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Dustforce!: Leap and Sweep Platforming

Lambert Varias — Wed, 04 Aug 2010 11:45:29 +0000

Watch out Mario, you’re not the only blue-collar platformer who’s also in the saving the world business. Currently in development by the Hitbox Team, Dustforce! stars a high-jumping, energetic sweeper. He hates dust and dirt so much that he won’t even touch gold coins until he’s cleaned the treasure chest where they’re stored, whereas Mario just leaves the rubble of the bricks he breaks in his wake. Shame on you!

Here’s the game in action:

Click to View Embedded Video Clip

Looks like a fun game. You can download a demo of Dustforce! on indiePub Games. It’s currently Windows-only, and it still has some bugs, but those who have tried it commend the game’s simple controls and the wonderful animation. Death to dust!

[via Destructoid]

Fps Terminator Game: Consider It Training for the Future

Lambert Varias — Thu, 22 Jul 2010 10:35:28 +0000

With the robot-loving Japanese here in the East, DARPA in the West and nerd-filled universities all over the world, Skynet will arrive, in one form or another. We should take this opportunity to train to become members of the Resistance, granted to us by our comrade Gridlockshock, aka Kevin Bryant of the Art Institute in Dallas. Bryant has created FPS Terminator, a shooter featuring Skynet’s Hunter-Killers and of course the dreaded Terminators.

Bryant foretells, “Set in the year 2029, you are placed in the boots a of soldier serving for humankind against the ruthless army of machines. The final campaign will feature nine chapters… Confront the many killing machines at Skynet’s disposal including the HK aerial, the HK tank, the mini HK, and the legendary T800 with an arsenal of futuristic plasma weapons. “ Bryant says that this is more of a proof of concept than an actual game, but perhaps he’s just saying that to fool any robot who might be listening. Here’s a teaser for the Alpha v.1.0 Demo of FPS Terminator:

The game has even caught the eye of Gears of War designer Cliffy B, who tweeted about the mod a couple of days ago. Incidentally, FPS Terminator uses the Unreal Development Kit, which as some of you may know was released by Epic Games, of which Cliffy B is a part of. You can download the Windows-only Alpha v.1.0 Demo of FPS Terminator at ModDB.

[via CVG via Wire.vg]

Kinect Preview at Macy’S: Freakin’ Hardcore Yo

Lambert Varias — Fri, 09 Jul 2010 12:02:11 +0000

Last month, Microsoft’s worldwide marketing manager Ryan Moore said that hardcore gamers will be the first to buy Kinect (but not because Kinect is for hardcore players, he just assumed that hardcore players were the type to embrace new tech). In a bid to ensure that players with hardened cores will buy Kinect, Microsoft will be giving a US preview of Kinect way before it goes on sale on November. Starting July 15, if you want to try Kinect, all you have to do is go to one of 13 Macy’s stores, where they will have demo units for you to play with and – wait what?

See those two stars right there? The red one means “hardcore”. The little black one is a cute apostrophe. Anyway, according to Macy’s press release, they’ll also be giving away one Kinect unit a day starting August 12 until September 10 via their hardcore MStyle website. (which currently redirects to some sort of fashion contest that has nothing to do with gamers.) You’ll have to be at least 13 years old – and hardcore – to join the contest.

[via Macy's Press Release via Chip Chick]

Playstation Move Tech Demo Looks Great: Sony, Please Back It Up With Good Games

Lambert Varias — Fri, 18 Jun 2010 13:26:23 +0000

Here’s a sharp contrast to the Kinect demo I talked about yesterday. IGN’s Executive Editor Greg Miller got to try out the PlayStation Move. Unfortunately Miller only had a tech demo with him, unlike yesterday where we saw some wonderful graphics courtesy of Forza. But overall, I think this demo is more satisfying to watch than the Forza one. I’m just afraid that the games won’t utilize the Move in fun ways, opting instead for Wii-alikes and FPSes.

The demo not only shows how good the Move is at tracking the user, it also demonstrates my point from yesterday – it’s significantly easier to interact (with a flat image) using physical controllers, because you still have something tangible to work with, and the presence of buttons makes it easier to pull off a variety of moves, some of which can be complex or have no relation to motion at all.

Again, I’m not saying that Kinect will be a flop, I just think that it’s limited and simplistic compared to the Wii-mote and the Move. The rumor about the Kinect not being able to detect people who are sitting down is of great concern as well. But in the end, it’s the games that count. I hope both systems give us tons of awesome ways to enjoy motion controlled gaming.

[via IGN via Aeropause]

3dmark 11 Will Crush Your Lousy Graphic Card

Technabob — Tue, 25 May 2010 01:53:35 +0000

The guys at Futuremark just took wraps off the latest version of their 3DMark benchmarking suite, and it’s guaranteed to put your graphic chipset through the most aggressive set of tests it’s ever been tasked with.

The new version of the software is designed to exercise the latest in DirectX 11 gaming technology featuring such challenges as volumetric lighting, tessellation, depth of field and lens effects in real time. From the looks of the “deep sea” demo reel below, you’ll definitely want to upgrade your video card before giving this bad boy a whirl.

Click to View Embedded Video Clip

Expect 3DMark 11 to hit in Q3 2010. For more info, head on over to the Futuremark’s website.

[via CrunchGear]

Bebionic Hands Make Me Want to Cut Mine Off

Lambert Varias — Fri, 19 Feb 2010 13:25:00 +0000

Actually no, I love my sweaty hands and my knobby fingers. But UK-based BeBionic‘s fully articulated myo-electric hands look menacing, making the simple act of gripping an apple or playing Jenga seem like part of a diabolical scheme.

The term myo-electric means that the hand is operated using electric signals from the human brain, much like their flesh and bone counterparts. BeBionic’s hands also work almost as smoothly as human hands:

Click to View Embedded Video Clip

They could be a tad faster and smoother, but definitely usable, don’t you think? I wonder what Masamune Shirow thinks of BeBionic’s technology. The hand is set to debut at an exhibition in Leipzig, Germany on May 12-15, so we’ll probably have a lot more info then.

[via BotJunkie]

Rcomplex: Don’T Let the Giant Squid Catch You

Alisha K. — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 13:01:05 +0000

I’m not really sure what all is going on with rComplex beyond the fact that I’m certain a giant squid-thing chasing you is bad (very, very bad), but the stark, simple visuals made me stop in my tracks. When a giant squid-thing is chasing you, that’s probably also bad.

For something so simple, rComplex is absolutely stunning, from the shine of the backgrounds to the hard lines of the endless stairs. The simplicity, too, adds to the horror; I’m not really sure what that thing is, but that is one scary silhouette.

rComplex is, alas, only a demo for now–and a demo in need of a little polish at that–but this is a game worth watching out for. The concept is as simple as the look: run down the stairs and don’t get caught. There are a lot of stairs. There are obstacles. There’s music, and a voiceover, and enough challenge to make downloading the demo worth it. But do you really need to be convinced after seeing that screenshot? They had me at shiny.

[via IndieGames]

Surfacescape Redefines Tabletop Gaming

Lambert Varias — Sat, 24 Oct 2009 12:45:46 +0000

Anything that starts out of a suggestion from Penny-Arcade’s Mike Krahulik & Jerry Holkins – aka Gabe & Tycho – is bound to be geeky, and this one is no exception. The duo visited the Entertainment Technology Center at Carnegie Mellon University and ended up chatting with a bunch of students that were using a Surface, Microsoft’s multitouch wonder computer. Says Krahulik: “After I was done doodling I started sketching out a game grid and we all got to talking about how you might be able to use this tech to play D&D. I drew out some rough ideas and Tycho and I gave them a wish list of things we’d want to see it do. Stuff like selecting spells from a menu around your figure and animates effects for attacks and auras. After we got home we received a mail from them saying they liked the idea so much they wanted to make it their next project.”

Months later, the students released a video with a proof-of-concept of the D&D-Surface mashup, which they named SurfaceScapes, including a look at how combat plays out.

Click to View Embedded Video Clip

Virtual d20 ftw.

[via Wired via Penny Arcade]

4 Dead 2 Demo Release Expected Next Month: Zombies Here We Come!

Alisha K. — Wed, 23 Sep 2009 12:37:19 +0000

If you’re one of the folks not convinced by the necessity of Left 4 Dead 2 when there’s a perfectly good Left 4 Dead game already around, released just last year, then next month’s demo may help you ruminate further on the possibilities of zombie-hunting in New Orleans.

The demo, available October 27 (just in time for the game’s November release) will feature not only the game’s new melee weapons, but of course, multiplayer action, because everyone knows it’s no fun much less fun to hunt zombies alone. More dangerous, too.

I may have already pre-ordered the sequel, but you can bet I’ll be getting in on some demo action. I’m dying to know whether or not the big guy hates vans (and everything else).

[via Joystiq]

Future Wii Video Games Will be Able to Play on Their Own

Lambert Varias — Wed, 17 Jun 2009 11:50:40 +0000

In an interview with USA Today, Mario creator Shigeru Miyamoto revealed that the upcoming New Super Mario Bros. video game on the Wii will have an optional feature, tentatively called “Demo Play.” I could describe Demo Play using a single word, but instead I’ll let Miyamoto-sama explain: “In New Super Mario Bros. Wii, if a player is experiencing an area of difficulty, this will allow them to clear troubled areas and take over when they’re ready.” Miyamoto also admitted that future Wii games may have the feature as well. As a Penny-Arcade reader, I can’t tell you how comically eerie that news is for me.

So yes, video games will be able to play for you, but before we react let’s remember a few things. First of all, we don’t know the exact details regarding the feature. Maybe it will only be available for certain games. Maybe a player can only use it a certain number of times per level. Second, it’s a feature, not a requirement. So if we ever come to own a game in the future that has this on it, we can choose when – if ever - to use it. Third, Progress Quest. Uhuh. This is nothing new.

[via 4 color rebellion]

Mplayit: Try Free Mobile Game Demos Before You Buy

Technabob — Tue, 25 Nov 2008 02:30:46 +0000

How many times have you plunked down your hard earned cash on a new game for your mobile phone, only to find out the game sucked? Now you can try out full (time-limited) versions of many mobile games right in your web browser before you decide to buy.

The guys over at mplayit offer you the chance to play a number of Java-based games from the convenience of your computer’s web browser. The site currently offers over 60 fully playable titles including games from EA Mobile, NAMCO, SEGA, Gameloft, Digital Chocolate and other popular mobile game makers. An phone key emulation wrapper lets you use your mouse or key controls to play the games just like they’d work on your phone. To keep up on the latest games, they also offer an RSS feed of the latest game demos as they’re released.

While most games have a time limit of 3 to 5 minutes, it’s definitely enough for you to get a taste for each title, and to make a better informed decision before you load up your cell phone with a bunch of crap. And maybe you’ll discover some gems that you never would have given a second look to.

Bioshock Demo on Xbox Live Tonight

Technabob — Mon, 13 Aug 2007 03:58:53 +0000

Big news tonight for Xbox 360 fans… A demo of the anxiously anticipated FPS, Bioshock has hit the Xbox Live Marketplace tonight.

The demo weighs in at a hefty 1.3 gig, so you’ll probably end up leaving your console on overnight (like me) to grab the full download.

According to the developers of the game, the demo lets you play somewhere between 45 minutes and an hour from the beginning of the game, along with a few extra weapons and capabilities that you won’t normally have that early in the game. Whatever the demo holds, I’m sure it’ll be just enough to whet your appetite for the full version of the game which ships in just over a week, on August 21.

For those of you who want every little bit of dirt on this upcoming game, head on over to Major Nelson’s website for all the gory details.

Tech Demos From Next-Gen Star Wars Game

Technabob — Thu, 15 Feb 2007 14:11:16 +0000

The folks over at LucasArts are showing off some pretty cool new tech that’s planned for the upcoming Star Wars: The Force Unleashed, planned for next-generation consoles.

The first video shows off the enhanced AI engine (called “Euphoria”) which provides each enemy with a “central nervous system,” which makes them intelligent and emotional reactions to stimuli in their environment:

Click to View Embedded Video Clip

The second video shows off “Digital Molecular Matter,” which provides objects with much more realistic physical properties than seen in other game engines. Surfaces such as wood don’t simply break into pre-determined pieces, they actually splinter and fragment like they would in real life:

Click to View Embedded Video Clip

It’s pretty amazing what the hardware in today’s gaming systems can enable. Let’s hope these technologies make it to the final game, and that other developers follow suit.

[via TechEBlog]

Crackdown Demo Coming to Xbox Live 1/23

Technabob — Sat, 20 Jan 2007 04:01:35 +0000

Major Nelson, Microsoft’s inside man on all things Xbox, is reporting that after numerous delays and much anticipation, the downloadable demo of Crackdown will be hitting the Xbox Live Marketplace for download on next Tuesday, January 23rd at 2:00 Pacific Time.

Crackdown is a 3-D action/driving game, from the original creator of the Grand Theft Auto series, Dave Jones. The game features “M”-rated action in urban sandbox environment like the GTA titles, but integrates more advanced futuristic weapon types, superhero-like powers and the ability to use almost any item in the environment as a weapon. In addition, it’s supposed to offer a strong co-op play mode so you can share your mayhem making with your friends. The full version of the Xbox 360 exclusive is slated to be released on February 20th.

Need for Speed Carbon Demo on Xbox Live Marketplace

Technabob — Wed, 04 Oct 2006 23:37:39 +0000

Microsoft has posted a demo for the new EA racer, Need For Speed Carbon for the Xbox 360.

The demo lets you try out three cars, the Mitsubishi Lancer EVOLUTION IX, Lamborghini Gallardo or the Camaro Concept. There are three race modes in the demo as well: Circuit Race, Canyon Duel and Drift Race.

The demo weighs in at about 1GB, and is available now in all regions except Hong Kong, Japan, Korea, Mexico, Sinagpore and Taiwan. Early reports are that the demo suffers from poor controls and laggy framerates, so caveat emptor.

[via EA Games]

Flight Simulator X Demo Now Available for Download

Technabob — Fri, 11 Aug 2006 23:23:45 +0000

Microsoft Games has posted the demo for its much anticipated Flight Simulator X.

This version contains major upgrades from past releases including massively improved visuals, a dynamic world with insane amounts of detail, multiplayer skies with real-time online traffic from other flyers and many new planes to fly. The demo includes three example missions. The full game will be released this October.

It’s really amazing how far this franchise has come from its humble roots as the SubLogic FS1 Flight Simulator on the old Apple II:

Download Demo

[via Major Nelson]

Video of New Tony Hawk Title for Wii (Unimpressed)

Technabob — Sat, 05 Aug 2006 23:38:09 +0000

There’s a video floating around on YouTube demoing Tony Hawk’s Downhill Jam for the Nintendo Wii. While the game doesn’t look terrible, I have to say it’s time to retire this whole franchise. There’s really nothing innovative here, and the whole thing kinda smells like a poor cousin of the SSX franchise. You be the judge…

P.S.: I’m hoping that’s a dev kit “wii-mote”, since it seems to have a cord attached, and also seems oddly small compared to earlier images of the device.

[via Joystiq]

Dead Rising Demo on Xblm!

Technabob — Fri, 04 Aug 2006 15:38:08 +0000

Capcom’s zombies-in-a-mall actioner, Dead Rising, is now available in demo form on Xbox Live Marketplace for your enjoyment. Since I haven’t gotten to check it out yet, here are some comments posted on Major Nelson’s blog that I thought would give a good idea of what to expect…

“You can (get) 15 minutes of run about in the mall. Lots of zombies walking around all at the same time on screen. Weapons in the demo are really cool considering that these are probably only small number from what we will get in full version. In the demo you get to go to sports shop, food shops, toy shop, music instruments shop, coffee bars etc etc. So much cool stuff to do that you won’t realise how quickly the 15 minutes expires and you will be ready for another set straight after. Graphics look superb and so does sound.”

I think I know what I’m doing this weekend.

[UPDATE: I've been playing this bad boy all night, and it's a blast. The graphics really could not have been acheived on anything but the latest hardware, given the mass quantities of zombies on screen at once. Contrary to earlier indications, you can't use every object in the game as a weapon, but there is a very large variety that can be picked up, and the physics of each weapon really varies. Hit a zombie with a foam filled toy and the results (and sound effects) are quite a bit different than thrashing them senseless with a golf club or a baseball bat. When things get harried, there's nothing whipping out your scythe for some zombie decapitating goodness. The camera mode is also really fun as you try to snap photos of interesting scenes while being attacked. Once you've danced around in a costume bear head and killed 100 undead with a potted plant, you'll never go back. I'm really looking forward to the full version when it comes out on Tuesday August 8.]

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