Tim Marman

I'm also on the beta and bound by NDA. I will say this - the game has some very interesting gameplay elements.

It's also important to remember that this is still a beta. The game is not yet complete from a contest perspective, and I think it's safe to assume that the graphics will be more polished as it gets closer to release.

And as for the focus on online play, let's be honest - multiplayer is king. I know plenty of people I would not consider "hardcore gamers" and many of them have bought games and played online exclusively (i.e., not dont the single player campaign).

Agree with razer (#4). COD2 was an awesome title... and then of course we had a few post-launch titles worth talking about (GRAW, Oblivion to name a few).

The problem with comparing the 360's launch titles with the PS3's launch titles is that the competitive landscape is different today than it was in Nov 2005. The 360 has the advantage of being out there with an established user base and second-generation games. It *IS* fair to compare the 360's second-gen games with the PS3's launch titles because that's the choice consumers have today. In doing so, they have in effect canceled out the PS3's horsepower advantage by delivering second-gen games that look as good as the initial batch of PS3 games. And when the second-gen games come for the PS3, we'll have those third round of Xbox games.

Friends in the game development industry tell me the 360 is infinitely easier to develop on - and the XNA effort is prime example of that. Anyone who can program in .NET can develop something that will compile and run on the Xbox 360. Of course, this should come as no surprise since one MIcrosoft's key strengths is the creation of platforms through excellent developer tools and well-designed APIs.

On top of this, the Xbox is cheaper and more readily available. Having the external HD drive means they are not bound to the success of either format, and yet can always integrate down the road if and when there is a clear winner. (Personally, I think they are betting on digital delivery, and I think that's the long-term winner here).

The PS3 should not be compared to the Wii because they are targeting different demographics. At the end of the day, this way comes down to the 360 vs. the PS3, and I personally think Microsoft will "win" this round primarily because of that head start.

I guess it's possible that one game makes a studio, but unless I'm missing something, technically Epic won "Studio of the Year", not "Gears of War".

Also, I haven't played Scarface - but do you think Vida won just so they could watch her walk up to the stage? Not saying, just saying.

2 comments. AS #7 said, the concern I think is not with having friends play together in a ranked game, but having friends be on separate teams and ultimately help the friend on the other team improve rank.

The other thing I'll point out is that both Halo 2 (and obviously Halo 3) and Shadowrun are developed by Microsoft Game Studios or Microsoft subsidiaries. (Assuming, for a moment, that the XBL rules have not changed for ranked games since 360 was released). This could mean the Microsoft game companies know the rules better, or it could mean they can get a game through certification easier even with this. Or it could just be a coincidence.... but it does seem like it might be relevant.

I'll be there Friday - looking forward to one last night out before I hunker down for exams coming up.

MMMM pork soup dumplings at Joe's Shanghai. Awesome. I love their sesame chicken and green beans. Haven't been there in ages.

+1 for the iStation. Yes, this appears to be identical except for being offered in black. May also be wider to accomodate the newer models (I don't have it in front of me, but I think the 3G iPod fit snug in the old one, with interchangeable plates for the mini/nano).

I agree it's a poor privacy policy, but this is actually fairly standard language. If you get beyond the knee-jerk alarmist reaction and actually read the clause, it's not quite as extreme as it sounds.

It does NOT say they are collecting and storing credit cards; rather, it says there are some activities which may require information, including credit card numbers. I'm thinking, for example, an MMORPG that you have to pay a subscription fee to. Or in the case of mobile phone, it might be something tied to Xbox Live Anywhere.

Information collected will vary depending upon the activity and may include your name, e-mail address, phone number, mobile number, home address, birth date and credit card information.

It's also worth mentioning that, from what I understand, most games are actually hosted on the publisher's servers, not by MSFT.

My dad also works for ConEd, and I CAN confirm that most of what was said in that e-mail is true. There were feeders out last Thurs; they did send home all union employees; and they were running the Irving Place HQ on generator power. (All computer systems were down too).

These were precautions to avoid a blackout, not a sense of an impending blackout :)

And you guys mock our Tablet PC users ... at least those burn our arms and not our laps :)