Daily Wrap-Up 3.4.08
Posted by Stephen Johnson - Tuesday, March 04, 2008 6:00 PM
Here's what went down today in the world of videogames, technology and popular culture.
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TAGS: Daily Wrap-Up, Videos
American Ninja Challenge 2 Finals: Day 2
Posted by Eugene Morton - Tuesday, March 04, 2008 4:54 PM
Sure, you’ve seen the finalists from the American Ninja Challenge 2 perform amazing physical acts to best their opponents on the obstacle course, but physical prowess is only half of the equation. The rest lies within the mind. You see, it’s the unrelenting spirit and sharp mind which truly make a Ninja Warrior.
Get a behind-the-scenes look at today’s face off and hear what Ruselis and Joe had to say about the course both before and after the dust settled at Camp Pendleton.
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TAGS: Videos
Gamer Tatt Gallery at seehere.blogspot
Posted by Ty Colfax - Tuesday, March 04, 2008 3:01 PM
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TAGS: Videogames
Washington Nationals Get Giant TV
Posted by Brian Leahy - Tuesday, March 04, 2008 2:54 PM
The Washington Nationals, formulary the Montreal Expos, a getting a brand new stadium this season and it comes with a giant TV.
The 1,300-inch LED HDTV will display instant replays, stats, and product placement.
At no point will it make the game more exciting.
Washington Post: Giving You the Score, Plus a Whole Lot More
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TAGS: Sports, Tech, TV
Spielberg's Social Networking Site
Posted by Mike D'Alonzo - Tuesday, March 04, 2008 2:10 PM
 Steven Spielberg is creating a social networking site called Ghost Town, which will launch in the next couple of months. The site will feature people who are united by tales of paranormal activity in their lives, and was apparently once a Yahoo! project, but was killed off in mid-stream.
We can think of nothing that seems more like a penalty than having to spend a significant amount of time with lonely internet dwellers talking about ghosts and goblins while looking for a way to get their rocks off. You will have more of a chance of actually touching a ghost than you will of seeing a real, live woman on this site.
TechCrunch: Steven Spielberg’s Ghost Town
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TAGS: Internets Culture, Movies, Tech
GM Figured Out Lithium-Ion Tech
Posted by Brian Leahy - Tuesday, March 04, 2008 2:05 PM
 The next step for hybrid cars is moving to lithium-ion batteries, which hold their charge and are smaller than current nickel-metal hydride (Ni-MH) batteries.
The problem with using Li-Ion batteries is that they generate a lot of heat (the popular cause of hot-crotch among laptop users), but GM thinks they have it all figured out.
The new technology should allow them to throw hybrid engines in every class of vehicle that they produce.
Mercedes-Benz and Toyota also have plans to bring lithium-ion hybrids to production.
USA Today: GM says it has lithium-ion batteries for hybrids figured out
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TAGS: Cars, Tech
'Puzzle Guzzle' Screens
Posted by Stephen Johnson - Tuesday, March 04, 2008 1:54 PM
Puzzle Guzzle, nuzzles.
Dig it! A whole gallery of Puzzle Guzzle screen-shuzzles. The game is out now on the PSPuzzle.
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TAGS: Sony PSP, Videogames
New PS3 Store In April
Posted by Stephen Johnson - Tuesday, March 04, 2008 1:34 PM
The PSN Store familiar to all PS3 and PSP owners is getting a pretty hefty overhaul in April.
Sony exec John Hight told gamasutra: "We give [Sony's interface team] a lot of feedback based on how our customers are reacting to things, and I think you will see a pretty big change in the PlayStation Network in the early part of April, where we roll out some new interface stuff largely based on customer feedback.
"Simplification, cutting down on the number of mouse clicks, making it easier to find stuff that you want to find... that's kind of an outgrowth of us having more content now, so we have to make sure that you can get at it easily."
The rumor is the update will be on your console on April 15th.
Gamasutra: Sony's Hight: 'Pretty Big' PSN Store Change Due For April
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TAGS: PlayStation 3, Videogames
Jeremy Soule Composing for Fallout 3?
Posted by Justin Fassino - Tuesday, March 04, 2008 12:50 PM
Composer Jeremy Soule is no stranger to the video game industry; he's the man behind the music in games like The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion, Guild Wars, and Supreme Commander (and the list goes on).
A new image in his discography, however, may hold hints to his newest work. Featuring a large explosion cloud and a question mark, the image pops up the text "Who knows?" when you mouse over it.
Given Soule's past work with Bethesda Softworks, developers of The Elder Scrolls series, it seems quite likely that this orchestral master is tipping his hand for the upcoming post-nuclear role-playing adventure Fallout 3, due later this year.
We will seek the complete answer behind this mysterious pictograph and get to the bottom of it.
EDIT (5.7.08) We got to the bottom of it. Soule's not composing the music.
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TAGS: Music, Videogames
Paramount Getting Into Gaming?
Posted by Mike D'Alonzo - Tuesday, March 04, 2008 12:43 PM
Paramount Studios is interested in getting into the videogame business, or so it would seem from comments that they've made recently. According to Paramount Digital's general manager of worldwide distribution, Alex Carloss, "Paramount is very, very excited about the growth in the interactive entertainment market. I’m sure you’re going to see an awful lot more from Paramount in this space."
Now, we're not sure what this could mean. Will Paramount rise up and get into the gaming game, the way that Warner Bros. has, or are they just giving some lip service? Only time will tell, but they could certainly be a major player in the space, considering the kind of money they are likely to bring to the table.
MCVUK.com: Paramount: We're excited about games
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TAGS: Movies, Videogames
Freestyle 101: Sheek Louch and Bully
Posted by Frank Meyer - Tuesday, March 04, 2008 12:00 PM
It’s hard to explain what a huge fan of Sheek Louch I am. But I’ll try…
As a member of The Lox, alongside members Jadakiss and Styles P, he helped put New York street hop on the map in the ‘90s. After getting discovered out of Yonkers, New York by Mary J. Blige, The Lox signed with Puffy to Bad Boy and began their rise to fane, which found them teaming with Biggie, leaving Bad Boy after one hit album amidst the legendary "Free The Lox" campaign, and signing to DMX's Ruff Riders label for their sophomore effort. Eventually they bailed and start their own label and crew, D-Block.
As a member of The Lox’s D-Block crew, he helped discover hood artists like Bully, Team Arliss and J-Hood and took on 50 Cent in a legendary diss track sparring match that continues on to this day. And as a solo artist, he is responsible three amazing albums (Walk With Me, After Taxes and the brand new Silverback Guerilla) and some of my all-time favorite mixtapes (Year of the Wolf, Still A Wolf and The Howling). Yes, Sheek Louch is one of the best on the mic out there, no doubt.
So image my surprise when after months of waiting for Sheek to roll out to L.A. on tour, he agreed to film a Freestyle 101 while we were out in The Big Apple. I was even more stoked when he invited us out to D-Block’s studio in Yonkers to hang with him, his protégé Bully, Lox sniper Styles P, and famed in-house engineer Poobs. It was truly an honor to be shooting in this legendary studio that I had seen in so many Youtube videos and where so many of my favorite songs were recorded. (Thanks to Supa Mario, Koch and Lamont for making it happen!)
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TAGS: Freestyle 101, G4 Web Exclusive, Music
Wii TV Unveiled...In Japan
Posted by Stephen Johnson - Tuesday, March 04, 2008 11:55 AM
In Japan, Nintendo has launched the Wii TV channel.
The free-to-download channel adds a television program guide to Wii, with program information offered up to one week before airing and searches possible by genre and key words.
The channel also allows you to "stamp" content you like, rate content and will send out alerts to mobile phones or email addresses when shows you'd dig are scheduled. It also allows the Wii Remote to operate as a TV remote for channel surfing and volume control.
No plans for a U.S. or European release have been made.
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TAGS: Videogames, Wii
'Okami' Delayed
Posted by Ty Colfax - Tuesday, March 04, 2008 11:47 AM
Your wolf whispering desires are going to have to wait 3 extra weeks. The original March 25 release date for Okami's Wii port has been pushed to April 15. No reason for the delay has been given.
The PS2 version, while not a huge box office success, did great with critics and we're curious to see how the port over to the Wii will pan out.
au.gamespot.com: Wii Okami Bumped to April 15
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TAGS: Videogames, Wii
Nuggets from the Net
Posted by Stephen Johnson - Tuesday, March 04, 2008 11:41 AM
These Japanese impersonators doing "We are the World" have restored our fatih in humanity.
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TAGS: Nuggets From The Nets
PSP Gets Cradle in Japan
Posted by Brian Leahy - Tuesday, March 04, 2008 11:32 AM
Japanese PSP users are getting a cradle for the portable. It will charge the system and allow output to a TV. Everyone loves a good cradle. It will release on April 24th in two packages:
Cradle & Output Cables: $62
Cradle Only: $46
No word yet on an American release, but it should be import friendly.
Gizmodo: Sony Announces PSP Cradle
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TAGS: Sony PSP, Videogames
'Mister Slime' Announced
Posted by Stephen Johnson - Tuesday, March 04, 2008 11:25 AM
See that happy guy above? His name is Mister Slime and his game is Mister Slime.
This Nintendo DS game is an updated envisionment of a 2D-side-scroller thta features single and multi-player action, many innovative levels and slime. Lots and lots of slime.
Here's the official descriprion:
As the young but determined hero Mister Slime, players set off on an exhilarating adventure, trying to protect Slime Village from its evil enemies, the Axons. Using the touch screen and stylus, players must navigate the levels by dragging and stretching Mister Slime’s arms to grab hold of small anchor points scattered throughout the game. Mister Slime features inventive uses of characteristics specific to Nintendo DS, including sound and shape recognition. As an example, players are able to blow on Mister Slime to make him fly in the air or to help him breathe under water.
“Fresh, tactile, fun, and addictive. That is what Mister Slime is all about,” said Katie Morgan, Executive Vice President of SouthPeak Games. “The title’s creative features, imaginative characters, and great storyline make for a crazy, one-of-a-kind, can’t-put-it-down gameplay experience. Mister Slime is awesome right from the get-go.”
Here's a full, slimy gallery.
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TAGS: Nintendo DS, Videogames
Scrabulous Battle Forges On
Posted by Ty Colfax - Tuesday, March 04, 2008 11:24 AM
Scrabulous, which many users of Facebook have come to know as "what I do when I'm at work," has an uncertain fate as its developers battle with the makers of the board game Scrabble over copyright issues.
Both parties are contending that a peaceful resolution will be worked out and of course, it's all about the benjamins as to what will happen. TheFeed Official Legal Prediction™ is that Scrabulous will be bought by Hasbro, the name changed to Scrabble Online and everything will be just dandy. The question is, how many benjamins? The bros. Agarwalla who created the game are reportedly asking for somewhere over $10 million, but industry experts are saying it ain't worth that much.
Scrabulous has more than 700,000 daily players and nearly 3 million registered users.
nytimes.com: What Price Scrabulous?
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TAGS: Internets Culture, PC Gaming
'Dungeon Runners' Screens
Posted by Stephen Johnson - Tuesday, March 04, 2008 11:21 AM
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TAGS: Videogames
DVR Capacity Going to Skyrocket?
Posted by Brian Leahy - Tuesday, March 04, 2008 11:00 AM
TED 2008 is coming, but we stumbled upon an interesting nugget already. Rice University professor Scott Cutler believes that DVR capacity and technology is going to keep getting better.
Now, while this seems pretty obvious as technology tends to get better, he put some numbers on it.
By 2013, he believes DVRs will be able to record ten channels for 2 straight weeks. That's 24/7 recording on ten channels for two whole weeks. This amounts to 3,360 hours of recorded video.
We're hoping he's assuming this is all HD video, of course. You basically won't have time to watch anywhere near all of that content.
There might also need to be some innovation in how to get 10 simultaneous feeds, but we're sure they can crack that nut.
JackMyers: Jack Myers TED 2008 Perspectives and "TED Moments"
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TAGS: Tech, TV
Saving Throw Failed: Gygax Dead
Posted by Stephen Johnson - Tuesday, March 04, 2008 10:57 AM
The father of Dungeons and Dragons, and thus every RPG game ever made, Gary Gygax has died.
Details of the cause of death haven't been revealed as yet, but reportedly, Gygax has been in ill health for several years. Gygax is survived by his wife and six children.
We're putting on our wizard hats and robes and casting magic missile in his honor. RIP, Dungeon Master of the world.
Source
Gygax appeared on one of the most popular episodes of G4's Code Monkeys. You can watch the video below.
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'Umbrella Chronicles' Ships A Million
Posted by Stephen Johnson - Tuesday, March 04, 2008 10:47 AM
Capcom wants you to know that Resident Evil: The Umbrella Chronicles has shipped over a million copies worldwide.
I guess they're pretty proud of themselves.
This is the second Capcom Wii title to ship over a million units, following Resident Evil 4 Wii Edition, which was released in June of 2007
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TAGS: Videogames, Wii
Ask G4's President In 'Open Source'
Posted by Mike D'Alonzo - Tuesday, March 04, 2008 10:18 AM
G4tv.com is proud to announce Open Source, where we get you in for a virtual sit-down with the man in charge himself, Neal Tiles, President of G4.
Neal is here to answer all of your questions, and to prove to you that he puts his pants on exactly the same way that you do, except that his are better pants, and that he could conceivably hire someone to put them on for him. Ok, bad example. Let's move on.
There are, however, rules for Open Source, so listen up. First and foremost, no flaming. If you're disgruntled, put it nicely, and you'll have a much better shot of having your question answered. So, get that laundry list of questions ready, and let the answering begin.
G4tv.com's Open Source
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TAGS: G4, G4 Web Exclusive
'Ace Combat 6' Patch
Posted by Ty Colfax - Tuesday, March 04, 2008 10:04 AM
Namco Bandai announced today an update for Ace Combat 6: Fires of Liberation. The update is free to all users on Xbox LIVE with an active Gold or Silver account and will be downloaded automatically once the game is started.
The following changes are included in the piznatch:
• The in-game HUD will now indicate when points are gained or lost in online play
• Players will now be penalized for crashing their aircraft, leaving the battlefield and being shot down by opponents in Team Battle and Battle Royale modes
• Players can now gain points by damaging enemy aircraft rather than making a complete kill in Team Battle and Battle Royale modes
• Players will now be invulnerable for a brief period of time after each respawn
• The overall strength of each special weapon has been updated for greater gameplay balance
• Players can now identify who is speaking in the pre-game lobby with a microphone icon next to their GamerTag
Ace Combat 6: Fires of Liberation is currently available in stores nationwide for the Xbox 360.
Here now, the X-Play review:
 
Ace Combat 6 Review
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