Archive for: games
- February 15, 2011 9:54 am
This is definitely news. 2012 is the year video games aren’t just child’s play. Gaming isn’t just something for single boys and men sitting in basements anymore. The time has come – video games are art.
The Smithsonian will be placing video games on display on March 16th, 2012 AS ART! It’s about time. The developers out there that create these masterpieces are artists and need be recognized as such. The hard work, discipline and time that goes into creating video games isn’t just a job or hobby, it is so much more.
The choice of which games will be on display is being left up to the public to decide, with voting open at artofvideogames.org through April 7, 2011.
The Art of Video Games exhibition will explore the 40-year evolution of video games as an artistic medium, with a focus on striking visual effects, the creative use of new technologies, and the most influential artists and designers. We want you to help us select the eighty video games that will be represented in the exhibition. Remember, this is an art exhibition, so be sure to vote for games that you think are visually spectacular or boast innovative design!
The exibit will consist of 5 video game eras – Start! / 8-Bit / Bit Wars / Transition / Next Generation
So please, head on over to artofvideogames.org and vote on each era. And if you are anywhere near the Smithsonian in DC, stop by between March 16th – September 30th 2012 to witness this. I am going to try to make arrangements to be there where I will live tweet and photograph everything I see.
- February 8, 2011 10:11 am
I completely forgot to post about this game when it was first birthed into the internets, but since it has had over 1.5 million downloads in less than a week – it’s time for a mention… If you haven’t been online or on your Xbox 360 Dashboard, you might have not heard of a little ‘Epic’ release entitled ‘Bulletstorm,’ developed by Epic(Gears of War Trilogy) as well as People Can Fly Games. And they have driven their lolzroyce to the internets and have released an online only parody game of the Call of Duty Franchise.
We all love Call of Duty, at least I do, but we all hate it too. I (we) hate how once a year I have to buy a new game so I can be a part of an amazing multiplayer experience. I (we) hate how there is no real difference in the games. Stories are usually a copy of the previous, gameplay doesn’t advance, etc. This is what we get when year after year we see a new title released. We still enjoy the good times we have headshotting noobs online, but we still are eager for something new.
Hop on in for more including the 4+ minute game walkthrough.
- December 12, 2010 9:47 am
Samsung Bada developers have some new development goodies to play with this morning. Samsung has officially launched the Bada OS 1.2 SDK. The latest update comes around three months after the official 1.0 release and brings some much needed updates including OpenGL/ES 1.1 and 1.2 Extension support, the ability to allow apps coded in HTML/JavaScript or Flash SWF to run natively without needing to be converted to C++, as well as support for Wi-Fi EAP.
However, the biggest news with the update revolves around enhanced device support. Specifically, the newest Wave 575 and Wave II can now join the Bada party.
The addition of Open GL/ES should help the Bada OS gaming scene, as it currently is the technology that powers some of the best iOS and Android games.
Bada OS developers can get the latest 1.2 SDK right over here.
- November 17, 2010 5:55 pm
I’m sorry if you were slightly misled by the title. I can see how it may sound like little LEGO Angry Birds figures were coming to market. And seeing as how Rovio is aiming to beat Tetris by “Angry Birding” every aspect of our lives in the near future, LEGO figurines certainly isn’t out of the realm of possibility. Though the nifty Bomber Bird you see above was hand crafted by Flickr user “Beuk, and isn’t coming to market. Sorry folks. You’ll have to build your own.
Fans of the seemingly vapor-ware Gran Tursimo 5 will want to take a seat if they’re envisioning a holiday full of GT5 racing. It appears that GT5 may not make it in time for the end of year celebrations. Shocking, I know…
- September 8, 2010 6:53 am
If you’re the type that relishes in the past and misses the good ‘ol days of throwing $20 worth of quarters into an old arcade time and time again, this is the “coffee table” for you. Though don’t go sitting food and drinks on top of it’s toughed glass top anytime soon. For if you do, someone won’t be able to see the screen.
Packed with over 100 fully licensed games from Taito, Midway and Atari, as well as optional mini-PC, the Arcane Arcade Table by Surface Tension is designed to be the center piece and entertainment focal point of your living room. Between the deep catalog of classic games, built-in PC (optional), and Sonos Radio capabilities, how could you not want a table like this? Oh yeah, it has a slide out drawer hiding a bevy of buttons, joysticks, and rollerballs. Score!
And now, the part we never like to talk about — price. Plan on dropping a cool $5061 USD (appx. £3299) if you get the table + PC version. If you’ve got your own PC, however, forgo the optional add-on and save yourself over $1,000. What will it be — straight gaming or gaming + media center PC + drink holder? Be sure to stop inside and check out the gallery of visual goodness…
- September 6, 2010 3:44 pm
Back in my younger years, I remember playing the old, side-scrolling Duke Nukem. It was awesome at the time. Even compared to some better looking competitors, Duke Nukem held a somewhat special place in my young heart. And then disaster happened. The sequel to the so-so Duke Nukem 3D, which was supposed to be amazing beyond words, went through year after year of broken promises and failed deadlines. Then in 2009, after nearly 11 years of development, the developer behind the title (3D Realms) went belly up — and with it, the dreams of countless DN fans.
But alas, Gearbox Software has come through to save the day and apparently scored the needed rights to pick up where the previous developer failed (actually getting a DN sequel to market). The date is 2011. It’s coming. It will be awesome. If you were fortunate enough to be at PAX games convention, you got an early sneak peak at magic in the making.
Now all loyal DN fans have to do is keep those fingers crossed a little bit longer. While we have a healthy team of developers behind DN 4Ever, broken promises are all too familiar. Here’s to 2011 and a new, exciting DN!
- September 2, 2010 8:06 am
While I find myself gravitating towards the higher end of the GPU spectrum, I understand that not everyone has the monetary means or lust for a three-screen desktop. With that said, if you’re running a lonely monitor all by it’s lonesome, and don’t plan on any heavy or demanding gaming, a $200+ graphics card seems ridiculous. And if $200 is too much, the $500+ GTX 480 is downright stupid.
The time has come for more affordable Fermi power by way of hte GF106 architecture, starting with the GTS 440/450. These initial details pertain to an Asus-branded model, but nevertheless, highlight what rouhgly ~$125USD will get you in a few weeks time.
Hop inside for the spec sheet…
To the joy of retro gamers everywhere, I bring you new, reborn Commodore 64. This isn’t the old 8-bit baby you played with back in the day. Instead, it’s finely tuned, retro-styled machine that blends old and new like none other. The new hotness can be attributed to Commodore USA finally getting the required licensing agreement to being recreating these classic gaming relics into two new models.
The first, lower end, “Commodore” model is powered by an Intel Atom 525 CPU, graphics powered by an NVIDIA Ion2 graphics, 4GB DDR3 memory, and 1TB of storage. Further adding to the awesomeness is HDMI, DVD/CD optical drive (Blu-ray optional), dual-link DVI, and six USB ports. In 2010, what self respecting gaming console/computer hardware is going to touch down without some form of wireless signal? That’s right — none. On that note, the new Commodores come packed with integrated 802.11n WiFi, bluetooth and a 6-in-1 media card reader.
The even more tantalizing higher-end “Commodore Pro” (Pictured) replaces the Atom processor with a exponentially better/faster/stronger 2.66 GHz Intel Core i7 processor, beefier graphics by way of a 512MB NVIDIA GeForce GT 330M, 2 TB hard drive, 4GB DDR3 SDRAM and BLU RAY to top it all off.
The only downside to the Commodore Pro model is that it doesn’t come wrapped in that nostalgic, yet admittingly horrendous beige 1980′s computer plastic that the stock Commodore model comes in. Though to some, that’s a blessing. Either way, retro gamers should be tickled that Commodore is jumping back into gaming, even if it is more of a niche product. But I’ll speculate that even a few new age gamers won’t be able to resist the classic design and image and modern power mashed up into one device. Look for pricing to drop in the not too distant future with release dates scheduled for “before Christmas”.
[Commodore USA]
