Nier gets some screenshots n' that

post from Destructoid on 10 June 2009 11:00:00 AM. © Destructoid

Nier gets some screenshots n' that screenshot

The official Web site for Square Enix's brand new action game Nier has been updated with a bunch of fresh screenshots. Most of you remain cynical about this title, and rightly so, since it comes from the same people responsible for Bullet Witch and Drakengard 2. Regardless, I have a massive bonk-on for big, dumb action titles, so I'm going to give it a chance.

The screens look rather simplistic at the moment, with rather uninspiring environments. This is atypical for a Square Enix game, which usually looks beautiful if nothing else. Hopefully these are just early shots and we'll see it looking a lot better in the future. For now, what do you think? Have you had enough of hack n' slash games, or are you willing to give Nier a chance?

Read The Full Article:

Digg this

Let's pattycake: Nintendo helps out playground
games

post from Destructoid on 10 June 2009 10:40:00 AM. © Destructoid

Let's pattycake: Nintendo helps out playground games screenshot

I know, you're scratching your head, aren't you? Wait -- that could be a game. Anything can be a game, as far as Nintendo is concerned. That's why they're teaming up with three universities and the British library to create games based on the activities children engage in on the playground, such as clapping games, jump rope, hide and go seek and more. Let's Clap? Wiiseek?

Telegraph reports that researchers will use recordings of playground songs and games that are stored in the archives at the British Library to create prototype games. This is part of a £600,000 project which is being funded by the Arts and Humanities Research Council's Beyond Text programme. Children from the participating school will help to design the prototype games, as well as design an interactive website for the British Library.

Although Nintendo has been confirmed as offering advice on the project, but we won't be playing Wiimote Round the Rosy anytime soon -- they have no commercial involvement. As an experimental project, I think it sounds interesting and educational, but if you told me that Nintendo was actually making one of these titles for commercial release, I think I would have been tempted to hurl my Wii out the window (and considering how many games I'm dying to play on it later this year, that would have been majorly uncool!).

Read The Full Article:

Digg this

Well Played 1.0: Video Game, Value and Meaning

post from The Ludologist on 10 June 2009 10:38:33 AM. © The Ludologist

Drew Davidson’s Well Played anthology is out for purchase or for reading on the web.What makes a game good? or bad? or better?Video games can be “well played” in two senses. On the one hand, well played is to games as well read is to books. On the other hand, well played as in well [...]

Read The Full Article:
http://www.jesperjuul.net/ludologist/?p=677

Digg this

Without a Goal - podcast

post from The Ludologist on 10 June 2009 10:32:34 AM. © The Ludologist

Ryan Wiancko of Industry Broadcast has been kind enough to create a podcast of my paper Without a Goal: On open and expressive games.From the paper:According to a widespread theory, video games are goal-oriented, rule-based activities, where players find enjoyment in working towards the game goal. According to this theory, game goals provide a sense [...]

Read The Full Article:
http://www.jesperjuul.net/ludologist/?p=674

Digg this

America's Army 3 serving you on Steam

post from Gaming Nexus on 10 June 2009 10:32:00 AM. © Gaming Nexus

by: John Yan
NEWS - America's Army 3 is coming soon but you can pre-load the game now on Steam. I get most of my games through Steam if possible and it's a great service to work with. The game launches June 17th so you can be ready on day one if you pre-load it now. Using the Unreal Engine 3, AA3 looks to deliver and even more realistic experience than before. I skipped out on the previous one but I'm definitely going to try the third one when it comes out. Remember, the game is free to play and I know a few folks that love the series.Comment

Read The Full Article:
http://www.gamingnexus.com/FullNews/Americas-Army-3-serving-you-on-Steam/Item1285
6.aspx

Digg this

Koei Tecmo paying people to f*ck in the name of
repopulation

Koei Tecmo paying people to f*ck in the name of repopulation screenshot

How do you cure Japanese underpopulation? Have loads of sex! How do you make sure people are having sex? If you're Koei Tecmo, you pay your employees thousands of dollars to do it! That's right, the merged company responsible for the Dynasty Warriors and Dead or Alive franchises know all about churning out recycled products, so it's only fitting that they want people to flood the country with endless "sequels" of themselves.

Koei Tecmo employees will get $1,000 for their first child, $2,000 for their second child and a whole $20,000 if their loose and flapping vaginas can squirt out a third. This is actually insane, and if anybody serious considers procreating for $1,000, I would have to question their ability to become an efficient parent. Besides which, isn't this kind of like child prostituion?

One only hopes that American companies follow KT's example, only in the opposite direction. During these times of recession, it would be great if Walmart could pay its mostly braindead and poor workforce not to f*ck.

Read The Full Article:

Digg this