Joystiq

PBS mini documentary covers eSports' many bases

Jordan Mallory — Sat, 02 Feb 2013 22:30:00 EST

Off Book, the PBS webseries that previously investigated what makes indie games so darn creative, has produced an eight minute documentary on the history of the eSports its four major facets: RTS, MOBA, FPS and fighting games, the latter of which are too cool for acronyms.

PBS mini documentary covers eSports' many bases originally appeared on Joystiq on Sat, 02 Feb 2013 22:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Gabe Newell 'lore' video is just adorable

Mike Suszek — Sat, 15 Dec 2012 15:00:00 EST

The Lore In a Minute YouTube series is devoted to detailing the back-stories of video games, but it recently side-stepped to talk about the head of Valve, Gabe Newell. This cute, animated video covers Newell's rise to stardom in the gaming industry from his days at Microsoft.

With it being only about a minute long (hence: "Lore In A Minute"), we were pleasantly surprised at the number of Valve game puns and references sprinkled throughout the video.

Gabe Newell 'lore' video is just adorable originally appeared on Joystiq on Sat, 15 Dec 2012 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Watch the entire GoldenEye 007 postmortem from GDC Europe

Richard Mitchell — Thu, 06 Sep 2012 15:00:00 EST

We've already covered ex-Rare developer Martin Hollis' GoldenEye 007 postmortem presentation quite a bit, but the GDC Vault has now made the entire presentation available for free. We managed to note the highlights in our previous piece, but Hollis covered much more ground in the hour-long talk than we could condense into a single article.

The GDC Vault version also features direct feed of all the presentation slides, which include heaps of behind-the-scenes (and in some cases never publicly shared) information about the landmark N64 shooter. If you're a game history buff, or just a dedicated GoldenEye fan, it's definitely worth a look. Find the presentation after the break (note: video will automatically play).

Continue reading Watch the entire GoldenEye 007 postmortem from GDC Europe

Watch the entire GoldenEye 007 postmortem from GDC Europe originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 06 Sep 2012 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Nick Arcade was a technical marvel

Richard Mitchell — Thu, 26 Jul 2012 03:00:00 EST

If you're reading this website and grew up in the early 90s, there's a good chance you remember Nickelodeon's video-game-infused game show, Nick Arcade. What you might not know is that the final segment of the show, in which contestants went "inside" of an actual video game, was incredibly advanced for its time.

Splitsider put together a lengthy history of the program earlier this year and, while we missed it at the time, it's still fascinating reading. For instance, when it was produced, Nick Arcade utilized the "largest blue screen set-up in existence," which occupied roughly half of the show's 10,000 square foot sound stage. Throw in some software with magical "edge-detection" technology that could essentially turn a human being into a game sprite, and Nick Arcade was born.

For a (very exhaustive) look at the campy - and, it turns out, very innovative - show, head over to Splitsider.

Nick Arcade was a technical marvel originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 26 Jul 2012 03:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Paradox sends a producer to England for War of the Roses

Mike Schramm — Thu, 12 Jul 2012 04:30:00 EST

In order to promote its upcoming 15th-century combat game, War of the Roses, Paradox Interactive sent a senior producer over to jolly olde England to experience some of the history for himself. It's interesting, but if you're looking for either Michael Douglas or Kathleen Turner ... well, best to look elsewhere.

Paradox sends a producer to England for War of the Roses originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 12 Jul 2012 04:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The History of Sonic the Hedgehog available for pre-order on Amazon

Richard Mitchell — Sat, 07 Jul 2012 03:00:00 EST

A forthcoming book will document the history of Sega's mascot, Sonic the Hedgehog, Sega announced today. The 300-page book, The History of Sonic the Hedgehog, covers the Blue Blur in exhaustive detail, including "every 2D and 3D Sonic game" and "every spin-off game, every crossover, and even rare cameo appearances by Sonic across the gaming universe." You can see some preview pages over on the Sega Blog.

The History of Sonic the Hedgehog is now available for pre-order on Amazon. We're guessing it gets pretty dark after the first 30 pages or so.

The History of Sonic the Hedgehog available for pre-order on Amazon originally appeared on Joystiq on Sat, 07 Jul 2012 03:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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DmC art and screens show what happens when you're raised by demons

Jessica Conditt — Thu, 01 Mar 2012 16:00:00 EST

Capcom's latest batch of DmC assets and info provides insight to the past of this mysterious brunet Dante -- he grew up alone, shuffled between various institutions, orphanages, youth-correction facilities and foster homes, most of which were operated by demons who took pleasure in torturing their young ward. Unsurprisingly, Dante hates demons and authority and he uses his hybrid human-demon abilities to fight for the "little guy," as Capcom puts it.

The photos -- which you can peruse below -- display design concepts for Dante and his weapons, Ebony & Ivory and Rebellion, and show them in use against a few demons in a shadowy Las Vegas-esque setting. We don't want to jump on the "Dante looks like a girl" bandwagon (because he totally doesn't... most of the time), but wearing a tank top, from behind, those curves can be deceiving. Just like he wants it.

Gallery: DmC: Devil May Cry (3/1/12)

DmC art and screens show what happens when you're raised by demons originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 01 Mar 2012 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Good Guy Sniper: Kills Hitler in Sniper Elite V2 pre-order bonus, doesn't die

Jessica Conditt — Tue, 28 Feb 2012 19:30:00 EST

Sniper Elite V2 doesn't ask too much out of players, just that they have a steady hand and, with a new pre-order bonus, that they kill Hitler. Pre-ordering Sniper Elite V2 before its North American ship date of May 1 gets players the Kill Hitler bonus mission and two new rifles, the SVT-40 and the Kar 98.

The story in Kill Hitler has players intercept the Fuhrer's train before it leaves for Berlin and snipe him as he scurries away on foot, with only one opportunity to actually hit Hitler and alter history. Really, this game is actually a time-paradox generator, and every time you miss sniping Hitler a world exactly like our own is created -- and you know you don't want that. If you hit him, though, you'll have never been born. Twilight Zone style.

Good Guy Sniper: Kills Hitler in Sniper Elite V2 pre-order bonus, doesn't die originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 28 Feb 2012 19:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The history of games, told through colors

Jordan Mallory — Sat, 05 Nov 2011 19:30:00 EST

In our latest installment of Kids These Days Don't Know How Good They've Got It, we'd like to use this incredibly informative infographic to remind all you whippersnappers out there that back in our day, games were dark, blurry and required imaginations. Click on through, you might learn something!

Continue reading The history of games, told through colors

The history of games, told through colors originally appeared on Joystiq on Sat, 05 Nov 2011 19:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The (admittedly incomplete) history of gaming in 4 minutes

Alexander Sliwinski — Thu, 20 Jan 2011 00:00:00 EST

An (almost) one-shot video chronicling the evolution of console gaming by design students from Germany may be incomplete (they acknowledge as much), but it's the clever presentation that makes it worth watching. The piece hits major points by kicking off with the Oscilloscope from 1958, the NES from the 80s and then does its best to keep up after the 16-bit generation kicks in during the '90s.

Remember, it's a student project that was assembled in a brief amount of time. However, if some souls out there think they can do a better, professional full-scale version, we'd love to see that -- heck, we bet everyone would.

Continue reading The (admittedly incomplete) history of gaming in 4 minutes

The (admittedly incomplete) history of gaming in 4 minutes originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 20 Jan 2011 00:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Disney Epic Mickey's opening cinematic is probably over your head

Mike Schramm — Tue, 17 Aug 2010 20:40:00 EST

Filed under: Weird But True, Opinions, New In Pop Culture

Finally, with the release of the opening cinematic for Disney Epic Mickey, we're getting a bigger look at the story going on behind Warren Spector's ode to Disney animation. As expected, it involves some shenanigans with Mickey and a sorcerer (Yen Sid from Fantasia), a magic paintbrush, some paint and paint thinner. But even more intriguing are the many nods to old-school Disney cartoons, from all of the hats and objects placed on the walls to the dates and movie stills flying past in the quick montage near the end.

Of course, it would probably take a Disney aficionado like Spector to catch all of those references zipping by, but even if you don't get everything, you can at least see that Mickey has unintentionally created the Phantom Blot, and has caused a little bit of chaos in Yen Sid's alternate reality, turning it into the Wasteland that the big-eared hero gets tossed into. Hopefully the game will be just as fun without knowing why that calendar above says "March 25."

Continue reading Disney Epic Mickey's opening cinematic is probably over your head

Disney Epic Mickey's opening cinematic is probably over your head originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 17 Aug 2010 20:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The past and future Pac-Man

JC Fletcher — Wed, 23 Jun 2010 09:35:00 EST

Filed under: Weird But True, Opinions, New In Pop Culture

Pac-Man creator Toru Iwatani brought a rather incredible historical artifact to the recent NLGD Festival of Games in the Netherlands: a notebook full of sketches from the original design of Pac-Man. The thirty-year-old sketches show that Iwatani had a pretty good idea of how the mazes and Pac-Man sprite would work even in the pen-and-paper stage of the game design (although, note that the drafted maze lacks the warps at either side). You can also see how casual Iwatani is about carrying around a priceless, irreplaceable document. (See more pictures at Control.)

After the break, for comparison, you can see what's new with Pac-Man. At last week's E3 party, Namco Bandai debuted the pilot for a new 3D computer-animated cartoon starring a child Pac-Man and an army of evil ghosts. GameTrailers recorded the footage from one of the party's TVs, so you can see it now. It's a bit blurry-looking due to the 3D effect. It also totally lacks Marty Ingels.

Continue reading The past and future Pac-Man

The past and future Pac-Man originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 23 Jun 2010 09:35:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Napoleon: Total War whipping out The Peninsular Campaign this summer

Mike Schramm — Thu, 27 May 2010 05:00:00 EST

Click to enlarge ... the picture. What are you, 10?

Stop giggling -- this is a serious expansion to the critically acclaimed historical strategy game about the fight between Napoleon and various European powers over the Iberian Peninsula in the early 1800s. The Peninsular Campaign (seriously, stop) adds a new campaign map to Napoleon: Total War featuring Britain, Spain and Portugal countering Napoleon's French forces, as well as three new agent types (priest, provocateur and the Guerrillero) and new features for multiplayer.

Extra content and new challenges will make the game longer and harder (really?) than ever before. For those interested, the add-on pack will be available exclusively through Steam later on this summer. The rest of you, get your minds out of the gutter.

Gallery: Napoleon: Total War - The Peninsular Campaign

Napoleon: Total War whipping out The Peninsular Campaign this summer originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 27 May 2010 05:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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PlayStation brand celebrates 15th anniversary

Andrew Yoon — Thu, 03 Dec 2009 13:00:00 EST

What does 15 years of PlayStation look like? Sony Computer Entertainment Japan has opened a brand new site celebrating the legacy of the PlayStation platform, featuring a timeline of Sony's major gaming hardware releases, beginning with the launch of the original Japanese PlayStation on December 3rd, 1994. Sony's handheld holds a majority of those dotted events, with every version of the PSP (from the 1000 to the Go) represented.

The "15" year logo is a fun potpourri of various accessories released throughout the brand's history. In addition to SingStar microphones and Buzz! controllers, you can see Sony playing homage to UMD, PocketStation and rubber ducks -- stars of the initial tech demos for both PS2 and PS3.

[Thanks, tmacairjordan87]

PlayStation brand celebrates 15th anniversary originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 03 Dec 2009 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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There's a game that exists which has Nazi Dinosaurs in it

Griffin McElroy — Sat, 14 Nov 2009 02:31:00 EST

Okay -- Time Gentlemen, Please featured a number of Hitler-Heiling prehistoric lizards, so we guess there's now two games out there which feature Nazi Dinosaurs. Still, the more recent title to boast the hybrid, a Half-Life 2 mod titled Dino D-Day, actually allows you to go toe to talon with with these fanged, scaly members of the Third Reich. You can check out an overwhelmingly patriotic trailer for the mod over on ModDB -- or, if you're in the mood to massacre some Nazi Dinos right now, the mod is also available to download.

(To be fair, the dinosaurs featured in Dino D-Day are unable to speak, so it's difficult to know whether they harbor the disturbing political and social beliefs of the Nazi party. However, they're affiliated with them in combat, so we've got no reservations about punching them repeatedly in their stupid dinosaur faces.)

There's a game that exists which has Nazi Dinosaurs in it originally appeared on Joystiq on Sat, 14 Nov 2009 02:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The making of a legend: PlayStation 1

Andrew Yoon — Fri, 24 Apr 2009 16:15:00 EST

Does this look a little like a SNES to you? Well, it should. Sony's first steps into gaming came courtesy of its current competitor. Sony was to partner with Nintendo in creating a CD-based expansion for the Super Nintendo. The very first PlayStation would have been a powerful collaboration between two Japanese giants, but a controversial split between the two left Sony sidelined, bitter ... and determined to beat Nintendo at its own game.

Edge Online has a fantastic piece on the history behind the very first PlayStation system, detailing the system's unexpected rise to mainstream popularity. PS1 was a technological marvel for its time, pushing the boundaries of games to what was then considered super-computing. Sound familiar? Phil Harrison reminisced about the past: "This was a super high-end workstation. And Ken [Kutaragi]'s big vision was to take that, apply it in high volume and bring it into the home." Looking at the history of the PS1, it's clear that PS3 follows a heritage of bringing unheard of power to the masses.

The making of a legend: PlayStation 1 originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 24 Apr 2009 16:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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StarCraft: Ghost concept art surfaces, game hasn't

Xav de Matos — Tue, 17 Mar 2009 20:00:00 EST

StarCraft: Ghost was originally poised to be a direct competitor to the Splinter Cell and Metal Gear franchises, with similar action and stealth gameplay. Set four years after the events of StarCraft: The Brood War, it was once a hotly anticipated title for Blizzard fans. Yet, the game has eluded retail shelves after years of delays and swapped hands.

A gaggle of concept art is now available online of what once was Sam Fisher and Solid Snake's worst nightmare... a girl! For a little back story on the StarCraft: Ghost insanity, here is your daily history lesson:

2002 - StarCraft: Ghost is announced (at TGS), under the development eye of Nihilistic Software (of Conan fame)
2004 - Numerous delays forced Nihilistic to cede development duties to Swingin' Ape Studios (makers of Metal Arms: Glitch in the System)
2005 - A GameCube version of SG is officially canned and Blizzard decides to hold off on further development to assess the upcoming generation of consoles
Mid 2006 - StarCraft: Ghost is put on 'indefinite hold' by Blizzard, who has since moved on to StarCraft 2 development
Late 2006 - StarCraft Ghost: Nova was released in bookstores setting up the back story for the (now likely) vaporware title
2008 - Blizzard does not include Ghost in a presentation at D.I.C.E. referencing canceled games; Blizzard claims it was never officially canceled
2009 - Yeah, the game still doesn't exist

StarCraft: Ghost concept art surfaces, game hasn't originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 17 Mar 2009 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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How important is the $199 Xbox 360?

Kyle Orland — Thu, 04 Sep 2008 13:00:00 EST

Filed under: Retro, Microsoft Xbox, Microsoft Xbox 360, Business

Microsoft has long acknowledged that it considers $200 the "sweet spot" of console price points. Now that the manufacturer has finally hit that sweet spot with the new $199 Xbox 360 Arcade, we've been wondering exactly what kind of impact Microsoft can expect, historically, in its bottom line. Luckily, Matt Matthews over at Edge Online did all the heavy lifting for us over a year ago, looking at the effect of system pricing on sales numbers in the last generation of the console wars.

The results, as you can see above, are pretty clear. Only 13% of original Xbox systems sold at the $300 price point, and a plurality of sales came at an eventual floor of $150. Sony's PS2 similarly only sold a quarter of its eventual installed base at a price greater than $200 (Nintendo's Gamecube never sold for greater than $200).

Of course, history is an imprecise guide here. The original Xbox dropped under $200 within six months of its initial release, while the Xbox 360 went nearly three years (exactly 1018 days) before hitting the sweet spot. And while the original Xbox also had competition from Sony and Nintendo, it didn't have to compete with "premium" configurations offered by Microsoft itself. Still, we can't imagine being the first current-gen system to be available for under two Benjamins will hurt sales of the system. For now, the unanswerable question remains: Exactly how much will it not hurt?

How important is the $199 Xbox 360? originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 04 Sep 2008 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Cradle of Rome is puzzlius maximus

Phil Larsen — Tue, 08 Jul 2008 19:00:00 EST

Filed under: News, Screens

Forget all about the brutality and violence of ancient Rome by playing a happy chappy puzzle game! It used to be a PC game (no surprise there), but Cradle of Rome now wants to invade the DS, build an empire and bask in the magnificence of togas and sandals. It's a standard "swap colored tiles around to match three colors" puzzle game, but the goal is to collect resources from each tile in order to build Rome itself.

A unique twist on a formula everyone is familiar with can't be all bad. You'll eventually be able to build, several historical monuments, including the Arch of Titus, the Temples of Venus and Saturn and everyone's favorite bloodbath, the Coliseum.

Cradle of Rome is set for an October 10th release in Europe, but on account of Rome being a Europe-exclusive city and all, there's no word of a release in other regions. Well, that's probably not the reason it isn't coming to America, but it should be import-friendly all the same. The first screenies are awaiting a thumbs-up or thumbs-down in the gallery. Make your decision heard!

Gallery: Cradle of Rome

[Via press release]

Cradle of Rome is puzzlius maximus originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 08 Jul 2008 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Collecting & Obsessing: Game & Watch

Chris Greenhough — Tue, 01 Jul 2008 14:45:00 EST

Filed under: Interviews, Features

Throughout the 1980s, Nintendo's Game & Watch series of handhelds provided the soundtrack to innumerable school playgrounds across the globe. A pre-Game Boy attempt to capture the portable games market, Game & Watch titles were relatively cheap but sturdily built toys which came with a single game and, as the name suggests, a watch. For the best part of eleven years, Nintendo kept manufacturing these forerunners to its other handheld devices, only for the Game Boy and Tetris to emerge in 1989 and squash the whole enterprise flat.

Nevertheless, the spirit of Game & Watch lives on through the hundreds of individuals who collect the games. For this one-off piece, DS Fanboy decided to interview two hardcore collectors in a bid to understand their love of Nintendo's first portable phenomenon.

Both 35-year-old Michael Panayiotakis (founder of Mike's Nintendo Game & Watch forum and the author of a quite superb FAQ on the subject) and 38-year-old Andy Cole possess the kind of retrolicious Game & Watch collections that we would maim (and possibly kill) for. To find out what they love about this charming series, why they collect Game & Watch, and why they dedicate so much time and money to their hobby, hit the break for our full interview. Once you've done that, don't forget to browse our gallery for a pictorial history of the Game & Watch phenomenon!

Continue reading Collecting & Obsessing: Game & Watch

Collecting & Obsessing: Game & Watch originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 01 Jul 2008 14:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Test your useless knowledge with Super Brain Tease

Candace Savino — Mon, 19 May 2008 22:32:00 EST

Filed under: News, Imports

From the consistently high Brain Training sales in the UK, we have to assume that at least some of you Brits are nuts for the kind of games that give you a mental workout. Lexicon Entertainment is even banking on that assumption, as the company is releasing five different trivia games under the Super Brain Tease license. Each game will have a different subject, giving you a choice from the following:

Football (aka soccer, for those of us in the U.S.)
History
Geography
Music
Movies

We find it amusing that you Brits are so crazy about your soccer, er, football, that Lexicon has ditched a broader "Sports" category in favor of something so specific. All poking fun aside, though, should these titles sell well enough they'll only be the first of many.

The main allure of such games, we're sure, will be their budget price points, as each edition will be offered for £9.99. If the idea of trivia at such a cost interests you, you can expect to see the Super Brain Tease series hit retail in Q4.

[Via press release]

Test your useless knowledge with Super Brain Tease originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 19 May 2008 22:32:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Rome wasn't built on the DS

Candace Savino — Thu, 24 Apr 2008 22:30:00 EST

Filed under: News

One downfall of being a history major is that every time a game is announced with the word "history" in it, something in the "must have" part of your brain clicks, making you want a piece of software that you suspect won't be all that great, anyway.

The latest game to attack this blogger's mental stability is another addition in Slitherine's History Channel line, called HISTORY Great Empires: Rome. (Note: The History Channel is now just called History, which is why you don't see the word "channel" somewhere in the game's title.) We heard whispers about this game before, but now know that it will release sometime this summer.

This Black Bean title, which is some kind of follow-up to The History Channel: Great Battles of Rome game, involves strategy, diplomacy, city-building, warfare, exploration, and all that good stuff. There will also be some "bonus" minigames involved.

History nerds that we are, we'll be looking out for this.

[Via press release]

Rome wasn't built on the DS originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 24 Apr 2008 22:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Everything you ever wanted to know about Dragon Quest

Candace Savino — Tue, 05 Feb 2008 17:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fan stuff

For gamers not living in Japan, Dragon Quest tends to be considered "that other" Square-Enix series. There's no question that the franchise is constantly overshadowed by Final Fanasy, at least here in the U.S. That's not to say Dragon Quest doesn't have a respectable fanbase, but compared to the support that the series gets in Japan, anything else is peanuts.

There's much to be learned about this classic franchise, though. If you're a fan and want to brush up on your Dragon Quest knowledge, be sure to check out Gamasutra's in-depth history. We have to warn you, however -- reading it will only make you hungry for some localization announcements. Hopefully, it's only a matter of time before we hear something tangible.

Everything you ever wanted to know about Dragon Quest originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 05 Feb 2008 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Watch Nintendo steal Sony's pie

Chris Greenhough — Mon, 14 Jan 2008 17:00:00 EST

Filed under: Video, Sales

When YouTube user efeffewgre assembled the above compilation, he could have just included Metal Gear Solid music. Seriously, that would have been enough for us to watch this from beginning to end.

Instead though, he went the extra mile, by also including a detailed look at the power struggle in Japan between Nintendo and Sony since 1996. And he did it in pie charts. We love pie charts, we love Metal Gear Solid music, and we love watching how the red of Nintendo has slowly consumed the blue of Sony over the last dozen years. Ladies and gentlemen, this is our YouTube clip of 2008 so far.

[Via Insert Credit]

Watch Nintendo steal Sony's pie originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 14 Jan 2008 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Donkey Kong Country Competition Cart hits eBay

Dan Dormer — Fri, 19 Oct 2007 20:29:00 EST

Filed under: Retro, Competitive Gaming

So you fancy yourself a video game collector? Do you own the Donkey Kong Country Competition Cartridge pictured above, manufactured specifically for the Blockbuster World Videogame Championship II in 1995? Probably not, since according to the auction notes, only "2500 copies" were ever made. There's currently just over two days left, and bidding for this piece of history has already exceeded $175. Expect the sniping to commence closer to the actual auction ending, because most gamers (at least those who play Counter-Strike or Halo 3) seem to be pretty good at it.

Donkey Kong Country Competition Cart hits eBay originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 19 Oct 2007 20:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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History Channel aims at schooling you on ancient civilizations

David Hinkle — Thu, 18 Oct 2007 23:38:00 EST

Filed under: News

When it's late at night and we're ready to relax in our beds, we usually watch The History Channel or police chase videos. By the time we go to bed, that's usually the only thing that's on aside from infomercials. It's a tough break, but we're not complaining.

So, we were immediately interested in this new line of games from The History Channel and Slitherine Strategies. The first game, which is The History Channel Pocket History: Rome, tasks the player with taking over the Roman Empire. Not only must they build and extend the Empire's cities, they must also manage the economy and govern the population.

This first title is scheduled to release in April 2008, with subsequent sequels to follow in that year.

[Via DS-x2]

History Channel aims at schooling you on ancient civilizations originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 18 Oct 2007 23:38:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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EA staffer plays history revisionist on Wikipedia

Alexander Sliwinski — Thu, 16 Aug 2007 12:55:00 EST

Filed under: Culture, Business

We already know that EA changes its screenshots, but is somebody trying to rewrite its history? Shacknews reports somebody with an IP address linked to the Electronic Arts Redwood City HQ is going into the EA Wikipedia page and altering the past. Using a tool called Wikipedia Scanner made by Cal Tech student Virgil Griffith, they discovered this IP address has made numerous alterations, the most damning occurred on Nov. 20, '06 when they erased Trip Hawkins as founder of the company. Later on, the same IP address added a paragraph emphasizing the work of Larry Probst, current EA chairman, and attempted to remove the scandalous EA Spouse saga.

Shacknews concludes saying that the IP address is responsible for one third of the 1,351 changes made by EA-registered IPs. Many of the changes made by the EA IPs have since been reversed by the Wikipedia community. EA would not comment on the issue. Maybe this person at EA is just striving to put right what once went wrong, and hoping each time that their next leap ... will be the leap home -- if those pesky Wikipedia people would just stop changing history back to the way it originally happened.

EA staffer plays history revisionist on Wikipedia originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 16 Aug 2007 12:55:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Prototype Nintendo / PlayStation on display

Christopher Grant — Fri, 08 Jun 2007 09:48:00 EST

A brief history lesson: Before creating industry uber-brand, the PlayStation, Sony was working with Nintendo (of Wii fame) to create a SNES CD add-on. But that wasn't it! They were also working on a separate, Sony branded console that would play CDs and SNES cartridges. That console, like a mythical beast roaming the expanses of the digital world, had never been spotted ... until now. Like a lost Picasso finding its way to a humble garage sale, this early PlayStation pops up at game-rave.com (if you couldn't tell) and encourages us to think back at what could have been. Y'know, it could have been the PlayStation with the motion-sensitive controller. Oh, wait ...

There's no way to verify the veracity of game-rave's claim that "it's real," but they promise updates "very, very soon." Like now? How about now? Are there updates ... now?

[Via Nintendo Wii Fanboy]

Continue reading Prototype Nintendo / PlayStation on display

Prototype Nintendo / PlayStation on display originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 08 Jun 2007 09:48:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Civilization III mod teaches Canadian history

John Bardinelli — Mon, 04 Jun 2007 11:00:00 EST

Filed under: Culture, Mac, PC, Strategy

Ten years in the making, a million-dollar project funded by Telefilm Canada and supported by Canada's National History Society has finally come to fruition. HistoriCanada: The New World is a Civilization III mod designed to help students learn about Canadian history. Gamers take control of the English, French, or one of over half a dozen native peoples and play through the years of 1525 and 1762, shaping the country as the game plays out in Civ III-style.

The chair of the Queen's University Centre for the Study of Democracy says Canadian history is sometimes portrayed as "dull as dishwater", but when experienced through Civ III players can see the "complex interaction of economic, religious, social and military choices" that have shaped the country's past. The mod is available for download on the HistoriCanada website (you must have Civ III and the Conquests expansion) and will be packaged with copies of Civ III and donated to over 100,000 Canadian high school students.

Edutainment can go horribly wrong, but sprinkling a little history lesson in with Civilization is a great idea in our book. Just one question: why Civ III and not Civ IV?

[Thanks, Bryon S.]

Civilization III mod teaches Canadian history originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 04 Jun 2007 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Forty years of video games: how are we doing?

Kyle Orland — Thu, 17 May 2007 11:56:00 EST

Filed under: Culture, Retro, Competitive Gaming, Fashion

It's a point that comes up a lot in arguments about the cultural import of video games. "The medium is still young," defenders argue. "Games may not have reached total mainstream acceptance yet, but just give it some more time. You'll see."

We hate to break it to you guys, but video games aren't that young anymore. This month marks 40 years since Ralph Baer's Brown Box effectively created the idea of interactive screen-based games (and the industry is even older if you count Willy Higinbotham's 1958 experiment Tennis for Two).

This important milestone got us wondering: how do the first 40 years of gaming compare to the first 40 years of other forms of mass entertainment? Continue reading for a quick historical comparison:

Continue reading Forty years of video games: how are we doing?

Forty years of video games: how are we doing? originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 17 May 2007 11:56:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Hitl ... errr History Channel game coming to PSP

Steven Bailey — Wed, 04 Apr 2007 21:35:00 EST

Filed under: News

History Channel is turning their sights once again to video games--and this time, the subject is Rome. Black Bean Games (Evolution GT, SBK-07) is handling development duties of The History Channel: Great Battles of Rome. Players will play the role of a Roman legionnaire and will fight against barbarian hordes, as well as rival countries. It is promised to have more than just combat, though. It will have an empire-growing strategy element as well. The developers haven't confirmed if the corner of your PSP's screen will have a giant "H" in it during gameplay, though.

[Via PSXextreme]

[Update: Clarified the writing for readability.]

Hitl ... errr History Channel game coming to PSP originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 04 Apr 2007 21:35:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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DS Daily: How did you get started?

Alisha Karabinus — Fri, 23 Feb 2007 09:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fan stuff, Features

Once upon a time when we were smaller than we are now, there was a movie theater nearby that had an arcade, and it was there that we got started gaming. Many an afternoon (and a fortune in quarters) disappeared in those dark corners. Later, when we got our original NES, that same joy moved to the living room, and it was a family affair. Some of that continues even to this day, as the mother unit keeps trying to jack the Wii since she can't find her own.

But we didn't always game. There were lapses in our interest and years when we did other things. Only now, in adulthood, has a true love of gaming flowered, a love that was born (for this blogger) with the N64 and the Playstation. But how has it been for you? Where (and how) did you get started? What's influenced your taste and habits as a gamer?

DS Daily: How did you get started? originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 23 Feb 2007 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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WTF?! PSP Fanboy's 1000th Post!

Andrew Yoon — Mon, 04 Sep 2006 14:15:00 EST

Filed under: News, WTF

It's been a long time since PSP Fanboy opened its doors and said "Hello World!" In fact, it's been one thousand posts since that time. Here are some of the more memorable moments in the past one thousand posts:

Our first-ever user comment!
Our first-ever Japanese sales report! (PSP's best-selling game was Brain Trainer Portable... original)
The first time Samuel L. Jackson was pictured on the site
The first time we used "WTF" in a title
The first time we showed you people breaking their PSPs for fun
The first time we had more than 30 comments (also: The first time we pitted the DS against the PSP, proving that flame bait = the mad traffic increase)
The second time we announced the site going live (strange...)
The first time prolific comment poster pixelator made a comment
The first time new blogger Andrew Yoon wrote a story
The first time new blogger Chris Powell wrote a story

Hope you enjoyed our little retrospective look at the site. To ~~bribe you to keep on coming back~~ thank you for being such a loyal reader, we're giving away a free copy of the upcoming PSP game WTF. The game features tons of zany mini-games, and includes Game Sharing so you can play with your friends.

To win your copy of WTF, think of a new meaning for the acronym. The PSP game stands for Work Time Fun. Try to think of a new, funny meaning for it (besides the obvious one).
For example: Wax That Fanny, Women Touching Franks, Wank The Ferret, etc.

Post a comment with your idea, and we'll choose one random person to get the game. The winner will receive their prize after 9/26/06. Contest ends on 9/12/06. Thanks, D3 Publisher!

WTF?! PSP Fanboy's 1000th Post! originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 04 Sep 2006 14:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Text sex: the naughty MUD that wasn't

Jennie Lees — Fri, 05 May 2006 22:59:00 EST

Filed under: Culture

In this week's Escapist, MUD legend Richard Bartle takes a look at a project that was never released -- an erotic, text-based massively multiplayer game. According to Bartle, sex via text has the advantage of being completely freeform, allowing anything and everything, and holds a greater appeal for women.

An interesting design twist means that the act of intercourse itself was implemented "using a modification of the classic MUD combat system". Instead of getting points yourself, however, you gained points based on your partner's prowess. Sadly, the game was not to be -- the company behind it ran out of money -- but comparing it to today's heavily graphically-oriented sex games, we have to wonder whether 3D is the answer to everything sex-wise.

Text sex: the naughty MUD that wasn't originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 05 May 2006 22:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Horror history: Inside 3D Monster Maze

Jennie Lees — Tue, 11 Apr 2006 16:57:00 EST

Filed under: Culture, Retro

Developed for the Sinclair ZX81 twenty-five years ago, 3D Monster Maze occupies a tender spot in European gamers' hearts; consisting of a maze rendered in contemporary 3D and complete with a monster, it truly lived up to its title. As the first 3D title for a home computer, and the first corridor-based horror game, 3DMM is considered by some to be the first FPS, a precursor to the likes of Doom -- technically the game features no shooting, but there are similar elements.

However, it wasn't developed as a game at all, as this behind-the-scenes look by Edge reveals. Originally a learning exercise, the frightening T-Rex only came to life after a casual suggestion, and the game's air of horror and suspense developed from there. This story really brings to life the days of bedroom coders and the times when a game could change on the creator's whim, although anyone who remembers the cold sweat induced by the words "HE HAS SEEN YOU" is probably quite glad they're over.

Horror history: Inside 3D Monster Maze originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 11 Apr 2006 16:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Twenty years on: gaming now and then

Jennie Lees — Thu, 23 Mar 2006 08:00:00 EST

Filed under: Culture, PC, Retro, Microsoft Xbox 360, Action, Adventure, Driving, RPGs, Sports, MMO

Sometimes a picture is worth a thousand words. This short but sweet comparison shows games from the 1980s put side-by-side with their modern counterparts, helping to show how far gaming has come in two decades.

What's harder to judge is whether the games on the left are fundamentally any different from those on the right. A glossy graphical coating might mask identical gameplay, and you may have had as much fun playing The Bard's Tale then as you do World of Warcraft now. The success of various Xbox Live Arcade titles is testament to the timeless nature of some games; next-gen graphics are undoubtedly nice, but they serve to hide any advances being made on the gameplay fronts.

[Via /.]

Twenty years on: gaming now and then originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 23 Mar 2006 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Sexy games: a rich and racy history

Jennie Lees — Sun, 12 Feb 2006 14:00:00 EST

Filed under: Culture, Action

If you want a refresher course in the history of sex and games, 1up and OPM have just the thing. Their illustrated timeline gives a quick rundown of the seedier side of gaming, hitting important milestones such as the advent of Tomb Raider and Rez's infamous vibrator.

Like some games' attempts at sex, it's ultimately shallow and unfulfilling, charting mainstream milestones for the most part. The advent of realistic "jiggle" technology isn't necessarily on a par with the GTA "Hot Coffee" mod in the history of sex and gaming; however, sexual content in games continually skirts the boundary between mainstream acceptability and outright scandal. The increasing acceptability is demonstrated by a recent sex-based advergame for Running Scared--it seems the motto "sex sells" has well and truly found its place in video games.

See also:
If you're looking for a special gift this Valentine's, the Sex and Games shopping list is a good place to start, and there are several sex-based MMOs in the pipeline if you're still mulling over the idea.

Sexy games: a rich and racy history originally appeared on Joystiq on Sun, 12 Feb 2006 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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