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Let's Spy On Fahey [Michael Fahey]

post from Kotaku on 03 November 2009 04:20:33 PM. © Kotaku

Here at Kotaku today, there's a sense of emptiness due to Mike Fahey's day off. If only there was a way to invade his privacy and, say, snoop through his Dragon Age playing history. Ah, but there is!

If you have a free account to BioWare's "social" site, you can check out Fahey's accomplishments in the PlayStation 3 version of Dragon Age: Origins. These are the very accomplishments he earned while playing the game for his review.

When last I looked, he had done something big and maybe final at 69 hours into the game, but he's got a new storyline accomplishment logged at 76 hours. Clicking on his character timeline appears to reveal plot points, as a BioWare producer told me they would for the story I dd on this BioWare Social site. I'm reading his stuff with one eye closed because I don't want the ending of the game spoiled. Nevertheless, I'm enjoying poking through his playing history.

When Fahey gets back, I'll have to ask him about that gap between his 22nd and 47th hours playing the game. Methinks he left his PlayStation 3 on, idling for almost a day.

Clicking around on Fahey's page will bring you to his character profile page, so you can gape at his player-character's stats. More than 700 kills, Fahey? That's not nice.

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http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/kotaku/full/~3/xfHVtQcEJE0/lets-spy-on-fahey

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Pre-order Left 4 Dead 2, get a spiffy Team
Fortress 2 hat

post from Joystiq on 03 November 2009 04:20:00 PM. © Joystiq

Left 4 Dead survivor Bill's hat is now available in Team Fortress 2 for those who pre-ordered Left 4 Dead 2 from Steam or "participating retailers." Though the hat does ... apparently nothing, it implies - in the immortal words of Destiny's Child - "I'm not gonna give up, I'm not gon' stop, I'm gonna work harder, I'm a survivor."

Some may hold issue with the fact that the Team Fortress and Left 4 Dead universes have collided; however, Valve has explained the phenomena, stating that "while conducting a science experiment on parallel dimensions, Bill's hat fell off a table into the Team Fortress universe." Done! That's all the justification required. Oh, and if Bill's hat isn't enough incentive to pre-order the zombie apocalypse survival simulator, know that the game is currently 10% off on Steam.

[Thanks, ZaxCG2]

Pre-order Left 4 Dead 2, get a spiffy Team Fortress 2 hat originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 03 Nov 2009 16:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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http://www.joystiq.com/2009/11/03/pre-order-l4d2-get-a-spiffy-team-fortress-2-hat
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Splinter Cell Conviction Collectors Edition
Announced

post from Gamer Grenade News Blog on 03 November 2009 04:02:28 PM. © Gamer Grenade News Blog

Ubisoft just announced today that it will be releasing a Collector’s Edition for the upcoming Splinter Cell Conviction exclusively for the Xbox 360.

This exclusive Splinter Cell Conviction Collector’s Edition of the game will be bundled with content and items that will not be found anywhere else, and be available for $79.99 for a limited time only.

Splinter [...]

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http://site.video-game-central.com/blog/2009/11/03/splinter-cell-conviction-colle
ctors-edition-announced/

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Developer: The Bosses Mandated Stranglehold's
Unnecessary Multiplayer Mode [Multiplayer]

post from Kotaku on 03 November 2009 04:00:25 PM. © Kotaku

Why do some games have multiplayer? Because the executives demand it, even if the developers don't want it. As explained in a recent account of goings on at Midway.

In the middle of last month, ex-Midway producer John Vignocchi was a guest on the Giant Bomb podcast, managing to share some wild tales about his adventures at Midway. I just caught up to listening to it today.

Past stories of sending porn to NBA stars and before a story of people hitting on the sister of a famous music producer, comes this bit from Vignocchi about the value of multiplayer modes in games that might otherwise be single-player games.

You can find this at about the 1 hour, 22 minute, 51 second mark of the October 13 Giant Bombcast:

We were having this battle all the time, talking about, "OK, is a totally amazing single-player experience, the most important thing? Or should it be an 80% single-player experience and then a pretty cool multiplayer. Stranglehold when through that exact same problem. I think if you ask every single person that worked on Stranglehold whether or not multiplayer was a necessity for that product, they would all say, 'I wish we never did it.' It was the worst part of the game, and it was something that executive management had said, 'This has to be in the game.' And no one wanted it, and it turned out the way it turned out. That's something every game developer goes through.

Vignocchi segued his story into some talk about our own Michael McWhertor's story about the diminishing presence of single-player-only games. And there's more. Check out a particularly juicy episode of the ever-entertaining Giant Bombcast.

Giant Bombcast: 10/13/09

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ed-strangleholds-unnecessary-multiplayer-mode

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Developer: The Bosses Mandated Our Unnecessary
Multiplayer Mode [Multiplayer]

post from Kotaku on 03 November 2009 04:00:25 PM. © Kotaku

Why do some games have multiplayer? Because the executives demand it, even if the developers don't want it. As explained in a recent inside story about the Midway Stranglehold team.

You can find this at about the 1 hour, 22 minute, 51 second mark of the October 13 Giant Bombcast:

We were having this battle all the time, talking about, "OK, is a totally amazing single-player experience, the most important thing? Or should it be an 80% single-player experience and then a pretty cool multiplayer. Stranglehold when through that exact same problem. I think if you ask every single person that worked on Stranglehold whether or not multiplayer was a necessity for that product, they would all say, 'I wish we never did it.' It was the worst part of the game, and it was something that executive management had said, 'This has to be in the game.' And no one wanted it, and it turned out the way it turned out. That's something every game developer goes through.

Giant Bombcast: 10/13/09

Read The Full Article:
http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/kotaku/full/~3/LC2PgmkYuro/developer-the-bosses-mandat
ed-our-unnecessary-multiplayer-mode

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Warren Spector: Deus Ex "Is Not Done For Me"

post from The Escapist : Latest News on 03 November 2009 04:00:00 PM. © The Escapist : Latest News

Warren Spector might be going full Mickey these days but in a recent interview he suggested that we could still see some "Deus Ex stories" from him at some point in the future.

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http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/95900-Warren-Spector-Deus-Ex-Is-Not-Don
e-For-Me

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Rock Band happy hour in Los Angeles tomorrow
night

post from Destructoid on 03 November 2009 04:00:00 PM. © Destructoid

video details and more

Attention Los Angeles readers! Gyenari in Culver City is hosting a Rock Band happy hour starting at 9:30 tomorrow night. Hite beers will be $2, all other drafts are $5 and house wines and liquors are $3.

Members of Dtoid Los Angeles will be at the bar and there will undoubtedly be lots of hilarious drunken singing and performances going down. You haven’t lived until you’ve seen a Dtoider go nuts on the stage. Of course, no one can top someone like Nick Chester when he gets the mic. Watch for yourself above.

Big thanks to Dtoider markhill66 for making this Rock Band happy hour happen.

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Releases Today: Dragon Age, Need for Speed Nitro,
Force Unleashed Ultimate Sith Ed.

I outline the major game releases for today, all intended for you to spend your money.

Read The Full Article:
http://www.pwnordie.com/2009/11/03/releases-today-dragon-age-need-for-speed-nitro
-force-unleashed-ultimate-sith-ed/

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Do Videogames Really Cause Violent Behavior

Videogames are often the scapegoat for any adolescent violence that makes it onto the evening news. However, are these "murder simulators" truly the reason behind teenage violence?

Read The Full Article:
http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/95899-Do-Videogames-Really-Cause-Violen
t-Behavior

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Nintendo planning to offer WiiWare demos

During the recent investor Q&A session, Satoru Iwata announced plans to begin rolling out demos for a small selection of WiiWare games this month. He didn't say which region or regions would receive this service, so let's assume it's just Japan.

The pilot program is intended to bring more attention to the Wii Shop Channel, which, Iwata said, is currently only used by people who already know what they want. He expressed some doubt as to the effectiveness of demos as a promotional tool, but the (test) market will decide that!

There was no word on whether Nintendo would also try the controversial "advertising" method of promotion, wherein a company tells its customers about its games.