Send the questions you would like answered to Jeremy@gamedibs.com and I will do my best to get them all answered. The cut off for questions to be submitted will be Wednesday, August 25th. Remember to keep the questions relevant and specific and lets have some fun.

Blizzard Entertainment, Inc. today announced plans for a limited-release Collector’s Edition of World of Warcraft(R): Cataclysm(TM), the third expansion for the world’s most popular subscription-based massively multiplayer online role-playing game,* World of Warcraft. The special Collector’s Edition package, which will only be available at retail stores, will include the following exclusive bonus items in addition to the game disc:

Art of the Cataclysm art book, featuring 176 pages of never-before-seen images from the archives of the Blizzard Entertainment cinematics department and the World of Warcraft development team, as well as progressive visuals from multiple stages of development.
Exclusive in-game pet: he may not be a breaker of worlds just yet, but Lil’ Deathwing will still proudly accompany heroes on their struggle to save Azeroth from his much, much larger counterpart.
Behind-the-scenes DVD with over an hour of developer interviews and commentaries, as well as a special Warcraft(R) retrospective examining the rich gaming history of the Warcraft universe.
Soundtrack featuring 10 epic new tracks from Cataclysm, including exclusive bonus tracks.
Special-edition mouse pad depicting Deathwing menacing the ravaged continents of Azeroth.
World of Warcraft Trading Card Game cards, including a 60-card starter deck from the Wrathgate series, two extended-art cards, and two Collector’s Edition-exclusive hero cards, marking the first appearance of goblin and worgen heroes in the TCG.
The first two World of Warcraft expansions, The Burning Crusade(R) and Wrath of the Lich King(R), each shattered PC game sales records upon their release. In Cataclysm, the face of Azeroth will be forever altered by the return of the corrupted Dragon Aspect Deathwing. Players will explore once-familiar areas of the world that have now been reshaped by the devastation and filled with new adventures. In an effort to survive the planet-shattering cataclysm, two new playable races — worgen and goblins — will join the struggle between the Alliance and the Horde. As players journey to the new level cap of 85, they’ll discover newly revealed locations, acquire new levels of power, and come face to face with Deathwing in a battle to determine the fate of the world.

The beta test for World of Warcraft: Cataclysm is currently underway. To set up a Battle.net account and sign up for a chance to participate, please visit the official Battle.net website at http://www.battle.net.

The World of Warcraft: Cataclysm Collector’s Edition will be available on DVD-ROM for Windows(R) XP/Windows Vista(R)/Windows(R) 7 and Macintosh(R) at a suggested retail price of $79.99. The release date and other details for the game will be announced in the months ahead. For more information on World of Warcraft: Cataclysm, please visit the official website at http://www.worldofwarcraft.com/cataclysm.

The program, Glitch, is funded by the National Science Foundation and employs dozens of Atlantan teens as game testers. Kids tested games for companies like Electronic Arts, Cartoon Network, and GameTap.

Betsy DiSalvo, student at Georgia Tech School of Interactive Computing PhD and Glitch’s lead researcher, played a vital role in the project. DiSalvo became interested in the subject after studying some statistics concerning African American gamers.

In an interview with Noire Digerati she said “that is a very dramatic [contrast compared to] people who do use game interest as an entry point into computer science,” she said.

“What I found” DiSalvo said to Digerati. “Was this really strong sense of sportsmanship and social play, And because of that, they weren’t cheating, modding, or hacking the games at all. They were pretty much playing the games straight out of the boxes the way they were intended to be played. They weren’t seeing games as something that could be manipulated, or something they had power over.”

DiSalvo and other researchers began to find ways for people “break the games open,” despite codes of sportsmanship and fair play. They came up with and interesting solution: game testing.
Glitch Game Testers was born June 2008 and continues strong, helping young African Americans open up new career avenues. Glitch is a success and has gone farther than expected, according to DiSalvo. “[They] are trying to turn them from being just consumers, to being producers of technology. Not just producing with technology, not just using software, but actually producing the software itself,” Disalvo explained.

Corey Steward, Computer Science major at Georgia Tech, Glitch research assistant and black man, said he related to the boys in the program. He recalled enjoying computer science as a child but being distance from an opportunity to be in contact with it. The highest level tech course available to him was a typing course.

DiSalvo believes Glitch and similar programs may have a lasting impact in the U.S. She has formulated two possible models for imitating and applying Glitch outside of the current program.
Disalvo told Digerati “one way is to launch Glitch as a brand and actually set this up as a larger company and open up other offices to do this,” she said. “[The other way would include] an existing game company or game testing company. You could put this in as a high school program.”

Steward also believes in the potential of Glitch saying that it “can grow way beyond a research program.”

“You can put this in communities and give kids resources they wouldn’t normally have, or [put people in place] who can teach them things they wouldn’t normally learn,” he said.
Special thanks to www.blackdigerati.org for covering the story.

I know the difference between a reel of shots prettied up and slapped together and an actual gameplay trailer but other may not. For instance, I recently discovered my parents started playing video games. Despite the years of watching me play as kid it took an Army of Two trailer to get them rolling with their gaming career. Before long they beat it and called me in a panic wondering what game they should buy next. I asked them what game they had played and quickly deduced that co-op shooters were probably what they were going to stick to. I suggested everything from Left for Dead to Halo. Had they seen the mouthwatering trailer for Dante’s Inferno they might have gone out and bought it. The trailer offers nothing but an outstanding visual experience and offers no insight into what the game is like to play. It might confuse people that are not life long players or very young gamers. This type of misleading adventure is not restricted to modern day shenanigans.

I was a kid I played every Final Fantasy I could get my hands on. I read all about the game in magazines and on the internet but never seen the commercial. By the time I actually seen the commercial I had beaten the game. I was watching and began to get confused. They showed only the cut scenes in the game, totally unplayable sections. The commercial was a huge misrepresentation of what the game actually was. Had I seen the commercial I might not have bought it. I really enjoyed classic turn based rpgs. I would have thought the game was more like Zelda than Final Fantasy. The Dante’s Inferno ad would have the opposite effect. People might buy this game thinking it is something its not and be terribly disappointed. Granted, there is a disclaimer on the screen but who is going to notice it when they are picking their jaw up of the floor.

Hard Headed Heroes: The Iron Man, War Machine, Doctor Doom, Sentinel, Juggernaut, Mega Man, Roll, Servbot, Tron Bonne and Zangief

Babes and Villans: Magneto, Rogue, Gambit, Blackheart, Spiral, B.B. Hood, Chun Li, Cammy, M. Bison and Felicia

Orgy of Favorites: Cyclops, Cable, Storm, Psylocke, Colossus, Ryu, Ken, Morigan, Jill Valentine and Akuma

February 11 two sets of 10 pics and one set of 5 pics (80 MS points) will be available for a totaling to 55 gamerpics.

The Wolverine collection: Wolverine, Omega Red, Sabretooth, Silver Samurai, Marrow, Son Son, Charlie, Dhalsim, Jin and Hayato

Sakura Meets Capatin America Colection: Spider-Man, Hulk, Captain America, Venom, Iceman, Captain Commando, Dan, Sakura, Guile and Strider

And the package that’s guaranteed to be a fan favorite…..
Weird Ass Includes: Thanos, Shuma-Gorath, Ruby Heart, Amingo and Anarkis

Though there are 56 playable characters in MvC2 there is one gamerpic missing. MvC2 players are invited to find the missing character. The first person to give Capcom blogger DJ Qbert the correct answer wins a free signed copy of the MvC2 vinyl.

“We’re looking for a brand new bum (the best in the world!) to be the new “face” for our always expanding intimates and briefs lines. The winners will be flown to LA, photographed and featured online. Send in a close-up photo of your backside wearing American Apparel panties, bodysuits or briefs for consideration and vote for your personal favorites.

You must be 18 years of age or older to enter. Submit your photo(s) between January 28, 2010, and February 21, 2010. Two winners – selected by American Apparel judges – will be eligible to be our next butt model. The top ten contestants, as voted on by the public, will receive a grab bag of American Apparel items valued at $300.”

See the butts!
http://i.americanapparel.net/storefront/UGCStyle/BestBottom2010/View.asp?e=4314

Fans that want to get their gaming and football fix all in one are invited to “watch the NFC Championship with Bio-Ware” event where they chat live with the Development team of Mass Effect 2 through the Bio Ware game room via Usream. Participants will of the event get an exclusive look at Mass Effect 2 gameplay during halftime. Bio Ware will also be giving away its coveted “shwag” every 15 minutes throughout the game.

Bio-ware is also set to launch a mass effect 2 trailer during the fourth quarter of the NFC Championship game. The full length, uncut trailer will be the games first television debut.

“There’s a generation of people who grew up with a set of games like Centipede that are favorites,” says Robbie Bach, president of Microsoft’s Entertainment & Devices Division. “They look almost like casual, fun games today, (but) at the time they were high-end, edgy games. Game Room is the idea of bringing that back to the market and bringing that to a very broad audience.”

Microsoft wants to not only recapture the attention of older gamers but introduce old titles to younger gamers. “Bach compared the experience people will have in the Game Room to a Journey concert he attended with his daughter – it was a great experience for him because he grew up listening to the band. And it was fun for his daughter because she thinks Journey is cool,” according to Microsoft news center.
“I think you’re going to have the same phenomenon with Game Room,” Bach says. “Even the people who would call themselves ‘hardcore gamers’ are going to think that it’s fun in a retro way.”

Frank Pape, senior director of business and product development for Xbox, wants to bring back the rivalry of the arcade days.
“If someone on my friends list has played in my arcade, their name will be hanging next to my machine and I’ll get notified of that on all of my devices,” says Pape. “It’s just this constant one-upmanship and also being able to customize my own arcade and show off the machines just like they were, with lights and fancy sounds.”.

Game Room will be available for free download to Xbox LIVE and PC. Once installed, players can wander a customizable, old-school arcade with retro game cabinets from game makers Atari, Intellivision, Konami and more.

Although video games are constantly becoming more realistic and complex, a lot of gamers got their start with arcade games with eight-bit graphics simple objectives.

“There’s huge nostalgic appeal to these games,” says Kristen Miyake, an Xbox marketing manager.

According to Xbox news center, “after launching Game Room, Xbox will release new game titles weekly, all of which players can demo free of charge and purchase individually. To download games, users purchase Microsoft Points – the virtual quarters of the Xbox LIVE marketplace. The points are credited to a user’s account, and the player can then purchase items or games from the marketplace.”

Players who buy the game new will have a nice surprise on the first day. “Players who access ‘The Cerberus Network’ will receive the first DLC pack on January 26th (launch day in North America) featuring new missions and in-game items,” EA explained. “Included in this pack is a mission that introduces Zaeed, a rugged and deadly gun-for-hire who is recruited to join Commander Shepard’s mission to save mankind.”

There is even more content planned for after launch, including a hovering tank called the Hammerhead, new missions, and new in-game items. EA also notes that these downloads are tied to your EA Online account, which is non-transferable.

After launch, when GameStop is shilling used copies of the game for a few bucks less, gamers now have a reason to go with a new copy, as they won’t have to buy the Cerberus Network separately. Mass Effect 2 hits the Xbox 360 and PC on January 26.

Source: EA.COM

Back to the Basics

These are awesome…

The staff of Savage Cycles with their creation. (l-r): Jack Rafferty, Sean Snyder, Mike Dixon, Jeremy Gordon, and Steve Shreve

Major changes include initial dedicated server support, a new Micro kart, adjusted Kick It and Rinky Dink maps, and the Chute Shoot now has bumpers. Also, ping times are now sorted correctly in the server browser and Screen blur shader has been removed to lower slow down. Finally, game pad mouse control defaults are off and the
GG achievement is now fixed.

Dragon Age: Origins, the Awakening expansion pack brings players a whole new world to explore called Amaranthine. In this new world players discover the secrets of the darkspawn; their true motivations are revealed. Players will battle new horrific and terrifying creatures including a new breed of intelligent darkspawn , Inferno Golems and a Spectral Dragon. Dragon Age: Origins – Awakening provides new customization features for both heroes and parties, including the ability to re-spec their character attributes. Other features include an increased level cap, new spells, abilities, specializations and items and five new party members. Players can continue using their own characters or start fresh with one of the new options.

“Dragon Age: Origins – Awakening shows BioWare’s commitment to our fans by delivering new story-driven experiences which enrich the dark heroic fantasy universe our fans have come to know and love,” said Dr. Ray Muzyka, Co-Founder of BioWare. “The vibrant worldwide community of Dragon Age fans will relish uncovering the secret motivations of the darkspawn, revealing how the darkspawn continue to infest the world despite the defeat of the Archdemon.”
The Dragon Age story arc continues, following the events of Dragon Age: Origins and puts players into the role of a Grey Warden Commander charged with revitalizing of the order of Grey Wardens. Players will also be in charge of discovering how the darkspawn survived after the death of the Archdemon. How players rebuild , resolve the conflict with the mysterious “Architect,” and determine the fate of the darkspawn are just some of the moral choices that will shape each player’s journey.

“No other release rejuvenated a genre more than Capcom’s flagship fighting game. It grabbed a new generation of fans and reignited the passion of old-school gamers in the series,” according to Geison Cacho of the Contra Costa Times. The runners up were Uncharted 2, and Call of Duty Modern Warfare 2.

Reigniting the passion of old school fans was not the only award winning quality according to the judges at Mercury News. “The huge turnout at Evo Championship Series 2009, the preeminent U.S. fighting game tournament, is proof of that. The return to the classic gameplay, along with some new tweaks and a great online mode, made “Street Fighter IV” the game I played and loved the most this year,” according to Cacho.

Capcom itself was ecstatic about the choices made by California judges. “I was very happy to see Street Fighter IV pick up some nominations not just for “Fighting Game of the Year, but actually for “Game of the Year” overall, and now it’s actually won…It’s nice to be nominated, but nicer to win, and an EVO shout out to boot,” Capcom said on their blog.

A slue of terrible comments was made about the film. Game trailers said this: “the fights are awful, Guile’s from Brussels and apparently, there’s some cyborg soldiers we never knew about.” Gamer trailer was not alone in its criticism. The Washington Post said the film was “notable only for being the last film made by Raul Julia, an actor far too skilled for the demands of the evil warlord, Gen. M. Bison, but far too professional to give anything less than his best.” On Rotten Tomatoes only 15% of reviewers gave the movie a positive review. However, Martin Scribbs from Low IQ Canadian gave the movie a more optimistic review. “If you grew up playing Street Fighter 2, you MUST see this movie. If not, stay far, far away,” said Scribbs. He believes the movie can be enjoyable because it can satisfy gamer nostalgia.

Despite critical reviews the film was a financial success, earning triple its production cost. It also featured Jean Claude Van Damme as well as Raul Julia. As mention by game trailers, it was Julia’s last movie which could not have hurt ticket sales. Also, the film fared better than the most recent Street Fighter film, Street Fighter the Legend of Chun Li. The movie received only 4% positive reviews on Rotten Tomatoes and IGN gave the film 1.5 stars out of 5, saying “There’s better staged and more enjoyable brawls between Peter and the Chicken on Family Guy.”

When all is said and done people are still looking back on the film after 15 years. Whether the film was an artistic failure or not it has remained relevant.

For me video games brought me into my own mentally. It was a kind of media that I enjoyed and was, frankly, educational. I did not enjoy reading as a child. I hated school and anything that related to it and as a result I was a very poor student. I was a typical problem child and for the first few years of school I was a hardship for my parents and teachers. Teachers believed I had a learning disability and behavioral problems. However, at age 8 I played my first RPG, Breath of Fire. I still remember digging through the games at Blockbuster and reluctantly picking it out. I didn’t understand it but the art work intrigued me.

It was slow starting but once I got the concept I was completely hooked. I could barely read at the time but I read every word of the storyline. I made sure to talk to every single towns-person in every town and never skipped a single scene in the story. I loved the story lines and the characters inspired quite a bit of emotion in me. I began to understand what was going on in my classes at school much better and even enjoyed being there more.When I finished I was terrified that the game was one of a kind and I wouldn’t get a chance to play another game like it. I was glad to learn that there were tons out there even some that I enjoyed good deal more than Breath of Fire.

I continued playing games did not only serve as an English tutor for me. Other titles such as Lufia 2: Rise of the Sinistrals confronted me with puzzles. Solving Lufia puzzles is not the most daunting task but it is challenging for an eight year old kid. I really feel that beating the scenarios in the game was intellectually stimulating. Considering that the games I played were text heavy and contained puzzles I think it is safe to say that what I was doing was akin to reading and solving puzzles books. If you laid out the text of a game it would easily come out to the length of a short novel. Not to mention, the puzzles were harder than finding the little bird in grand ma’s frying pan in the highlights books at school.

Right before my parents were getting serious about threats to take away my SNES for spending long hours on it, they realized my grades were improving. It was not hard to see what changed in my behavior because it was obvious that I spent at least a couple hours a day playing in my bedroom. They continued to let me play and I continued to love gaming. Story lines in games such as FF III, Lufia and Chrono Trigger were not exactly Black Beauty or Wind in the Willows, but I remember them fondly and feel they did a great deal for me as a child.

By the way, in all of these games I have racked up thousands of simulated “kills” or “simulated murders,” as some might call them. As I said before, to date I have not mounted a tower to pick off civilians with a hunting rifle or loaded fetuses into a gun and launched them like tee shirts. So, for all the Michael Atkinson’s and Jack Thompson’s out there who believe gaming to be an entirely negative force, dig deep and find people who have hyper-positive gaming experiences. There has never been a single incident of violence that can be traced directly to gaming but this article is evidence of a life unarguably changed for the better because of games. I believe they are responsible for me getting into college. They were basically the books of my childhood. If never discovered Breath of Fire sitting on a shelf at Blockbuster who knows what I would be doing now.

Controversy was struck recently when game developer Rebellion refused to change its PC title Alien vs. Predator to meet Australian approval ratings. Australia’s Interactive Games and Entertainment Association (IGEA) CEO Ron Curry responded to the ban: “It doesn’t seem democratic that a single attorney general should be able to dictate what the vast Australian population can interact with. The government trusts us to be adults with films, but they only want us to be children with games.”

Atkinson insisted that games were a negative force that needed restriction and that many gamers are unable to think for themselves. “I accept that 98%, 99% of gamers will tell the difference between fantasy and reality, but the 1% to 2% could go on to be motivated by these games to commit horrible acts of violence.” Atkinson also claims that gamers were a minority interest and trying to impose their will on the greater population.

“This is a question of a small number of very zealous gamers trying to impose their will on society, and I think harm society. It’s the public interest versus the small vested interest,” said Atkinson. Gamer Gary Farrow defended gamers and believes the matter is one of product awareness, “we’re talking about just labeling content, so we have a fairly educated idea as to what to expect [from a game].”
I

Not wasting anytime, the show opened with a large present on stage. The voice of Mark Hamil’s Joker begins to echo from the loudspeakers, asking viewers if they’re ready for the big surprise. And thusly, the shoe kicked off with arguably the biggest reveal of the night, as were were treated to a short teaser trailer, ending with a sickly looking (and sounding Joker), hooked up to an IV and coughing and wheezing his way through his trademark maniacal laughter. Fade to black and we’re greeted by the phrase “Arkham Has Moved”.

Of course, that was just the start of the big reveals. We had been promised a new Star Wars game would be announced, and fans were not let down as LucasArts brought us the first teaser for Star Wars: The Force Unleashed II. The trailer featured the first game’s protagonist, Starkiller, walking into a large gladiator arena while the voices of Yoda and Darth Vader speak about death, destiny, and the future.

Trailer snippets of a so-called “mystery games” had been released by Spike over the past week or so, and that game was also finally unveiled at the VGAs, in the form of a new True Crime title. You might remember the name from a pair sub-par GTA clones that Activision published in the first half of the decade. Both of those games were developed by Luxoflux, who went on to make games based on Shrek and Transformers. This new True Crime is being helmed by United Front Games, makers of the promising but yet to be released ModNation Racers, and moves away from the United States to China. The original True Crime titles had tons of promise but failed to deliver. Hopefully the recent trend of excellent open-world games will ensure this new True Crime game is worth playing.

The premiers continued throughout the show’s two hour runtime. We got our first gameplay looks at the new Medal of Honor and Crackdown 2, debut trailers for Prince of Persia: The Forgotten Sands and Tron Evolution, and game reveal trailers for Spec Ops: The Line and Green Day Rock Band. Be sure to tune into the Dibcast next week for our full thoughts on this years VGAs (or check my Twitter feed from tonight to see just how bad of an idea I think Green Day Rock Band is). Drop me a line at josh[at]gamedibs.com and tell me what you thought about the awards, and maybe we’ll use your email on the Dibcast next week.

Until then, be sure to check out all of tonight’s reveals by clicking here.

Pint Shot Riot is one of the many video game rock stars helping EA develop awesome sound tracks for games like Fight Night Round 4 and Fifa. GameDibs had an interview with Pint Shot Riot bass player Baby Dave.  See what Baby Dave has to say about the bands habits and hobbies, which include a love for MMA, Boxing, and XBOX Live.

How avid is Pint Shot Riot about gaming?

“I’m probably the most avid gamer, my life changed when Xbox live entered it! We do get the chance to play together sometimes which is always intense!”

Do you guys play the EA games your band is featured in?

“Well, I had Fifa 10 on pre-order when I found out we were going to be on it so definitely that one! I did take the time to check out all of them to some extent, Fight Night 4 is an incredible game.”

Do you see any relationship between making music and playing games?

Does gaming help the process?

“Oh no, the opposite if anything! It’s important to practice and work on writing as much as possible but it’s a lot harder with an Xbox 360 in the room! Also, it’s a common cause of lateness at rehearsal times!”

I never listened to Pint Shot Riot before I heard it in Fight Night

Round 4; did you guys discover any musicians through gamming?

“A few through the Tony Hawk games and Fifa, they were probably the soundtracks which had the most impact on me.”

What was it like hooking up with EA games, was it just a phone call out

of the blue or did you contact them?  How did you get a deal with EA?

“Through a third party originally. We were getting radio play from a DJ in L.A. who then gave our music to E.A and it went from there.”

How big of a factor was getting a track on an EA game in helping

expand your notoriety?

“That is an ongoing process but it’s been awesome so far. We’ve had a lot of interest from the internet; we’ve received some awesome messages from people all over the world which feels amazing.”

Do you think landing a track on a video game could be a new avenue for musicians to gain recognition?

“I think it already is, for sure.”

Pint Shot did music for Fight Night and FIFA but who do they prefer,

Ricky Hatton or David Beckham?

“I’ve nothing against Beckham, and I look forward to watching him help England win the world cup but we were big Hatton fans before Fight Night. We like a bit of boxing and Hatton was a big favorite anyway so to actually end up being his entrance music was sweet!”

Fight Night and FIFA are both sports games, is Pint Shot into any

Sports, what do you watch or maybe play?

“Well, as I mentioned we love boxing and also MMA, as well as being Coventry City fans. A couple of us have done some boxing training and we all like to stay fit. I attended my first UFC event recently, which was mind-blowing!! And Mini-Rocket is a demon striker on the local Sunday league football scene.”

What kind of influence do you think music simulation games will have on the gaming and music world?

“Hopefully it will help youngsters understand the basics of how music is made and how instruments work which has to be a positive thing.”

Guitar Hero or Rock Band and why: game play, downloadable content or

personal quark?

“Both, evens in my book.”

Can any of you play any instruments on Guitar Hero or Rock Band on expert?

“I’d so love to lie here!! Not really, I tried playing Metallica with the double kick pedals but I sucked big time! I reckon it is easier to play proper drums on some songs!”

Would you like to be featured on a game like Guitar Hero or Rock Band?

“Of course, that would be an honor.’”

Have you ever jammed on the real thing while a friend wailed away on a

Guitar Hero or Rock band song you know?

“Actually, I did once whip out the acoustic bass when my friends were playing. How did you know that, were you there, hiding?!”

As a band what are your three biggest influences?

“Good music, good friends, good times.”

Are there any British bands you think fans should know about, people

making great music underground or even something popular across the

Atlantic but practically unknown here?

“There is a massive music scene going on in every city in the UK. Pick the kind of music you like, Google it or check MySpace.”

Now that you have been exposed to international audiences will you

be touring in the U.S or anywhere else soon?

“We would love to in the future, we’ll have to see.”

After all is said and done do you think you will attract more game

groupies or music ones?

“Do you know any gamer groupies?! Holy macaroni, that is a scary thought!”

Have you guys ever drank a few pints, taken a few shots and then

started a riot, i.e trouble of some sort? Do you have a really

memorable experience your willing to share?

“Sure we know how to drink but rioting for us is having a good time which can end up with girl trouble…”

Do you have anything to say to all the GameDibs fans out there?

“Just thanks for listening, and if you need further information check out www.pintshotriot.co.uk or www.myspace.com/pintshotriot.”

Peace. Baby Dave

1)   Is Legends of Norrath only available to EverQuest and EverQuest II players?

You don’t have to be an EQ or EQII player to enjoy Legends of Norrath (LoN). You can download the stand alone client from the website and be on the same server as everyone else in the game. You may not be familiar with all the references to EverQuest lore, but you can absolutely get into the game – and LoN is a great introduction to the world of Norrath.

2)   Is this game meant to be played stand alone or just alongside the mmo you are playing?

It works as both, really. Some players play LoN by itself, especially when they’re challenging other players, or competing in a tournament. Others like to play the single-player campaigns while waiting for their raid to begin or taking a break between quests. You can play LoN from our stand-alone client at full screen, or bring it up in windowed-mode next to EQ or EQII. You can also launch LoN inside of the MMOs.

3)   Can you switch between the card game and mmo easily?

You open and close LoN inside EQ and EQII with just the click of a button. This is especially handy when you want to redeem a loot card in LoN and then go right back to your character to use your new item. In EQII, you can also resize and minimize LoN to switch back and forth more rapidly.

4)   Are there any benefits you receive if you are an EQ subscriber?

Currently EQ, EQII and Station Access subscribers receive five booster packs a month for their collection at no additional cost. They get the Archaeologist Starter Deck from our recent Travelers expansion, which includes nine exclusive cards. Also, one weekend every month we add exclusive promo cards to the MMO loot tables. When you kill a creature in the MMO it might just drop one for you. And from time to time we’ll offer other goodies, like scenarios, loot cards or maybe bonus booster packs when you purchase new EQ or EQII expansions.

5)   How does Legends of Norrath differ from other digital card games out there?

Legends of Norrath has many features that differ from other digital card games. For example, we’ve built our trade interface right into the game to make it easy to find what you’re looking for. Unlike other types of digital card games that don’t allow you to trade at all, or require you to work out trades with other players through forums and email, we’ve made it simple. In LoN, you can do a direct trade with another player where both of you add and subtract cards until you both agree. You can also post trades with exactly what you’re looking for and what you’re willing to trade for it. When someone comes along and accepts your posted trade, the exchange happens automatically, even if you’re not online. Another thing that makes Legends of Norrath unique is the game itself. In a 1v1 game you play your avatar card against your opponent’s avatar card. Your avatar has health, attack, defense and damage bonus stats, plus special abilities. You’re goal is to complete four quest cards or destroy the other player’s avatar. To aid you, you have item cards that upgrade your avatar, tricks and ability cards that do any number of things, and units which you can send forth into battle or deploy as obstacles for your opponent. Legends of Norrath also features the unique ability for multiple players to take on a Raid challenge, where they team up to play against a highly tuned boss deck.  In our 4v1 Raid challenges, five different decks play in the same game!

6)   Do you receive any free content when you purchase Legends of Norrath?

Purchasing one booster pack unlocks all the features of the game, including Tournaments and Single-player campaigns. We’re running tons of free to enter tournaments with rewards, like our monthly Sprint and Tournament of the Gods events.  To date we have 80 single-player scenarios with rewards, and each month we release a new scenario for a limited time, with special promo and loot card rewards. With our eighth set, Travelers, we introduced loot cards that unlock quests in EverQuest and EverQuest II.

7)   How long do games usually last?

The average 1v1 game takes about 15 minutes. Single-player scenarios don’t have a time limit, so you can take your time if you like. Our challenging 4v1 raids, where you and three friends team up against a powerful AI-opponent, can take an hour or more.

8)   As a Digital Magic the gathering player myself what will draw from that game to Legends of Norrath?

If you’re familiar with trading card games at all then you’ll probably pick up LoN right away. There are some things they have in common, such as having different card types, with stats and gametext, and a cost to play them. Players build a deck from the cards in their collections and this makes each game different – and challenging.

9)   Do you have a message for our readers out there?

There’s always something new going on in Legends of Norrath, so check out the Event Calendar on our website, or better yet, jump in the game lobby to see what’s coming up.
We would like to thank the folks over at SOE Denver for giving up some of there time forus and answering our questions.

Divineo has been sued in France, Spain and Hong Kong for its line of flash cards with mixed results of the outcome of each case. “A Paris criminal court recently ruled in favor of Divineo,” but in Hong Kong they are still owed damages for a suit in their favor according to Joystiq.com. The flash cards allow users to download DS ROMs and play any DS game free of charge.

However, Divineo does not only cater to DS fans but XBOX users, PS 3 users, Wii users and most other platforms. The products they solicit range from fancy controllers to modification chips for the XBOX 360, Wii and even the original XBOX. The descriptions of products are vague at best and after browsing through their inventory it is clear that their stock sells out quickly. One only has to check their chip/development site to see that Divineo is pushing more than a few flash cards.

According to her blog she loves to spend her weekends doing what thousands of WoW fans would love to imagine her doing.  She announced she was going to be “jumping into shower.going to spend my afternoon playing World Of Warcraft butt naked&stoned.Perfect Sunday!”

Divineo is an online producer of flash cards that allow users to play Rom’s of Nintendo DS games. Nintendo originally took the group to court over DS flash cards, but the judge has ruled against Nintendo and suggested that they are purposely locking out developers from their consoles.

The ramifications of this are huge, as it indicates that flash cards are actually legal. Moreover, it could have bigger implications for developers and the like because Nintendo is deemed to be ‘illegally’ protecting their system by locking users out. Therefore, developers should not actually require separate development kits and should just be able to develop applications as they wish on retail versions of Nintendo’s consoles.

This may be a globally relevant court case and seems likely to be relevant to the whole of Europe. Essentially, France has allowed a legal window for pirating on the Nintendo DS. According to their laws it is all fine because Nintendo has left them with little other choice.

Full court documents will be available soon.

One of the problems Torres had with the game was the realism of events in the campaign. Although riding a helicopter through a hot combat zone might seem like a fun way to spend your Sunday afternoons, Torres has seen that situation go bad and it is not for the faint of heart, “I saw a helicopter crash and it was brutal. I want to say of 25 passengers… four might survive.” Even if you are one of the lucky survivors, permanent incapacitation and death are not far off after that. So it is safe to say that there is no way you could jump into a fire fight right after a helicopter crash.

Another interesting inaccuracy deals with night visions devices; in particular a device used by soldiers called Aviator mods. Torres said this about Infinity wards equipment choice: “rangers wouldn’t use aviator mods. We use PVS 14’s, night vision monocular. The reason is having one of your eyes adjusted to night vision gives you some kind of depth perception. [When using night vision] Things close to you look further away. Your night eye is adjusted to dept and your night vision eye lets you see what is around you. If it came to an emergency situation where you engaged in a [lit] room, you would still have your other eye.”

Although Torres took issue with the game scenarios and equipment choices he did not have much to say in terms of gameplay. However, one of the few gameplay gaff s that stuck out to Torres dealt with reloading. Spam reloading is rampant in MW2, and Torres would definitely agree that always having a ready weapon is a plus, but “in a real life scenario, you aren’t going to reload every three shots.” Soldiers are trained to be aware of how much ammo they have left and to conserve every round.

Many people will never know the feeling of being in a full-out war, and that is the reason MW2 has been so successful in bringing the desperation of real combat into the safety of our living rooms, but in reality death isn’t just a reason to use the restroom and crack another soda.

What attracted you to MW 2?

“I don’t play too many games but realism of [Modern Warfare 2] caught my eye.”

Do you think Infinity Ward did a good job constructing a realistic game in Modern Warfare 2?

“Rating it on a scale of one to ten I think it is pretty high up there, I’d give it an 8. One of the things I enjoyed is that it brings adrenaline and excitement, as far as the action goes.” Torres said the rush was smaller yet similar feeling of being in actual combat.

How realistic is MW 2 weaponry compared to actual weaponry used in warfare?

“A lot of what Modern Warfare brought to the table is pretty accurate. When you look down the sight it looks pretty realistic.” MW 2 also contained many weapons Torres has yet to get his hands on such as the SCAR-H.

How realistic is the environment displayed in MW 2 compared to environments you experienced?

Torres felt the snow covered terrains most reflected environments he experienced. “I know in Afghanistan, when it snows, it snows. Afghanistan is rough mountain terrain, sometimes when had to get flown in. A couple of time we had to suck it up and get out there on foot.”

What is your favorite MW 2 weapon?

Torre’s best loved MW 2 weapon is one he did not get a shot to test drive while he was still in the military, the SCAR-H.

Is there anything unrealistic about MW 2 that really sticks out to you?

“The corporal guy was wearing aviator mods, rangers wouldn’t use aviator mods. We use PVS 14’s, night vision monocular. The reason is having one of your eyes adjusted to night vision gives you some kind of depth perception. [When using night vision] Things close to you look further away. Your night eye is adjusted to dept and your night vision eye lets you see what is around you. If it came to an emergency situation where you engaged in a [lit] room, you would still have your other eye.”

What is your favorite weapon in real life?

Torres has a few favorites but he mentioned three weapons of different types to balance it out a bit: the M4 carbine, the USP 45 with LAM sight, and HK UMP 5. The M4 was his primary weapon as an Army Ranger.

What do you think of the scene in MW 2 where Russian Civilians were shot in the airport?

“Well, it is for the sake of entertainment. Politics aside I think they did a good job getting their point across. Any soldier would know its entertainment. No soldier would stand for [gunning down civilians.]”

What do you think of Obama sending 30,000-35,000 troops into Afghanistan?

“I think it’s a good idea. It is no secret; he said he was going to do it since his campaign. I see his logic. When Bush came up with the surge to invade Iraq we had it right, we just did it to the wrong country.”

Gamedibs will continue doing exclusive interviews with actual soldiers, asking their opinions on various subjects, touching on everything from gameplay to politics. We invite you to submit questions of your own to get answer from the men that have seen what many spend hours simulating. Feel free to add a question to the comment section.

In a recent article, that can be seen at news.bbc.co.uk, a gamer calling himself Raz said this when his XBOX 360 was banned from XBOBX Live for having been modified to use pirated games, “To be honest, I’ve contemplated whether to move to Playstation 3 or buy another Xbox.” Many other disgruntled users are making the same threats but their behavior may not be tolerated any better on the Playstation Network.

An analysis of the terms of service and terms of use agreement of XBOX live and PSN show an amazing similarity in how both companies view piracy. “All use or access to such Property shall be subject to the terms of this Agreement…You may not sell, rent, sublicense, modify, adapt, translate, reverse engineer, decompile, or disassemble any portion of the Property,” according to Playstation Network’s terms of service agreement.

The feelings of PSN are echoed in XBOX Live’s agreement,” You may not copy, download, modify or create derivative works, publish, transmit, sell or attempt to sell or transfer, or otherwise use or exploit any software,” according to the XBOX Live terms of use agreement.

Although many users are making threats to leave the XBOX behind the truth is, changing platforms might not change anything. Purchasing another XBOX would be the same price as switching to Ps3, considering the slim version is now available. Not only is the price the same but what is more obvious is that the users agreements are pretty much the same.

It is understandable that users feel betrayed and angered by the permanent termination of their accounts. The solution to their problems may not be to satiate the lust for revenge but to stop pirating. But, if a gamer really thinks it is time for a change PSN does have much to offer and the avenue for the switch is always open. They only need to remember, the terms of use are there, they may change systems but the rules are set in stone.

1. Hello Kitty Party Nintendo DS

“Players can have fun in the kitchen-washing, slicing, frying and cooking party food before the guests arrive,” in the newest Hello Kitty game, Hello Kitty Party on Nintendo DS! Who needs fast paced action sequences when you can wash dishes!

2. Diner Dash Xbox 360

After a hard day at work there is no better way to unwind then hitting the Wii to live the glamorous life of a diner waitress! Join Flo “in her quest for customer satisfaction, which is reflected in a heart meter that empties as customers lose patience.”

3. Singstar Latino Ps3

Everyone wants to be a Latin popstar. There was, Ricky Martin, Jennifer Lopez, and now you! Hurry to the Playstation Network before the servers overload because of the tsunami of fans trying to get there hands on this gem…

4. Scene it? Twilight

As if staring into Edward Cullen’s big beautiful eyes didn’t send me into a daze already, a puzzle game for the Wii is now available with Twilight based puzzles! “Fans can learn more about Bella Swan, TWILIGHT’s heroine or test their memories on Edward Cullen, the dark and unlikely love of Bella’s life.”

5. Your Shape Wii

I don’t know about you but my thighs are feeling fat and sweaty after chowing down on all of that holiday junk food. Get back into shape with Your Shape and listen to Jenny Mc Carty’s hot voice guide the way.

6. Karaoke Revolution Xbox 360

“Get the party started with friends or perform solo and rise to the top of the charts.” Of course there is no better way to get the party started then screaming along into a scratchy mic to Baby One More Time. I know I am ready to get my copy.

7. Yoga Wii

After setting extra bags of on fire cash for kicks I thought of a better way to get rid of it. I went down to my local hardware store and bought 3 cans of paint. I then proceeded to my local electronics store and bought a Wii Yoga with fit plus balance Board ($89.99 + 35.99) After sniffing a salt shaker of blue paint I found myself doing Tadasana pose and hallucinating a feeling of enjoyment while playing Yoga Wii. 15 minutes later I tried to ride the board off a bridge like a magic carpet…best money I ever spent.

8. Learn Geography Nintendo DS

This one is for the kiddies. After a long day of school there is nothing more than little Timmy wants to do than hop on his DS and pretend to be back at school, learning about geography….

9. Salon Superstar Nintendo DS

“Become a Star Beautician! You can run your very own beauty salon. Master the art of hairstyling, cosmetics and massage… and above all, keep your customers happy!” With the economy bleeding from the face who wouldn’t want to learn some extra skills in beauty to make a couple bucks…oh wait, it doesn’t do that.

10. A Boy and His Blob: Trouble on Blobolonia Wii

Feed a pile of goo jelly beans from magic jelly bean trees. But be careful! Those corporate run bean trees are filled with high fructose corn syrup, you don’t want your blob getting type II diabetes and dying of a sugar induced coma….

3536980
*Played on Very Hard difficulty*

If you think you can beat my score, send me a message or leave me a comment in this post. Just let me know you topped my score and i will check the leaderboards to confirm. Who knows, you might even win something from me personally. Check out the photo below for proof and to see my horrible paint skills. Let the games begin!!

]]> http://www.gamedibs.com/dibs/news/wii/resident-evil-the-darkside-chronicles-gamedibs-coms-own-koru-issues-a-challenge/feed 0 http://www.gamedibs.com/dibs/news/xbox360/happy-thanksgiving http://www.gamedibs.com/dibs/news/xbox360/happy-thanksgiving#comments Thu, 26 Nov 2009 21:36:30 +0000 Celia Mokrzycki http://www.gamedibs.com/dibs/?p=7491 You could spend Thanksgiving Day sleeping off your food coma, or you could spend it playing Lost Planet with other gamers. Capcom announced they will continue the tradition of playing everything Lost Planet on Xbox live all day today. This will be the third year in a row that Capcom has hosted this get-together for Lost Planet fans. According to www.capcom-unity.com players can join the matches using Lost Planet 2 co-op demo, LP1, LP Colonies, and possibly even the old LP demo. There is no word yet on how many Lost Planet players are expected to sign on to kick some ass this holiday.  If you’re interested in joining in on this send a message to gamertag: “Snow Inferno”.  Unfortunately only xbox live users can partake in these festivities; PC and Playstation Lost Planet fans will have to sit this one out.

On the bright side, for all fans of the series, there is a Lost Planet inspired movie in development scheduled to be released 2011. Capcom and Warner Bros are teaming up to create this big budget action movie.

NASA has set a release date of early 2010 for Moonbase Alpha, a demo of its MMO designed to educate people on space exploration through gaming. It is now available for viewing on their website
“The mini demo game Moon Base Alpha utilizes actual NASA Constellation program design details developed by NASA for mankind’s return to the Moon in 2020. Timelines in the much anticipated Astronaut: Moon, Mars and Beyond MMO will be set even farther in the exciting future (2035+),” according to NASA’s website http://ipp.gsfc.nasa.gov/mmo/. The game will focus on different themes, incorporating space travel and exploration of extraterrestrial environments. Although the game is made for entertainment purposes, NASA has a higher agenda for its product.
“Virtual worlds with scientifically accurate simulations could permit learners to tinker with chemical reactions in living cells, practice operating and repairing expensive equipment, and experience microgravity, making it easier to grasp complex concepts and transfer this understanding quickly to practical problems,” according NASA’s website. The software is geared toward educating people on scientific subjects that are hard to grasp in traditional learning environments.
Officials at NASA recognize that gaming has created new avenues to approach learning and wants to utilize gaming technology to improve education. “The power of games as educational tools is rapidly gaining recognition. NASA is in a position to develop an online game that functions as a persistent, synthetic environment supporting education as a laboratory, massive visualization tools and collaborative workspace while simultaneously drawing users into a challenging, game-play immersion.”

DOTS gloves have changed all that, to the relief and satisfaction of iPhone (and iPod Touch) users everywhere. Last year, as we fell into a deep recession, childhood friends and DOTS Co-CEO’s Larry Lairson and Chris Harrison harnessed their entrepreneurial skills and began handcrafting specialized gloves to survive the challenging state of economy as well as Jack Frost. As a former university copywriter in Iowa City, Iowa, where temperatures regularly dipped to minus 20F, Harrison “saw a lot of people around town taking their gloves off with their teeth to answer their touch screen phones and knew there had to be a better way.”

What the two didn’t know at the time was that their small idea aimed to suit the needs of an Apple customer trying desperately to avoid frostbite would take flight so quickly. With just one winter season under their belts, DOTS Gloves has fine-tuned their collection to include three stylish new models with InTouch technology to make all-weather, gloves-on operation of the iPhone and touch screen devices a cold snap, and a snap in the cold.

DOTS gloves are attractive but unfussy. Says Lairson, “The tendency for tech-related accessories is to go with a sort of space-age feel. But especially with Apple it’s just inappropriate. People are moving towards good design.”

On the street or on the slopes, DOTS gloves have used InTouch technology to help users stay…in touch.

The all-new DOTS Gloves product line for 2010 includes:

· D200

The flagship D200 boasts a nylon shell for weatherproofing and a fleece lining for greater warmth. DOTS Gloves has covered the palm in a microfiber grip material that feels and holds like suede, providing users a strong grasp on the iPhone or touch screen device even in the harshest temperatures. The InTouch technology embroidered into the three “dots” on thumb and two fingertips achieves the most device response possible simulating a human finger.

· D105

The D105 is DOTS Gloves’ black acrylic knitted glove with contrasting InTouch yarn fingertips. The entire fingertip of these gloves will help operate an iPhone or touch screen device. The lightweight knit that allows touching, tapping, scrolling and even pinching/swimming iPhone functions.

· D110

Like the D105, the D110 is an acrylic knitted glove, but it’s thicker and softer than the D105, with thicker InTouch fingertips to match. The D110 features a speckled knit styling.

DOTS Gloves work with all Apple touch screen devices, including the iPhone, iPod, iTouch, and iPod Nano. The D200 is currently available online NOW at www.dotsgloves.com; the D105 and D110 models join the collection in mid-November DOTS Gloves product line will also be on offer at www.ThinkGeek.com by mid-November. DOTS Gloves is already working on their NEXT collection, fans and users can check them out at Macworld, February 9-13, 2010 at the Moscone Center in San Francisco, California.

The PlayStation blog states that “by linking your PlayStation Network account to your Facebook account, you will have the option for the PS3 to automatically update your Facebook News Feed with Trophy and PlayStation Store activity.” Now along with telling your friends and family how boring work and school are and how awesome your farm is in Farmville, you’ll be able to let them know when you get that Baby Killer trophy in Dante’s Inferno!

Also coming with v3.10 is an aesthetically pleasing update to the PS3 photo albums. You’ll be able to view far more pictures than you could before, which will be laid out in a grid rather than just in a vertical line.

There will also be an update to the PSN Friend’s List based on feedback Sony received from v3.00. You’ll also be able to chose a color for your profile. Colors are nice, but where’s the multi-game voice chat? One can only hope it will be out before the PS4.

Uplay is Ubisoft’s online destination where gamers are at the center
of a connected gaming universe that has been developed around four
primary services: Uplay Win, Uplay Help, Uplay Share and Uplay Shop.
The Uplay Beta is launching with Uplay Win.

Uplay Win enables players to collect units based on their actions in
the games and exchange them for rewards such as exclusive in-game
content or digital items. Uplay Win Units can also be gathered
cross-platform and are currently available for PlayStation 3 system,
Xbox 360 and PC.

In Assassin’s Creed II, exclusive in-game content such as an Altair
costume and access to the Auditore Family Crypt are among the rewards
offered through Uplay Win. For those who don’t want to redeem their
units right away, they can save them to use on other games such as the
upcoming Tom Clancy’s Splinter Cell Conviction and many more to
come.

Players will also be able to access Uplay Share, Uplay Shop and Uplay
Help from www.uplay.com

]]> http://www.gamedibs.com/dibs/news/xbox360/super-street-fighter-iv-new-videos-screens/feed 1 http://www.gamedibs.com/dibs/gamingnews/kenka-bancho-badass-rumble-out-and-about http://www.gamedibs.com/dibs/gamingnews/kenka-bancho-badass-rumble-out-and-about#comments Mon, 16 Nov 2009 20:48:23 +0000 Joe Santiago http://www.gamedibs.com/dibs/?p=7234 Atlus U.S.A. has announced that their anime inspired brawler, Kenka Bancho: Badass Rumble, is now available for purchase at stores and on the PlayStation Network.

For those not familiar with Kenka Bancho, the game puts players in control of Sakamoto who’s determined to become the top ranking, high school delinquent. Players will be brawling through Kyoto where they’ll face off against 47 bancho rivals.

OVERULED this folks as our boy Ace will be taking a backseat this time around cuz good old MILES EDGEWORTH (yeah capcom stopped trying with english names a loooooooong time ago) will be on the scene of the crime this time around in Ace Attorney Investigations: Miles Edgeworth.

You’d think they’d take Ace out of the title since you don’t play him but noooooooo common sense just fails sometimes,bit of a wait on this one as it won’t be dropping till February 16, 2010.

Ace attorney miles edgeworth.

With an arsenal of authentic Remington shotguns that look, feel and shoot like the real things, Remington Great American Bird Hunt is a fast-paced and fun take on the sport of bird hunting. On their own or with a hunting party of up to three friends, players will take on more than 20 birds including turkeys, ducks, grouse and pheasants as Rockford, the faithful hunting dog, stays close by to lend a helping paw when needed. Each new environment and bird species calls for new strategies and carefully selected Remington shotguns. Sixty levels and more than 50 trophies and power-ups make Remington Great American Bird Hunt a game worth enjoying again and again.
Multiplayer action in Remington Great American Bird Hunt includes support for up to four players at one time, with options for both competitive and cooperative play and a separate party game mode. Remington Great American Bird Hunt is optimized to work with the Wii Remote™ or the Wii Zapper accessory.

“Remington Great American Bird Hunt is all about non-stop hunting action,” said Bill Swartz, Head Woof of Mastiff. “We took the best parts of hunting, like the adrenaline rush from a great shot, Remington’s legendary shotguns and the experience of spending time with your buddies, added bonuses and power-ups, and turned it into a game that’s just plain fun to play for anyone, be they hunter or gamer.”

For more information about Remington Great American Bird Hunt, please visit http://www.remingtonbirdhunt.com

Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band becomes the
second full album from The Beatles to hit The Beatles: Rock Band Music
Store since the video game’s launch on September 9, 2009. Last month MTV
Games and Harmonix released Abbey Road (1969) as the first full
downloadable album for use in the game. Additionally, “All You Need Is
Love,” the first downloadable track available for the game, has shown similar
success with more than 100,000 downloads to date on XboxLIVE online
entertainment network and all Apple Corps Ltd., MTV Games, Harmonix and
Microsoft proceeds benefiting Doctors Without Borders/Médecins Sans Frontières

With “Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band,” “With A Little Help From My
Friends,” “Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds,” “Getting Better,” and “Good Morning
Good Morning” already included on The Beatles: Rock Band game disc,
players will now be able to play songs from, and complete, the entire Sgt.
Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band album.

Available for Xbox 360 video game and
entertainment system from Microsoft (Nov. 17) and PlayStation 3 System (Nov.
19):

Individual Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band singles:
“Fixing A Hole,” “She’s Leaving Home,” “Being For The Benefit of Mr. Kite!,”
“Within You Without You,” “When I’m Sixty-Four,” “Lovely Rita,” “Sgt. Pepper’s
Lonely Hearts Club Band (Reprise)” and “A Day In The Life.”

Price: $1.99 USD, £.99 UK,
€1.49 EU (160 Microsoft Points for Xbox 360) per each individual track

The “Complete The Album Pack”
features:
Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band singles:
“Fixing A Hole,” “She’s Leaving Home,” “Being For The Benefit of Mr. Kite!,”
“Within You Without You,” “When I’m Sixty-Four,” “Lovely Rita,” “Sgt. Pepper’s
Lonely Hearts Club Band (Reprise)” and “A Day In The
Life.”

Price: $13.49 USD, £7.49,
€8.99 (1080 Microsoft Points for Xbox 360) for “Complete The Album
Pack”

Available for Wii (Nov. 17):

Individual
Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band singles: “Fixing A Hole,”
“She’s Leaving Home,” “Being For The Benefit of Mr. Kite!,” “Within You Without
You,” “When I’m Sixty-Four,” “Lovely Rita,” “Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club
Band (Reprise)” and “A Day In The Life.”

Price: $2.00 USD (200 Wii Points) per each
individual track

As previously announced the complete Rubber Soul (1965) album will
be released as downloadable content in December. The Beatles: Rock
Band downloadable content is available for purchase on the Xbox LIVE,
PlayStationNetwork and via the in-game The Beatles: Rock Band Music
Store for Wii using Wii Points purchased through the Wii Shop
Channel.

The Beatles: Rock Band offers players an unprecedented,
experiential progression through the music and artistry of The Beatles and is
available for Xbox 360, PlayStation3 and Wii
console from Nintendo. The game is compatible with all The Beatles: Rock
Band and Rock Band instrument controllers, as well as most Guitar
Hero and other authorized third-party music video game peripherals and
microphones.

The Beatles: Rock Band marks the first time
that Apple Corps, along with EMI Music, Sony/ATV Music Publishing, Harrisongs
Ltd and Startling Music Ltd has presented The Beatles music in an interactive
video game format. The Beatles: Rock Band is published by MTV Games and
developed by Harmonix, the world’s premier music video game company
and creators
of the best-selling Rock Band. Electronic Arts Inc. serves
as distribution partner for the game. In addition, Giles Martin, co-producer of
The Beatles’ innovative LOVE album project, provided his expertise and
served as
Music Producer for this groundbreaking Beatles
project.

The Beatles: Rock Band is rated “T” for Teen with the
descriptors “Mild Lyrics” and “Tobacco Reference” by the ESRB.

“While it seems that not every copy of the guide is affected, and the cause of the cover ink fading remains unclear, we suspect a few Atlus staff of taking in too much of that new-game smell and over-inhaling the guides,” said Crystal Murray, Public Relations Specialist at Atlus. “We appreciate the tremendous support Demon’s Souls has received and we apologize for any inconvenience this has caused,” she added.

The Demon’s Souls Official Strategy Guide Replacement Program will end on December 31, 2009 so customers are encouraged to submit their replacement claim as soon as possible, allowing 8-12 weeks for shipping.

EA is also throwing in a pre-order bonus. Those who buy early will get access to EA’s beta program, the game’s official soundtrack and an exclusive prequel bonus mission. Not too shabby. Mike Glosecki, Lead Producer of Command & Conquer 4 Tiberian Twilight, “can’t wait for fans to experience the trademark C&C action with the new level of strategic depth we have added, especially with our new experience system.”

Tiberian Twilight will put players in the midst of battle between the Global Defense Initiative and the Brotherhood of Nod on March 16th, 2010 for the PC.

“Our policy to ban modified consoles is part of our ongoing policy of combating piracy, and supporting safer and more secure game play on XBOX LIVE for the more than 20 million members of our community,” said a Microsoft spokesperson when asked if there was an increase in banning systems for the release of Modern Warfare 2. Sites such as Pinoycosplay.blogspot.com, newsday.com and news.bbc.co.uk have reported sharp jumps in the amount of players banned sitting specific reasons.

Pinocosplay reported that “Microsoft has started its annual XBOX  Live banning spree and it has disabled 600,000 accounts so far.” This was said to be in response to the upcoming holiday season. When asked if any increase in banning over the holiday season they simply answered “no.”  Pinoycosplay reported an inside tip asserting that bans were set for a quota of a million through the holiday season in a recent blog post but according a Microsoft spokesperson the rumors are untrue.

Another inaccuracy appearing on many sites are trumped up numbers. Pinoycosplay reported, “Microsoft has started its annual Xbox Live banning spree and it has disabled 600,000 accounts so far in the US and Canada.” Other sites reported similar numbers without attribution to Microsoft or any other source. At news.cnet.com the number was said to be a million banned players to date. Microsoft’s spokesperson responded saying, “While we don’t comment on specific numbers…all consoles have been verified to have violated the terms of use.”

It appears there is no clear source of information indicating that Microsoft is banning accounts at a higher rate. There are however, individuals that may be running to news sites when they discover they have missed out on titles such as potential game of the year MW2.

A gamer calling himself Raz, who was mentioned in the previous article, was “gutted” when he went to play his fresh copy of MW2 only to discover his account had been disabled.  Raz shared his experience about losing his account with  news.bbc.co.uk, “It’s like telling someone their dog just died. It was pretty much like that for me. I love it, I love playing Xbox live.” Although losing an account may be upsetting, disgruntled gamers may be more likely to flare up when they get banned right when their favorite game gets released than when they just downloaded their tenth pirated game, later to discover that they were banned.

The information available does not confirm that there is a head hunt for modded XBOXs over the holiday season or because of the release of games but a response from a Microsoft’s spokesperson does reveal a scarier point for game pirates. “The health of the video game business depends on customers paying for the genuine products and services…we believe that even one modified console on the system is one too many.”

Publisher Special for November:
Paradox Interactive – Daily Deals 50-70% OFF

Games of the Weekend (Nov 12th – Nov 15th):
Darkstar One – 50% OFF
Company of Heroes Complete – 50% OFF
S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Clear Sky – 50% OFF
Fairy Tales: Three Heroes – 25% OFF

Special Offer:
Elven Legacy 50% OFF until November 23rd in anticipation of the November 24th release Elven Legacy: Siege

Pre-order offers:
King’s Bounty: Armored Princess at 10% OFF and receive 250 bonus Blue Coins with a price guarantee and pre-load. If you already have King’s Bounty The Legend and pre-order King’s Bounty: Armored Princess, you will receive 1 750 bonus Blue Coins. A tip! Gift this offer and you will receive loads of Blue Coins!

Pre-order James Cameron’s Avatar: The Game get exclusive in game items and receive 250 bonus Blue Coins with a price guarantee and pre-load.

gamersgate.com

To help combat these alarming trends, Activision Blizzard, video game publisher and publisher of the best-selling Call of Duty video game franchise, has established the Call of Duty Endowment (CODE). This non-profit public benefit corporation will focus its resources on assisting organizations that provide job placement and training to veterans, as well as engaging the media and public forums to raise awareness about the issue.

At today’s launch event in Washington, BG Gary H. Cheek, the Assistant Surgeon General of Warrior Care and Transition and Commander of the Warrior Transition Command, stressed the need to help those veterans returning from service who have had difficulty finding employment: “I could make the case that based upon the service and sacrifice of our veterans that American employers have their own call of duty to ensure they have the opportunity for gainful employment and a viable career,” Cheek said. “Our soldiers have a lot to offer: integrity, discipline, teamwork, and personal sacrifice for a greater good. I can think of no stronger candidates for any positions employers might be looking to fill. These brave men and women willingly put their lives on the line to protect the blessings of liberty enjoyed by every business in this great country of ours.”

Activision Blizzard created the organization with a commitment to donate and raise millions of dollars to help raise awareness of veterans’ unemployment. Recognizing that Infinity Ward’s Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2™ is expected to be one of the biggest entertainment properties of the year, and that the Call Of Duty game is extremely popular among troops, Activision chose to give back to veterans by using the proceeds from Modern Warfare 2 to fund the Call of Duty Endowment and raise awareness for this important issue. Infinity Ward’s Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 was released to gamers worldwide, at midnight on November 10.

To help guide the endowment, Activision Blizzard’s CEO, Robert Kotick, recruited an advisory board composed of respected veterans representing the various branches of the military. The advisory council assists in identifying potential organizations that will receive grants from CODE and helps to raise awareness of the issue across the country.

During the event, Kotick highlighted the need for other corporate leaders to step forward and ensure that hiring veterans is a priority. “We embark on this effort as a grateful nation. Business leaders have an opportunity to renew their commitment to the American spirit and to reverse an alarming trend of not recognizing the sacrifices made by the men and women of our military service,” Kotick said.

In addition to announcing Activision’s commitment to raise millions of dollars, CODE also announced a grant of $125,000 made to the Paralyzed Veterans of America (PVA) organization. The grant will provide resources to help underwrite the cost of a new PVA Vocational Rehabilitation Services Center in Boston, MA. This PVA program offers vocationally-oriented services to veterans with disabilities, especially those veterans with spinal cord dysfunction.

Homer S. Townsend, Jr., executive director of PVA, expressed how grave the employment issue is for disabled veterans. Speaking at the event Mr. Thompson noted, “PVA estimates the national unemployment rate for veterans with severe disabilities to be over 85 percent. With this grant, and the work already being done by PVA, we aim to make this grim statistic a thing of the past by helping to unleash the untapped talent and potential of this often underutilized part of our workforce.”

Moving forward, CODE will have an active online presence through its website at www.callofdutyendowment.org. This website will house statistics about the issue, resources for veterans and employers, recent news items, and videos about the challenges veterans face. CODE also will award several more grants in the upcoming weeks and months and sponsor several events to bring greater awareness of the issue to a variety of audiences.

Players take control of their career both on and off the track competing in races and hiring engineers, team managers and press officers to help further their career as a pro and ultimately win the MotoGP World Championship. Demonstrating your riding skills on the track through overtaking, slipstreaming and showboating will be rewarded with Rider Reputation points. Pushing too hard can be detrimental as crashes and collisions will reduce the reputation bonus awarded at the end of each race. The more Rider Reputation points you earn the more attractive you become to other manufacturers, sponsors and employees. Your team will also research upgrades for your existing bike to increase its performance.

Career Mode compliments the previously confirmed Arcade Mode which introduces an exciting take on the overall objective of being the first to cross the finishing line.

Release dates and pricing are currently unknown, but the game is scheduled to be released on the PS3 and X-Box 360 sometime next year.

-Direct streaming to the PS3

-Get them on DVD via mail

You can sign up for a free trial here:

http://www.netflix.com/NRD/PS3

Like last year’s contest, gamers are challenged to take a creative photograph of themselves in front of one of the outdoor media placements in New York, Chicago, Los Angeles, Seattle, Miami, Phoenix, Dallas, Minneapolis, and the San Francisco Bay Area. Contest rules and submission guidelines can be found at www.L4D.com/contest. All entries will be reviewed and judged by Gabe Newell, president and founder of Valve. The top 25 entrants will win a free copy of Left 4 Dead, and the overall winner will receive a custom engraved L4D2 Xbox 360.

“Last year’s out of home media campaign proved to be one of the most effective vehicles for helping land Left 4 Dead on 2008’s top 10 seller list in the North America,” said Doug Lombardi, vice president of marketing at Valve. “Valve has once again partnered with Gibson Media to execute the Left 4 Dead 2 out of home campaign and extend it to more markets across the US.”

Coming exclusively to Xbox 360 and PC, L4D2 promises to set a new benchmark for co-operative action games and become one of 2009’s marquee titles. Set for release on November 17, the title adds melee combat to enable deeper co-operative gameplay, with items such as a chainsaws, frying pans, axes, baseball bats, and more.

With the AI Director 2.0, L4D’s dynamic gameplay is taken to the next level by giving the Director the ability to procedurally change weather effects, world objects, and pathways in addition to tailoring the enemy population, effects, and sounds to match the players’ performance. The result is a unique game session custom fitted to provide a satisfying and uniquely challenging experience each time the game is played.

Finally, with new Survivors, boss zombies, weapons, and items, Left 4 Dead 2 offers a much larger game than the original, featuring more co-operative campaigns, more Versus campaigns, new Survival maps, and the new competitive game mode, Scavenge, all available at launch.

The Left 4 Dead 2 demo — already available for all PC gamers and Xbox LIVE Gold Members — features gameplay taken from “The Parish” campaign, set in the New Orleans French Quarter. Playable by 1 to 4 players over local or Internet connections on both the Xbox 360 and PC (with two-player split screen available on the Xbox 360), the demo features all the new boss infected zombies and many of the new melee weapons included in the full product.

Coming exclusively to Xbox 360 and PC, L4D2 promises to set a new benchmark for co-operative action games and become one of 2009’s marquee titles. Set for release on November 17, the title adds melee combat to enable deeper co-operative gameplay, with items such as a chainsaws, frying pans, axes, baseball bats, and more.

With the AI Director 2.0, L4D’s dynamic gameplay is taken to the next level by giving the Director the ability to procedurally change weather effects, world objects, and pathways in addition to tailoring the enemy population, effects, and sounds to match the players’ performance. The result is a unique game session custom fitted to provide a satisfying and uniquely challenging experience each time the game is played.

Adding new Survivors, boss zombies, weapons, and items, Left 4 Dead 2 offers a much larger game than the original, featuring more co-operative campaigns, more Versus campaigns, new Survival maps, and the new competitive game mode, Scavenge, all available at launch.

For more information, please visit www.l4d.com

Congratulations to Activision! It will be interesting to see how Modern Warfare stacks up in the reviewers’ eyes during the holiday season. Are we looking at this year’s Game-of-the-Year or just a pretty sales figure? We shall see!

“There are 16-year-old kids out there; they don’t earn money so they go screaming to their parents saying, ‘Can you buy me this game’?” Everyone wants to play them all. And for them to pay £50 a game?” said a man on news.bbc.co.uk calling himself Raz, a 25 year old gamer who got his account banned. Raz realized he lost his account when he tried to log into play his store bought copy of Modern Warfare 2.

He decided long before he went to buy his copy of MW2 to get his system “chipped” in order to pirate content. “He charged £75 to get it chipped but at the end of the day I said to myself I’ll pay £75 to get it chipped, after two games I’ve paid the money back. I’ve probably saved about £600 [overall].”

Despite Raz’s view on the issue pirating content XBOX LIVE and other gamers have taken issue with what people are doing. “You may not copy, download, modify or create derivative works, publish, transmit…or otherwise use or exploit any software unless we or our suppliers have expressly allowed you to do so,” according to the second paragraph of the intellectual property clause of the terms of use of XBOX LIVE. Although every player must abide by this contract many gamers have modified their own system to do a number of things including ripping MW2 earlier than its release date.

“I see 30 people online [right now] and I know 15 of them are playing Modern Warfare 2 and not all of them are legit,” said Josh Parker gamedibs editor in chief in his podcast, dibcast, five days before the release of MW2. Parker believes that pirating video games is worse than other forms of pirating because it lacks benefit for the creators of the game. “If music gets pirated the music gets out there and the band can make more money that doesn’t go to the record companies,” said Parker referring to concert revenue.

Gamers are obviously playing the game early, taking advantage of what they can, but not all are stealing. “It is not illegal or against policy if that game is a retail copy,” said Parker. Retailers receive games days before the actual release, if someone should come across a copy they would not be breaking the rules according to Parker.

Stephen Toulouse Director of Policy and Enforcement on Live released a statement. “You know, when you play a pre-release title on LIVE when I know you shouldn’t have it, it’s not hard for me to figure out.” Even if you have a retail copy the company may hold the player suspect if they are playing before opening day. Rumors have been floating around tagging the holiday season as a no go zone for those looking to rip games or have modified XBOX’s.

“Microsoft has started its annual Xbox Live banning spree and it has disabled 600,000 accounts so far in the US and Canada,” according to pinoycosplay.blogspot.com, “they have been given instructions to push for a million banned accounts by the time the holidays are over.”

Pinoycosplay does not site the name of their source’s so their testimony remains a rumor but gamers will need to buy a new XBOX to rejoin their previous community if they are found pirating. Both Pinoycosplay and parker have thoughts on the issue. “If I had a pirated copy of MW2 or a retail copy [before the release date] I would probably not play multiplayer online, I would probably play the single player campaign,” said parker. Pinoycosplay’s advice was, “If you’re a big Mininova fan…stay away from Xbox Live until after Christmas to continue playing online.”

Links are available for sources as follows.

http://www.gamedibs.com/dibs/featured-articles/dibcast-show-29

http://www.pinoycosplay.blogspot.com

http://news.bbc.co.uk/newsbeat/hi/technology/newsid_10000000/newsid_100029       00/10002915.stm

In addition, the company surprised us with another March 2010 release date for a Cing-developed DS game: Monster Rancher DS. Two DS games in Tecmo’s once-massive monster generating and collecting series came out on DS in Japan in 2007 and 2008, featuring the ability to unlock monsters by drawing on the screen or talking into the microphone, but nothing was ever said about a North American release until now. Monster Rancher DS features both local and online monster fighting, and the return of many of the nostalgic monsters you may remember from the older games, like that one with the big eye.

A.C.R.O.N.Y.M. Games will release NBA UNRIVALED, exclusively for download on Xbox LIVE Arcade for the Xbox 360 and PlayStation Network. Combining inspiration from both arcade classics and retro styling, the highly-anticipated, visually stunning sports title will be available in time to kick off the 2009-2010 NBA basketball season with all 30 NBA teams and players from the latest rosters.

From expressive cut scenes to exaggerated slams, the game will be reminiscent of arcade basketball favorites. At this time, no such game exists in the digital download realm.

Since the recent jigbreak, those who did not change their root password are vulnerable as it will reportedly turn on the iPhone’s SSH service.

To quote: “A 21-year-old Australian claims to be the first hacker in the world to infect the iPhone with a virus.

It spreads between phones with each call but the damage extends to changing the device’s wallpaper – to a photo of Eighties pop star Rick Astley famous for his hit Never Gonna Give You Up.

Sydney student Ashley Towns said he wanted to raise the issue of security, adding: ‘What I’ve done has shown that anyone can easily hack into an iPhone’.

Mr Towns’ virus can only infect iPhones which have been ‘jailbroken’ by their owners – an action that allows phone owners to install applications on their phones which have not been approved by Apple.”

Amazing.

The Innovations Design and Engineering Awards program recognizes the most innovative consumer electronics (CE) products in the industry’s hottest product categories. Innovations has become a hallmark for the best-designed products in consumer technology. For more information visit: http://www.cesweb.org

“We’re thrilled with the initial response that our first products for 2010 have received and we’re honored to accept this award from the Consumer Electronics Association for the Firefly” says Vestalife Founder and President Wayne Ludlum. “We designed the Firefly and our two other new speaker docks for iPhone/iPod with a diverse spectrum of consumers in mind and aimed to connect emotionally with each of them. We have been working relentlessly to design truly unique products with real character to add to the Vestalife family and are thrilled to be included in the CES Innovations Showcase.”

“We are very excited to introduce the latest Vestalife products to the media and are honored to be acknowledged once again by the Consumer Electronics Association as Innovators of Design,” adds Vestalife CEO Fred Faulkner.

Firefly ($129.99) with its organic flowing lines that give it a unique attitude and personality and that produce a wide, smooth soundstage is AC or battery powered by 4-AA batteries and is certified “Made for iPod and Works with iPhone.

Ladybug II ($99.99) is larger than its iconic cousin, Ladybug, with upgraded electronics and stronger bass response with a ported subwoofer and is AC or battery powered by 4-AA batteries and is certified “Made for iPod and Works with iPhone.”

Mantis ($179.99) with its elegant artistry, rich detail and rich textures, features a down-firing subwoofer and creates a sound quality experience that compares with speakers twice its cost. Mantis is AC or battery powered by 4-AA batteries and is certified “Made for iPod and Works with iPhone.”

The theme of the names, Ladybug, Firefly and Mantis is carried through with folding, hinged speakers that resemble wings when open on each model, creating a distinctive design and style and amazing stereo soundstage in a small area.

Vestalife includes a celebrated and highly accomplished team who is committed to one thing: bringing innovative design to build great products that deliver exceptional consumer experiences.

Vestalife will remain in New York Wednesday, November 11 and Thursday, November 12 to showcase their new product line to media following CES Unveiled. The showcase takes place at the W Times Square.

Endless Survival Mode turns Judgment Day War into an epic battle with a virtually endless number of randomly generated missions that increase in difficulty as the game progresses. More than 20 strategic skills can be upgraded along the way, readying the forces for each new challenge.

Judgment Day War provides an accessible real-time strategy experience, with intuitive controls that let players focus on battle plans and strategic thinking. A global leader board lets players see where they rank in both Campaign and Endless Survival modes.

Judgment Day War is now available on the App Store at http://budurl.com/jdayw, and a lite version can be found at http://budurl.com/jdaywl. For more information, please visit the Judgment Day War home page at http://www.g5e.com/games/judgment_day_war_iphone or the G5 Entertainment YouTube channel at www.youtube.com/g5enter.

The first in a series of games based in the rich Mistbound universe, Greed Corp takes place in a world of feudal warfare ravaged by industrial consumption. As one of four warring factions, your aim lies clearly on territorial domination, but at what cost? Can you find the delicate balance between harvesting the land for resources and preserving it to stay alive? Will you defend your territory or sacrifice it to keep it out of enemy hands?

Featuring an innovative land-collapsing mechanic which constantly alters the strategic landscape, players must destroy enemies, demolishing or capturing enemy structures, while defending their own territories using any means necessary. Build Harvesters to reap the land for credits to spend on armories and cannons, or manufacture walkers to conquer enemy territory and order carriers to transport battalions of troops across the map, the choice is yours. But watch out: abuse the already maligned land too greatly, and it will fall out from under you!

In recognition of its creative achievements, Greed Corp was nominated for the European Innovative Games Award 2009 (EIGA), an initiative which encourages the development of innovative video games which is supported by the European Commission.

For more on Greed Corp and to view the teaser trailer, go to www.greedcorp.com

The ‘Gates of Hell’ demo will introduce players to the game’s hero, epic story and intense action gameplay, tracing Dante’s battles from the surface all the way to the Gates of Hell. Players will experience fast-paced hack-n-slash combat as they fend off waves of enemies before taking on the ultimate battle against Death. After defeating this boss, Dante will be armed with Death’s scythe, a powerful holy cross, and will be ready to tear open the Gates of Hell. The demo also features two stunning cinematic movies made by Blur, the award-winning visual effects, animation and design studio.

“Our main goal from the start of this project has been to create a journey that will make gamers truly feel like they are going through hell,” said executive producer Jonathan Knight. “The demo will give everyone some insight into how we are treating the story and a taste of the gameplay. And with nine more circles of hell to explore once the game comes out in February, we are literally just scratching the surface.”

EA’s Dante’s Inferno is an epic descent through Dante Alighieri’s nine circles of hell – limbo, lust, gluttony, greed, anger, heresy, violence, fraud and treachery. At a blazing-fast 60 frames per second, each circle features unique environments, all new creatures, terrifying demons, story elements and are scored distinctly to set a tone that fits each circle of sinners.

Gamers will get to go to hell in North America beginning February 9, 2010 and in Europe on February 12, 2010 for the PS3, the Xbox 360, and the PSP. The Gates of Hell demo will be available on the PS3 and Xbox 360 consoles.

In the game’s career mode, players start out by performing at small private parties and work their way up, gaining recognition and finally becoming the world’s best disc jockey. The artist travels from one gig to the next in super-clubs throughout the world, including New York, Miami, Tokyo, Paris, Berlin and London. Players get to scratch in real time using the Nintendo DS Touch Screen. The innovative title includes several genuine DJ features and 40 well-known songs from the genres of electro, R&B, and more, as well as numerous mini-games.

“DJ Star” enthralls players with its excellent sound quality, and is easy to learn even for players who have never used a turntable before. A step-by-step introduction and easy-to-use interface enable fans to learn how to mix and create their own songs in short order. With 200 samples and a simple user interface, musicians in the handheld world can compose great hits with just a few moves of the Nintendo DS stylus. They can also exchange their best songs with friends using DS Wireless Communications.

The virtual online studio at the game’s official website http://djstar.deepsilver.com lets visitors test their skillz and create their own songs. Besides all kinds of information regarding the game, the site now offers music lovers the opportunity to mix their own tracks, save them to their Facebook profiles, and share them with friends.

“A conversation with a friend who works for a call center that handles an Xbox 360 account has yielded a disturbing truth: Microsoft has started its annual Xbox Live banning spree and it has disabled 600,000 accounts so far in the US and Canada.

The target of the banning spree are mainly people who have modified their consoles to play pirated games. My trusty source says that they have been given instructions to push for a million banned accounts by the time the holidays are over.”

This is just a rumor and there’s no real way to confirm this. But it’s an interesting discussion, how many consoles do you think Microsoft has banned? This site claims 600k are banned already just in US and CA. If we know Microsoft sold about 19M consoles in that region to-date. That would mean they already banned about 3.16% of their user-base?

We here at Gamedibs will follow this story and post updates when they become available.

This video details the design of the combat system in the game – one that allows you to be both the wise Commander setting the strategy, as well as the leader of the battle charge.  Lead Designer Mike Laidlaw also discusses the philosophy of making a combat scheme that accounts for all factors, including armor weight, field position and character attributes.  Learn how movie lore influenced the game combat as Laidlaw outlines some of the key movie influences including Conan the Barbarian and 300 (key reveal: stunt actors from 300 were brought in to perform cool swings and death blow moves which were captured for in-game animations!).  Lastly, the team gives their final thoughts on creating this epic, with a nod to future adventures to come in the world of Ferelden and beyond.

In all honesty, the primary reason we’ve decided to cancel the show this week is so that we can bring you, the readers, a special Modern Warfare themed episode of the Dibcast. In addition to the usual crew, several other members of the Gamedibs staff will stop by to give us their thoughts on the biggest release of the year. We’ll discuss the launch event in New York City and adventures at other midnight sales around the country, critique the Wii and Nintendo DS iterations of the series, and discuss the future of the Modern Warfare franchise.

Until then, I’ll leave you with this picture taken at last night’s Modern Warfare 2 launch event in NYC:

Yeah dudes, that’s Ice-T.

Based on the direct feedback of fans, now mobile slot mavens can enjoy the critically-acclaimed original Cleopatra with all new features like new leaderboards for Tournament Play mode, adjustable reel speed, and the ability to save and resume in Instant Play mode.   “We received a great response with the launch of the original Cleo, along with a ton of great feedback, all of which we’ve done our best to include in this 2.0 update,” said Eric Vetter, Vice President of New Business Development.
What’s New in This Version? THREE GLOBAL LEADERBOARDS! Can’t seem to get a score high enough to be in the Top 10 of all time?  Don’t worry we’ve made it a little easier for you.  You can now post your score to the newly added Weekly and Monthly Leaderboards.  The weekly tournament will reset each Sunday and the monthly will reset on the first day of the month.  

ADJUST THE SPEED! Want to play even faster than before?  You can now adjust the reel spin speed for both regular play and bonus play.  Under the options menu select slow, medium, or fast.  

Other improvements -

Better sound quality –

1^st Gen iPod Touch compatible –

Save your progress in Instant Play mode –

Email a friend

More distinctive features of Cleopatra:

• 3 or more Sphinx appearing anywhere on the reels starts the Cleopatra Bonus™. Not only do you earn 15 free spins but all wins are 3 times their normal value!  If during a free spin, Sphinx symbols appear on three or more reels, an additional 15 free spins will be added to your current free spin bonus!
• Line wins completed with the Wild Cleopatra™ double the award value!
• Experience exotic sounds plus the voice of Cleopatra herself!
• Have fun by shaking the device to spin the reels!
• Competitive gamers can apply a winning strategy by changing the number of lines and credit stake on each spin!

One of the most popular ‘real life’ slot games ever enjoyed in casinos around the world, this 5-reel, 20-line game replicates the original slot game authentically, making Cleopatra® 2.0 the definitive slot experience on the iPhone and iPod Touch platform.

This game is for amusement only and does not replicate the odds of winning or the payouts of similar IGT casino games.

You must be 21 to gamble.

For more information on responsible gambling go to www.ncpgambling.org

Focused on intense competition that captures Shaun’s riding style, personality and spirit, Shaun White Snowboarding: World Stage allows players to feel the thrill of the ride and experience the life of a professional snowboarder participating in the highest levels of competitions around the world.

“Partnering with Shaun to develop this game has been an incredible experience,” said Antoine Guignard, producer of Shaun White Snowboarding: World Stage at Ubisoft. “We wanted to create something for everyone with this game and let players everywhere get a chance to ‘live the life’ of a professional snowboarder.”

From a half pipe in the middle of New York’s Times Square to the most prestigious competitions in France, Canada, Japan and more, players can explore extraordinary mountains and iconic locations all over the world in 75 fun and unique challenges. With a ton of new events to compete in and seamless co-op multiplayer options, players can rise to the top of the world rankings with friends too.

Shaun White Snowboarding: World Stage is compatible with Wii MotionPlus and Wii Balance Board accessories. From creating and naming snowboarding tricks to riding in style with customized characters, players can be creative and fully immerse themselves in the game while experiencing the thrill of competition.

For more information, please visit www.shaunwhitegame.com

The Blood Echelon is a select lodge of elite Dragon Slayers who have earned the highest of distinctions on the battlefield. Their elite armor and weapon set includes:

• Blood Echelon Armor – Sturdy as granite and shaped to intimidate, Blood Echelon armors set new standards in the art of war.
• Blood Echelon Weapon – The Claymore, the Frontline Slayers’ mighty weapon of choice, cleaves armor like it was mere flesh.

The pre-order program is available now through January 5, 2010.  Please visit your local GameStop for more information and incentive details, or check online at http://www.gamestop.com/Catalog/ProductDetails.aspx?product_id=75982. Incentive items will be available GameStop online or at time of pick-up starting January 5, 2010.

Please note that this program applies only to pre-orders of Divinity II – Ego Draconis for the Xbox 360.

The action-RPG sequel to the critically acclaimed Divine Divinity, Divinity II – Ego Draconis transports players back to the wide-open world of Rivellon, where they’ll face the ultimate challenge of becoming a Dragon Knight. With up to 60 hours of gameplay, and the ability to play as either a knight or a dragon, Divinity II offers players an expansive experience rife with lands to explore, dungeons to conquer and plenty of on-the-ground and aerial combat.

Divnity II -  Ego Draconis will be released on January 5, 2010 in North America on the Xbox 360 and PC.

Divinity II – Ego Draconis is rated M for Mature by the ESRB. For more information about Divinity II – Ego Draconis, register at www.divinity2.com

The saga created by weaving together the main story and different sub-stories promises to captivate the players as they journey through the atmospheric masterpiece of Antaloor. As the story unfolds through gameplay and cutscenes, “Two Worlds II” offers a profound journey into Antaloor’s past, as well as insight into the fate of a long-forgotten ruler’s dynasty.

Originally involved exclusively in the development of Maritime simulators VSTEP now uses it’s development team to make video games as well. “Our extensive knowledge and experience in creating award-winning simulation tools for flexible, low cost professional maritime training, has given us a perfect base for our entertainment series of  Ship Simulation games”, said Frank Dolmans, CMO of VSTEP.

Software teams at VSTEP used their knowledge of actual Maritime situations to create Ship Simulator Extremes, their latest game for release. The game is geared to present realistic scenarios. According to a VESTEP press release “you endure extreme conditions, fight the elements and face all of the challenges associated with being a ship captain with a wide range of vessels to control, including hovercrafts, coast guard interceptors, mammoth tankers, tugs, cruise liners, and many others.”

Ship Simulator Extremes is scheduled for release in Q2 2010 for Windows XP and Windows Vista. To keep up with the latest news about this title, please visit: http://www.shipsim.com.

“With so many new ways to play your favorite Hasbro board games on digital platforms, it’s never been easier to bring fun and laughter to holiday gatherings,” according to an EA press release.

HASBRO Family Game night is available for retail on the XBOX 360 and Nintendo DS but is available for purchase on XBOX LIVE Games on Demand and the PlayStation Network as well.

TRIVIAL PURSUIT and MONOPLOY will be available exclusively through XBOX LIVE Games on Demand and the PlayStation Network and will include TRIVIAL PURSUIT Sports. For more information on the release go to www.hasbro.ea.com.

James Cameron’s Avatar: The Game will be released this December 1st on PS3, X360, PC, Wii, DS/DSi, and PSP.

The new WAR endless free trial replaces the original 10-day time-limited trial program, and gives new and returning players the opportunity to create and play any of the 24 different careers to find their perfect character match for use during extended gameplay if they purchase the game and/or subscribe. The endless free trial limits players to progress through character level 10 as they explore the tier one Empire vs. Chaos zones of Nordland and Norsca. In addition, players can explore the newly added tier one dungeon, Hunter’s Vale, or battle other players in the instanced scenarios Nordenwatch, Khaine’s Embrace and Gates of Ekrund.

Endless free trial players will embark on the recently introduced New User Journey, which features enhanced tutorials and new community elements, such as a “new player” guild, to streamline the transition of new players into WAR and its vibrant community of players.

“With the introduction of the endless free trial and streaming client, we are making it easier than ever for a new player to join the WAR,” said Jeff Hickman, executive producer, Mythic Entertainment. “We’ve worked hard to create a more informative and community driven new user experience, and now we are giving players an unlimited amount of time to explore the early parts of the game at their own pace. We are confident that players new and old will find all the enhancements we’ve made to WAR over the past year worthy of their time and commitment.”

Available now, the new streaming endless trial client is a seamless way for new users to get into the game. After an initial download of just over 1GB, additional content streams in the background as required while playing.  All closed 10-day free trial accounts have been converted to open endless free trial accounts and are ready for returning players to resume their journeys across the frontlines of WAR.

http://www.warhammeronline.com/trial

*INTERNET CONNECTION, ACCEPTANCE OF END USER ACCESS AND LICENSE AGREEMENT AND REGISTRATION REQUIRED TO PLAY.

Rock Band DLC Additions for Xbox 360, PlayStation 3 System and Wii

Brother/sister duo The White Stripes will release a three pack of some of their most loved songs on Rock Band next week. The band, composed of Jack White (of The Dead Weather and The Raconteurs, both featured in Rock Band) and Meg White, has sold more than 12 million albums worldwide and has won five Grammy Awards, including three for Best Alternative Music Album. “The White Stripes Pack 01” will feature “Dead Leaves and the Dirty Ground,” from the 2001 album, White Blood Cells; “Girl, You Have No Faith in Medicine,” from the 2003 album, Elephant; and “Icky Thump” from the 2007 album of the same name. A tour documentary titled “The White Stripes Under Great White Northern Lights” debuted at the Toronto International Film Festival this September and is currently making the festival rounds to rave reviews.  The film, directed by Emmett Malloy, is a visual and emotional documentation of The White Stripes making their way through Canada where they played every province and territory, culminating with their 10th anniversary show in Nova Scotia. “The White Stripes Under Great White Northern Lights” is scheduled to be released in early 2010.

English punk rockers The Damned make their Rock Band debut next week with “Smash It Up,” and English rockers Kasabian add to their Rock Band catalog, with “Club Foot.”

Available on Xbox 360 and Wii (Nov. 10) and PlayStation 3 system (Nov. 12):

• The Damned – “Smash It Up (Part II)”
• Kasabian – “Club Foot”
• The White Stripes – “Dead Leaves and the Dirty Ground”
• The White Stripes – “Girl, You Have No Faith in Medicine”
• The White Stripes – “Icky Thump”

(All tracks are original master recordings)

These tracks will be available for purchase as “The White Stripes Pack 01” as well as individual tracks on Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 system, and as individual tracks on Wii. Tracks marked with a “+” are also available in the family-friendly LEGO Rock Band Music Store.

Price: $1.99 USD, £.99 UK, €1.49 EU (160 Microsoft Points for Xbox 360) per track

$5.49, £2.49 UK, €3.99 EU (440 Microsoft Points for Xbox 360) for “The White Stripes Pack 01”

$2.00 USD (200 Wii Points^™) per track

Rock Band Unplugged Tracks for PSP System

Rock Band Unplugged fans will enjoy the addition of No Doubt’s “Excuse Me Mr.” and Dropkick Murphy’s “I’m Shipping Up to Boston” to the 55 tracks already available via the Rock Band Unplugged in-game music store for the PSP system.

Tracks available for Rock Band Unplugged (Nov. 12):

• • • No Doubt – “Excuse Me Mr.”
    • Dropkick Murphys – “I’m Shipping Up to Boston”

Price: $1.99, £.99 UK, €1.49 EU per track on the PSP.

** Dates for Rock Band game tracks are tentative and subject to change. **

Website Links:

For more information, please visit:

www.rockband.com
www.whitestripes.com

Game Features:
JOIN THE NEW CSI FAMILY… and partner with the cast of the CSI Season 9, including new characters such as Ray Langston (Laurence Fishburne). Work together on crime scenes and help each other during tough suspect interrogations.

PUT YOUR EXPERTISE TO THE TEST… as you play one of the most skillful forensic experts to join the Las Vegas CSI team. For the first time ever in the CSI video game series, help other detectives in their investigations and gain their respect through your actions and teamwork.

PERFORM THE TASKS OF A CSI DETECTIVE… collect evidence at the crime scene, examine victim’s bodies, search for items that might be related to the case and unveil hidden evidence through observation. Interview witnesses and suspects with an improved interrogation system for more realistic character interaction.

ANALYZE THE EVIDENCE WITH THE LATEST TECHNOLOGY… use DNA, microscopic analysis and much more.

CSI: Crime Scene Investigation is the world’s number one television franchise and America’s Most Watched Primetime Franchise averaging 48 million weekly viewers and 137 million total viewers. The CSI: Crime Scene Investigation video game franchise is the world’s number one interactive crime solving series with 5.5 million video games sold.

CSI: Deadly Intent – The Hidden Cases is now available in stores.

For more information, please visit www.csideadlyintent.com

According to udk.com the engine is for “Anyone, everyone [and] you.”  The developer has three demo games available and encourages others to fulfill their own gaming fantasies through the power of the engine. “Unreal Engine 3 has been used by game developers, researchers, television studios, machinima directors, artists and students. If you have an idea that needs to be brought to life in a game engine, UDK is for you.”

“This has made me sooo excited,” said Ritesh Manchanda gamedibs.com Creative Director. “I have been a fan of games that have come out from Epic games since back in the day. The amount of detail in the 3D world is amazing, everything from normal mapping to lighting, shadows. While it may seem that I mentioned a lot, I just skimmed the surface.”

The game is currently available free for non commercial use but requires a licensing fee if the creator generates revenue. The engine can be downloaded at www.udk.com.

Players will use the Wii Remote as a flashlight to illuminate the environment and solve puzzles. The premise of the game has players discovering the back story of Seto and his abandoned world, as well as delve into the lives of people during the final days before the apocalypse. Watch for it in early 2010.

In the near future, a mysterious, growing, black void appears at the Earth’s southern pole. Unable to determine its cause and powerless to stop its deadly encroachment, humanity sends an elite team of explorers into the heart of the phenomenon, just as Strange Journey’s look and feel represent a return to the heart of Shin Megami Tensei, bringing to mind the all-time classic Nocturne. With over 300 demons to bribe, coerce, and negotiate with to gain assistance in battle, Strange Journey is every bit the deep, rewarding RPG experience fans have come to expect from the SMT franchise, yet delivered with a fresh new sci-fi story that taps into mature themes of morality and introspection.

Shin Megami Tensei: Strange Journey for Nintendo DS is currently scheduled for release in Spring 2010.

When the black spot appeared in the Antarctic, mankind became nervous; when it began to spread, that anxiety turned to panic. The Joint Project, convened to discuss how to deal with the expanding anomaly, decided to send in four ships carrying humanity’s finest soldiers and most cutting-edge technology. The mission: to investigate what lay on the other side of what had been dubbed the Schwarzwelt and find out if there was a way to stop it from eventually covering the Earth.

You are an elite soldier hand-picked for the Strike Team, outfitted with a Demonica environment suit and posted to the Red Sprite under Commander Gore. Upon entering the Schwarzwelt, the crew finds itself forced to deal with harsh conditions, supernatural interference, and throngs of demons populating the bewildering world. What exactly is the Schwarzwelt? What awaits at the end of this strange journey? It is entirely in your hands to find out…

Key Features

* Team up with demons — Demons may be friends or foes depending on your ability to negotiate, bribe, and coerce them to join your party. With more than 300 types of demons, you’ll have a huge variety of battlefield encounters and an equally large base of options on which to build your party strategy.

Check out some screens below.

“We’re really excited to roll out this Collectors’ Edition featuring so many unique items, including special Collectors’ Edition armor and weapons and content that will surprise Mass Effect fans,” said Dr. Ray Muzyka, co-founder, BioWare and Group General Manager of the RPG/MMO Group of EA. “The limited edition comic book and bonus DVD will really enhance and expand the overall Mass Effect 2 experience.”

The Mass Effect trilogy is an emotionally charged science fiction adventure set in a vast universe filled with dangerous alien life and mysterious, uncharted planets. In Mass Effect 2, players will once again step into the role of the heroic Commander Shepard, commanding their crew of some of the most dangerous operatives from across the galaxy on a mission so challenging that it’s potentially suicidal. Featuring intense shooter action, a rich futuristic storyline, space exploration and emotionally engaging character interaction, the game delivers an unparalleled cinematic experience.

Mass Effect 2 will be available on the Xbox 360 and PC. The Mass Effect 2 Collectors’ Edition will retail at $69.99 on Xbox 360 and $59.99 on PC. Mass Effect 2 assets are available at info.ea.com.For more information on Mass Effect 2, go to http://masseffect.bioware.com/

“In Spore Islands, players get to invite friends in their social web to play on their island, so creating this game exclusively for Facebook was a natural choice for us since they are the largest and most popular social platform for games,” stated Caryl Shaw, Senior Producer, Spore Islands. “What sets Spore Islands apart from other social games is that it offers a different kind of social interactivity where a player’s gameplay experience is directly affected by the choices and decisions their friends make. It’s an ongoing game, so player’s creatures and islands will be active at all times, whether the player is logged into Facebook or not.”

“Games are one of the most popular activities on Facebook, with more than 100 million unique active users in the top 10 games alone. We are excited to see Spore Islands as one of the latest games on Facebook for our 300 million users to connect, share and play with friends,” said Facebook Platform Manager Gareth Davis.

Spore Islands, a simulation game set in a vibrant, playful 2D world, is one of the first games developed and published by Electronic Arts on Facebook Platform and based on an established franchise. Focused on player-to-player interaction, users choose their own island to live on, create creatures and evolve them, invite friends to live on their island, and send their own creatures to friends’ islands, all in a quest to dominate as many islands as possible. In Spore Islands, much like in other Spore games, parts matter. Throughout the game, players can earn and purchase DNA points that they can use to modify their creature’s stats or customize their creature’s appearance with fun accessories such as hats, animations, holiday-themed items, and more. Players’ progress is tracked on both Global and a Friends-only leaderboards, which can be viewed by players and their friends, upping the ante in the race to the top of the food chain.

Spore Islands can be played at: http://apps.facebook.com/sporeislands

“This is an outstanding opportunity for PlayStation gamers to get early access to one of the most action-packed and polished shooters in the marketplace with Battlefield: Bad Company 2,” says Rob Dyer, SVP, Publisher Relations, SCEA. “We’re happy to help DICE achieve their superior level of multiplayer excellence in the game.”

“With Battlefield: Bad Company 2 we’re looking to raise the bar across all aspects of our multiplayer experience, setting a new standard for online play,” says Patrick Bach, Senior Producer on Battlefield: Bad Company 2. “From the graphics to the vehicles, weapons and destruction, we are delivering the best online multiplayer game next year, and we want gamers to experience it themselves by playing the beta and demo.”

The Battlefield: Bad Company 2 multiplayer beta will feature the Arica Harbor map, where up to 24 players can compete in one of the game’s four intense multiplayer modes called Rush. This new map displays a superb balance of vehicle and infantry combat, as the American assault unit attacks the Russian army base with full force, advancing further through a beautiful desert town and towards the industrial area in a desperate attempt to overtake the Arica Harbor. Heavy vehicle warfare on the first bases gradually turns into an intense infantry fight as the level progresses, showcasing this best-in-class online war experience.

In December 2009, DICE will invite players to participate in a PC open beta. Then, early next year, all players worldwide will get to experience this premier shooter when DICE releases a Battlefield: Bad Company 2 multiplayer DEMO on the Xbox 360 videogame and entertainment system, PlayStation 3 and PC.

Battlefield: Bad Company 2 will be in stores on March 2, 2010 in North America and March 5, 2010 in Europe for the Xbox 360, PlayStation 3 and the PC. The Limited Edition is available now for pre-order at participating retailers worldwide (while supplies last)