News
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Illegal Fable III copies left unplayable.
The 1st November launch of the new Kinect-capable dash brought about an unwelcome surprise for Xbox 360 pirates: new copy protection tech is included that looks set to lock out “backup” games from Xbox Live and – for the first time – stop copied games from loading.
Hackers refer to the new checks as “AP 2.5” and while details are scarce about how it actually works, the current thinking is that specific challenges to the DVD drive’s firmware are embedded into the security sectors on the game disc. If the correct responses don’t come back from the firmware, the console is flagged for banning on Xbox Live and the game refuses to load with a “dirty disc” error. Original copies of the game continue to work fine, even once the console is flagged.
Xbox 360 firmware hacker “Commodore4Eva” claims to have already isolated the AP 2.5 checks embedded within Fable III, but in theory any number of challenges could be embedded onto new game discs, and connection to Xbox Live could see randomised changes to the codes used. Should this be the case, in a best-case scenario, his could mean an effective end to Xbox 360 piracy but in the worst case it may restrict “backups” to running offline only.
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Sonic! Dead Rising! Demon’s Souls!
Eurogamer forumites may have noticed that we recently launched a brand new Reader Review of the Month competition. Think something’s better than Halo or as good as Red Dead Redemption? Post your own review and you can not only tell the world, but also stand the chance of winning fabulous prizes. Prizes, anyway. A prize.
For October, our brave and unusual community manager Tom Champion shortlisted three of your best efforts for consideration by the EG editorial team. First up there’s Kami’s love letter to Sonic the Hedgehog 4: Episode 1, written in the style of, well, a love letter. Then there’s BOBBYLUPO’s take on Dead Rising 2 and finally LowEnergyCycle’s review of Demon’s Souls. And the winner is…
LowEnergyCycle’s review of Demon’s Souls!
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Atari begins retro revival for Sony.
Like a parenting bird, Atari is regurgitating nutritious PSone games for PS3 and PSP.
This brave strategy began with yesterday’s arrival of Centipede on the PlayStation Store. It costs £4.
Still to come: Pong and Missile Command, among other unnamed retro morsels. But we’re not sure which is planned for next Wednesday’s weekly PlayStation Store update.
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Will Champions get user-generated content?
If you want Star Trek Online to be free-to-play then you had better jolly well say so, Cryptic boss Jack Emmert has told Eurogamer, because right now that decision hangs in the balance.
“I’m sure people are wondering whether we’ll do it with Star Trek and the question is really how well it does for Champions,” explained Emmert. “Does it work or doesn’t it?
“We’re not sold one way or the other with Star Trek yet. If people want Star Trek to go free-to-play then get in and play Champions and help make it a great success, because that would send a strong message.”
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Pad plus Kinect games exist, says Kipman.
On the day of Kinect’s US launch, Microsoft has confirmed that games that combine motion control with traditional controller input are in the works.
Games that utilise “hybrid” control methods exist, Microsoft told GamesIndustry.biz.
“We’ll continue to have controller-only games,” said Alex Kipman, the brain behind the development of Kinect.
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GameSpot testing suggests facial recognition features of Microsoft’s motion-sensing camera system might not work properly for some gamers.
Get the full article at GameSpot
“Kinect has problems recognizing dark-skinned users?” was posted by Brendan Sinclair on Wed, 03 Nov 2010 21:02:20 -0700 -
Arthouse film rental library MUBI arrives on PS3 today in Europe and Australia; 500 films on launch.
After becoming frustrated with the lack of online hubs for independent films, MUBI founder Efe Cakarel decided to create his own online library of independent, indie and arthouse films. Since its launch in 2007, MUBI has become an online community for lovers of indie films, who come to watch, read, share, and discuss with other members.
Now, Sony Computer Entertainment Australia (SCEA) is bringing the MUBI service to the PlayStation 3 in Australia and New Zealand, after launching in the UK, Ireland, France, Italy, Iberia, Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Benelux, and Nordic countries earlier this week. The service, first announced during Gamescom 2010 in August, will be available to download for free from today. Users will be able to access MUBI’s online database of over 500 films, and stream them directly through the PS3. Films will be available to rent for A$1.75 (US$1.75) for short films and A$6.25 (US$6.27) for feature films for a seven-day period; alternatively, users can sign up for an unlimited 30-day subscription for A$19.95. The average size of a feature film will be about 500 to 600MB.
MUBI’s current library includes work from legendary directors such as D. W. Griffith, Charlie Chaplin, Andrei Tarkovsky, Ingmar Bergman, Michelangelo Antonioni, Jean-Luc Godard, Agnes Varda’s entire body of work, as well as films from the festival circuits. There are also classics such as Federico Fellini’s La Dolce Vita, Pedro Almodovar’s All About My Mother, and newer films such as Guillermo del Toro’s Pan’s Labyrinth and Christopher Nolan’s recent blockbuster hit, Inception.
According to Cakarel, Aussie films make up a quarter of MUBI’s library, including classics like Chopper and older films such as Puberty Blues and Mad Dog Morgan.
The service will also include Facebook integration and sharing recommendations, as well as an integrated link to MUBI’s online community where users can discuss films with other members and interact with directors (like Martin Scorsese, for example, who is a MUBI member). MUBI is also partnered with film studios such as Hopscotch Films. The latter has recently signed a deal to bring new releases to MUBI’s PS3 service day-and-date with DVD releases.
While the films are currently offered in SD only, there are plans to begin an HD service next year.
“MUBI is all about making great films accessible,” Cakarel said. “Part of this is bringing the experience in HD, but at the moment this is not possible with Australia’s broadband speeds.”
SCEA managing director Michael Ephraim was positive that this would not be a problem for much longer, saying internet speeds will be a “non-issue in a year or two” in Australia.
“PS3s now have hit a 1 million install base mark in Australia, with 65 percent of user connected to PSN and 75 percent of users over the age of 18. A service like MUBI is unique and innovative, and we hope will inspire our current fans and bring a new community of film enthusiasts to PlayStation.”
To celebrate its launch on the PS3, MUBI will play host to the global premiere of Revolucion, a compilation of 10 shorts celebrating the centenary of the 1910 Mexican uprising, directed by 10 of Mexico’s most visionary directors including Gael Garcia Bernal, Amat Escalante, Gerardo Naranjo, and Carlos Reygadas. The film will premiere globally on November 20, released simultaneously in cinemas and for free on MUBI.
MUBI is also working on bringing a localised team to Australia, who will improve the service even more.
Read and Post Comments | Get the full article at GameSpot
“Indie movie service hitting PS3” was posted by Laura Parker on Wed, 03 Nov 2010 17:40:49 -0700 -
News
Valve antes up with Team Fortress 2 goodies for TellTale’s Poker Night at the Inventory (PC)
Nov 4, 2010Virtual money won’t be the only thing you can win in TellTale Game’s star-studded Poker Night at the Inventory. In an effort to drum up some excitement for its card game cross-over, Valve and TellTale are throwing in some unique prize loot which can be transferred for use in Team Fortress 2… …
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News
Rumor: Parent company of id and Bethesda gobbles up another studio (The Chronicles of Riddick: Assault on Dark Athena)
Nov 4, 2010
Above: ZeniMax is rumored to have acquired Machinegames, a development studio comprised of a lot of the folks who worked on The Darkness
After buying up Resident Evil creator Shinji Mikami’s studio, Tango Game Works, earlier this week, it appears that id and Bethesda owner ZeniMax may have bought yet another studio, Machinegames… … -
Nintendo announces 25th anniversary edition Mario bundle; includes four Wii games, art book, and music CD.
Get the full article at GameSpot
“Mario anniversary dated in Australia” was posted by Laura Parker on Wed, 03 Nov 2010 16:23:37 -0700