Hawk & Sabre | Tactically Unsound

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Big Deal: Sony PS3 only (sort of) $300 after $100 Wal-Mart online gift card rebate... thing.

Posted May 30th, 2008 by thepeak

Joystiq wrote:

We've received documentation from one of our reliable sources that the $100 gift card Walmart.com is currently offering with the purchase of a PS3 isn't the whole story. According to images shown us (one of which we've placed after the break) from the "Wal-Mart Wire," between June 1-7 Wal-Mart stores will give a $100 gift card to customers who purchase a PS3. The interesting part is that the following week, June 8 - 15, many Blu-ray players will offer the $100 gift card, and this apparently also includes the PS3.

The kicker here is if you're looking to pick up a PS3 with your purchase of Metal Gear Solid 4, the smart money would be to pick up the 80GB PS3 MGS4 bundle available June 12 because you'll get a $100 gift card out of the deal. Sure, you could be all about the Wal-Mart hate, but we'd take the free $100.

EndWar closed beta signup!

Posted May 29th, 2008 by thepeak

I just got an e-mail for the closed beta sign-up for Tom Clancy's Endwar, the upcoming voice command military RTS. I know we have several interested parties on the site, so we should sign-up in force. No assurance that we will all make it but its worth a shot. After you enter you e-mail address, you have to verify the address and finish a 3 step process.

Quote:

Ubisoft Needs You!

Tom Clancy’s EndWar is a ground-breaking new war game that’s unlike anything you’ve ever played. Here at Ubisoft Shanghai we have been working hard to make sure our game is the best it can possibly be and now we need your help! We’re entering a critical stage in the creation of EndWar and we’re getting ready to roll out a private Beta which will only be made available to a very select handful of gamers. Gamers like you.

Here's the deal: we need dedicated gamers to play though an early build of EndWar and provide us with feedback. This is a unique opportunity for you to be heard and help shape one of the most innovative war games ever developed.

Remember, this is a Beta version of EndWar, which means the game isn’t ready for primetime just yet -- expect to see some problems here and there. All we ask is that you let us know what you think after you're done.

Interested? Of course you are! Just head over to endwarbeta.com/signup and register. Oh, and if getting an advanced sneak-peek at EndWar isn’t enough incentive, we’ll also be giving away a special prize to everyone who participates in the Beta. Spaces are limited so get a move on and register now!

// Li C. Kuo (aka – QuidProKuo)
Community Developer
Tom Clancy’s EndWar

Halo 3 Homocide

Posted May 29th, 2008 by thepeak

This deserves the frontpage treatment...

Google's Android Preview (some serious iPhone competition?)

Posted May 28th, 2008 by illiterate monk

Although I have certainly been on the "I'm buying an iPhone when the 3G comes out" bandwagon for a while now, I must say I'm very impressed with Google's Android platform demo:

First LIVE images and videos of FULLSCREEN Android demos!

I'm particularly amazed with the built-in compass and how it interacts with Google Street View:

What is in a brand name?

Posted May 27th, 2008 by illiterate monk

Fascinating site:

http://www.brandtags.net/

See what people think about various brands. It is shockingly accurate based on my preconceptions.

The Original Cinematic Adventure: Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull

Posted May 22nd, 2008 by thepeak

No spoilers, folks. I am keeping this short and sweet. All tabulated, the latest Indy has at least two dozen or more moments, plot points, CGI overloads, lines of dialog and supporting characters to convince any purist or hipster to hate it. I can totally see it. I can sympathize with anyone that doesn't like it for any of the above reasons. I, however, loved it.

In brief:

Resident Evil 5: drop-in/drop-out online co-op

Posted May 22nd, 2008 by thepeak

According to Teamxbox, Resident Evil 5 is coming before fisical end 2008, that means before March 31st, 2009. According to Shacknews it will also have online drop-in/drop-out co-op throughout the entire campaign like Gears of War. There will also be a cover mechanic. As if RE5 needed to be more appealing to me(and no doubt fellow RE fan, Derrick).

Mac tech catches laptop theives

Posted May 21st, 2008 by thepeak

A testimony to Apple's integrated webcam technology:

BoingBoing wrote:

Two alleged thieves were found with stolen computer and A/V gear taken from three roommates in White Plains, N.Y., because one of the victims is a Mac expert. She used the notoriously hard-to-get-working Back to My Mac feature in Leopard which allows single sign-in to .Mac for remote, secure access to all computers on which you've signed in. (It uses UPnP/NAT-PMP, wide-area Bonjour, dynamic DNS, and IPsec's IKE coupled with IPv6 tunneling. Any surprise it's wonky? It's cool when it works, though.)

The unnamed victim in question was able to use remote screen sharing to capture a picture of one alleged burglar via the machine's built-in iSight camera, and copied photos on the computer that apparently were of the other alleged thief.

Microsoft Gamer's Day event: H&S Round-up

Posted May 13th, 2008 by thepeak

A few tidbits of gaming news from the MS gamers day. Not much to report thus far, though there could be a bombshell at some evening happening I suppose. I'll update if necessary.

Rare showed off a pair of sequels, Banjo Kazooie 3 and Viva Piniata 2. Banjo follows the adventures of a platforming bear and his freaky, backpack dwelling bird. Its subtitled Nuts and Bolts and features a vehicle building workshop, where players can assemble their own planes, boats, cars, and copters or build one from a template. Using vehicles is the only way to explore the vast levels. Though not my cup of tea, the game looks visually stunning. Viva 2 is Viva 2. Garden, collect cleverly-named brightly colored piniata in an addictive fashion, garden some more, rinse, repeat. This time with more Co-Op elements and different levels of gameplay depth... you know, for kids. Screens and details here for the minority interested.
Some new Ninja Gaiden videos have hit. Nothing earthshattering thus far, though by al reports the diffcultly curves are more accessible.
One of my most anticipated titles, Too Human has an official release date of August 19. New screens reveal some Co-Op moments, but nothing on the long-promised, full-featured demo. Only 2 players now, not four, dammit. Video here.
Penny Arcade Adventures: On the Rain-Slick Precipice of Darkness, Episode One will be on XBLA May 21st. Its episodic, RPG-ish adventure gaming with PA humor and a noir aesthetic.
Fable 2 has unleashed a flurry of screenshots. The game is apparently going to have some co-op element that are "genre-stretching" including local multiplayer. This world is 10 times larger that the original Fable, plus there are flintlock muskets as well as swords and sorcery. This brief gameplay footage includes a shot or two of the new dog companion mechanic, along with some new screens.
Gears 2 info was slim. I suspect the Live released video was the biggest reveal we will see until E3. A press release did mention "weapon specific executions," no further details were given. A semi-casual press dinner mentioned some hints at the game's future, including destructible cover in multiplayer, "meat shields," and the possible love story. Read Kotaku's experience here and MTV game reporter Stephen Totilo 's takehere.

If I missed anything, feel free to add to the thread. And again, I'll update when applicable.

Hard/Crazy science in Lost