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The Future Of Browser Based Gaming

Jared Hilliers
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In addition to reducing productivity at work, retro game developer Q42 looks to change the quality of games we play with browsers using HTML5 and their site Sarien.net. Starting as a simple retro chat environment then evolving into a full-scale Ipad game using HTML5 without the need for the App Store, surprisingly this little start up didn’t concern Apple as much as it did Activision.  This was due to the fact that the games being ported into Browser Based experiences were Sierra games, which Activision owns the license to. The Co-Owner of Q42 Martin Kool had been developing this technology since 2003 and was only recently brought into the limelight due to the success of their Sierra Ipad Game, which effectively shows what the Ipad can do without the App Store.

This is when Activision came knocking with a Cease and Desist Letter.

But this was a blessing in disguise, Activision proposed to officially authorize Sarien.net to publish the first game of any series in its multi-player HTML5 form. One of the requirements is that the site links to steam, which is a pretty big deal for a little start up like this. This site will allow games like Space Quest, Police Quest and King’s Quest to be played in your browser at no cost, and eventually other games on the Ipad, which cuts out the middle man (Apple). Coincidentally the Ipad version of Sarien.net released around the same time Apple decided to start collecting subscription fees for App Store distributed services such as national newspapers, as such Q42 looks to provide an alternative that can cut out Apple, effectively deterring subscription fees. Either Apple will work with Q42 or see them as a threat, but it’s an interesting time for Browser based gaming and it’s future.

QuakeCon 2011 Date & Location Announced…

Dustin Spencer
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Are you ready for one of the year’s biggest events in gaming? Well start making plans now, as Bethesda & id Software have now set the date and location for QuakeCon 2011. QuakeCon is once again offering gamers the chance to bring their gaming rigs for America’s biggest Lan party of the year & will also provide a whole lot of entertainment for other guests just there to see the show. Bethesda will of course be on hand to show off their upcoming titles along with some of the biggest software companies showing off their brand new products. Of course it wouldn’t be QuakeCon without the awesome contests, entertainment, announcements, panel discussions, and parties so it is going be be one event not to miss.

QuakeCon will take place in August from the 4th until the 7th, and will be located The Hilton Anatole Hotel in Dallas, Texas. This years event will surely be interesting as Skyrim will surely be shown as well as some new announcements on upcoming Bethesda titles. For more information visit www.quakecon.org.

Crytek discusses Chance of TimeSplitters 4

Dylan Radcliffe
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Crytek discusses Chance of TimeSplitters 4

If you are a fan of TimeSplitters you should probably read this post.

If you are anticipating the release of Crysis 2 then your anticipation is probably going to increase even more with this latest bit of news from Crytek. Crytek CEO Cevat Yerli has responded to a query about the possibility of a new entry in the TimeSplitters franchise by saying, “Yeah, we have been discussing it, but nothing has been confirmed yet, so let’s see after Crysis 2.” The developers of the TimeSplitters series, Free Radical, were purchased by Crytek back in 2009, and now have been busy with developing Crysis 2’s multiplayer. Maybe they will start again on another TimeSplitters sequel once they are finished tweaking the multiplayer component of Crysis 2.

While there isn’t really any confirmation that they will start developing a fourth in the TimeSplitter’s series once free radical has been freed up to do other things within Crytek; it is still a mighty fine incentive to buy Crysis 2. Don’t get me wrong, Crysis 2 is looking like a mighty fine game; however, even the slightest possibility of a TimeSplitters sequel will get me to buy that game ten times faster.

TimeSplitters fans unite!!

Late night gaming sessions hurting your eyes?

Justin Mienkiewicz
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I recently stumbled across this nifty little program that aims to help alleviate sore eyes from staring at a bright screen into the wee hours of the night and/or morning.  The program, called F.lux, is very minimalist.  There aren’t tons of options or settings you need to toggle, simply input your zip code/longitude+latitude (google will tell you) and what kind of lights you have on at certain times of the day and voila, you’re done fiddling with the program.  From there it will automatically dim and brighten your computer screen based on how you dictate.  At first it might seem like a noticeable change but after a while you won’t even notice it.  Pretty nifty as I know my eyes sometimes get sore late at night due to my laptop screen.

Try it out, takes a second to install and it might actually help you.

Angry Birds & Rio Team Up For New Game!

Matthew Vella
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Angry Birds: The creation of developer Rovio, most likely he most popular video game ever in the history of smart phones.

Rio: A blockbuster CGI animated summer film coming to cinemas April 15 from the creators of the popular Ice Age franchise.

Angry Birds Rio: A unique collaboration of the two, an Angry Birds where the birds must save Rio’s  protagonist’s Blu and Jewel.

Mikael Hed, CEO at Rovio Mobile spoke a few words of the game:

“Angry Birds Rio is a match made in heaven for a mobile application and a major motion picture, and this collaboration with Fox is definitely one the most exciting partnerships we have entered into with the Angry Birds brand to date.In addition to expanding the horizons of two fantastic entertainment brands and creating a great new gaming experience, we have also taken the concept of combining a mobile application and motion picture promotion to an entirely new level.”

President of new media and digital distribution for Twentieth Century Fox, Peter Levinsohn also said that:

“In partnering with Rovio, we are combining the world’s hottest application developer with one of the motion picture industry’s premier creative forces to introduce the millions of fans of Angry Birds to the exciting world of Rio,” said Mr. Levinsohn.  “Our relationship with Rovio is another great example of Fox Digital Entertainment’s continuing work to extend our content to a variety of digital platforms.”

Angry Birds Rio will be available for download on smart phones and tablets worldwide in March with 45 levels and plans to regularly add new levels via app updates. If your not excited yet, you will be after watching the awesome story trailer below! No seriously, watch it! This birds are angry as hell!

Ar Tonelico Qoga: Knell of Ar Ciel available for pre-order now!

Travis Bruno
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1

NIS America’s Ar Tonelico Qoga: Knell of Ar Ciel may not be coming out until March for the US and UK but that doesn’t mean you can’t put your money down right now and ensure yourself a copy. Knell of Ar Ciel will cost $59.99 for the basic edition, or should I say premium edition considering however you buy the game you will be able to get not only the game itself but an official art book and a CD featuring all of the original songs within the game itself.

Now that isn’t all, those who really want to get as much Knell of Ar Ciel merchandise as possible have the option to also pre-order the calendar edition on NIS America’s Online Store. This edition may cost $69.99 instead of the standard $59.99 but it will include a 12 month calender for the year of 2011 that features the characters of Knell of Ar Ciel within its pages.

Fans of RPGs may know that the Ar Tonelico series has only been released on the PlayStation 2 over the past years and has made itself quite the following among RPG players. Knell of Ar Ciel is the first game of the Ar Tonelico series that will use 3D fighting and is also the first time that the game has made the jump to a current generation console. Catch it some point in March only on the PS3, but in the mean time take a look at the plethora of screenshots below.

[nggallery id=180]

Dead Space 2 hardcore difficulty reward is a foam finger

Travis Bruno
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Now what better way to reward your players for finishing Dead Space 2 on hardcore difficulty than giving them a foam finger that says they’re #1. How about if you make that foam finger actually a hand cannon. You got that right, if you are able to beat Dead Space 2 on hardcore mode, which places the game on the hardest difficulty and only allows the player 3 saves throughout the entire game, then you will unlock this beauty.

Better yet when you actually “fire” the finger Isaac literally says bang bang or pew pew. Nothing actually shoots out of the finger but it does cause quite a lot of devastation. This means that other than giving players a nifty achievement/trophy, they can kill with their fingers…. literally.

Call of Duty: Black Ops “First Strike” maps get detailed video

Travis Bruno
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2

So there is only a few short days when the First Strike map pack hits the XBLM. On Tuesday four new maps will be introduced into the plethora of multiplayer maps already, including one zombie map, if you are willing to pony up 1200 Microsoft Points to get the content. We’ve only seen a few choice bits of each map in a teaser clip so far, but that has changed in the latest video from Inside Xbox.

This video takes and gives fans a full look at each of the four multiplayer maps that will be in the download pack. There are a number of features for each map that set it apart from the maps already, such as ziplines, no mans land, and even breakaway pathways. It’s going to be interesting to see how many people will fall to their deaths when they try these maps for the first time. Also the use of C4 is definitely going to increase. Imagine…. C4 planted on a breakaway snow bridge and an unaware enemy running right over it…. beautiful.

PS3 Firmware update blocks cheaters on CoD

J. Bradshaw
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Sony+Activision+Microsoft fight back against the life sucking zombies/hackers

In conjunction with the new map pack for Call of Duty Black Ops, Sony and Activision have apparently been secret cohorts in the war of attrition against digital piracy.  Cheaters and hackers who downloaded the 3.56 firmware update on the Playstation 3 found themselves up a creek when they were banned from Black Op’s online features.  Of course, many of these playa’s are protesting on the forums.  Really, though, who is to believe?

In an interesting twist, it was found that the most recent update on the Xbox 360 also implemented anti-pirate and anti-modding measures for copies of Black Ops and MW2.

So if Sony, Microsoft and Activision have these kind of cooperative strikes, what else is coming?! Conspiracy theories… commence!

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