Infinityward to make a big announcement on 4/28!

On Infinityward's official forum's a member of the team posted that a big announcement is coming on April 28th.  Gee, it wouldn't be Call of Duty 4 would it? naahhh, that would be to easy.  In my opinion it will be Call of Duty 4 that they announce but until then, this is what was posted by fourzerotwo:

<boring update>

Insert boring update about some mundane 'what we're doing' detail that no one actually cares about (such as new employees or kleenex testing) because they're just reading these updates for the glimpse hope that we'll slip and say something we're not suppose to about our next title, or that we're going to allude to the fact that maybe, just maybe something that actually is interesting is coming up in the near future (and by near future I mean next Saturday).

</boring update>

Amazing Things To Happen On April 28th:

1758 - James Monroe, 5th President of the United States is born.

1788 - Maryland becomes the seventh state to ratify the Constitution of the United States.

1932 - A vaccine for yellow fever is announced for use on humans.
(Then nothing really happened for a long time.... but now....)

2007 - What goes down this April 28th is equal to, if not surpasses, the magnitude of any of those.
Whose ready?!

XBOX LIVE activity for the week of 4/16/07!

Xbox 360 Top Live Titles (UU’s)
1 Gears of War
2 Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six Vegas
3 Guitar Hero II
4 Call Of Duty 3
5 GRAW 2
6 Boom Boom Rocket
7 Crackdown
8 Oblivion
9 Pro Evolution Soccer 6
10 Madden NFL 07

Top Arcade Titles (Full Versions)
1 3D Ultra Minigolf Adventures
2 Boom Boom Rocket
3 TMNT 1989 Arcade
4 Castlevania: SOTN
5 UNO
6 Worms
7 Luxor 2
8 Gyruss
9 Alien Hominid HD
10 Street Fighter II' Hyper Fighting

Original Xbox Top Live Games
1 Halo 2
2 Battlefield 2: MC
3 Counter-Strike
4 Madden NFL 07
5 Forza Motorsport
6 Call of Duty 3
7 Star Wars: Battlfrnt 2
8 Ghost Recon 2
9 Rainbow Six 3 BA
10 Rainbow Six 3

This list was compiled by Major Nelson and  posted on Majornelson.com.

IGN.com says that the PS3 version of F.E.A.R is graphically "dead in the water" compared to the 360!

F.E.A.R has finally seen the light of day on the PS3 and what would a day be without a comparison between the XBOX 360 version and the PS3 version. When F.E.A.R was released for the XBOX 360, IGN gave it an overall score of 9.1 with the graphics receiving a 9.1 as well.

So, with anticipation I have been waiting to see what the PS3 version was going to score. Afterall, the PS3 is a super computer that cures cancer so it should have no problems keeping up with the XBOX 360 right? wrong. IGN.com gave the PS3 version of F.E.A.R an overall score of 8.1 with the graphics scoring a 5.5.

Aside from IGN saying that the textures are muddy along with numerous glitches, this is what IGN said about the PS3 version compared to the 360 and PC:

 

And therein lies the rub. As much fun as F.E.A.R. is, it's never going to live up to the expectation cross-platform users have in their heads. Simply put, PS3 can't hold a candle to the visuals found in Microsoft-land -- especially considering the handful of bugs that have dead soldiers getting stuck in walls and twitching on the floor. The detailed environments and clear draw distances aren't found on PS3. If you had never seen the other versions of F.E.A.R., you still wouldn't be impressed with the PS3's graphics, but compared to the PC and 360, this version is graphically dead in the water.

1UP's Luke Smith is now a Bungie employee!

1UP.com's very own Luke Smith is leaving his job to work for Bungie studios.  Luke made this announcement in his latest podcast, he says that he will be moving to Kirkland Washington but he didn't specify what his job was going to be.  But what he did say is that we will be hearing from him on a regular basis, now what that means I am not quite sure.  But according to Bungie's latest weekly update, Frankie mentions that something might be happening very shortly in regards to a Bungie podcast that will start appearing on a regular basis.

If I was a betting man, I would say that Luke will be hosting some sort of weekly or monthly Bungie podcast.  It only makes sense, Microsoft is all about being in touch with the community, and XBOX LIVE's Major Nelson host's his own podcast every week.  So this would fit right in with the way Microsoft has been doing things, not to mention it would be pretty cool if Bungie took feedback and hosted a weekly podcast answering peoples questions.  Of course this is just speculation, we will have to wait and see.

Bungie weekly update 4/20/07!

In Bungie's latest weekly update, Frankie talks about the problems people had trying to download the new Halo 2 maps. Frankie mentions how difficult it was to release a map pack that 2 different consoles could download, and because of that challenge, allot of people were running into problems when they tried to download the "Blastacular" map pack:

The new Halo 2 maps came out, with what I would call “teething troubles.” There were lots and lots and lots of problems downloading and installing the maps. Fortunately, most of these issues have been resolved and as of very recently, those of you having failures should be able to get them now. Our apologies and again, making DLC for two consoles simultaneously was a challenge.

Most of you should be able to get ‘em today, a few of you might have to wait until Monday. And again, oops, our bad.

Finally, Frankie answers the question that everyone has been asking, and that is "why is the beta only going to last 3 weeks"?

I’ve been asked a few times why the impending Beta is only three short weeks long. Well, obviously the number one reason is that the longer we’re spending resources taking care of the Beta, the less time we’re applying what we’ve learned from it to the final game. And statistically, three weeks is going to seem like a pretty long time when you look at the hours you log on the game.

Click here to read the rest of what Frankie had to say!

Microsoft responds to March's NPD numbers!

Microsoft has responded to yesterday's NPD sales figures for the month of March:

The latest numbers have been released by NPD, and we’re happy to announce that Xbox 360 continues to lead Sony’s PS3 in next-generation gaming console sales with 199K units sold in the month of March.

Xbox 360 also maintained its record-setting software attach rate for the eighth month in a row at 5.7 games sold per console for the month of March, thanks to the great titles available for the platform, including four of which were among the top 10 best-selling games across all consoles, including “Def Jam Icon” (EA). “Guitar Hero II” (RedOctane/Activision), “Major League Baseball 2K7” (2K Sports) and ”Tom Clancy’s Ghost Recon Advanced Warfighter 2” (Ubisoft).

We’re also excited about the success of “Guitar Hero II” (RedOctane/Activision), which exploded on to the Xbox 360 platform in April selling 291,000 units after only five days on the market; that means nearly 2,500 units per hour were rolling off the store shelves. This made it the number three top-selling game in this period across all consoles. Games like “Guitar Hero II” that were once PlayStation exclusives are now enabling consumers to have more choices when it comes to platform selection, while also broadening our portfolio of games that appeal to customers of all ages.

XBOX 360 Elite dissected!

Llamma.com got their hands on an XBOX 360 Elite so they can do the gruesome job of dissecting Microsoft's latest SKU.  What Llamma did was compare the new mother board to the old one in the launch boxes to see if Microsoft has made any improvements to the circuitry and the construction of the XBOX 360.

Their findings are very interesting, infact, a few over at Llamma.com think that Microsoft has implemented the new 65nm chips.  Click here to see why they think that, and to read there overall positive opinion of the Elite.

Tycho from Penny Arcade really likes Shadowrun!

Tycho from Penny-Arcade has some positive things to say about Shadowrun, Microsoft's first game to support crossplatform play between the XBOX 360 and Windows Vista.

This is a game that is going to live and die by its demo, because I honestly believe that if I were to put a shooter enthusiast in front of this thing, the polish, the loadout options, and the feel of it will get a hook in. As an abstract concept, the game has interesting ideas. As a genuine experience - where its quick rounds and area-of-effect resurrections make each map a roaring asylum - it enthralls.

Beautiful Katamari confirmed in a press release!

Following the announcement of Beautiful Katamari in the Japanese game publication, Famitsu.  Namco Bandai has released the following press release regarding the latest Katamari game for the XBOX 360 and PS3.

NAMCO BANDAI GAMES ANNOUNCES THE BRILLIANT RETURN OF KATAMARI ROLLING OUT IN HD AND ONLINE FOR THE FIRST TIME IN BEAUTIFUL KATAMARI™

Katamari is Back and Ready to Roll, Next-Gen Style, on the Xbox 360™ and PLAYSTATION®3 system

Santa Clara, Calif., April 20, 2007 – Leading video games publisher and developer NAMCO BANDAI Games America Inc. announced today that The King of All Cosmos, everyone’s favorite pint-sized Prince, and the whole wacky and wild Katamari crew will be making their hilarious next generation debut in Beautiful Katamari™ for the PLAYSTATION®3 computer entertainment system and Xbox 360™ video game and entertainment system from Microsoft later this year. The newest installment in the insanely popular and highly captivating Katamari series will be rolling into the next generation world with Katamari-style quirky and unique high-definition graphics, an unforgettable new soundtrack, and a new online multiplayer feature that will have old and new players alike spinning when the title hits store shelves.

Experience the new high-definition, next generation sights and sounds of Beautiful Katamari™ as the Prince takes on a new high-rolling adventure, with his famous cousins in tow, to save the Katamari universe once again after the King of All Cosmos has a very un-royal and unfortunate accident. As usual, the King of All Cosmos demands the service of his son, the Prince, to roll anything and everything up into massive clumps and set things right, bringing harmony once again to the Katamari Cosmos.

Take the Prince for a spin in astounding 720p next-gen graphics, that stay true to the quirky yet captivating art direction the series is known for, but glistening with a new coat of paint in high-definition, as the Prince is tasked to roll up bizarre objects in brand new environments. To keep his son inspired, the King of All Cosmos will provide another fresh and memorable soundtrack that will have players moving and grooving to the beat as they roll through the absurd, yet wonderful world of Beautiful Katamari.

One is a lonely number, but thankfully the Prince can humbly ask the aid of over 50 of his cousins to get the ball rolling through his quest. The cousins have discovered new games to play since last time out, and love to compete with friends in multiplayer Katamari rolling games either together or online over Xbox Live® and the PLAYSTATION® Network. The Prince and his cousins’ online adventure won’t end there as a variety of future downloadable content will become available, continuing to expand on the amazing world of Beautiful Katamari, long after the game has launched. More online features will be rolled out at a later date.

For more information about Beautiful Katamari and other NAMCO BANDAI products please visit: http://www.namcobandaigames.com

Forza 2 car list updated!

Today Turn 10 studios released the latest and final updated car list and if you would like to see the entire roster of cars that span over 300 models, click here!

(UPDATE 1) Forza Motorsports has been pushed back to May 29th.

New Call of Duty 3 maps are on the way!

The "Bravo" map pack will include 5 maps and it will cost 800 points.  The maps are a mixture of one map from the original Call of Duty that has been reworked to take advantage of the XBOX 360's hardware capabilities, along with some new maps built from the ground up.

The new maps are are titled, Aller Haut, Seine River and Rimling with the fifth and final map being a remake of Karkov from COD: United Offensive, but in COD 3 it is called Merseilles.

No release date has been given but I would probably bet on the maps dropping later this month.

Click here to see some images of the new maps on IGN.com!

Another day 4/19/07!

Today I picked up a copy of Perfect Dark Zero at my local Blockbuster for $20.  I used to own that game but I ended up trading it in and I have regretted it ever since.  I really enjoyed the game when it came out and as of late I have been really wanting to play it again, so for $20 you cant go wrong.

Today's top stories:

1. Jack Thompson sends a letter to Bill Gates.
2. March's NPD numbers were released.
3. Snoop Dogg loves his Xbox.
4. Microsoft updated it's backwards compatibility list.

NPD numbers for the month of March!

Wow, I have to admit that the PS3 is doing worse than even I could have imagined.  With tons of PS3's on store shelves, the Gameboy Advance still outsold the PS3.  The XBOX 360 came in 4th behind the Wii, PS2 and the DS.  It looks like the 360 is closing the gap on the popular Wii by selling just shy of 200,000 units to Nintendo's 259,000 units.

There one number in the list that surprised me and that is the numbers for the PSP.  I was sure that the price drop that the PSP got last month would have boosted the sales more than it did.  Now granted, the price cut happened in late March so we really wont know until April's numbers are released next month. 

Hardware sales for the month of March:

1. Nintendo DS 508K
2. PlayStation 2 280K
3. Wii 259K
4. Xbox 360 199K
5. PlayStation Portable 180K
6. Game Boy Advance 148K
7. PlayStation 3 130K
8. GameCube 22K

Software sales for the month of March:

1. (PS2) GOD OF WAR II 833K
2. (360) TOM CLANCY'S GRAW 394K
3. (360) GUITAR HERO 2 W/ GUITAR 291K
4. (WII) WII PLAY W/ REMOTE 273K
5. (PS3) MOTORSTORM 199K
6. (NDS) DIDDY KONG RACING 189K
7. (NDS) SPECTROBES 165K
8. (360) MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL 2K7 165K
9. (PS2) MLB '07: THE SHOW 164K
10. (360) DEF JAM ICON 148K

Jack Thompson sends letter to Bill Gates over the VT shooting!

It looks like Jack Thompson, the anti videogame attorney from the state of Florida has sent Bill Gates a letter to inform him that he is responsible for the 911 of school shootings.  Jack blames the Microsoft published game Counter Strike for the killings at VT. According to the friends of the crazy shooter, he played Counter Strike when he was in High School, that's right folks, the guy being a complete nut job isn't the reason he killed 32 people, it was Counter Strike.  Also, 10's of millions of people has played Counter Strike, yet 1 dude that has played it goes on a killing spree and the game is to blame. C'mon Jack, do us all a favor and go fuck yourself!

The following is the letter that was sent to Bill Gates:

 

April 18, 2007

Bill Gates

Microsoft
1 Microsoft Way
Redmond, WA 98052 Via Fax and e-mail

Dear Mr. Gates:

On Monday, April 16, at 3:10 pm, I was a guest, as I often have been in the past, on the Fox News Channel. News anchor Bill Hemmer asked me to profile the Virginia Tech rampage killer. I did so, noting that until that day the worst school massacre in world history was at the hands of Robert Steinhaeuser, who literally trained on the Microsoft on-line, hyper-violent shooter game, Counterstrike. I mentioned your company’s game by name. I explained that the rehearsal for such a massacre is key to being able to pull it off, as efficiently as Cho, whose name we didn’t even know at the time. Cho and Steinhaeuser were able to do what they did the first time because it was not the first time. This is why the military uses this same virtual reality simulation to train soldiers to want to kill and how to kill calmly, as the witnesses of Cho said he did.

Sure enough, last night I was doing a west coast radio interview when the host said to me, "Mr. Thompson, you are right. The Washington Post is reporting right now the following:

‘Several Korean youths who knew Cho Seung Hui from his high school days said he was a fan of violent video games, particularly Counterstrike, a hugely popular online game published by Microsoft, in which players join terrorism or counterterrorism groups and try to shoot each other using all types of guns.’"

I thus went back on the Fox News Channel, and Bill Hemmer and I explained not only that I was right about your game figuring in the Virginia Tech massacre but also that the Washington Post excised the above excerpt from the story this morning. That is yet another story. The bad news for the Post however is that you can still get the excised excerpt at http://www.washingtonpost.com/...AR2007041700563_3.html?hpid=topnews. Thus, the cat is out of the bag, and his paw prints are still on the bag. Is this a great Internet, or what?

As you know, I similalry [sic] went on NBC’s Today Show with the DC Beltway Sniper still unidentified and at-large a few years ago and told Matt Lauer and the nation that the triggerman would most likely be a teen video gamer trained on a sniper video game. The tarot card was a clue, but there were other clues. I was right, as Malvo trained on your Microsoft game, Halo. NBC reported that three months later, and it was part of the criminal trial of Malvo.

Mr. Gates, your company is potentially legally liable the harm done at Virginia Tech. Your game, a killing simulator, according to the news that used to be in the Post, trained him to enjoy killing and how to kill. You knew five years ago that your on-line game, Counterstrike, so clearly figured in the massacre by a student in Erfurt that the event and the game impacted the race for Chancellor in Germany at the time!

Yet, here you are, five years after "Erfurt," still marketing Counterstrike. having done nothing to disable the server(s) for this mass murder simulator, and it looks like "Virginia Tech" is a consequence. There’s more going on in the world than Vista. Just ask the bereaved Virginia Tech families.

Mr. Gates, pull the plug on Counterstrike today, or do we need more dead to convince you? "Virginia Tech" was the 9-11 of school shootings, and it appears Microsoft is in the middle of it, in more ways than one.

Regards, Jack Thompson

Snoop Dogg almost pulls out of a charity event over an XBOX!

This was posted on easier.com but was originally reported to the New York Post:

"Snoop Dogg reportedly almost pulled out of a charity concert – because organisers hadn't provided him with an Xbox games console. The rapper was to perform at Cipriani Wall Street's UNICEF event on Tuesday night, alongside the Pussycat Dolls.

Despite receiving a reported $150,000 fee to appear, Snoop demanded his 10-strong entourage were flown to New York first-class and wanted extra perks. It is claimed the controversial star then threatened to pull out because the games console wasn't in his dressing room.

An insider told the New York Post newspaper: "He insisted on having an Xbox in his dressing room. We finally found someone who lent us their kids' Xbox."

Even though organisers caved to his demands, Snoop was reportedly an hour late on stage because he and his friends were enjoying a lengthy gaming session."

XBOX 360 backwards compatibility list updated!

This is a list of XBOX games that have been added/updated for play on the XBOX 360. Click here for a list of every game that is currently backwards compatible.

Tenku (Japan only)
Avatar: The Last Airbender  
Avatar: The Legend of Aang  (EMEA/ANZ)
Breakdown 
Call of Duty 2: Big Red One 
Call of Duty 3 
Cars 
Crash Bandicoot 5: Wrath of Cortex 
Daisenryaku VII 
FIFA Soccer 2007 
Full Spectrum Warrior 
Guilty Gear Isuka 
Innocent Tears (Japan only)
Jet Set Radio Future 
King of Fighters 2002  
King of Fighters: Neowave 
Mad Dash Racing (Japan only)
Mech Assault 2 
Mercenaries: Playground of Destruction 
Nascar 2006: Total Team Control 
NFL Fever 2004 
Oddworld Munch's Oddysee 
Panzer Dragoon Orta 
Petit Copter (Japan only)
Phantom Dust 
Reservoir Dogs 
Return To Castle Wolfenstein 
Rugby League 2 
Sengoku Warriors (Japan only)
Sonic Riders 
Soul Calibur 2 UPDATED
Spider-Man 2 
Star Wars: Republic Commando 
Street Fighter Anniversary Collection 
Tiger Woods PGA Tour  07 
Tony Hawk's Underground 
Ultra Bust a Move /ULTRA Pazzle Bobble 
Unreal Championship 2

Preview dashboard theme's before you purchase!

Last week I was looking for a new dashboard theme for my 360 when I realized something.  Why can't you preview the theme before you buy it? because I ended up downloading a theme I didn't like so I went for a different one that I did like.  This led me to surf the web to see if someone on the innertubes had created a website that would allow you to preview themes that are currently on live.  Not long after I started Googleing, I found a site called Dashboardthemes.com.  They have a list of the current themes with images of what the theme looks like on each blade.

So next time you are wondering what the theme actually looks like, head over to Dashboard Themes and check it out. You will be glad you did, trust me.

XBOX 360 laptop mod video by Ben Heck!

Another day 4/18/07!

Today was pretty uneventful except for the hail and thunder showers that rolled through.  Now I know some of you are probably saying to yourself, what is so exciting about thunder showers? if you lived in the Seattle area you would notice that thunder showers around here are pretty rare. 

Today's top stories:

1. Katamari was confirmed for the Xbox 360.
2. Target broke the release date for for the Xbox 360 Elite.
3. There is a kickass video of the Masterchief and Samus.
4. You could win 26 years of free Quiznos subs by playing XBLA Pac Man.

Beautiful Katamari Damacy Rolling Onto Xbox 360!

The latest issue of Japanese game magazine Famitsu has revealed that a next Gen Katamari game is on the way for the Xbox 360.  The game will feature online play most likely a co op mode like the one that was in "We Love Katamari," for the PS2.  Expect an official announcement soon.

UPDATE:

It looks like Namco Bandai did officially announce the release of Beautiful Katamari for the Xbox 360 and PS3, according to 1UP.com.  Sorry Wii owners, you have been left out in the cold on this one.

XBOX 360 Elite street date broken!

It looks like another store has broken another street date.  It seems like everytime a new console/game that has a lot of hype behind it ends up having the street date broken. 

I wonder why these stores break the street dates? is it an employee making a mistake or is it the stores them selves wanting to cash in on a item that they know has a lot of hype behind it.  Whatever the reason may be, a Target customer got his  hands on the Xbox 360 Elite a week early.  But hey, why go home and enjoy your new console when you can put it up on ebay.  That is exactly what this guy did.  He has pics of the receipt and the box itself still in the package with the words:

 "I have one BRAND NEW XBOX 360 Elite in my possession FACTORY SEALED". 

If you want to bid on the item or  maybe you want to check out the pics, click here to check them out.

Halo's Masterchief VS Metroid's Samus! (Haloid)

Geek's everywhere has asked the question, who would win in a fight, Samus or Masterchief? 3D animator Monty Oum has made a video that will blow you away.  The video features the Masterchief in a large battle against the covenant with Matrix style fight scenes.  About halfway through the fight scene, a visitor arrives by slamming into the ground from the sky, the visitor is Nintendo's own Samus from the Metroid series. Now I don't want to give to much away so click here to watch the video for yourself and pay close attention to the ending, it is very interesting.

Your Pac Man skillz could get you 26 years of free Quiznos subs!

Wakka Wakka Wakka, you better brush up un your Pac Man skillz so you can win, 26 years of free Quiznos subs, 100,000 Microsoft points and $13,520.

The Xbox 360 “Pac-Man” World Champion will receive worldwide acclaim from being the first-ever Xbox 360 “Pac-Man” World Champion and gain a place in gaming history. The winner of the finals will also receive other great prizes, including 26 years of free Quiznos toasted subs (one sandwich a week for 26 years, a $13,520 (U.S.) value), 100,000 Microsoft Points for games, movies and other fun content available on Xbox LIVE, and a one-of-a-kind Xbox 360 featuring a special design inspired by “Pac-Man.”

“Great food and entertainment go hand in hand, and we expect international gamers to connect with Quiznos food with the same passion that they bring to their gaming,” said Steve Provost, executive vice president and chief marketing officer for Quiznos. “The Xbox 360 ‘Pac-Man’ World Championship promises to be a milestone moment in video game history, and we’re thrilled that we can help make it into a reality.”

You can read all of the details by clicking here!

R6V Players Pack Red Edition is now available!

Better late than never, Rainbow six players pack red edition has finally been released and will cost you 800 points.

The development team behind the Award-Winning Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six Vegas brings you brand new Multiplayer content available for download, including two new game modes and brand new maps. The renowned Assassination Mode returns, challenging players to safely escort a VIP to a designated extraction point. In addition teams will be confronted with new obstacles in Total Conquest Mode, where teams simultaneously battle to maintain control of three locations on a given map. Not to be outdone, the development team has created new, fully enhanced maps including Doscala Restaurant, Marshalling Yard, Roof and more! All of the celebrated multiplayer game modes, as well as Assassination and Total Conquest, will be playable on all maps including these most recent additions.

Another day 4/17/07!

Today was a pretty laid back day for the most part, I just spent most of my day reading rss feeds and checking my email.

Later!

Today's top stories:

1. Halo tribute album in the works.
2. Real life rifle grenade demo, Call of Duty 3 style.
3. Playstation network has 600,000 registered users.
4. Shivering isles will most likely be the last expansion pack for Oblivion.
5. Halo 2 Blastacular map pack hits live.

Halo tribute album on the way!

Microsoft's on10.net has posted some details about a Halo tribute album scheduled to be released in the Fall and is being produced by 3volution Productions.  on10.net has a preview clip of one of the songs that will appear on the album, and from what I can tell it will be a rock album. The song that is currently posted does sound pretty cool but I will have to hear the final product before I judge it.

This video is for the Call of Duty 3 fans!

If you are a fan of Call of Duty 3 then you will probably appreciate this video.  There are many people who have asked if the rifle grenade was actually used in WWII, because if I am not mistaken Call of Duty 3 is the first WWII game that actually utilized the rifle grenade.  The video below show's a rifle grenade being fired from a M1 Garand which proves that yes, the rifle grenade is real and was used in WWII.

Playstation Network registered user count is in!

Gamepro interviewed Susan Nourai, senior director of the Playstation Network. She began by saying "Sony has only begun to scratch the service".  She goes on to talk about how many registered users that are currently using the PSN:

We've accomplished a lot in our four months with over 600,000 registered accounts and 3.7M downloads.

Seriously, is 600,000 subscribers that many for a free service? it seems like there should be way more than that. 

So how do you spend real money, not points with the XBOX 360? Bungie explains!

By now everyone knows that in order to purchase the new maps for Halo 2 you have to go the old school route and actually use regular money, not Microsoft points.  Some people have been trying to figure out how to do this on their 360's since normally transactions are made by points.  Bungie has posted on their website the instructions on how to do this:

Xbox 360 made it possible to buy a Live Account and Marketplace points without a credit card – so we apologize for the following inconvenience if you’re a 360 owner with no credit card attached to your Live account, but thanks to Halo 2’s olde school tech, this is the simplest way to do it:

Account Management

1.  In the Xbox Dashboard, select the profile that you want to modify, and then select Account Management.
2.  Select Memberships.
3.  Select the membership that you want to update.
4.  Select Change Payment Options.
5.  Select Add Credit Card.
6.  Enter the credit card information for the card that you want to add. This can also be a debit or Visa (or similar) gift card, however, some restrictions may apply.

F.E.A.R XBOX 360/PS3 comparison video!

This video shows a side by side comparison of the 2 versions.  The PS3 version comes off as a little to bright and washed out when compared to the 360 version, also, at the beginning, pay close attention to the wall behind the guy on his knee's. The level of detail compared to the PS3 version really shows, but nevermind my opinion, watch for yourself and you be the judge.

Shivering isles was the first and probably the last!

The producer of Bethesda studios was recently asked if they are working on any more expansion packs for Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion:

"We have pretty much everybody on Fallout 3 right now, It started off kind of small and then we add people to it and now the expansion's done, all those people have come on to Fallout 3. That's the thing we want to focus on right now, so I think I'd be surprised if we do another expansion"

So why not have another studio work on future expansions? this was the response:

"really getting into the stuff we're doing with Elder Scrolls and Fallout and I guess we're shy about having someone else start making content."

I guess that makes sense!

Major Nelson will be on Maxim channel 108 today!

If you are a Sirius satellite radio subscriber, you can listen to Major Nelson at 11:00 AM PST on Maxim channel 108.  The Show is called Level up and runs from 11 to 12 PST.

Take your 360 with you!

This is pretty cool, a 12" 720P LCD screen that attaches to your 360 for a little portability.  For now the screen is only available in Japan and it will run you a cool $300.  Now if we can get master modder Ben Heck to build a controller into the 360 itself, Microsoft wont need to produce it's own handheld.  The DS and PSP would have nothing on this ergonomically light gem of a handheld.

Halo 2 Blastacular Map Pack is now available!

The following comes directly from Majornelson.com:

The Halo 2 ‘Blastacular Map Pack’ is now available for download over Xbox Live. This pack is US $4.00, and it contains two maps: Tombstone and Desolation.

Since this is original Xbox content, it’s worth pointing out the following:

• You can not purchase these maps with MS points because all original Xbox games have no idea what points are. Therefore, you must have a valid credit card associated with your account in order to purchase the map pack. Please read this article which will show you how to make the changes to your account to add a credit card. All set there, but getting an error when downloading? this may help.
• Don't have a credit card? Head down to your local Visa gift card retailer (like a supermarket) and charge one up with just enough to cover the purchase.
• The maps are original Xbox content..so when you purchase them, they are tied the console they are purchased on. You can not go to another box and re-download them for free.

According to Frankie, the H2 playlists will be updated shortly to include the new mapage.

For more information on the maps (and screen shots) direct your attention to the thse two articles (one and two) on Bungie.net

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Another day 4/16/07!

Earlier I had to go to the eye doctor and have them look at my new glasses.  My left lens is way to strong and my eye is straining constantly and it gives me a headache. Oh well, they will be normal in a week, that is when my new lenses come in.

Later!

Today's top stories:

1. Ben Heck makes a 360 controller work on a PS3.
2. Jack Thompson blames today's shooting on video games.
3. This Wed XBLA will see 2 titles.
4. Gamestop has increased the trade in value on all 360's as part of a trade in promotion for the Elite.

Finally, the PS3 has a real controller, thanks Ben!

Now even the hardcore Playstation fan would have to admit that the PS3 controller (AKA) SIXAXIS is a little outdated.  Let's be honest for a second.  When the PS1 launched over 10 years ago, the controller was revolutionary. It was comfortable and worked well for the games at the time.  Sony decided to use the same design for the PS2 and I said ok, the design works why not.  As the PS2 began to age FPS started to become really popular on consoles, the design started to feel a little outdated. Also, the gamers today have been gaming for years and we as gamers get older and we grow and as we grew up the controllers start to feel small.  Now I am 29 and I can tell you that the Playstation controller has either gotten smaller or my hands have gotten bigger and no im not fat and besides, the average age of a gamer now is around 30.  The average age at one time was around 16, but guess what? we grew up.

With the popularity of FPS on consoles, Microsoft hit the design just right with the 360 controller.  The sticks are offset and you can play for hours and it always feels good.  The playstation controller is just plain awful, unless you are playing a fighter or some RPG, other than that, the damn thing is garbage.

Ok Sony fanboy's the perfect controller has arrived, courtesy of Ben Heck.  The mastermind behind the XBOX 360 laptop and the Wii laptop. He is the master modder and Ben was able to put the guts of a SIXAXIS controller into an XBOX 360 controller.

Click Here to see the images from start to finish!

"XBOX LIVE Originals" Contest!

The below is from newyorktelevisionfestival.com!

Submission Guidelines
The “Xbox LIVE Originals” contest will invite a wide range of artists and Xbox users to create a 5 to 15-minute pilot episode introducing an original television series.  The pilots may be any genre (comedy, action, drama, sci-fi, etc.), and they may be live-action, animated or both.  All entries must be submitted before June 29th, 2007.  A selection of standout finalists will be featured exclusively on Xbox LIVE Marketplace starting in July.  The winner of the contest will receive a $100,000 deal with Xbox LIVE to create a six-episode series based on the short pilot as well as an exclusive screening event at the 2007 New York Television Festival.

For more information about Xbox LIVE, please go to Xbox.com

Important Dates
April 16, 2007...……...Submission Period Begins
June 29, 2007…………Submission Deadline

Jack Thompson is blaming the Virginia Tech shooting on video games!

Wow jack, that took a whole 3 hours before you jumped on the blame train.  What drives a person like Jack to immediately blame video games the second he turns the news on and see's 31 dead flash across the screen? a complete asshole, that's who.  Of course Fox News had to be the one to give this jerk off the air time to spew his bullshit.

XBLA will see 2 games this Wednesday!

Today Microsoft announced that 2 XBLA titles will be released this Wednesday.  The 2 games are "Gyrus" and "3D Ultra Minigolf Adventures".  Releasing 2 this Wednesday is probably Microsoft countering Nintendo's 2-3 games per week that have been landing on the Wii's Virtual console.  Whatever the reason may be, I say keep it up.

Gyruss image gallery.

3D Mini Golf image gallery.

Below are the details of this Wednesday's XBLA titles:

 

Defend the Galaxy with "Gyruss" on Xbox LIVE Arcade

Nearly a quarter century ago, gamers who wanted to travel throughout the galaxy needed only to plunk a few coins into an arcade machine. This week, gamers will be able to travel through space from the comfort of their own living room when "Gyruss," the classic tube-shooter from Konami Digital Entertainment, Inc. launches on Xbox LIVE Arcade for Xbox 360 beginning Wednesday, April 18 at 0900 GMT (2 a.m. PDT).

In "Gyruss," gamers fly a space ship from Neptune to Earth while battling enemies, satellites, asteroids and laser beam generators. Along the way the player's ship can be upgraded to better tackle the ever-increasing enemies that attack during the journey to Earth.

"Gyruss" will be available worldwide for 400 Microsoft Points and is rated "E" for Everyone.

Game Features

• Enhanced for Xbox LIVE Arcade - includes voice support, new graphics, digitally enhanced sound, and leaderboards
• Play the original game or an enhanced version which includes 3D rendered graphics
• Multiplayer gameplay over Xbox LIVE includes split-screen cooperative and versus modes
• 23 levels to clear
• Earn up to 12 Achievements and 200 Gamerscore points

"3D Ultra MiniGolf Adventures" Tees Up on Xbox LIVE Arcade

Busting out the putter in ghost towns, outer space or at the carnival from the comfort of your couch has never been so much fun. "3D Ultra MiniGolf Adventures" from Sierra Online will be available for download on Xbox LIVE Arcade for Xbox 360 beginning Wednesday, April 18 at 0900 GMT (2 a.m. PDT).

From the creators of the popular Xbox LIVE Arcade game "Assault Heroes," Sierra Online delivers the ultimate mini-golf experience with clever mind-bending, imaginative courses and animated stylish 3-D characters. In "3D Ultra MiniGolf Adventures," gamers collect over-the-top power-ups and play through imaginative traps across three major theme courses including Classic Carnival, Old West and Outer Space.

"3D Ultra MiniGolf Adventures" also includes a customizable course editor that allows gamers to build their own course design by mixing and matching combinations of tees, straights, corners, cups, junctions and ramps.

"3D Ultra MiniGolf Adventures" will be available worldwide for 800 Microsoft Points and is rated "E for Everyone".
Game Features

• 36 challenging holes
• Up to four players may compete in multiplayer competitions over Xbox LIVE
• Earn up to 12 Achievements and 200 Gamerscore points

Gamestop has increased the trade in value of the 360 as part of a promotion!

XBOX360fanboy has confirmed that the trade in value of the XBOX 360 core and premium systems has increased as part of a promotion that Gamestop is running for people who are interested in the Elite but don't need a second 360.  The trade in value for the premium and the core will get you $250 and $200 of in store credit.  Gamestop tells XBOX360fanboy that the credit doesn't have to go towards an Elite, but hey, why else would you trade in your XBOX? for a PS3? you better not!

Microsoft is phasing out the old headset and the publishers set the prices for DLC!

While listening to Major Nelson's podcast, I hear a few things that have not been reported yet about the new text input device.  Major also mentions the uproar over the downloadable content for Guitar Hero II:

• The text input device will come with a new headset because Microsoft is phasing out the old headset and the hookup in the front of the text input device doesn't support the old headset, (no more puck).
• The text input device is backlit.
• And Major wants everyone to know that the publisher sets the prices for DLC, not Microsoft.

I am still listening to the show so please stay tuned for further info as the show goes on.

Another day 4/15/07!

Today there really wasn't a whole lot to report on which is fine by me.  I was able to watch the race today and play some Jetpac Refulled, which is pretty fun if you ask me.  Have you ever seen that movie Mr mom? well that was me today and if you haven't seen it then I recommend watching it because that pretty much sums up my day. 

Later!

Today's top stories:

1. Details emerge about the Forza Motorsports 2 demo.
2. Guitar Hero II was patched the blew up XBOX's (RUMOR).
3. Some dude is selling a replica of the Halo 3 AR MA5C on ebay.

Forza 2 demo to have 24 cars and 1 track available!

We all know that a demo to Forza Motorsports 2 is coming this month but the details of what will be in the demo has yet to be announced.  Friday, Turn 10 studios revealed a few pieces of information regarding the demo.

• There will be 24 vehicles.
• You wont be able to customize your car in the demo. 
• You will be able to race against 7 A.I vehicles at 60fps.
• Only one of the tracks will be available, and it's a "new one".
• The demo will support Microsoft's Force Feedback wheel.
• The races will all be in exhibition mode. 

Turn 10 studios has a huge update on their site right now. Click here to read it for yourself!

Did the Guitar Hero II patch ruin your XBOX?

Yesterday Red Octane released a patch for Guitar Hero II.  You may recall, certain models were more prone to this problem then others for some reason.  Well, now that the patch has been released everything is all good now right? it doesn't look that way.  There are numerous threads on the official XBOX forums from people saying that their XBOX's no longer work since they downloaded the patch.  

Below are just a few post's from the XBOX forums:

"No problems prior to GH2. Immediately after patch today, game froze on medium level. Looked down and had 3 red rings of death. After power cycle, red rings gone, but now the console freezes immediately upon startup. Sending in so that I can get some crap refurb.

This is clearly not a coincidence. Why hasn't this been published somewhere?"

 

"There is a serious problem here. My 360 worked fine until I installed this Guitar Hero 2 patch and after an hour of playing it began freezing, so I turned it off for 3 hours and tried again. Then it began freezing before it even got to the dashboard. A few more times trying to boot up for tech support and I am now the proud owner if a big white brick. The ring of red lights has prompted tech support to offer me a $130 repair service. But I'm going to wait this out because there is no way I'm going to pay if this update broke my system."

 

"The Patch bricked my xbox, sometimes it takes multiple cycles for it to start working again...Have 2 models of guitars, seems like both of the wammys are crap one 55055 onr 55065, the 55065 is the one I got my game with.  Not sure if the patch helped the wammy cause it bricked my xbox."

I seriously think that Red Octane need's a QA department because I am willing to bet that the Guitars that had the whammy bar problems were definitely hardware related.  Instead of replacing a shit load of guitars, Red Octane thought it would be cheaper just to patch it up with a piece of software that would hopefully remedy the problem because hey, that's cheap right? doesn't look like it now. 

Ok now this is all speculation on my part so until Activision/Red Octane say otherwise, I am sticking to my guns on this one.

Halo 3 AR MA5C replica up for sale on ebay!

People seem to amaze me, how so you ask? well, I consider myself a fan of the Halo series and I have been a fan since the original when the XBOX 1 launched.  In what category are you placed when you not only are a fan, but you start making replicas of the weapons from Halo and posting your creations on ebay? I think that puts you in the hardcore category.  But who is more hardcore, the guy who made the rifle, or the person that is willing to spend hundreds if not thousands of dollars for it? I think the buyer might be a little more hardcore. Because the guy who made the rifle just made a nice chunk of change.

Nevermind my psychoanalysis, I want you to check out this redesigned MA5B assault rifle that will make it's debut in Halo 3 as the MA5C.  You may remember the MA5B was from Halo Combat Evolved and Bungie is bringing it back for Halo 3 with a few changes. This new rifle was replicated with working LED lights with a removable clip and a display that shows the ammo count at 32.  The rifle can be completely broken down and reassembled and all of this can be your's if you are willing to out bid everyone else.  At the moment, the current bid is at $405.00 and im sure that will go up.

Click here, if you would like to bid or just check out all of the images.