Joystiq http://www.joystiq.com Joystiq http://www.joystiq.com/media/feedlogo.gif Joystiq http://www.joystiq.com en-us Copyright 2008 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/Ask Joystiq: On region-free downloading, Xbox streaming and Karnovhttp://www.joystiq.com/2008/04/04/ask-joystiq-on-region-free-downloading-xbox-streaming-and-karn/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/04/04/ask-joystiq-on-region-free-downloading-xbox-streaming-and-karn/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/04/04/ask-joystiq-on-region-free-downloading-xbox-streaming-and-karn/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

This week on Ask Joystiq, we look at downloading foreign content to a foreign system, streaming content to an Xbox 360, and identifying one --or possibly two? -- obscure Argentinian NES games.

If you have any burning questions, unsolved gaming mysteries, or just a desire for musings from our knowledgeable cadre of writers, drop us a line at ask AAT joystiq DAWT com (and yes, we write it that way for a reason).

Q: I might be going to Japan towards the end of the summer and might pick up some games or a system. If I get a system, how would that work when I bring it back to the states and log on-line for a Wii, PS3 or 360?? Would a Japanese Wii let me log in to only US servers or would I be able to download Japanese games from the marketplace. Same question applied to the other systems...
-- iwantmymtv

A: For the Wii, the region of the console corresponds to the region of the Wii Shop Channel -- Japanese systems will access the Japanese store, no matter where you plug them into the intertubes. You have to buy Wii Points that correspond to the system's region too, which means using a Japanese credit card or getting some Japanese Wii Points cards imported. [source]

Any PS3 will play downloads from any region, but each PSN account is locked to a specific region when you create it. Luckily, it's relatively easy to set up "dummy accounts" for each region you want to buy content, as long as you have a credit card from that country. Be warned, though: there is a significant language barrier for navigating the Japanese store.

Xbox Live users can also create dummy accounts to get around regional restrictions, but there are reports that Microsoft has been blocking downloads from accounts where this practice is detected. As always, let the international buyer beware.
-Kyle Orland



Q: When I was a kid in Argentina we didn't have the original NES console, we only had Famicom clones and cartridges so sometimes I don't even know what was the name of some games because I had a pirate Chinese version or something. I remember a Chinese game that had a Phoenix on the cover (with flames and everything) and it was about a guy that had spears, I can't remember if he just used to hit enemies with it or also could throw them. The main guy was a little fat and could possibly throw spears, and he could also grab some weird orbs with flames inside that game him more power.

I would really like to play that game again but I can't remember the name... can you help me with that?
Thank you very much!
-- DAGO of the WireD

Pirated cartridges are definitely a gray area for game-hunting, as a lot of times details like box art, title screens, and even in-game graphics get heavily altered from the original releases. Rather than focus on variable elements like artwork, we decided to focus on the gameplay elements you describe: fat dude with spears, and weird flame orbs that give you power.

We found two games that each match several elements of your description, and we think it's possible you're conflating the two. The first is Jaleco's 1991 NES platformer Whomp 'Em (Saiyuuki World 2 on the Famicom), which starred a spear-wielding Native-American protagonist in the American release, and the Monkey King Son Wukong from Chinese mythology in the Japanese version (both of whom ARE a little on the pudgy side). The game has "totem balls" which the player is tasked with collecting, although each features a different icon in the center. And no phoenixes in sight.

The other title we found was the 1987's Karnov by Data East, which features no spears or phoenixes, but has plenty of dragons, and a rather buff (read: fat) main character. Karnov attacks by spitting fireballs, and can collect red orbs to upgrade his fireball attack.

Are either of these titles bringing back waves of nostalgia? Let us know in the comments if we hit our mark.
- Scott Jon Siegel

Q: Hey guys, Ive looked everywhere but cant seem to find any answers. Do you know if a 360 can play movies from a network attached hard drive? I have a 500GB external hard drive attached to a Airport Extreme and want to play movies from it. Is it possible? If so, how? If you can send me a link to a site that explains it that would be fine. Thanks in advance!
-- Eric B.

Since you talk of Airport Extreme, I'm going to take a guess that you're an Apple user. To answer your question, it is possible, but not directly. You're going to need another computer open to do so, and if it has Mac OS X, we suggest you invest in Connect360, which allows streaming of music and movies (including DivX and Xvid) from your iTunes account to the Xbox 360.

If your iTunes folder is set to the network attached hard drive, it should work, at least theoretically. (Note that we haven't personally tried this method ourselves, but there's a free demo you can use to try before you buy, anyway). For Windows users, the ability to stream is built right into the operating system. Xbox.com has an official guide here.
- Ross Miller

Do any readers have more advice for Xbox 360 streaming? Let us know your experiences in the comments below.

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]]>ask-joystiqconnect-360connect360famicomHDDkarnovregion-freestreamingwhomp 'emWhomp'emxbox 360Xbox360Kyle Orland2008-04-04T18:00:00+00:00Xbox 360 MMOs allowed hard drive requirementhttp://www.joystiq.com/2007/08/14/xbox-360-mmos-allowed-hard-drive-requirement/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/08/14/xbox-360-mmos-allowed-hard-drive-requirement/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/08/14/xbox-360-mmos-allowed-hard-drive-requirement/#commentsFiled under: , , ,


Microsoft confirmed at Gamefest 2007 that developers working on server-based MMOs for Xbox 360 are allowed to request use of the hard drive. This is one of those "duh," but not explicitly ever stated things. Microsoft will bend the rules for these HDD required games on a "case-by-case" basis, but now with more ground rules compared to the Final Fantasy XI days.

The way it will work is developers will have to say how much space they expect their game to take and it will have to be explicitly stated on the box. Even if they don't think they're going to require all the space in the beginning, they're supposed to give the expected upper limit they'll need. As Ian Lewis, software design engineer at Microsoft said, "Feel free to require 30GB for your game; that's just going to make your potential audience a lot smaller."

Microsoft says designers can get around the console space issues by offering up lower resolution models and textures, make areas off-limits and stream assets from their server. Silver Xbox Live users will not be required to purchase a gold membership, however everyone will have to pay for the MMO's subscription fee separately from the Live membership. An MMO with a separate subscription fee still sounds like a tough sell on a console, but for the right game, anything is possible.

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]]>harddrivehddmmoonlinexbox360Alexander Sliwinski2007-08-14T11:15:00+00:00Joystiq hands-on: Xbox 360 Hard-Drive Transfer Kithttp://www.joystiq.com/2007/04/26/joystiq-hands-on-xbox-360-hard-drive-transfer-kit/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/04/26/joystiq-hands-on-xbox-360-hard-drive-transfer-kit/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/04/26/joystiq-hands-on-xbox-360-hard-drive-transfer-kit/#commentsFiled under: ,


While we're going through the manual that came with the Hard-Drive Transfer Kit, we though we'd share some pics of the little devil. It connects to the underside of the Xbox 360 hard drive and to the console via USB. This kit did not come with the Xbox 360 Elite. Microsoft anticipates most customers purchasing the Elite will be new customers; however, if you're upgrading, they'll provide a free Hard-Drive transfer kit redeemable at Xbox.com. While that's working (estimated time: 42 minutes), here's some info from the process:
  • You need to snap your 20GB drive onto the Elite, and plug the 120GB drive into the Transfer Kit (yeah, we thought it was the other way around at first, too)
  • Despite the image on the CD sleeve and software screen, the manual says "be sure to connect the transfer cable to the back port, not a port on the front of the console."
  • This process does not copy your 20GB hard drive; it moves that data over to the 120GB drive and erases the 20GB drive
  • The preloaded content on the Elite will be erased and replaced with your old data (not Hexic! Not again! Our refurbed 20GB drive didn't have Hexic on it ... and now the Elite won't either)
  • XBLM and XBLA data will be moved, but the licenses "are tied to your console not your hard drive." This means you will only be able to play/watch those items while connected to Xbox Live. (Update: this only applies to switching consoles -- users upgrading to the 120GB drive on their existing console shouldn't encounter this shortcoming)
  • Movie rentals will not be moved at all and will need to be watched before transferring data.
Update: And we're done. The update took just under 40 minutes, and we needed to re-enter the network security settings for the 360's wireless adapter, but otherwise it went smooth enough. Our save games are intact and operable, our XBLA games are intact and semi-operable (as long as we're signed onto XBL, otherwise they behave like demos) and, whaddya know, Hexic remained on the drive!

Gallery: Xbox 360 Hard-Drive Transfer Kit

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]]>HDDHDDtransferkitxbox360eliteChristopher Grant2007-04-26T15:02:00+00:00Roll your own Xbox 360 HDD, save $100http://www.joystiq.com/2007/04/23/roll-your-own-xbox-360-hdd-save-100/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/04/23/roll-your-own-xbox-360-hdd-save-100/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/04/23/roll-your-own-xbox-360-hdd-save-100/#commentsFiled under: ,

If you're not buying Microsoft's excuses for why their 120GB hard drive costs $179, you don't have to buy the drive either. A mysterious hacker called "TheSpecialist" has released a new version of his program HDDHackr, which now allows you to make your own 120GB drive for the Xbox 360. It's not perfect -- you can only use a Western Digital SATA drive and you need a certain file from an official Microsoft drive. But with some time, effort, and around $80 for the drive, you'll get to keep about $100 of your hard-earned money in your nacho-cheese-stained paws. (With a little more work, you can even install the drive internally.)

[Thanks, XanTium]

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]]>120gbhdd360diyhddripoffxboxxbox360Tony Carnevale2007-04-23T08:53:00+00:00Microsoft defends 120GB Xbox HDD pricehttp://www.joystiq.com/2007/04/04/microsoft-defends-120gb-xbox-hdd-price/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/04/04/microsoft-defends-120gb-xbox-hdd-price/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/04/04/microsoft-defends-120gb-xbox-hdd-price/#commentsFiled under: ,

elite hddAaron Greenberg, Microsoft's group product manager, told Game Theory yesterday that the 120GB external drive for the Xbox 360 is not overpriced at $179. Said Greenberg, "If you compare what we are offering with a real plug-and-play drive the closest thing would be to take a 120-gig self-powered external PC drive, and in that case we are seeing those retail at anywhere from $160 to $200 for comparable laptop-sized external hard drives."

Greenberg probably doesn't want you to know that he's wrong, but he's wrong. Sure, you can pay $200 for a 120GB drive if you really want to, but as with most products, there are plenty of deals to be had; unless you're locked into buying peripherals from a single manufacturer that controls its monopolistic pricing with a proprietary vice-grip. Which, in the case of the Xbox 360 ... you are. Though if Greenberg had said, "We own you. Deal with it," that might not have been as good for PR.

They own you. Deal with it.

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]]>120gb360hard driveHardDrivehdhddoverpricedxboxTony Carnevale2007-04-04T12:09:00+00:00New Xbox 360 120GB HDD comes with a lot of conditionshttp://www.joystiq.com/2007/03/28/new-xbox-360-120gb-hdd-comes-with-a-lot-of-conditions/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/03/28/new-xbox-360-120gb-hdd-comes-with-a-lot-of-conditions/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/03/28/new-xbox-360-120gb-hdd-comes-with-a-lot-of-conditions/#commentsFiled under: , ,

So, a much bigger Xbox 360 hard drive is a good thing, right? Well ... not when it comes with some fairly crippling conditions. Wired has the skinny on some of the small print on Microsoft's new little "Elite" storage device:
  • You cannot put the data from two or more 20 GB hard disks onto one 120 GB hard disk. If you attempt to move multiple drives, only the last one you move will be stored.
  • You can only move data from the 20GB Hard Disk to the 120 GB Hard Disk. Transferring data in the other direction, or any other combination, is not possible.
  • Any data stored on the 120 GB hard disk will be automatically deleted.
  • Any data stored on the 20 GB hard disk will be automatically deleted after it is moved over.
  • Once you move the data over, it cannot be placed back on the original hard disk.
That first bullet point sticking out at ya, just a bit? It might rub a lot of people the wrong way, especially since Microsoft's Aaron Greenberg told everyone to buy two 20GB HDDs back when they released all of the TV and movie content, and people were worried storing everything. Zoinks.

It's hard to think about people not getting just a bit cheesed about this. If you have two hard drives, that Microsoft told you to buy, and then when they finally release the new bigger drive and then tell you that you can only put one drive's worth of good on it, that's a pretty bitter pill they're asking you to swallow.

We've contacted Microsoft to get some answers on how that data cable does its business.

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]]>120GB20GBEliteHDDMicrosoftmoviestelevisionXbox 360Xbox360Kevin Kelly2007-03-28T12:57:00+00:00Sony welcomes Xbox 360 to 'Elite' HD experiencehttp://www.joystiq.com/2007/03/27/sony-welcomes-xbox-360-to-elite-hd-experience/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/03/27/sony-welcomes-xbox-360-to-elite-hd-experience/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/03/27/sony-welcomes-xbox-360-to-elite-hd-experience/#commentsFiled under: , ,

ps3 is waitingAs word spreads that tomorrow Microsoft will apparently confirm that Xbox 360 Elite is currently being manufactured in a plant somewhere in China, Sony PR sent around a welcome message, attributed to SVP of Marketing Peter Dille:

"We think every PlayStation 3 owner should have an 'elite' experience, which is why we include an internal hard drive and HDMI output in every PS3 we sell, along with the 50 GB of storage capacity on a high definition Blu-ray disc. Sony has been the strongest advocate of high definition as the future of next-generation gaming. This requires high-definition components, including HDMI output, and large storage devices to deliver and store all that rich and vivid HD content. Microsoft's announcement today [er, "tomorrow"] not only legitimizes Sony's PS3 strategy, it moves us closer to adopting universal standards in the area of high definition gaming that will benefit game developers and ultimately the end user."

Clearly Dille and Sony are eager to seize this opportunity to play the leader. Sixteen months after launch -- 12 months ahead of PS3 -- Microsoft is suddenly playing catch-up. And, as Sony points out, even the 'Elite' efforts don't necessarily match up well against PS3; certainly for consumers also interested in high-definition video (on disc). Are the facts enough to sway consumers over to Sony's side -- or does PR also need to FedEx the beer and deploy the boats to win this console war?

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]]>360eliteharddrivehdhddhdmips3xbox360xbox360eliteJames Ransom-Wiley2007-03-27T19:24:00+00:00Nintendo on Wii hard drive: 'pure rumor & speculation'http://www.joystiq.com/2007/03/19/nintendo-on-wii-hard-drive-pure-rumor-and-speculation/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/03/19/nintendo-on-wii-hard-drive-pure-rumor-and-speculation/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/03/19/nintendo-on-wii-hard-drive-pure-rumor-and-speculation/#commentsFiled under: ,

wii w/ hddNintendo has spooned out a helping of its classic canned response, dismissing rumor that an external hard drive for Wii is in the works. GameIndustry.biz was force-fed a mouthful of "pure rumour and speculation" when seeking clarification about the would-be peripheral.

Originating from Japanese mag Gamelabo, the rumor claimed to cite undisclosed sources within Nintendo who allegedly revealed that an external hard drive for Wii is being readied. Regardless of the validity of this particular rumor or its source, the Wii hard drive question seems to be more an issue of when than if. Back when we still called the thing a "Revolution," Iwata openly confirmed, "practically any storage method can be used [with the console]." External USB hard drives have to be included in that sentiment, no?

As Wii users begin to fill the 512 MB of internal flash memory -- just imagine the burden of Saturn games and downloadable demos -- everyone's got an eye toward memory expansion. A pile of SD cards is one option; a hard drive is a better one. Here's the dilemma: if Nintendo releases a first-party drive, say for $100, then there's a risk of Wii being perceived as a $350 console. Whether or not Nintendo opts for dual SKUs, retailers would certainly bundle the "base" console and an external Nintendo hard drive together; in effect, damaging Wii's price advantage. Nintendo is likely looking at a hard drive solution, but don't expect the company to give up its R&S response until it's clear that a proprietary drive would be profitable. Our guess: expect third-party offerings later this year.

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]]>harddrivehddrumorwiiJames Ransom-Wiley2007-03-19T19:58:00+00:00Install a bigger HD in your PS3http://www.joystiq.com/2007/01/23/install-a-bigger-hd-in-your-ps3/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/01/23/install-a-bigger-hd-in-your-ps3/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/01/23/install-a-bigger-hd-in-your-ps3/#commentsFiled under: ,

Sixty gigabytes not enough for you to store all your pictures and movies on your PS3? Sure, you could use a USB hard drive to expand the space, but that's much too easy. For those masochists that just need to have that extra storage inside the system casing, there's now a MySpace page with detailed advice on how to install any 3.5" drive in your system.

For those of you who just need to have every USB device you own hooked up to the PS3 at the same time, the site also has video instructions for installing a USB hub to expand the four ports included with the system. Personally, we're too busy playing Resistance: Fall of Man to take the time to do any of this stuff, but for the hardware fetishists out there, go nuts.

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]]>hackhackshard drivehard drivreHardDriveHardDrivreHDDinternalPS3Kyle Orland2007-01-23T11:55:00+00:00DVR Xbox 360 possible, IPTV the catalysthttp://www.joystiq.com/2007/01/15/dvr-xbox-360-possible-iptv-the-catalyst/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/01/15/dvr-xbox-360-possible-iptv-the-catalyst/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/01/15/dvr-xbox-360-possible-iptv-the-catalyst/#commentsFiled under: ,

it doesn't look different...Speaking with Major Nelson, Microsoft group product manager Aaron Greenberg speculated that a version of Xbox 360 specialized for IPTV and DVR activity was certainly possible. Greenberg admitted that "[Microsoft] did not build [Xbox 360] to be a high-definition DVR," suggesting an IPTV upgrade (i.e. larger hard drive) and IPTV-specific console "configuration" were both possible solutions to the inherent dilemma. Greenberg did note that a larger hard drive would only be necessary for DVR functionality -- IPTV could function with or without a hard drive.

While this is hardly confirmation that a new version of Xbox 360 is inbound, Greenberg's statements may indicate that Microsoft is closing in on a strategy for 360 v2; one that won't upset early adopters (at least, not as much). Marketing v2 as an IPTV/DVR device (PSX, anyone?) might be enough of a diversion to excuse the original Xbox 360's lack of substantial hard drive space and HDMI output. If that is to be the case, it will be imperative that all of the v2 components are available for the original console, including a free IPTV software installation (with purchase of contract, of course).

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]]>360DVRHard DriveHardDriveHDHDDHDMIHigh DefinitionHighDefinitionIPTVXbox 360Xbox360James Ransom-Wiley2007-01-15T23:15:00+00:00Video: the rumored Xbox 360 v2http://www.joystiq.com/2007/01/06/video-the-rumored-xbox-360-v2/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/01/06/video-the-rumored-xbox-360-v2/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/01/06/video-the-rumored-xbox-360-v2/#commentsFiled under: , ,


Yesterday we showed you a photo of the rumored Xbox 360 v2 that should be coming down the pipelines soon. It'll supposedly have an HDMI port, and feature a 120GB drive in it, making it well worth it, particularly if it is priced the same as the current consoles. Now we have video of the system in question (codenamed Zephyr), and if you ask us it looks fairly real. Of course, as sister-site Xbox 360 Fanboy points out, the Linux penguin in the shot makes us very suspicious. Plus that plug/adapter setup at the rear of the 360 looks fairly nasty.

Normally when people mod consoles they add things like Christmas tree lights, liquid-cooling, and a built-in popcorn popper. Which doesn't mean that this thing is real, but so far we're still buying it, and we'll really be buying it when it hits a store near us. HDMI and a much bigger hard drive? Yes, please.

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]]>120GB120GB HDDHDHDDHDMIhigh defnext genNext XboxvideoXbox 360Xbox 360 2Xbox360ZephyrKevin Kelly2007-01-06T16:25:00+00:00Anything goes (so long proprietary peripherals) (PS3 delight #002)http://www.joystiq.com/2006/11/20/anything-goes-so-long-proprietary-peripherals-ps3-delight-00/http://www.joystiq.com/2006/11/20/anything-goes-so-long-proprietary-peripherals-ps3-delight-00/http://www.joystiq.com/2006/11/20/anything-goes-so-long-proprietary-peripherals-ps3-delight-00/#commentsFiled under: ,

geek out!Microsoft's been doing the talking, Sony is doing the walking. PlayStation 3 is the console for those that value choice. From a standard three-pronged power cord to a standard hard drive bay, Sony's hardware is compatible with a vast range of products, including additional operating systems (e.g., Linux).

Already own a USB headset? What about a web cam? As Microsoft forces us to buy into -- often inferior -- proprietary devices, Sony welcomes us to use those peripherals we might already have lying around. Bravo!

PS3 delights vs. PS3 annoyances
Wii delights vs. Wii annoyances
Xbox 360 delights vs. Xbox 360 annoyances

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]]>had driveHadDriveHDDheadsetkeyboardLinuxpower cordPowerCordps3delightUSBweb camWebCamJames Ransom-Wiley2006-11-20T11:05:00+00:00Microsoft's Xbox 360 HDD workaround: buy anotherhttp://www.joystiq.com/2006/11/08/microsofts-360-hdd-workaround-buy-another/http://www.joystiq.com/2006/11/08/microsofts-360-hdd-workaround-buy-another/http://www.joystiq.com/2006/11/08/microsofts-360-hdd-workaround-buy-another/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

please buy another, pretty pleaseSpeaking with GamersReports, Xbox Group Product Marketing Manager Aaron Greenberg addressed concerns that Xbox 360's current 20 GB hard drive would not be sufficient for the forthcoming movie and television download service. When pressed for a solution, Greenberg offered up this workaround:

"I can tell you what people tell me they do to get around this. What they do is they put their Live account on a memory unit and then they have one hard drive that they put their games or related content on, and then they have another drive that they put their movies and TV on."

Of course! Why didn't we think of that? Duh, the 360 HDD is detachable -- just buy another! And $100 later, we've got enough room to store 5 hours of HD content on a separate drive. Wow, that's awful.

The good news is a larger hard drive will almost certainly hit the market. The even better news is there's already technology that will allow you to avoid buying any more of Microsoft's overpriced drives, big or small. Try Datel's XSATA ($49.99), which allows users to transfer data from the 360's HDD to another drive via PC connection. A quick search yields several 250 GB hard drive options hovering around the $100-mark. Do the math. That's more than 60 hours worth of HD movie and television content storage capacity -- for just $150. So much for Microsoft's "workaround."

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]]>downloadhard driveHardDriveHDDXbox LiveXboxLiveJames Ransom-Wiley2006-11-08T17:55:00+00:00PS3 Ridge Racer: 9 minutes too long?http://www.joystiq.com/2006/11/02/ps3-ridge-racer-9-minutes-too-long/http://www.joystiq.com/2006/11/02/ps3-ridge-racer-9-minutes-too-long/http://www.joystiq.com/2006/11/02/ps3-ridge-racer-9-minutes-too-long/#commentsFiled under: ,

Nuh-noooooooooooooooooooooooo!The Nintendo Nsider Forums are lighting up with glee (and spilling onto Digg) at how horribly terrific it would be if Ridge Racer 7 required a 5 GB install on PlayStation 3's hard disk drive. Some generous (in favor of Sony) math calculates that the install would take 9 minutes and 46 seconds. The assumption is most PS3 games will require HDD dumps, forcing users to constantly install, erase, and reinstall -- these data chunks would fill up the drives fast; certainly the 20 GB model.

Here's what we know: Ridge Racer 7 will have an optional 5 GB HDD installation feature that's in place to speed up load times. Currently, Ridge Racer 7 and Genji (4 GB install) are the only games known to include this option. While this will almost certainly change, there's little reason to believe that HDD dumps will become a PS3 standard (unless you buy Sony's "it's not a console, it's a computer" mumbo jumbo).

Anyways, waiting 9 minutes and 46 seconds for data to install isn't as agonizing as we'd sometimes like to believe; especially if it's a one-time (or once in a while) procedure. On that note, let's wait this conundrum out for a while longer, watch how it develops.

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]]>Blu-rayGBhard driveHardDriveHDDNamcoPS3Ridge Racer 7RidgeRacer7James Ransom-Wiley2006-11-02T22:30:00+00:00Correction: no 100GB 360 HDD, claims Microsofthttp://www.joystiq.com/2006/10/23/correction-no-100gb-360-hdd-claims-microsoft/http://www.joystiq.com/2006/10/23/correction-no-100gb-360-hdd-claims-microsoft/http://www.joystiq.com/2006/10/23/correction-no-100gb-360-hdd-claims-microsoft/#commentsFiled under: , ,

X06 KoreaDespite clear indication at X06 Korea, Microsoft insists there are no plans to release a 100GB hard drive for Xbox 360 next March. The official statement is as follows:

"The reference to a 100GB hard drive in a recent presentation in Korea has been misleading and in fact we have no plans to bring a 100GB hard drive to the market. We apologize for any confusion this may have caused."

When questioned, Microsoft reps did concede that a larger (more competitive) drive was still a possibility, but reiterated that such an accessory would not be announced in the near future.

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]]>100GBhard driveHardDriveHDDJames Ransom-Wiley2006-10-23T14:55:00+00:00PS3's Genji uses HDD to quarter load timeshttp://www.joystiq.com/2006/10/21/ps3s-genji-uses-hdd-to-quarter-load-times/http://www.joystiq.com/2006/10/21/ps3s-genji-uses-hdd-to-quarter-load-times/http://www.joystiq.com/2006/10/21/ps3s-genji-uses-hdd-to-quarter-load-times/#commentsFiled under:

Before jumping into Genji to deal some massive damage to historically accurate giant crabs (nyuk nyuk) during Sony's Gamer's Day event on Thursday, MTV News' Stephen Totilo noticed a curious menu option:

INSTALL

What's this all about? Totilo writes, "Also unexpected was a feature in Genji to install the game, committing 4GB of data from the game's Blu-ray disc to the PS3's hard drive -- a three-minute one-time-only procedure available from the game's start menu that a Sony rep said cuts down in-game load times from about 15 seconds to four seconds."

So, regardless of the debate about the relative read speeds of 2x Blu-ray drives and 12x DVD drives, we can all recognize the obvious benefits of having a hard drive included by default. Why Genji appears to be the only title sporting this option is another question. Did excessive load times in the PS3's first finished title necessitate extraordinary measures, or will most games offer this time-saving option, à la PC games.

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]]>Gamer's DayGamer'sDayGenjiHard driveHardDriveHDDPS3Christopher Grant2006-10-21T02:00:00+00:00Microsoft reveals 100GB 360 drive at X06 Koreahttp://www.joystiq.com/2006/10/19/microsoft-reveals-100gb-hard-drive-at-x06-korea/http://www.joystiq.com/2006/10/19/microsoft-reveals-100gb-hard-drive-at-x06-korea/http://www.joystiq.com/2006/10/19/microsoft-reveals-100gb-hard-drive-at-x06-korea/#commentsFiled under: ,


Apparently, Microsoft couldn't squeeze all the announcements they had into TGS and X06 in Barcelona, so they saved one for the X06 event going down in Korea. Trailing slides of 360 peripherals we've already seen -- like the Vision camera, wireless headset, wireless gaming receiver, and the 256MB Memory Unit -- was this shot of a 100GB hard drive, courtesy Korean gaming site Game Inside. While there is no mention of price for the unit, it is supposed to debut in March 2007. Though the images look legit, there doesn't appear to be any counterpart on Gamespot Korea's coverage of the presentation or the rest of the day's news.

Now the question becomes, will the new, larger hard drive come bundled with premium 360s? With Sony's PS3 units offering both 20GB and 60GB variations, and downloadable content becoming increasingly popular, it may be time for Microsoft to up the ante in drive capacity. Or it could be another expensive add-on, appealing to only the most hardcore gamers who've already filled their 20GB (more like 17GB actually) hard drives with horse armor, Madden training videos, and gamertag pics. With 100GB bare notebook drives going for as much as $200 nowadays -- and Microsoft's 20GB drive going for $100 -- this could be one pricey peripheral.

[Via Engadget]

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]]>100 GB HDD100GB100GbHddHDDX06X06 KoreaX06KoreaChristopher Grant2006-10-19T10:55:00+00:00Xbox 360 HDD cache clear code discovered [update 1]http://www.joystiq.com/2006/06/09/xbox-360-hdd-cache-clear-code-discovered/http://www.joystiq.com/2006/06/09/xbox-360-hdd-cache-clear-code-discovered/http://www.joystiq.com/2006/06/09/xbox-360-hdd-cache-clear-code-discovered/#commentsFiled under:

Xbox 360 cache clear
HEXUS.gaming reports that a cache clear code has been discovered for the Xbox 360 hard drive via the dashboard's system blade. To perform the function, access 'memory' in the system blade, and then highlight the hard drive. Now press: Y, X, X, LB, RB, X, X. The following message should appear: "Do you want to perform maintenance on your Xbox 360 storage devices?"

If you initiate maintenance, the hard drive's cache will be cleared, including all software updates. Theoretically, this function could be used to un-update Oblivion in order to regain access to the unlimited gold and item duplication glitches. Note: we have not tested this function.

Update: corrected code.

See also: Oblivion patched for PC, 360 tomorrow

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]]>cachedashboardhard driveHardDriveHDDXbox LiveXboxLiveJames Ransom-Wiley2006-06-09T11:55:00+00:00$40 XBL Vision camera & UNO bundle detailed by MS source along with prices & dates for other 360 accessorieshttp://www.joystiq.com/2006/06/02/40-xbl-vision-camera-and-uno-bundle-detailed-by-ms-source-along-w/http://www.joystiq.com/2006/06/02/40-xbl-vision-camera-and-uno-bundle-detailed-by-ms-source-along-w/http://www.joystiq.com/2006/06/02/40-xbl-vision-camera-and-uno-bundle-detailed-by-ms-source-along-w/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , , ,

UNO and the Live Vision Camera: a match made in online heavenOur friendly anonymous source at Microsoft has provided us with a few more details concerning the 360 accessories announced back at E3.

Perhaps the most important involves the bundling of the Xbox Live Vision camera with a wired headset, the popular Live Arcade title UNO, and a month of Live Gold service for $39.99 when it releases in the States on September 19, 2006.

Granted, this is still an unofficial report (based on a leak of "official" info), so understand that you're probably not gonna get much confirmation from MS until they're good and ready to give it. If you'd like information on what other peripherals are coming out "Holiday 2006" (so sometime in the 4th quarter) and at what price, read on for more.
  • New faceplates featuring Halo, Forza 2, & Viva Pinata for $19.99 each
  • Wireless headest with a 30-foot range for $59.99
  • 256MB Memory Unit for $59.99
  • Wireless gaming receiver for $19.99 (but it'll go on sale in Winter 2007, unlike the others, probably around the month of February)
As stated before, the wireless gaming receiver will let you use wireless 360 peripherals -- such as the wireless controller, wheel, and headset -- on your PC. MS is apparently still considering the price point for the wireless racing wheel, as the $130 figure reported by us earlier has not been repeated in this round of releases (though it could still eventually be used). No official pricing has been given for the HD-DVD add-on, either.

Hopefully, Microsoft will provide some way of allowing those who have already purchased UNO on Live Marketplace to download a comparable title with the bundle (with or without camera functionality). Our source at Microsoft saw nothing that would indicate a unbundled SKU for the 360- and PC-compatible camera, so it looks like it'll only be available at $40 for the foreseeable future. [Note that our earlier post on the pricing rumor contained a typo in the headline which might have led you to believe a second unbundled SKU for the camera would be available for $20; the figure was listed correctly in the body of the text, but the error in the title was ours and ours alone (our source had it right all along). Apologies to anyone who might have been misled -- the older post has been fixed.]

If these figures are what the peripherals in questions are eventually priced at, our hopes of a gradual easing of Memory Unit price points will have been thoroughly dashed (the better to service 360 Core owners in need of greater and/or cheaper storage options). Offering more value is good, but dropping the price of the 64MB MU to a proportional $14.99 would be an impressive show of good will to cost-conscious shoppers (however unlikely due to retail margin requirements). Not only that, those close to running out of, or who have already run out of, space on their 20GB hard drives are probably even more disappointed in the lack of hard-disk upgrades available in time for the two-tiered PS3 launch in November. Hopefully we'll see more options (and price drops) next year.

[Image taken from the Best of E3 Gallery at Xbox.com]

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]]>20GB256 MB256Mb360360-compatible64 MB64Mbaccessoriesaccessoryadd-onanonymousbundlecameracompatibleCoredatedateddatesE3faceplatefaceplatesForzaGoldHalohard diskhard drivehard-diskhard-driveHardDiskHardDriveHDHD-DVDHD-DVD playerHd-dvdPlayerHDDheadsetHoliday 2006Holiday2006LiveLive ArcadeLive GoldLive MarketplaceLiveArcadeLiveGoldLiveMarketplaceMarketplacememory unitMemoryUnitMicrosoftMSMUnon-bundlednonbundledofficialPC-compatibleperipheralpriceprice pointPricePointpricespricingPS3 launchPs3Launchpurchaseracing wheelRacingWheelrumorrumoredserviceSKUSKUssourcetwo-tieredun-bundledunbundledUNOunofficialupgradeupgradesVisionViva PinataVivaPinatawebcamwheelWinter 2007Winter2007wiredwirelesswireless gaming receiverwireless racing wheelWirelessGamingReceiverWirelessRacingWheelXBLXBL VisionXblVisionXboxXbox LiveXbox Live VisionXboxLiveXboxLiveVisionDan Choi2006-06-02T00:26:00+00:00Sony clears up some PS3 confusionhttp://www.joystiq.com/2006/05/19/sony-clears-up-some-ps3-confusion/http://www.joystiq.com/2006/05/19/sony-clears-up-some-ps3-confusion/http://www.joystiq.com/2006/05/19/sony-clears-up-some-ps3-confusion/#commentsFiled under:

Sony has officially commented on earlier rumors (that we did our best to debunk earlier) regarding the lack of upgradability in the "core" $500 version of the system. The rumor stated that the lower model would be unable to use wireless controllers (suggesting the console would ship with wired controllers) and that the 20GB hard drive would be unable to be upgraded.

A Sony spokesperson told GamesIndustry.biz, "Both configurations will support Bluetooth PS3 controllers." As for the second rumor, Phil Harrison told GI.biz earlier, "You can put in any drive that you like - it is a computer, after all."

What about the other disparities between the two systems? Sony says both a Wi-Fi adapter and a card reader will be available for the system leaving HDMI output as the "only non-upgradeable feature of the 20GB configuration."

[Via Engadget]

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]]>FUDHDDupgradeableWi-FiChristopher Grant2006-05-19T10:59:00+00:00