Amazon and Rockstar are teaming up

Rockstar and Amazon are teaming up for something completely new. Now during gameplay you can que up a list of songs to download on your computer through Amazon.com's MP3 store.

It's not a bad idea. As the line between games and the real world becomes skewed by increasingly complex technology these types of crossovers are simply the next evolution in games.

Some people will say that this degrades the immersing experience but it is executed nicely. When you hear a song you like in the game you just dial a number and it will text the artist and song name to you, or if you sign up for it, e-mail a direct link at amazon's store.

I would probably be more leery about this if it weren't for the fact that this deal was with Amazon's store. I have found their prices and quality to be far better than other services of the like. And the fact that the music is DRM free is all the better.

Introductions and Mount and Blade

I'm also a new contributor. And following suit with some others an introduction of sorts is a good way to start. First off, I'm not going to be the one to come to ask about hardware problems. I can install some things here and there, but I am by no means a savant when it comes to fixing/building computers and such. I'm a gamer. I enjoy the story. I enjoy how much fun it is to play. Graphics are important, but I'm not willing to sacrifice story and playability for fun screen candy. I'm from the original NES days, and the "no-mom/dad-Mortal-Kombat-isn't-violent-at-all" persuasive routine. I like sports games, racing, and, as stated earlier, games with a good story.

Here is a game that has been getting a bit of buzz around the internet, but I figure all the publicity it can get the better.

MOUNT & BLADE:

This game is all about the fun part of playing. It has elements of FPS, RTS, and RPG. It was made independently by a married Turkish couple. Two words are what grabbed me from the start--mounted combat. This game has the best mounted combat system I have seen in any game, not that it is hard considering the massive amounts of games that actually offer it; however, it is fluid and there is just something to say about being able to ride in on a horse full speed and impale someone with a lance. You can't call yourself a medieval enthusiast if that doesn't create some saliva for your destructive taste buds.

You travel around a semi-large map where you will come across cities, towns, and roaming war parties and bandits. You will be able to level up your character in various skills that fall under a few basic groups: archery/ranged weapons; melee weapons; riding horses/fighting on horses; monetary use; leadership; and healing/advancement. Another big aspect of this game is choice. You can build the heavy armored knight on the best steed you can find, or the almost naked berserker with the huge axe running on the ground.

This game has been in beta for awhile and Pardox Interactive has recently picked this game up for production. The graphics are not the highest end, but I do believe the actual fun of the game more than makes up for it. Mount and Blade is still not in it's final form, but is still finished enough to have an enjoyable gaming experience. Another good option is that the makers allow for a free trial (always a good thing for a game to have) so you can see if the game is for you. You can play up through level 6. I've played the game with a character now at level 30 and have enjoyed every minute of it. If you like the type of game that leads to believe, "just one more battle and I'll be done for the night" then check it out.

Even more about in game ads

Hi there yet another contributor has arrived.

I am not much of a word smith so I am just gonna give you the straight skinny on advertising in games.

Short Version - It don't work, so it will stop on its own soon enough.

Long Version - It has been shown in published scientific studies[1] that no one can remember anything they see in games. If the game is at all fun/engaging around 13% of random players can remember ads they looked at in the game. If you just look at experienced players the recall numbers drop even more. That means as the companies figure out that advertising isn't worth it they will stop using it. And hey if the game isn't fun(which does help with remembering ads) then why are you bothering to play it and seeing the ads?

Now that we have that we have that out of the way its time to talk up two wonderful games.

1. Sins of a Solar Empire - This is a great strategy game with excellent support from its independent dev team. It has one of the best conquer the galaxy mechanics I have ever seen. It looks great and plays great on reasonable hardware. Defiantly a must buy if you like RTS games.

2. Super Smash Brothers Brawl - This one was a surprise for me. We picked up a copy for the lab with a throw in a few dollars pool and ever since it arrived it has been played several times each day. Its probably the best looking Wii game I have seen(not that high a bar to jump admittedly). This game basically doesn't have a plot, you just pick your favorite classic game character(Link, Zelda, Pit, Snake, Sonic, Marth, Shock Rat, Lucas, Samus[with and without suit], and a ton of others) and then stomp the stuffing out of each other. Last one left standing on the platform wins. The trick is you don't have health per-say instead you have a damage percentage which the higher it goes the easier it is to knock you out of the world. Single player is very lackluster just beating on computers, this game shines in its multiplayer. You get 3-4 people around it and it just grabs ya and you don't let go. If you have people to play with this is a must buy wii game, if not you can probably pass on it.

1 - Google "Dixit Youngblood" and you will find the study I obliquely referred to earlier.

Fake Leaked GTA IV Starting Cinematic on the interwebs

1up released an alleged GTA IV startup cinematic today. It's very deep throaty (the informant not the porn) with a grainy disembodied hand putting a "GTA IV" disc into a PS3. The video runs about two and a half minutes but only a few seconds are actually given to the opening cinematic.

This one's more than likely a fake, and 1up has the trailer as well as some really good reasons why it is a fake here 1UP.

While I agree that it is an obvious fake, it's still pretty cool to watch. Coming from the standpoint of someone eagerly awaiting this title it's fun to see this type of thing done. It helps build up the hype even more.

The games official website has also been updated with even more goodies.
GTA IV Official Site

On the topic of in-game advertisements

Hi everybody. New contributor.

With regards to the recent news about the future of in-game ads, I feel the need to offer a dissenting opinion. EA's recent deal to allow downloaded advertisements in sports titles may not seem to be that big a deal, and even might lend towards a sense of authenticity: How often do you see a halftime report that isn't "Sprint's Super Awesome Half Time Report"? Even stadiums are named after the corporation that donates the most money; see the Carolina Panthers' "Bank of America Stadium".

However, I don't think ads can infiltrate games without breaking immersion to an extent. Sports games allow a lot more in that regard, but it isn't just sports titles. I purchased Crackdown a few months ago. It's a near-future game in which you play a supercop that can jump 50 feet and throw cars, among other talents such as shooting people. The game is fun, but one thing that always drove me nuts is that despite the nanotechnology in my character, despite the fictional "Pacific City" having underwater tunnels leading to a hundreds-of-stories-tall private police force fortress in the central sea of the city, and despite all the stupidity and high-technology around, there were billboards for the 2007 Dodge Nitro.

As an informed consumer, you will likely be aware that your new game downloads ads. This knowledge alone will ruin any sense of immersion immediately upon seeing a real-life product in the game. Why? Because you know you are being sold to. You know that some corporate suit is getting a dime every time you score a touchdown, because it's not a touchdown; It's a "McDonald's i'm lovin it Touchdown, courtesy of Starbucks".

I know people like making money, but there is no way for real-life advertisements to exist in games without ruining the escapism. I'd like to call for a moratorium on this practice. Making money should come second to keeping games fun and immersive, and I'd love to be able to convince EA and Microsoft of that.

Sadly, I don't have the money.

EA Cuts Deal with Microsofts Massive Inc. Emperor Palpatine Pleased

The disturbing trend of in game advertising continues today when EA and Microsoft's Massive inc. signed a deal to put dynamic ads in several of EA sports and racing franchises. To be affected are such titles as Madden, Need for Speed, NBA Live, and Nascar.

I stick by my convictions that as long as it does not detract from the immersing experience of a game I have no problem with it. However, give EA's empire-like tendencies recently how long do we have before we have cheerleader pushing products during halftime?

I Feel Dirty Now

Comcast is offering a free Rainbow 6 Vegas map here. All you have to do is glance at their propaganda and type in cheery advertisement slogans into you console of choice.

It's nice to have Downloadable content for free, but at what price? As long as they keep it away from the immersing experience of the game then they can do whatever the fuck they want.

Bad Month for Geeks

On yet another sad note Arthur C. Clarke, author and visionary, died today from respiratory complications and heart failure.

Clarke was an author ahead of his time who took his love for science and space out of his novels and into real life where he helped fuel the drive to the stars.

Clarke was the last of the three fathers of modern science fiction, surviving both Isaac Asimov and Robert A. Heinlein.

On a personal note, I grew up reading his fiction among others. They helped to shape the ideas and dreams I have today. As a student of the literary arts and a proponent of scientific reason, I can say that Arthur C. Clarke and his contributions will be missed but never forgotten.

I can only hope to live to see half of the goals that Clarke envisioned for humanity.

Green Lantern to have a Cameo in Upcoming GTA IV

Okay, so it's not the guy with the ring. Rockstar, however; has announced that
DJ Green Lantern will have his very own station in the upcoming GTA IV game.

Lantern will be creating all new tracks exclusive for the game.

Considering the free form nature of the game I see no problem with this. The more radio stations in the game the better. I personally haven't heard any of his works but if you don't like it another station is just a click away.

Mortal Kombat 17ish...

Midway has announced that they are working on a next gen iteration of Mortal Kombat

It was entertaining when I was 12... nuff said.

Windows 7 Release date Confirmed (Kinda)

In information released accidentally by the Redmund Company Windows 7 is marked for a 2010 release or possibly a late 2009 release.

If widows keeps up its pattern of alternating good OS's we might not have long to wait.

Mass Effect Franchise in for Changes

Greg Zeschuk is talking to MTV (of all places) about the future of the Mass Effect franchise.

Mass Effect, one of my personal favorite games of all time, suffered from some problems that kept it from becoming the greatest game ever made. One of which being the repetitive and often unnecessary side quests that drew the player away from the immersion of the main storyline and into the realm of monotony.

Zeschuk, in talking with MTV said

"Side quests can sometimes be left on the side, so to speak. Pardon the pun. But a lot of times it's even just getting that whole game done, that whole first shot [that is important]. We look at Mass Effect 2 as incredibly exciting. Just the amount of effort and knowledge and know-how that went into building the technology for the first one is huge, and [we now have] the chance to actually make things a little bit richer."

Given Bioware's track record of improving their titles in sequels I look forward to this next installment.

Atari Tries to Gather Steam

Atari has announced that many of their their games are now or will be shortly available on Valve's Steam service. Games like Act of War and Rollercoaster Tycoon 3: Platinum are supposed to be available now while other big titles like Neverwinter Nights 2 and it's expansion will be released early in the future.

With Atari's ongoing business crisis could this be the boost it needs to stay in business? I doubt it, but it might just generate enough buzz for a possible buy out. A la...Infogrames

Oops

Just days after numerous reports that Microsoft was in talks with Sony about the possibility of a Blu-Ray drive for the x-box, Aaron Greenberg, the group product manager for Xbox 360 told Reuters that..

"Xbox is not currently in talks with Sony or the Blu-ray Association to integrate Blu-ray into the Xbox experience."

Oops.

EA needs to work out hostility issues

According to joystiq and substantiated by other news sites, EA today has begun their hostile take over of Take 2 Interactive

They have put a public offer for 26 dollars per share, above the current value of the company.

Whether this newest move by EA will be successful or not will be decided by April 11th, the closing date of this offer, unless they extend it.

One thing can be certain, if EA succeeds in this, 2k games will be no more. Who knows, maybe they'll keep the people from 2k games and madden might actually be playable.

How much is enough? Really EA, you already have a bad rep from your previous business practices and now you come out of the games with this. This may be good business but it's shitty PR and gamers hold grudges.

As for the fate of GTA, that remains to be seen.

Interlude part I

Sadly, this Tuesday March 4th Gary Gygax died at his home in Wisconsin. He was a great creative mind and co-creator of Dungeons & Dragons. D&D has entertained thousands if not millions of people over it's 34 year and counting history and will continue to provide adventures to those who play it for years to come.
Despite the rise of video games and other electronic forms of entertainment D&D and other roleplaying games will always have a place in the market.

I have been apalled by what I have read on the internet. Jokes all over the place about D20's, and elves, and dwarves.

Seriously, what the fuck people? Now is not the time to make jokes at the expense of geeks and especially at the expense of Gygax's legacy or his family. Remember the man as the creative visionary he was, and as the caring man who treated his fans as his friends.

Who the Fuck are you?

I am assuming you have stumbled across this site on accident and for that I am very sorry.

This blog will cover games and gaming in all aspects of the industry. It is a place for reviews, previews and private thoughts on games. There will rants and raves about the industry and all of it will be unfiltered. Conversation topics and controversy will surely abound.

I will start by introducing myself. I am a gamer, a very cynical, skeptical, ranting, pissed off gamer. I have been playing games since the days before Atari fucked themselves and became a minor game studio praying that their next game will save them from going bankrupt. I'm sorry guys it won't...deal. I also have a degree in English which isn't good for much other than writing and playing Jeopardy. Since Alex Trebek hasn't returned my phone calls I figured I'd start this blog.

I will make you some promises with this blog

1. I will post at least once a week minimum: no exceptions, no excuses.

2. I will post the raw unadulterated truth as best as I know it and will not knowingly lead you astray.

3. In keeping with rule two I will make all attempts possible to research the accuracy of the topics that I will cover.

4. I will cite my sources and never take their work as my own.

5. I will listen to my community.

6. My reviews will be my own. I will never write a review based on a review or hearsay.

These are my promises to you. Stick with me, it's gonna be a bumpy ride.

Shawn out.