Weekly Digest - 21/09/2009
By Steven Perdikis - Mon Sep 21, 2009 9:05am
Each week, we collate the most popular stories that we published over the past seven days, plus a lineup of the most downloaded files added in the same timeframe. That way, in case you missed something, you can catch up in one helpful little spot, every Monday morning.
Last week, people wanted to know about Sony and their remarks regarding the possibility of users accessing Adult content on the PlayStation 3. The Classification Board, and Left 4 Dead 2 were in the news for all the wrong reasons again, with the R18+ debate rearing its head once more. Also popular was our reader interview with Randy Pitchford of Gearbox Software. Other people wanted to know just how cheap games can be, and news of a "locally themed", yet remotely hosted Aion server also turned some heads.
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Last week, people wanted to know about Sony and their remarks regarding the possibility of users accessing Adult content on the PlayStation 3. The Classification Board, and Left 4 Dead 2 were in the news for all the wrong reasons again, with the R18+ debate rearing its head once more. Also popular was our reader interview with Randy Pitchford of Gearbox Software. Other people wanted to know just how cheap games can be, and news of a "locally themed", yet remotely hosted Aion server also turned some heads.
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Sony's adult content plans revealed! Sony are pretty cluey when it comes to protecting what content appears on their console, which is why some fans of the big black box may be surprised to learn that the Japanese giant have apparently given the thumbs up to adult video content via the Playstation Network. Is this the same company that merrily dishes out permanent bans for using colourful language during online multiplayer matches? Yes it is; and a little further investigation demonstrates yet again that people who write headlines should probably be provided with basic lessons in understanding English. And the Internet. |
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Classification Board boycotts Left 4 Dead 2 so you don't have to Those of you who planned to boycott Left 4 Dead 2 won't have to. The Australian government's Classification Board have announced that they don't like the game, and have decided that the Australian public shouldn't be the victim of Valve's plans to exploit their customers for what is clearly a sequel that is planned all too soon. The Classification Board has refused to classify Left 4 Dead 2, but the details regarding the reasoning behind the decision not to classify the game have not yet been revealed. |
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Reader Interview: Randy Pitchford Randy Pitchford is the CEO of Gearbox Software, and the main man behind the upcoming ShooteRPG, Borderlands. He’s also one of the most enthusiastic guys to interview in the biz. Where other developers are media-trained within an inch of their personalities, Randy always has something to say. He didn’t disappoint when games.on.net caught up with him last week in Sydney, where he answered our reader's questions and weighed in on everything from the advantages of the PC over consoles, through to his attitude on storytelling in games. |
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Economical Gamer's Bargain Bin - September 14 Each week, the lads at Economical Gamer find the best Australian gaming bargains. They trawl the 'Net, hit the stores and even read those catalogues the rest of us line our kitty litter trays with, all to find the cheapest prices on the hottest games. This week they've found the best place to pre-order your ticket to Liberty City's new suburbs, while those in the market for a new 360 or PS3 can save a hefty chunk of change if they follow the advice within. Read on to find out exactly where these specials are happening. |
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Aion launches Oceanic server So whaddya think of that new Aion kid? Any good? Pfft, MMORPGS are a dime a dozen these days, and I haven't seen anything to tempt me above and beyond the competition's offerings. Not interested! Wait - what's that you say? A dedicated local server? Right now? Really? Hmm, maybe we'd better take another look! |
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Games blogger sued by Australian browser game Have you heard of Evony? Almost anybody who has ever shown the slightest interest in video games of any kind has had advertisements for the empire building game appear in their browser. Google Ads throws banners and sidebars bearing the game's messages at me just about every third page view, and popular gaming blog comments are filled with references and links back to the Evony website. I'm sure you know of that to which I refer; it usually has boobs in it. Prolific games blogger Bruce Everiss took issue with several alleged aspects of the game, and Evony LLC took issue with him. They've taken it right into the courtroom. |
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Discovering life as an Xbot Purchasing a new gaming console can be an experience fraught with embarrassment and self-doubt, especially if you've been barracking for the other team for so long. Brenna Hillier shares her journey on the road from Sony Fangirl to 360 patriot, and is amazed at the warm welcomers who lined the way. |
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Retro Roadtest: Heroes of Might and Magic II - Gold Welcome to Retro Roadtest, where we dust off the beloved classics of ye olden days, to investigate just how well they've aged. We’ll also test how easy it is to get these cobweb-infested lines of code to run on today’s supercomputers. To get the ball rolling, we're looking at Heroes of Might and Magic II – Gold, developed by the now defunct New World Computing. |
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Operation Flashpoint - new multiplayer trailer Those of you who are waiting for Operation Flashpoint: Dragon Rising will no doubt be interested in the multiplayer component of the game. As though to try and calm our nerves, Codemasters have released a new trailer that shows off some of the stuff you can do in the game online. The game is actually looking better from a visual standpoint (compared to earlier trailers for the game), with the gameplay also looking to be on the brighter side of half decent. While the trailer only offers around one and a half minutes of gameplay footage, it is still nice to see some new footage from the game. |
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Activision Blizzard CEO predicts the death of consoles The future of TV gaming may see consoles consigned to the dustbin of history. Speaking at the Deutsche Bank Securities Technology Conference in San Francisco, Activision Blizzard CEO Robert Kotick anticipated a glorious tomorrow in which 1080p TVs that support streaming content will eliminate the need for PS3s and 360s altogether -- and with them, their associated software licensing fees. |
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New Capcom brawler holds promise of unlimited upskirt action Recall how in the old cartoon Battle of the Planets, the animators at Tatsunoko gave young viewers innumerable upskirt shots of the feisty young scientific ninja Princess. And recall how Dead Rising star and photo-journalist Frank West (he's covered wars, you know...) would get bonus points for taking upskirt photographs of zombie chicks. Now that we know both these characters will be squaring off in the upcoming fighting game Tatsunoko vs. Capcom: Ultimate All-Stars, the potential for ribald finishing moves is unlimited. |
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Need For Speed: SHIFT gets a PC demo It is no secret that for the past few years, the Need For Speed series has been accelerating down a steep hill towards its doom. EA have been trying to take care of their precious intellectual property though, with the latest game being given to a respected developer, who just happen to be the same folk who worked on GTR 2. While many people may approach the newest game in the series with some scepticism - it does look like it will be something that is better than half decent. If you don't want to spend your money in order to find out whether or not the game is actually good, you can always download the recently released PC demo. |
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Real-life Warthog to appear at Halo 3: ODST launch Stop by Westfield Penrith Plaza tomorrow night, and you'll have the chance to sit in a real-life Warthog space jeep. Created by Weta for the now aborted Halo motion picture, the one-of-a-kind vehicle is a fully-functional 4WD with computerised suspension, and made from over 3 tons of solid steel. Everyone will have the opportunity to get their photo taken in the Warthog -- but 80 lucky gamers will also win 'hot laps' at the Parramatta raceway. |
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BBC Watchdog unsafe at any speed Sony has accused the UK consumer affairs TV show Watchdog of blowing the PS3 failure rate out of all proportion. To highlight an alleged epidemic of 'Yellow Light of Death' PS3 failures, Watchdog set up a special van outside of Sony's British headquarters. Within: 'experts' who would repair defective PS3s for no charge... |
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Monday Screens! (14/09/2009) Monday can be a very difficult part of the week. It is hard to be very positive (especially if you've had a good weekend), and the return to work / study after a few days off is a daunting, traumatic experience that make you want to crawl into a corner and die. It isn't that bad though, because we have Monday Screens. They're usually colourful, and they are much nicer to look at than things that may or may not be considered work. In any case, if you need to break up your afternoon, instead of looking at the clock constantly, you can always look at some shiny new screenshots! |
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