sony « WordPress.com Tag Feed

Review: FIFA 09 (PS3)

Anthony Barlow — Tue, 07 Oct 2008 12:51:20 +0000

[By Anthony]

As many of our readers will know I have been a champion of the PS3 releases of EA's footy sim for some time, and these whole hearted recomendations have been met with some hostility. On occasion I have been refered to as a 'FIFA fanboy' by some of our commenters, which is why I was reluctant to review the game at first. I would first like to dispel any talk of fanboyism and bias and want to let the readers know that nothing of the sort is ever published here on XeNonX and, although I love the FIFA franchise, this, like all of my reviews, are taken seriously and are not in any way compromised by my fondness for a franchise and/or developer.

Thankyou, Anthony. Hit the jump for the review.

Konami's Pro Evolution Soccer series has been 'the king of football (soccer) simulation' in years past. Last year EA Sports raised their game and brought out two amazing titles that, the once great, Pro Evo could not contend with. 2007/2008 was still regarded as a victory for Pro Evo, despite it having a number of issues on the PS3, leaving many no option but to give FIFA a chance. EA have come back stronger than ever this year, ready to silence their critics and reclaim their crown as the best football game on the market.

With 250 new additions to the game FIFA is undoubtedly the most realistic football game out there. The guys at EA Sports are always making changes to their game and aim to make it the biggest and best, something which Konami have failed to do in recent years. Many of the additions will be minor and are things that the masses will not take notice of, but for the hardcore they make a whole lot of difference.

The biggest improvement this year has to be the A.I, both your teammates and opponents have been improved to make the overall feel of the game so much better. Your teammates will now make intelligent runs into space, allowing you to play that killer pass and pick your opponent's defebce apart. Don't think you'll have it easy though, the opposition is on their A-game too, with the new jostling system making attacking that much harder and skipping past defenders with ease almost a thing of the past.

This new system has also been implemented into heading. Players can now jostle for the ball as it comes over the top and often smaller players will give their opponent a little shove in the back, helping them gain the advantage rather than trying to challenge for impossible headers in the air. The heading itself has been improved, many of the movements and animations are context based allowing you to dip low and nod it in at the back post if need be. Heading has been a shortfall of the FIFA franchise for some time and it's nice to see EA addressing the concerns of the community.

Context is also an influence on shot selection in FIFA 09. Turning the assists off, like all players should if they want the full experience, will allow you to pull off some amazing volleys with players ajusting to meet the ball before controlling it and slotting it into the bottom corner or take a swing at it and hope they pull it off. This dosen't always work in your favour, players will sometimes mistime shots and end up kicking nothing but air, this all depends on your players stats and the timing of your shot and is a major addition to the realism of the game, especially when the defender miskicks to allow you to latch onto the ball and score the winner, always a nice feeling.

I have found that passing has pretty much remained the same, it's definitely harder to pull off that killer ball with the manual settings on, but once you've perfected it nothing can stop your team commanding the midfield.

As per usual, graphically the game is stunning. EA have ramped up the realism on the graphical side again, the generic face models are still there, but unlike in previous years they still look like real players rather than the poorly sculpted models that have previously adorned many a FIFA game. The one pet peeve I have is that many of the menus have been the same for the past few games, a new look would've been nice but it's no biggie really.

The game modes are pretty vast this year too. Along with the ever engrossing 'Manager Mode' EA have added the 'Be A Pro: Seasons' mode that was featured in UEFA Euro 2008. This mode allows players to play as one player for four seasons and make them an international superstar. This mode is really cool and is a great expansion on the already amazing BAP mode. As per usual there's the minor modes available too like Tournament mode and the FIFA Lounge.

The online game modes have been expanded on this year too. The already great base established in FIFA 08 returns alongside a really cool new option for players to create their own online team. This mode, which uses the improved 10 vs. 10 'Be A Pro' online mode, is called 'Be A Pro: Online Team Play' and allows players to set up their own club and scout real players from around the world to join their team. I can see this really being a big hit and something EA will focus on in the future.

Overall FIFA 09 is amazing. Go with Pro Evo if you want, but be warned FIFA is not just EA's cash cow anymore it's a real competitor. Imagine it, if you will, as the video game equivalent of Wayne Rooney. Storming through the opponents defence and going on to score the winner.

Popkomm is almost upon us

johnblakemusic — Tue, 07 Oct 2008 12:39:06 +0000

So Popkomm is almost upon us, I will try to balance my interest in getting some good contacts for my material esp in terms of publishing and management with the interst i have in digital development on the industry side.

This will be pretty hard, alredy I am completely immersed in trying to know everything about everything that is going on at the moment and that is proving quite hard, not that i believed the contrary...

These three days of meetings, deals and gigs will hopefully on my part signal a music industry that is distancing itself from the defensive tactics that it has upheld so far, prosecuting the end used, attempting deals with ISPs and other not so nice strategies that alienated it from the consumers. Sure, there will still be attempts at this but the main focus now has to be on how to sell and how to provide the added value that DVDs and game seem to pull off pretty well but music is struggling to realize.

The new mobile deals - and this is probably a comment subject to a great deal of criticism - are not going to work out anywhere near as well as the music industry hopes. I think that the only platform where a subsription service like comes with music would work would be Itunes.

1) It is already a well known piece of software by - well - everyone

2) It does not FEEL restricted although it'd DRM'd to death - because of the integrration with the hardware

3) Apple would never allow there to be so many clauses and restrictions in a deal of this kind - if it's not straighforward it does not happen

I think that the end user, having to use a special software, DRM'd tracks that are bound to behave erratically as all DRM has done up to now, having to stick to a usage policy that seems to vary from article to article and be very complicated (how many tracks can I download? do i have to pay? when? why? what happens when my subscription ends?) these are all legitimate questions that are not answered clearly in the articles I've read.

Again, i think Sony's choice to give 200 of the most played tracks to the user at the end of the contract for free is a very good one and would make you feel less ripped off for having a phone that comes with music but a music that does not come with you after the phone's life span has expired (and we know that is not very long at all generally).

Not to stick solely to digital music I want to see how the distributors and the labels have taken on the experiments made by Nine Inch Nails and Radiohead in terms of self-pricing of music and putting the focus on premium content.

Added value product are at the forefront of Universal's Line up for the winter, will it prove a lasting success?

Breaking the Post Virginity

expressionist25 — Tue, 07 Oct 2008 12:01:56 +0000

Broken. ;D

It is 2:47am, my mom came back from her 7 day european cruise not too long ago and she bought me a laptop. It's a sony vaio! I'm semi-happy, as a frugal shopper I'd found that she overpaid 30 bucks for the the laptop that I am using right now. I am one of those people who never likes paying for retail price. So that explains my semi-disappointment. And also this laptop lacks a webcam and HDMI support. Oh well. The only reason I would need a HDMI port is to play games on my Xbox 360 or my Playstation 3 in my room. Since I hate the living room
See: Yucky Floors
See: Disgusting decor
The webcam thing is a joke as I would break the Operating System with my hideous face. The computer would overheat and explode when it tries to render my face. That was also a joke. I like to joke around.

Peace

Sony CD Players through the years:A.A.'s Collection, 2000-2006 CD players

babyas — Tue, 07 Oct 2008 11:41:19 +0000

In this review:

Sony D-EJ626CK
Sony D-EJ761
Sony D-F20
Sony D-EJ011

Notes:
I listened to each player with MDR-E805 earphones.

D-EJ626CK

The Sony D-EJ626CK is a Sony PCDP that was released in 2000 and is part of the EJ620 series which replaced the earlier entry-level EJ610 series.

Mine came in a very nice silver and grey color-silver on top, grey on the bottom.

Most controls are on the top:arranged in a half-circle style, along with a very nice blue backlit display that's missing from my other models.

Opening the player to insert a CD is via a spring-loaded slide switch

The stop button is dual-function:stop and battery charging, while volume buttons are not a rotary dial, but rather two buttons for volume - and volume +, which is also seen on the later D-EJ011.

A proper Line-out is included as is a remote jack.

The CK in the model means it would have come with a kit for in-car use.

No MEGA BASS is available on the player-only a basic two stage bass-boost but has a "volume graph" display style.

G-PROTECTION is on this the model-and its switch is near where a CD is placed.

I'm guessing this model was released after the Discman name was retired,there are still CD Walkman models with a version of ESP in 2000-by 2002 all CD Walkman players would use the G-PROTECTION system.

AVLS is present as well-it's located out of the way, in the battery compartment which I like-no accidential turning it on/off.

You can use rechargeable or akaline AA batteries with this player-use the stop button to charge rechargeable type batteries when you connect a 4.5v AC adaptor.

I like to use Sony's own AC-E455 adaptor which has been around for many year, dating back to at least 1992 or 1993 and supplied with various CD Walkman/Discman models.

Sound-extremely subtle bass enhancement with the bass boost and I played some Enya music on it and the sound reproduced was very nice.

The bass boost is not as strong on this model unlike models with MEGA BASS.

One feature that would later be common on 2002-2006 CD Walkman players is CD-R/CD-RW playback makes a appearance on D-EJ626: despite being a 2000 can play CD-R/CD-RW discs but playback of these is not as refined as later models would be.

Line-out

I used a set of 1994 Sony SRS-A20 which feature a built-in amplifier to test the line-out on the EJ626.

No distortion was audible and the player sounds fanastically loud-a bit room-filling, even more so with the bass enhancer on.

Remotes:
Just like on the EJ761, the RM-MC33EL will work-buttons do function, but the remote display doesn't.

Mine did not come with the original remote, so I use a RM-MC33EL instead.

Other:
The D-EJ620 series and D-F20 use the same optical pickup unit:the CDM-3123EBA.
Photo:

D-F20:2001
For a 2001 model, I take a look at the D-F20.

It's a AM/FM capable CD Walkman, with 5 bands available-can be either AM or FM.

The design is bit larger due to the AM antenna and not as round as the other Sony players.

There is no line-out on this model, but I suspect, as with the D-EJ011, the headphone can be used as a psuedo line-out.

Again like the D-EJ626, a 2 stage bass boost is available with the same "volume graph" display type.

Presetting FM/AM stations is simple using the BAND/Memory button, the reception in my area is flawless:it's a US model but found and purchased in Australia.

Opening the player to insert a CD is via a button instead of a spring loaded slide switch.

MDR-24 headphones are supplied and have nice and balanced sound.

2001 was the last year that ESP was used and featured in a wide variety of "D-" series players-in my case, it's ESPMAX.

Sony introduced ESP starting from the early 1990's models and continued until 2001 when it made ESP the best it could-the F20 is virtually skip-free

But as with the 2000 D-EJ626, many '01 models used the G-PROTECTION name instead of ESP.

Both switches for AVLS and ESPMAX are in where a CD is placed.

Sound quality -nice mids and highs with the bass boost enabled, I played some rock and pop:it sounds quite lovely and the bass is nicely enhanced-not too loud, just the right level.

B]Remotes:[/b]
You cannot use a remote with this model-there's no combo 4 pin connector/minijack.

Line-out

No line-out jack is available on this model-use the headphone jack instead.

Photo

Sony D-EJ761

In late 2001-2002 Sony designed and released some very thin models (eg. D-EJ2000/D-EJ1000), and there were some models that could play MP3 discs.

CD Walkman models around this time are of a full-circle design and became progressivly thinner and lighter-some barely bigger than a 12cm compact disc.

In mid-2002, the ESP name disappeared after about 11 years-finally G-PROTECTION became the new name and it has been used ever since.

On the other hand, there some CD Walkman models that used the ESP name for anti-shock protection in early 2002.

Sony came out with CD/RW and MP3 compatible models around this time.

Also a bookmark feature appeared on CD Walkmans in this year.

Sony standardized on the optical pickup units starting this year-with most 2002 units using the DAX-25E pickup.

The EJ761 is the one I chose to include in this round-up:
The Sony D-EJ761 is a impressive and well featured CD Walkman from 2002

The design:

My EJ761 is finished in a attractive blue color, the EJ761 has line- out, headphone jack with remote jack,with minimal amount of buttons-playback is via a jog dial instead of next/ previous buttons and a small display at the top.

Just flick the jog dial back and forwards to select tracks, long flick to fast forward/go backwards.

This makes finding a track to play very easy and is very user-friendly.

Opening the player to insert a CD is via a spring-loaded slide switch.
Sound:

I listened to Billy Joel’s “Storm Front” and it sounded beautiful-must be good DACs used, when used with Sony earphones the sound was very good

Digital MEGA BASS is present on this player:it is 2 stage, volume bar display type again.

Functionality:

Has dedicated line out, different play modes and built-in battery charge via a AC adaptor and plays CD- RW’s-such as ones burned in iTunes as audio discs.

B]Remotes:[/b]
The RM-MC33EL will work-buttons do function, but the remote display doesn't.

Mine did not come with the original remote, so I use a RM-MC33EL instead.

Line-out

I used a set of 1994 Sony SRS-A20 which feature a built-in amplifier to test the line-out on the EJ761.

A little distortion was audible with MEGA BASS on and the player sounds very loud-the best line-out quality of the players I'm reviewing here.

Photo:

D-EJ011:2006
There have been a lot of CD Walkman and before that the Sony Discman models released from 1984 until late 2006 but today there are no newer models.

The D-EJ011 is such a example-being notable for being a part of the last new series of basic PCDP’s by Sony.

A step up from the EJ011 is the EJ017/021CK series which include a remote and car kit.

The NE240/NF340 added MP3 playback and its display is on the top.

All of these are examples of the final and best generation of Sony CD Walkman.

Being the most basic model, it is sold for under $50.

The design and controls
It has a full circle design-a bit bigger than a CD, and a two tone color scheme: silver top, black bottom.

A silver ring in the center of the top is used for a decorative purpose and makes this player quite stylish.

Opening the player to insert a CD is via a spring-loaded slide switch

Controls are along the bottom, with sound/P MODE,VOL -/+,open,a 1 line display, stop/pause ,next/previous.

Unlike the intuitive and smooth operating jog lever on players like the EJ761, Sony went for a separate set of next and previous buttons.

Although there is plenty of room on both curved sides, Sony chose to smartly position the hold switch on the bottom.

Some buttons have double functions-eg.
P MODE toggles between different play modes:repeat, shuffle, repeat one
Sound has 2 settings: SND1/SND2 and AVLS

There is also the bookmark feature as seen on 2002-2006 models.

Unfortunately, there is no backlit display (other models feature this-eg. D-EJ626.

Sound Features

Sony’s Digital MEGA BASS is present with 2 stages-SND1 and SND2.

Unlike older Discmans, there’s no volume graph type display-only “SND1/SND2″ to indicate the MEGA BASS level.

AVLS is present and is turned on by a long press of the P Mode button.

Mechanism
The D-EJ011 uses the DAX-25E optical pickup which is very responsive.

The spindle design is of special mention:it features a series of steel balls with springs to firmly hold the disc in place.

Being the last of its kind-no newer CD Walkmans were released after the FJ030/040/EJ011/NE240, the EJ011 has nice sound-listening to Michael Jackson with MEGA BASS sounded very good with a nice wide sound stage.

Much better sound quality than the first Sony PCDCP we had-a 1997 D-E303.

Remotes:
There is only a standard 3.5mm jack on this player-so using a Walkman remote is not a possibility.

Line-out
No line-out jack is available on this model-use the headphone jack instead.

Photo:

Updates:
5/10/2008:added "remote" and "line-out" part to each player section, added info or corrected various parts of the review.
7/10/2008:in most sections, I added photos of each unit and also added more information about certain features.

Foro Mi Playstation, 1 año de vida

vincento — Tue, 07 Oct 2008 10:20:29 +0000

Hoy hace un año que nació el foro Mi Playstation, bajo los servidores de ForoActivo. Hoy en día, posee su propio dominio y su propio servidor, que, gracias a los administradores, moderadores, socios fundadores y miembros activos, se consigió avanzar un peldaño más.

Como miembro fundador y moderador del foro, recordar este acontecimiento es lo más generoso que me ha pasado. Teniendo una PS3, pero lejos de conectarle un cable de red, jamás hubiera imaginado compartir tantas batallas online, momentos de alegría y regocijo en el foro, encontrando artículos inimaginables que han creado los propios miembros. Y a esa alegría y satisfacción, nació el clan Paraguay Resistance, primer clan paraguayo, con merchandising incluído. Aunque el foro soporta múltiples clanes, PyR es una sensación única, de eso no hay dudas. Hoy estamos creciendo y madurando a la vez, haciendo de un foro más robusto y serio.

Espero poder seguir varios años más a ese equipo estupendo y ameno, y aportando las mejores noticias del mundo PS, y de los mejores videojuegos.

LittleBigPlanet Beta, calculadora de 8 bits

vincento — Tue, 07 Oct 2008 10:01:35 +0000

La calculadora presentada a continuación, posee 610 interruptores magnéticos, 500 cables y 430 pistones... Así de sencillo O.O

Sony C905 Madness! Get the hottest offers all in one place.

fcukbeingsoba — Tue, 07 Oct 2008 09:44:26 +0000

I’m guessing a lot of you know about the Sony Ericsson C905 and how amazing it is. For those of you who don’t know, it’s the new Cybershot phone from Sony Ericsson and it has a great range of features including an 8.1 mega pixel camera and some features which cause it to rival that of stand alone digital cameras. You really don’t want to miss out on this phone if you like your camera phones – and even if you don’t it has some amazing features as a mobile phone as well. The C905 is a great phone and just proves to us why Sony Ericsson is a market leader in the mobile phone world. They have the best phones and probably always will!

Finding the latest offers can be tough because there are so many mobile phone companies out there who are competitive and are trying to offer the best and latest deals. Well luckily for you there is a new company called Best Mobile Contracts who are able to show and compare all the latest Sony Ericsson C905 contract phones with you. This means you can get all the latest information and the hottest deals all in one place. It can take forever to search through all the latest deals from leading UK retailers because there are so many different sites you’d have to go to. Where as Best Mobile Contracts have all of them available in one convenient place.

The Sony Ericsson C905 contract phone is one of the hottest phones available right now. What would you do if you knew you could get your hands on this spectacular device? All the latest offers are pretty good and you can probably get one for cheaper than you think. Why not take a look – you never know – you could be walking away with your brand new C905 contract any minute now. The latest and best offers are all available to look at over at Best Mobile Contracts and I can assure you, you won’t be disappointed.

Sony Ericsson C905 – The Latest Deals

fcukbeingsoba — Tue, 07 Oct 2008 09:42:54 +0000

The Sony Ericsson C905 is one of the latest Cybershot phones from Sony and is a very popular handset which is set to break records in sales. Getting your hands on the Sony Ericsson C905 is a dream for many people so it’s always good to hear that there are websites with the most up to date and latest mobile phone offers. The high quality make of the C905 makes it a market leader as well as being a state of the art device. Sony has always been a market leader but with new phones like the C905 it’s not hard to see why they are at the top of their field.

Many people want phones like the C905 contract because it shows sophistication and technology and because it can do so much. The C905 isn’t just a camera phone; it has a variety of other capabilities making it super cool. Getting a C905 contract would be great for anyone and using the phone will probably make you the envy of your friends. Finding the latest deals on the C905 is something that many people want to do because the C905 is such a great phone that it often comes with a high price tag. But what if you could find out all the latest deals from leading UK retailers? Wouldn’t you want to buy your Sony Ericsson C905 contract from somewhere that has the best deals and the cheapest offers available?

Best Mobile Contracts can help you there. With all the latest deals and offers available, Best Mobile Contracts doesn’t fulfill any contracts but they show you what is available from Sony Ericsson and the Sony Ericsson C905 contract is one of their phones so you can have a look at the best offers and deals from leading UK retailers for this phone. It’s probably the best way to find out all the best deals online.

Best Sony Ericsson C905 Offers on the Web

fcukbeingsoba — Tue, 07 Oct 2008 09:42:03 +0000

Finding the best Sony Ericsson C905 deals on the web can be a long and drawn out process. There are a large range of Sony Ericsson suppliers so finding the best deal may take a little longer than you thought. However, Best Mobile Contracts is a website where you can compare all the prices and offers from leading UK retailers. If you are in desperate need of a new phone or even if you just really want the latest Sony Ericsson, you’ll be able to compare prices and get yourself the best mobile phone deals such as the Sony Ericsson C905 contract.

Getting a C905 on contract could be the perfect option for you, doing research and finding out what phone would suit you best is probably what you should do first. The good thing is that there are services available where you can compare prices and deals from leading UK retailers so you don’t have to go around searching all the different sites. You just type in what you want and you’ll be shown all the latest deals and offers. If you want a C905 contract then you’ve come to the right place because you could get your very own C905 mobile phone right here, right now.

Sony Ericsson phones are very popular and you will quite easily be able to find one you like because there are so many to choose from. Business, personal or both, it doesn’t matter – Sony Ericsson mobile phones are available in a wide variety of formats. Everyone’s heard of the walkman phone – the Cybershot phone is the camera phone brought to you by Sony Ericsson and the C905 is a very popular and attractive phone which would look good in anyone’s hand. If you want the Sony Ericsson C905 contract then why not get it today?

Een kleurrijk pareltje van een gouwe ouwe TV-spot...

laurensvdw — Tue, 07 Oct 2008 09:41:22 +0000

In tijden van lagedrukgebieden op de financiële wereldkaart, zien we het als onze plicht te trachten U heel even een glimlachje op het gezicht te toveren. Tijd dus voor iets luchtigs! Uit vorige blogberichten leerde U al hoe emotioneel we met onze job begaan zijn. Genieten van een dier- en mensvriendelijke fijne reclamecampagne kan evenveel deugd doen als een pint gaan pakken met een goede vriend die je al lange tijd niet meer sprak. En om te bewijzen dat voor ons een TV-spot ook prachtig kan zijn zonder dat er paarden in verschijnen ;-) , haal ik er nog eens ééntje uit de oude doos...

Ja toegegeven, er komen toch nog steeds 'dieren' in voor. Maar het is tenminste een TV-spot die me tussen de film door niet meteen aan m'n ijskast of m'n toilet deed denken. Een mooi werkje. Een 'goed gevoel' reclame. En iets waar je een goed gevoel aan overhoudt, al is het maar dat klassiek Rollende Stenen deuntje, houdt het merk op zich ook een 'goed gevoel aan over. En is dat nou net niet het moeilijkste?
Ze worden zeldzaam... Aangename TV-spots... Daarom deze gouwe ouwe nog eens...

Get the best Sony Ericsson C905 deals

fcukbeingsoba — Tue, 07 Oct 2008 09:41:21 +0000

There are a variety of mobile phones available throughout the UK but finding the right one for your needs can be a tough choice. There is so much to choose from that you can find yourself getting confused. The Sony Ericsson C905 is a great mobile phone and is super stylish so your friends will be envious. Sony offer a variety of mobile phones and the C905 is just one of a large range of stylish and sophisticated mobile phones. Sony has a large range of mobile phones in various styles and for various uses. Whether you want a business phone or a personal phone you’re sure to find something you like when you browse through Sony products.

Getting a C905 contract can be an exciting time for anyone. The C905 is a very popular phone at the moment so getting your hands on one will be an exciting experience. The C905 is a very popular phone for a reason. It is a modern and high tech mobile phone handset and can do a lot more than just make phone calls and send texts. If you manage to get your hands on a C905, I can guarantee you’ll be the envy of your friends.

A C905 is a beautiful phone to own and getting one on contract will be even better. The beauty of contract phones is that you can use it wherever you are and you won’t have to worry about topping it up in order to use it. A Sony Ericsson C905 contract could be just what you have been looking for. Why not have a look at what you can find and even purchase your new mobile phone today! You’re friends will be so jealous of you with this beautiful Sony Ericsson C905 mobile phone handset! What are you waiting for?

La PS4 en 2010

buzzermoi — Tue, 07 Oct 2008 09:40:07 +0000

Apparemment la PS4 devrait sortir en 2010. Mais malheureusement les fans de Sony risquent d'être déçus par cette nouvelle console qui, semble-t-il, sera paré du même processeur Cell que la PS3.

Apparement Sony voudrait davantage se concentrait sur des améliorations techniques plus mesurées mais surtout faire des économies.

On attendra 2010 pour en être sûr.

your heart is an empty chamber

guadaa — Tue, 07 Oct 2008 09:09:12 +0000

It is exam week. I feel that my brain is filled with so many political views, but not even close to 1% of a politician. My grammar is off, and I feel betrayed. Lately, I have been thinking over what I want to pursue in college and I have come up with many. Marketing is on the top, and probably a minor would be photography. Speaking of photography, I've been browsing for film cameras, and so far I have bought two. I got the Diana F+ awhile ago, but the flash didn't work, so I exchanged it for a new one. I also got a Minolta x-370 used from ebay. I really just want to experiment with what I have, then I'll get an SLR. I need to sell my sony for $320, so if anyone is interested, just message.

No one does it like you
I tried so hard
But no one does it like you
But I tried so hard

You evil vermon.

Tests de jeux téléchargeables chez Gamekult

onclsam — Tue, 07 Oct 2008 08:59:50 +0000

L'attente fut importante et la récompense est conséquente! C'est une belle surprise que nous offre en ce début de mois d'octobre l'excellent Gamekult. Puisque ce sont en effet près d'une trentaine de titres téléchargeables qui ont été testés et notés!
La sélection des différents services de chaque constructeur :
- le PlayStation Network de Sony,
- les WiiWare de Nintendo,
- le Xbox Live Arcade de Microsoft.
Au final les titres majeurs que l'on retient sont très certainement WipEout HD, Braid ainsi que LostWinds (le seul que je possède à cette heure :-p). Mention spéciale également à la très bonne remise à jour Bionic Commando Rearmed dispo sur PS3 et Xbox 360.

WipEout HD - PlayStation Network

Far Cry 2 Trophies Revealed

gamesonsmash — Tue, 07 Oct 2008 07:11:08 +0000

Bronze Trophies:

Stickin it to the man — Kill a Faction Captain in Leboa-Sako - the Northern Territory
Wages of Conflict — Aquire all conflict diamonds in the game available through payment or exploration
Making friends — Save a Buddy from captivity
The best laid plans — Work with a Buddy to subvert a mission offered by a faction
Wanderer — Find all the Safe Houses in Leboa-Sako - the Northern Territory
Orienteer — Find all the Safe Houses in Bowa-Seko - the Southern Territory
Investigative Reporter — Turn over the first set of the Jackal’s audio logs to the Journalist
Messenger — Complete all the available Underground side-quests in both the North and the South
Supply… — Unlock new weapons by hitting a Convoy
On the run — Escape the Town
Down but not out — Escape to Bowa-Seko - the Southern Territory
Weapon Specialist — Purchase the manuals and acquire the bandolier for one weapon
Bagman — Deliver stamped travel documents to the Underground in exchange for medicine
Lineman — Complete a Mission intercepted from a cellular tower signal
Dawa ya moto ni moto — Break the ceasefire and reignite the conflict
Lent a hand — Complete a Buddy side quest
Out of the frying pan… — Get rescued by a Buddy
Dr Livingston, I presume — Enter every 1 square kilometer map region of the world
Pulitzer material — Turn over all of the Jackal’s audio logs to the Journalist
Weapons Expert — Purchase the manuals and acquire the bandoliers for every weapon
Playing both sides… — Switch sides in Leboa-Sako - the Northern Territory
…against the middle — Switch sides in Bowa-Seko - the Southern Territory
…and demand — Unlock all weapons by hitting every Convoy
Prison escape — Escape torture at the old slave outpost
Last man standing — Wipe out the senior leadership of both Factions and determine who will be the new Warlords
…into the fire — Save a Buddy from a mortal wound
The third faction — Rescue all the Buddies from their respective predicaments
Ruthless — Subvert all the main faction missions in Leboa-Sako - the Northern Territory
Cold Blooded — Subvert all the main faction missions in Bowa-Seko - the Southern Territory
First Response Team — Get highest revives count in a ranked match
Hired Gun — Reach Rank 5 (Ranked Match)
Superior Captain — Win a round as the Captain in Uprising mode (Ranked Match)
Best in Class — Get highest xp total in one match (Ranked Match)
War Party — Win a match with 16 players (Ranked Match)
Upgraded Player — Upgrade one class 5 times (Ranked Match)
Safari Tour — Play at least one full round in every Official Map (Ranked Match)
Battle Hardened — Play at least one full round in every Game Mode (Ranked Match)
Mapper — Create a map and get it validated in all game modes

Silver Trophies:

Utility Man — Complete all Missions intercepted from cellular tower signals
Good night sweet prince — Comfort a Buddy and ease his passing
Professional — Reach Rank 10 (Ranked Match)
Mercenary — Reach Rank 20 (Ranked Match)
Field Hospital — Get 500 revives (Ranked Match)
Warlord — Achieve Rank 30 (Ranked Match)
Adventurer — Download and rate 25 usermaps

Gold Trophies:

Heart of Darkness — Enter the Heart of Darkness
The horror… the horror… — Resolve your conflict with the Jackal to facilitate the exodus
Soldier of Misfortune — Unlock field manuals for all weapons (Ranked match)

Platinum Trophy:

Iron-guts Earn the highest honors

New Amazing Killzone 2 Beta Screenshots

gamesonsmash — Tue, 07 Oct 2008 06:19:44 +0000

Here are some of the most impressive screenshots I have seen in a very long time.

Have fun!

Konami Announces New Expansion to Metal Gear Online

gamesonsmash — Tue, 07 Oct 2008 06:05:45 +0000

Earlier today, Konami announced that the latest expansion to Metal Gear Online, the MEME Expansion, would be released soon through the Metal Gear Online shop. While only a few details were included in their press release, it was noted that three new maps will be included in the title. The first is called Silo Sunset, and is a remake of the MGS: Portable Ops stage for Metal Gear Online. The second is called Forest Firefight, and is a dense jungle stage pulled from MGS3 that focuses on camouflage. Finally, Winter Warehouse is a brand new stage created for Metal Gear Online that is set in a decaying factory.

Two new special characters, Liquid Ocelot and Mei Ling, will also be playable characters, although the conditions required to play as these two characters wasn't immediately stated. New rules and settings will be included, as well as new accessories for avatars in the game. While the press release stated that new skills and a tournament lobby would be included as well, nothing related to these two features was immediately detailed by the company.

Brightcove in Deals with 10 Downing Street, Five, QVC UK, OMS

itvtwp — Tue, 07 Oct 2008 05:33:26 +0000

--Appoints New General Manager for its Japanese Subsidiary

Broadband video publishing solutions provider, Brightcove, has announced a number of new deals over the past few weeks, including three in the UK (a market which it has been targeting over the past few months and where its existing customers include BSkyB, Channel 4, Emap, Guardian News & Media, Hachette Filipacchi, IPC Media, ITV, Sony BMG, Telegraph Media Group and UKTV):

The company says that the UK Prime Minister's Office (colloquially known as "10 Downing Street") has selected its platform to make more video available through the official government Web site, Number10.gov.uk. As part of this initiative, 10 Downing Street has launched a new broadband video channel, Number10TV (www.number10.gov.uk/number-10-tv), which features exclusive video of the UK prime minister's speeches, press conferences and media appearances, as well as news archives. According to Brightcove, its on- demand platform will allow 10 Downing Street to publish video content for Number10.gov.uk and Number10TV, manage video distribution through search engines and social networks, and collect and publish user-generated video. The company also says that, over the coming months, 10 Downing Street plans to use its platform to launch additional broadband video services. "10 Downing Street has a reputation for embracing new technologies that increase the flow of information between the Prime Minister's Office and the British population," Brightcove founder, chairman and CEO, Jeremy Allaire, said in a prepared statement. "We are honored that Brightcove has been chosen as the online video platform for 10 Downing Street and to help support communication that is essential to having an active and engaged citizenry."
The company has been tapped by UK terrestrial broadcaster, Five, to power advertising-supported broadband video across its various online properties. The first Five-owned Web sites to launch Brightcove-powered video as part of the deal include sites devoted to the shows, "Five News with Natasha Kaplinsky," "Football Italiano," and "Neighbors." The companies say that, under the terms of their deal, any Five Web site producer can easily take advantage of the Brightcove online video platform to program video content, create Flash-based video players for their sites, target advertising into the content, and access detailed analytics on viewing behavior. Five says it will use the platform to offer promotional clips and highlights, Web site exclusives, and user-generated videos for special news features. "Five is moving aggressively to provide greater online access to popular television programming and answer the demand from a fast-growing audience across our Web site properties," Paul Thornton-Jones, Five's digital controller, said in a prepared statement. "With Brightcove, Five has been able to rapidly bring to market an enormous volume of online video content, while spawning new revenue streams through online video advertising." According to Brightcove, Five plans to use its platform to launch a range of broadband video channels later this year.
Home-shopping channel, QVC UK, has tapped the company to power a broadband VOD service, dubbed QVC On Demand, that allows viewers to access video clips devoted to an individual product and organized by product category; to catch up with the last seven days of full-length QVC UK programs; and to view programs that have been custom-produced for the QVC UK Web site. QVC UK says that the service is fully integrated with its real-time business systems, and that, in order to buy products featured on the service, customers simply press a "Buy Now" button while watching a product video. Other features offered by the service include the ability to watch videos in full-screen mode, to email video links to a friend, and to access customer ratings and reviews of featured products. "With a wealth of video content available from our 17 hours of live television daily, QVC On Demand is a natural extension to our Web site, allowing customers to watch what they want when they want," Paul Murphy, head of media technology at QVC UK, said in a prepared statement. "Brightcove's online video delivery platform enables us to not only build on the success of the services already available but also reach new viewers."
The company has formed what it describes as a "wide-ranging partnership" with OMS, an online sales and marketing network for German regional newspapers, that will see it powering a broadband video network for OMS's member-publications. The network is slated to feature premium content from news agencies and other sources that has been licensed and is distributed by OMS, as well as local video published by the newspapers themselves; OMS will sell advertising against the combined video inventory, thereby providing a new revenue stream for its member papers, the companies say. At launch, seven regional newspapers across Germany will participate in the online video network (note: OMS says it plans to roll the network out to around 60 newspapers over the coming months): the companies say that their deal will provide Web producers from each of those papers with full access to Brightcove's platform for publishing OMS's national video and the papers' own local video. Brightcove says that its platform will allow the producers to fully customize the look-and-feel of its Flash-based video players, access rich analytics on viewing behavior, and collect and distribute video clips submitted by visitors to their papers' Web sites. "The deal announced today with Brightcove has given OMS the ability to rapidly launch an expansive video distribution network across multiple Web sites and manage a complex set of advertising programs," Kim Kriegers, who is heading up the OMS broadband video project, said in a prepared statement. Added Georg Hesse, OMS's managing director: "At the same time, OMS is giving member newspapers access to the most comprehensive and scalable platform in the world which they will be able to use to add premium video content to their Web sites from the network and publish regional news coverage produced by their local newsrooms. Our objectives are to collectively capitalize on the revenue growth in the online advertising categories of videos."
The company's majority-owned Japanese subsidiary, Brightcove KK (which launched earlier this year with $4.9 million of backing from Dentsu, J-Stream, transcosmos and Cyber Communications--see [itvt] Issue 7.87 Part 1), has named Hisashige Hashimoto general manager. He will be tasked with leading Brightcove's operations in Japan and with targeting customer acquisition efforts at Japanese media companies and marketers. He was previously president and CEO of Paygent, a mobile auction escrow service that he launched in 2006 and that grew to 2,000 customers. Prior to that, he served in three senior management positions at Macromedia KK, helping lead its Education, Channel Marketing and Platform Product Marketing divisions; and, before that, he spent 14 years at Mitsui & Co. Brightcove KK was recently tapped by broadband video distribution company, PresentCast (note: the latter, which was founded in 2006, is a joint venture between various major Japanese broadcasters and advertising agencies), to power gorin.jp, a Beijing Olympics broadband video portal that is backed by all Japan's commercial broadcasters. The portal, which was available through September 23rd, offered around 200 ad-supported video segments.

First Look Preview Video - Sony A900

hongkongphooey — Tue, 07 Oct 2008 05:03:26 +0000

Yet another first look video on the Sony A900. I know, I know, I'm going nuts waiting on mine. Latest news is that Sony will have them on the 16th October, 9 more days to go. Woot.

Source - DigitalRev

Attack of the Killer Direct-to-Video Sequels!

Trevor — Tue, 07 Oct 2008 04:53:59 +0000

The Skulls II; Cruel Intentions 3; American Pie Presents Beta House: all of these are actual titles of movies, unfortunate examples of celluloid that were spun off of higher caliber films that originated in movie theaters. These wastes of video shelf space are what many call direct-to-video releases, and the viewer is all the poorer for it (especially American Pie, which should have stopped about 12 movies ago).

I was reminded of just how much these movies annoy me earlier today, watching a commercial for the direct-to-video sequel to the Paul Walker tour-de-force, Joy Ride. A woman wearing nothing but her underwear was staring down an oncoming truck -- and screaming, of course, as facing death wouldn't bring about laughter -- and I wondered, "Really? Who the hell wanted a sequel to Joy Ride? Paul Walker?"

I then wondered who in the hell the market is for these movies. Who is clamoring for a new version of Starship Troopers or a Dukes of Hazzard prequel... besides the local hospital's head trauma unit?

Also known as Bring It On: Universal Studios Needs a New Parking Lot!

While direct-to-video releases are nothing new -- Disney pioneered their use of the racket with the Aladdin sequel, The Return of Jafar, in 1994, and continued the death march to the chagrin of fans and Pixar alike -- and their quality has long been dubious (Bring It On: In It to Win It, anyone?), they've now become proven money generators. Studios like Universal, Warner Bros. and Sony farm out hit titles for assembly-line crap, and they're laughing all the way to whatever bank is still standing.

And that is all the worse for the viewer: these movies often have little to do with the original(s) besides the title and enough hastily-thrown-in tie-ins that viewers can pick up on between crack pipe hits. Oh, and forget quality acting, writing or directing, as these flicks cost upwards of $20 million to make, there's not enough money in the budget to even care! Hell, Steven Seagal has to make do with a paltry $4-10 million per video! And when cyanide-like terrors such as American Pie Presents: Band Camp can sell a million copies in a week, quality be damned!

But these things don't seem to make a difference to the attention-starved and memory-deficient audiences. Video stores prey on weekend browsers who desperately fight boredom through the soothing sight of a familiar name and video/audio noise. As the price of a rental is cheaper than buying a DVD, it's understandable that video-produced sequels make bank. Understandable and sad.

American Pie actor Eugene Levy (left) wonders what the hell he got himself into.

The point is that these things are pure evil, as actor Eugene Levy, star of American Pie Presents: The Naked Mile, curses under his breath when he signs the contract for the latest shlock to bear his name. And they'll continue to make money as long as viewers don't care anything about tangible quality or their lack of shame.

In a time where the economy is failing, politics is teetering on the edge of free fall and Britney Spears has a sex tape, our priorities need to be focused on what is really important: preventing American Pie Presents: Remember That One Time... Aww Fuck It. Avoid these, if not for saving viewers from future attempts to milk them of their money, then do it for Eugene Levy. Poor, poor Eugene Levy.

Linger in Shadows

Dadah — Tue, 07 Oct 2008 03:42:03 +0000

Comecei a ler sobre esse Linger In Shadows e achei interessante.

É para Playstation 3, e para PSN. E não é um jogo... tem troféus, mas não é um jogo.

Experimento em Arte Interativa Digital (tradução livre =]). Experimento com 'demoscene'. Dentro desse contexto, 'demo' é um programa audio visual criado para demonstrar e levar a máquina aos limites através de devoção, criatividade e originalidade daqueles ('demosceners') que criaram o 'demo'. E assim podemos definir Linger In Shadows.

Criado por um conjunto de artistas baseados na Polonia, conhecidos como 'Plastic'. Linger pode ser assistido passivamente, ou use o SIXAXIS para interagir e manipular o ambiente.

Características;

Gorgeous Graphics – Real-time oil painting filters and fur shaders create a stunning canvas for this interactive art piece in 1080p High Definition
Unique Interactivity – Utilize the SIXAXIS controller to navigate through various segments and interact with the environment and the flow of time itself
Trophy Support – Earn Trophies by exploring and experimenting to discover the secrets found deep within

O vídeo é surreal. Mas como o vodpod tá com erro não consegui trazer para cá, então assista aqui:

http://www.us.playstation.com/PS3/Games/linger_in_shadows

Tem opção para baixar em alta definição também, mas para isto ele vai pedir cadastro no Playstation Undergound (fórum oficial Playstation, creio). E ali descobri que podia criar um PLAYSTATION@Network ID (é, a mesma conta que tu cria no PS3). Bom, quando comprar um Play 3, já tenho a conta =p

[Via Playstation.Blog PS3 Fanboy]

Game purchases for the rest of the year...wallet on fire!

enewtabie — Tue, 07 Oct 2008 03:01:31 +0000

So,I was looking through my list of games and my wallet is crying or wants to be put out of it's misery.I'm just not sure which.Here's a little summary of the actual purchases for the year.This isn't even the games I'm playing.Just the one's I'm buying and that's none of the downloadable stuff.Yikes

PS3
LittleBigPlanet
Resistance 2
Mirrors Edge
Quantum of Solace
Buzz Quizz
Socom

Xbox 360
Gears 2
Fallout 3
Fable 2
Banjo Nuts and Bolts(Still Undecided on this one..

Wii
I've got to go back and pick up some games and gamecube stuff like Windwaker(Yes,I've never played it)

PSP
Resistance Retribution
LocoRoco 2

T.M.Revolution - WHITE BREATH

solarblade — Tue, 07 Oct 2008 02:58:52 +0000

Track Listing

WHITE BREATH
OH! MY GIRL, OH MY GOD!
WHITE BREATH (Original Backing Track)

1. WHITE BREATH

Definitly a great opening to WHITE BREATH and even better is the whole fast feeling it is. Takanori sounds more manly this time which surprised me with his excessive yelling. The combination of guitar and synths really sounded good even for Daisuke Asukara. Another great track for the era.

2. OH! MY GIRL, OH MY GOD!

Then, we take a backstep with this track. It sounds like his earlier stuff. The obvious thing is that there's less stuff going on in this song which is a major dropkick to everyone. The chorus was also on the bland and boring side. I guess B-Sides to T.M.R are supposed to be crappy

T.M.Revolution's 3rd single for the era came as a surprise because it did have a B-Side, sadly that B-side sucked majorly. WHITE BREATH was what made the single with some strong vocals and pretty kickass music to power it, it's another favorite of mine.