out of them, which took crashed the game and took me back to the dashboard and signed me out of Xbox Live. what i played was fun and it 3was nice to have UK Specific questions, like which channel 4 presenter wears silly ties, but there were also a few other questions which were by far much more difficult.
How Was Everyone Else's experience with the game?

The Extended Play Shows do not have "The One" and is just a 30 minute show with up to 37 questions. The Primetime shows do feature "The One"and are live. the more extended play games you play, the greater the chance you will be the one in Primetime.

The UK 1 VS 100 Dashboard has the following dates and times for future 1 VS 100 shows.


Featured Shows
13/07/2009 – 19.00 - Superhard
14/07/2009 – 19.00 - He Said, She Said
15/07/2009 – 19.00 - Community Written
16/07/2009 – 19.00 -Football Fans
20/07/2009 – 12.00 -Superhard
23/07/2009 – 19.00 -Football Fans
27/07/2009 – 12.00 -Superhard
30/07/2009 – 19.00 - Football fans
03/08/2009 – 12.00 -Superhard
06/08/2009 – 19.00 -Football Fans
10/08/2009 – 12.00 -Superhard
13/08/2009 – 19.00 -Football Fans
17/08/2009 – 12.00 -Superhard
20/08/2009 –19.00 - Football Fans
24/08/2009 – 12.00 -Superhard
27/08/2009 – 19.00 -Football Fans
30/08/2009 – 19.30 - Xbox 360

1 VS 100 Extended Shows
13/07/2009 – 17.30 - Pan Euro
13/07/2009 – 18.00 - Pan Euro
13/07/2009 – 18.30 - Pan Euro
13/07/2009 – 19.30 – General Trivia
13/07/2009 – 20.00 - General Trivia
14/07/2009 – 17.30 – Pan Euro
14/07/2009 – 18.00 – Pan Euro
14/07/2009 – 18.30 – Pan Euro
14/07/2009 – 19.30 – General Trivia
14/07/2009 – 20.00 – General Trivia
15/07/2009 – 17.30 – Pan Euro
15/07/2009 – 18.00 – Pan Euro
15/07/2009 – 18.30 – Pan Euro
15/07/2009 – 19.30 – General Trivia
15/07/2009 – 20.00 – General Trivia
16/07/2009 – 17.30 – Pan Euro
16/07/2009 – 18.00 – Pan Euro
16/07/2009 – 18.30 – Pan Euro
16/07/2009 – 19.30 – General Trivia
16/07/2009 – 20.00 - General Trivia
17/07/2009 – 17.30 – Pan Euro
17/07/2009 – 18.00 – Pan Euro
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EA - FIFA 10 Online Producer Blog



EA have uploaded a blog by on the online producer. it talks in great depth about how the online part of the series evolved from FIFA 04, to its current peak with FIFA 09 and the 2 Million-match-per-day bar that they reached back in march.
For FIFA 10, EA are going to not have custom teams available for online games, nor will they encourage players to play against a specific team. they have also made a big effort to stop all exploits and faster punishment and recognition of those who cheat the system.

Online Producer Blog

Christophe Labrune
FIFA 09 was the year of Online for the FIFA series. Usage more than tripled over FIFA 08 and each day since launch has seen more than 1 million matches completed. We even broke the 2 million-match-per-day bar in March.

Let’s step back for a bit, and see where this all came from...

FIFA console and online – the early days
I was brought on to the FIFA 2004 team as the PC and Online producer. Only PC had online play at the time, and the idea was to follow the early online success of console games like Madden. Internally, we wanted to focus on gameplay and Manager Mode, and we didn’t know what to expect of online on a non-PC platform. It was up to me to find that out!

We implemented 1-vs-1 gameplay on PS2 and focused on making the experience stable and fun. While testing and tuning, we started realizing how much potential Online had for FIFA.
[Side Story #1 – At E3, in 2003, we demoed very early PS2 online code on a big screen, during Sony’s conference... The game would 100% crash if you scored, triggered a cut scene, or tackled. The 2 minutes we spent playing online - me in Vancouver, the product manager at the conference - were the most intense in my whole life. I ended up taking a shot, missed it, but not close enough to trigger a cut scene, and we stayed alive!!!]

Once FIFA 2004 shipped, the early going was slow, with online usage mostly concentrating in North America. The year after, FIFA 2005 saw the arrival of Online on Xbox, and more and more people were playing every day. Learning from the first year, we had made the game more stable, had improved match-up and cheat detection, had cleaned up connection issues. Europe started playing more online, a trend that would continue in the next years.

The arrival of Online Team Play
Let’s fast forward to FIFA 08 and the 5-vs-5 update.
Ta-da! A dream had come true... play as a team, online, against another team of human players. The fact that it was delivered through an update was a tell tale sign that times had changed and that Online had become super important. Making an update is hard, indeed, as you work past the final date of the project (i.e. you go from crazy-tired to almost-zombie) and eat away at resources scheduled for the next iteration. However, 5-vs-5 online was considered a major addition and we couldn’t wait another year to get it out.

It was so successful that FIFA 09 took the obvious next step – 10-vs-10. Every outfield player controlled by someone anywhere in the world. Wow.

First though, we had to get to every outfield player controlled by someone anywhere… on the development team floor. The tech was such a jump over what we had done before, that it materialized only very late and very painfully. We spent long hours gathering people around to organize sessions, shouting over the cubicle walls to go into Quick Match at the same time. A chore at first (we were crashing a lot!), it slowly became a great time for all involved, with stability improving. At the end, we were all cheering on goals scored and laughing at badly timed tackles – ‘hey you took me out, we’re on the same team!’

Now that 10-vs-10 started fulfilling its promise, we had to make sure we had a good screen flow to support it. Quick Online Team Play was one avenue, but Clubs was the bigger ticket item. To play as a team, you have to play with friends, or at least with a group of people with a common gaming vision. And Clubs were the way to get these same-minded people together over multiple matches.

Unfortunately, with time running short on FIFA 09 development, we didn’t have the chance to iterate as much as we wanted on our Clubs feature. And, as you have told us multiple times, it showed. Clubs matches were hard to get into, involving sitting patiently for lengthy periods of time in the Room, most times failing to find opponents in a timely manner.

We saw this ourselves when we created a dev team Club, after FIFA 09 shipped. Nothing like playing in the ‘real world’ to get the best feedback. We were frustrated to have come short on this feature… and swore we would do better on FIFA 10. The 10-vs-10 gameplay itself was there, was fun, and people were definitely enjoying it! We just had to polish flows in and out of Team Play. And also not forget the rest of Online, following the comments that you guys in the forums were leaving for us.So we started working on FIFA 10 Online.

[Side Story #2 – So, right, I am the producer… but what kind of an online gamer am I? I started with a terrorist vs counter-terrorist First Person Shooter, while at Infogrames. Yep, playing at work! Got into the Elves vs Orks vs Humans RTS (version 3) a tad later, while a tester at EA. Yep, still playing at work! I finally played a bit of a turned-based French MMO for a while. Guess where I was playing it…

And what kind of a FIFA Online gamer am I? I must admit, I’m not too good at 1-vs-1, my favorite matches being when I can play my home team Metz, against other 2-to-3 star teams. I am a much better 10-vs-10 player, because I tend to play my position, I stay disciplined, and I focus on making the right play.]

So now, let’s go over what you can expect from FIFA 10 Online.
1-vs-1 is still the cornerstone of online play…
As much as we love our 10-vs-10 modes, 1-vs-1 is still, by far, the most played mode in FIFA, offline and online combined. It is actually likely the most played mode in all Sports games, period. As a result, we spend a lot of time keeping it stable, fun and safe.

… And 10-vs-10 is now your playground
We are providing you with the stage. Up to you to find the Club that you like, with the friends of your choice. We vastly improved the usability of the Club screens, making it easy to get into games. We show you more and better player stats, so that you can have that little internal competition going. We tell you who the best Free Agents are, if you are in the business of running a competitive Club. We even tell you who the best players in the world are!

We will also be using the web (Football World) as an extension to the feature, so that you can check out your Club status when not at your console.
We are confident that the improvements we have made will make Clubs an even bigger hit!
Everyone should play within their comfort zone
Some play for fun, some play for team pride (or glory hunting), some play to be the best out there. Some play for all three reasons! The idea is to make sure everyone gets a chance to stay within their comfort zone.

- Our Matchmaking logic has always matched in priority users from the same region, and within the same level ranges. We improved this again (especially in Clubs) and are showing the range searched in the matchmaking screens. In FIFA 10, you will see when your search hasn’t returned results within your range and is expanding to different levels. You will be free to cancel then, and possibly refine your search.

- A common complaint we hear is the lack of visibility in our ranking formulas. We addressed this, so now, at the end of each game, you will see how many ranking points you got, broken down by criteria: team level, rank level and our brand new match performance rating. Even if you lost, having played the game well (good passing % for instance) will get you extra ranking points.

- Something else we added after reading the forums – more end of match options. In 1-vs-1, you can end the match as a draw. You can actually see what your opponent is choosing: agree to the same choice, and off you go again. Disagree, and the session simply ends. We tried this end of match flow in 10-vs-10 but ultimately left it out, as it proved messy. 7 would agree to rematch on one side, 5 on the other… No way everyone would agree. So we left it at improving screen flows, so that finding a new session to play as a team is super easy.

- No more ‘any’ setting that imposes settings on you. This was a bug, and ‘any’ now means what it should have meant in the first place: ‘I don’t care for that setting’.

- While we are on the subject of settings…. You can search for matches by team level, with multiple ranges available. You can also create 5-vs-5 matches again. And we are improving the search logic for control assistance settings. Lots of good stuff!

- Some modes are not for everyone. If you play the FIFA Interactive World Cup, be ready to face the toughest competitors, in more restrictive matchmaking conditions. FIWC is now Quick Ranked only, as the community pointed to us that top players ‘chose’ the matches they were playing. If you are good, you should play anyone and win. We are also leveling all teams, similarly to Clubs – we want it to be based on skill alone. Call that tough love for our best players out there… Qualifying for the next FIWC Final will take 110% dedication!

Online Fair Play needs to be enforced
In the end, great online features do not matter if we cannot enforce Fair Play. FIFA 09 saw an increase in cheating, which, to be honest, caught us somewhat by surprise. We were so happy about our offering, that we forgot for a second how petty people can be sometimes. And how willing they are to defeat a system to gain anything out of it. Aided by some community members, we were able to track down most cheat mechanisms. We fixed some (custom teams in FIWC), addressed others by punishing offenders (repeat wins against same opponents), while some others had to wait until FIFA 10 to be addressed (original teams in Clubs).
This is our pledge for FIFA 10:

- No more custom teams in ranked games. Their presence in FIFA 09 Online was a bug, and we are implementing foolproof checkpoint-based loading and unloading of squads in online matches. This also applies to original teams in Clubs.

- Diminishing returns for playing repeatedly against the same team. The more you play someone within a close period of time, the less ranked points you get. Ultimately, it is not even worth the effort. And to those who tried to hide their tracks by playing other modes in the middle of winning streaks… This won’t work anymore. Nice try though.

- No more game exploits. Halfway goals are gone, goalkeeper 6-sec exploit is gone. CR7 is still there however, so use our brand new Training Mode to learn how to better defend against him…
- Faster identification and punishment of cheaters. Never say never… if someone finds a way to consistently cheat our game, our improving stat tracking will flag inconsistencies in their logs, and we will find and punish them. We are actually setting up a Live Team, whose responsibility will be to track down suspected cheaters.

- As a minor but nice new safeguard, we now disconnect players who idle for too long in 10-vs-10. No more AFK’s getting control of the ball as the last defender!

- What about disconnects? For this one, we cannot do any better detection than the one our current system is providing. Peer-to-peer means that connections can be lost for network reasons, freak outages, anything really. Understanding how you connect to the internet and setting up the connection in consequence is key, but we still cannot guarantee 100% connection results. We will strive though to keep explaining how to properly setup internet, as it is definitely not as easy as plug-and-play! And, oh, downloading risqué videos is a major cause of network disruption, so don’t do it!
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Friday, July 10, 2009

Hudson - Horror Game Calling Announced For The Nintendo Wii - Press Release

Hudson have announced a new horror game for the Nintendo Wii called Calling. it is exclusive and set for a 2010 release date. The game is a traditional horror game with real people and emotions, it doesn't use chainsaws or armor.
The game starts with a website, it has a counter which is the number of people who have died after visiting the site. they witness an event and are drawn into a mysterious world called Calling.



Press Release

SAN MATEO, Calif. --(Business Wire)-- Jul 10, 2009 Hudson Entertainment will bring players face to face with death as they roam an alternate existence in an attempt to survive Calling. The adventure horror title is set to be published by Hudson Entertainment, the North and South American publishing arm of HUDSON SOFT, and will be exclusive to Wii in 2010.
“Players will be asked to use their wits and senses to survive the world of Calling,” said Mike Pepe, Director of Marketing of Hudson Entertainment. “It is a game that revolves around real people and real emotions – no chain saws or suits of armor. The game is traditional survival horror at its finest.”
In Calling, players begin by visiting a mysterious “Black Page” website with a simple number counter. Some say it is a bridge to something sinister; the counter indicating the number of people who have died after visiting the page. It is said that people who have visited the site and witness a certain event are drawn into a mysterious space compiled of the memories of the dead - the space between life and death. Someone or something is drawing the living there for a reason, and it is up to the player to discover the horrifying truth. In order to do so, players will use various equipment including flash lights, phones, and other items to navigate and escape the Calling.
Throughout the game players will visit various parts of the Calling world. Memories of houses, schools, hospitals and more bring players closer to either an escape or an untimely death. Players will solve puzzles, search and interact with objects, and ultimately try to avoid the inhabitance of this alternative existence.
For more information on Calling, as well as other titles from Hudson Entertainment, please visit www.hudsonent.com.
Hudson Entertainment is the North and South American publishing arm of Hudson Soft, an international provider of games and entertainment content founded in 1973. Hudson Entertainment focuses on four key businesses: console retail games, digital download content, mobile games, and music. Hudson introduced best-selling videogame franchises including Bomberman, Bonk, Military Madness and Deca Sports. Hudson's mobile division is a leading supplier of games and personalized content. Through numerous partnerships with record labels, Hudson has become a leading provider of digital music and video content. For more information on Hudson Entertainment, please visit www.hudsonent.com.
Hudson Entertainment, and Hudson Soft and their respective logos are trademarks and/or registered trademarks of Hudson Soft.
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EA - Two more Command and Conquer Screenshots Released

EA have released two more pictures, click on them to see them full size, for Command And Conquer 4, after yesterdays announcement of the game being in development.
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EA - Screenshots for Need For Speed Nitro On Wii and DS

EA have released some screen shots for Need For Speed Nitro on both the Nintendo Wii and Nintendo DS.

DS


Wii
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Re-Cap of Yesterdays News (oldest to newest)





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Konami - Walk It Out Video And Screenshots For Nintendo Wii

Konami have released a video and screenshots for Walk it Out for the Nintendo Wii.
The game uses either the Wiimote+Nunchuck, Wii Fit Board, or Dance Dance Revolution Mat to play the game, and mini games. there is over 100 music tracks in which the players can walk to, townscape's the player creates and multiplayer action.
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Thursday, July 9, 2009

Sony Online Entertainment - Legends Of Norrath Ethernauts Saga is Ending - Press Release



Sony Online Entertainment has announced that the legends of Norrath Ethernauts Saga is ending with the release of Legends of Norrath Storm Break. This expansion concludes the Ethernauts Saga.

Press Release

DENVER – July 9, 2009 – The final chapter in the compelling Ethernauts saga comes to a dazzling finish with today’s launch of Legends of Norrath™ Storm Break, developed by Sony Online Entertainment (SOE).
The new expansion concludes the tale of centuries past, when horrible beasts from the Void poured into Norrath. A small band of heroes, the Ethernauts, seeks to repel the invasion, but are greeted with mistrust by the peoples of Norrath, and ultimately forced to make heroic sacrifices to save the world.

“Over the past year, the Ethernauts saga has taken players deep into the world of Norrath,” said Scott Martins, director of development for SOE Denver. “Storm Break is the final chapter in a three-set arc, filling in the back story of last year’s EverQuest II release, The Shadow Odyssey.“

Storm Break features:
• New Cards: More than 240 new game cards adding new strategies and gameplay.
• New Loot: Incredible loot cards, including new horse and hydra mounts, an illusion that will turn EQ players into a flying dragon and, for your daily EQII raids, a cloak that repairs all your items once per day!
• Continuing Storyline: The continuation of the epic Ethernauts storyline that is the groundwork for The Shadow Odyssey™.

Developed at SOE’s Denver studio, Legends of Norrath is the only online trading card game based on and playable from within SOE’s popular EverQuest and EverQuest II MMOs, as well as from a free stand-alone client using a free SOE Station Account ID (available at www.station.com). Players can challenge opponents on their game server and across other EverQuest and EverQuest II servers.

To get started, players can download the client for free, test their skills 24 hours a day against AI and real opponents, and then head over to the tournament lobby to compete. Tournament eligibility is limited and subject to Official Rules. Residents of certain territories are ineligible to participate in LoN tournament play. Please see the EULA for details. For a schedule of events, rules and further details, see the LoN Events Page. For more information on Legends of Norrath, visit the website atwww.legendsofnorrath.station.sony.com.

About Sony Online Entertainment
Sony Online Entertainment LLC (SOE) is a recognized worldwide leader in massively multiplayer online games, with hundreds of thousands of subscribers around the globe. SOE creates, develops and provides compelling entertainment for the personal computer, online, game console and wireless markets. Known for its blockbuster franchises and hit titles including EverQuest®, EverQuest® II, Champions of Norrath®, Untold Legends™, and PlanetSide®, as well as for developing Star Wars Galaxies™, SOE continues to redefine the business of online gaming and the creation of active player communities while introducing new genres on various entertainment platforms. Headquartered in San Diego, CA, with additional development studios in Austin, TX; Seattle, WA; Denver, CO; Tucson, AZ and Taiwan, SOE has an array of cutting-edge games in development.

SOE, the SOE logo, EverQuest and PlanetSide are registered trademarks of Sony Online Entertainment LLC. Untold Legends and Legends of Norrath are trademarks of Sony Online Entertainment LLC. All other trademarks and trade names are properties of their respective owners.
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UK PSN Update 09/07/09

PS3 Games
Battlefield 1943 [£9.99]
Dynasty Warriors 6 – Additional Music Set [Free]
Motorstorm Pacific Rift – Adrenaline Expansion pack [£4.79]
Skate 2 – Maloof Money Cup pack [£1.59]

Demo's
Battlefield 1943 Trial
Fuel
Ghostbusters

Guitar Hero - World Tour
Victory Records Track Pack [£4.39]
“Bomb The World” by The Sleeping [£1.59]
“I Am The Arsonist” by Silverstein [£1.59]
“NJ Legion Iced Tea” by A Day To Remember [£1.59]

Rock Band
Green Day Pack 01 [£2.49]
“21 Guns” by Green Day [£0.99]
“East Jesus Nowhere” by Green Day [£0.99]
“Know Your Enemy” by Green Day [£0.99]
Ten Bonus Pack [£2.49]
“Black Magic” by Slayer [£0.99]
“Conquer All” by Behemoth [£0.99]
“Disposable Teens” by Marilyn Manson [£0.99]
“Embedded” by Job For A Cowboy [£0.99]
“Empire Of The Gun” by God Forbid [£0.99]
“Hammer Smashed Face” by Cannibal Corpse [£0.99]
“This Is Exile” by Whitechapel [£0.99]
“What A Horrible Night to Have A Curse” by Black Dahlia Murder [£0.99]

Videos
inFamous – Duality Trailer

Wallpaper
NONE

Theme
Overlord II - Minions

PS1 Classic
NONE

PSP
Archer Maclean's Mercury [£4.79]
Final Armada [£7.99]
King of Pool [£7.99]
Little Britain The Video Game [£11.99]
Championship Manager 2006 [£3.19]
Rock Band Unplugged - “Here Comes your Man” by Pixies [£0.99]
Rock Band Unplugged - “Pride And Joy” by Stevie Ray [£0.99]
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