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July 30 AceyBongos GamerScore Challenge: Week 8 Update - SUPER BONUS WEEK!The people have spoken, and the people want the AceyBongos GamerScore Challenge to be extended until September 28! Now, I know it's not ideal to have to move the goalposts, but I hadn't planned my holidays when we started the challenge. Apologies - and to try to make it up I'll boost the prize funds. Give me a week to figure out what else I can get into the prizes.
Now, given that you have an extra month to rack up the points and climb up the Leaderboard (and since I'm pretty disgusted with my lack of progress), I've decided to make this SUPER BONUS WEEK! SUPER BONUS WEEK means that there's a prize stack up for grabs for the person who has the biggest GamerScore increase between now and 11.59pm next Monday evening. It's a good excuse to kickstart your gains, and it also means that even if you're down in the basement of the Leaderboard you can still win some prizes with a bit of work this week.
So what will you win? I've got three mystery Xbox 360 games, a code for Bomberman Live on XBLA, and an Xbox 360 Chatpad for the person who records the biggest GamerScore increase in SUPER BONUS WEEK. I've captured your current scores and my decision as to who is the winner will be final. GO GO GO!
I'm going to work hard this week myself to try and nail 1000 points. For inspiration I only need to look as far as AceyBongos GamerScore Challenge leaders x MwA x Viper and OwningXylophone, who both have now put some clear daylight between themselves and the chasing pack. Viper has actually just busted through the 20,000 point increase barrier, which actually makes me feel a bit funny. Fine, fine work - but remember that Xylo is right on your tail!
Right, I'm off to get some more points from DiRT, and since I'm off work tomorrow I should be able to get some good pointage in. July 27 Marketplace Update 27/7Just the one piece of content for Europe today. You may have picked up that there's some Comic-Con content available in the US, but unfortunately it's a US only deal so it won't be appearing over here. Apologies if you fancied the stuff.
Now for my Friday chuff session: I've got Monday and Tuesday off work (woop woop), so this weekend is pretty much going to be taken up with playing on the Elite (which I still need to post about) to try and catch up on my GamerScore. I noticed that Xbox.com Editor Making Sparks is breathing down my neck now, and I used to be about 3000 in front of him... Might try and sneak in a vist to the cinema to see Transformers too. And The Simpsons Movie. Why does it all come along at once? July 26 US HD-DVD Drive Price Drop - What Do You Think?The US announced a price drop for the Xbox 360 HD-DVD drive today - it'll be dropping from $199 to $179. Even better, purchasers will be able to choose 5 free HD-DVD movies from a selection of 15, courtesy of Toshiba.
Read the full announcement and press release on GamerScore Blog.
At the moment there are no plans for a similar price cut in Europe, but I'm interested to know what you think of this cut and the 5 free movies offer? I don't own the HD-DVD drive myself but I think I'd definitely be tempted by this kind of deal.
So, do you own an Xbox 360 HD-DVD drive, and if not, what would it take to make you buy one? Within reason, obv... UPDATED: Marketplace Update - 26/7: Including ACE Resident Evil 5 TrailerSeriously, you HAVE to watch the Resident Evil 5 trailer - it's superb. Resi 4 on GameCube is one of my top three games of all time so I cannot wait for 5...
Wee note on Marketplace Updates - in order to get you the new content asap it's sometimes hard for me to give full details on what each individual piece is. Sorry about that, but if you pop online and check the Dashboard details you'll get a nice full description!
UPDATE: Apparently the Splinter Cell DA DLC is two new maps and the slinky Spy Girl character. I posted full details here. AND ANOTHER UPDATE: There's a free Holden Efijy concept car aso available for download for TDU, and the Volume 5 pack contains 5 new cars and a Kawasaki ninja motorbike. Vroom! July 25 Marketplace Update - 25/7It's Xbox Live Arcade Wednesday! Wing Commander Arena (800 MS Points) and Super Contra (400 MS Points) are now available - head here for details on both games, or swing by here for a Q&A with the Associate Producer of Wing Commander Arena.
Loads of other content today too:
July 24 Forza Motorsport 2 UpdateIf you haven't played Forza 2 today you might want to pop it in - an auto-update went live earlier that fixes a number of issues, making both the Auction House and multiplayer racing fairer and smoother. Full list of fixes and updates in Forza 2 Community Manager Che Chou's weekly update on ForzaMotorsport.net.
Still stuck on level 30 meself :( UPDATED: Wing Commander Arena Q&AWing Commander Arena is hitting Xbox Live Arcade tomorrow morning for 800 MS Points. Since it's the first new installment in the series I thought it would be cool to cathc up with Sean Penney, the game's Associate Producer at EA.
Give us an introduction to Wing Commander Arena.
Sean Penney: Wing Commander Arena is a 16 player online arcade space combat game using the favourite ships from past Wing Commander titles. It's set 20 years after the Confederation and the Kilrathi Clans pushed back the Nephilim. It takes place on what was the Frontier before the Humans and Kilrathi were forced to ally to deal with the Nephilim menace. This Frontier has since lost contact with the core worlds. Now Regional Governors try to hold things together, but it's very much like the Wild West - lawlessness abounds. Many of the weapons of the last war and older are state of the art in this environment, though there have been some innovative upgrades. Privateers, outlaws and robber barons are quick to take advantage of the constant turmoil this volatile mix has produced. How is this game different than the original Wing Commander franchise?
Sean Penney: Wing Commander Arena will be a top down 2D/3D space combat game where players can form an armada and hunt down their enemies as players climb the leaderboard. This new game borrows from the Wing Commander brand history and rebuilds it for the modern multi-player experience.
What was the inspiration for EA to create a spin-off of the currently dormant Wing Commander series? Sean Penney: We wanted to get into Arcade - it's a new market and we wanted to make a statement. Multiplayer space combat was an area not well represented on Arcade, until now. Wing Commander was a natural choice as a universe in which to set our offering. As an arcade space fighter we can offer layers of control to the player. This will allow them to get right into the game out of the gate, as an arcade title should, but still offer significant game play depth to the old fans and the new fans of the series, as any Wing Commander title should. How will Wing Commander Arena be true to the Wing Commander series? Sean Penney: First through the game play. The 18 player ships, drawn from WC favourites, are true in function and form to the originals. Of course, things change in 20 years and out on the frontier it's important your ship have some special upgrades. And some other old favourites will make an appearance as well, and we will introduce you to some new friends. Wing Commander fans have long wanted a multiplayer experience. Arena offers classic Wing Commander combat online with 16 players. For the fans who remember Armada, a dogfight in Arena is like a dogfight in Armada. Second is our attention to detail. We are very cognizant of the Wing Commander continuity and brought members of the thriving and vocal Wing Commander community into the development process. We bring back classic ships and work in flavour from the original game to the movie. Arena has always been intended as an homage to the Wing Commander franchise and we very much wanted to do it justice.
Third is innovation. Wing Commander has always pushed the envelope. Every WC game set new standards in tech and design and changed the way we play games. Wing Commander Arena is doing the same thing with Live Arcade - from 16 player online game play to the number and depth of our modes to the beauty of our environments Arena is far and away more impressive than anything XBLA has had available before.
What are EA's plans for the future? Will you continue to make games for Xbox Live? Thanks for your time Sean! Wing Commander Arena is available on Xbox Live Arcade tomorrow morning at 10am UK time for 800 MS Points. Screens below in the Gallery, and more details here! UPDATED: Fixed the Achievements (thanks IanBear!) - they must have changed since I did the interview with Sean. Apologies for the confusion! The UK X0 EventI noticed that Major Nelson mentioned the UK's X0-style event in his latest BlogCast (thanks for the heads-up expro!). The deal, as it stands, is that after the news broke that there would not be a fully-fledged X07 event this year, the UK Xbox team announced that they would be holding a similar event with a UK focus (details here on GamesIndustry.biz). The details are still being worked out, but I should know more soon. You'll be in the loop.
From what I've heard initially it sounds pretty cool... Marketplace Update - 24/7This reminds me that I really need to start playing The Darkness...
July 23 Wing Commander and Super Contra Coming to Arcade on WednesdayTwo new games this Xbox Live Arcade Wednesday: EA's Wing Commander Arena (800 MS Points) and Konami's Super Contra (400 MS Points). I'll have a Wing Commander Arena Q&A for you later, but in the meantime here's the deets on both:
Take Flight with Wing Commander Arena on Xbox LIVE Arcade this Wednesday!
Electronic Arts brings “Wing Commander Arena” to Xbox LIVE Arcade for Xbox 360 this Wednesday, July 25 at 9:00 a.m. GMT (2:00 a.m. PDT).
Flash forward to the year 2071: in “Wing Commander Arena,” players form an elite flying squadron to combat the enemy armada of the Kilrathi Empire. Featuring four modes of gameplay, nine maps and the first 16 player multiplayer combat on Xbox LIVE Arcade, “Wing Commander Arena” is the perfect mix of arcade fun and modern multiplayer chaos.
“Wing Commander Arena” on Xbox LIVE Arcade is a completely new iteration in the “Wing Commander” franchise. “Wing Commander Arena” will become available worldwide (with the exception of Japan and Korea) for 800 Microsoft Points and is rated E for Everyone.
Game Features
Celebrate the 20th Anniversary of the Contra Franchise with “Super Contra”!
Konami is celebrating the 20th Anniversary of the seminal Contra franchise with the release of “Super Contra” for Xbox LIVE Arcade this Wednesday, July 25 at 9:00 a.m. GMT (2:00 a.m. PDT).
The fight for freedom continues! Reprise your role as either Bill Rizer or Lance Bean in this follow-up to the arcade classic “Contra,” which made waves in arcades everywhere in 1987. The nefarious forces of Red Falcon have been wounded but they are far from defeated! The alien menace has taken control of a military installation in South America and they must be defeated for the sake of humanity. Experience the authentic gameplay of “Super Contra” with an updated look and feel by battling through several risky missions either solo or in two player co-op mode, just like in the original.
“Super Contra” will become available worldwide this Wednesday for 400 Microsoft Points and is rated E10+.
Game Features
Both Wing Commander Arena and Super Contra will be available on Wednesday at 10am UK time, 11am CET. And remember you can try them both out for free.
Bomberman Live Q&AHave you had the chance to play Bomberman Live yet? I confess I haven't, mostly because I'm so looking forward to it that I want to wait until I've got some free time to give it a proper shot. I did hear something cool about it that I didn't know - if you've got your Xbox Live Vision Camera plugged in when you win a round, you can rub your opponents' faces in it with a victory dance. Funny!
If you're not sold on Bomberman Live yet I thought I 'd share this Q&A I did with John Lee, the VP of Sales and Marketing for Bomberman dev Hudson. Enjoy!
What is it about the Bomberman series that has made it so enduring?
John Lee: Pure and simple, Bomberman is FUN. It’s a game that, once you play for 15 minutes, you’re hooked. The beauty of why it has endured is that you have a game that’s easy to understand and which pulls in the most casual gamer, but is very intricate once you’ve figured out all the strategies. And that’s why the hardcore gamers love it. Before Bomberman came along gaming was primarily a solo experience. Bomberman is in many ways the KING of multiplayer. It brings people together, and when you play with friends it creates lasting gaming memories. People hold onto those for a lifetime.
Why was the time right to bring Bomberman to XBLA? John Lee: Because we finally have an online network that lets us connect Bomberman fans from all over the world. Before XBLA, there was no online network for a console that was fluid enough to build a game like Bomberman Live. It isn’t just about playing Bomberman online. It’s about making it easy to set up tournaments, to find your friends, and to track how you rank against all the other players out there. It’s all these things that make online gaming so much more robust.
Can we expect old-school Bomberman thrills from Bomberman Live, or have you added lots of new twists? John Lee: It’s a combination of both. You’ll find all the great thrills of a classic Bomberman game, such as the crazy power ups, wacky levels with booby traps, and the hyper addictive music. It will feel instantly familiar to fans, and in many ways it brings up great nostalgia. But, it’s also loaded with new features. Beyond the obvious things like HD graphics and online gameplay, the game now features full customization: character customization, power up selection, mode selection – you can now create a game session exactly how you like it. Simply setting up a game session is now a lot of fun, as you add new twists and change up rules, making each game feel different. This is one game you will not tire of any time soon.
Are there any new modes or power ups introduced in Bomberman Live? John Lee: So many new things to play with! I think gamers will be surprised just how much gaming content there is, and how much customization there is in this game. It’s never quite been done before for a Bomberman game, let alone an XBLA game. You now have to find Costume Balls, which give you new outfits pieces to wear, scattered throughout the levels and battle it out with others to get to them first. There are so many different outfits that, if you can imagine, you might never see another Bomberman exactly like yours, as there are well over 10,000 combinations. You also now have new twists on different game modes, including Zombie Mode, in which you paint tiles and even come back to life if you get bombed!
What will the Xbox Live experience be like? John Lee: Our hope is that it will feel completely natural, whether it’s setting up an online game session, creating a tournament, tracking stats, playing a game without lag, trashing talking on the mic, or rubbing your victory into your defeated opponent’s faces on the video camera. We’re quite impressed with how accessible the Xbox Live platform is; it really does enhance the gaming experience.
What strategies do you recommend to players to ensure they are the last one standing? John Lee: If I share all my secrets, then people will usurp my throne! The beauty of Bomberman is that there are so many layers of strategy. In fact, in Japan, they created an in-depth strategy guide to becoming a champion player, since they’ve held tournaments there for many years. People adopt very different play styles. We’re planning on putting together a strategy guide like this for the US soon.
OK, OK, I’ll share a few of my secrets. I rarely engage other players quickly. I sit back and clear the space around my character, and collect as many power ups as I can. Being completely powered up is the key. Sometimes, everyone else kills themselves before they even get to me. Easy win! I will admit that if there are particularly weak players, I’ll go after them first to reduce the competition. I also try and master specific power-ups. With the power glove, you can throw bombs off the side of the arena and it appears on the other side. If you time it right you can trap other players, much to their surprise. You can also control the distance that you kick bombs, if you get the kick power-up. I do have one more key strategy that I won’t get into here. Perhaps if you see me online, you’ll see my playing pattern! How do you think Bomberman stacks up against some of the other classic game characters and series on XBLA? John Lee: I think people will be surprised just how full featured this game it. It’s not just a simple port, or a limited version of a game. For just 800 Microsoft points, you get a game that you can play for many years to come. We approached development of this game in a different way than other classic games. Our goal was to push the limits of the digital download platform, to see what we can do that will take this gaming franchise to the next level. In fact, this is the first XBLA game that has seen a full sweep marketing campaign, just like any console title. We ran print ads, did press tours, and have been very aggressive in getting the word out there. This is BIG game for us and we think the future for many of our games will be on a platform like XBLA.
What’s in the future for Bomberman on Xbox 360, ie PDLC? John Lee: We just finished up the game and are moving into creating new downloadable add-on packs, and some tournaments as well. It looks like the first add-on pack will come out in the next month or two, and feature a few new characters, a new level and a game mode. The goal is to support the game ongoing for as long as people like. It’s a good time for fans to tell us what they’d like to see for future add-on packs, so if you have an idea, stop by our forums at www.HudsonEntertainment.com and let it be known!
Bomberman Live is available on Xbox Live Arcade now for 800 MS Points, or you can download a trial game for free. You cheapskate. Download Halo 3 Content and Mobile RingtoneEver wanted the strains of Halo's theme music to emanate from your mobile phone when your mum is calling you? I have, and that's why I'm quite literally cock-a-hoop that there's a whole bunch of Halo 3 PC and mobile phone downloads now available at http://halo3.msn.com/downloads.
Send out the signal! Goal-Scoring Superstar Heroes Hit Xbox.comSensible World of Soccer is coming, and to get you in the mood Xbox.com UK has just launched an amazing SWOS portal complete with the legendary theme tunes and plenty of little blokes wearing footie kits. Check it out here.
No official release date for SWOS yet - will keep you posted! Marketplace Update - 23/7Good weekend? Still chuffing that I finally got that 1000 Note Streak Achievement in GHII...
The ACTUAL Best Thing About The ChatpadMy pal and work colleague kingkatt was a bit shocked that my post on the Chatpad had missed out on the single best feature it has, and so sent me this photo:
Yup, the whole thing lights up if you're playing in the dark or happen to be a mole in a hole. Not only does this make pressing the buttons easier, it also looks exceptionally cool and could possibly light up your face in an eerie green glow. Which is always a bonus.
So there you go. Even more reason to pick up a Chatpad on September 4. It'll cost ya £24.99. July 22 Hands-On With The ChatpadChatpad! Chatpad! Chatpad! I've got one and here are some photos!
Actually, since I posted quite a big hands-on with the Chatpad (or the Text Input Device as it was known then, before the jazzy branding people got onto it) back in April, you should probably read it if you want an introduction to the add-on. The design or workings of the Chatpads haven't changed at all, and I'll be honest - I think it's quite a good read and it mentions both meerkats AND elephants, so go for it.
What I wanted to show you in more depth today was the new headset that comes included with the Chatpad, the way it connects to the Chatpad, and the nifty little woggle on the wire that lets you control the volume and mute the line. It also has a little clip on it so you can attach it to your shirt if you want to. So, er, here it is:
The whole thing's pretty cool. The Chatpad makes messaging proper easy, whether its a message over Xbox Live or Messenger, and the new headset woggle is sweet. I'm not sure if woggle is the right word for it, but it just sounds nice, doesn't it?
The Chatpad will be available in Europe on September 7 for £24.99. I don't actually have a Euro pricing at the moment, but I'll try and get one. more pictures below! Eight Year-Old Guitar Hero LegendSince I've got TraceyBongos' sisters staying with us just now I've been playing a lot of Guitar Hero II again. Last night we finally nailed the 1000 Note Streak Achievement (yas!), but unfortunately we're not quite as good as this little legend yet:
AceyBongos GamerScore Challenge: Week 6 Update
Halfway through the AceyBongos GamerScore Challenge, and while there's a distinct slowing down of Achievement unlocking (blame summer, if you can call torrential rain that) every time I lock at the Challenge Leaderboard I'm amazed at the increases. The fact that the average overall increase is 2644 - not far off what I was pusing for over a three month period only recently - stands testament to how hard everyone's working.
I won't recount the full movements in the Leaderboard as you can see them for yourself, but OwningXylophone is doing a good job of cementing his position in first place with an increase of 16801. x MwA Viper x is still in second place, but The Flawed and Marleyforlan have been quietly climbing up the table into third and fourth place respectively.
I would also like to call out FerretBueller in 11th place with an increase of 7975, simply because he has an ace GamerTag.
As for me, I seem to have turned Belgian (?). Other than that, I'm pretty disgusted at my poor increase of only 821. Over the past few weeks I've had the problem of life getting in the way of Achievements. Work has been busy, I've been away from home a lot, and I just don't seem to have ben finding the time to play as much as I would like. Isn't it the worst feeling waking up in the morning and knowing you won't be able to play anything all day?
Anyway, enough of my problems
 . This GamerScore update is more of a housekeeping edition, since I've realised that my two week summer holidays start on August 25. Since that means I'll be snoozing and gently frazzling my pale Scottish skin on a sun lounger somewhere, I won't be able to wrap up the Challenge on September 1st as planned. So - you have a choice to make, and this is a democracy so the majority will win: Would you prefer that the Challenge stopped two weeks earlier than planned on August 17, OR a month later on September 28?
Obviously all the prizes and that will remain the same, but if we extend the competition you'll have the opportunity to boost your GamerScore with a few extra games (Halo 3 anyone?).
The decision is yours - place your vote in the comments below!
Another update next week, and I'll have some prizes to give away  .July 21 Marketplace Update - 21/7I have to apologise for being a bit slack with the updates this week - things have been mental, and it was worse because I wasn't expecting it! Ah well, it's the weekend now and there's plenty of cool stuff on Marketplace to enjoy.
I notice Spaces has had a nice update as well - looks cool and I like the way all your updates can be done on the front page of your Space. Head to the The Space Craft (it's the official Windows Live Spaces team blog) for full details of the new additions. July 19 FlatOut: Ultimate Carnage Demo Crashes Onto MarketplaceNow here's a game that has people in the Xbox office talking - FlatOut: Ultimate Carnage. It might not be the biggest franchise in the world but it's definitely had everyone comparing notes on how much they've been smashing up their motors, or how far they've managed to catapult their drivers through the windshield.
If you haven't had a chance to play it, you're in luck! A FlatOut demo is about to pop up on Marketplace, complete with three levels and all the fender-bending you can handle. Well, until you buy the full game...
Word on the demo from Empire:
"As well as the trademark destruction and mayhem in FlatOut Career mode, we've purposely focused on the new game modes in the playable demo" said Rob Noble, European Marketing Manager at Empire "The introduction of Deathmatch Derby in particular, is sure to be an instant hit with all action racing fans. The launch of the demo is an important element in our effort to bring the game to the broadest possible base of Xbox 360 gamers. We believe it will help build on FlatOut Ultimate Carnage’s excellent initial consumer sales launch,"
Go on - give it a shot! The FlatOut demo is free and available in all territories, and the game itself is already out. |
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