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    • The Return! And Update

    By D. "AnjelusX" Slauenwhite | August 8, 2008

    After an extended down time we are back up and running, as well as working towards launching AS 2.0

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    Topics: Anjel Syndicate | No Comments »

    Sony Press Conference - E3 2008 July 15th

    By Tiffany "Ceissa" Toms | July 16, 2008

    by Tiffany Toms   
    Posted July 16, 2008 9:46AM CDT

    SCEA’s Jack Tretton opened the conference giving a brief history of the auditorium and trying to be funny. I must say in my opinion Sony’s conference was lacking. Sony’s conference used to have excitement and its very dulled down in the last couple of years. Jack then talked about how 2008 is the year of the PS3. He covered some more history of the company, the original Playstation system, and the Playstation 2. He then gives us a run down on how Blu-ray is defeating HD-DVD and about the great games we’ve seen for PS3 already in 2008. (Really Jack, how many times do we have to hear about how great MGS4 is?) He then goes on to tell us how important title exclusives are and how Sony has more than anyone else in the North American market. (Hmmm.. seems to me that 1 day prior they lost an exclusive title.) The lights than go dim and we are treated to some gameplay footage of Resistance 2. Ted Price from Insomniac Games takes the stage and gives us some of the facts surrounding the game.Resistance 2 is the sequel to the Insomniac game Resistance: Fall of Man. The story takes place after the first one, emphasis is on how we lost Chicago to the Chimera and then city after city fell after that. The game will feature an 8 player online co-op mode and 60 player multiplayer battles online. New boss monsters, including the 300 ft tall Leviathan we saw in the gameplay footage.
    Gameplay Footage: http://www.gametrailers.com/player/36513.html
    Trailer: http://www.gametrailers.com/player/36208.html

    After a new trailer is shown for Resistance 2, Jack returns to the stage and talks about user created content. He then tells us how LittleBigPlanet will feature creativity and social networking. Jack then uses the game to present his statistical numbers and sales reviews for the PS3. Sonhy will now start shipping to Latin America and how sales will increase to 5 million units for 2008 with that move. In the first 6 months of this year Sony has sold 1.8 million PS3s, 1.6 million PSPs and 1.5 million PS2s in North America alone. He also stated that the video game industry alone has made 23 billion dollars so far in 2008, more than movies, music, and other entertainment industry providers.

    LittleBigPlanet will release this October and will feature the tools for gamers to create their own game levels. The users will then be able to play those levels on his console with friends, or upload them to the network to share with other users who can rate and comment or even play what you’ve made.LBP will feature characters such as Sack Boy and his friends. The world and items of LBP will be unique and different from what most gamers are used to in a video game. The possibilities are endless on what users can create. Gameplay Footage: http://www.gametrailers.com/player/36531.html

    Jack also announced that the Greatest Hits line of games will now be coming to PS3. Greatest Hits will be priced at $29.99 and the first titles will include Resistance: Fall of Man, Call of Duty 3, Warhawk, Motorstorm, Fight Night, Need for Speed: Carbon, Rainbow Six: Vegas, Ninja Gaiden Sigma, and Elderscrolls: Oblivion.

    Next in the line-up was the PS2. He stated that PS2 is still going strong and is still a great entry level system for families who are just getting into gaming. 130 titles will be released by year’s end for the system including such games as NCAA Football 09, Tiger Woods 09, Star Wars: The Force Unleashed, Warriors Orochi 2, Singstar Pop 2, Yakuza 2, Madden 20 yrs, Mercenaries 2, and a couple new Buzz Quiz show additions. A new PS2 bundle will be available for the price of $149 and will include Lego Batman and the Justice League DVD.

    We then moved on to the Playstation Network(PSN). Coming this fall all users will be getting a single sign on ability so you can log in from your PS3, PSP, or PC with that single sign in name and password. PSN has had 180 million downloads since November 2006 and that number is continuously growing. To make sure of this new downloadable content will be available to PSN. The major announcement was the addition tlo the Ratchet & Clank series. Available sometime this summer for the price of $14.99 gamers will be able to DL the next chapter in the Ratchet & Clank Future Series. The game will be called Ratchet & Clank Future: Quest for Booty.

    Ratchet and Clank: Quest for Booty will feature a storyline that picks up immediately where Tools of Destruction ended. This will be a shorter game, but will include new features such as new wrench abilities (the head of the wrench comes off, you can pick things up with your wrench, and control things using it.) and new characters. Trailer: http://www.gametrailers.com/player/36537.html

    Also coming to PSN for download will be Crash Commando, Fat Princess, Pixel Junk Eden, Pain Amusement Park, Flower, Siren: Blood Curse and Ragdoll Kung Fu: Fists of Plastic. We were shown a montage of brief glimpses at each of these games.

    Flower Gameplay Footage: http://www.gametrailers.com/player/36151.html

    After the montage we were introduced to the add on coming for Gran Turismo 5. It is called Grand Turismo TV or GTTV for short. GTTV will be pay-per-view tv which you can view inside of GT5. The shows available range from automotive programs, racing events, sports car reviews, and behind the scenes programs. This add on will be available August 1st.

    Next he talked about the trophies system that will be coming to the PSN. You will now be able to call out your friends when they claim to have the high score on something. Trophies will basically track different gameplahy achievements you make. This was followed by the assurance that HOME was still coming to the PS3. Still in closed beta we were assured that when it releases we will be amazed.Home will feature living spaces, socializing, the ability to view pictures and programs with friends, and a place to socialize. Home Trailer: http://www.gametrailers.com/player/36415.html

    The Playstation Store is getting an addition to it also. The PS Store will now feature the ability to purchase or rent movies and TV shows. Sony has partnered up with Fox Film, MGM, Warner, Disney, Funimation, Turner Network, LionsGate, and Sony Pictures to bring you a variety of movies and tv shows to choose from. TV show episodes will be available from the starting price of $1.99, movie rentals start at $2.99 for SD and $5.99 for HD, and movie purchases will start at $9.99 and up. We were shown a brief demonstration on how to get movies and TV shows. You will be able to transfer your purchases to your PSP to take along with you. Downloading can be done either from your PS3 or PC and transferred to your PSP. New titles will be available every week and the service was going live the same day as the conference.

    Moving on to the PSP now. A new bundle pack is being made available. The new Entertainment pack will feature a silver slim line PSP, Ratchet & Clank: Size Matters game, National Treasure 2 UMD, and a voucher for Echochrome. Then we were shown video on upcoming PSP titles. New titles for PSP will include, Loco Roco 2, Patapon 2, Madden 09, NBA 09: The Inside, Super Stardust Portable, Lego Batman, Valkyria Chronicles, Star Wars: The Force Unleashed, and Buzz Quiz Master. The highlight of titles that was made is Resistance Retribution from Insomniac.

    Super Stardust Portable: http://www.gametrailers.com/player/36571.html
    Loco Roco 2: http://www.gametrailers.com/player/36564.html
    Patapon 2: http://www.gametrailers.com/player/36559.html
    Resistance Retribution http://www.gametrailers.com/player/36447.html

    We were then introduced to the partnership that Sony has made with Google and You Tube. Life with Playstation will bring you live news, weather, and other features. This service will be available by the end of July.

    Jack formally welcomed Sony Online Entertainment(SOE) to the SCEA. He covered a brief history on how the SOE family was officially added to SCEA earlier this year and told us about their successes with such games as Everquest, Everquest 2, and other MMOs. He talked about how SOE will be bringing games such as The Agency, Free Realms and DC Universe Online to the PS3. He introduced Jim Lee to the stage to tell us more about DC Universe Online.

    Dc Universe Online will be an MMO available for the PS3 and PC. You will create either a superhero or villian to fight alongside DCs most famous good guys and bad guys. We were shown the first trailer of the game. We got to see such greats as Batman, Superman, Wonder Woman, The Flash, Green Lantern, Joker, Brainiac, and Lex Luthor. Various player made characters were featured also and we were able to see that you will be able to fly, use the enviroment as a wepon, pick up cars and other great comic book moves. DC Universe Online Trailer: http://www.gametrailers.com/player/36413.html

    Well heading back to Sony’s bread & butter, the PS3. It was announced how Sonhy will be focusing on an all new 80GB model. Basically the way it was put it is the same system as the 40GB, but with a new 80Gb hard drive. This model will be available for the retail price of $399.99. No word on backwards compatibility or if the 40Gb is being discontinued. this model will be available come September.

    A clip was shown where various developers talked about the power of the PS3 and the developing options that are available for the system. Cue to a montage of game titles coming to the PS3 by the end of 2008. Titles included are Killzone 2, Fallout 3, Quantum of Solace, Ghostbusters:The Video Game, Motorstorm: Pacific Rift, Soul Calibur IV, Nba 09, Singstar, Mirror’s Edge, Socom Confrontation, Naruto: Ultimate Storm, and Buzz Quiz Show.

    Motorstorm: Pacific Rift: http://www.gametrailers.com/player/36541.html
    Killzone 2: http://www.gametrailers.com/player/36570.html
    Quantum of Solace: http://www.gametrailers.com/player/36450.html

    After the montage, Jack returns to the stage and states that they have great game titles for beyond 2008 also. The lights go dark and the confirmation is made God of War III will be on PS3 next year. A trailer is debuted to show us what Kratos will be up to now. Trailer: http://www.gametrailers.com/player/36414.html

    We are then treated to a new trailer for Infamous http://www.gametrailers.com/player/36419.html

    Next up came an announcement how a massively action title was in development that would give the PS3 a workout. Saying there is nothing on the market today like this title. Introduced was Andey Beaudoin, lead designer at Zipper Interactive. He showed us a game called MAG: Massive Action Game. This game will feature a massive 256 player online battle with players split into 8 player squads. Also there will be character growth including experience and skill sets such as a medic or a demolitionist. Players will earn ranks just like in the military and this will factor into the squads. Players will be able to choose what their character become and how it will develop. Cue the trailer of this came. Trailer http://www.gametrailers.com/player/36474.html

    The show ended on that note.

    UPDATE: After the conference, SCEA senior vice president of marketing Peter Dille confirmed the 40GB PS3 is being discontinued, and the new 80GB PS3 will not have backwards compatibility.  

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    Topics: SCEA, Sony, SOE, PS2, PSN, PSP, PS3, E3, Online Games, Game Industry, Games, MMO, Trailer, News | 1 Comment »

    Nintendo Press Conference - E3 2008 July 15th

    By Tiffany "Ceissa" Toms | July 15, 2008

    by Tiffany Toms
    Posted July 15, 2008 12:16 PM CDT

    Wow Nintendo just amazes me with the innovation they come up with and the creative ways they keep us immersed in their games.The show opened with Cammie Dunaway (executive video president of sales and marketing ) & Pro Snowboarder Shaun White taking the stage and introducing a great new game for us to use our Wii Boards for.Shaun White’s Snowboarding is going to be Wii Board compatible and with Shaun working closely with UbiSoft on this game the Wii Board will respond to your movements as if you were on a real snowboard. A demo was shown where no matter how you react it will be picked up. Whether you lean side-to-side or decide to tuck your butt in those reactions will be picked up by the Wii Board. The graphics resemble previous SSX games with a cartoony style to it. You will be able to perform tricks in the game, but no gravity defying stunts like in the SSX series. Check it out: http://www.gametrailers.com/player/36381.html

    Next up we had Mr. Iwata(President and CEO) give us a few facts about Nintendo and what they expect to bring in the coming year. He stated that Nintendlo is focused on the three E’s. Enaging the player, Enriching their experience, and increased Enthusiasm. He also mentioned that the Mario and Zelda teams were hard at work on bringing us a new title for both franchises. With that in mind he said they want to bring Creativity and Community together this year. He then announced a long awaited and anticipated title coming to the Wii.

    Animal Crossing:City Folk was announced and finally confirmed. Said to be released by the end of this year 2008. AC:CF will feature online capability. the unique features that announced will be sending mail to not only characters in your town, but to friend’s towns, the Wii Message Board, Mobile Phones, and PCs. Attachments will now be allowable in game, so you can attach pictures or screenshots from your Wii to your friends around the world. You will be able to visit friends towns as you did in the DS version, but now you can have multiple friends visit you at once and interact together in activities. The big announcement with AC:CF was the inclusion of a new peripheral device called Wii Speak. Wii Speak will allow you to chat with your friends online while playing AC:CF. The example they showed was a group of 4 friends having a fishing contest amongst themselves in one town and all members trash talking one another using Wii Speak. Wii Speak will be optional so if you are microphone or voice chat shy you don’t have to use it. Wii Speak will allow you to chat with your friends online no matter where they live. Another great feature that was focused on was the way you have more control customizing your character. You can go to Gracie’s Shop and change your hairstyle, put on a mask and much more. No word on whether or not AC:CF would have a Wii Speak packaged version or not. Check out the announcement here: http://www.gametrailers.com/player/36379.html

    Next up we had the all knowing and wise cracking Reggie Fil-Amis ( president and chief operating officer ). Reggie as always talked statistics and how Nintendo is taking the world by storm. He said there would be dozens and dozens of titles releasing by end of the year. He showed us 3.

    Star Wars: The Clone Wars based on the upcoming movie that takes place between EP. 3 and EP.4. Some gameplahy footage was shown and it looks amazing. Players will be able to use their Wii Motes like a light saber and players will be able to participate in a 2 player head-to head light saber battle duel mode. Trailer: http://www.gametrailers.com/player/36377.html

    Rayman Raving Rabbids: TV Party the next title in the Raving Rabbids series will include Wii Board capability. Not much info was given on this, but players were shown using the Wii Board in conjuction with the Wii mote and Nunchuck. This game will feature over 50 mini-games and be playable with up to 4 players. Trailer: http://www.gametrailers.com/player/36382.html

    Call of Duty: World at War is the next title being launched in the CoD series. Being made by Treyarch and going back to the World War 2 era, this version of the game features playabilty with the Wii Zapper and a co-op mode. No word on whether there will be Online Play, but we definitely have things to watch for on this title. Trailer: http://www.gametrailers.com/player/36402.html

    Well after these brief glimpses were shown to us. Cammie was brought back on stage to talk more about the Nintendo DS. The best selling handheld in the world. Well she had some exciting news for us DS owners.
    She announced 4 new games coming to the DS.

    Guitar Hero: World Tour Decades features song sharing so you can share songs between the two versions. This game is coming in 2009. Trailer: http://www.gametrailers.com/player/36389.html

    Spore Creatures will be the DS version of the taking the world by storm game Spore. The DS version will focus mainly on the creatures of the game and feature a stylus based Creature Creator and creature sharing so you can trade with your friends. Friends creatures will appear in the in-game zoo, but you will also be able to use them to populate your game. This game is releasing simultaneously with the PC version of Spore.
    Trailer: http://www.gametrailers.com/player/36387.html

    Grand Theft Auto:Chinatown Wars is coming to the DS. This is an all new GTA experience for DS owners. The game will take place in an all new Liberty City, have new characters, and include free play mode that players have come to love about the GTA series.

    Pokemon Ranger: Shadows of Almea will be the new Pokemon game for the DS. This will be a sequel to the first Pokemon Ranger game. Not much info was given on this, so if your a Pokemon fan keep your eyes peeled for more info.

    Cammie then talked about other innovative ways to use your DS that are currently in testing. Airport usage would include finding the nearest restaurant or hotel, knowing where to pick up your luggage, or finding your gate. She stated that the DS is currently being used in Seattle at the Mariners stadium to get scores, order food, and tlo play trivia with other DS users in the park. She then announced that DS would be moving to your kitchen. Yes you read correctly, YOUR KITCHEN! The software title that has been available in Japan for sometime is coming to North America.

    Cooking Navi will feature international and domestic recipes for you to use in your kitchen. This will be available in November just in time for all the Holiday cooking you will be doing.

    Well Reggie took the stage again and announced a new way for you to have more control in your games. Wii Motion Plus is a device that will fit into your current Wii mote and will render every shift of your arm and wrist in games. To demonstrate the usage of this he announced Wii Sports: Resort coming to the Wii.

    Wii Sports: Resort will feature beach type games and use the Wii Motion Plus. It will come packaged with the game and also be sold seperately. The game itself will include numerous games including Disc Dog (play frisbee with your dog), Jet-Skiing, and Sword fighting. The game will also include an expanded Wii Jacket which will fit over both the Wii mote and Motion Plus device. Trailer: http://www.gametrailers.com/player/36398.html

    The last game was brought to us by Mr. Miyamoto himself. with his already popular games Wii Sports, Wii Play and Wii Fit selling strong what more could he bring us. Well we were treated to a young man playing drums using only the Wii mote, Nunchuck, and Wii Board. Mr. Miyamoto himself came out playing a saxophone just by using the Wii Mote. Well as the gameplay showed on the screen the provided us with music using no instruments and no reading music or following along with keys. So what game were they playing, well it was the long awaited Wii Music first shown 2 years ago at E3.

    Wii Music will feature music from popular Nintendo games over the years. You will be able to play instruments using just your Wii mote, Nunchuck, and Wii Board. No following along with notes and hitting them at the right time, no knowledge of reading music, or having to know how to play an instrument. This game will be playable with up to 4 players in total. You can play such instruments as drums, piano, guitar, violin, and saxophone. The game will feature Orchestra mode (Conduct your own orchestra), Note Mode, and Lesson Mode. You will also be able to record videos of your performances, and make music videos. Trailer: http://www.gametrailers.com/player/36388.html  

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    Topics: Wii, DS, Nintendo, E3, Editorial, Games, News | 1 Comment »

    Microsoft Conference - E3 2008 July 14th

    By Tiffany "Ceissa" Toms | July 14, 2008

    by Tiffany Toms
    Posted: Mon Jul 14, 2008 3:52 pm CDT      

    Well the Microsoft conference has just ended and there were some big announcements and AMAZING surprises shown.

    First gameplay footage was shown from the upcoming Bethesda game Fallout 3. Gameplay was amazing. This is definitely going to be an awesome addition to the Fallout series. Check out the footage here: http://www.gametrailers.com/player/36197.html

    Next we were shown gameplay footage from Resident Evil 5. Gameplay looked good and if you weren’t aware of it the game takes place in Africa. Chris Redingfield is the main character. Resident Evil 5 will offer a 2 player Online co-op mode! Resident Evil 5 is scheduled to be released in North America on Friday the 13th (March 13th) 2009. You can check it out here: http://www.gametrailers.com/player/36199.html

    Fable 2 was next up and if you have never played this amazing RPG take a look at Fable 2. The new game will allow the player to choose between male and female starting character, co-op play, online play, and mini games. Still available from the first game will be choosing between good and evil, marriage, and playing the game the way you want to play it. Fable 2 will release this October 2008. Check out footage: http://www.gametrailers.com/player/36200.html

    Next we have the HIGHLY anticipated Game of the Year! Gears of War 2! The Locusts are back as well as Marcus & Dom and a few other characters from the first game. We were shown actual co-op play game footage and I have to say that this game looks and plays amazingly. Cliffy B made a worldwide announcement of a new gameplahy mode called Horde Mode. This mode will feature 5 player co-op which will pit you against wave after wave of enemies to defeat. Basically testing the player to see how long they can survive. One of the question they did leave us with is “Will we be able to ride the Brumacks?” Gears of War 2 is scheduled to be released on November 7th, 2008. Check out the footage here: http://www.gametrailers.com/player/36217.html

    We were also shown new trailers for Banjo Kazooie: Nuts & Bolts, Viva Pinata: Trouble in Paradise, Guitar Hero 4: World Tour, & Rock band 2.

    Guitar Hero 4: World Tour will feature such artists as Van Halen, The Eagles, and finally METALLICA! As a GH exclusive, Metallica will be simultaneously releasing their new album for playable DL for GH4. So you’ll not only be able to listen to, but play along with the new music!

    Rock Band 2 will feature an 84 song playlist with another 20 bonus songs. Feasturing AC/DC, Bob Dylan, and a new track off the upcoming Guns-N-Roses album releasing soon. All Rock Band 1 tracks will be compatible with RB2 and you can export them into the game so you don’t have to change discs. Also, all already released downloadable tracks will be compatible with RB2.

    Xbox Live is getting a huge overhaul to the dashboard! We will now be able to create avatars of ourselves to show off to the community and use in certain party type games. There is a new Community channel where you will be able to see your friends avatars as they come online, chat with them, and even make parties to take into online games. The Games channel is getting an overhaul also. You will be able to go to the games channel and choose the game you would like to take your party into to play together. Part of the games channel will be Primetime Games that you can play with friends offline and online. The first game releasing will be the TV show 1 vs 100. In these prime time games you will be able to win real prizes also. New games announced for the Xbox Arcade are Uno Rush, Geometry Wars 2, Galaga Legions, Portal: Still Alive, A South Park game, and the original version of Banjo Kazooie. All these games will be available by the end of the year.

    Galaga Legions: http://www.gametrailers.com/player/36214.html
    Portal: Still Alive: http://www.gametrailers.com/player/36209.html
    Geometry Wars 2: http://www.gametrailers.com/player/36204.html

    NBC and Universal Studios has signed on with Xbox live to bring you even more downloadable TV shows and Movies. Another surprising announcement is the exclusive partnership with NETFLIX. You will now be able to choose to view movies in your Netflix queue on your Xbox 360. Netflix Announcement: http://www.gametrailers.com/player/36223.html

    A couple new Party type games were announced with an amazing response to them. First was Scene It: Box Office Smash which will be an all new Scene It game for the system, but you will be able to use your avatars in it to represent yourself. There will also be downloadable content so your game will never end. Check out the trailer: http://www.gametrailers.com/player/36215.html

    Next up… was a karaoke game by the creators of Gitaroo Man and Elite Beat Agents. The game is called LIPS. This game will feature wireless microphones, a playlist of songs from rock, pop, country, hip-hop, r&b, and many other music genres. The awesome feature it will include is that your song list will be endless with this game. You will be able to plug in your Zune or iPod to import tracks from your MP3 player to sing along with.

    The final presenter of the conference was the president from Square-Enix. He talked about how excited he was with their partnership with Microsoft. He highlighted the already announced Infinite Undiscovery releasing September 9th in North America, The Last Remnant releasing November 20th, and Star Ocean 4: The Last Hope coming Spring of 2009 as an Xbox 360 exclusive title. Well just as you thought he was done talking, the lights were dimmed and a game cinematic was shown on the screen. Now I knew from the cinematic right away what game it was, but I was in shock they were showing it at the MS Conference. Well after the cinematic was done playing it was confirmed FINAL FANTASY XIII is coming to XBOX 360!

    Last Remnant Trailer: http://www.gametrailers.com/player/36216.html
    Final Fantasy XIII Trailer: http://www.gametrailers.com/player/36222.html

    A few statistics that were featured at the conference.

    - Xbox Live subscribers have gone from 6 million from last year’s show to 12 million for this years. A new subscriber signs up every 5 seconds.

    - 1,000+ titles will be released for the Xbox 360 by the end of 2008.

    - Over 1billion dollars has been spent by consumers on Xbox Live downloadable content.

    - 500 new song will be released for Rock Band & Rock Band 2 by the end of 2008.

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    Topics: Microsoft, E3, Role Playing Games, Trailer, News | 1 Comment »

    Rose Online - North America Going Free to Play

    By D. "AnjelusX" Slauenwhite | July 13, 2008

    Picked this up off the game forum today following some conversations around the webs.

    Rose Online has been a part of the Gravity family suite of game titles for several years now. We are going to update ROSE’s subscription model to attract more users than ever before.

    On July 29 we will be turning the servers over to Free to Play where all accounts in good standing may log in.

    On July 22 we will be removing the subscription page from the Website. That one week from the 22-> 29 no one will be able to make a subscription; if you have a subscription that will expire during that week and you want to make sure you do not have any gap in game accessibility please make a subscription prior to the 22nd.

    Re-occurring subscriptions will automatically be cancelled (to not re-occur), on the 22nd.

    Any left over Subscription time will be creditted 40 Mileage points per day (1200/month) that is left of the current subscription starting at 12:01am July 28th.

    If you have friends that want to play ROSE but were concerned with the subscription cost now is a great time to invite them to join you on your adventure!

    We hope that this is a new greater beginning for ROSE online!

    Source: http://www.roseonlinegame.com/

    Interesting stuff, as a former Rose addict this amuses me greatly, though I have my doubts about how long it will survive as similar attempts were made by PRose and the like, but who knows, maybe if they do it right they’ll pull it off. I’ll login to the old account for the nostaligia alone.

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    Topics: MMORPG, Rose Online, Gravity Interactive, Commentary, MMO, Online Games, Games, Current Events | No Comments »

    How the West could be won by Free to Play Games? (Who knows Edition) [Rant]

    By D. "AnjelusX" Slauenwhite | July 11, 2008

    Time of something a bit different on AS, usually I bounce of this piece of news, or that announcement, but I felt like being a bit more original for a change. ~shock & awe~ ahem…

    Over the last year I’ve been reading various articles discussing the Free to play game market and it’s viability, sustainability and general acceptance here in the West. While I’m not going to post a whole horde of links, as they’re freely available form your friendly neighborhood game media sites, I will sum up the prevailing point all of them, or nearly all, seem to make about what hasn’t or may not catch on.

    Western players are culturally not wired to accept free software or pay for items to use in said free software.

    This honestly amuses the shit out of me, and yes I said shit! Having been flowing through the Free to Play game circuit for many years, I’ve seen players from Yellowknife to Rio playing for hours a day, week after week, in these games, all the while enjoying themselves, and spending their parents hard earned money on in-game items ranging from costumes to special potions, pets to vehicles, and talking about how much subscription game A sucks compared to Free to Play game B.

    I have some serious doubts about the viability or the sustain of Free games in the west. From personal experience over the last seven some odd years, the usual fail-and-die-out-over-time has little to do with Western players not accepting the market formula. The more likely problem seems to be that many companies that distribute these games don’t seem to appreciate how to keep their players happy, or they ruin what could be potentially a very good game.

    Mind you I realize and fully support the notion that games require profit to further update and that things like servers, employees and the like cost money. However, many free to play games get turned out and presented and the game staff either has no idea how the game actually works, don’t care how the game works, don’t care what the players (their customers) think, or the company is just looking for quick money before it buys yet another cheap import game, spins it out with millions of bugs, make some easy money, then rinse and repeat.

    If a company actually poured it’s resources into quality staff, quality presentation of the game, quality marketing of the game, and worked to both improve the game based on majority concerns of it’s player base, and used it’s profits from the game to actually improve and update the game, I could easily see the free to play game market actually going from this almost shunned or avoided notion to an actual game revolution.

    Several companies are offering free games to the Western market. Some are starting to figure this out, some don’t care, and the rest just kind want to make some money and move on, like the old snake oil salesmen of the past.

    So where does this leave us dear readers? It leaves us to wonder if the establishment, both the big western companies, and much of the game media, even really know it’s demographic, it’s readers and the minds of the western players anymore? Is the “establishment still operating the old business axiom of “consumers don’t know what they want, we tell them what they need, even if they don’t?”

    It’s ironic to me really. I would like to see a legitimate survey of gamers across the board on how they really feel about Free to Play games. Perhaps that will be this month’s project, composing a survey and sending it out into the universe to see where the “West” sits in free to play games, with questions that range from “Do you like games being free” to, “will you spend a dollar on a cool hat?” and the like.

    Ultimately it’s the old gamer argument. “The companies make games they think we’ll like, we tell them what changes we think would improve the game, and they do the opposite, so what’s the point?”

    The Point dear readers is that if we give up, nothing changes, we get buried under heaps of shovel ware every year, and the games we find that could start the revolution get ruined and hobbled before they even get off the ground. Stand up and be counted! We are the consumers and where we spend out money is our choice. Reject the establishment and fight for what you want and believe in.

    I want my free games.

    I want quality service.

    I want items that don’t break the game.

    I want companies to care again.

    I want the future of gaming to be dictated by the players who pay for them.

    I don’t mind game ads. I watch TV with commercials so what’s the difference?

    Wake up people, don’t be dictated to. Dictate your wishes and express your thoughts. Each and every one of us is responsible for what we buy and what we enjoy. Time to let the gaming gods know that we aren’t mere mortals but informed and intelligent parts of the game industry equation.

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    Chrono Trigger DS

    By D. "AnjelusX" Slauenwhite | July 3, 2008

    Huzzah!! The gaming gods have declared a revival! I know that the Final Fantasy train is chugging right along on a variety of platforms, but to have a revival of the Trigger is great news in and of itself.

    Quote’s the Anjel:

    CHRONO TRIGGER Returns! The Timeless Classic Teleports to Nintendo DS This Holiday Season

    LOS ANGELES, CA USA
    Journey Through Time with the RPG Masterpiece that Started It All

    LOS ANGELES, July 2 /PRNewswire/ — Square Enix, Inc., the publisher of Square Enix(TM) interactive entertainment products in North America, announced today that it will release CHRONO TRIGGER(R) in North America this Holiday season. Remastered exclusively for Nintendo DS(TM), this marks the first time that the groundbreaking RPG will be available on a handheld console.

    Originally released in 1995 on Super NES(R) and shipping more than 2.5 million copies worldwide, CHRONO TRIGGER has been hailed as one of the greatest games of all time by critics and fans alike. With a unique and multifaceted storyline, the game revolutionized the world of RPGs with
    never-before-seen features, including an unprecedented soundtrack and multiple endings determined by side quests and the player’s actions.

    With artwork by famed manga artist Akira Toriyama and an unprecedented and inspiring musical score created by Yasunori Mitsuda, CHRONO TRIGGER represents the best-in-class of the video game world. This newly revamped edition maintains all of the game’s original elements and spirit while
    introducing the portability, dual-screen presentation and Touch-Screen functionality of Nintendo DS. Players will soon be able to rediscover the exhilarating RPG experience, breathtaking storyline and innovative gameplay in the palm of their hands.

    STORY

    When a newly developed teleportation device malfunctions at the Millennial Fair, young Crono must travel through time to rescue his misfortunate companion from an intricate web of past and present perils. The swashbuckling adventure that ensues soon unveils an evil force set to destroy the world, triggering Crono’s race against time to change the course of history and bring about a brighter future.

    FEATURES

    — A masterpiece with an engaging and unparalleled storyline, leading to the discovery of multiple epic conclusions to a journey that transcends time

    — An unprecedented and inspiring musical score created by Yasunori Mitsuda

    — Intriguing battle system made possible by the unique combination of the Active Time Battle system and Tech skills

    — Famed character designer Akira Toriyama lends his signature art style to create the vibrant world that has captivated gamers around the world

    — Taking advantage of the Nintendo DS hardware, CHRONO TRIGGER makes its way onto the portable platform with all-new dual screen presentation and Touch-Screen functionality

    — A brand new dungeon and a Wireless Play mode adds exciting new dimensions to this timeless classic

    CHRONO TRIGGER has not yet been rated. Please visit the Entertainment Software Rating Board website at http://www.esrb.org for more information about ratings. The official website can be found at
    http://na.square-enix.com/ctds.

    Picked up from Kotaku

    Now of course since the fiasco of Chrono Cross, the die-hard Trigger fans have been praying in their Epoch shrines for a sequel that actually does the game justice. Should we hope, could we hope, perhaps if this reoffering of a classic makes a big impact we can see a new iteration of the franchise coming? I’m certainly hoping, now if only they would fix Secret of Evermore , remake it the way it should have been (Like a complete game rather then a taste tease) then I’ll renew my fayth in the powers that be.

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    Happy Canada Day!

    By D. "AnjelusX" Slauenwhite | July 1, 2008

     

    From all of us here at Anjel Syndicate, we wish all our Canadian’s readers a Happy Canada Day! Remember drink heavily, but drink responsibly!

     

    ~AnjelusX

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    Project Top Secret: The Winners!

    By D. "AnjelusX" Slauenwhite | June 27, 2008

    FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
    Contact:
    Howard Marks
    Acclaim Games

    Project ‘Top Secret’ Announces Winner(s)

    Los Angeles (June 27, 2008) – Today Project “Top Secret” officially reaches the most anticipated milestone yet as we announce the winner… No, scratch that – the winners of the Top Secret Design Contest.

    This project has claimed three major game industry milestones. It’s the biggest development team in history (60,000+ people) on a single game development project. It’s also the biggest user-generated game design team. And it’s the biggest career hike ever given as a prize (from outside the industry to Game Director).

    Before we announce today’s winner, we want to say that we have had winners all along:

    All of these talented and dedicated individuals came from our Top Secret community.

    “I think we’ve proven that this is a great way to find super passionate people, by creating an incredibly difficult task, unleashing it on a massive amount of people who live for games, using the latest internet technologies, and hiring the ones that rose to the top. It’s a win-win and you can be sure we will be doing more of it in the future,” says David Perry.

    In fact, Acclaim is already interviewing other members of the community so you can expect more of our Top Secret standouts to be working in the game industry, just as we hoped at the beginning of the project.

    Moreover, each finalist will receive a personal industry letter of recommendation from David Perry describing their contributions to the project.

    And now the winner of the Directorship – Michael “Doran” Zummo.

    Mike will be offered the biggest career bump in the industry as he’s offered the directorship of an upcoming game from Acclaim Games, working with David Perry as Executive Producer.

    “This was a closer contest than some people might think,” says Assistant Director Rusel DeMaria, “but Mike was always among our top choices. His dedication to the project has never wavered for almost a year and a half of consistent effort – while holding down a full-time job! Mike has a steady, honest and humble demeanor, a great attention to detail and a phenomenal work ethic. He has all the makings of a great game director.”

    Congratulations Mike! You have joined a small, but growing group of Top Secret members who are getting a giant leap forward into the industry they love.

    “We offered to change one person’s career path forever,” says Perry, “and we ended up doing it for five. I call that a success, and I’m excited to see what they all come up with!”

    About Mike Zummo

    Mike Zummo (nicknamed Doran in the project), age 34, is a usability expert and avid gamer from Milwaukee, Wisconsin and has served as co-director of the Top Secret Advisory Board since its inception in November 2007. Mike presides over many meetings with team members from around the world and writes a weekly What’s Going On section and has contributed steadily to the Top Secret design.

    About Acclaim Games

    Based in Beverly Hills California, Acclaim Games is a revolutionary new company with a familiar name. In 2005 the cofounder of Activision, Howard Marks, purchased the company confident that the Acclaim name would surpass its former glory as one of America’s marquee brands. Today, Acclaim Games offers only the finest free to play multiplayer online games with a focus on community, playability and most importantly fun. To learn more please visit www.acclaim.com.

    About David Perry

    David Perry is a 27 year industry veteran whose games have sold over a billion dollars at retail. He’s the Chief Creative Officer of Acclaim Games, Inc. and prior to that was the founder of Shiny Entertainment, Inc. which was purchased by Atari. For more information, please visit: www.dperry.com.

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    Acclaim’s Project Top Secret : Design Contest Finalists List!

    By D. "AnjelusX" Slauenwhite | June 19, 2008

    Here it is, scooped it off the forums a few minutes ago, hopefully I don’t get shot for posting it out but meh :D I’m on the list so that’s what matters to me presently! Full Release Quoted below! Now we wait for the winner announcement and other special announcements to follow next week.

    FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
    Contact:
    Howard Marks
    Acclaim Games

    Project ‘Top Secret’ Announces Finalists

    Los Angeles (June 19, 2008) – Acclaim Games is approaching the final stage of the “Project: Top Secret” game design contest. “Project: Top Secret” is the brainchild of industry superstar David Perry. In addition to being the biggest video game project ever, it is the first large-scale user-driven game design project in video game history.

    One lucky winner will be chosen this month, and we have determined who the finalists are. One of these people will receive the top prize, and an unprecedented career boost – the Directorship of a game to be published by Acclaim Games and Executive Produced by David Perry.

    Picking our finalists for this amazing contest was not easy. Out of 60,000 people who signed up, there were certainly hundreds of amazing participants, so we have had to work hard to narrow the field.

    “Working with these dedicated gamers for nearly a year and a half on this project, I have come to appreciate not only the efforts of literally hundreds of participants out of this huge field, but their range of personalities and individuality,” said Rusel DeMaria, Assistant Director to David Perry. “In helping to pick these finalists, I kept remembering all their persistence, creativity and passion. Limiting the list of finalists was very difficult, as there were always more people I wished I could add.”

    To honor our designers, we have provided a brief biography of each of the finalists. Only one of these people will win the grand prize, but we want to acknowledge every one of them for their contributions.

    “To be hand chosen from 60,000 means every single one of these people are field tested and proven. To be honest, we are having a very difficult time pinning this down to just one winner,” says David Perry, the Director of the game.

    “Project: Top Secret” will continue, and the team will remain on the project until the game is published. While the original plan was to have the community design the game, then have a professional team make it, that all changed when the community asked to design AND build the final product.

    So we are simultaneously working on the second phase, the actual development of the game itself. We currently have ten independent development teams working on the related Top Secret development contest hoping to win a prize worth up to a million dollars, a publishing deal, and a professional development contract going forward.

    The Top Secret design winner will be announced next week, along with some special announcements. Stay tuned for more!

    To find out more about this exciting project, just visit: www.videogameteam.com or www.acclaim.com


    Contest Finalists

     Kim Bartlett (Reyaughi ) just completed her undergraduate studies in Game and Simulation Programming and will be completing a Master’s of Level Design in early 2010 as part of her studies for becoming a game designer. Kim says she has truly enjoyed being a part of Project Top Secret, where she contributed to several areas of the project in the early stages, but her primary passion was the development of beasts, where she developed concepts for mechanics and created a plethora of concept art.

    Robert Brown (Knight1b) is a 27 year old single parent with 2 small daughters, has served on the Top Secret Advisory Board since its creation, and is the producer for Coin shop items. He says, “I’ve learned a lot about how games are made and what a pain they can be sometimes, but I’ve had fun learning.”

    Adrian Clark (Aclark) is an Australian who describes himself as a “typical I.T. Jack of all trades, who loves to design, play and create games”. While acting as producer for Breeding Systems, Guilds, and the Social System, he found the Top Secret experience to be absolutely priceless, a project which seriously opened his eyes to the gaming industry, and introduced him to some of the world’s most talented and amazing people.

    Frédéric Corneau (Elkhorno), 31, is an illustrator from Quebec, Canada. Although he left the project months ago, he left behind an amazing catalog of art which has played a central part in the design work for Top Secret, particularly mounts and tracks, and his drive and skill helped fuel the early days of the project.

    Flavio Creasso (Creasso), 33, is a 3ds Max Instructor from Brazil who came to Top Secret for the opportunity to showcase his skills to industry insiders and participate in a real game project. His time on the project gave him some solid game production knowledge, and gave the project some of its most amazing art.

    Kris Davidsohn (Brokentrain), 24, works as a Software Engineer, and says, “I’m very much into gaming, and have always wanted to develop them, particularly in the areas of game and systems design”. His other hobby, drawing (mostly comics), led to his Top Secret positions as Co-producer for Concept Art and Art Style/Direction, and co-producer for Rank Systems.

    Bryan Dong (Klyfarthfa) is a programmer who hails from San Mateo, CA. As a member of the Advisory Board since late 2007, he has worked on Items, Items systems, Environmental dynamics, and Crafting systems.

    Matthew Edwards (Matt58) is from the UK, where he works as a lead web developer, and, although he’s always been interested in game design as a career, will soon be graduating from university with an Archaeology degree. At the start of the project he contributed a lot of design ideas, was eventually appointed to the Advisory Board, and has used his programming knowledge to work on the more detailed and technical aspects of the design tracks, while also serving as the co-producer for social systems.

    Steven Egan (Wordweaver), 22, is a Computer Science major who has worked on Cards, UI, Breeding, Ethnicities, the Wiki, Stats and was one of the leaders in designing the concept of Rankings. Mostly I now have experience dealing with people and a better idea how projects can and should be run.

    Robert Florio (Robflorio) is a 26-year-old game design graduate, a quadriplegic mouth artist, and a motivational speaker specializing in game accessibility advocacy. He co-designed Top Secret’s accessible controls and user interface, contributed a good deal of concept art to the project, and feels that Top Secret has helped him take his passion for game design to new heights by giving him the opportunity to gain greater knowledge of the industry as well as how to design a game right.

    Joel Haddock (Zargonx), 29, is a website manager and writer from Baltimore, as well as a recent newlywed, having just been married in May. Joel joined Project Top Secret as an opportunity to engage in his passion for game design, and also to take part in an interesting community experiment; as such, he has worn many hats during the course of, with a focus on skill system and character customization designs, and as the project enters the next phases, he looks forward to working even more with the community to bring this dream to fruition.

    Christopher Honour (Asurael) lives in Santiago de Chile and is studying for a Business degree, but says videogames are his real passion; “All my life I’ve dreamt about making games for a living, and PTS has given me the chance to do just that, I’ll always be grateful for this experience. I’ve met some cool people, made some good friends and learned more than I thought I could from this.” He’s served as the producer for Mounts, and co-producer for Concept Art and Art Style/Direction, and also been a moderator.

    Martin Juricek (Mjuricek) is a 30 year old computer scientist, father of three, and an amazing internet ferret. He has managed the development team contestants, created project tracking programs and charts, and recruited needed talent by casting his ferreting skills across the entire internet.

    Nikita Logachev (Naereus), 21, is from the UK, holds a BA in Psychology, a PG Diploma in Artificial Intelligence, and hopes to create a life-altering game. He spent the first months of the project as a moderator and idea pitchman, working on design refinements and task creation assistance, and most recently has been instrumental in refining the track environments. He also provided the initial design for one of the core tracks and feels that Top Secret gave him “a taste of the difficulties in coordinating large-scale teams, and a few insights into the game design creative process”.

    Yana Malysheva (Yanamal1) is a 24-year-old math/computer geek, originally from Russia who enjoys playing RPGS, making up weird game systems, absorbing information, telling people what to do, and Heelys. She managed her role as Top Secret’s producer for Riders, Professions, Weapons and the Rank system by relying on great organizational skills, good sense, and the Yanabot 3000 (play the game to learn more about that one!).

    Michelle Montierth (Tandy), an urban planner and the mother of two college-aged sons, found her job as Co-Director of the Top Secret Advisory board, producer of Tracks/Environments, Towns, World Economy, Game (Race) Modes, Rider Personal Space, a rare and invaluable opportunity to learn how the design process works from start to finish. She also served as Lead moderator, Lead mentor, editor of the design doc, wiki, Joomla site, and credit tracking project.

    David Newsome (Slayermon), 32, is and electronics technician and computer specialist from Germany who works part time while looking for a job in the video game industry or stipendium for game design college! He is credited with a number of game design concepts, including the concept behind one of the Daz3d Competition winners, sees himself as someone who thinks outside the box, and feels that this project helped him learn to put personal issues aside to get the best out of an idea. It also increased his desire to get deeper involved in game design.

    Rasiel (Rasield) is a college student from the eastern US who hopes to enter the game industry professionally and eventually become a game creator. He has used his wide ranging art skills, traditional and digital, to create numerous concept pieces for several core areas of the game, has served as a mentor, and is the brainchild behind the Community Spotlight feature which showcases a high profile community member in a Q&A dialogue.

    Ryan Richards (Ryorev), 26, currently attends Cal State Long Beach as an illustration major with a minor in Graphic Design. He is one of the project’s top mentors, has designed three of the four ethnicities, created numerous beast designs, and has influenced many of the core concepts for the game.

    David Slauenwhite (AnjelusX) is a 29-year-old father from Nova Scotia, with a uniquely creative mind, a flair for writing and web design, and a prolific blogger. He’s the producer for Top Secret’s Storyline as well as Music and Sound, a leading moderator with terrific community management skills, and the creator of the Oceanus epic story and track, which will mold the entire flavor of the game.

    Michael Vang (Segua), 25, is a retail associate, a Top Secret community member since April of 2007, and as one of the team’s most dedicated system designers, has been a regular contributor to almost every aspect of the design. He’s also been one of a few dedicated team members willing to help those who just joined the project find a warm welcome, along with helpful info.

    Mike Zummo (Doran), 34, is a usability expert and avid gamer from Milwaukee, Wisconsin and has served as co-director of the Top Secret Advisory Board since its inception in November 2007. Mike presides over many meetings and writes a weekly What’s Going On section and has contributed steadily to the Top Secret design.



    About Acclaim Games

    Based in Beverly Hills California, Acclaim Games is a revolutionary new company with a familiar name. In 2005 the cofounder of Activision, Howard Marks, purchased the company confident that the Acclaim name would surpass its former glory as one of America’s marquee brands. Today, Acclaim Games offers only the finest multiplayer online games for free with a focus on community, playability and most importantly fun. To learn more please visit www.acclaim.com.

    About David Perry

    David Perry is the CEO of GAMECONSULTANTS.COM and prior to that was the founder of Shiny Entertainment, Inc. For more information, please visit: www.dperry.com. David Perry’s latest Matrix Movie related game projects are estimated to have grossed over $300 million, and he has had numerous #1 hits and awards over his career with titles such as Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Disney’s Aladdin, Earthworm Jim, and many more.

    Source: Project Top Secret Forums

    Link List

    http://www.dperry.com/archives/news/dp_blog/top_secret_proj/

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