On Chrome Web Store, Real Games Mix With Mario Knockoffs

We've heard it over and over again (and arguably for good reason): Nintendo does not make games for platforms it does not control. So, imagine my surprise yesterday when I stumbled across a dozen or so Mario games on Google's Chrome Web Store.

These games are no more real than that Rolex you bought for $15 in Times Square - they're unlicensed, generally low-quality knockoffs, taking advantage of the openness of Google's browser, which just turned five. Many of the store's new native desktop apps look like snazzy cousins of the apps you might find in the Google Play Store on Android; however, in Chrome's Web app store (I know, these product names are all confusing), it's still the Wild West.

In addition to the fake Marios, a cursory search of the Web app store yesterday turned up knockoffs of many other popular franchises: one for Fruit Ninja, two for Crash Bandicoot, four for Doodle Jump, nine for Candy Crush Saga and 10 for Sonic the Hedgehog. A source with knowledge of the store said Google investigates unauthorized apps if the content owners report the offending apps to the company.

These fakes mix with real apps, like Rovio's official Angry Birds Chrome Web app, and to separate the good from the bad, users have to check the developer's website name. For example, one of the Candy Crush Saga knockoffs lists as its website candycrushsaga.blogspot.com, which is not one of King's sites. The official site for that game is candycrushsaga.com.

I asked a Nintendo spokesperson if the company was aware of the Mario knockoffs, and she returned the following generic statement from Nintendo of America:

Nintendo video games are offered only on Nintendo systems such as the Wii U and Nintendo 3DS. Applications on the Apple or Google marketplaces that purport to be Nintendo video games are not legitimate and users who download these applications may expose themselves to spyware or other malicious software [...]

Wait, malicious software? Yes, it's possible, as 80,000 users learned last year by way of a fake Bad Piggies Chrome app. According to security company Barracuda Networks, that's the number of users who installed a bogus Bad Piggies and got some "aggressive adware" to boot. Bonus!

The Nintendo statement continued, "Nintendo actively monitors the unauthorized use of its intellectual property, and will continue to seek removal of any unauthorized content in these marketplaces."

Taking these specific games out of the Chrome store won't completely neutralize potential security threats posed by current or future games, of course. But the very thing that makes the store work - a search, discovery and recommendation-focused design that makes these games and services more accessible to Chrome users - may mislead gamers who don't think to look too closely.

"We remove apps from the Chrome Web Store that do not comply with our terms of service," a Google spokesperson said. Some of the Mario games I mentioned in my emails to the company have now disappeared from the Chrome store, but here is a screenshot of how they were showing up for me in the store's main trending section yesterday.

Why the University of Washington Wants Its Surgeons to Play Videogames

Randall Munroe / xkcd.com

In 1999, an Institute of Medicine study found that as many as 98,000 people die every year as the result of medical error in the U.S., incurring some $17 billion to $29 billion in hospital expenses. In 2009, the Safe Patient Project concluded that the situation may have gotten even worse in the decade that followed.

That's a tragedy, which Dr. Andy Wright - a surgeon and one of the core faculty members at the Institute for Simulation and Interprofessional Studies (ISIS), a health-care education program based at the University of Washington - thinks can be helped by playing videogames.

Wright isn't advocating for surgeons' entertainment, although he personally identifies as a gamer.

"Being a videogamer doesn't get a lot of respect in a lot of mainstream professions," he said at the gaming conference PAX last month. "But, it has been instrumental to me in becoming a surgeon."

Wright's specialty is laparoscopy, meaning that his surgeries require very small incisions, some less than a centimeter long, which may be more easily monitored from a TV screen than by looking directly at the surgical site. His panel at PAX, "Videogames in Medicine," argued that the skills developed by games, such as hand-eye coordination and deliberate practice and teamwork, are also conducive to success in the operating room.

"Running a World of Warcraft guild doing raids is not terribly bad preparation for working in a hospital," Wright said in the panel discussion, noting that between two-thirds and three-quarters of those medical-error deaths were the result of miscommunication. As an example of what not to do, he played this infamous clip of the World of Warcraft guild Pals For Life, seemingly falling apart:

On a more down-to-earth level, Wright discussed how virtual training "games" like the Surgical Science product LapSim can help surgeon trainees. Although every patient is different, simulating surgeries allows students the chance to fail and get feedback without endangering anyone's life. Plus, simulators can easily throw those students into experiences that they might only see once in their entire careers, in order to prepare them for unlikely circumstances.

There's some data to back this up. In a study conducted in 2002, surgical residents trained in a virtual-reality simulation of gallbladder dissection were six times less likely to make an error in the real world than a control group that only received standard training.

However, a review of academic literature on virtual-reality training published in 2010 raised two caveats: VR makes the biggest difference with simpler skills being learned by less-practiced surgeons, and manual surgical technique is just one of the competencies that it takes to become a good surgeon, with good clinical outcomes strongly influenced by interpersonal communication skills and good judgment.

So, can normal videogames - the ones not intended for medical training - help with those non-manual skills?

"Absolutely," Wright told AllThingsD via email. "This is an area where I haven't seen any research on the application of videogames in that context, but the skills are the same," he said. "We teach judgment, team management, communication skills, conflict resolution, and error disclosure in the sim lab. You could easily see training those in a virtual environment or through gaming."

Chair Entertainment Founder: "I Cannot Wait" for Physical Controllers for iPhones

At Apple's iPhone 5c/5s event on Tuesday, Chair Entertainment co-founder and creative director Donald Mustard debuted Infinity Blade 3, the newest game in the popular iOS sword-fighting series. Naturally, he's making the rounds this week to talk about the new game and how it takes advantage of the iPhone's hardware ... but that's not stopping him from hinting at more to come.

Mustard characterized Infinity Blade 3 as a "statement" of the power of touchscreen design, saying the series "spawned a whole new genre of game." However, absent from the iPhone event this week was an update on how iOS 7 will support physical game controller peripherals, one of the features mentioned at this year's WWDC keynote.

Mustard said he's excited for that eventuality.

"I cannot wait for the day when we can make a mobile game that's supported by a more traditional controller," he said.

He said fans have asked him when Chair would make a touchscreen version of one of its pre-Infinity Blade games, Shadow Complex. The answer: never!

"Shadow Complex wouldn't be good with touchscreen controls," Mustard said, adding that Infinity Blade would not work as well on Xbox. If Chair makes a mobile game for a physical controller peripheral, he said, it "would want to design the experience from the ground up."

It would also be possible to have a mobile game that combines both forms of control, he mused.

In the meantime, though, Infinity Blade 3 at least looked good in Mustard's demo. The battle he showed off on the iPhone 5s featured an imposing and smoothly animated dragon, which was far larger than the game series' previous bosses. Although the dragon will look best on the 5s, it and other animations in the game will still look "awesome" on the iPhone 4, Mustard said, calling the latter device "still pretty damn powerful."

IB3 will cost $6.99 when it goes on sale for iOS devices on Sept. 20, timed to the launch of the 5c and 5s.

Electronic Arts' Top Retail Partner? Apple.

The Simpsons: Tapped Out by Electronic Arts

For games publisher Electronic Arts, brick-and-mortar stores have historically generated the bulk of its sales. But not anymore.

Reporting first-quarter earnings this week, EA said that digital sales have surpassed those made through physical outlets. The company's top retail partner for the period? Not GameStop. Not Walmart. Not Amazon.

Apple.

"Our quarter was notable for its strong digital sales," EA COO Peter Moore explained. "To that end, Apple was EA's biggest retail partner as measured by sales. That is a first."

That's quite a milestone for EA and Apple, both. Remember, EA is the world's third-largest gaming company.

Moore didn't say exactly how much revenue Apple was responsible for. But, of $495 million in total revenue EA posted for the quarter, $378 million was digital, and $90 million of that originated on smartphones and tablets. So, some portion of that.

Not a huge number, but big enough, and one that speaks to Apple's growing importance in the gaming space. How many more game sales will Apple drive once it has released iOS 7, which includes game-controller support? How many more when it finally brings gaming support to Apple TV - which seems inevitable? As Gabe Newell, co-founder of celebrated videogame publisher Valve, said earlier this year, "The threat right now is that Apple has gained a huge amount of market share, and has a relatively obvious pathway towards entering the living room with their platform. I think that there's a scenario where we see sort of a dumbed down living room platform emerging - I think Apple rolls the console guys really easily."

Sony's First TV Ad for the PlayStation 4 Is Basically "Testosterone, the Musical!"

Who is going to buy the PlayStation 4 when it launches on Nov. 15? Sony's first TV ad for the next-gen gaming console, which aired tonight during "Monday Night Football," makes the safe bet that it's young dudes:

Maybe not all the young dudes can sing Lou Reed this well, but let's have some suspension of disbelief.

"Perfect Day" is couched in three mock-multiplayer games: A sword-fighting game, a car racer and a war/sci-fi shooter. The commercial doesn't say exactly which games these are supposed to be, but some rough analogues in the PS4's launch catalog for the latter two are DriveClub and Killzone Shadow Fall. Hat tip to commenter GavinLacouette for noticing Imperial City from the Elder Scrolls series in the background of the first game.

Focusing on the games in this first ad, which was produced by BBH New York, is right in line with Sony's larger marketing around the console. They're catering to the hard-core gamers (again, traditionally, young dudes) who are willing to shell out $60 for a deep and "pure" gaming experience. As before, it's distinct from Microsoft's broader strategy with the Xbox One, which got its TV debut last month in a football-centric ad that didn't mention games at all.

The PS4 will cost $399 in the U.S. at launch, versus $499 for the Xbox One, which launches a week later, on Nov. 22.

Mockingjay (The Final Book of The Hunger Games)

Mockingjay (The Final Book of The Hunger Games)

The greatly anticipated final book in the New York Times bestselling Hunger Games trilogy by Suzanne Collins.

The Capitol is angry. The Capitol wants revenge.

Who do they think should pay for the unrest?

Katniss Everdeen.

The final book in The Hunger Games trilogy by Suzanne Collins will have hearts racing, pages turning, and everyone talking about one of the biggest and most talked-about books and authors in recent publishing history!!!!Product Descr

P-I-N-G-O And Pingo Was Its Name-O

What is Pingo you ask? Well it's an addictive and fun game that is a poker, bingo hybrid. Pingo uses a standard 52-card deck, on a 5 5 grid. Points are generated by getting poker hands within the grid in any direction, including vertical, horizontal and diagonal. Pingo's early inception includes two game-play modes, Casual that will let you play through all cards without the restraint of time and Speed Mode which will garner more points and multipliers the quicker you play them. If you are like me and aren't the best with poker hands, fear not, there's also a few tutorial levels to point you in the right direction.

Pingo was developed by Eve Park and her 1-Pup Games developing team for the OUYA. If you are unaware of the OUYA it's the upcoming Android based console that not only boasts a low-cost for consumers but is also very indie-developer friendly. The mobile games we love so much will finally make their way to the big screens of our TV's through OUYA. There will also be the added bonus of having a controller.

Pingo is also currently a contender in the OUYA Create Contest. Pingo is one of 166 games vying for the title of OUYA Create Contest winner. Please check out the video after the article, it will help Eve (AKA The Girl With The Blue Hair) and her developing team at 1-Pup Games in bringing one of the most addictive games better and more content.

I was able to test out the Pingo Demo and was immediately hooked. Growing up one of my early gaming addictions was the AOL game Slingo, I continue to play Slingo to this day on my smart phone. Pingo is a game that bears a few similarities but yet still manages to be fresh and unique. Fans of Windows Solitaire games and of course Slingo will love Pingo.

So go ahead and check out the video below. Not only will you be helping out a fellow Geek but I think you might just enjoy learning about a game that everyone will be playing in the near-future.

Game Review: Big Win Slots

With Big Win Slots, Mobile Deluxe has brought casino lovers their very own portable slot machines! Choose from multiple slot machines, unlock various game features, and compete with fellow slot machine players around the world. With its outstanding graphics and endless slot machine playtime, Big Win Slots gets a solid 4/5 rating.

Graphics & Sound (4/5)

Big Win Slots features fantastic graphics. Characteristic of the casino rooms the live slots are located in, the colors are flashy, brilliant, and varied. The menu screen features purple to pink hues and the colorful slot machines you can choose among.

The slots feature various images, with bells, cherries, diamonds, and bars under dime classic slots. Quarter solitaire features the four different suits, along with king, queen, bars, wild, and bonus game options. Other slot machines must be unlocked.

Of course, a slot machine game app is going to have a lot of animation, demanding smooth graphics and instantaneous reactions. Big Win Slots has just that, with the game consistently having no hesitations or glitches as the slots spin. The menu features all flow effortlessly, as well.

The slot machines are easy to read and the betting section is easy to navigate.

The music is the only drawback to the graphics and sound category. A playful, almost child-sounding music plays continually in the background. While there is a sound option, you only have the ability to turn on or off all the sounds, not just the music. The music stops playing whenever you choose a slot machine to play, though.

Once in front of a slot machine, you can hear the sounds you associate with slot machines: the blipping of the slots as they spin and the sound of credits racking up.

Besides the music, Big Win Slots receives a huge thumbs up in graphics and sound, receiving a rating of 4/5.

Gameplay (4/5)

Choose a slot machine of your choice from the main menu and start playing! Once in front of the slot machine, you can make your bet. You can adjust the bet by the lines and credits, or you can touch the Bet the Max button and have the calculations are done for you. You can change your bet each time you spin by touching the numbers on the bet line at the bottom of the screen.

At the top of the screen is the table of the reel symbols for the particular slot machine you are playing. Big Win Slots has two types of machines, the 3-reel and 5-reel. An explanation of how to use the table to help you understand the gameplay more is available on the information button under help.

When you first download Big Win Slots, there are two slot machines which you can automatically access, Dime Classic Slots, and Quarter Solitaire. Plus you are given 100 coins to start betting. New slot machines and themes are frequently being added. Use VIP points (which you gain through successful bets) to unlock the different machines.

Advance through Big Win Slots by playing bonus games, achieving more coins, free spins, and VIP rewards credits. There are always opportunities to become the best slot machine player in Big Win Slots, giving this gameplay rating a 4/5.

Storyline (4/5)

If you are a regular slot machine player, then you have the experience down to get the most out of Big Win Slots. As coins are needed to advance, you can purchase coin packages in order to progress even faster, rather than just relying on your bets to win.

Free coins are also redeemable. When you first download Big Win Slots and register, you receive 200 free coins. Plus get coins everyday just by visiting regularly. The higher number of coins you have, the better your rankings are.

Speaking of rankings, be sure to register on the leaderboard in order to record your progress and compete with friends. This way, too, when you log back on to play, your coins will be redeemable to use.

If you are not familiar with the slot machine world, be sure to access the extensive help section. Here you can learn how to play, as well as learn about every part of the game, from making bets to VIP points.

So whether you are a seasoned slot machine player or a complete newbie, you can still play Big Win Slots, giving this a storyline rating of 4/5.

Value for money (4.5/5)

Big Win Slots is a free app to download from iTunes. You can't get much better than free!

However, there are in-app purchases you can make. You can purchase coins in various packages in order to advance more quickly. They are not essential to playing, though, and the average slot machine player (as opposed to the addict) can easily play without needing to spend a dime. Literally speaking, that is. Value for money, then, is 4.5/5.

Summary

Big Win Slots is a game anyone interested in playing slot machines is sure to have a hard time putting down, whether you are just getting started playing or are a hard-core slot machine. Start playing Vegas, right from your phone.

Source: http://mobiledeluxe.com/support/

Big Fish Games Restructures, Closing Offices and Replacing President

Update: This article previously stated that a Big Fish representative did not respond to a request for comment. A spokeswoman's email confirming the story and clarifying the headcount at the two international offices was caught in a spam filter and did not reach us before publication.

Casual-game studio Big Fish Games will lay off 49 employees at its headquarters in Seattle, and has proposed closing offices in Vancouver and Ireland.

The Seattle Times obtained a letter to employees from CEO Paul Thelen, which stressed that the cuts are targeted, not the result of general problems. "2013 will be our 11th straight year of record revenue and we remain profitable with a positive cash flow," Thelen wrote.

The CEO singled out Big Fish's cloud game-streaming initiative, which launched last year, as due for closure: "This decision reflects the reality that the costs to support streaming cloud delivery of premium games are too high, and the user adoption too low, for us to warrant continued investment."

Projects begun in the Vancouver office will be consolidated into the Seattle location, which is the HQ for Big Fish's main business, premium and free-to-play casual games. The Seattle Times report says this consolidation means that the six employees affected by their office's shutdown will be offered the choice to continue working for Big Fish from Seattle. The Cork, Ireland, office's closure will hinge on a "30-day consultation" with its 89 employees, according to Thelen's letter.

The company's president, Dave Stephenson, will be replaced by COO John Holland, but Holland will remain COO.

Farming Simulator To Crop Up On Consoles In September

The surprise PC hit game, Farming Simulator 2013 is coming to consoles in September. Developed by Giants Software and Published by Focus Home Interactive. Farming Simulator 2013 will be available for the PS3 and Xbox 360 and adds an all new North American environment to the already present European environment from the PC version.

Taking inspiration from American farms, you will be able to develop your farm with all new scenery and land. The console version also gives you access to new vehicles such as constructors made famous by Case IH, Lizard, Ursus, Kramer and Horsch. Use this machinery to make the tasks of running a farm, much easier.

Farming Simulator offers all the fine points of farming such as raising and breeding animals, harvesting crops, and selling your products for profit, all without the hard work.

Farming simulator 2013 comes to PS3 and Xbox 360 the first week in September. Check out all the official details below.

About Giants Software
Giants Software GmbH is a Swiss video game development studio based in Zurich. Since 2004, Software Giants has produced many innovative games and technologic products. In addition to the development of their successful games Farming Simulator and Demolition Company, Giants Studios offers its own game engine. For more information :

http://www.giants-software.com/

About Focus Home Interactive
Founded in 1996, Focus Home Interactive is an independent French publisher based near Paris, France. Known for the quality, diversity and originality of its catalogue, Focus has published and distributed original titles that have become benchmark titles worldwide – such as Blood Bowl, Wargame European Escalation, Sherlock Holmes, TrackMania, Runaway, Cities XL and also Cycling Manager and Farming Simulator.
During first half of 2013, Focus will publish ambitious games such as Wargame AirLand Battle, the sequel to Wargame European Escalation, the impressive real time strategy game from the creators of R.U.S.E. ; Mars War Logs, the new Cyberpunk role-playing game from Spiders Studio for Xbox LIVE , PlayStation Network and PC, and also the console versions of Farming Simulator, the #1 farming simulation game and international best-seller.
The second half of 2013 will be just as exciting, with the release of the Tour de France official games for consoles and PC; the new adventures of Sherlock Holmes, and Blood Bowl 2.

http://www.focus-home.com

Pertinent Details

Developer: Giants Software
Publisher: Focus Home Interactive
Platform: PC, 360, PS3
Genre: Simulation
Release Date: Out Now (PC), September 2013 (PS3/360)
Price: TBA

Thunder Wolves To Take Off Soon

As we here at Don’t Hate The Geek reported earlier, the upcoming action-flight game, Thunder Wolves from Most Wanted games will be releasing soon to PC, PSN, and XBLA. To get you psyched, a newly released trailer has been released. Hit it after the break. Check it out here and stay tuned for all the details about Thunder Wolves you’ll need.

Game Details

Game: Thunder Wolves
Developer: Most Wanted Entertainment
Publisher: bitComposer Games
Genre: Action-flight
Platforms: PC XBLA, PSN
Release Date: Spring 2013
Price: TBD

Another World 20th Anniversary Edition Is Out Of This World

Another World or Out Of This World as it is sometimes referred to is currently available on Steam in a 20th anniversary edition. The action/ platform game made its debut in 1991 and has since been ported to several different platforms. Recently Another World was selected as one of the few games chosen to be part of New York‘s Museum Of Modern Art.

Another World has been catapulted to “cult” status by critics and game lovers and is widely recognized as one of the most original and innovative games of its generation. Presented with high-definition graphics, and newly remastered sound, Another World is sure to capture the attention of new and old fans alike.

Another World 20th Anniversary Edition offers 3 difficulty modes; its original mode, an easy mode, and for skilled gamers, a mode that is more difficult than the game’s original hardcore mode. The 20th Anniversary edition also comes with the Development Journal and a making of video.

Grab a copy now on Steam for $9.99. Out Of This World The 20th Anniversary Edition is available on PC and Mac and was developed by Eric Chahi, DotEmu. Focus Home Entertainment is publishing the game.

Angry gamers pursue class action lawsuit over Aliens: Colonial Marines.

It was bound to happen really, gamers have banded together to show just how pissed off they are about Aliens: Colonial Marines. Turns out people don’t take to well to demos not being the final product they paid hard, cold cash for.

"Each of the 'actual gameplay' demonstrations purported to show consumers exactly what they would be buying: a cutting edge video game with very specific features and qualities. Unfortunately for their fans, Defendants [Sega and Gearbox] never told anyone - consumers, industry critics, reviewers, or reporters - that their 'actual gameplay' demonstration advertising campaign bore little resemblance to the retail product that would eventually be sold to a large community of unwitting purchasers." -Polygon post

Both Sega and Gearbox Software are named as defendants in the lawsuit and neither have bothered to comment on the news. Can’t say that I blame those folks, it certainly looks like both companies misled fans. We’ll watch and see if this goes all the way, hopefully it does. Publishers and developers should be held accountable for this horrible mess.

Geeky Game Review: Metro Last Light

For the past few years I’ve been meaning to finish 2010′s Metro 2033. I was instantly drawn to the post apocalyptic story driven shooter but have always found the clunkiness of its controls a major deterrent. As Metro 2033 found itself further back in my ever growing backlog of games, the future of its sequel looked as bleak as the post apocalyptic Russian setting that is Metro.

In 2012 it was no secret that THQ, Publisher of the Metro series was in financial trouble. Several games on THQ’s roster faced delays while the iconic publisher of video games tried to come up with a solution to their financial woes while still maintaining a level of commitment to the hard work developers like 4A invested into their games. In the end THQ filed for bankruptcy and their games were auctioned off to the highest bidders. Eventually Metro Last Light ended up at Deep Silver and now is available on PC, PS3 and Xbox 360.

Metro Last Light picks up where Metro 2033 left off, if you are new to the series be sure to watch the beginning cutscenes that will fill you in on the story thus far. The Metro universe is inspired by the books of Dmitry Glukhovsky and follows our hero Artyom through the devastation and consequences of a nuclear holocaust in his once beautiful Russia. Artyom is a Ranger and is sent to find the last known remaining “Dark One“. The Dark Ones were the species Artyom chose to call in a missile strike on in Metro 2033 and is therefore responsible for their extinction.

There is dissent amongst Artyom’s fellow survivors as to what is to be done with the last remaining Dark One, who is just a child. Of course, once Artyom finds the lone Dark One, we soon learn that a few other political factions are also on the hunt for the Dark One and have their own agendas as to why. Our hero Artyom has one distinct advantage, he can communicate with the dying race. In doing so Artyom starts to doubt his decision of helping commit genocide against the misunderstood Dark Ones.

Metro Last Light is best described as a shooter / horror-survival hybrid. The nicely paced campaign unfolds with both political upheaval and scary mutants all struggling to control the Metro. The story is very intriguing and well written despite a few weak spots in the plot. It has inspired me to dust off my copy of Metro 2033 and place it at the beginning of my backlog. The Metro world is one I can’t wait to revisit.

The setting of post apocalyptic Russia is one of great tragic beauty. 4A’s eye for detail and use of light and darkness gives the feel that the most important character of the game is the Metro itself. I found myself adjusting my eyes to adapt to the dark of the underground tunnels and cringing while wiping the imaginary cobwebs away as if my video game surroundings were my reality. Turning off a light will help you hide from human A.I. but will impede your ability to navigate around the Metro and might also catch you off guard from creatures of the dark.

Gameplay was incredibly smooth and much improved from the first Metro. Controls felt natural and were easy to learn, my biggest complaint would have to be the A.I.. Often I could sneak up on a group of 2 or 3 video game enemies and stab all of them in a very un-stealthy fashion without being detected. Non human or mutant enemies were a different story and were much more relentless in their pursuit of Artyom.

Weapons and ammo are plentiful in Metro Last Light as not only were they lying all around, human A.I. almost always had some on them that you could scavenge from their dead corpses. Above ground movement requires the use of a gas mask for survival but once again filters to extend your clean breathing were fairly abundant.

Metro Last Light’s gameplay while still challenging at times is easier than I remember its predecessor to be. Most of my in-game deaths resulted from my own stupidity or lack of paying attention. One other issue I had with the game was a few of the automatic checkpoints were inconveniently located, like the time I kept respawning with very little air left on my filter, no replacements in sight, and a great deal of travel left to get to my destination. However, on the subject of checkpoints, kudos for them being frequent especially in long battles or boss fights, unlike some current games I know. That’s right, God Of War Ascension and Crysis 3 I’m talking about you!

I played the game on a PC running it at the ultimate settings and if you have a powerful gaming rig, I recommend doing the same. The graphics of Metro Last Light are stunning and despite its devastated Russian setting, it’s quite beautiful. If you are playing it on a PC with an AMD video card, be sure to turn PHYSX off in the settings. I played a few hours without incident before I experienced any problems with the graphics. I didn’t notice any more issues after turning PHYSX off and the game looked just as amazing with it off as it did on. Also, if you turn PHYSX off mid gameplay you will have to quit to your desktop and restart the game before the setting will change.

I experienced a few minor glitches with the A.I. and for whatever reason during the last battle my weapons would not fire at times, despite having a full magazine. I also had issues with the night vision goggles and never once got them to work. Overall though, my experience with Metro Last Light was very enjoyable. I’d give it an 8 out of 10. In a year where Tomb Raider and Bioshock Infinite have raised the bar on video games, I’d say that is quite impressive.

A very special thank you goes out to the amazing PR department at Deep Silver for supplying me with a review copy of Metro Last Light as well as advice on optimal settings for my PC.

Metro Last Light was developed by 4A Games and published by Deep Silver. The game is now available on PC, PS3 and Xbox 360.

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  Deep Silver opens the gates to Moscow’s underground: Metro: Last Light is now available

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  Metro: Last Light doesn’t treat you like a moron

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Game installs will be a mandatory thing on Xbox One.

No, no, no, not this again. We’re hearing from sources that the Xbox One will require gamers to be installed on the hard drive before playing is allowed. If for some reason you want to take that new game over to a buddy’s house, you would have to pay a fee to MS just to play it. The game will be tied to one Xbox Live account, no mention yet if it can be unlinked for another account.

Yeah I hate installing games to my PS3. I have a puny 80GB hard drive and it fills up quick with all the mandatory installs. Plus who wants to buy a brand new game, rush home and then wait while 5GB of data is slowly transferred to their deck? Not I that’s for sure. The Xbox One may have a 500GB drive but that sucker will fill up very fast with games, here’s hoping for TB drives.

What this seems like is Microsoft’s use of the Xbox One against the used games market. Sure EA ditches Online Passes but then someone still has to pay to play used. Stay tuned geeks as more info will eventually emerge.

Ambient lighting for Minecraft bathes your room in the game’s day-night cycle

After your first session of Minecraft, where you inevitably began playing while it was light out and then realized it had gotten dark out and was close to sunrise again, you probably noticed the game is highly immersive. Though it sports blocky, pixelated graphics and often times adheres to a set of physics that is more closely related to magic than science, Mojang’s construct-’em-up sucks you into the world. Now, though, thanks to Jim Rutherford wanting to make a cool mod for his son, the immersion of Minecraft is leaking out into the real world, right into your bedroom.

Jim and son noticed a commercial for Philip’s Hue, an ambient light bulb that can be controlled through a wireless connection, and were inspired to hook the lights up to Minecraft to have the lights follow the game’s day-night cycle. The goal was to have the lights fade between bright daytime colors, warm sunset colors, then finally shut off during nighttime. Jim purchased a Hue Starter Set, which ran him $199 at an Apple Store, and included 3 LED bulbs, as well as the hub that controls them. If you’re wondering, extra bulbs cost $59. Philips offers a free app that can be downloaded from the App Store, which not only provides controls for the system, but comes with lighting presets as well.

Jim then created his own iPad app to provide central controls for the ambient game lighting. He made the app easy-to-use, making the HUD a visual representation of the Minecraft sun and moon traveling along in the sky. You can drag your finger across the sky in the app, effectively using the sun and moon as a scrubber, changing the time in the game world. This, as is the whole point of the project, changes the lighting coming from the Hue bulbs as well. If you leave the app alone, the lights will simply automatically change as the time cycles in the game.

If you’re a curious developer and want to tinker with Jim’s app, it is open source and available on GitHub. If you’d rather just get right into the ambient lighting goodness, Jim submitted the app to the App Store, and it will hopefully get approved and become available (for free) soon.

Of course, to get the whole rig working, you’ll need to buy some Hue bulbs and the wireless hub, which as we mentioned above, will burn at least a $199 hole in your wallet.

Xbox 720 rumors point to mandatory Kinect as well as multitasking

It’s time for a fresh batch of rumors about Microsoft’s successor to the Xbox 360. While the Redmond software giant is still mum about what to expect in its next gaming endeavor, the leaks continue to flow.

This time around, rumor has it that an anonymous individual with access to an Xbox 720 developer kit has said that the new console will only function if users have a Kinect (or the Xbox 720 equivalent) plugged into the system.

According to the rumor, the Kinect (or would that be Kinect 2?) will come packaged in with every console, so making it a requirement will be the same as requiring users to have a controller or a video cable.

Today, with the Xbox 360, the Kinect functions as an important part of the system, allowing users to navigate through menus and access content with the wave of a hand or an unencumbered voice command. However, it’s an optional accessory, which means the the Kinect is not mandatory nor is Xbox 360 experience is not unified.

Such has been an issue with the console practically since day one. To this day, some players have an Xbox 360 without an HDMI port, without built-in WiFi, or without a hard drive. Microsoft clearly realizes that it needs to unify the experience, which is presumably why Kinect will be mandatory on the Xbox 720.

A somewhat less surprising requirement will be that all units will have a hard drive, making it possible for game developers to require game data installations, which will increase the power of individual game titles and decrease load times.

More interestingly, the new console will be able to multitask, meaning players could have multiple games or apps open at the same time, allowing players to seamlessly switch between each application.

And finally, Microsoft will make its second-screen experience more integral to the gameplay experience. As for the controller, Kotaku’s insider says that it will be markedly different from the Xbox 360 pad,and will use an unspecified “new wireless technology.”

Previous rumors to surface include that the system will require an Internet connection and that the GPU specs will be leaps and bounds above that of the Xbox 360.

The continuous pile of rumors — along with the increasingly fragmented Xbox 360 audience — leads to an almost certain conclusion that the new console will be revealed soon, perhaps before the Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3) in June.

Meanwhile, it is expected that Sony will unveil the Playstation 4, which has been kept much more tightly under wraps, at an event in New York City later this month.

Data watchdog fines Sony £250,000 over PlayStation ID hack

Information commissioner fines company for security failures after millions of gamers' details were leaked online in 2011

Sony Computer Entertainment has been fined a record 250,000 by the data protection watchdog after the personal details of millions of gamers - including passwords and credit card numbers - were leaked online.

The privacy blunder happened in April 2011, when computer hackers targeted the Sony PlayStation Network.

The Information Commissioner's Office on Thursday said the security breach was "one of the most serious" it has handled under the Data Protection Act. The 250,000 fine is the maximum penalty awarded by the ICO against a private company.

"There's no disguising that this is a business that should have known better. It is a company that trades on its technical expertise, and there's no doubt in my mind that they had access to both the technical knowledge and the resources to keep this information safe," said David Smith, the ICO's deputy commissioner and director of data protection.

The watchdog said millions of customers were exposed to the risk of identity theft after their names, addresses, email addresses, dates of birth and account passwords were leaked online.

The ICO launched an investigation into the leak immediately after the hack in April 2011. It concluded on Thursday that the attack could have been prevented if Sony's software had been up to date, and separately found that passwords were not handled securely by the games giant.

The security breach was a huge blow for Sony, forcing its then chief executive, Sir Howard Stringer, into a humble apology and causing its share price to tumble as investors worried about the ultimate cost of the hack.

The 250,000 fine is the third largest penalty ever imposed by the ICO, with only two local authorities fined more than Sony.

Smith said: "If you are responsible for so many payment card details and log-in details then keeping that personal data secure has to be your priority. In this case that just didn't happen, and when the database was targeted - albeit in a determined criminal attack - the security measures in place were simply not good enough.

"The penalty we've issued today is clearly substantial, but we make no apologies for that. The case is one of the most serious ever reported to us. It directly affected a huge number of consumers, and at the very least put them at risk of identity theft."

The ICO did not reveal how many gamers it believes were affected by the security breach. At the time, it was estimated that as many as 100 million users may have been impacted.

It is not known who was responsible for the hack, described by the ICO as a "focused and determined criminal attack" on Sony's network. The hacking group Anonymous denied that it was involved back in May 2011, after reports quoted some members as admitting responsibility.

The data protection body said the attackers exploited a "vulnerability" in Sony's network following several distributed denial of service (DDoS) attacks, which overwhelmed Sony's network by flooding it with requests to load information.

The Japanese electronics giant failed to address the vulnerability even after it had spotted the unauthorised access on 19 April 2011, according to the ICO. It said that the Sony network had now been completely rebuilt.

Sony responded robustly to the fine, saying it "strongly disagreed" with the ruling and planned to appeal.

It added in a statement: "Criminal attacks on electronic networks are a real and growing aspect of 21st century life and Sony continually works to strengthen our systems, building in multiple layers of defence and working to make our networks safe, secure and resilient.

"The reliability of our network services and the security of our consumers' information are of the utmost importance to us, and we are appreciative that our network services are used by even more people around the world today than at the time of the criminal attack."

The company pointed out that the ICO found in its investigation that the "personal data is unlikely to have been used for fraudulent purposes" and that there was no evidence that encrypted payment card details were accessed.

Microsoft patent uses Kinect to detect TV audience, limit content

It doesn’t matter how much evidence you throw at Hollywood or their associated copyright enforcement agencies, piracy and the viewing of illegally acquired content will always be something they want to wipe out. A new patent application from Microsoft could well aid them in that quest.

The patent has the ominous title of “Content Distribution Regulation by Viewing User.” It details a system whereby the people sitting in view of a TV can be detected using cameras and sensors like those found in the Kinect motion controller. Once logged, the content provider can assess the audience and either choose to charge more for viewing the content or block access based on there being too many people.

Those are just two of the extremes such a system could be used for. A cable provider could just as easily log the ages and gender of the people watching the TV and adapt advertising or limit (mature) content accordingly. But even so, this isn’t a system that would go down well with consumers, and how are they going to enforce its use? “This content can only be viewed with the Microsoft Kinect turned on.” is not a message I can see working as part of a content distribution system.

This patent has come about because the Kinect exists. The inventors include lead Kinect developer Alex Kipman, director of Xbox Incubation Andrew Fuller, and executive director of Xbox Incubation Kathryn Stone Perez. Xbox Incubation is Microsoft’s team working on new hardware and where the final Kinect controller was originally developed. It’s no surprise the team is continuing to figure out new ways to use the device, I just wish they were coming up with ideas that are a little less draconian.

More at GeekWire and the US Patent & Trademark Office

Brine Shootout turns your iOS device into a Lacrosse machine

 

When you say the word "Axeman" most people think of such great guitar players as Slash, Clapton and Stevie Ray Vaughn. However, "Axeman" also belongs to a great sport that backs to the American Indians; Lacrosse.

While some people glue themselves to TV for the battles on the Grid Iron. Some like basketball or baseball.

My all time favorite sport is Lacrosse a.k.a Lax. I have wanted a Lacrosse game for iOS so badly, that it was one of my ideas for development. Well in my searching today, I found my game; Brine Shootout, and at my favorite price; FREE.

Its features include;

1.     Total shot control, including quick sticking, over the shoulder or ground balls.

2.     Power Shots will knock over every unlucky defender in your way.

3.     Four increasingly harder levels to get through: Backyard, High School, College and Pro.

4.     A full arsenal of un-lockable Brine gear helps you up your game-and your scores.

5.     A built-in, worldwide leaderboard lets you see how you measure up to the best (or don't).

6.     Share your score on Facebook and dare others to beat it.

Game play might just bring you back to your high school or college lacrosse days. It is entertaining and challenging with out all of the brutal hits, checks and 100 mph quick stick balls.

You need to get a certain number of goals to advance to different levels as well as unlock better equipment and venues.

It is an addictive game, and a necessary download for all LAX fans from 8-88. Get it at the iTunes app store and happy shooting.