Buzzed blogging
Office party tonight; with lots of cooking, drinking, and gift-giving. Guess which one I partook the most in. And no, I do not care that it is no longer Tuesday the 16th.
What could be better than Peggle? - Free Peggle.
Unless you are a gold farmer, playing World of Warcraft could negatively impact your chances of landing a job - Because that particular MMO is the only thing in the world people obsess over and can not completely remove themselves from. Drugs, gambling, and sex do not count because they come more naturally to people.
Myst fans will not let URU the MMO down without a fight - Over the period of several years.
Join the exclusive club all the Japanese have been raving about - The more games you register, the more Nintendo prizes you can cash-in for!
Microsoft continues to ignore an obviously evident Internet Explorer flaw
More layoffs, this time at Midway - And several games get caught in the flood.
XBox 360 controllers never forget their first console
Scrabble realizes its stupidity and withdraws lawsuit against Scrabulous - Offer the Scrabulous creators a cut and market the game yourselves. You make more friends with cold hard cash, right? Or was it honey?
Scientists discover how to replacement bone - In an injectable form.
Do you look at advertisements that are looking at you?
In crunch time, some issues have to go "unnoticed" - Especially for anything by Microsoft.
Because everything is cuter when it is smaller - Even Apple products.
December 16th, 2008
Quality competitors
This week Mystery P.I. moves from just a simple flash game to a Nintendo DS title. You can pick up Matchstick along with it if you are interested in a multitude of simple stick puzzles. And Rockband 2 will be out on the Wii as well.
The 2008 Video Game Awards aired on Spike this weekend. A few of the highlights:
Game of the Year: Grand Theft Auto 4
Big Name in the Game Male: Kiefer Sutherland
Best Multi-Player Game and Best PC Game: Left 4 Dead
Best PS3 Game: LittleBigPlanet
Best XBox 360 Game and Best Shooter: Gears of War 2
Best Handheld Game: Professory Layton and the Curious Village
Best RPG: Fallout 3
Who would have guessed the best music game this year as being Rock Band 2, let alone best soundtrack.
Alongside the awards were some new game trailers. Check them out below:
Uncharted 2: Amongst Thieves
God of War 3
Dante's Inferno
And a few other trailers released today:
Is that enough for you yet?
Why go with Vista when businesses are turning to Mac?
Wired's Chris Kohler goes over his idea of 2008's most disappointing games - I have to agree with him on Spore. That game was entirely composed of fail.
Get Grandma a Playstation 3 for Christmas - It does her mind good.
Upgrade from Windows Vista to XP for only $150
Instead of rolling up objects, eat them up in Keita Takahasi's new game - Weird.
Do you have issues telling when people are being sarcastic? - You may have Alzheimer's.
Is having a Halo-themed wedding as bad as being married within a game? - Their wedding registry is is through XBox Live. Buy them some map packs.
December 15, 2008
the video game industry is collapsing
Randy Stude, president of the PC Gaming Alliance, shared his thoughts today on the future of PC gaming. One day it is PC gaming that is failing, then it is consoles, and the next day it goes right back to PCs; it does not make any sense. Everyone is worried that video games are going to merge onto one platform, and maybe it will one day but certainly not within the near future. While I would not mind there being only one console system alongside the PC, it will take a Sega situation before the three current consoles lose a competitor. Certain types of games are best played on a console, whereas others are more attuned for the PC. It is fine the way it is, get used to it, and go play some games.
Geniuses allow random businessman to trademark an emoticon - And he actually believes that companies will pay him so they can use it?
Your distaste for the G1 will not prevent you from using the Android mobile operating system
The iPhone is really just a console experience in disguise - Yeah, it could totally take on the Nintendo DS...
First they say it is okay to use a Bluetooth headset whilst driving - And now they want to use Bluetooth to prevent you from using your mobile all together.
Nintendo can not keep out of the lawsuits these days
You can not believe everything people say about saving energy
TORMMO will not be like Star Wars Galaxies - We hope.
Many people would rather give up sex than Internet access - If you are married you probably only get some once every few months anyway; not much to forego for two weeks.
December 12th, 2008
Nap time
The Bush Administration wants you to pay more for broadband Internet. Why? Because they still own the office for another month or so and they can do what ever they want. Well, when they are out of office sitting in a coffee shop that does not offer free wireless Internet, they will regret looking down upon this amazing opportunity.
Visual images can be "read" from within a person's brain - I would need a recording system, and then I would create a YouTube dream blog.
British police are hoping that one day computers will be able to discern when you are being naughty
Beijing restaurant takes the World of Warcraft obsession a bit too far - If they do not offer Delicious Chocolate Cake there is no reason to visit.
You too can make thousands of dollars with YouTube - Because everyone loves a silly music video about shoes, or a webseries on stinky cheeses.
If you offer free Wi-Fi, they will come - I always wonder about Facebook updates while I am pumping gas.
Learn more about World War 2 online - Study up on the Allied bombing strategies; there will be a test later.
EA wants Take-Two, but now Disney's moving in on the action
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles go brawl one another
A project begins with selflessness and turns into a hot robot wife - You would think making the robot work in the bedroom would have been the inventor's first prerogative.
Fuel cell research goes pocket-size
You have better things to do in the Sims 3 than steal candy from babies - But, apparently that is what the French like to see.
December 11th, 2008
the day to go home
Google released some search data to the public today, now everyone can see that they are not alone in searching certain topics. So, what did people Google all year? Sarah Palin and Facebook were at the top. I never understood Googling webpages for which the URLs are obvious, like eBay, YouTube, and Hotmail. It is amusing to see Yahoo as one of the most Googled items though.
The Playstation Home Beta is launching tomorrow – Will you be invited in?
5 games from 2008 that Gamasutra does not want you to miss out on
iPhones and other touch devices are useless in the winter - Until now!
Apparently they are still making arcade games, Guitar Hero-style anyway
Think you can handle being the president? - This new game will help you figure out the answer to that question.
16 years later, German scientists can officially confirm our galaxy contains a massive black hole - It is at a safe distance of 27,000 light years.
Richard Todd reviews video game luck and its variables
America drives technology and technology drives language - Are you fluent in textese?
Sony introduces a system of micro transactions to Everquest 1 and 2 - The purchasable items range from equipment to potions to vanity items.
CO2 can be detected on planets as far as 63 light years away - But the planet that was found is a little too hot for us to live on. Oh well.
Office Depot puts up the clearance signs
December 10, 2008
google is like big brother
Sony shares its future layoff plans with us: 16000 people in all, over the course of a year and a few months. It actually does not sound like that many people when you take the timeline into consideration. Especially when you look at some layoffs companies have been performing recently. However, this just further proves that the video gaming industry is not as recession-proof as we may all think it is.
Google Earth should be banned for assisting terrorists - Should probably ban the entire Internet if they are that paranoid.
I did not realize Croc was a shiny robot bad guy - They need to dirty the game up a bit.
26 and a half million dollars later, Atari owns Cryptic Studios - Not to mention the potential of $20 million bonuses they might be dishing out as well.
iTunes music goes unprotected as of today - Supposedly.
Google picks up some magazines for its search engine - Playboy need not apply here.
Rice University plots to trick children into training robots with Wiimotes
The top ten players of Warhammer Online deserve statues in the capital cities - For being awesome?
The Muslim Sims Online débuts and looks to bring understanding to its non-Muslim players
Blizzard poster hints at a feature due in the next patch: dual specs
Katamaris can be made of delicious things - They should make a giant sushi level.
December 9th, 2008
Holiday Shopping
So many games are coming out this week it is difficult to talk about them all; that statement was definitely not filled with sarcasm. We have Shin Megami Tensei Persona 4 on the Playstation 2, Prince of Persia for the PC, and, well, a title or two for the Wii and DS.
Christmas will be here before you know it. Best get your shopping done sometime before the 24th. If you are still unsure as to what to get your gaming buddy, check out 2008's most pirated PC games list and TIME's top 10 games of 2008. Between the two you ought to be able to find something that anyone would enjoy. Interesting to see flash and iPhone titles on TIME's list, and definitely not surprising to see The Sims 2 on the most pirated, but Pro Evolution Soccer?
Speaking of piracy... - The ESA discovers that piracy is "exacerbated by the Internet." Who knew?
"Half" of adults play video games - If you consider 18 and 19 year old "teenagers" as adults.
Video game blogger prophesizes damnation for the XBox 360 in the coming year
Already have the gaming vest? Now it is time for the helmet
Do not count out Dungeons and Dragons Online just yet - Apparently Turbine has a big announcement coming up. What is the big secret?
Internet time traveling may be possible - Think of all the data that would need to be stored to be able to "wind back time" to when a single page look liked a few days ago, let alone hundreds of thousands. Not only does it not sound practical, but how useful would it be really?
Blizzard's Worldwide Invitational is not the only exciting conference in Paris
Guys of every species are in trouble with all of these unregulated chemicals everywhere - And all that Mountain Dew you drink, that does not help much either.
This guy wishes he was more like Faith - Mirror's Edge is not a decent excuse for trying to show off your parkour skills.
A new DS game turns out to be rather indescribable - Is it not the best games take something simple and make it fun and unique?
MotorStorm: Pacific Rift lets you take your own in-game screen shots - Can you capture the twisted crashes and flying metal as artfully as Sony has?
December 8th, 2008
tech tasks
Fridays are meant for much drinking and gaming.
Midway may implode in as little as 50 days - Could you come up with payment for their $150 million debt?
How to get fat gamers into shape - For some gamers you may need to find a way to affix this to their ankle to make them use it, just as if they were on house arrest.
EA wants kids to come up with some game ideas - So EA can then come up with something original that sells well for once, I suppose.
Potentially useful Firefox pirating plug-in hastily removed by Amazon lawyers - Most people should know by now that if can be put onto a computer you can most likely pirate it. These guys were just making it easier.
An ancient Egyptian-based MMO invites you to play its Beta test - You have to find all of those bugs in the chat and emote systems, since there probably is not much else to test.
What could make IMAX even better? 3D!
New Trine title lets you play as a thief, wizard, and warrior - Whenever you want.
You can play more than just video games on old consoles
Stargate Worlds developer employees say "So what if we are not getting paid?"
Kojima Productions teases XBox 360 players with the possibility of Metal Gear
Killzone 2 due out early next year - Who would not be excited?
Pretend you are in someone else's body with cameras and mannequins
Because people are not well-enough aware of AIDS, Warner Bros. wants to promote the disease with a video game - Journey across East Africa and help prevent the AIDS epidemic from spreading.
Power supplies on counterfeit hand held gaming machines could prove to be dangerous - I doubt that is the least of a consumer's worries if they just purchased fake goods.
December 5th, 2008
Adventure calendar
Advent calendars are no longer only Christmas-related. For the astronomer in all of us, Alan Taylor is offering up 25 Hubble Space Telescope images, one for each of the 25 days up until Christmas. The first included is even several images placed together to appear animated. How cool is that? Yeah, way better than opening little paper doors with images of children behind them.
NASA is not sure if the next Mars rover mission should stay or go now - If they put it on hold it could be trouble, but if it is delayed it would be double.
Take a picture, then add it to your Amazon mobile cart - Think of how much more money Americans will spend on things they see, want, but do not need.
Touch screen Brothers in Arms game is better than expected - How often do you game on your mobile? Are you really that bored?
Activision Blizzard signs deal with in-game advertising firm - Those Chinese gold farmers will be able to set-up an in-game store with virtual posters and everything now in World of Warcraft.
How should you solve Second Life issues? Bring in the US Army - Who did not think of that?
Not so many people buy electric cars - Are they not available? People cutting back on expenses due to the global economic issues? Or are people just going back to their excessively obnoxious SUVs?
Everyone needs some Playstation love this Christmas, IGN believes so
Most United Kingdom broadband providers sign a code of conduct they must adhere to starting tomorrow - Users will now have access to technical support, timely warnings, and other useful information.
IBM tells Microsoft to hit the road and then hops in the sack with Linux
Korea looks to pick up the slack other game industries leave behind
New scanner looks for cancerous proteins - The faster the cancer diagnosis, the faster it can be treated.
December 4th, 2008
long hours
Working hard, and not playing hard, makes for a sad gamer.
Merry Christmas from Microsoft - What? You did not want a buggy operating system? Maybe Microsoft's New Years resolution will be to create an at least half-decent product for once.
Facebook wanted to explore relationship possibilities with Twitter - But Twitter just wants to stay friends for now.
Shin Megami Tensei Imagine, the MMO, is open for beta testing - It is set to be a a free-to-play game with a microtransaction system. Hope it stays true to its predecessor titles.
Energy-converting material will be the fabric of the future
So, you have a dual-layer DVD? That is just child's play compared to this 16-layer disc
This free Google phone companion software will help you steer clear of sickies - It only polls information from health care facilities though, so if people are avoiding the doctor you may have a better chance of being infected than you think.
An alien comet crossed our Solar System's border - Time to build a fence.
Astronomers relive a supernova blast from the past
Vanguard races get some new classes - Is it bad that I was unaware people still play this MMO?
What could be a better science experiment on the International Space Station than brewing beer?
December 3rd, 2008
Wittier comment
It is time to relive Molten Core the way it was promised to us on April 1st, earlier this year. You did not actually expect someone to go out and create the Atari-based level 60 raid, did you? Make sure to bring a friend, as there are only two characters and you may have difficulties going at it alone. Now we just need someone to make this into a World of Warcraft playable mod, that way when your new Naxxramas raids have downtime you can buddy up with someone and defeat Ragnaros.
Chinese video game development company agrees to create Disney Fantasy Online - An MMO to be developed and launched by next year's spring quarter. Scared? Me too.
Fake-out laptop face recognition software with a special photograph
As knowledge is so readily available these days, there is no longer a need for people to know anything off hand - If no one knew, who would populate the content on said free-to-use websites, such as Wikipedia?
38 Studios wants to see what video game ideas college kids can come up with - You only have about 3 months, better get started now.
Who needs women in the kitchen when you can have a robot? - It could make your omelets perfect every time.
Apple preaches "No glove, no love" for Macs - But, of course they are just kidding.
Gamers are looking for the close combat in their FPS titles
Watch Hulu videos through Sling - Because Hulu is not good enough on its own.
Kids will need to turn to pirating music as the discs are no longer available in stores
Microsoft's Cashback site could not hold the number of visitors Black Friday brought - And resulted in much lower or no cash back on purchases.
December 2nd, 2008
H2 level heading
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the 25 days of gaming
November certainly flew by there, did it not?
Naughty Dog has officially come out and said it: they are working on Uncharted 2. Who was not expecting a sequel after the original did so well? Make sure to watch the HD teaser trailer; got to love the snowy setting. Did I also mention the Lego Harry Potter rumor that is going around? As far as games that are coming out this week, the new Prince of Persia will be your best option, unless you are looking to prepare yourself for Jeopardy with My Facts Coach. Kingdom Hearts Chain of Memories is also out on the Playstation 2 for anyone who missed out on the Gameboy Advance title.
Blind, but still want an iPhone? - This bas-relief case for the iPhone supposedly works in conjunction with a specific application to allow blind people to use the iPhone.
Apparel security technology to be similarly implemented onto electronics - Sort of like the Divx DVDs from so many years ago.
The United Kingdom wants to work towards CO2-free transportation by 2025
What does Firefox have that Chrome does not? - Extensions, of course. Want to buy mouse gestures.
Final Fantasy XI was available today for a mere $10 - Is it really worth it though, even with all the expansions included?
A new accidental discovery paves the way to eliminate current digital cameras
Ubisoft starts talking about taking over SCi Entertainment again - I did not realize that takeover was negotiable.
Investor buys a controlling amount of Midway shares for $100,000 - And makes out with $70 million in debt.
This robotic flower will determine how well your conserve electricity in your household
December 1st, 2008