Hey kids. I doubt anyone will read this, but in the event anyone still has this site in an RSS feed or somesuch, I figured I’d give you a heads up. I’m about to nuke the site. The radioactive wasteland that remains will serve as the foundation for newer, greater things. So anyways, goodbye, adios, さようなら for now.
So long and thanks for all the fish.
-Bo
Hot on the trail of last week’s Mario Marathon fundraiser for Child’s Play, The Speed Gamers are conducting a Final Fantasy marathon to benefit ACT Today, the Autism Care and Treatment charity.
Going on right now, The Speed Gamers are currently on day four of seven and have so far raised, as of this posting, just over $18,000. This marks the 11th gaming marathon The Speed Gamers have held, who over the past year have raised over $32,000 for various charities and causes.
The current marathon, which began on July 17th at 6pm CST, aims to complete Final Fantasies I-XII, obviously excluding Final Fantasy XI, the MMO-RPG from Square-Enix. The players, who are based in Dallas-Fort Worth Texas, are currently finishing up Final Fantasy III, with Final Fantasy VII up next.
To check out the live stream of the marathon, or to donate to the cause, check out http://www.thespeedgamers.com/
This entry was posted on Jul 20, 2009 @ 17:38
Just announced exclusively for the Xbox 360:
Forza Motorsport 3.
Improving on the successful platform of Forza 2, Forza Motorsport 3 continues the legacy of the successful racing franchise. The visuals, while stunning in previous titles, have progressed to a breathtaking level rapidly approaching photorealism. Gameplay looks to be largely the same as previous Forza titles; one of the most realistic driving experiences found in a video game.
New features for Forza 3 include “one button driving” which will allow new players to easily jump in, as well as “gameplay rewind.” Another nice addition is the inclusion of a cockpit view, a feature strangely missing from Forza 2. Similarly, crashes in the game will now feature cars that roll over, something that has faced technological limitations in the past.
Finally, the ability to create and upload HD video to Xbox Live will allow players to generate a wealth of movies and clips of awesome gameplay and incredible stunts for the community to see.
Coming in October 2009
Hot on the heels of their new Halo: ODST information, Bungie announced their next game – Halo: Reach. Little information is known so far, with only a debut trailer being shown, but the game appears to take place during the Fall of Reach, the event that took place directly before the original Halo: Combat Evolved.
Based on the trailer, saying “You have Spartans on the ground,” you will be playing one of the original Spartans from the Master Chief’s training group. Halo fans familiar with the series’ novels, of which Halo: The Fall of Reach was the first, will recognize Reach as one of the largest Human planets other than Earth. The events of Halo: Combat Evolved take place immediately following the destruction of the planet Reach. This game will likely play out the battle that goes on planetside as the Master Chief and Cortana are discovering the first Halo ring.
Halo: Reach will be coming in Fall 2010, with a beta invite being included in the upcoming Halo: ODST.
More info has surfaced at the Microsoft E3 Press Conference about the next title from Bungie, Halo: ODST. To recap what is already known about the game, you play a character named “The Rookie,” an Orbital Drop Shock Trooper (ODST for short) in the world of Halo. Departing from the norm of playing as the Master Chief, as in the original Halo trilogy.
Microsoft’s E3 press conference showcased new information about Halo: ODST.
As known before, you play as “The Rookie,” dropping in to New Mombasa, the locale seen previously in Halo 3, a few weeks before the events of Halo 3 take place. However, you will also play through similar events as several other ODSTs to collectively unravel the mystery and story of ODST.
At the press conference, Bungie announced several new features for the game, including an exclusive new cooperative mode known as “Firefight.” For fans of the original Halo: Combat Evolved, and specifically the Halo 1 pistol, the ODST pistol is a return to form. “If you liked the Halo 1 pistol, you’ll love this one.” Also mentioned are two new sound suppressed weapons exclusively carried by the ODSTs.
Halo: ODST drops into stores September 22, 2009.
The current generation of consoles is great for more than the advanced processing power and stunning graphics they provide; the current generation is great also because of their connection to the Internet.
Thanks to the outlets of the Xbox Live Marketplace and the PlayStation Network Store, gamers with a console and an Internet connection are a mere few dollars and a download away from their next gaming experience.
I had my first taste of digital distribution earlier this week in the days before InFamous was released. Having been a huge fan of the original Ratchet and Clank games on PS2, I eagerly picked up the duo’s first PS3 outing: Ratchet and Clank Future: Tools of Destruction. It being a triumphant return to form, I eagerly anticipated the series’ next adventure only to find it would come in the form of a digitally distributed short-form.
However, months later I returned to Ratchet and Clank seeking releif from Sunday afternoon boredom; relief that I found in the hands of their latest release: Quest for Booty.
I read once before someone who compared Quest for Booty to a two-hour movie experience, rather than the extensive investment of time a traditional video game would warrant. Having now played the game, that comparison was well assessed. Quest for Booty provides, with its $14.99 price tag available for direct download from the PlayStation store, a gaming experience that is just long enough to develop a cohesive story, but not so long that it takes more than one or two sittings. Personally I knocked it out in one afternoon, but if you are more of the pick-up-and-play-for-a-moment kind of gamer, it could last two or three sittings.
The game serves more as a follow-up than a sequel to the first Future installment of the Ratchet and Clank franchise. You find yourself at its beginning investigating the events that unfold at the end of the previous game: Tools of Destruction. Departing from the model of previous Ratchet games that gradually introduce a variety of new weapons, Quest for Booty provides you with a moderate cross-section of the full arsenal that you would have acquired by the end of Tools. These weapons are then taken away from you and gradually reacquired as in a traditional Ratchet title, however it would have been nice to see some new weapons at some point in the game.
Similarly, Quest for Booty‘s action takes place sprawled over a single island, what would have functioned as one of over a dozen different planets seen in Tools. However length is not an area to be critical of, as the game is intended to be short.
Ultimately Quest for Booty provides exactly what it should: A few more hours of Tools of Destruction. Unfortunately one of my favorite parts of the Ratchet and Clank series is the acquisition and upgrading of new and exciting weaponry, a process largely removed from Quest for Booty. However as far as traditional Ratchet style platforming and puzzle-solving goes, Quest for Booty delivers.
I had a few moments to talk with E.J. Layne, a Computer Science major from Georgia Tech, about some of the work he has done designing and programming video games.
Here is the interview:
Last night I had the pleasure of seeing Jonathan Coulton and Paul and Storm live in Atlanta. If you haven’t had the opportunity to listen to either of them before, I highly recommend it.
The concert was awesome, and due to the nature of their music, carried a high level of audience participation. Both Jonathan’s and Paul and Storm’s music technically would fall into the “folk” category, but their lyrics and themes certainly set them apart from other folk singers. Most of the topics covered by their music are those appealing to a “geekier” audience, with hits such as “Code Monkey,” “Skullcrusher Mountain,” and “Baby got Back,” a folk cover of Sir Mix-a-Lot’s classic tale of big-booty love.
If you enjoy geek and internet culture, have a thing for folk music, or you just like comedy, I highly recommend checking the music out.
This video surfaced a while ago, but I love it so much I feel compelled to post it here again. This breathtaking recording of “Stand By Me” was recorded in a portable studio consisting of a laptop computer and a few mics by unknown artists from around the world.
The base track was recorded in Santa Monica, California by a street performer named Roger Ridley. That track was then taken to various other street musicians and singers both all over the U.S. and the world who were recorded playing their own version and additions while listening to the base track on headphones. The resulting tracks were then mixed and blended to create a single incredible musical experience.
For more information on the artists or the Playing for Change cause, check out their website.
Video Credit: Playing For Change | Song Around The World “Stand By Me” from Concord Music Group on Vimeo.
InFamous is an excellent example of a successful superhero game. Where so many have failed in the past, InFamous stands out with flying colors. The game, a third-person sandbox action-RPG, features a lightning-toting hero who is thrust into action after he inexplicably survives a massive explosion and develops electrical superpowers.
The protagonist, Cole, becomes the one man who can keep his city from falling into chaos; or watch it burn. InFamous features a karmic system that shifts depending on the player’s actions; mostly simple one-or-the-other choices throughout the game. However other actions, such as how you treat your enemies as well as civilians, can shape Cole’s karmic standing, having an effect both on his outward appearance, the people’s reaction to him, and the powers he develops.
I recently got my hands on the final release of the game, and have been attached to its intuitive game play and intriguing storyline ever since.
As you start the game, Cole is just coming to grips with his new found electrical powers. He only posses the simple ability to shoot a single lightning bolt and to drain electricity from live circuits in order to recharge and heal. However as the game progresses, Cole will gradually develop greater and more powerful abilities. The player can further empower Cole by spending XP earned by killing enemies and completing missions to upgrade his powers, adding effects and increased potency.
Cole has an energy meter that represents the amount of electricity he has stored in his body. This energy is used to power his greater abilities, such as shock grenades and lightning storms. Unlike in the demo version, Cole does not restore energy over time. Instead the player must solely rely on draining external power sources – mostly car batteries and streetlights – in order to recharge his power.
The game’s story revolves around the mysterious events following a catastrophic explosion in the fictional Empire City. Cole is recruited by an FBI agent to get the city’s power back online and track down information about the “Ray Sphere,” the object presumed to have caused the blast.
While InFamous is relatively repetetive in its generation of enemies and cityscape, the combination of sandbox combat with Cole’s varied arsenal of powers causes the game play to remain fresh throughout the entire gaming experience. Side missions involve performing various minor tasks for the citizens of Empire City, resulting in reclaiming the streets from the gangs who took over in the wake of the destruction.
The game’s controls are intuitive, making it easy to navigate the city as well as fight off droves of enemies. Navigation consists of utilizing Cole’s athletic prowess to easily climb buildings and navigate rooftops. Relatively early in the game, Cole earns the power to slide along power lines and train tracks, giving him a way to quickly traverse the sprawling metropolis of Empire City.
With several of Cole’s powers stemming from his karmic choices throughout the game, InFamous offers an obvious and enjoyable replay experience for those who want to see the other side of the karmic spectrum on a second playthrough.
Final verdict: 9/10
A very enjoyable gaming experience, and a welcome addition to both the superhero genre as well as the PS3 lineup.
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