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November 06 I've moved my blog to my new website.....Howdy all,
For those who are looking for me, I'm moving to my new internet digs at Blades of 360. The information here where eventually be moved over to there in the Archive section, but will stay here for now.
Pack up your virtual bags and join me at the new, sparkling website for insight, news, analysis, giveaways and the upcoming "36 Hours of 360" marathon (fourth annual). Click the text below to be whisked to the new site!
August 06 My article on SKATE Community Days is up on xbox.comHad a chance to get into the SKATE community days a few weeks back and wrote an article is up on xbox.com. Check it out and due to space issues I had to cut the article in 1/2, so check out below for the unabridged edition:
EA’s SKATE Community Day – July 10, 2007 Imagine gathering skateboard and gaming enthusiasts in the same room and having them spellbound for hours on end. Just a few weeks ago EA Black Box invited ten of us from skating and gaming communities to be part of their “SKATE Community Days”. We converged on Vancouver, British Columbia. from different places and from different backgrounds to finally get our hands on the game. EA’s aim with SKATE is a return to realistic skateboarding, while capturing it’s culture and community. It might seem an uphill task trying to take market share from Activision, the publishers of the highly successful “Tony Hawk” series, but there’s no doubting EA’s commitment to provide the fullest, most realistic skating game available. This is illustrated by the astounding number of professional skateboarders, companies and equipment represented throughout the game, as well as the huge virtual world and surprises you’ll find throughout it.
Entering the SKATE fortress EA Black Box takes up a few floors of a skyscraper in downtown Vancouver, British Columbia, where nearby passengers climb aboard cruise vessels and with an incredible view of the snowcapped mountains. I took the elevator up to the 19th floor, which is where we met to check-in. Black Box is abuzz with constant activity where numerous games are in development and to ensure security we were asked to check our digital cameras and video equipment at the front desk. We were escorted down a winding staircase to a conference room and on the way I asked one of the skaters if he could grind the rail and I could see in his eyes that he’d love to try. We dropped our belongings next to our chairs and took some time to take care of some administrative details. Participant introductions were next, including describing what we knew about the game, which spanned following the game in online forums to seeing it played on the MTV show, “Rob & Big”.
SKATE history and why another skate game? Next, we were introduced to the history of SKATE by Scott Blackwood, Executive Producer of the game. We learned that the game was first conceived about three years ago within the development team for EA’s successful snowboarding franchise, SSX. The members of the team took to the streets incognito to videotape skaters and gamers talking about their worlds, as well as gathering focus groups of skaters and gamers in the 10-34 year old range to find out their thoughts on current skating games. What they found was that people wanted a return to realistic skateboarding and the community, with less focus on crazy challenges that were unrelated to skateboarding. They also wanted a game that made landing tricks more progressive and challenging, rather than just button-mashing combos. Armed with this information the EA team sought to bring a new perspective to a skateboarding game, including new camera angles that captured panoramic views of the skater in action. For example, one angle captures the skater above the camera after doing an ollie off a set of stairs, then returns to a behind-the-skater view when they land. Finally, the EA team wanted to focus first on the physics of the game, including the game controls and then build the environment around it, rather than the other way around. This is where the idea of the “Flick-it” control scheme versus button combos was first born, which we’d learn more about later.
Mr. Blackwood stated that one of their biggest challenges was getting people to try something new, rather than focusing solely on what they’re used too. One attendee asked about how stats are reflected and we learned that the skater doesn’t “level-up”, rather the mastery is in the physical players hands. Therefore when people compete against each other there’s no difference between their character’s abilities, rather it’s the execution by the players themselves where the difference lies. While the game’s designers admit it’s a risk, they believe the playing field should be level at the beginning for everyone and then the most skilled player will win, rather than the person who’s leveled their character up the highest.
The World according to SKATE Time was spent giving us the background of SKATE where we found out the environment is an open skate world, with five locations open by default and an additional nine locked areas that require an invite from a sponsor to unlock. The world is so big that reportedly it can take ten continuous minutes of skating to get from one side to the other, if you know exactly where you’re going and don’t get sidetracked or lost. There are “own-able spots” where you compete in challenges and when you complete it, you own the spot and can return to it anytime to skate it over and over again.
There are nine pros that you compete against in challenges and when you beat them they’re unlocked and they help you throughout the game, including sponsoring your skater. There are an additional seven custom pros that can be unlocked through the game, bring the grand total to a whopping sixteen. You can use any of the pros you’ve unlocked in online play.
The campaign’s storyline revolves around an unknown skater, you, along with a virtual videographer, exploring the vast world of San Vanelona in search of coverage. Note that the fictitious name is a combination of San Francisco, Vancouver and Barcelona, of whom the world was inspired by. Imagine the hills of San Francisco, the downtown of Vancouver and the art & architecture of Barcelona and you get the idea. Every completed challenge increases the “coverage meter” and helps your skater gain sponsors, access to skate stores & products and bigger challenges for wider coverage. Even “Thrasher” magazine, one of the preeminent skating magazines, is represented, as players try to get on the front cover. Virtually all of the challenges are open and can be completed in any order, rather than having to do certain challenges to unlock the next level or area. Of course, there are challenges that might need to be returned to, after certain moves are mastered, but the choice is up to the player, rather than the game.
Finally, music is a high point of many games and SKATE doesn’t disappoint. There are 45 tracks included, but rather than running continuously, the music plays in “significant areas” and is usually a clue that there’s a challenge nearby to compete in. For example, in the skatepark the sounds of Cheap Trick’s “Surrender” was playing, but elsewhere can be found a wide-range of music, from Rick James to Slayer and everything in-between. You can also listen to your own music by plugging a Zune, iPod or other music player into your Xbox 360.
Building SKATE magic and “Flick-it” real good Soon the floor was turned over to Chris “Cuz” Parry, whom Scott Blackwood introduced as “the guru of all things SKATE”. Cuz took us on a tour of the studio, including the “Wall of Boards”, which included individual decks autographed by every pro in the game, including Rob Dyrdek (and Christopher “Big Black” Boykin), Chris Cole, Danny Way and others. Everyone stood in awe pointing to their favorite decks, which Cuz said was the usual response elicited. We moved on, passing by teams working on coding, graphics, building environments, audio and play testing. Cuz pointed out a couple of team members who were highly regarded and even legendary skaters in their own right.
Returning to the conference room we were chomping at the bit to get our hands on the game, but it was critical for us to learn a little about the controls, so Jay Ballmer, one of the main producers, led us through a short demonstration of how Flickit works using the left and right sticks and basic moves we’ll need. For example, use the left stick to turn, the right stick for performing flip tricks, the A button to push off, B button to brake. To perform an ollie you press “A” a few times, then pull down and push up on the right stick. The faster you pull down and push up, the higher your skater ollies. Performing a nollie is the opposite, namely push up and pull down on the right-stick. The use of the right-stick has been used in other EA games, such as “Fight Night Round 3”, but it also fits nicely within the world of SKATE.
After a few minutes he said, the best way to learn the controls was to get into the game, which resulted in us surging forward like giddy children waiting for presents on Christmas morning.
Skating never hurt so good When the game appeared on our screens we were in the skatepark area, where we were led through some short, online tutorials by a virtual young man, which is keeping with real-life where most people learn in a skatepark and usually from a kid. After completing the moving about stage, I began my quest for my first ollie, which after a few attempts I was able to easily do. Further tutorials involved doing a manual, riding solely on the board’s rear wheels, how to use the left & right triggers, along with the right-stick to perform board grabs and rail grinds. The final challenge was to ollie up to a rail, grind and land it on the other side. This took some time, since my ollie technique was slow and sometimes I unconsciously tried mashing the “A” button, which led to my virtual face being painfully introduced to the rail. After some tips from the EA team it wasn’t too long until I was grinding with confidence. Soon they called that lunch was ready, but nary a person moved from their flat-panel. Everyone continued practicing manuals, nollies, jumps, kickflips, while falling without the thought of food. It wasn’t long before the five-minute call came that the food would be taken and we jumped out of our seats long enough to pile sandwiches, noodles and brownies on our plates and stuffing a few cold drinks in our pockets to wash it down with, then raced back to work on our asphalt prowess. Showing Off with skate.Reel Soon they pried the controllers out of our hands, so that Brian Lindley could brief us on SKATE’s online gameplay and skate.Reel. The former is under NDA, so unfortunately I can’t discuss it, except to say “wow, it’s fantastic!” skate.Reel on the other hand combines video editing tools for creating cool videos of your skater in action with an online community for sharing these videos. At any point in the game you can pause and choose “Replay” from the menu, which will display the past thirty seconds of action. You can edit the clip with a variety of tools, including “edit clip”, “play/pause”, “rewind/forward”, “create marker”, “delete marker”, as well as “changing camera”, “speed change” and “effects”. First, move the left stick to where you want the video to begin and press “create marker”. Next, move to where you want the video to end and click create marker. Now, you can set additional markers, up to 40 per clip, where you can choose the camera angle (five preset cameras capture the footage) for the section, change the speed of that section or add effects, such as filters and the like. We saw a great demonstration of this from “Slacker”, one of EA’s SKATE gurus. Skating like a virtual pro he ollied into a 360-kick-flip, landing into a manual, ollied across a gap landing in a nose manual and finishing with a 360 heel-flip, landing it perfectly. He went back and edited the video by adding camera changes to each move, slowing the speed down halfway through the clip, then adding a filter to the end for an old-school look. This was easily done and ready for upload to the SKATE community server for sharing with other community members. It took about two minutes for the clip to be edited and sent on its merry way. Users can save a photo of any part of the clip for later viewing or save the replay for later viewing on their console.
Users can access community clips via the game’s virtual TMobile Sidekick or via the community website. Formed in a similar idea as YouTube, videos are organized in “top-rated”, “most viewed” and “most recent” views. Videos are usually available for viewing a few minutes after being uploaded. As mentioned previously, there are a lot of very cool online features, but discussion of them will have to wait for another day.
Going my Way, Danny? Next, we were introduced to Danny Way’s skating compound, where there’s a mega-ramp built into the landscape, a fantastic pool, rock ramps, a stone loop and plenty of places to create awesome tricks and wipeouts alike. If you’ve watched EXPN, then you’ve seen the mega-ramp, a nine-story high drop-in, and ramps to launch you over 50-70 foot gaps, only to face a 25-foot high quarter pipe where skaters are launched 30 feet above the lip. The first time my skater went over the edge I panicked and accidentally ollied, which led to my skater’s face meeting the wood with a sickening thud. Fortunately, Cuz showed us how to create a set-point by holding the left-bumper and pressing up on the D-pad. You can return to this point anytime by pressing left-button and down on the D-pad. I’d earlier set a point at the top of the ramp. My skater, being the trooper he was returned to the top of the ramp for another try. Within a few attempts I was able to get down the ramp, but thinking I had to ollie up the ramp led to a few “Hall of Meat” screens. I soon learned that the skater would easily “scale” the height by lining up straight and letting his speed send him airborne. Once I got this down I waited until I zoomed up the half-pipe and did a few tricks. While this is a game I found myself both scared and exhilarated at the whooshing wind and massive air my in-game skater was getting.
Pressure on skating biggest stage: We had a chance to practice for about fifteen minutes before the final day’s contest was held, namely a trick contest, using the mega-ramp. We were divided into four groups, with three people per group. Each group played a three-round trick tournament using the mega-ramp on the world’s biggest skating stage, where the highest combined score moved into the championship round. To make the stress a little higher we played on the huge screen in front of the other participants, one group at a time. I won my group and waited for the other groups to finish. I was very concerned, since one of the participants, an awesome real-life skater, completed a back-flip-360 over the gap, a Christ-air at the apex of the half-pipe into a heelkick-360 landing it perfectly. Soon it was time for the finals and all four of us competed at the same time. I took an early lead with a conservative move and held the lead in the final round, despite panicking in the second and third rounds and flying off the side of the ramp and smashing into the television scaffolding, scoring no points. The final competitor, Mike Funk of Podtacular fame, scored enough points in his final attempt to overtake me and win the contest. His prize, an incredible limited-edition Plan B “Brian Wenning” deck with trucks and wheels, which was autographed by all of the EA SKATE team members present.
This isn’t goodbye, it’s see you in September Throughout the day we had chances to win cool prizes, such as skateboard beanies and t-shirts, by competing in a variety of other mini-contests, such as “first to find a pool”, “most damage to your skater’s body (aka “Hall of Meat”), best trick/best clip and the fluke trick. The EA team hooked us up with a SKATE t-shirt and free EA game, but most of all they imbedded in each of us an insatiable desire to play the game when it’s released. The EA Skate team was gracious enough to give a very cool skateboard deck, autographed by all of the pros in the game, to one of the skate community members to give away on their forum. Of course, while it was time to say goodbye to the studio we met together one last time and enjoyed dinner at a fantastic restaurant called Moxies. The entire table was abuzz with long, spirited conversations about the game, meeting one another and the day’s events. When we said our final goodbyes we left with good memories and the knowledge that in a few short months we’d being tricking out together and with the rest of the world online in the world of SKATE. June 06 10 Rules of Community to live byIf you spend as much time in the community and online gaming, working in Xbox.com forums and talking with gamers you'd see a disturbing trend, namely that the community is becoming less of a community and more of a "survival of the fittest". Sometimes we need a reminder of some basic rules that can help create cohesiveness, rather than division. To this end I present "10 Rules of Community to Live by". 1. Think before you post in an online forum or blogspace. Is this comment worthwhile?, will it benefit the community?, is it wasting bandwidth? 2. Before attacking anything, consider whether it’s really important to criticize and if so, can you do it in a dignified manner? For that matter, do you really care about the posting, announcement, etc? If not, then save your posting energy for things you do care about. 3. Don’t put “bump”, “ditto”, “right on” or any other mono-syllable or simple agreement as a post. Craft a response that provides additional insights, perspective or background that will enlighten or enhance the community and its members. 4. Ensure that you’re sending the response to the correct people and your facts are correct. It’s becoming an epidemic for people to blast community websites, blogs, and forum leaders for just about anything. Find out who the criticism should be sent to and craft a response to them. Before you do, see rules #1-3. 5. Treat everyone in the community equally. This goes for new players and experienced players, males and females, younger gamers and older gamers, etc. Another epidemic is the disrespect that’s permeating the gaming community. Females being disrespected like trash in online matches, the younger crowd disrespecting older gamers and vice versa, “experienced gamers” or “wannabes” disrespecting the less experienced as “noobs”. No one benefits from this abuse and it serves nothing, except to push us further in the abyss of degrading behavior and tears the community apart. 6. Celebrate the history of gaming that preceded you. When new maps are released for an arcade game like PacMan, understand the historic significance and quit tearing down the very people and games that led to the evolution of gaming where it is today. 7. Don’t act like you’re the center of the world of gaming, and the world at large. The reality is that each of us is a single member of a community, one that should be about positive growth. Share your opinion, but do so in ways that follow the previous rules. 8. Don’t judge announcements, press releases, or other postings that aren’t written the way you would write them if you were in charge. The fact is “you aren’t in charge” of that PR firm, company, community site, etc. There’s been a backlash from the community regarding announcements that used the word “major” in their language and the community deemed it “not so”. The fact is that the announcement was major, since content was created specifically for the Xbox 360 console, for a historic game. The community response was a huge amount of wasted blog space, comments, and the like about how this wasn’t a “major” announcement. If you don’t think it was, then follow the mantra “Let it go”. 9. Seek the WOW” and let go of the rest. Realize that today’s Internet has created a place where there is very little “Wow!” left in the world. Nothing is a surprise, therefore little is a major announcement. It’s like “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory”, where the kids gorge themselves on treats to the point where it’s lost its specialness. We won’t go back, but try to seek the “wow” and if you can’t, then silence isn’t such a bad thing. 10. Have fun! This is gaming after all, which is supposed to be fun. The vast majority of gamers play for relaxation and fun. After working all day at a job, school, taking care of a family, doing chores and the like, the majority of us want to game to relax. If you can’t relax and have fun at gaming, then perhaps you should explore other avenues of relaxation. This applies to posting trash in forums, attacking others in games, finding the need to cheat your way to victory, doing everything possible to be annoying or any other non-constructive behavior. Of course, these aren't the end all, but following them could begin purging the negative and foster a better experience for everyone. I mean really, would you rather spend your free time relaxing or filling the world with more negativity? I desire the former and avoid the latter. As always, let me know what you think and I look forward to seeing ya'll online! ~ Rainmaker2112 May 29 Forza 2 Hands-on and First Impressions
Fans of racing games took to the first version of Forza Motorsports for the original Xbox like kids to the swimming pool on a hot Summer day. Building off the success of Project Gotham Racing and exceeding it with realistic racing, cars and tracks led Forza to the peak of racing games. This without having guns or rockets mounted on the vehicles, resorting to capture the flag-type games or gang-related content. On10 Studios focused its attention on capturing realistic sounds, sights and experiences as if the gamer were actually in the car, on that track, hearing those sounds. The original Forza was so feature rich, with the ability to upgrade, paint and finely tune your cars that it's a wonder that there was anything more that could be included in the second generation of the game. A few months back I was able to take a tour of the studio where the game was being worked on and it was evident that there was much more to be included in Forza 2. I saw stacks of exhaust pipes that were used to get the exact sound of cars with various upgrades. I saw thousands of screenshots of in-game views of the cars, as well as videos of on-track testing, video capture and the like. Yes, Forza 2 would enhance and extend the game to new levels of realism, short of feeling the shattered glass as I hit the wall in turn four. The press release for the game includes the following items: Loaded with over 300 of the world’s hottest cars for you to collect, personalize, and race, Forza Motorsport 2 gives you the complete racing experience.
While wading through that list I thought that it seemed pretty tame for a fantastic game. What does this list look like in real-life and is there things they missed mentioning? I received an early copy of the final game and immediately popped it into my Xbox 360 to get a view of the game in action. Fans of the game will love the beautiful videos of racing, while the game loads. Once loaded you're presented with the main screen that veterans of the first version will recognize. You can choose from three modes, Arcade, Career and Multiplayer. Arcade mode lets you race with cars from each class and the goal is to win medals, bronze, silver or gold for each race. Of course, you want to finish with Gold, since it nets you the most achievements and unlocks more cars for future races. The arcade races are broken down into exhibition, time trial and free run:
Career mode lets you step into the role of a driver, competing against other real-life drivers in a variety of races throughout the world. Career mode is broken down into race sections, such as:
You'll need to win earlier races to unlock the later series, but as you can see there are over 300 races included in the Career Mode, compared to 75 races in the previous version of Forza. Novice and experienced drivers alike will want to start in the Proving Ground races, since they let you race in easier races and let you get used to the new, more realistic driving and track physics. I noticed immediately how my cars reacted to the bumps, grade changes, cobblestones, dirt and gravel as I passed over them. This is more different that in the original version, since they drastically affect how you drive, since you have to be even more sensitive. This is a result of extended video capture of the actual race tracks and is a testament of how Forza isn't a racing game, but a realistic racing simulator. I jumped right into Career mode and began my first set of races. The car responded great, although I noticed that the car responded like one would expect.....if you were actually driving it. Gone were the days of treating a "off-the-lot" car like it's a modified track machine. No, instead you face having to actually control the vehicle as if you were behind the wheel. I struggled reaclimmatizing myself to the game and getting used to the new physics, but as I continued to play I found it easier. I was able to get through my first set of races reasonably well, since the AI drivers took it easy on me. Of course, I sensed this was false security, since my backside would be handed to me on a silver platter soon enough. To this point I've completed about two-thirds of the races in "Proving Grounds" with about six trophy's to show my skill. Of course, this isn't "big boy" racing yet, which will happen in Semi-Pro and beyond. Multiplayer - After you've proven your worth in Arcade and Career mode it's time to move to competing against other live players via Xbox Live. I always liked playing online, although I wasn't always keen on having my car that I thought "was all that and more" get pasted and face the dreaded race countdown before facing a "not finished". Alas, Forza has extended the Live experience to beyond just racing and now you can go to the Auction House, gift a car to a friend or watching Forza MotorSport TV.
Graphics - I can't say enough about Forza 2's graphics, which are spectacular and have caused me to drive into walls while gazing at the sky, the spectators or the other environment-rich scenery. I've even begun driving tracks slowly, knowing I would lose the race, simply to take in the detail throughout. Of course, later I've gone back and put a beat-down on the opponents, but that discussion if for a later section. One thing that's been included is the ability to setup multiple screens easier. Let's say you have a few flat-panel displays laying around, then you can use them to create a left side-front-right side view of the game and you'll see those views during races. I played on one of these setups at Forza's headquarters and it's a fabulous, albeit expensive experience! Painting Your Car(s) - One of the features I didn't use as much as I'd like in the original Forza was the ability to paint your cars. I tried, but got tired of the tedious movement and simply wanted to play the game. I decided to try out the feature by painting one of my newly unlocked muscle cars. The menus are similar to the original game and you can have up to 100 layers, where each decal type is a layer. I used a combination of shapes, letters and decals to create my thunderstorm blue "Rainmaker2112" car, as seen below.
This took me about 40 minutes of work, yet you can see how fabulous the tools are. There were unbelievable custom paint jobs in the original Forza and I know that there will be even more creativity now that you can buy and sell creations in the "Auction House". One item that would be great is if there were a wand or tool that could be used for drawing and movement of items, besides the Xbox 360 controller. Can you imagine the creativity that would happen? Another far-fetched idea, but one that would be very cool is if you could import graphics into the game for custom cars. For example, instead of spending tedious time creating faces from layer-upon-layer, let a graphic or picture be imported into a "User Gallery" for inclusion on the cars. Music - Here's the soundtrack list of songs included within the game: • Daft Punk is Playing at My House - LCD Soundsystem Of course, you can use your own custom soundtrack from the Media blade and turn off the game soundtrack in the Options menu. The choice is yours. Your Space on Forzamotorsport.net…
The Forza folks have extended the online stats and salivating by creating an entirely new ecosystem using Xbox Live, so now you simply log into Forzamotorsport.net with your Xbox Live Gamertag information and visit this page for instant access to…
As of today, May 24, 2007, this isn't available, but will be when the game releases next week. I'm excited to view my stats and all of my pictures, including the ones of my muscle car above, with better resolution and picture quality. Being a stats junky and website fiend I'm very excited to see this as soon as it's available. Conclusion There is so much in this game, far more than I can cover in this initial impression, yet without the game being gimmicky. You won't see crazy features, rather just a great, quality racing simulation throughout. I love the new races in Career mode, the new online features, such as the Auction House, gifting a car to a friend and the new individualized website. You owe it to yourself to pre-order a copy of Forza 2, if you haven't already. You might want to pickup a Xbox 360 racing wheel while you're at it to round out the experience. Like me, though, you might need to implement the "one hour post-game wait" before getting behind the wheel of your actual vehicle, since I'm certain that the police won't believe the "honest officer, I thought I was playing Forza 2" excuse. Now get out there and race your heads off! May 21 Join the Guitar Hero Street Team - win prizes -it' FREEHave you ever wanted to be a part of a street team and share your excitement over a band, book or game you've played? If you're a fan of Guitar Hero or Guitar Hero II then today is your "Day of Fortune", since you can sign-up or free and have a chance to win prizes. The basics are that once you apply and are accepted then you can compete in contests, such as writing online reviews, posting graphics, signing up new members, and the like. When you complete the tasks you're awarded points that are good in online auctions, where you can win t-shirts, bags, cups, and other game and company SWAG. Don't delay, click on the image below and you will be redirected to the signup page. Click to signup as a new member, fill out the info and wait for your reply (usually via email). While you're filling out the form, be sure to tell them "Rainmaker2112" referred you!
April 24 Guitar Hero II on Xbox 360 and Buckethead?It's been out for a few weeks and early numbers show it has sold 291,000 units after only five days on the market (2,500 units per hour were rolling off the store shelves). The numbers are surely higher now due to more units being available. Now, I could tell you about the great gameplay, cool songs, doing my first encore, refusing my first encore, breaking 100K in a song, finishing Easy and Medium modes, etc, etc. I could tell you about playing old favorites like Rush's YYZ or Iron Maiden's "The Trooper". I could gush on about new found songs like those from All That Remains or Drist or Lamb of God. I could tell you about how amazing the process is for getting a song on the game, or how there are real-life guitar heros that work for Red Octane and bring us all the juicy goodness of music. Sure, I could tell you about the cool achievements that are only available for the Xbox 360 version (yeah, I know PS3 will have them....one day) or the downloadable content that's already begun (yeah, I know, PS3 will have it....one day). Sure I could tell you about this and more, but instead I'm going to tell you about how Guitar Hero II introduced me to a guitar hero I'd heard about in passing, but never explored further...until now.... You see, there's a song you can purchase in the game called "Jordan" and it's an smorgasborg of electric guitar played like a buzzsaw ripping through slabs of metal. This song is the brainchild of "Buckethead", an avante-garde underground guitar cult hero. But, if it were left at that it wouldn't seem that amazing. Dig deeper via Google or YouTube and you'll find a workhorse of guitar work rivaled by a very select few. Breaking all the rules is nothing new for Buckethead, since you'll find chicken-picking, face-melting shredding, ambient acoustic, electronica guitar, and more in the extensive catalog of this mysterious musician. I'm not going to cover the history of Buckethead, rather I will point you to his entry on Wikipedia for more background. What I want to point out is the way that I probably would never have found Buckethead on my own, despite being a bit of a music freak. Guitar Hero II introduced me to him and I have spent the better part of a week listening to every song I can find on YouTube and grabbing some of his music for my listening pleasure. Examples you ask? I thought you never would....
These are a bit of the mind-numbing amount of material he's released, including 21+ solo albums, 30+ collaborations and hundreds of projects and involvement in other songs. Just recently he was the first artist to release thirteen, yes that's "13" albums of new material.....ON THE SAME DAY. Check it out and see what you think. You never know how you'll be influenced by something you hear, a game you play, or both! March 17 How do I become an Xbox MVP?I'm in my second year of being an Xbox MVP and I get asked daily, "how can I be one too?". In fact, I was just at a four-day MVP Summit that Microsoft held for all the MVPs, from all the product groups. The first day I was mulling around the show floor meeting people and they'd introduce what product group they were an MVP for, then they would turn to me and when I said I was there as an Xbox MVP, the collective response was "dude, how do I get that too?". It made me realize that the Xbox has taken off in recognition and the fact that many people want to "attain" MVP status. My goal for this post is to briefly explain the MVP program in general and then post my thoughts on "becoming an Xbox MVP". One of the first places to go for info about the MVP program is Microsoft's MVP website. There you will find virutally all the info that you'd want to know about the general MVP program, which covers all of Microsoft's product groups. Within there you will find the MVP FAQ, which provides questions & answers about the MVP program. From the website itself you can find the definition of the MVP program, which states:
There lies within the basic answer to how you might become an MVP, namely, contributing to the community, in this case the Xbox community for the previous year. Put another way, "what have you done and been doing for the Xbox community in the past year?" That is the first main criteria for becoming an MVP. Microsoft's answer from the FAQ is:
It's been a great honor to be an Xbox MVP, but it's not something that I sought to get, rather I was surprised when I was notified about the award. In fact, in talking with other MVPs, both Xbox and other product groups, that seems to be a common thread, that the person was deeply involved in their community already prior to getting the award. Those who look for a checklist to complete to become an MVP are probably doing it for the wrong reasons. Another aspect of the MVP program is the age-limit issue. Again, I'll turn to the FAQ for the answers to this:
There are certainly benefits associated with the MVP program, which are great, but one of the best is the ability to meet users and to be a voice for them to Microsoft, game publishers, etc. Again, many people want the MVP status to get free stuff, such as games, early entry in to beta programs or the like. This is not the right reason for being an MVP, rather it's involvement in the community, such as Xbox.com forums, publishing a blog, being involved in other gamer websites, answering questions, etc. Being an MVP is a great honor and I, along with my peers have been honored to receive the recognition, but nothing has changed, nor would it, with our involvement in the gaming community, if we weren't MVPs. We'd still publish our blogs, help in the forums, run our websites and attend gaming conferences and report what we learn. For more on the MVP program I encourage you to check out the current and next podcast by my friend and fellow Xbox MVP, Godfree. You can download them via iTunes (look for Gamertag Radio) or go to the website Gamertag Radio. You'll find two roundtables with the Xbox MVPs, including info in next one from one of the Xbox MVP leads. Get out there and get involved in the Xbox community for the right reasons, help out your fellow gamers, post a blog, be vocal about what you think and you'll be blessed. Perhaps you'll be picked as an MVP, but nonetheless your contributions will help the collective good. See you online and try to go easy on this Geezer Gamer! :-) February 21 Crackalacka.....some heads are going to roll in Crackdown!Today was the release date for the highly anticpated title for Xbox 360 called Crackdown. I received my copy a week ago, so I have had a chance to put the full game through its paces early. My initial impression is that this is a highly addictive game of blowing stuff up and destruction that was exhibited first at this level in Mercenaries (for the original Xbox). The following is a very brief description of Crackdown's storyline: Crime is 'the new black." The world teeters on the verge of anarchy. Law enforcement recruitment has plummeted—no one wants to be in the firing line. All forms of policing across the globe have united to form the Agency. But still it's not enough. The Peacekeepers are barely able to keep what little peace there is. Desperate times, desperate measures... The Agency is exploiting the work of disgraced scientist Doctor Baltazar Czernenko (rumored to now be in the employ of Shai-Gen). His underground eugenics program uses a near lethal cocktail of cutting edge technology and military grade pharmaceuticals to propel the human race to a whole new level. Now, that same program is being used to create agents of justice: superior to conventional law enforcers in every way, and capable of rapid physiological evolution. Rival factions—the gangs—are taking over increasing amounts of territory. The Agency is making a last stand in the heart of Pacific City in a high-security compound known as the Keep. Access is restricted and guarded by Peacekeepers. Around the world, hundreds of thousands of new law enforcement agents will be coming online, each one capable of replacing an entire police force. These potent prototypes are ready, willing, and able to use unreasonable force to wipe all crime from the face of the Earth. With your help, this will be the ultimate crackdown. Words not good enough? Then check out the following screenshots: Figure: "Destruction by car"
Figure: "Car juggling"
Figure: "Assault Rifle Symphony" Of course, you can find a plethora of screenshots on the Crackdown website, along with some video and a few audio clips too. So, now that you know the premise and have seen some visuals of the game, how does it really stack up? I inserted the game and after a few seconds I was presented with some background videos, while in the foreground I chose from Campaign, Xbox Live and other choices. You can play single player or CO-OP campaign or single player/Co-op Time Trials. Next, you choose a player to do the destruction with. Note: Xbox Live Gold Members can download four new characters for free right now. Login to Xbox Live on your console and go to Xbox Live Marketplace. Alternatively, you can choose to do this from the in-game Download Content option.
February 16 Achievement Rewards - one week in ...Okay, so it's been about a week, since the Old Spice Challenge (aka, Xbox Live Rewards for Achievements) started and I wanted to updated what previously was a rumor. Some folks had problems getting registered on February 12th and even those who did register had their profiles disappear at the beginning or after getting some achievements. I fell into the first category and gave up trying to register after 14 hours of on-and-off attempts. I finally got registered and in the challenge a few days back. Since I have a gamerscore of 11,000+ I fall into Level 3, which is the biggie. What's interesting is that due to time constraints I looked back at early Xbox 360 games to assist in my necessary 1,500 gamerscore boost. I found some sports games (ie FIFA Germany, College Hoops 2K6), as well as games like Condemned that are early games for the console and therefore had less achievements, but higher score for each. I have about 350 points to go to meet my objective, but time has been sparse this week. I'm sure I fall into the group that Microsoft is targeting, since I love to game, but just don't have alot of time to do it. What are some games to increase your score quickly? As few on my list are:
Of course, as your gamerscore goes up using these games you will eventually hit the threshold where games have 40-50 achievements worth 10, 20 or more points. So enjoy some easy achievements for now, but get to it with the future ones. Despite some of the issues that occured with registering for the site and more, this is a great opportunity to get into the game and perhaps win some prizes. To get started you go to Xbox Live Rewards website and register. You'll need a Windows Live account, which is free, then sign-in and click on "Old Spice Challenge" to register. Once you do that the site registers your current gamerscore and notifies you have until the second week of April to increase the gamerscore by 1,500 points. Note: Once you've increased you score then return to the webpage and click "I'm finished" and the site will verify the increase and then you'll receive a congratulations notification. Now, sit and wait and see if you're one of the prize winners. See you online and in the game!!!!! January 30 Rewards for gaming...humbug?????Have you heard the rumors going around about gamers being rewarded for their Achievements? I was skeptical about them, since achievements on the Xbox 360 are about bragging rights amongst friends, right? <Looking around>
I have alot to lose if this information gets out to the wrong folks, but I received a mysterious note outlining details of a reward program. Much of it was smudged and the edges burned, but what I could make out was the following:
· Xbox is launch*** * new program very so*n. · Xb%x is te&am&ng up with sponsors to m&ake this po$$ib1e. · T&heRe are no fees 2 participat*. · Gamers can b*e rewarded 4 achiev*ments and partici&ation with ac#ual pri^es. * St@y tuned 4 more.. · Pri^es are limiT'd, so participants wi11 need to act fast.
Further analysis found a hidden message written in lemon juice that revealed that there will be something for all levels of gamers from the casual to the most hardcore.
I'm gaming below the radar and will continue to search for more details.
~ Rainmaker2112
December 05 Halo 3 lands......Did you see the very sleek and visually amazing ad for Halo3 last night during the first quarter of Monday Night Football? You didn't? Well, then click on the picture to check it out now: There are rumors amok about what it means, what new features will there be, etc. For example, were the boy and girl laying in an open field or was it a giant footprint or perhaps the mark left by the blast of a ship? Was the grenade Master Chief threw down a "shield grenade" and will it replace the suit shield in previous versions of the game? Is Master Chief human or something else? What lies behind the helment that he put on? Is this a parallel universe, since Master Chief's helmet is by the kids and also with Master Chief himself? These and other questions and rumors are circulating the Internet and Xbox communities like bees at a July 4th picnic. Stay tuned and I'll bring you any other details in the future. Big news! You could get into Halo3 early.... Also, don't feel left out, since Microsoft and Bungie have put out an official call to entry for the “Halo 3” beta program. Beginning yesterday (December 4), by visiting http://www.halo3.com, gamers in North America will be able to register for the opportunity to be one of the select members to join the unprecedented “Halo 3” public beta program, scheduled to kick off in spring 2007. The Xbox Live multiplayer public beta, which is a pre-release version of the multiplayer experience of “Halo 3,” is scheduled for availability in spring 2007 exclusively on Xbox 360. This beta also represents an opportunity for gamers to participate in the development of “Halo 3.” Through the resulting feedback, Bungie Studios will be able to further refine and hone the end result of “Halo 3.” A couple of things to note:
Go to http://www.halo3.com and fill out the registration form and then stay tuned. November 17 Shadowrun Community Event RecapI've written previously about heading to FASA Studios to preview Shadowrun and in another post I included a link to a Shadowrun battle that I'd taped while on the visit. In this post I will cover more game details and at the bottom I've included a link to the Shadowrun Dev Walkthru, which I taped during the visit too. What is Shadowrun? It's a team-based, first-person-shooter. It is round-based and after each round players can purchase additional abilities. Think of this as "role-playing on speed". You can find more history on the game and two factions at the Shadowrun website. A couple of things should be mentioned up-front:
Is there healing in the game and who does it apply too? The answer is "Yes" and it is done via the "Tree of Life" spell, which is a purchased item at some point in the beginning of the rounds. Note: not everyone on your team needs to buy the "Tree of Life", but it would be wise for a few players to buy it early and they will be the team support. Also, note that elves do not need the "Tree of Life", since they auto-heal in the game.
How do I learn the game? Is there training? Shadowrun will include training scenarios that walk the player through each of the skills including audio, video and player interaction. We saw the first two training missions, which included gliding and teleporting, but expect a full list of training scenarios when the game releases. What is Live Anywhere and why do I care? Live Anywhere is a technology that will enable PC gamers and Xbox 360 gamers to play simultaneously in live games for the first time, without regard to who is on what platform. Shadowrun will be a Live Anywhere game! Where can I find more info? Go to the Shadowrun website for continually updated info. Where can I see videos on Shadowrun in action? I've posted two videos, with the blessing of Mitch and others at FASA Studios. You can find links below: Enjoy and keep your eyes open here and on the Shadowrun website for more breaking news. November 14 Shadowrun Live Battle demo videoThere's good news and not as good news today.
The good news is that I've finally edited part 1 of the FASA "Shadowrun" live battle demo, taken during the community day last week.
The not so good news is that I could only upload to either Google Videos or YouTube, both of which reduce the quality of the picture. Sorry, but hopefully you'll get the gist of the game.
I will write more details about what you're seeing, along with uploading a Dev Walkthru video tomorrow.
For now, go to "Shadowrun Live Battle Demo... and enjoy!
November 10 Shadowrun Community Event - Day 1Last night I drove down to Redmond, WA for dinner with Tony Hynes (Xbox lead extrodanaire), Chris Palladino, a couple of other MVPs (aceattorney, MthdDirector) and the team from FASA Studios (btw, it's pronounced like NASA, but with an F). We're here for the Shadowrun community event and a chance to meet the devs, learn about the game and actually get to be one of the few outsiders to play a hands-on version later today.
We ate at the Red Hook Brewery, makers of great beer, in Woodinville. I arrived a little early so I had a chance to talk with Tony and Chris about the New York event, S.F. event and more. Soon after, Knuckles Dawson arrived. You'll note that he's the gent who has gotten at least one achievement every day, since Xbox 360 launched. He was honored at the New York event and it was cool to meet him and his excitement for gaming.
The rest, including the FASA folks arrived and we sat down for some grub. After quick intros, including gamertags, where everyone went "OH, so that's you, great to meet you". I ordered a Red Hook ESB, known as the flagship beer and a Red Hook Beer Burger (1/2lb of pure eating bliss). It was great to eat, but even cooler was a chance to meet the FASA folks.
I should note that FASA is famous for one of the best games of all-time, original gen Xbox or Xbox 360, and that is Crimson Skies: High Road to Revenge, and others. Sitting at the table were some of the main developers for many of the maps, planes, etc. We spent time discussing the coolness of the game and gaming in general.
There are some very unique and cool features that we will see today, including the ability to ressurect and chain-ressurect characters. The key to this is that each person you resurrect takes some of your essence (kinda like a lifeforce) and if you (the resurrecter) dies then the resurrectees (people you resurrected) will slowly bleed out. This get's really crazy when character A resurrects B, then B resurrects C and C resurrects D. If character A dies then B, C and D will bleed out one by one and everyone will die. Therefore, while this works great, it's important that people stay alive.
There are plenty of other features that I be covering later today in my next entry, including videos and pictures. The FASA folks are opening it up for any and all questions and we can blog and video everything. Expect some very cool features and one of 2007's coolest games!
November 08 Gears of War - first impressionsIf you haven't heard the news, GEARS OF WAR IS OUT! I received my copy yesterday and popped it in immediately. Let me warn you about a few things up-front:
>>>>>>> One word review - Unfreakinbelievable Five word review - Beautiful, chaotic, redemptive, destruction, obssession Detailed review: Okay, one of the most hyped game releases in history, second only to Halo2, is out, but does live up to the high bar? In one word YES! This reviw only covers the game itself and doesn't cover any extra features in the Limited Edition version, which is behind-the-scenes coverage, etc and doesn't add extra gameplay, maps or anything else. When I first open a game I go immediately to the manual, since it can give an idea of the though and efforts put into the game. The game manual is thick and includes everything one needs to get into the game, including coverage on movement and features such as "active reload" and more. Many games only include a few pages, but Epic did a great job of include a full-feature manual. I immediately popped the game into my Xbox 360 and the first cut-screens were of the GOW logo (the sort of "Wilson-effect" famous from the movie Castaway). You can jump into campaign or online, but I'd recommend that you do the single-player campaign, since there's an option to go to the training area and work on many of the moves that you'll need throughout the game. When you begin the campaign it starts with some movie cut-screens to setup the game, including breaking Marcus (your character) out of prison, where he's held from deserting the Army. Take some time to look around before you start running to the training area and notice the intricate artwork and detail. One of the very cool features is the ability to press the "Y" button and it will point you to the direction you should be going. You can also hold down the left bumper and it will bring up your objectives, which is helpful for geezers like me. Listen and follow the instructions of doing a variety of game moves, such as "taking cover", "move around and object from cover", "leaping over an object from cover", "swat-door move", "roadie run" and more. Also, you'll want to practice the "active reload" feature, which I cover in the videos mentioned below. The game play was smooth and the first times I died were due to looking around like a tourist, instead of being into the heave firefighting. I suspect that will be the case for many gamers, since the artwork is detailed and it seems like a movie more than just a game. The game was easy to learn, even for the casual gamer and there are some techniques that assist you. What I find interesting are the variety of game influences that are evident throughout. Certainly there are squad tactics similar to Ghost Recond Advanced Warfighter, shooting explosive objectives like in the James Bond series, intense gaming like in Halo2 and more. Note that Epic used the influences and enhanced or extended them like no other game has, while throwing new features never seen before. A very cool feature is the visual indicator when using grenades. You can now bounce grenades off the ground, around corners or ceilings to reach your enemies while staying out of harms way. One of the frustrating issues when throwing grenades in other games was the exact direction and distance, but this is solved with this new indicator and is a HUGE help for gamers. One of the most talked about features is the chainsaw on the end of one of the guns, but it's interesting to note that you won't use this as much as you'd think. This is a sort of last resort when you're out of bullets or in the midst of a reload when an enemies near. One other note is that if you race into open areas you won't last long, even against the simplest drones. Getting through the first chapter is reasonable easy, although you might die a handful of times while getting used to the guns, cover techniques, etc. The game is engrossing and the storyline is the first of its kind, since Halo2. I am including videos of initial game walkthrus for those that haven't seen the game or want an idea of basic game techniques.
I will provide other game videos and walkthrus in future posts, but suffice it to say that the game will be a staple, alongside of Halo2, for any casual or hardcore gamer. Overall game rating - 10 out of 10 drips November 06 Gears of War begins tomorrow...are you ready?
The most hyped Xbox 360 game, since Halo2 will be hitting stores tomorrow (November 7) in the United States. Unless you've been under a rock or living in a cave, you know the game is Gears of War by Epic (famously known as the Unreal creators). I am supposed to get my copy via DHL tomorrow and will instantly be plugging in and playing. I will give you my impressions shortly after playing, including pictures, video and more. To catch you up I offer the following FAQ of sorts: What is Gears of War? Gears of War is the first game developed by Epic Games exclusively for Microsoft Game Studios and Xbox 360. Gears of War thrusts you into a deep and harrowing story of humankind’s epic battle for survival against the Locust Horde, a nightmarish race of creatures that surface from the bowels of the planet. What's the big deal? Gears of War utilizes the breathtaking new Unreal Engine 3 to create cinematic, high-definition visuals for a gaming experience that truly ushers in the next generation. Experience beautifully rendered interactive environments and characters so lifelike they appear to be made of flesh and bone. The next-generation visuals create a world in which the tiniest detail is vivid in the largest battle. Isn't there a song called "Gears of War"? Yes, it's written and performed by Megadeth and while the song was being created all ready, the title was changed and is being plugged by Megadeth frontman Dave Mustaine, after he experienced the game firsthand. A self-proclaimed "non-gamer", Mustaine sounds like a kid in the candy store when talking about Gears of War, the game. The song isn't part of the in-game soundtrack, but you can add it as part of Xbox 360 connect. A bayonet/chainsaw combo? Yep, you can see the picture of it. Notice that Marcus, your character in the game, isn't smiling while holding this vicious weapon.
What are some of the features of Gears of War? What are the achievements I can get in Gears of War? There are 49 achievements with a total of 1000 points.
Completed tutorial level on any skill level
Complete Act 1 on Casual Difficulty
Complete Act 2 on Casual Difficulty
Complete Act 3 on Casual Difficulty
Complete Act 4 on Casual Difficulty
Complete Act 5 on Casual Difficulty
Complete all acts on Casual Difficulty
Complete Act 1 on Hardcore Difficulty
Complete Act 2 on Hardcore Difficulty
Complete Act 3 on Hardcore Difficulty
Complete Act 4 on Hardcore Difficulty
Complete Act 5 on Hardcore Difficulty
Complete all acts on Hardcore Difficulty
Complete Act 1 on Insane Difficulty
Complete Act 2 on Insane Difficulty
Complete Act 3 on Insane Difficulty
Complete Act 4 on Insane Difficulty
Complete Act 5 on Insane Difficulty
Complete all acts on Insane Difficulty
Recover one-third of the COG tags (on any difficulty)
Recover two-thirds of the COG tags (on any difficulty)
Recover all of the COG tags (on any difficulty)
Defeat a Berserker on Hardcore Difficulty
Defeat a Corpser on Hardcore Difficulty
Defeat General RAAM on Hardcore Difficulty
Perform 25 perfect active reloads (on any difficulty)
Perform 5 perfect active reloads in a row (on any difficulty)
Kill 3 enemies at once 10 different times (on any difficulty)
Host and complete 50 ranked matches
Complete 1 co-op chapter as Dominic Santiago on any difficulty
Complete 10 different co-op chapters as Dominic Santiago on any difficulty
Complete all acts in co-op as Dominic Santiago on any difficulty
Revive 100 teammates in ranked matches
Kill 100 enemies in ranked matches with the Boomshot
Kill 100 enemies in ranked matches with a pistol
Kill 100 enemies in ranked matches with the Torque Bow
Kill 100 enemies in ranked matches with the Longshot
Kill 100 enemies in ranked matches with the Hammer of Dawn
Kill 100 enemies in ranked matches with the Chainsaw
Kill 100 enemies in ranked matches with the curb stomp
Kill 100 enemies in ranked matches with an execution
Kill 100 enemies in ranked matches with grenade tag
Kill 100 enemies in ranked matches with a headshot
Finish playing a versus ranked match
Finish with the highest points in a ranked match
Win a ranked match in every versus game type
Win a ranked match on every versus map
Win 10 ranked matches without losing a round
Kill 10,000 people in versus ranked match total
Want to know more? Check out the following: Stay tuned for more tomorrow. Shadowrun Community Event
I'm heading down to FASA Redmond to a Shadowrun Community Event on Thursday and Friday! With all the games coming out this holiday, including Gears of War (coming tomorrow), Call of Duty 3, etc, it's easy to forget about the games that will be coming after that. Some examples: and Shadowrun The first two are futuristic games, in the vein as Perfect Dark Zero, Halo2 and perhaps even Gears of War. There are community events that other MVPs will be going to for the above events and I'll be linking to their writeups. The one that I'll be going to is Shadowrun and at first glance appears to be a gaming mixing old and new, or like combining the characters of Oblivion vs. Perfect Dark Zero. The VERY COOL trailer provides and examples of this, when you see a sniper shooting a demon-like creature, then another creature coming down and ressurecting them. Intrigued? I know I am. What is the story surrounding Shadowrun? Shadowrun™ is a team-based FPS for both Xbox 360™ and Windows Vista™, set in a world where ancient magic blends with modern weapons and advanced technology to form a revolution in multiplayer FPS gaming. Purchase new weapons and abilities each round in an extraordinary arms race to increase your options and open up new tactics for your team. Gather your team from four different magical races, each with their own strengths and weaknesses. And fight for control of a magical artifact that can shape the course of the world. What's the history of Shadowrun's Universe? Check out timelines, history of ancient magic, futuristic corporations and more about those fighting to control the artifacts. Check out the Shadowrun forums for other perspectives and even info from FASA regarding the game. I'm will be taking pictures, video and will provide a writeup after the event later in the week. This looks to be a very cool combination of the best of some favorite games and is expected to be available Spring 07'. Second annual Xbox Community Awards - Vote now!!
The second annual awards voting has begun. This is your chance to vote for your favorite community site, gamer of the year, and other assundry awards. Click here for the voting section. Click here for more details and my fellow MVP, Godfree's website November 02 "Buying a game" or "leveling the playing field"?
Recently there's been a mini storm brewing in the Xbox forums and throughout the Xbox community regarding EA Sports providing multiple content downloads on Xbox Live Marketplace that let a person "pay for expertise". These downloads include:
When you first look at this list most of them can help a person finish the game a little easier, but won't necessarily affect playing online or offline. The one that does stick out is the "Maxed Out Player" for 200 MS Points. That instantly gives a person an "unfair advantage" or "level's the playing field" depending on how you look at it. You see to get a "Maxed Out Player" a person would normally play through the "Tiger Challenge" and "Training events" and with each success the golfer's skills increase little-by-little. By purchasing this you save yourself a bunch of work and you can compete with virtually any golfer in the game and perhaps even online. Some will cry foul and say that a person shouldn't be able to buy what it takes another person, with less money, to achieve over a period of weeks or months. Note that this is 200 MS points and therefore is about $5.00 US or so, so we're not talking about breaking the bank. I personally don't have a problem in buying this content, since it saves me time that I wouldn't otherwise have. Of course, that's after I played through the game for about a week and attained about 35% of the skill level. There are purists who will say that you MUST play the game exactly the way it was intended and anything that affects/changes that is blaspheme. How do you feel about this type of "for purchase content"? I believe there will be more of this content available and it actually appeals to us "older gamers", since it can save some much needed time, but let's us still enjoy the fullness of the game. |
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