Daily Wrap-Up 1.15.08
Posted by Stephen Johnson - Tuesday, January 15, 2008 6:00 PM
Here's what went on today in the world of videogames, technology and popular culture!
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TAGS: Daily Wrap-Up, Videos
X-Play Gaming Update 01.15.08
Posted by Jonathan Hunt - Tuesday, January 15, 2008 5:15 PM
Today, Morgan brings you the latest in gaming news, including a Super Smash delay, calls for a single console, and Twisted Metal: Head On.
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TAGS: G4, PlayStation 3, Videogames
CES 2008: Alienware Curved Monitor Interview
Posted by Brian Leahy - Tuesday, January 15, 2008 3:45 PM
One of the coolest things we saw at CES 2008 was Alienware's curved monitor prototype that hopes to finally address the issues of peripheral vision in games.
The monitor is equivalent to two 24" LCDs and looks amazing running Crysis.
Check out our interview now and look forward to this tech releasing in about 6 months.
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TAGS: CES, G4 Web Exclusive, Tech
TheFeed Review: 'U23D'
Posted by Mike D'Alonzo - Tuesday, January 15, 2008 3:26 PM
This morning, TheFeed had the opportunity to screen the new concert film U23D, a 3-D movie featuring Irish megastars U2, which comes out in a limited run in theaters on January 23rd. So, we strapped on the glasses and took a look, and here's what we saw. First off, the 3-D was amazing. The technology, developed by 3ality Digital, really took 3-D in a whole new direction, giving live action with steadicam, robotic cameras, aerial footage, and visual effects all in three gorgeous dimensions, which is something that filmmakers have yet to be able to accomplish. Until now.
The footage was crisp and clear, well shot and edited, and, under the direction of Catherine Owens, who designed the groundbreaking "ZooTV" tour for U2, and Mark Pellington (Arlington Road, The Mothman Prophecies), was compelling and never dragged for the 85-minute running time of the film. Of the shows, seven of which were filmed to make the movie, all from the How To Dismantle An Atomic Bomb Tour, the concept is amazing, with gigantic LCD screens behind the band, allowing for live-action stuff, as well as any number of text and video effects.
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TAGS: G4 Web Exclusive, Movies
New Beatles Album...Sorta
Posted by Frank Meyer - Tuesday, January 15, 2008 3:24 PM
Production company Fuego Entertainment recently acquired 15 previously unreleased live Beatles tracks recorded in 1962 during the Beatles' first appearance at the Star Club in Hamburg, Germany in front of about 20 to 30 people
The new tracks mark the first time the famous Beatles lineup was recorded shortly after Ringo Starr replaced Pete Best as the band's drummer. The recording was and includes songs "A Taste of Honey," "Hippy Hippy Shake" and Paul McCartney crooning Hank Williams' "Lovesick Blues."
The original tape was buried in the big ol’ LP collection of British promoter/producer Jeffery Collins, who started Echo Vista Music Group in the '70s.
Fuego will release the songs in conjunction with the Echo Vista Group, though no release date has been set yet.
CMJ.com: New Beatles Tracks
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TAGS: Music
Boba Fett Joins 'Star Wars' TV Cast
Posted by Frank Meyer - Tuesday, January 15, 2008 3:10 PM
In a new interview with the Star Wars Insider magazine, producer Rick McCallum confirms that Boba Fett will be a part of the upcoming Star Wars live-action TV series.
"The series will be about brand new characters, a group of people we haven't seen yet, except Boba Fett, who will be an instrumental part of it,” McCallum noted. “The series will also showcase other bounty hunters."
The series will take place within the 20 year gap in-between Revenge of the Sith and the original Star Wars (A New Hope), and is about "what happens to an empire. It's a much darker, much more character-based thing. It's not as plot-driven [as the movies]." But the show will not star the main characters from the films.
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TAGS: Movies, TV
Developer Diary: 'Prototype'
Posted by Stephen Johnson - Tuesday, January 15, 2008 3:04 PM
We think Prototype will shake your foundation when it comes out.
This open-world action title features a deep story, a main character who looks like the unabomber, and some intriguing spins on gameplay mechanics. So far so good.
The game comes out summer of 2008 for the PlayStation, PC and 360. Check out this developer's diary video for a more in-depth look, and make sure to check out X-Play's hands-on demo of Prototype on Thursday's show.
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TAGS: Videogames, Videos
'Twisted Metal: Head On' Trailer
Posted by Stephen Johnson - Tuesday, January 15, 2008 2:51 PM
Judging from the below trailer, Twisted Metal: Head On: Extra Twisted Edition for the PlayStation 2 is like a B-sides collection from your favorite band. It has all the stuff you love (Cars with rocket launchers on the roof never get old), stuff you haven't heard before (four levels created for never-released Twisted Metal: Black 2), and surprises--you can control Sweet Tooth outside of his vehicle.
It comes out on February 5th.
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TAGS: Videogames
iPhone 1.1.3 Hands On
Posted by Brian Leahy - Tuesday, January 15, 2008 2:31 PM
 The new iPhone 1.1.3 update has been released and while it doesn't have all the new features we'd like, it's got some great additions to Apple's device.
Here are our impressions of the new features:
- Improved Google Maps -- The cell tower localization is great, decently fast, and accurate enough to get directions from a location where you might not know an address. Hybrid view rocks and generally the application is better.
- SMS to Mulitple Recipients -- A much needed feature (where's MMS and iChat?!), but any replies you get from a sent text will be put in their own conversations. If you already have a SMS thread with a person, it gets placed there.
- Web Clips on Home Screen -- Great for bookmarking frequently visited websites. We wish the icon for the home screen was independant of the zoom of the page. If you zoom in for a nice looking icon, it will launch with that zoom.
- Re-arranging Home Screen -- Much needed feature, but we wish Apple would let us remove icons for applications we never use (Stocks!).
The update was quick, painless, and doesn't wipe any data off the iPhone. As always, be careful about updating if you've been hacking your device.
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TAGS: Apple, iPhone, Tech
'Terminator' Kills Competition
Posted by Mike D'Alonzo - Tuesday, January 15, 2008 2:13 PM
 Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles had a monster opening night for Fox on Sunday. How monster, you ask? How about the best opening night in the past three years? The best scripted premiere for Fox since Malcom In The Middle debuted in 2000? Yeah. That's pretty good. Over 18 million people tuned in to watch the newest entry in the Terminator canon.
By stunning contrast, the Golden Globes, such as they were, only drew enough to get 4th place in the same time slot. The awards, which are usually a big draw for the networks, failed to draw any interest without writers and a show to speak of, and sort of limped along, losing viewers along the way.
What have we learned from this? Well, Terminator is a scripted show, and it exceeded the wildest dreams of executives, whereas the Globes were specifically without writers and a complete disaster. Who says that writers aren't necessary to entertainment?
Variety.com: 'Terminator' crushes competition
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TAGS: TV
Robots Learn How To Lie
Posted by Mike D'Alonzo - Tuesday, January 15, 2008 1:44 PM
Our glorious robot friends have learned new tricks! This means we are ever closer to the rule they promise, one wherein we are free of human emotions and allowed to work in peace and quiet! Recent robot testing shows that robots can evolve over time, and even deceive each other (though that would be warranted, we'd guess) and learn to be heroes! Here's how it works.
Scientists built a room full of sensors that would give robots energy when they rolled over them. Over time, the robots learned to go to the sensors to find the energy, but they also learned not to reveal themselves, in an effort to dupe other robots from getting the energy themselves. And then, some robots sacrificed themselves so that others might get energy. I, for one, admire them.
Discover Magazine.com: 80. Robots Evolve And Learn How to Lie
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TAGS: Robot Uprising
Boll To Make Smaller Films
Posted by Stephen Johnson - Tuesday, January 15, 2008 1:43 PM
To the shock and dismay of...probably someone, somewhere, videogame-filmmaker Uwe Boll won't be making any more big budget flicks any time soon.
His latest, In the Name of the King: Dungeon Siege, reportedly cost $70 million to make and grossed less than $4 million in its opening weekend.
Boll said the results from King mean he will be unable to continue with big-budget productions. "In the future, I will focus on small films such as (the video game adaptation) Postal or (the Vietnam war drama) Tunnel Rats, " he told The Hollywood Reporter. "These are films that represent my true passion, and they can be done with small budgets."
Keep knockin' 'em out of the park, Uwe!
Hollywood Reporter: Boll ejected from big-budget ring
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TAGS: Movies, Videogames
Star Trek Online Changes Developers, Possibly Delayed
Posted by Justin Fassino - Tuesday, January 15, 2008 12:51 PM
Star Trek Online, the massively-multiplayer online RPG that takes place in the final frontier of the popular sci-fi universe, is boldly going where it has never gone before: a new studio. The game has been handed over to an unnamed developer after the original creators, P2 Entertainment, bowed out of the project.
One caveat of the transfer is that P2 did not ship over the game code to the new developer, which means the project could end up facing delays as the new studio will be required to re-code the entire project. In the meantime, P2 will swing their dev focus to games with mass market appeal and their middleware, the Perpetual Platform.
Live long and prosper.
WarCry Network: P2 Out As Star Trek Online Developer
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TAGS: PC Gaming, Videogames
Tecmo Wants Your Achievement Ideas for Ninja Gaiden 2
Posted by Justin Fassino - Tuesday, January 15, 2008 12:32 PM
 Hacking limbs from torsos and singing in the rain of blood won't mean much if Xbox 360 gamers can't rack up those beloved achievment points when Tecmo's Ninja Gaiden 2 hits this year. To that end, Microsoft and Team Ninja have put out an open call for achievment ideas to put in the game.
To get in on the party, simply submit the achievement name, point value, description, and artwork idea over at the Gamerscoreblog by January 24; if your suggestion cuts the mustard, it might end up in the final version of Ninja Gaiden 2!
Just please make it something human beings are able to accomplish.
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TAGS: Videogames
WB Got Payout From Blu-Ray?
Posted by Brian Leahy - Tuesday, January 15, 2008 12:03 PM
As you all know, Warner Brothers went Blu-Ray, but rumor has it that the WB was rewarded with a fat stack ($500 million!!) of cash money for their choice.
The story goes like this: Warner was seeing its DVD sales slump because of the format war and wanted to end it quickly. They preferred HD-DVD, but going Blu would end it sooner. They gave Toshiba a chance if they could get another Blu-Ray studio to switch.
FOX was apparently lined up, but dropped at the last minute due to a reported $120 million payout by Sony.
This lead Warner to go Blu-Ray as well. If true, this is $620 million of payouts by Sony.
Tough luck, Toshiba. You win this game with your checkbook, not lower prices.
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette: Sound Advice: Blu-ray wins in format war, but at what cost?
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TAGS: CES, Movies, Tech
No Online In Wii 'Worms'
Posted by Stephen Johnson - Tuesday, January 15, 2008 12:01 PM
If you want online play, the Wii was a bad system choice. ShackNews is reporting that upcoming Wii game Worms: A Space Oddity will not be playable online, in spite of previous promises from the company.
"There will not be an online component in Worms: A Space Oddity," publisher THQ said.
THQ has chosen to focus on the party-game appeal of the title, saying:
"Worms: A Space Oddity is a social gaming experience that is best enjoyed locally, in a party-game atmosphere with other players," explained THQ.
ShackNews.com: Worms Wii Lacks Promised Online Play
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TAGS: Videogames
Freestyle 101: RBX
Posted by Frank Meyer - Tuesday, January 15, 2008 12:00 PM
Seven execution style murders / I have no remorse ‘cause I’m the f**kin’ murder
Haven’t you ever heard of a killer? / I drop bombs like Hiroshima
And with that line from “High Powered” off Dr. Dre’s landmark album The Chronic, Long Beach rapper RBX landed himself in the hip hop hall of fame as one of the greatest personalities to grace the mic.
Armed with a voice so deep and scary-sounding it’s as if every syllable is a threat from El Diablo himself, and an arsenal of rhymes so vivid it’s no wonder they call him “The Narrator,” it’s no wonder RBX has appeared on so more classic albums than any rapper out of the LBC besides Snoop himself. The Chronic, The Chronic 2001, Doggystyle, The Marshall Mathers LP, to name but a few. He’s worked with everyone from Korn to B-Real, Dilated Peoples to Warren G, and KRS-One to Nas, and even won a Grammy in 1993 for his co-writing of Dr. Dre's “Let Me Ride.” He also happens to be the son of Bootsy Collins, and a cousin of Snoop Dogg and Daz Dillinger. Now how’s that for hip hop street cred?
But the craziest part about RBX is that very few have ever seen him or know what he looks like. He’s rarely granted interviews and is often engulfed in darkness and shadows in videos. So imagine our surprise when we got word The Narrator X was out promoting his new album Broken Silence and down for doing a Freestyle 101? Excited? Nervous? A little freaked out? Yup, all that and more.
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TAGS: Freestyle 101, G4 Web Exclusive, Music
'Spore' In 2008 For Mac And PC
Posted by Stephen Johnson - Tuesday, January 15, 2008 11:25 AM
According to C-Net, legendary game designer Will Wright's "Sim-Everything" mega-game Spore is coming simultaneously to Macs and PCs in 2008.
EA is reportedly set to make the announcement later today, and the game is apparently playable on Macs at today's Mac-World Expo. It's all part of Electronic Arts' plan to bring its biggest franchises to Apple computers the same time the games hit PCs.
So far, Mac versions of EA games have come out a few weeks or months late, but, if EA lives up to its promises, that will no longer be the case.
Mac as a viable gaming platform--these are strange days.
CNET.com: Coming to the Mac in 2008: 'Spore'
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TAGS: PC Gaming, Videogames
Wii-Like Advertising Coming
Posted by Brian Leahy - Tuesday, January 15, 2008 10:55 AM
 Reactrix Systems showed off some Wii-like advertising tech called WaveScape at CES last week and they plan to roll it out soon to 150 Hilton hotels.
The sytems will provide mini-games that can advertise hotel features at the same time. They claim that the mini-games can be finished in a matter of weeks and that the games are extremely simple to produce.
They claim it's Wii-like, but we think it's Vii-like.
There are no current plans for a consumer release, but look for Wii fever to hit advertising soon.
PC World: Wii-like Game System Works with LCD TVs
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TAGS: CES, Tech, Videogames
Nugget From the Net
Posted by Stephen Johnson - Tuesday, January 15, 2008 10:45 AM
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TAGS: Nuggets From The Nets
Macworld 2008 Cometh!
Posted by Brian Leahy - Tuesday, January 15, 2008 10:40 AM
Macworld 2008 has begun and Steve Jobs will deliver his keynote address soon.
- MacBook Air - "World's Thinnest Notebook" - 0.16" to 0.76" thick, 13.3" LED-backlit screen, multi-touch trackpad, built-in iSight, 80GB HD standard, available 64GB SSD, Core2Duo 1.6 - 1.8 Ghz. 2GB of RAM standard. No CD-DVD Drive, external SuperDrive for $99. Prices start at $1799 and it starts shipping in 2 weeks.
- Time Capsule - An Airport Extreme Base Station (N Wireless) with a hard drive that Macs can back-up wirelessly to using Time Machine in Leopard. 500GB for $299, 1TB for $499. Shipping February.
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TAGS: Apple, iPhone, Movies
New Sam and Max Video
Posted by Stephen Johnson - Tuesday, January 15, 2008 10:33 AM
Sam and Max head to the tropics in the latest episode in the series, Sam and Max: Moai Better Blues.
 
Sam & Max: Moai Better Blues
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