Youtube sensation Antoine Dodson is coming to Rock Band 3. Yep, thats right. If you have ever wanted to sing the “Bed Intruder Song”, you will be able to in a few short weeks. One Mr. Kario Charts has signed the Gregory Brothers for the rights to produce the song for the game, and the only current delay in making it publicly available is the difficulty in making the song have Pro Key charting. But, if you would like to test the song out, you can check out the forums here. Or, you can take a look at the preview video below. Either way, its epic. You can also check out the original video here (you have not seen it yet? FOR REAL?)
Get ready for April! It has been announced that Charlie Blackmore’s adventures will continue in the early part of that month.
When you download the expansion, you will be able to help Levi, the hobo who helped you in the game, reclaim his royal heritage in the kingdom of Camelfoot! “The Last Hobo King” will feature an all new world in the form of said kingdom, and you will be able to again cause awesome mayhem with your special stacking doll powers. Specifically, you will be able to discover 15 new dolls, complete original hi-jinks and earn achievements/trophies specific to the unique adventure.
If you want more info on the game, read our review here! It is an amazing game that will benefit greatly from the DLC.
Hi-Rez Studios is now giving 100% of this weekends game sales to the Japan quake relief effort. Their MMO shooter, Global Agenda, has been marked down to $9.99 until Sunday, March 25, 2011. Get the game from their web store here. So, you can get a cheap game and still help others. Awesome! It is great to see how much of the gaming population is stepping up to help our fellow humans across the world. If your still in the giving mood after buying this game though, you can still help others by clicking the link on the left side of this page. We at Capsule Computers can’t wait until Japan is back is on its feet and feeling better.
Ar tonelico Qoga: Knell of Ar Ciel Developer: Gust Publisher: NIS America Platform: PlayStation 3 (Reviewed) Release Date: March 15th 2011 (US), March 25th 2011 (PAL) Price: $59.99 Buy Now!
Overview:
Variety is the spice of life they say and variety in a JRPG can be something that is hard to come by sometimes. The Ar tonelico series has been known for having many unique features not often seen in your run of the mill JRPG and has grown a name for itself over the years since the first two games were released on the PlayStation 2. Now that the final game of the series and the first one on the PlayStation 3, Ar tonelico Qoga: Knell of Ar Ciel has been released, does it provide a satisfying end to the series?
Story:
The hero of our story is a relatively lazy and laid back man named Aoto whom we are introduced to through him slacking off in bed after finishing a job ahead of time. That quickly all is thrown out the window as the Clustanian army attacks a group of travelers outside of his house. The Clustanian army is chasing after a young Reyvateil named Saki and Aoto isn’t about to let a young girl be taken by the soldiers and well…. man-woman.
This means that Aoto is no longer able to enjoy his carefree lifestyle and is thrown into circumstances far beyond himself. Along his journey he finds help in the form of Tatsumi, a V-boarder in training, Hikori Gojo, Reyvatologist, Finnel, a clumsy Reyvateil with a mysterious secret and more as they attempt to not only survive the Clustanian army but find out exactly what they want with Saki and the deep secrets inside both her and Finnel’s mind.
I believe a little bit of an explanation is order before I continue further. Reyvateil’s are beings that have been constructed with the ability to harness the power of Song Magic and this is the main source of power in the world of Ar tonelico. Alongside their ability to harness Song Magic they are also contain the ability to be “dived into” meaning the main character can enter the Reyvateil’s mind to unleash more of her power.
Now this is exactly where Ar tonelico Qoga takes a step away from your standard storytelling and provides an intricate and in-depth story full of plot twists that will have you searching every nook and cranny of the world to find out more about the story and interact with the characters more. Finnel and Saki contain dark secrets within their minds and only Aoto can try to help out these women for the sake of not only themselves, but the world.
Now usually I would continue this in the gameplay section of my review but this deserves being placed here due to the fact that the storyline is obviously the central part of this game and many things focus around it. Each Reyvateil is able to be dived into via a Dive Shop and this allows Aoto to enter the “Cosmosphere” of that girl’s mind. Through this the player is able to unlock more of the girl’s power and understand the deeper workings of their mind by growing closer to them by knowing more of their psyche and personality.
This is an intricate part to the gameplay but also provides some of the biggest storyline twists that must be delved into to truly enjoy the game. Through entering the Cosmopshere the player is able to find out much more about the Reyvateil’s they are traveling with, even their hidden sides that no one, even themselves, know about. To trigger certain events inside of a Reyvateil’s mind the player must accumulate DP to use inside of her mind; this is done through fighting alongside said Reyvateil in battle. However the player can only dive as far as they have advanced into the storyline which means that even if you think you can make it to the 5th level of Saki’s mind you will be stopped at the 2nd level until you go further along.
The story of Ar tonelico Qoga can draw around thirty hours of your time into it but that is only if you scrape the surface of what you can truly find out about each girl and venture into the relationship building aspects of the game. Rather than having multiple side quests that are often placed to pad out play time the player is encouraged to interact with their own party members. Or should I say mostly on the Reyvateil’s themselves.
There are at least eight different endings that can be experienced depending on the choices you make and how well you know the Reyvateils in your party. This is done by locating glowing icons that unlock extra dialogue in the game’s Camp Mode which lets Aoto interact with the Reyvateil companions such as Saki and Fennel. By doing so the player is able to build their relationship with that Reyvateil and find out more about them by throwing character information at you like a rainstorm, but all funneled properly enough to be understood.
Overall the storyline has a serious undertone to what is first shown off as a comedy. Throughout the story this persists with a nicely weaved balance that forms a comedic tragedy as you find out more about the dark pasts about the Reyvateil’s in your party. Well that and sex. Lots and lots of sexual innuendo is laced into the game and the fact that it is an integral part of the game may either bring players into the experience or make them take a second look at the game itself. I will speak more of this later.
Graphics:
Ar Tonelico Qoga: Knell of Ar Ciel sports some spectacular looking artwork that provides a mixture of HD 2D background images in a 3D world where the characters venture around in. For the most part the areas aren’t too varied or well-designed but they are usually great to look at when you explore the world. Also the character’s 3D models are good enough looking without looking bad even though when contrasted with the detailed appearance the characters look in the still-art dialogue scenes they are noticeably less detailed.
As far as the Purge modes go they are well animated with a sort of magical-girl styled transformation sequence that can be turned on and off depending on how many times the player wants to watch their Reyvateil “purge” their clothes. Occasionally the game will treat the player to a crisp anime cutscene which looks amazing as the full detail of the characters’ still-art is translated into the anime cutscenes.
Audio:
First let me address the fact that the game contains an option to either choose between the English voice actors or the original Japanese cast. Everything is still subtitled which means despite your preference you will always be able to understand what is going on. The English voice actors do a great job matching their tone to the localized dialogue that NISA has done for the series.
As for background music and the fact that the battles revolve around the tempo and rhythm provided by the singing Reyvateil it is hit or miss. Some songs may seem out of place but for the most part the background music is pleasing on the ears and it is interesting to see it worked so well into a gameplay mechanic like it is within this game.
Gameplay:
The game itself doesn’t play too differently from what you would expect a standard JRPG to play as. There is your standard overworld experience where you venture through an environment and encounter battles randomly. Thankfully the player is warned about how close they are coming to a battle via a colored bar in the bottom right corner of the screen that changes color overtime to show the higher chance of entering a battle.
Once the player enters a battle they will be treated to a real-time experience similar to what we have seen in the Tales game series which sets it apart from previous Ar tonelico titles. Players are given three “vanguard” fighters which form the active combatents while the fourth character on the field is a Reyvateil that controls the flow of the battle. She does this by singing a song during the fight and displaying a beat meter at the bottom corner of the screen.
The player is encouraged to time their attacks to the higher beats on the meter to increase the tempo of the song and build up a Purge Meter faster. The purge meter can then be used to make your Reyvateil strip her clothes off and perform powerful Song Magic to destroy the enemies on the field. Yes, you read that right, strip. The game explains this fact by saying that the more skin a girl exposes the stronger their magic grows and this means that the higher the level of Purge the more clothes the girl takes off.
This also means that the strongest Song Magic requires the highest level of purge which leaves your Reyvateil singing in nothing but her underwear at a certain point. Developing this stronger power and creating better Song Magic also requires the Reyvateil’s to strip in their rooms allowing the players to assign specific skills to their Purge abilities.
Other than battling and stripping your Reyvateil down to their underwear there are a couple of other features in Ar Tonelico Qoga. The crafting system has players acquiring random recipes from treasure chests scattered around areas in the world which are shown as ?Fan? or similar to that. The player then uses these recipes from various items they acquire in battle to create numerous items ranging from usable healing items to better equipment and special character moves. The player also gets to decide which Reyvateil they want to help craft items with and are treated to a mini dialogue between Aoto and his chosen Reyvateil which also boosts the relationship between the two but uses acquired DP.
Besides finding out a Reyvateil’s dark secrets and hidden sides of their personality the player can also acquire fairy-like creatures called Hyumas from each Reyvateil’s Cosmosphere. These Hyumas are then equipped to their respective Reyvateil to allow her to give special stat boosts during combat and for their Purge abilities.
In the end a lot of the mechanics involving a Reyvateil’s Purge ability, Cosmosphere, and stripping point are based around how well that Reyvateil actually likes Aoto and the better the two know eachother the stronger they become. In the end though there is no actual nudity to the title, although the player can choose to jokingly pursue further and be shot down by the respective Reyvateil. Some people may find this a disappoint in their RPG but it actually serves a relatively useful purpose outside of being fan service and is also something that the series has been known for since the beginning.
Premium Edition:
Now you didn’t think that there would be an NISA game released for the PlayStation 3 without a premium edition would you? Well Ar tonelico Qoga: Knell of Ar Ciel isn’t the exception to the rule after it began last month with Hyperdimension Neptunia. The premium edition includes a ATQ official soundtrack which features a little over an hour of music from the game itself which is primarily all the background music you will be treated to. Fans of the music or in the need of some background music to their own activities can find this a nice addition to their collection.
Also included in the oversized game case, other than the game itself is a fully colored hard covered artbook that features 40 pages that show off character profiles, a few pieces of character artwork and information of some of the more obscure pieces of information within the game itself. The only complaint about the Premium Edition that I found was the fact that the soundtrack CD was placed inside of a simple sleeve as opposed to being bundled in the game case itself but this is mostly for aesthetic purposes only.
Overall:
Ar tonelico Qoga: Knell of Ar Ciel has plenty to see, literally in some cases, and enjoy for fans of the RPG genre. With multiple endings and a very interesting story with plenty of twists and lots of character development you will constantly be trying to find out what is going to be happening next. And that my friend is exactly what you should be asking for from an RPG, the drive to continue the story simply to find out what is happening. Sure there isn’t a whole lot of depth to actual gameplay, but that is because it all is sitting in the story. If you can handle the fact that the female characters in the game often take off their clothes, or if you don’t mind fan service, then you will certainly find yourself with a JRPG that will last you a long time.
With Dynasty Warriors 7 only a mere 10 days away (unless you live in Europe, then it’s…20 days) Koei released some new screens and a video showcasing some gameplay in English. For those who may have forgotten or are simply unaware, this installment of Dynasty Warriors brings back the traditional charge based attack system that many are familiar with, which you can see for yourself in the video. This installment also features weapon swapping, allowing the player to have two weapons equipped and granting the ability to switch between them on the fly, even mid-combo.
Now a traditional DW vet will consider this blasphemy, changing up the warriors’ original weapons. Fret not, as their “ultimate” EX attack (musou) will have them revert to their iconic, classic weapon style. Xiahou Dun and his sword, Lu Bu and his halbred, etc. This way the characters still retain their classic origins but allow the player to utilize whatever weapon they wish.
The graphics have received a decent upgrade since DW6 (not that 6 looked bad). The most notable visual changes are the character models themselves getting a new, re-imagined look which really gives the franchise a fresh coat of paint. Overall the game looks pretty great and seems poised to please hardcore players and newcomers alike.
Check out the screens and video for a better look.
64th Street – A Detective Story Platform(s): iPhone(reviewed)/iPod Touch/iPad Publisher(s): DotEmu Developer(s):DotEmu/Jaleco Genre(s): Arcade/Action Release Date: 09/03/2011 Price: $1.19 AU $0.99US (Buy now while on sale)
Overview
Welcome to the mean streets of New York, 1950. Detective duo Rick and Allen run through the mean streets, fighting against the evil organisation “the legacy” in order to rescue the daughter of one of the most influential men in town. This is 64th Street – A Detective Story, the Super Nintendo, beat ‘em up, street brawler brought to the iPhone by DotEmu.
Gameplay
The detective story begins with a protagonist, either Rick or Allen (your choice!). Once those formalities are out of the way, the game begins. 64th Street has six levels that must be completed in order to track down the kidnapped daughter. There are two options for going through these levels, firstly there is survivor mode. Here you are given four lives and try and get as far through all the levels as possible before game over. While this is pretty fun, I find it more difficult and don’t really enjoy playing for a high score. If you are more like me and like to be pulled along by a narrative, then story more would be the best bet. Similarly, you are given four lives. However if you beat the level you are granted four new ones and the level is now unlocked to return to whenever. It’s through the story mode that the goal of the game can be completed. Both game modes are practically identical and it’s all a matter of preference which one to choose.
The game also comes with Game Center achievements, which has some pretty awesome bonus features. While Game Center usually means earning achievements by beating certain milestones, 64th Street has a pretty cool addition to this in that if you earn the spanner or steel pipe achievement, you can choose to start levels in story mode wielding either weapon. These are unlocked by beating ten enemies in a row with the appropriate weapon. While it may seem a little thuggish to start a level with a steel pipe in hand, I can’t help but take advantage of this exceedingly helpful unlockable feature.
In terms of adapting a Super Nintendo game control system to an iPhone, I think DotEmu have done a great job. The button on the left to control movement and buttons on the right to control action is a pretty standard compromise for adapting console games to iOS devices. However at times (this is particular for games where movement can take place in 3D game spaces) the movement controls are a little hard to manage. 64th Street’s opaque and minimal buttons mean that less screen space is dedicated to interface – which is a real issue for me on iPhone games as my thumbs tend to hinder my view of the game for games that require a little more dexterity.
Graphics and Audio
While the pixel graphics might be crude by today’s standard, there is something refreshingly nostalgic about pixel-based games for the iPhone. 64th Street- A Detectives Story is no exception. A little paradox in the character design is the appearance of enemies who look somewhat like Hulk Hogan circa the 1980’s which is a little odd considering the game is set in the 1950’s. Despite this, Rick and Allen suit the theme, and look pretty hard-boiled if you ask me. The level designs are great and I think really do give off that 1950’s “track down the kidnapper and I’ll pay big bucks” vibe from film-nior movies – in particular the grey docks featured in stage two.
While the music isn’t all that complex, it is gritty, retro-synthesised and perfectly sets the scene for beating your way across the six levels of 64th Street. This coupled with awesome thudding sound effects and grunts of defeat knocks the game up another notch and really adds to the overall fun and playability of the game.
Conclusion
In a nutshell 64th Street: A Detectives Story is fantastic. Whether you pick Rick or Allen, opt for a steel pipe or spanner, or choose to wail on the masses of enemies who strut around 64th Street with your bare knuckles, 64th Street – A Detectives Story is a highly addictive reimagination of a Super Nintendo classic that has been beautifully transferred to iOS devices by DotEmu. Keep an eye out for other games being published by DotEmu, because this game is defiantly a winner.
What is a detective story without a sidekick? Answer: a story with no wise cracking comedic relief and no heart, thats what! Luckily, Team Bondi has recognized this fact and included Stefan Bekowsky in the upcoming video game, L.A. Noire.
He is one tough cookie who lays the smackdown on the ruffians and yet is also not above goofing off while on duty. Sounds like my type of guy! Get ready to meet this dude on May 17, 2011.
If you want more info on one Detective Stefan Bekwosky, go to his Rockstar bio page here. While there you can download the newest HD wallpapers.
Just 8 more days and the whole handheld world will forever change with the release of the Nintendo 3DS. Nintendo certainly have been doing some heavy promotion for their newest console and today the company released the official launch trailer for the device which hits stores on March 27th in the states (25th for EU and 31st for AU).
Now the trailer doesn’t show anything new really, but it does include some “reactions” of “players” using the device before it starts rolling along with clips from the many launch titles such as Nintendogs + Cats, Street Fighter IV 3D, Rayman 3D, and a few other of the bigger names set to launch with the unit. I personally am ready for some more Monkey Ball and Street Fighter, but this set of launch titles really does seem to have something for everyone. The question is now, for those of you planning on picking up a 3DS at launch (or even later for that matter), which one of these titles are you most looking forward to. Leave a comment and let us know after you check out this brand new clip below (Courtesy of GameTrailers).
Anyone who has ever bought a flat screen TV will know exactly where I’m coming from. Even the most technologically savvy can be overwhelmed when walking into their local JB HiFi to be confronted by the Great Wall of flat screen TVs. From 26” to 60” screens, contrast ratios of 1000000:1 and HD ready vs Full HD, one would be forgiven if parts of their brain leaked out there ears to make way for the cavalcade of information. Given that most salespeople in major retailers (where the screens are inevitably cheaper then boutique stores) are often misinformed and try to push models that unbeknownst to the consumer will get them the most commission the decision can be even harder. I worked in retail specifically amongst LCD and Plasma screens for years and I can’t tell the number of times I saw staff sell what they knew to be an inferior product simply to get the $50 bonus. Anyway hopefully this guide should shed a bit of light on the currently available screens and the different technology they use within them helping you to choose a screen that is most suited to your needs.
Current Choices
When it comes down to it, despite all the specifications and fancy terms you will be drawn towards the screen that you think has the best looking picture. Newer technology is not necessarily better so try not to be sucked in by something simply because it uses technology that previously wasn’t used. Note that I am referring to technology here, not newer generations or model of the same product as companies are always updating their products for the better. There are currently really only 2 different styles of flat screen monitors (including LCD and LED LCD together) commercially available to choose from, as well as 3D monitors which can either be plasma or LCD based.
Technology
Plasma Screens:
This technology is relatively new (in terms of its general uses outside of screens) and was really originally designed so that sports lovers could enjoy their favourite events on a scale larger than the old tube TVs could handle. Plasma screens are comprised of countless minuscule gas plasma cells which when charged with a precise electrical current produce the picture. Each pixel contains all the necessary parts for it to produce colour independent of the others. In Layman’s terms the biggest advantage of this is the ability to produce a very realistic and bold black by simply stopping all charges to the pixel leaving it inactive as well as a much wider and more natural range of colours. This is highly beneficial for avid movie watchers as well as for gamers especially when playing many of those low lit games that always have you adjusting the light bar before you begin playing. Plasma screens do have the problem of screen burn when an image is left on the screen for too long but current generations are able to deal with the issue with no effect.
LCD Screens:
LCD technology is very old dating back to the early 1900’s. If you remember playing those old Nintendo game and watches or even owned a digital watch you have seen LCD technology. So while LCD screens came after Plasma the idea is much older. LCD stands for Liquid Crystal Display and is based on light provided from an external source (either a Cold Cathode Fluorescent Lamp (CCFL) in older screens, or Light Emitting Diodes (LED) in newer screens). The best way to describe how LCD technology works is to imagine it in layers.
Layer 1: A backlight that is permanently on, either CCFL or LED (edge or direct).
Layer 2: Diffuser so the light isn’t concentrated on one spot creating a heat spot.
Layer 3: Colour filters of red blue and green
Layer 4: Liquid Crystal that can be solidified and twisted to create darkness and lightness
Layer 5: Polariser
What To Look For
Colour
Due to the nature of the 2 technologies, the consensus amongst the industry is that Plasma screens can deliver a wider range of colours, more naturally and at a more intense and uniform level. This is due to the fact that the pixels act independently of each other and have their own method of self- producing every colour, whilst LCD screens are reliant on the backlight and colour filters which can result in a less consistent use of colour.
Contrast
Again due simply to the fact that individual pixels can be essentially “turned off” on a plasma monitor, it makes sense that they will be darker than a screen that has a backlight that is permanently turned on. While LCD screens, especially newer generations have very little light leakage there is still a tendency for blacks and darker colours to be less vibrant and bold. Companies will always give the contrast ration spec on their screens with native contrast being 40000:1. What this means to you and me is that the brightest whites are 40000 times brighter than the darkest blacks. Contrast ratios are highly speculative and many companies have been accused of misrepresenting their products. Contrast ratios of over 20000 are said to be indiscernible to the human eye. Another factor to consider is that there are 2 different types of contrast ratio measured by the manufacturers. The first is referred to as static and is a truer but rarely quoted figure that represents the screens ability to handle the two extremes of light and dark simultaneously. The other is dynamic contrast and refers to the screens maximum ratio between dark and light but acting independently of each other. These are the figures that are most often quoted in retail stores and are highly engrossed and often misrepresent the products features.
Refresh rate
This refers to the speed in which the screen can react to changes in the picture. Plasma screens were designed to accommodate rapid moving objects on screen specifically sport while LCD technology has primarily been involved with static or very slow changing pictures and images. Plasma pixels can react much faster than their LCD counterparts resulting in a smoother picture especially noticeable when watching fast moving action or games. LCD pixels have to go from an active state to inactive and back to active again to refresh the picture they are displaying.
Viewing Conditions
Plasma screens having the own light source give almost perfect viewing from all angles. They also perform much better in dark environments as the pixels create their own light. LCD screens in comparison can lose brightness and contrast when viewed from acute making them hard to watch. This is because LCD pixels are merely a layer which the light passes through. LCD screens perform better in brighter rooms and well lit areas.
Purpose
From reading all of the above it may seem like an easy decision and that I am biased towards Plasma technology and screens. This isn’t true; it is simply that Plasma technology so far has come out on top in most attributes that are important when deciding on a flat screen monitor. Also for my purposes there is a clear cut advantage to a Plasma monitor. Companies like Samsung and Panasonic have advised that LCD screens are the best option up to a 42” screen and Plasma is the way to go for screens 42” and larger. Plasma screens are also renowned for performing better with fast moving picture such as sport or action moves and games but this could also be a bit biased as most people who buy them for these purposes choose large screen models which are more suited for Plasma. I can’t stress how important it is to go and watch the screens in a retail shop for a while. Stand at different distances from them. A useful trick I was taught was to stand right on top of the screen and look down at the picture from above. What you are looking for is how much movement there is in the picture. Some screens are shaking all over the place from this angle and some are very still. The still screens will in the majority of cases have a much better and more stable overall picture.
Power and Heat Emissions
Probably of much lower importance to most people than performance and price, it is worth noting that Plasma and LCD vary greatly in their power consumption and the heat they put out. Plasma screens use much more power and run a lot hotter than LCD monitors and it has only been recently with the release of the newer more environmentally friendly Plasma models (such as Panasonics NeoPlasma range), that the gap has somewhat been closed. If this is a major issue for you i would recommend a high end LCD screen if you are willing to spend the money on it or one of the aforementioned new Plasma models.
Confusing issues
Contrast ratio:
Don’t be conned by 500000+ ratios, actually have a look at the screen and concentrate on the dark and light colours such as white clouds or even black borders in movies. Play with the brightness levels and see how it affects the picture. Most retailers have the same picture playing on all screens for comparative reasons but have played with the settings of each screen.
Full HD Vs HD or HD ready:
Full HD screens have a pixel ratio of 1920 x 1080 whereas HD or HD ready screens are typically 1366 x 768. They will still pick up and transmit a 1080p signal but not in its native resolution. It will be scaled down to the screen capabilities. Think about how much you want to spend and what you will be watching on it. Many PS3 games are 1080p as well as most blu-ray discs. In Australia there is very little if anything that is broadcast in 1080p HD on free to air or pay TV services like Foxtel without paying for it. Watch all of the screens without even looking at there resolutions and don’t choose something that you don’t think looks as good despite its higher ratios.
LED or LCD:
LED screens as seen in most major retailers are simply LCD screens that are backlit with LED lights either along the edges of the screen or across it as opposed to using older CCFL tubes. They are better quality, have less light seeping through and are more economical. LED screens are also much thinner than CCFL based screens can be switched on and off at a higher rate offering higher light intensity. The heat dissipation levels are more efficent making for a more uniform picture. There were also a range of screens called OLED mostly manufactured by Sony, and despite having exceptional picture quality were highly overpriced and from last look has been discontinued from sale.
Cords and connections:
The only way to get the most out of a FullHD screen is to have it connected with cables that can handle that output. HDMI is the standard cable used to connect most screens to various peripherals but there are a few others that can be used should you not have one. Old AV cables and RGB can be used but don’t have a picture quality even close to HDMI cables. HDMI cables can range in price from $20 through to over $200. Having used both I cannot say I can see any difference between the 2 with reliability being the only factor.
Hz-What does this mean? :
Supposedly the HZ advertised on a flat screen monitor represents the number of times the picture is refreshed per second. I say supposedly as like contrast ratio this figure can be somewhat misrepresented by many manufacturers. You can read every review and all you will deduce is that it is purely a subjective and confusing issue. For example, Panasonic offer a 600HZ subfield Plasma screen. This means that each pixel within the screen pulses 10 times for each frame. As the refresh or frame rate is 60 Hz this equates to 600 Hz in total. It is far less of an issue than it was with the old CRT TVs which were based on interlaced technology. Modern day flat screen monitors are all progressive scan where the Hz have far less of an impact on picture quality. Still many say that the higher the Hz the better the picture as it reduces blur from fast moving picture by refreshing the screen at a higher rate. The other thing to note is that each company uses a “secret” algorithm to perform all of this interpolation therefore it is hard to compare results derived from different formulas.
3D- Is it any good
Very subjective, you either like it or you don’t. I prefer watching most forms of media in 2D, I find 3D images and movement to be dissociative from reality and it has been known to cause disorientation in some people. I’m sure most 3D TVs come with warnings and information saying as much. They are quite a bit more expensive than a 2D screen but do offer an exceptionally immersive experience especially when gaming. Both Plasma and LCD manufacturers offer 3D models and I would advise watching them for long periods of time before considering buying it. Oh and yeah you have to wear those cool glasses.
Conclusion
In my opinion the scales top slightly towards Plasma screens. The majority of people are opting for screens that are 42” and larger and as the prices continue to fall this trend should move into even larger screens. At this size Plasma screens have proven to offer a clearer and smoother picture. On top of all that, they are reknowned for having faster refresh rates and much better contrast ratios producing truer blacks rather than dark shades of grey. Saying that, if i was buying a screen for a bedroom or an area that had a lot of natural or artificial lighting that was also going to be used for gaming and i wanted something around 32″ or 40″ then LCD would be the way to go. I’m not going to blab on about each particular model, as if you are not willing to go into various retailers and watch multiple screens this guide probably won’t be of much use to you. Remember you are going to watch it for the next 10 or so years so it pays to do a bit of hands on research into it. In terms of brands to look out for the Samsung and Panasonic ranges seem to have the best customer reviews with LG performing very well, providing similar screens often at much lower price tags. Sony have always had there fanboys and the TV market is no different. Many swear by Sonys bright, slightly exaggerated colours, and to be honest their screens are of exceptional quality but are often those few hundred dollars more. Companies like Fujitsu and Pioneer who were responsible for some of the first commercially available Plasma screens still produce products equal to any other but are usually aimed at the higher end of the market, offering premium services such a standard 5 year warranties and in house services to name a few. So i hope this has helped you and look forward to more reviews on other products.
Satoshi Tajiri, CEO of Game Freak and the creator of the popular Pokemon franchise, put to rest rumours of his apparent death in the Japanese earthquakes this week via his Facebook account. The rumour of his passing away had become a trending topic for a while on Twitter, and then saw it spread to other social networking sites such as Facebook and Tumblr. Satoshi Tajiri confirmed the rumour to be false and that he is alive and well in a Facebook status update stating:
“Dear Hummingbirds, what’s this nonsense about me being dead? Also, I don’t work at Nintendo Japan, I’m the CEO of Game Freak (everybody is fine). More importantly, if you can, help Japan.” –Satoshi Tajiri
He then followed his status update with thislink for Give To Asia, who is accepting online donations to help Japan. This isn’t the first time a rumour has spread of a public figure passing away, in fact Twitter is well known for doing so in recent years; Charlie Sheen, Jim Carrey, Kanye West and Justin Bieber have been among those who have been subjects of a death hoax on Twitter.
So if you’ve followed the rumour, stop being this:
