Articles tagged with "Video Games"
Splinter Cell: Double Agent playable demo on Xbox Live
December 6, 2006 Fetching a score of 86 at MetaCritic is no mean feat - only two titles on the 360 have managed any better, putting Splinter Cell: Double Agent on the must have list this Christmas. Those of you who remain unconvinced by 47 positive reviews can now test it out for yourself by downloading the single player demo from Xbox Live Marketplace. (read more...)
Turn your Nintendo DS into a wireless MIDI controller
November 28, 2006 Music on the DS has just taken a giant leap beyond musical games like Electroplankton, thanks to the efforts of German programmer and musician Tob. Previously, using MIDI with the DS required getting geeky with a soldering iron - now the DS's internal WiFi card can be used to wirelessly send/receive MIDI to and from a "server" running on a PC. (read more...)
The next-generation console round-up
November 28, 2006 The next generation of gaming is either here, or just around the corner depending on your geographical location. The three heavyweight contenders are Microsoft XBOX 360, Sony PS3 and Nintendo Wii - each with their own varying idea of what gamers want for their dough...and with the high price of entry, and launch-period supply issues, we can't blame you if you haven't chosen a side yet. If you're looking at an extravagant gift for yourself, junior, or the whole family this Christmas, our games expert has assembled a two-minute guide to help you make an informed decision. (read more...)
Trimersion HMD takes First Person Shooter games to a new level of reality
October 31, 2006 The global success of First Person Shooter (FPS) games was catalysed by the launch of shareware phenomenon Doom on December 10, 1993 which was downloaded by more than 10 million people in its first two years – a remarkable number given the number of people online at that point. The game lived up to iD Software’s promise that it would become the "the number one cause of decreased productivity in businesses around the world" by hogging bandwidth on office networks and defined this popular gaming genre. The FPS format evolved and massively multiplayer online games subsequently created a new way to misspend your youth. Given the genre is characterized by an on-screen view that simulates the in-game character's point of view, the massive global following of FPS games is ripe to move to a logical next level of realism by offering greater immersion inside the game via the head mounted display (HMD) … and the HMD most likely in our book is the new Trimersion from 3001 AD. The wireless Trimersion head tracking HMD and tracking gun replace the mouse/keyboard or gamepad controllers with a realistic and natural interface (for killing things). (read more...)
Interfacing real world ball skills with the computer game
August 21, 2006 The Computer Human Interface (CHI) comes in many different guises, and has come a long way since we punched holes in cards with paperclips. Indeed, games appear to be the key laboratory for the CHI as we continually see new ways of getting real world and virtual world to mix in a computer game. In recent times we’ve seen such interesting game interfaces as the Bodypad, Xboard, Entertaible,, the mental typrewriter, and the Virtusphere and now we’re really impressed with ICE’s Striker Pro which is a soccer striking game where the player takes a penalty kick at a success goal – just the World Cup was decided. The machine records the speed and angle of the soccer ball after it is kicked and reads the information into the game in real time so a virtual ball is kicked into the game with the same power and trajectory for an incredibly realistic experience, complete with goalie histrionics, umpires call and crowd feedback. The machine retails for US$11,000 and the level of difficulty can be adjusted from two year old all the way to world cup professional. Now the technology used to create the Striker Pro is being adapted to other sports and the developers of the Striker Pro, eballgames is seeking distribution partners wishing to develop games for other football codes, golf, baseball, hockey, tennis or any other sport. “We have been getting it all working just right for the last few years and we now know we can build the interface and the software for any sport, and deliver 100 machines on time, so now we are seeking people to work with around the world,” said eballgames founder Tony Course. (read more...)
Nintendo reveals new controller for Revolution game platform
September 16, 2005 Nintendo will break with more than 20 years of video game history by abandoning the traditional controller held with two hands and introducing an all-new freehand-style unit held with one hand for the next generation Revolution game console. Nintendo claims the new pioneering interface is highly intuitive and will allow players to run, jump, shoot, steer, kick and score far better than with the previous controller. Unveiled in his speech today at the Tokyo Game Show, Nintendo President Satoru Iwata said, "the feeling is so natural and real, as soon as players use the controller, their minds will spin with the possibilities of how this will change gaming as we know it today." (read more...)
The Countdown Begins: Xbox 360 on-sale dates
September 15, 2005 Fueling global anticipation for the arrival of its powerful new video game and entertainment system, Microsoft today announced that Xbox 360 will arrive on store shelves on Tuesday, November 22 in North America, Friday, December 2 in Europe, and Saturday, December 10 in Japan. The announcement, made on the eve of Tokyo Game Show 2005, marked the first time that a game console will be launched in three territories in the same time frame. In preparation for what is expected to be massive worldwide demand for the new system, Microsoft also announced that Xbox 360 manufacturing is under way. (read more...)
And then there were three: Nintendo shows its hand
May 18, 2005 Nintendo last night unveiled its contender for the heavyweight clash of the games console – called Nintendo Revolution. Surprisingly, very few specifics of the Revolution internals were disclosed – there will be wi-fi networking, wireless controllers, two USB 2.0 ports, and DS memory card slots but no details of the processor and graphics chips upon which the machine is based other than that the microprocessor will be an IBM developed with Toshiba. Like the Microsoft Xbox 360 and Sony PlayStation 3, the Nintendo Revolution will be backwards compatible with previous game systems though the unlike Sony and Microsoft, the Revolution will be able to play Nintendo games from the last two decades. The company was also clear to point out that unlike its competitors, it does not seek to be the centrepiece of the loungeroom. The Revolution is the successor to the Nintendo GameCube that finished a distant third in a field of three in the current generation of game consoles and the company’s future is dependent on the success of the machine. Since the release of its first home video game system in 1983, Nintendo has sold nearly 2 billion video games and more than 336 million hardware units globally, creating enduring industry icons such as Mario and Donkey Kong and launching popular culture franchise phenomena such as Metroid, Zelda and Pokemon. Nintendo appears set to continue to target a younger audience than its competitors and the Revolution looks set to have a lower price point too. (read more...)
PlayStation Portable To Launch in Europe on 1st September 2005
April 28, 2005 Sony Computer Entertainment demonstrated the woes of having a globally desirable product that’s simply too hot this week when it announced its PlayStation Portable handheld entertainment system will be launched in Europe, Australia and New Zealand on 1st September 2005. The PSP was launched in Japan last December, and the United States last month but the high demand in both markets has caused such a drain on manufacturing facilities that European consumers will be forced to wait an additional six months. Check our US launch party pictures to get an idea of the extraordinary hype created around the launch of this landmark portable game platform. (read more...)
The World’s most advanced (and expensive) Sony Playstation peripherals
One of the star attractions at recent motor shows around Australia has been Mitsubishi’s Lancer Evolution rally simulators, even if judged solely by the length of the queues waiting to strap into the genuine rally seats, in the genuine rally cars that simulate the rally driving experience with more authenticity than you would have thought possible. The simulators were developed for Mitsubishi by technophiles Rodney Robertson and Associates and began with two Mitsubishi Lancers and got waaaay more complex from there. The idea was to build two linked rally car replicas and have them side-by-side with the choice of two very large rear projection screens in front of the cars, or where space and circumstances dictated a lesser set-up, two large bonnet-mounted Plasma panel displays. The experience is VERY realistic. (read more...)
Xbox brings a Virtual Personal Trainer to gaming
November 27, 2004 The gaming market is expanding it's audience through the growth of the "edutainment" genre, with titles like "Yourself!Fitness" for the Xbox, Playstation and PC targeting gamers, women and a wider audience who want a workout from a personal "Virtual Trainer" in the comfort of their own home. Created by responDESIGN , this new approach to personal fitness takes the often sedentary pastime of gaming and gives it a healthy impetus. Customers will also be able to purchase the game online and sign up for newsletters, promotions and tips from Maya, the Yourself!Fitness Virtual Personal Trainer. (read more...)
Playstation 2 trimmed down
Sony has announced the release next month of the trimmed down Playstation 2. While inheriting the basic functions and design philosophy of the current PlayStation 2 (SCPH-50000), the internal architecture has been completely redesigned, resulting in a slimmer and more lightweight design. Internal volume has been reduced by 75%, weight has been halved, and thickness trimmed down to 2.8 cm (thickness of current model is 7.8 cm). Equipped with an integrated Ethernet port for network gaming, the new PlayStation 2 sets new standards in the fusion of design and functionality. (read more...)
Playstation EyeToy 2 offers surveillance camera
The next version of Sony's Eyetoy Play due later this year can be used as a security camera as well as for dancing, karaoke and gameplaying further strengthening the Playstation's as a hub for home services and entertainment. Budding detectives can set up their SpyToy to secretly capture photos or record video of intruders, or they can record their own stealth message that will pop up on the television screen should anyone cross the threshold. (read more...)
A Sony PlayStation 2 Controller with a built in keyboard
Convergence, convergence everywhere. The signs of a mispent youth were once a highly developed ability with a billards cue. Now it's lighning reflexes and multi-tasking abilities to rival a supercomputer. Now PS2 players can chat and program commands directly from the controller while playing online games. Nyko Technologies' new iType2 PS2 controller has a miniature keyboard built directly into the pad and allows players to chat, share information and type messages to other players with no interruptions in gameplay. (read more...)
Sony EyeToy adds Video Conferencing to the Playstation 2
Sony Computer Entertainment Europe (SCEE) has unveiled the latest title in the ‘EyeToy’ family. ‘EyeToy: Chat’ is yet another pointer to the versatility of the PlayStation2 (PS2) as a home entertainment system by adding videophone functionality. On show at the E3 Expo and expected in stores in s... (read more...)
PlayStation 2 tops 1,000,000 units
October 22, 2003 Sony's PlayStation2 has now shipped over one million units in Australia and in excess of 60 million worldwide. After nearly three years in the marketplace, the PS2's position at the top of the gaming console tree has remained at a minimum of 2 to 1 in terms sales over its nearest competitors according to Sony, which bases the claim on data from market analyst GFK. (read more...)
Wireless plans for Nintendo's Game Boy Advance
Motorola and Nintendo have announced a joint venture that will enable wireless, multi-player, portable gaming for up to five people over a radio frequency (RF) link. Motorola's high-speed, low-power 2.4GHz radio frequency chipset will be used in an adaptor accessory for Nintendo's Game Boy Advance... (read more...)
Ducati Handlebars for PC and Playstation
Enthusiast motorcycle manufacturer (and home of Australia's very own World Superbike Champion, Troy Bayliss) Ducati Corse has perpetrated the perfect brand extension in releasing this set of genuine Ducati handlebars for PC and Playstation motorcycle racing games. Complete with force feedback, the handlebars can be procured from Ducati's eStore at www.ducati.com. (read more...)
