deanb

Not saying it'll be the main delivery, at least on launch. But the stores will need to be shit loads better. It needs to have day one downloads available for example. Not just cherry picking random titles to add on months down the line for more than the launch price.

I think this generation has still got some blood left in it. But I think that next generation the console model will start to fall apart. If they carry on demanding that games are $60 a pop then they're fucked. They need to get adaptive with their business models and product distribution. Digital downloads, cheap app-like titles, Free2Play titles etc. Their online stores need to be shit loads better. I also think next gen won't be counted so much as the big 3. In the handheld space whether they want it or not Apple and Android are competitors to the 3DS n NGP. Nintendo are living in denial and will be eaten alive in the handheld space next gen. Relying too much on older titles. Sony on the other hand have embraced it. The NGP is hardware compatible with the iPhone and they've got the Playstation Suite on the Androids. On the console side Steam has pretty much become a platform unto itself. Especially if they're roaming about onto consoles too. Onlive and Gaikia (and anything that crops up in future) are a major threat to the current model of having such outdated concepts as "consoles". folks are getting used to netflix n hulu for films n TV. Pandora, Google Music, Spotify etc for music too. Games are only a hop n skip away. As for what I'd like to see: I'm kinda into me motion games. So I'd like to see stuff like that remain. Maybe a higher res PSeye tied with Move. I'm wary to state this as I'd probably have said the same (along with many others) about this time last gen but: Nintendo are fucked. I doubt they will reach 9th gen.

It's one of the default avatars. If anyone can answer who it is I'll love you to bits.

Yeah Nintendo got great console sales and practically came from near death this gen by targeting an untapped market. Thing is it's pretty much turning out that that untapped market was untapped for a reason. They don't buy anything compared to the rest of the guys. Their console figures are amazing. Their finances are dropping like a stone though.

1. Final Fantasy IX 2. Final Fantasy X 3. Dawn of War (Dark Crusade if pushed) 4. Team Fortress 2 5. Oblivion 6. Defense Grid 7. Pokemon Gold 8. Final Fantasy XII 9. Uncharted 2 10. Fallout New Vegas 11. Dragon Age Origins 12. Minecraft 13. The Witcher 14. Tetris 15. Puzzle Quest I guess that'll do. My tastes and choices of top games change all the time. There's not really 15 that I truly love tbh that I could just kick out a full list. Also why'd you specifically want a list from me?

So LA Noire will let you skip cases you carry on fucking up on. On one hand I agree with this since I was nodding along with Dara O'Briens speech. On the other hand, if you're messing up earlier cases surely the later cases will be just as hard?

There's that Children of Eden. But yeah they seem to have dried up for now. Only major thing on the radar for Kinect at the moment is the PC SDK.

Nothing. This is their debut title, it's been in development for quite a while now.

Right I'm going to be looking into adding some more default avatars. At the moment I've added..personable avatars. People n characters. Such as the Owlman I currently have. What I'll be looking into for the next batch is just some game related logos, character snippets etc. I might see about grabbing PSN/XBL avatars too, or getting something similar. Any suggestions? More pixel guys? (I can't do pixel art myself so it'll be a case of hunting things down) Also wondering if anyone else has any they can offer up. Prefrably something gamey/nerdey. Avatars are a max of 150*150 and we can use jpg, gif n PNG. Personally I'm a fan of Gif/PNG. If you have Photoshop then use the "save for web & devices" in the 4up layout n check which format gets best quality:size ratio. Once you've got some just PM them my way in either a zip (if you have a bunch) or on their own and I'll add em up. Also some things might become shop items, which I'll look to expand.

http://uk.pc.ign.com/articles/116/1164053p1.html A kind of round up of the changes between the Skyrim n Oblivion. Though most of it we've already covered in this thread.

Thing is the original concept for how the mod stuff would work was neither good fan service or wise business sense. If you're a fledgling service you don't want to be putting people off developing for your platform by charging for it. Where would Notch be if he had to pay a fee to use Eclipse? Part of the whole point of indie n mod development is that it's free to get started and put out your ideas. I can't wonder what kind of off day they had at Mojang where apparently none of them saw an issue in charging for the mod kit. Yeah charge a licensing fee if the modder wants to make cash off it. But if they're adding functionality to your game for free and their own labour you don't charge them for the privilege. Most of them are doing it for love of the game. If they wanted anything from doing mod/dev work they'd user UDK which actually has potential job prospects from it.

Yeah I second (eighth?) the choice of a quad core in a gaming PC.

http://notch.tumblr....e-plan-for-mods So Notch has laid down how the Modding stuff will work for minecraft. To be frank it's a pretty shitty deal. They're charging developers for the ability to add content and extra value to the game. Then if Mojang decide that they want to implement your mod idea, they "retain the right" to do so. So you pay Mojang however much they decide on, work your ass off and make a mod. Then they just get to stick it right in the game natively as part of your agreement with them. They say they'll "license it" but on twitter Notch pretty much clarified it's a one time lump sum they'll pay. So not really "licensing" it. And if you refuse to their terms, what then? They'll just continue to make minecraft without that feature? (I've actually asked him that, so we'll see if we get a response) Up to now his only justification for charging modders is cos they release the source code. Not really a justification since the whole point of an API/SDK is you don't need to release the source code, and there's many many mods already made without an API or the source code of Minecraft. So don't really see why they need to release the source. Considering there's plenty of engines n games there are generally much higher profile than Minecraft give you a properly made SDK/API for free and in cases like UDK have pretty damn good licensing terms that can net you $50K catch free, I think Notch is maybe giving his game and following a bit too much credit. Also what happens to guys that have made mods already? Will they now be required to cough up a fee? They don't need and haven't needed the source code. edit:

I assume that's the starter pack with Sports Champion? I'd say Yay. Sports Champions is a great starter game. I'm just waiting for it to drop in price or hit a sale here in UK.

Given the rumoured specs put it slightly above par on a console from 2005 I'd struggle to call it a "beast".

http://www.fastcodesign.com/1663683/far-better-than-3-d-animated-gifs-that-savor-a-passing-moment

Because if it fucks up you'll have to crack open a sealed case?

That's TV only isn't it? I watched live on Iplayer (though I guess that would be even easier to track)

Assassins Creed II (My housemate got Brotherhood, so I guess that's as good a reason as any to finish)

Yeah the start of this one was pretty important. Mainly for why Amy screamed out "I'm saving your life"

It's updated on PC to include a new arena.