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WANTED: A UNIVERSAL BARTER CURRENCY

post from LOTRO Chronicles on 27 August 2008 06:26:00 AM. © LOTRO Chronicles

The barter economy of Middle-Earth is becoming extremely complex. Barter items now include Battered Arnorian Armour (BAA), Vile Bronze and Silver Coins, Rift Coins, Marks of Triumph (MoT) from the repeatable epic instances, Marks of Victory (MoV) from the battleground instances, and of course Luminous Stones from the Delvings of Fror in the Ettenmoors.

All of these can only be bartered for specific items as follows:

BAA = Annuminas armour
Vile Coins = Angmar armour
Rift Coins = second-rank Rift armour
Fror stones = Ettens armour
MoV = teal jewellery or a gamble on the chests
MoT = various

The interesting items here are the MoT, which are the closest thing LOTRO has to a universal barter ?currency?; they can be used to acquire any of either Helegrod, Annuminas or Angmar armour (respectively priced at 30, 16 and 8 MoT per item). However, they can also be exchanged for Annuminas or Angmar barter items at a rate of 2 MoT for one Vile Silver Coin or one BAA; unfortunately, the reverse isn?t true ? you can?t hand over a Vile Silver Coin and receive two MoT.

It?s hard to say why, and it?s a pity the developers didn?t take the plunge and make MoT a true universal barter item. If they had, players would be able to consolidate all the barter items acquired from various quests and instances (including perhaps even Helegrod barter items) and convert them into whichever barter currency they prefered. Instead, many players are lumbered with a variety of barter items which take up precious storage slots, none of them in sufficient quantities to trade in.

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http://lotro-chronicles.blogspot.com/2008/08/wanted-universal-barter-currency.htm
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Introducing the face of Boogie SuperStar: Natasha
Bedingfield

post from Destructoid on 27 August 2008 06:18:00 AM. © Destructoid

Introducing the face of Boogie SuperStar: Natasha Bedingfield screenshot

There's International music sensations and then there's Natasha Bedingfield, who has taken "International music sensation" to the next level as the face up Electronic Arts' upcoming Boogie SuperStar.

Who the the hell is Bedingfield? She's that blonde who sings the song about opening up dirty windows and feeling the rain on your skin. It's called "Unwritten." It's a hit. The kids are listening to it. This is a huge coup for Electronic Arts' marketing department; this game is going to sell millions.

"Boogie SuperStar brings to life all the fun and excitement of performing," said Bedingfield. "Being on stage is such a thrill and it's great to be a part of an EA videogame that lets girls experience how much fun it is to express themselves and explore their own creativity by performing."

Old news, Natasha: Carmen Electra did that in 2003 with her The Lap Dance & Hip-Hop workout DVD. We attempted to contact our tween correspondent Taylor Tiffany for comment, but school's in session and she won't be available until after cheerleading practice this afternoon. Rah rah, go St. Anna Prep Walruses!

Press release after the jump.

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Sony's Reeves talking up FFXIII exclusivity in
Japan

post from Joystiq on 27 August 2008 06:12:54 AM. © Joystiq

Filed under: Sony PlayStation 3, Microsoft Xbox 360, RPGs, Business

When we spoke with SCEA president Jack Tretton during E3 about Final Fantasy XIII going multiplatform in the US, he was quite frank about the impact the game's PS3 exclusivity in Japan would (or wouldn't) have for the company. "Seeing as there isn't that big of a [PS3] installed base in Japan, I don't know how big of a coup that is for us," he admitted.

Across the Atlantic, Sony Europe boss David Reeves seemingly gets his Japanese PS3 sales figures broken down by individual components. Speaking with VG247 during last week's Leipzig Games Convention, Reeves said, "I think that just as we got a massive blip up with GTA IV - which was not exclusive - we'll get exactly the same blip up with Final Fantasy," adding that, "I know [FFXIII] will look great on PS3 and - it's up to Microsoft to clarify this - it's still exclusive in Japan."

While we're still betting on higher sales of the PS3 version over the 360 release domestically, it really seems as if Reeves is living in the mid- to late-1990s, when Japan was still SCEI's most important territory. Times have changed, Sir.

[Update: Corrected a Sony exec mix-up. They're all the same to us, you know.]

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http://feeds.joystiq.com/~r/weblogsinc/joystiq/~3/375715476/

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You Too Can Decorate Hatsune Miku's Room [PSP]

post from Kotaku on 27 August 2008 06:00:00 AM. © Kotaku

In the upcoming issue of Famitsu, SEGA announced that it's making a PSP game staring Hatune Miku. Hatune Miku is a character for Vocaloid2 Character Vocal Series software, but has gone on to appear in manga, anime and even get a cameo in a DS game! Here, you can listen to her sing the Portal song in Japanese! Anyway, about the PSP game, it's a rhythm game which lets players win stuff and decorate Miku's room. Beside rhythm games, you can watch her walk around. Oh, and it's called Hatsune Mikue -Project Diva-. Thrilling title. Hatsune Miku on PSP [Canned Dogs]

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http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/kotaku/full/~3/376048879/you-too-can-decorate-hatsune-
mikus-room

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Casual Gameplay Escape

post from Jay is Games on 27 August 2008 06:00:00 AM. © Jay is Games

This week, we present the exclusive debut of a super-duper, extra-special room escape game, one we can guarantee that absolutely no other website has yet featured. Don't you feel special? To all the JIG faithful, we present to you the world premiere of.... Casual Gameplay Escape!

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http://jayisgames.com/archives/2008/08/casual_gameplay_escape.php

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Rumortoid: Max Payne 3 being developed by
Rockstar

post from Destructoid on 27 August 2008 05:59:00 AM. © Destructoid

Rumortoid: Max Payne 3 being developed by Rockstar screenshot

Electronic Gaming Monthly's rumormonger Quartermann has caught wind that Remedy Entertainment may not be the guys developing the next Max Payne. He seems to think that Remedy may have their hands too full of Alan Wake and have given the title to the same internal Rockstar team that handled the development for The Warriors.

I was under the impression that Alan Wake had went the way of Duke Nukem Forever, which means that instead of developing the title, Remedy is sitting around talking about donuts and tossing around ideas for Max Payne theme parks. At least Remedy doesn’t post a job ad with a ridiculously small picture once every three months to remind their fans that the game is still sitting in a corner somewhere. Instead, they casually remind us that work on the title hasn’t went particularly smooth.

Aside from Alan Wake, it’s refreshing to hear that Max Payne could possibly be developed elsewhere. I enjoyed Max Payne 2, but it could have been much more. I need more drugs, chicks, noir, scrunched face, and gritty narrative in my shooter than what I received last time around.

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Ubisoft's EndWar to get 'VIP demo' early October

post from Destructoid on 27 August 2008 05:50:00 AM. © Destructoid

If you're looking to scratch that "yell orders at a bunch of troops" itch, Ubisosft has just the thing for you. The publisher has announced that a demo for their upcoming voice-controlled EndWar will be made available this October for the Xbox 360. The catch? VIPs only, baby!

The demo will be available in limited numbers to fans who pre-order the game at participating retailers. The demo can only be downloaded by redeeming your super secret, ultra VIP code you receive upon pre-ordering. You're very important; don't let anyone tell you otherwise.

It doesn't look like there will be a PlayStation 3 version of the demo, but EndWar will be coming to Sony's console and the PC this October, so the wait to order troops around shouldn't be too long. PS3 and PC owners just aren't "very important." Hey, Ubisoft said it, not me.

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Savage Moon Is Starship Troopers Meets Tower
Defence [Savage Moon]

post from Kotaku on 27 August 2008 05:30:00 AM. © Kotaku

Sony let us know today what that mysterious Savage Moon game is all about. Sadly, it isn't a game based on Cassie Edward's frontier romance novel. It is based on something though: Starship Troopers. Not officially, but come on. Look at it. It's basically a tower defence title, where you have to protect bases from hordes of alien bugs. Savage Moon is a PSN title, and will be released sometime in the Fall.

Savage Moon ? Coming this Fall to PSN [PlayStation.Blog]

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http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/kotaku/full/~3/376040358/savage-moon-is-starship-troop
ers-meets-tower-defence

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Cospa stocks Persona 4 jacket for cosplay fun

Cospa stocks Persona 4 jacket for cosplay fun screenshot

Baby, baby, baby, baby, baby... Oops, wrong game. I don't know any of the music in Persona 4 yet. The US launch date of December 9th can't come soon enough.

To hold you over until then, I guess you could dress up as Persona 4 character Chie in this new jacket from Cospa. Jacket, or "jersey." The Japanese call anything that looks sporty and zips up a jersey for some reason.

The "jersey" even comes with the three pins that Chie wears in P4, though you'll have to wear a skirt to have the full costume down. They will be available next month from the Japanese Cospa Web page. You'd really have to be a Persona fan to pay the 9,800 yen ($88) asking price, though.

I guess the major downside is that only a Persona fan would know that you're cosplaying.

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Asheron's Call 100th update tosses out new stuff
for really old game

Asheron's Call 100th update tosses out new stuff for really old game screenshot

The latest update to Turbine’s Asheron’s Call is bringing a ton of new stuff to the table for the dated MMO. Players will be able to explore a new faction system complete with quests and angry NPCs. They wil also be able to partake in PvP land control, get new loot and spells, and gain access to a few newly created areas.

A few weeks back I spoke to Turbine’s Community Manager, Andy Cataldo, about the new update, I was surprised by his enthusiasm over a game that was released in 1999. He told me that it was all about the players at this point in the game, “We asked them [what they want] and they told us. Every single month we give them new content…you should never forget your roots, and we don’t forget them [Asheron’s Call players].”

Coinciding with this new content release is a bunch of screenshots and artwork that you can check out below in the gallery. Also, feel free to hit the break for the full press release on the specifics of what is available.