tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27723009453484131352024-03-20T16:32:55.017-05:00VGAmalgamA blog about the things I enjoy, like video games, movies, music, the latest tech, food, exercise, politics.WesFXhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13671940889778134918noreply@blogger.comBlogger115125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2772300945348413135.post-11918706023252667022011-04-20T22:37:00.001-05:002011-04-20T22:38:35.524-05:00Podcast Roundup Wednesday - 4/20/2011<i>Hour of Slack and Plus One still seem to be off schedule..... Anyway, enjoy the Hour of Slack and Plus One that would have gone with the Sunday roundup in their place.</i><br />
<i><br />
</i><br />
<b>Sunday Podcasts</b><br />
- <a href="http://hw.libsyn.com/p/1/7/e/17eab0b43346f9aa/Hour_of_Slack_1304.mp3?sid=16daed8a79dc272fa876868c2416432d&l_sid=18995&l_eid=&l_mid=2532119">Hour of Slack #1304</a>: <span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: orange;">Rerun of #1003: 8X Day and Starwood</span><br />
- <a href="http://hw.libsyn.com/p/3/9/8/398e3c3437a85980/SModcast-165.mp3?sid=d68f5913c0b3888e5ec22d093b9f7d96&l_sid=18389&l_eid=&l_mid=2540568">SModcast #165</a>: <span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: orange;">Blast from the past, live from Comic-Con 2010, Etnies brand Clerks sneakers launch</span><br />
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<b>Monday Podcasts</b><br />
- <a href="http://hw.libsyn.com/p/9/2/3/923f9c00a4737308/babbleon-29.mp3?sid=4e6c9bfaee9c0106ad2193ad70b9e513&l_sid=21328&l_eid=&l_mid=2541951">Hollywood Babble-On #29</a>: <span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: orange;">Comedian Bill Burr guests (he's on the recent Doug Loves Movies, as well)</span><br />
- <a href="http://pcmovies.ign.com/pc/audio/article/116/1162472/IGN%20AU%20Pubcast_%20Ep_%2016.mp3">IGN AU Podcast #16</a>: <span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #999999;">Sucker Punch!, Jem is a big gamer, war games and propaganda, Shadows of the Damned, segmenting a finished game just to have DLC</span><br />
- <a href="http://hw.libsyn.com/p/8/0/c/80ca5a3e7357c343/Number_79_-_Andy_Samberg.mp3?sid=47d03db2f5397f6ee7b60850687a94ce&l_sid=19854&l_eid=&l_mid=2542011">Nerdist Podcast #79</a>: <span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: orange;">Andy Samberg and Chad Hardwick discuss the evolution of comedy in the digital age</span><br />
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<b>Tuesday Podcasts</b><br />
- <a href="http://hw.libsyn.com/p/3/3/f/33ffcba3f799c834/blowhard-36.mp3?sid=54c9c568829c416610f532d67134730e&l_sid=21125&l_eid=&l_mid=2542866">Blow Hard #36</a>: <span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: orange;">Girls can get blue balls, too, and Malcom has something brewing...</span><br />
- <a href="http://wiimovies.ign.com/wii/audio/article/116/1162905/NVC_41911.mp3">Nintendo Voice Chat</a>: <span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;">Special guest (not a special guest) Fran, Nintendo's next console</span><br />
- <a href="http://hw.libsyn.com/p/a/0/6/a065b77ceb52a108/plusone-18.mp3?sid=40841134a7de5089a66712069a357fa5&l_sid=26053&l_eid=&l_mid=2543408">Plus One #18</a>: <span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: orange;">All about the Shakespearean intricacies of Sons of Anarchy, oh, and a quiz to see if Kevin is an idiot</span><br />
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Click on the name of any podcast to listen immediately, or right-click and select "save as" to download.<br />
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<b>Color Code/Podcast Subject:</b><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: orange;">General Conversational/Comedy</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;">Gaming - Nintendo</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #999999;">Gaming - General</span>WesFXhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13671940889778134918noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2772300945348413135.post-25132253721513175772011-04-20T21:20:00.000-05:002011-04-20T21:20:45.598-05:00Podcast Roundup - Podcasts Discussing Project CafeDepending on how much of the situation you believe, you might find the various views of people that report on gaming and gaming news for a living pretty interesting. Again, depending on how much of the situation you believe, you might be interested to know that IGN is saying they were told about Project Cafe before Game Informer dropped the first bomb, and only chipped in their information because of Game Informer. I'm guessing the situation is much the same for some other sources, and we're not running into a situation with jumpers and bandwagons, and......well, a few details could be made up. But that's the fun part about leaks, I think.<br />
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<a href="http://retromovies.ign.com/games/audio/article/116/1161999/Game%20Scoop!%20Episode%20202.mp3">Game Scoop! #202</a>, from IGN - Warning: contains Colin Moriarty<br />
<a href="http://traffic.libsyn.com/godfree/ep288.mp3">Gamertag Radio #288</a>, from Gamertag Radio<br />
<a href="http://media.giantbomb.com/podcast/giantbombcast-041911.mp3">Giant Bombcast</a>, from GiantBomb<br />
<a href="http://hw.libsyn.com/p/9/d/9/9d9200a34421d3d3/gonin296.mp3?sid=ee88323b1a9500bdf52afe71b992b0ed&l_sid=18615&l_eid=&l_mid=2539261">GoNintendo Podcast #296</a>, from GoNintendo<br />
<a href="http://www.infendo.com/radio/Infendo-Radio-221-20110416.mp3">Infendo Radio #221</a>, from Infendo<br />
<a href="http://trailers-ak.gametrailers.com/gt_vault/6414/t_iw_155_gt_pr0blem.mp3">Invisible Walls #155</a>, from GameTrailers (must have a free GameTrailers.com account to download)<br />
<a href="http://wiimovies.ign.com/wii/audio/article/116/1162905/NVC_41911.mp3">Nintendo Voice Chat</a>, from IGN<br />
<a href="http://gearmovies.ign.com/gear/audio/article/116/1162091/Tech%20Fetish%20Podcast,%20Episode%2088.mp3">Tech Fetish Podcast #88</a>, from IGN<br />
<a href="http://media1.gameinformer.com/media/audio/theshow/ep64/theshow-ep64.mp3">The Game Informer Show #64</a>, from the bomb droppers themselves, GameInformer<br />
<a href="http://podcast.the1upnetwork.com/flat/LANParty/ODD042011.mp3">The Oddcast</a>, from 1up<br />
<a href="http://ia600605.us.archive.org/2/items/TvAndLustPodcastEpisode35/episode35.mp3">TV and Lust Podcast #35</a>, from TV and Lust<br />
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Right-click the name of the podcast and select "Save as" to download<br />
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There are likely many, many more podcasts discussing this, but I hit up as many of the big sites as I could think of (and a few smaller favorites) to grab their podcasts on the subject.WesFXhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13671940889778134918noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2772300945348413135.post-84376322187876064862011-04-18T21:40:00.004-05:002011-04-20T22:02:15.947-05:003DS Impressions - Three Weeks of Owning a 3DS, Highs and LowsToday, Monday, marks three full weeks of owning an Aqua Blue 3DS. I believe I've gotten a good feel for most of the components of playing and owning a 3DS. One thing I definitely haven't experienced, as a result of the 3DS games I have, is the experience of playing a game with demanding and rapid button usage, which I've heard from a few people will cause the "sweet spot" to shift out of view frequently. I can see the merit in that, but I'm not ready to dismiss or enforce the idea until I try out some kind of action oriented game.<br />
<br />
Three weeks in; do I regret getting Aqua Blue over Cosmic Black? I don't at all, but I have yet to see a wild black 3DS so I'm not 100% on what I'm "missing". As I said in another portion of my impressions, the black all around the top screen doesn't bother me. I'm surprised at how much it doesn't even cross my mind, actually. But something that has been crossing my mind lately, to kick off the lows....<br />
<br />
<b>The Lows</b><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://nrouaq.bay.livefilestore.com/y1mn96mtSOZw3xZFqGhmqKH-LZU-utjEHOT6gZXGL_xpeGmqtumI1nXzkrTgzEDz1XWGmWrvLRylnILs9U-pATTlSjav1zV29ozuDk7HSUrLh96E9Wuzx3c-Zfe4yPxrsrcnEKXN_1uC3kZSHZ0fJNLvA/sad-clown.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://nrouaq.bay.livefilestore.com/y1mn96mtSOZw3xZFqGhmqKH-LZU-utjEHOT6gZXGL_xpeGmqtumI1nXzkrTgzEDz1XWGmWrvLRylnILs9U-pATTlSjav1zV29ozuDk7HSUrLh96E9Wuzx3c-Zfe4yPxrsrcnEKXN_1uC3kZSHZ0fJNLvA/sad-clown.jpg" width="247" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #999999;">Well, it's not -that- bad</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #999999;"><br />
</span><br />
<div style="text-align: left;">It's really only been the past few days that I've been missing the lack of the eShop at launch.<br />
<a name='more'></a> I do have plenty of stuff to play, but I find my self doing something I got in the habit of doing with my Wii; I would just turn it on when I was in the mood to play video games, but didn't have anything in mind. Sometimes I would end up picking a disc based game, but more often I would go with something that was on the system, a Virtual Console title or a WiiWare game, in other words. You'll see in a bit that I consider the built-in software a high point, but the portions that are games either require good lighting and space to move around in, or aren't as deep or as focused on progressive skill building as what I would prefer, so it's not what I'm looking for most of the time. Though not given a specific date, the eShop is supposed to be available in May, so it is coming up soon, at least.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">The resolution of the cameras itself doesn't bother me, but how the 3DS uses them for 3D was an aspect that I never would have predicted. As I said in my earlier <a href="http://vgamalgam.blogspot.com/2011/04/3ds-impressions-cameras.html">look at the 3DS cameras</a>, the 3D cameras are permanently zoomed at a software level, so a resolution that otherwise looks nice on the 3DS screen (inside camera), looks grainy because of the zoom (3D camera). The cameras easily feel like the cheapest aspect of the 3DS to me. Not that I was looking forward to using the 3DS as my main camera or anything, but from using the 3DS, I do enjoy capturing 3D images, so I just wish it had a better fidelity. You might have heard of the estimated cost of the components in the 3DS, and you might have heard that Nintendo priced the 3DS higher than they were initially planning because of the response from those that first tried the 3DS at E3, but knowing that myself, the 3DS feels like it's worth the asking price, accept for the cameras.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">The other low point so far is the online aspect of the 3DS. It's really neat to be able to see when your friends are online, and what they're playing, but otherwise it feels.....pointless. With the Wii, I could send long messages and actually have a discussion with someone through the Wii, I could even send and receive messages to and from an email address, so I get a bright blue light to alert me that I got a response, which is great because of how infrequently I check my email (sorry, <a href="http://www.coffeewithgames.com/">Coffee!</a>). I could send my Mii, links from the internet browser, and images to people on my friends list. But now? No exchanging Miis through the 3DS, messaging is a <b>HUGE</b> pain, there's no way to exchange photos through the 3DS, and we've yet to see if we can send friends a link through the 3DS browser. Message boards were ablaze with people exchanging friend codes with anybody under the sun, but unlike with the Wii, I did not participate. Not only did I learn my lesson about adding random people, but after I had some time with the 3DS, I saw that there was barely anything to do if you didn't own Super Street Fighter IV 3D Edition. Speaking of, Street Fighter is the only title with online multiplayer in the U.S. so far, and I'm not aware of many games that claim they will have online integration, which is disappointing in it's own right.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><b>The Highs</b></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.clay-collins.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2008/03/happy-man-jump.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="http://www.clay-collins.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2008/03/happy-man-jump.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #999999;">Again, exaggeration</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #999999;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: left;">Backwards compatible with DS games. A few people just scoff at the idea of using a 3DS to play DS games right now, saying it's an obvious indication that there's no reason to buy a 3DS. But to me, a device that played DS games, and is "forward compatible" with the software of a new platform was an easy purchase when the 3DS released. Trying to estimate out the time that other people have spent with my 3DS titles, I'd guess it's 16 hours from two 3DS games vs. a fairly exact 14 hours and 27 minutes from twelve DS games; pretty close, in other words, and that's without buying and playing any DS games from a list of "new" games I want to pick up. The upscaling that DS games get is admittedly less sharp looking that playing it in native resolution or playing on a DS/DSi series system, much like viewing standard definition content on an HD television. But after awhile, and at a fair distance (the same distance you'd hold it for the 3D effect, really), it isn't something that I notice being detrimental to the experience, and often, I'll appreciate the way the upscaling is smoothing out some aspects of a game's graphics.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">The touch screen, combined with a real screen protector (rather than making my own for 10 cents) is an absolute dream. The screen protector makes the experience as smooth as if I wasn't using it, but with added protection, and the touch-screen itself is much more responsive to using fingers than either of my DSes from my experience.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">Again, I gotta give a nod to the wrist strap securing locations on the 3DS. I hope Nintendo never moves them back to the back of their handhelds. I haven't dropped my 3DS yet, which I won't attribute entirely to a wrist-strap, but it's definitely keeping "safety" on the mind and in easy reach.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">The built-in software has all turned out to be really useful. Mii making is interesting again, with new options to mess around with, and new people that I want to create since the last time I got on a Mii making kick. It's of course interesting to see how the camera interprets someone as a Mii, even if it doesn't usually capture the essence of the person that make Miis such a successful avatar. The StreetPass Mii Plaza is something I always look forward to booting up because of it's integration with StreetPass, even though the StreetPasses aren't that frequent. The 3DS Sound application is not only pretty fun to mess with, but can really be useful. You have a Notes application built in where you can save scribbles and thoughts, but if you're not in a writing mood, you can record voice memos for yourself. The 3DS allows you to play any .mp3 or .aac format audio at much faster speeds than my MP3 player, which is great for running through podcasts quicker if you just want to "get to the good part" without missing the fluff. I'll freely admit that that the Activity Log isn't exactly useful, but dammin all if it isn't all interesting to look at. AR Games and Face Raiders are there for fun, but they are definitely the best way to quickly impress someone unfamiliar with the 3DS. I know I complained about the camera quality, but it's still interesting to take 3D pictures, and the camera application is the place to view photos stored on your 3DS, whether they were taken with a 3DS or not.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">The last high point is pretty simple; 3D games, something many people would name as the big selling point of the 3DS. Particularly games with a big open space in view, are just incredible to experience. Despite the 5:3 ratio screen being slightly less widescreen than a 16:9 ratio, the way the 3D extends the scene to the left for your right eye, and to the right for your left eye makes it seem even wider than 16:9 much of the time (it depends on the spacial depth that a particular software is presenting). Movies and games are both just supplementing themselves with 3D at the moment, rather than building the experience around 3D (sorry, James Cameron), but it just so happens that it compliments video games much better, in my opinion. I can't wait to try out other genres in 3D.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;"><b>The Rest</b></div><div style="text-align: left;">I think it's worth mentioning that the battery life of the 3DS has neither presented itself as a high point or low point of owning the 3DS. I initially started out with the 3DS at the "3" brightness, but switched it to 2 at some point and didn't even notice for a few days that it wasn't on 3, so I guess I figured out by accident that 2 is bright enough for most occasions. I don't know exactly how much time that guarantees me with the 3DS, but I haven't run across a low battery when I wanted to enjoy the 3DS since the second day of owning it. You definitely need to be mindful that the battery life is short, and for me that means that I recharge it at the end of days where I walked around with StreetPass on and played for maybe an hour or more. Anything less, and it's definitely good for another normal day.<br />
<br />
I haven't had a single "black screen of death," or "loose" hinge, or dead pixel, or game that failed to be recognized when it was inserted, or anything odd really.<br />
<br />
As someone that expects to get a bunch of use out of the 3DS from playing DS games, it's hard to elaborate on the "is it worth it" subject for someone that isn't interested in DS software. I believe it depends heavily on what kind of games you like. From roaming some message boards, I get the impression that Super Street Fighter IV 3D Edition, PilotWings Resort, Ridge Racer 3D, Samurai Warriors Chronicles, and Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon Shadow Wars are well loved titles. If none of those interest you right now, and you're not interested in DS software, then I don't think there's a good reason to grab one right now, since it does not seem like they'll soon be hard to find.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
<br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">This will be the last foreseeable impression on the general subject that is the current 3DS, but if you guys have enough particular questions or subjects you wanna discuss on the 3DS, then I will do a piece dedicated to that. If you guys own a 3DS and have your own set of highs and lows, I'd love to hear about that as well.</div></div>WesFXhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13671940889778134918noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2772300945348413135.post-34646830636576850632011-04-18T18:22:00.000-05:002011-04-18T18:22:08.012-05:00Site Update - Late with Regular Content, SorryI know there has been some big news in the way of Project Cafe, the rumored codename of Nintendo's next home console, and I plan on making an opinion piece on that, but there have been some good changes in my work schedule, and I'm shifting my sleeping habits around and thus the rest of my life as well.<br />
<br />
There won't be a roundup of the podcasts for this week's Sunday, but I am going to do a round of any podcasts discussing Wii 2/Project Cafe/general Nintendo rumors, which should include a couple non-regulars. Today is also my third week anniversary of owning a 3DS, so you'll see the final part of those impressions up soon.<br />
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My sincere thanks to my readers. There aren't many, but you make it worth the effort for me.WesFXhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13671940889778134918noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2772300945348413135.post-41850119776629968562011-04-13T23:32:00.000-05:002011-04-13T23:32:52.193-05:00Podcast Roundup Wednesday - 4/13/2011<i>Hmm...the Plus One podcast isn't up again, so I'm wondering if they plan on moving the podcast for a different day. They already have Blow Hard regularly going up on Tuesdays and could use something on Thursdays to fill in when Puck Nuts is in it's off season (it's about the NHL, the Devils in particular). The Nintendo Voice Chat podcast also isn't up, so I'm guessing they're taking a week off, at this point.</i><br />
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</i><br />
<b>Sunday Podcasts</b><br />
- <a href="http://hw.libsyn.com/p/c/e/1/ce168a1fbb149cea/SModcast-164.mp3?sid=86290c095ccc9bf20473f289cd4971a0&l_sid=18389&l_eid=&l_mid=2515285">SModcast #164</a>: <span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: orange;">Live at Munhall, Pennsylvanian, the new hearing impared signers, remembering Pittsburg</span><br />
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<b>Monday Podcasts</b><br />
- <a href="http://hw.libsyn.com/p/f/e/6/fe624c02d5570e09/Black_Dynamite.mp3?sid=369b8ffbb2c4e3126427ed7f6b7c8b95&l_sid=19854&l_eid=&l_mid=2521071">Nerdist #77</a>: <span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: orange;">Black Dynamite panel at NerdMelt</span><br />
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<b>Tuesday Podcasts</b><br />
- <a href="http://hw.libsyn.com/p/b/7/a/b7ae6ebfda3b417e/blowhard-35.mp3?sid=e32b504f046e8304d7857323411963ef&l_sid=21125&l_eid=&l_mid=2524603">Blow Hard #35</a>: <span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: orange;">Part 2 with Tell 'em Steve Dave's Bryan Johnson, putting Charlie Sheen, Adam Corolla, and Andy Milonakis in their place</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;">Click on the name of any podcast to listen immediately, or right-click and select "Save As" to download.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444; line-height: 18px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444; line-height: 18px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444; line-height: 18px;"><b>Color Code/Podcast Subject:</b></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: orange;">General Conversational/Comedy</span></span></span></span>WesFXhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13671940889778134918noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2772300945348413135.post-13936504272047216302011-04-13T22:50:00.001-05:002011-04-13T22:51:08.279-05:00RUMOR - Nintendo Pricing the Wii at $150 by May 15th<a href="http://www.engadget.com/2011/04/12/nintendo-cutting-wii-price-to-150-on-may-15th/">Source</a><br />
<br />
The title sums it up.<br />
I think some people might take this as a response to 3DS sales, but I think it's just a price drop that they want to be able to be able to throw around during their E3 Conference (a few weeks after May 15th on June 7th to the 9th). Hopefully they have some huge titles they wanna officially confirm are coming to the U.S. and entice some "hardcore" players in with a $150 console. I also don't believe Nintendo is poised to reveal a new home console at E3, which some people might infer from the price drop. My reasons aren't that strong, but I get a general feeling that they think they have enough in the way of Wii software that they could make the Wii successful for a long enough period that it would be a waste to reveal their next home console at this upcoming E3.<br />
<br />
If you're not already a Wii owner, would you jump at the $150 price tag, or would you need to see what Nintendo is offering at this year's E3 first? Do you know anyone that this new price might convince?WesFXhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13671940889778134918noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2772300945348413135.post-6158629760180703672011-04-13T22:08:00.001-05:002011-04-13T22:15:21.129-05:00George Hotz, the Infamous PS3 Hacker Vows to Never Buy Sony AgainGeorge Hotz was involved in a court case against Sony for his work in hacking the PS3, and he is now prevented by law from ever accessing any Sony product in a way that isn't outlined in the terms of service for that product. Apparently there is a boycott of Sony products going on (whether that is just in the community of hackers or not, I do not know) which Hotz is supporting. More than supporting really, as he's encouraging anyone who will listen to never buy anything else from Sony and return any Sony product if possible.<br />
<br />
It makes sense for him; if he's ever found to have violated that laws laid down by the court order, he's liable to face a $10,000 fine for each violation. Honestly, I'm really uncomfortable with the whole situation. Not his rooting to boycott Sony, but this basically guarantees that he's going to move onto other systems to do what he does best. I'm not inherently against hacking directly, but it is definitely the catalyst for piracy, which I find very objectionable in the ways that most people take advantage of it. If I might explain that, quite simply I don't object to piracy that involves games or products that aren't (and most likely will not be) directly purchasable in/from your region. I consider having to buy from an importer as an indirect purchase. That said, I've never pirated something currently being sold, and I very rarely play pirated games on a PC emulator.<br />
<br />
George Hotz has <a href="http://geohotgotsued.blogspot.com/">a blog</a> where you can follow the situation as told by him.<br />
I don't mean to start a heated debate on hacking (or piracy) but if you'd like to discuss it, then throw out a comment in the comments section.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://uk.kotaku.com/5791548/sued-ps3-hacker-says-hell-never-buy-a-sony-product-again">Story source</a>WesFXhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13671940889778134918noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2772300945348413135.post-72996429334139815982011-04-13T20:46:00.000-05:002011-04-13T20:46:19.148-05:00Dead or Alive Dimensions (3DS) Officially Dated for May 24th in North America<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://cdn.gamerant.com/wp-content/uploads/Dead_Or_Alive_Dimensions_Logo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="192" src="http://cdn.gamerant.com/wp-content/uploads/Dead_Or_Alive_Dimensions_Logo.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div>The next entry in the Dead or Alive series has been dated for May 24th by Tecmo Koei.<br />
Also announced was a run of 34 SpotPass exclusive costumes, so downloaded from the internet, with a run from May 24th to June 26th, and a chance to pick up any you missed from June 28th to June 31st. Sounds like a really fierce move to get people to buy the game as soon as possible.<br />
<br />
I've been holding off on getting Super Street Fighter IV 3D Edition to see what Dead or Alive Dimensions is bringing. With no extensive experience with either series, I've had a hard time deciding, but the limited time (as of now) costumes might push me toward or away from DoA: Dimensions, depending on how quickly I can determine that I want to pick one up.<br />
<br />
Were you looking forward to the game before, or at all now that we've learned that these costumes might be forever unobtainable if you try to pick up the game later?<br />
<a href="http://www.siliconera.com/2011/04/13/dead-or-alive-dimensions-high-kicks-into-stores-on-may-24/">Source</a>WesFXhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13671940889778134918noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2772300945348413135.post-15179006337046585802011-04-10T23:53:00.001-05:002011-04-11T00:05:08.268-05:00Podcast Roundup Sunday - 4/10/2011<i>Turns out the Plus One and Hour of Slack podcasts that usually goes up on Tuesday was just a few days late, so you get two bonus podcasts for this roundup. I gotta say, Plus One has become a favorite of mine in the few weeks I've been listening to it. Kevin and his wife (Jen) have an amazing chemistry, and this week's episode in particular was such a great listen.</i><br />
<i><br />
</i><br />
<b>Bonus/Late Podcasts:</b><br />
- <a href="http://hw.libsyn.com/p/d/f/2/df226ef52b399d11/Hour_of_Slack_1303.mp3?sid=e315b62ae81297e661f50549c95fda11&l_sid=18995&l_eid=&l_mid=2512496">Hour of Slack #1303</a>: <span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: orange;">Rerun of #553, a radio play of Stang going from rich to poor</span><br />
- <a href="http://hw.libsyn.com/p/3/5/3/353d60288f8e8bf7/plusone-17.mp3?sid=c187b9deb502ccb853e3e9cbd467d6e4&l_sid=26053&l_eid=&l_mid=2512656">Plus One #17</a>: <span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: orange;">The new name for Jen's Science Corner, diagnosing Kevin with hypomania, and no compassion for the fishies</span><br />
<br />
<b>Wednesday Podcasts:</b><br />
- <a href="http://xbox360movies.ign.com/xbox360/audio/article/116/1160172/Podcast%20Unlocked%20Episode%20005.mp3">Podcast Unlocked #5</a>: <span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: lime;">A mostly new gang just for this week, Gears of War 3 multiplayer beta discussion</span><br />
<br />
<b>Thursday Podcasts:</b><br />
- <a href="http://ps3movies.ign.com/ps3/audio/article/116/1160420/Podcast%20Beyond%20Episode%20182.mp3">Podcast Beyond #182</a>: <span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue;">Duke Nukem leads to a serious discussion about censorship, what it takes for a game to offend the crew, and ordering 100 tacos from Taco Bell</span><br />
<br />
<b>Friday Podcasts:</b><br />
- <a href="http://retromovies.ign.com/games/audio/article/116/1160644/Game%20Scoop!%20Episode%20201.mp3">Game Scoop! #201</a>: <span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #999999;">Battlefield vs. Call of Duty, Minecraft, Patapon 3, and the gang's favorite handhelds</span><br />
- <a href="http://retromovies.ign.com/games/audio/article/116/1160323/080411.mp3">IGN UK Podcast #80</a>: <span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #999999;">Battlefield vs. Call of Duty as well, older gaming consoles, a Kapow! Comic-con roundup, and a little something temporarily named "The IGN Fun Chums"</span><br />
- <a href="http://trailers-ak.gametrailers.com/gt_vault/6414/t_iw_154_gt.mp3">Invisible Walls #154</a> (must have a free account to download): <span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #999999;">SOCOM 4 and the 3DS' brain melting capabilities</span><br />
- <a href="http://hw.libsyn.com/p/8/7/9/8793c6f3319f5b79/DLM414.mp3?sid=1532571277bdb5538699cc33ef6661f9&l_sid=19257&l_eid=&l_mid=2512469">Doug Loves Movies</a>: <span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: orange;">Ralph Garmen (currently of SModcast.com's Hollywood Babble On*), comedians T.J. Miller and Andy Wood guest, and the movie name game (not the Leonard Maltin game)</span><br />
- <a href="http://hw.libsyn.com/p/a/e/e/aee2fba3d2b5169a/Xeni_Jardin.mp3?sid=aec303d8d45ef3c799010976b63884b0&l_sid=19854&l_eid=&l_mid=2514190">Nerdist #76</a>: Xeni Jardin guests, discussing nerd culture before it was nerd culture, Boing Boing<br />
- <a href="http://hw.libsyn.com/p/5/d/9/5d99b5e1bf6e0301/stevedave-57.mp3?sid=f513eb17ec3735c8c4b98b815decc78f&l_sid=18391&l_eid=&l_mid=2513592">Tell 'em Steve Dave #57</a>: <span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: orange;">Walt and Q spend some time berating Bry, Medieval Times meet up, and Suzan's chicken pox</span><br />
- <a href="http://gearmovies.ign.com/gear/audio/article/116/1160767/Tech%20Fetish%20Podcast,%20Episode%2087.mp3">Tech Fetish Podcast #87</a>: 3DS sales in Japan, why the NGP might see a delay, Google needs to kick it up a notch with Android, and the Commodore 64 for some reason<br />
<br />
<b>Saturday Podcasts:</b><br />
- <a href="http://hw.libsyn.com/p/b/6/3/b6384c34fdd7a7c5/gonin295.mp3?sid=eba445873a8e2b012690aebaf7537fcb&l_sid=18615&l_eid=&l_mid=2514902">GoNintendo Podcast #295</a>: <span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;">Rebecca Black invades the podcast, Jack Tretton bashing Nintendo and Microsoft again, what the gang's been playing this week, and music quiz</span><br />
<br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444; line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Click on the name of any podcast to listen immediately, or right-click and select "Save As" to download.</span></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"></span></span><br />
<i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal; line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Color Code, Podcast Subject:</b><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: orange;">General Conversational/Comedy</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;">Gaming - Nintendo</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue;">Gaming - Sony</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: lime;">Gaming - Microsoft</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #999999;">Gaming - General</span><br />
Tech Discussion General</span></span></i><br />
<i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal; line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><br />
</span></span></i><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;">* - if you guessed this means I'll be listening to an new podcast this week, you're right. I'll see if it's good so you don't have to.</span>WesFXhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13671940889778134918noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2772300945348413135.post-59628256195847782922011-04-09T15:47:00.001-05:002011-04-13T21:10:53.416-05:003DS Impressions - The Screens, 3D, and Sweet SpotsAt this point, I think anyone that's wanted to see the glasses free 3D screen of the 3DS has seen it, so I'll focus a bit more on some less obvious things.<br />
<br />
But I'll start with my own experience of 3D. I don't usually use it with the 3D Depth Slider all the way up, usually at 50% to 70%, and mostly just with PilotWings Resort where I think it's valuable to the experience, and the camera functionality where it's necessary to capture a 3D photo. With the 3D Depth Slider at 0% to about 15%, I can tell that the parallax barrier is on, but I can't say that I really notice 3D, even in a game like PilotWings Resort where you can have a huge spacial distance between the closest object on screen and the farthest. I have no trouble seeing 3D, and 3D doesn't give me headaches at all, which isn't unexpected. It's always been easy for me to see "Magic Eye" 3D images and I've seen many 3D movies without headaches.<br />
<br />
The "sweet spot," the ideal zone in which to view the 3DS' top screen's 3D is quite small. I heard many hands on reports that didn't quite agree on this; for every four that would say you only get about a centimeter to move your head left and right, there would be one that would say you have about an inch and a half. They're both right, but when you go beyond that centimeter or so range, you start noticing the parallax barrier darkening the image, but the image is still obviously 3D. As I understand the technology, having a "sweet spot" that small is the best you can do when you get the columns of pixels down to as small as they are on the 3DS. It took a few hours, but I don't have any trouble now keeping the 3DS at an angle suitable for viewing 3D. For me eyes, I can move the 3DS about a foot backwards and forwards to my face before I get distortion, so there is no adjustment with holding the 3DS at a different distance than I would with a GBA SP, DS lite, or any handheld gaming device.<br />
<br />
One thing I didn't catch being mentioned about the 3DS' 3D screen is that the 3D actually slots up clearly at two additional angles. As you angle the 3DS, you'll see the image darken and clear multiple times; straight on, is the "sweet spot", a bit to the left is a view where your right eye sees only the image meant for your left eye, and your left eye sees only the image meant for your right eye, giving a reverse 3D image. Speaking of reverse 3D, I'm actually baffled as to why you don't get reverse 3D when you view the 3DS upside down. It seems to me like the image that was meant for your right eye would now be reaching your left eye and vise versa and the image would be 3D, but not so. Very interesting and I hope some devs take the opportunity to have games with the player (or a second player) viewing the 3DS upside down. A bit to the left of the reverse 3D is one of the other spots to view 3D, and the save for tiling to the right. Beyond that, and you begin seeing the left and right eye images with both eyes so the effect doesn' work. So this idea that you can't share the 3D with more than one person at the same time is technically very incorrect.<br />
<br />
I touched upon it in a previous section of the impressions, but the 3DS screens have a smaller viewing angle than DS lite screens or DSi XL screens. In the end it's enough for normal playing so it's not a flaw I would name of the system, but it is something I suspect will be improved in the next iteration of the 3DS, if only to be another item on a comparison list.<br />
<br />
On paper, the pixel resolution of the 3DS didn't get that big of a bump from the DS systems. I actually ran some numbers one night just to see what kind of percentage increase the resolution got from the Game Boy Color to Game Boy Advance, Game Boy Advance to DS (one screen), and now DS/DSi to 3DS (bottom screen vs. bottom screen). Like I usually do, I was scribbling out the results on an open session of PictoChat so I don't have the numbers anymore, but the bump from DS to 3DS was par for the course of Nintendo handhelds. I said that to say that in practice, the resolution difference from DS to 3DS seems bigger than ever, especially when viewed with 3D on. I've seen two or three people make the claim that the 3DS' 3D screen looks better than HD, and I have to say, that sentiment has some merits. I don't believe you can fully validate that idea, but the mental perception of each is very comparable.<br />
<br />
Has anyone else noticed anything interesting about the screens or 3D that they feel is worth mentioning? Maybe something you noticed because of another 3DS launch title?WesFXhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13671940889778134918noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2772300945348413135.post-68850823053039663662011-04-08T19:30:00.003-05:002011-04-09T13:23:55.332-05:003DS Impressions - The Cameras<i>Originally there was going to be part three and a summary to the impressions, but I feel like each part might get more attention if they were shorter.</i><br />
<i><br />
</i><br />
When it was first announced that the 3DS was keeping 0.3 Megapixel resolution cameras like the DSi, I, like almost everyone else immediately thought "that sucks". It was a few months later that I actually learned a thing or two about megapixels; in regards to the 3DS, 0.3 Megapixels is over thrice the resolution of the 3DS screen, and that there is such a thing as good and bad at any pixel resolution. I took any opportunity to point this out to anyone who was outright complaining about the camera resolution since they likely knew as little as I had. I was just trying to get the word out that it doesn't immediately mean bad things. A few impressions came out from people that played with 3DSes as some press events and the general term being used was "grainy". "Well, I'll see for myself soon enough" I said.<br />
<br />
And I did see for myself. Grainy is an appropriate word. But before we get to that, a bit of an observation about how the 3DS uses the cameras. When I first used the 3DS and it's cameras, I immediately noticed that it simply wasn't capturing a sharp image. I went to the camera application, and it did render the pictures cleaner after you took them, so I just chalked it up to a downgrade in resolution to make the real-time capture faster. I tried out the face-merge feature (hilarious results every time, by the way), and it didn't strike me at the time, but the user's face on the outside camera always came up abnormally large even though I tried to hold the 3DS half-way between the two of us. Through more use I discovered what was actually going on; the image from the outside cameras is permanently zoomed at a software level when it's displayed on-screen, thus it's appears more grainy than the end image really is. It actually makes a ton of sense for the end product. The zoom means that the AR cards can go off camera a ways and the AR does not break. It lets you readjust the 3D focal-point after you take a picture, instead of permanently cropping off the right and left of the image. In the end it makes for a better user experience, and if the 3DS can only capture a video at 0.3 megapixel resolution at an acceptable level with it's current processors, then what's the point of asking for something higher?<br />
<br />
I've included some pictures I've procured using the 3DS.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkPsGVlNhAC3nEnASMaJeTkiCws6RGzkX5Fn6v8NGsPk81xBb5vvMvAByNIEk6EgYv1tAHyAvuqqRzvFM6xWX65XNlZFWiXxiDUYsr5v0m6-Cyydki3BqIrTTu0v0B1mW-4PUH1EexnWIh/s1600/HNI_0023.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="192" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkPsGVlNhAC3nEnASMaJeTkiCws6RGzkX5Fn6v8NGsPk81xBb5vvMvAByNIEk6EgYv1tAHyAvuqqRzvFM6xWX65XNlZFWiXxiDUYsr5v0m6-Cyydki3BqIrTTu0v0B1mW-4PUH1EexnWIh/s320/HNI_0023.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #999999;">In-game screen from PilotWings Resort's handglider</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #999999;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOOsgYv3LXfSw7qimH7tobYJutM-bQMOoSMg60f6Dn-DrJuShxr1dPQQ_5ey8vH0KE3jpgy5EWux3zEZwXq-11mfQMcaLnW_hC7dwaw4iizVX13RHPGfcoljpRW2RH7rQK81g3Prm3TKYk/s1600/HNI_0043.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOOsgYv3LXfSw7qimH7tobYJutM-bQMOoSMg60f6Dn-DrJuShxr1dPQQ_5ey8vH0KE3jpgy5EWux3zEZwXq-11mfQMcaLnW_hC7dwaw4iizVX13RHPGfcoljpRW2RH7rQK81g3Prm3TKYk/s320/HNI_0043.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #999999;">My cat, in 3D! But this is 2D.....</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #999999;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_mnwqk-WDLg2tbJeUJ_6hTgBABg4s9aa7pCEAKVtA-IFnqoC6CkeLckDQDu2F_U7VKkI7NpMNfNsLq08DaflEGD1pdZ87K2MF_kqu_rQuxvYC2Y98KRD23sKt4-geT7EAZEdTy9jbqV1P/s1600/HNI_0063.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="192" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_mnwqk-WDLg2tbJeUJ_6hTgBABg4s9aa7pCEAKVtA-IFnqoC6CkeLckDQDu2F_U7VKkI7NpMNfNsLq08DaflEGD1pdZ87K2MF_kqu_rQuxvYC2Y98KRD23sKt4-geT7EAZEdTy9jbqV1P/s320/HNI_0063.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #999999;">A picture taken in AR Games</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #999999;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoRKQ-ry4Hy9yJbHbeEvmnITZ84oXyhCesfkoNkoGfB7ae8qsoZB3nU8j1ZTvlPjBmFdIHJKN-gsrqtPuffcXnFsZxhwqzwniSp0F5LaVb1WqLDbKKFrrEDZ-7NsXSx0F9AfbuWNXIyBa_/s1600/HNI_0081.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoRKQ-ry4Hy9yJbHbeEvmnITZ84oXyhCesfkoNkoGfB7ae8qsoZB3nU8j1ZTvlPjBmFdIHJKN-gsrqtPuffcXnFsZxhwqzwniSp0F5LaVb1WqLDbKKFrrEDZ-7NsXSx0F9AfbuWNXIyBa_/s320/HNI_0081.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #999999;">A trail I sometimes run</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #999999;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: left;">If there's something in particular you'd like clarified about the cameras, or just something (or an idea) you'd like me to capture with the 3DS camera, let me know in the comments and I'll answer or capture the image to the best of my ability.</div>WesFXhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13671940889778134918noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2772300945348413135.post-72994275810695026342011-04-07T00:10:00.000-05:002011-04-07T00:10:10.290-05:00Podcast Roundup Wednesday - 4/6/2011<b>Sunday Podcasts:</b><br />
- <a href="http://hw.libsyn.com/p/7/e/b/7ebd2a70fc979917/SModcast-163.mp3?sid=536739a4749c84ba894d0fba85874a7a&l_sid=18389&l_eid=&l_mid=2507780">SModcast #163</a>: <span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: orange;">Live from the Hard Rock Cafe, Orlando, Florida, Scott's Adventure</span><br />
<br />
<b>Monday Podcasts:</b><br />
- <a href="http://hw.libsyn.com/p/d/c/0/dc0c9270d0658cab/James_Gunn.mp3?sid=12a969fbcf75ee1775274ecfccb9afab&l_sid=19854&l_eid=&l_mid=2510627">Nerdist #75</a>: <span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: orange;">Live from NerdMelt, James Gunn, Super (the movie), and zombies</span><br />
<br />
<b>Tuesday Podcasts:</b><br />
- <a href="http://wiimovies.ign.com/wii/audio/article/115/1159973/nvc_040511.mp3">Nintendo Voice Chat</a>: <span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;">Favorite 3DS launch titles, StreetPass, political Pokemon, and what happens when you don't have enough to talk about</span><br />
- <a href="http://hw.libsyn.com/p/6/5/3/653beb6012a7e02b/blowhard-34.mp3?sid=eefaf35bb14435db987c210dff065980&l_sid=21125&l_eid=&l_mid=2510440">Blow Hard #34</a>: <span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: orange;">Bryan Johnson of Tell 'em Steve Dave guests (this ought to be good)</span><br />
<br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444; line-height: 18px;">Click on the name of any podcast to listen immediately, or right-click and select "Save As" to download.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444; line-height: 18px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444; line-height: 18px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444; line-height: 18px;"><b>Color Code/Podcast Subject:</b></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444; line-height: 18px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;">Gaming - Nintendo</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444; line-height: 18px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: orange;">General Conversational/Comedy</span> </span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><br />
</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;">Ouch, a couple of shows didn't happen this week, so the pickings are slim.</span></span>WesFXhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13671940889778134918noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2772300945348413135.post-17300243575885229122011-04-05T09:00:00.002-05:002011-04-05T09:00:06.271-05:00My Impressions - PilotWings Resort for 3DS<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.blogcdn.com/www.joystiq.com/media/2010/06/pilotwings3ds.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="164" src="http://www.blogcdn.com/www.joystiq.com/media/2010/06/pilotwings3ds.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
Of all the games prepped for launch day, PilotWings Resort always seemed like the most risk-free purchase of the bunch. Not because I had enjoyed the series prior. Quite the opposite, I remember renting PilotWings 64 and having a hell of a time trying to control these crafts and accomplish the tasks they were throwing at me and I left it as another bad rental without giving it another thought for years and years. Then E3 2010 rolls around and among many titles and series that Nintendo revealed were coming to 3DS was PilotWings Resort. What really caught my eye is that it was set on Wuhu Island of Wii Sports Resort and Wii Fit Plus. The Island Flyover mode of Wii Sports Resort had become my favorite piece of that game, so an expansion of that sounded great to me. Roll forward to February 22nd when Nintendo laid down the day-one software for perspective owners of the 3DS in the U.S., and easily PilotWings Resort still looked like the safest purchase to me. Roll forward again to a few weeks before the launch of the 3DS in the U.S.. Reviews and impressions were coming in for the final version of PilotWings Resort, and a grim detail seemed to be universally voiced; you could beat the game in about an hour and a half. It doesn't matter how you spin that number or how awesome that hour and a half is, for $40 that's a lousy deal.<br />
<br />
For a second, I wavered on whether or not to purchase PilotWings Resort.<br />
<a name='more'></a>I knew I wanted to buy it, but did I really need it at $40? At $20? It crossed my mind that it might never drop in price, like Super Mario 64 DS..... But luckily more impressions came in, some directly in defense of the game and ready to explain the "one and a half hour" figure away as nothing more than the bare-minimum time it might take to see the credits. It didn't hurt that Toys-R-Us had the best deal on buying two 3DS games from a major chain and that it was a (very) limited time deal. In the end it didn't hurt that much when I purchased it.<br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://sickr.files.wordpress.com/2011/03/pilotwings-resort1.jpg?w=570&h=351" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="197" src="http://sickr.files.wordpress.com/2011/03/pilotwings-resort1.jpg?w=570&h=351" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: -webkit-auto;"><br />
</div></div><div style="text-align: left;">Unlike those that hit up a demo kiosk at BestBuy (or where ever PilotWings Resort was the demo game) my very first experience with glasses-less 3D was not PilotWings Resort. The 3DS has a "3D Screen Check" that introduces you to the 3D in a simple, but neat way, and I made sure to make my Mii before playing PilotWings Resort. But none of that compared to seeing an open world in 3D.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">I hear it all the time when Zelda comes up: "Ocarina of Time 3D will be the game that shows me if 3D makes things better". They say it because they are intensely familiar with the world of Ocarina of Time on a 2D display. Because of my love of Island Flyover, I'm familiar with Wuhu Island, and I imagine that I get the same feeling from this game that people hope to get from Ocarina of Time 3D for 3DS; it's incredible. It feels fantastically, touchably real despite the unrealistically beautiful colors, and I will never sell it short by playing without the 3D if I have a choice.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">That feeling of not exactly knowing how to control the characters that I got from PilotWings 64 came back with the introduction of the Rocket Belt in the game. It's absolutely worth noting that the plane does not control exactly the same as the ones from Wii Sports Resort, because that plane is pretty unrealistically responsive and would make the plane missions considerably easier. My years of experience with controlling objects in a 3D world since PilotWings 64 meant that I came to grips with the Rocket Belt without frustration. The other crafts you can pilot (no spoilers) likewise put my ability to learn something new to the test without being frustrating.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">Maybe it's just me, but those people that were claiming it was a short game were not giving the game's challenge the credit it deserves. You get a score for all of your activities during a mission; flying through a ring, collecting a way-point, bursting a balloon, your landing, and making it through mission without bumping into anything or crashing, to name the aspects of the first set of training class missions. There are five classes of missions, and up to the fourth (gold) I can tell you that there are 20 unique activities using 6 unique crafts, across 30 diverse levels. For each mission your score will amount to one of five ratings upon completion of a mission; no stars, 1, 2, and 3 stars, and 3 stars highlighted in red if you get a perfect score. For me, it's rare that I get a 3 star rating my first time, and I've yet to get a perfect score the first time. Additionally, you can achieve a score higher than perfect (say what?) in a mission, but only after achieving a perfect score for that mission. I'm not sure if it was in the first two games, but if not, it's a really brilliant addition by Monster Games (the developer) that means you will have a reason to play missions more than once, no matter how awesome you are. You have to get a certain overall star count (red highlighting from a perfect score still counts as 3) from the current class in order to unlock the next class, which basically amounts to getting at least 2 star ratings on every mission, a feat I didn't always accomplish on the first try.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">There is also the free flight mode, which is much like the Island Flyover in Wii Sports Resort. This time around, the flights start out at two minutes each, but there is a specific way to increase the time limit. If you played Island Flyover as much as I did, you might initially be disappointed that the "i" information locations are the same as in Wii Sports Resort which means those last few that were especially well hidden aren't a surprise now. But quickly you'll see that the white balloons have all new locations, unlock as you play, and some are difficult (but not impossible) to acquire without the Rocket belt so you have good reason to try out the different crafts. Each of the original three crafts has a unique third collectible that can only be collected while piloting that vehicle, so you'll be playing this mode multiple times for sure if you want to 100% free flight mode.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">If you're not interested in exploring free flight mode, or perfecting all the missions, then sure, I could definitely see how you could blow through the game in an hour or two. But to me, the gameplay is very enjoyable and I can tell I'm going to get a lot of play time out of it. Is it worth $40? Maybe not as worth $40 as some games, but I definitely recommend it at the $40 asking price.<br />
<br />
Just wonder, would anyone be interested in getting a "second opinion" from my brother? I've let a couple people play PilotWings Resort, but he's definitely played the most of them.</div>WesFXhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13671940889778134918noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2772300945348413135.post-85112748456890935782011-04-04T23:04:00.002-05:002011-04-05T02:31:28.688-05:00My 3DS Impressions, Part 2<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><b>The Logistics</b></span><br />
<i>I'm not sure how to describe what I mean by the included topics in this part of the impressions/early review. Other points of the hardware that don't quite fit in with <a href="http://vgamalgam.blogspot.com/2011/04/my-3ds-impressions-part-1.html">Interfacing</a> or the next part on the "experience" that is the 3DS.</i><br />
<br />
<b>AC Adapter</b><br />
The lowly AC adapter. So important for enjoying the 3DS, but such a minor concern. The AC adapter has a cord about 3 inches shorter than the DS lite's charger if I'm not mistaken. Judging by multiple pictures from Google Images searches, this is the exact same AC adapter as the one that shipped with the DSi and DSi XL. This is kind of unfortunate. Not only does it have just enough bulk that it can take up three outlet slots on many <a href="http://www.cleanenergyresourceteams.org/files/powerstrip.JPG">power strips</a>, but it also means that the 3DS wasn't given a cable for charging that could have given it a faster charging time and/or bigger battery. On the bright side, the non-new charging jack lets you use <a href="http://vgamalgam.blogspot.com/2011/03/slick-battery-life-extender-you-can-use.html">some accessories</a> meant for the DSi and DSi XL.<br />
<br />
<b>Using the Cradle</b><br />
They did add a new method of using the AC Adapter, and I think it's actually a very smart addition.<br />
<a name='more'></a>The AC adapter plugs into the back of the cradle and allows you to easily drop and charge the 3DS. Contrary to early conjecture, the cradle does not use <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Inductive_charging">inductive charging</a>, but instead has a pin that's depressed by the 3DS' weight, which pushes metal contacts into the 3DS to charge. The 3DS has a short battery life compared to the rest of the entire DS series of handhelds, and there's no denying it. By including the charger, it makes it easier for most people to charge their system on a daily basis. In my experience, you do need to charge after the days that you use it so it will be ready for another day. For me, using the charger lets me keep the AC Adapter plugged into an outlet that's behind some furniture, rather than storing the AC Adapter in a drawer, bringing it out when I need it and having it strung across the floor since I opted for an outlet that was easiest to access. Depending on your setup, this might be an occasional bother if you need to fish the AC Adapter out from behind a particularly tough spot to access and bring it with you.<br />
<br />
<b>Microphone and Location</b><br />
The original DS had a microphone located to the bottom right of the bottom screen, and so it is again with the 3DS. The quality seems improved from the DS and DS lite, though it could be a benefit of the added RAM that would allow for higher quality recording. The DS lite, DSi, and DSi XL have the microphone in the center in the hinge, and for all the games that ask you to "blow into the mic" I would always miss and have to readjust where I was blowing when I used a DS lite, so I'm glad the mic is back at the bottom.<br />
<br />
<b>Headphone Jack Placement</b><br />
The headphone jack is now squarely in the center of the bottom of the 3DS. I know there were early observations that when the 3DS is used as a music player, then the new placement would prevent you from putting it in any pocket, which I don't think is entirely accurate because the old placement (same side, but to the right) would cause problems as well. The new location keeps the headphone chord as out of the way of your hands as it can be while playing 3DS games. Also of note is the complete removal of the jack that allowed you plug in a head-set with a microphone and opt to use that microphone instead of the one in the 3DS. This doesn't necessarily mean the 3DS doesn't support plugging in microphones, since there are other designs that would look like a regular headphone jack from the outside, but it does mean it won't support the headsets you may have bought for your DS.<br />
<br />
<b>Wrist Strap Locations</b><br />
Who would have guessed that the new locations for attaching wrist straps would be one of my favorite features about the 3DS? On the DS and DS lite the point for attaching a wrist strap is at the back, next to where you insert DS games. On the 3DS, there are now two, located on the bottom of the unit (same side as the headphone jack). It's super easy to secure a wrist strap since one side is completely open, which is much improved over the frustrating design of the DS lite's wrist strap location. It took me a bit to realize why there were two and why the new location was awesome, but these locations let you actually use the wrist strap while you're playing the 3DS. Much like the wrist straps included with all Wii Remotes, it's an added security that you won't drop your $250 while you're playing it; you can go from closed and StreetPassing, to open and gaming without ever taking it off or wrist. You have the preference of attaching one on the side for your left wrist, one on the side for your right wrist, or both in case you know the reason you can't have nice things.<br />
<br />
<b>Stylus and Stylus Placement</b><br />
Nintendo has implemented a telescoping stylus in the 3DS, which means you pull it apart to make it longer, or push it together to smaller. Extended, it's longer than the DSi stylus, and retracted it's shorter than the original DS stylus. It has the same girth as the DS lite stylus, and will infact fit into the DS lite. They've also moved it's storage slot back to the top like the DS. But unlike the DS they moved it to the left side (if you're looking at it from the face with the screens). I'm right-handed as far as writing and using a stylus is concerned, so I'm reaching for the stylus with my right hand if I'm not thinking about it. That's not necessarily a problem though. My problem with it is that it's actually locked in relatively tightly, and you only have a small lip to grip onto to take it out. This means I usually rotate the system about 80 degrees clockwise so I can use a nail to get it out, or flip it around so the back of it is in sight and I use my thumb-nail to take it out. The alternative is a lip that isn't flush with the system, and that means it's easier for the stylus to be pushed out accidentally, but I would take that risk. As well, the black end of the stylus is designed in such a way that it rubs and irritates my skin next to my index finger's knuckle. I have to hold it a bit differently than I normally would to avoid this, and I haven't adjusted just yet. The stylus has a nice look, with black on both ends, and what I assume is metal for the shaft; it feels high quality. There is only one included with the stylus, and I haven't seen Nintendo selling Nintendo branded stylii replacements in stores. A quick look at the online Nintendo store shows that <a href="http://store.nintendo.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?productId=182214&currency=USD&catalogId=10001&tranId=0&lastAction=setCurr&storeId=10001&languageId=-1&categoryId=68206&ddkey=http:SetCurrencyPreference">it will cost you $3.75</a> for one of these stylii before shipping, handling, and tax, which seems high (it is) but the DS lite and DSi stylii also cost that much.<br />
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<b>Screen Brightness and Viewing Angle</b><br />
I think the best way I can describe the brightness of the 3DS screens is to compare them to a handheld that I have in hand; the DS lite. Below is a "less than" flow-chart representation of each DS lite brightness (1st, 2nd, 3rd, and 4th brightest) and each 3DS brightness (named 1 through 5, with 5 being the brightest). DS in red, and 3DS in green to make it more clear.<br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: lime;">1</span> </span><<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;"> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: red;">1st</span> </span><<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;"> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: lime;">2</span> </span><<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;"> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: red;">2nd</span> </span><<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;"> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: lime;">3</span> </span><<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;"> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: lime;">4</span> </span><<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;"> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: red;">3rd</span> </span><<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;"> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: lime;">5</span> </span><<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;"> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: red;">4th</span></span><br />
<br />
To my eyes, anyway.<br />
You'll note that the 3DS' brightest doesn't topple the DS lite's brightest, but you might not have heard that the backlight has to be brightened when the 3D is turned on for the brightness to appear to be the same as in 2D. This was revealed in <a href="http://iwataasks.nintendo.com/interviews/#/3ds/how-nintendo-3ds-made/1/2">Iwata Asks</a>, and though it wasn't made clear how much brighter it needs to be, it makes sense that double or nearly double the brightness is required because of how the parallax barrier blocks the image on the screen for each eye to create the 3D effect. The 3DS alters this brightness for you when you flip the 3D on and off, so don't worry about having to adjust settings everytime you wanna see 3D.<br />
The viewing angle is smaller than DS lite as well, but that's not much of a concern to me because of the very nature of how you hold and play a handheld. As well, the 3D has it's own viewing angle much smaller still, so I don't see any point in trying to get a super wide viewing angle for overall viewing.<br />
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<b>"Multitasking"</b><br />
Thanks to some people more tech savvy that I, we've nailed down that the 3DS has <a href="http://www.destructoid.com/nintendo-3ds-has-128mb-of-ram-197572.phtml">128 MB of fast RAM</a> to work with (though, knowing how Nintendo does things, there's likely at least 4 MB of embedded RAM elsewhere). If you pay attention to smart-phone tech, this definitely doesn't seem like much, but compare it to many gaming consoles and it impresses me; DS with 4 MB, PlayStation 2 with 32 MB, GameCube with 43 MB, Xbox with 64 MB, PSP with 32 MB (64 with later redesigns, but all games still had to work with 32 MB), Wii with 91 MB. We had a very <a href="http://gear.ign.com/articles/112/1122613p1.html">early report from IGN</a> that the 3DS only had 68 MB of RAM, and some screens from <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/news/6285842.html?tag=latestheadlines;title;1">a stolen 3DS</a> that showed it had 96 MB of RAM, so I think it's a big toss-up as to what portion of RAM the OS is always using. Like many devices, 3DS doesn't have true multitasking; it suspends the current software rather than running it in the background. While you have suspended software, you can currently open 5 applications on the 3DS while maintaining the suspended software; Game Notes, Friend List, Notifications, Internet Browser, and the camera (limited version of the 3DS Camera software). These are separated from the re-sizable, rearrangeable DSi/Wii Channel/iOS style icons and can't be moved. They carry their own data in the Activity Log software, so at least you'll be able to see how long you've been browsing the internet. If I had any requests for software to add to multitasking functionality then it would be a music player to allow for custom soundtracks in all games.<br />
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<b>3DS Design and Aesthetic</b><br />
There would be a lot to explain here, so I'll leave it up to you to get a good look at the device to see what I'm expressing my opinion on.<br />
I picked up an Aqua Blue 3DS. The tri-layer, tri-color scheme is interesting and unique in the gaming hardware world as far as I know, and I like it for the most part, though because the way the top layer appears to change its tint and shade, I often feel the bottom <u>or</u> middle layer should be darker to give it an even gradient. I love the beveling all the way around the top and bottom not only for its look, but it gives the 3DS a natural fit in my hands where they come in contact with the edges of the system. The middle layer is recessed, and the top layer wider in all direction. I actually really appreciate this design. The volume control is on the recessed layer, and I've never noticed being at a different volume then where I left it because something pushed up against it. The SD card slot is on the bottom layer, but you can easily open the cover thanks to the slightly recessed middle layer. Because of the middle layer, I don't think the top layer needed to be extended as far as it is, and in fact, the top layer is surrounded by transparent plastic so it could have been smaller. One great thing about the bigger top layer is how it looks from the front; the shoulder buttons aren't visible. The pictures of the DSi and DSi XL always bothered me because you could see the shoulder buttons and I thought it gave the console a certain chunky quality. The black border around the top screen doesn't irk me as much as I thought it might; it's really a lot like the black-border that Nintendo gave all their handhelds until the DS lite. At E3 2010, we saw 3DSes with circle pads that matched the middle layer of the system. The grey color they have now isn't an eye-sore, but I definitely think the matching color circle pads had a better look. On the back of unit is a battery cover that is the size of the entire back of the unit, another first. I never really took note of the battery sized battery covers on Nintendo systems before the 3DS, but this new design is definitely an improvement to my eyes. There is also a rather inexplicable silver band (not metal) at the back of the bottom layer, between the shoulder buttons. It encompasses the openings for the slots for DS and 3DS games, the stylus, and the AC adapter, as well as the IR port and the openings for the pins that the cradle uses. It seems like a bizarre addition to me, but one that just feels right.<br />
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<b>A Deep Rumble</b><br />
A small note that rumble, haptic feedback, vibration, or whatever you want to call it didn't make it into the 3DS, and without any extra outlets for it, we likely won't see a first-party accessory to add it later. The DS Rumble Pak was one of those small additions that really made some games seem like real experiences, like the screen was your window into a shoe-box that the characters were bumping around within. The NGP hasn't been said to have it either, so I guess that rumble will remain a difference between handheld gaming and console gaming for another 5+ years.WesFXhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13671940889778134918noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2772300945348413135.post-61997108610143364562011-04-04T01:44:00.000-05:002011-04-04T01:44:14.798-05:00Podcast Roundup Sunday - 4/3/2011<i>Gotta start making a point to get these up before midnight, because it makes it read like it's missing Sunday with that little date banner that blogger adds.</i><br />
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<b>Wednesday Pocasts:</b><br />
- <a href="http://xbox360movies.ign.com/xbox360/audio/article/115/1158566/Podcast%20Unlocked%20Episode%20004.mp3">Podcast Unlocked #4</a>: <span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: lime;">Mass Effect 2 DLC, Deux Ex: Human Revolution</span><br />
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<b>Thursday Podcasts:</b><br />
- <a href="http://hw.libsyn.com/p/b/0/6/b060cefbdbdc3db9/Silly_Titles.mp3?sid=d103b7b443f863eb9ebcb17b2bc8f3a7&l_sid=19854&l_eid=&l_mid=2500410">Nerdist #74</a>: <span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: orange;">Chris spots Anthony Micheal Hall, Jonah does some healing, and Matt finally gets his inversion table</span><br />
- <a href="http://ps3movies.ign.com/ps3/audio/article/115/1158805/Podcast%20Beyond%20Episode%20181.mp3">Podcast Beyond #181</a>: <span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue;">Layoffs at Sony, Dynasty Warriors 7, and becoming a hamster</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><b>Friday Podcasts:</b></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444;">- </span><a href="http://retromovies.ign.com/games/audio/article/115/1159077/Game%20Scoop!%20Episode%20200.mp3">Game Scoop! #200</a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444;">: </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #999999;">A rare live episode; PAX East and audience questions</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;">- <a href="http://pcmovies.ign.com/pc/audio/article/115/1158443/IGN%20AU%20Pubcast_%20Japan%20Relief%20Special.mp3">IGN AU Pubcast</a>: <span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #999999;">Japanese Special Edition, tsunami relief, The Wizard, video game quizes, and Final Fantasy</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;">- <a href="http://retromovies.ign.com/games/audio/article/115/1158754/010411.mp3">IGN UK Podcast #79</a>: <span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #999999;">Post-launch with the 3DS and iPad 2, Wii 2 speculation, Comic-Con update, and Dr. Who</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;">- <a href="http://trailers-ak.gametrailers.com/gt_vault/6414/t_iw_153_gt.mp3">Invisible Walls #153</a> (must have a free account to download): <span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #999999;">New Resident Evil, Need for Speed, and Yakuza, and lame launches</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;">- <a href="http://hw.libsyn.com/p/0/9/c/09c05f3fdd2857e6/DLM413.mp3?sid=1aeabe894b26493de74764682389b24e&l_sid=19257&l_eid=&l_mid=2496412">Doug Loves Movies</a>: <span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: orange;">Rainn Wilson, Simon Pegg, and James Gunn guest</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;">- <a href="http://hw.libsyn.com/p/2/3/f/23f7ba5626261cfc/stevedave-56.mp3?sid=ee9151961ea7f7e7942ccdbd5d1d2c82&l_sid=18391&l_eid=&l_mid=2497803">Tell 'em Steve Dave #56</a>: <span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: orange;">Victoria Jackson, Q teaches about preparing for fatherhood, and Bry's new "radio" voice</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;">- <a href="http://gearmovies.ign.com/gear/audio/article/115/1159123/Tech%20Fetish%20Podcast%20Episode%2086.mp3">Tech Fetish Pocast #86</a>: Glasses free 3D and 3DS, Windows Phone 7, AT&T and T-mobile merger, CTIA expo and WWDC 2011</span><br />
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</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><b>Saturday Podcasts:</b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;">- <a href="http://hw.libsyn.com/p/2/7/3/273c4ac3eb422f06/gonin294.mp3?sid=88c9c10c9e95eeecad3309cc74dc8552&l_sid=18615&l_eid=&l_mid=2507555">GoNintendo Podcast #294</a>: <span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;">Everyone has played the 3DS but Lube, this week's Nintendo news, music quiz, and 3DS</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;">- <a href="http://pcmovies.ign.com/pc/audio/article/115/1159251/IGN%20AU%20Pubcast_%20Ep_%2015.mp3">IGN AU Pubcast #15</a>: <span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #999999;">Wanted 3DS software, Duke Nukem, Deadly Premonition, and Jen's pregnancy</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;">Click on the name of any podcast to listen immediately, or right-click and select "Save As" to download.</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><br />
</span></span><br />
<i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal; line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Color Code, Podcast Subject:</b><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: orange;">General Conversational/Comedy</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;">Gaming - Nintendo</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue;">Gaming - Sony</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: lime;">Gaming - Microsoft</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #999999;">Gaming - General</span><br />
Tech Discussion General</span></span></i>WesFXhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13671940889778134918noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2772300945348413135.post-30392193563318943572011-04-03T14:34:00.000-05:002011-04-03T14:34:56.825-05:00Update - 3DS Still Not Supply Constrained in My AreaI made sure to check out the day one <a href="http://vgamalgam.blogspot.com/2011/03/3ds-is-not-supply-constrained-in-my.html">supplies of the 3DS in my area</a>, and there were plenty. Now, a week later there are still plenty. Just from some asymmetrical shelving arrangements, I'm guessing that a few have been sold in that week. Nintendo has reported that the 3DS was the best selling handheld launch in the U.S. in their history, but I'm not sure that really means huge numbers. It's a shame for the moment because I've only had one wild StreetPass encounter, and even that was from a GameStop employee (she had a very accurate Mii).<br />
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I'm not currently worried about the 3DS not being a success, and thus not getting great software support, personally. As seems to be Nintendo's plan, the 3DS will need to sell itself when people show it off to friends and family, which isn't going to happen instantly. It might need a few hard kicks from the likes of Mario Kart to really get that viral spreading started, like the first DS needed Nintendogs and Brain Age to start it on the path of the best selling video game console ever (has it reached that just yet?).WesFXhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13671940889778134918noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2772300945348413135.post-74657187849529628112011-04-01T18:13:00.000-05:002011-04-01T18:13:16.158-05:00Pac-man & Galaga Dimensions Update - 4 Additional Games Added, Including Pacman Championship Edition, DLCFamitsu has revealed that Pac-man & Galaga Dimensions will include Pac-man Championship Edition, Galaga Legions, the original Pac-man and the original Galaga given a 3D make-over to appear as though you're really playing them on tilted arcade cabinet screen. If you're keeping count then that means you get 6 different games in Pac-man & Galaga Dimensions. Two new 3DS games made specifically to take advantage of the 3DS, two already released re-imaginings of classic titles adapted to take advantage of the 3DS, and two absolute classics with the real cabinet presentation. Oh, and leaderboards for some or all of them (it's not made clear)!<br />
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Additionally a fact-sheet has revealed that Pac-man TILT will have two different ways to play. The first with the action on the top screen from a side-view where you tilt the 3DS like wheel to get Pac-man rolling. The second with the action on the screen from a top-down view where you tilt the 3DS like you're rolling a ball on a square tray. You'll move between the two styles using in-game warp-pipes. You'll give the 3DS a bounce to make Pac-man jump, and can activate object using the touch-screen. Galaga 3D Impact has a move where you can catch enemies with a tractor beam and launch them back at the enemy to cause a stronger attack. Both games will have online leaderboards and paid dowloadable content that has yet to be revealed.<br />
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I doubt you have any idea how happy it makes me just to get Pac-man Championship Edition, and on the go. There is no doubt in my mind about paying $40 for this package now, because this sounds like an awesome deal to me. A proper 30th anniversary celebration. I'm very curious about what DLC they plan for Pac-man TILT and Galaga 3D Impact... I'd love to see additional Bandai Namco characters integrated in some way (such as Klonoa) but Pac-man needs a ball shaped character and Galaga is in first-person and we very well don't want to be shooting at cats in sneakers!<br />
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Have these announced details made you reconsider purchasing Pac-man & Galaga Dimensions? I'd love to hear why or why not in the comments.<br />
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<a href="http://www.andriasang.com/e/blog/2011/03/30/pacman_galaga_dimensions/">Famitsu source</a><br />
<a href="http://3dstribe.com/news/namco-galaga-dimensions-pac-man-screenshots-3ds/">Fact sheet source</a>WesFXhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13671940889778134918noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2772300945348413135.post-3413018095861020592011-04-01T15:14:00.002-05:002011-04-02T03:20:32.562-05:00My 3DS Impressions, Part 1<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Interfacing with the 3DS</span><br />
This first part of my impressions/early review will focus on one of the most important concerns of handheld system; the hardware that lets you control your games. Unlike home consoles, the controller of a handheld console is integrated around the components that take controller data and game data and use it to produce what you see on a(n also separate) television screen, so you can't buy a new controller for them if you hate a particular aspect of it.<br />
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<b>Touchscreen</b><br />
Pointing out that the 3DS doesn't have a capacitive touch-screen seems to be the basis of many arguments that Nintendo is "stuck in the past". While it's certainly true that the touch-screen isn't capacitive like so many smart-phones, it's also true that's it's easy to still use a finger to use touch-screen functions. I can't say for sure, but it seems likely that the resolution of the touch-sensitive film has increased (different thing from the pixel resolution of the LCD behind it). It may just be an old DS lite touch-screen, but the 3DS' is much more sensitive to finger use compared to that.<br />
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<b>Face Buttons</b><br />
The A, B, X, and Y buttons have a very pleasant snappiness to them. They're not soft like the DS lite's; more like the original DS', but not quite as clicky and loud. I've heard people on both sides of fence, saying they preferred the immediate response of the DS' buttons, or saying they preferred a softer feel with the DS lite. I'm personally on the side of preferring clicker buttons. However...<br />
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<b>D-pad</b><br />
However, the d-pad is also the same consistency as the buttons. If I were designing a handheld, the d-pad would be soft like the DS lite, but the buttons would be clickable. The d-pad is actually a little bit smaller than the DS lite's, and of course located lower than on any other system in the DS family. All of these things combine to make using it for constant character/cursor movement in games that also use the L button fairly hellish for me. It's comfortable enough to use it to move a selection cursor item by item while using the L button for example, but I haven't mastered or even attempted to control a character's 8 directions with my thumb at that angle to the d-pad. This definitely could be a problem for DS games, but for most that I've tried, the slide pad is a great and sometimes better alternative for me.<br />
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<b>Slide Pad</b><br />
It's been awhile since I took the time to notice the function of an analog stick in detail, but one of the first things that I was reminded of when sitting down to think about it was how I let the analog stick roll under my thumb when I push it forward or pull it backward. I'm no longer in contact with the broad, flat portion of the stick, and instead my thumb is pushed up against it's edge. Even after about 12 years of using analog sticks, this can still irritate my thumb after maybe an hour to an hour and a half, depending on how the game requires the analog stick. This rolling action isn't present when using the slide pad; your thumb is always in contact with the broad, flat portion when it's in use. Does this make it better than a conventional analog stick? I wouldn't say that yet, but I can see the potential, and look forward to experiencing games in different genre's using the slide pad. The sliding action is unfalteringly smooth like the rolling of a good analog stick, but the distance of the motion is reduced by a tangible millimeter or two on all sides. The sliding and change of movement mean I need to learn the control, rather than instinctively knowing the subtleties of it, but the springiness of the re-centering mechanism is almost if not exactly the same as that of the Wii's Nunchuk and Classic Controllers. If you're familiar with Nintendo's analog sticks since the N64, then you'll notice it is with out the <a href="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/a/a9/GameCube_Analog_Stick.jpg/220px-GameCube_Analog_Stick.jpg">trademark octagon notching</a>. I'm not positive, but that notching may be a necessary part of the patent for the analog stick they usually use. The slide pad is considered a different invention, so if the notching isn't included, then it seems like Nintendo would actually prefer to do away with it.<br />
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<b>Shoulder Buttons</b><br />
I feel like shoulder buttons sometimes get a pretty short end of a very valuable stick. Occasionally it seems like the designers would rather give the buttons a shape that looks attractive with the rest of the device or simply different from the previous controller, rather than something that is highly functional. DualShock 2 to SIXAXIS, GameCube controller to Nunchuks and Classic Controller, Game Boy Advance to GBA SP; they all seem like regressions in functionality in terms of shoulder buttons. I'm used to the DS lite's shoulder buttons, and not the DSi/XL design that the 3DS now has (<a href="http://www.ohgizmo.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/05/dsi_5.jpg">comparison</a>). The 3DS' shoulder buttons are a bit shorter (longest dimension) than the lite's or DSi's, don't extend down the back at all, and effectively have the same clickiness but without much noise. Generally, this doesn't really effect your usage of them, but when the screen is opened as far back as it will go, I feel like I barely have room to push the buttons. This situation hasn't been great in general since they reduced the system size after the original DS, but it's worse off than the lite was since those do extend down the back of the system a bit. <b>T</b>he 3DS' top half doesn't lock into that position like the DS or DS lite, so it seems they might be aware that it's a general problem of the clam-shell design when applied to thinner systems. I hope that unlike my GBA SP and DS lite, the 3DS has resilient shoulder buttons that stand up to use, shock, and pocket lint.<br />
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<b>Volume and 3D Depth Slider</b><br />
On the bottom half's left side is the volume control, an analog slider for adjusting the volume. One was present on the DS and DS lite, but the DSi and DSi XL opted for a button system. If you read <a href="http://vgamalgam.blogspot.com/2011/03/my-brothers-initial-thoughts-on-3ds.html">some of my brother's thoughts on the 3DS</a>, he would prefer buttons over the volume slider. I don't really have a preference, though I like that I can bump it to max and mute instantly, which you couldn't do with the button controls without additional buttons. If you've heard Nintendo talk about the 3DS, you've probably heard about the 3D screen. If you've heard Nintendo talk about the 3D screen, then you've probably heard about the "3D Depth Slider", an analog slider to the right of the top screen that affects the 3D of the 3DS. If you haven't heard anything about the 3DS, the change that occurs is a bit difficult to explain.... let's say you had a red flag that marked the object that is closest to your eyes, and a blue flag that marked the farthest object from your eyes. When the slider is at the bottom, the image is 2D, and the flags appear to be at the exact some physical plane. As you slide it up, the red flad and blue flag begin to separate, the blue flag appearing to be some distance on a plane behind the red one's plane. As the slider goes higher, the apparent distance that separates the flags increases. The slider works great, and I agree with Nintendo that the effect is best left as an analog control.<br />
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<b>Power Button</b><br />
The 3DS' power on/off button is placed to the bottom right of the touch-screen, on the face of the bottom half of the 3DS. When tapped, there is no response, but if held a bit longer than that, it will close out of the current game or application and remind you of Sleep Mode, where you can have SpotPass and StreetPass active. You can choose to enter Sleep Mode from there, where it then reminds you you can just close the 3DS instead next time, or choose to turn off the system. Coming from the DS lite, the power button is without question in a poor location, but like the DS before that, there won't be any problem of accidentally hitting the power button with time.<br />
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<b>Wireless Switch</b><br />
The dedicated wireless switch is a great addition. You can activate StreetPass and SpotPass without even opening your system. Much like the power switch of the DS lite, you push the switch forward to activate wireless functions and the switch springs back to it's original position. The spring plus the recess of the middle layer mean you won't likely accidentally activate or deactivate it.<br />
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<b>Gryroscope and Motion Sensor</b><br />
Super Monkey Ball 3D and Steel Diver were the two other games I was considering pairing with PilotWings Resort to take advantage of <a href="http://vgamalgam.blogspot.com/2011/03/buy-one-get-one-half-price-sale-on-3ds.html">Toys-R-Us' sale on 3DS games</a>, both happen to use the motion controls of the 3DS. The games I have now don't use motion controls, or at least not in obvious ways (Face Raider might be using them), so I'm not confident in judging them. Since these aren't physical, though, it's more about implementation.<br />
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Cameras will be included in a different portion of my impressions.WesFXhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13671940889778134918noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2772300945348413135.post-60925111451075518852011-03-31T23:40:00.001-05:002011-03-31T23:41:00.399-05:00Podcast Roundup Wednesday - 3/31/2011 (Thursday Edition)<i>A day late, I know, I know. I blame Nintendo of course.</i><br />
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<b>Sunday Podcasts:</b><br />
- <a href="http://hw.libsyn.com/p/1/b/2/1b272fbdbb8a2af0/Hour_of_Slack_1302.mp3?sid=c8d293bbf8ac74f35682c27edaeeb8ae&l_sid=18995&l_eid=&l_mid=2496800">Hour of Slack #1302</a>: <span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e69138;">Early Fire Sign Theatre, X-Day ranting, Puzzling Evidence and Radio Synesthesia</span><br />
- <a href="http://subgenius.sensoryresearch.net/hos/Hour_of_Slack_1301.3.mp3">BONUS Hour of Slack #1301.3</a>: <span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e69138;">Deemed offensively offensive; Portland '09 feat. Dr. Philo Drummond rant</span><br />
- <a href="http://hw.libsyn.com/p/2/9/7/297fd8f94ff357c3/SModcast-162.mp3?sid=b043b6dfe1c7537f3c07928e8a70bb5a&l_sid=18389&l_eid=&l_mid=2493281">SModcast #162</a>: <span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e69138;">Tell 'em Steve Dave guest and reflect on their year of podcasting</span><br />
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<b>Monday Podcasts:</b><br />
-<a href="http://www.blogger.com/"><span id="goog_225026081"></span> Nerdist #73<span id="goog_225026082"></span></a>: <span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e69138;">Tim Ferriss (but Nerdist guests), <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 22px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">traveling, snooty college clubs, knives, and the book, “The Four Hour Body”</span></span></span><br />
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<b>Tuesday Podcasts:</b><br />
- <a href="http://wiimovies.ign.com/wii/audio/article/115/1158414/NVC_Episode%20110ish.mp3">Nintendo Voice Chat</a>: <span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;">Finally the 3DS is here, new podcast member, what's missing from the Wii?</span><br />
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;">-</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><a href="http://hw.libsyn.com/p/b/f/a/bfab7a1216ecbbff/blowhard-33.mp3?sid=ca043a8c16b932adf21b11255fdfd750&l_sid=21125&l_eid=&l_mid=2494999">Blow Hard #33</a></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;">:</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e69138;">I....there are no words to describe the subject of this one. Nothing appropriate, anyways.</span></span></b><br />
- <a href="http://hw.libsyn.com/p/f/7/2/f720af0e4a67c751/plusone-16.mp3?sid=8074250bbe1b5318b0637a2a97492de4&l_sid=26053&l_eid=&l_mid=2493947">Plus One #15</a>: <span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e69138;">Jen falls in love (is this the third time?), twitter, and rocket science. Literally rocket science.</span><br />
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Click on the name of any podcast to listen immediately, or right-click and select "Save As" to download.<br />
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<b>Color Code/Podcast Subject:</b><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;">Gaming - Nintendo</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e69138;">General Conversational/Comedy</span>WesFXhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13671940889778134918noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2772300945348413135.post-21105694267334367162011-03-30T21:44:00.003-05:002011-03-31T01:53:53.481-05:00My Brother's Initial Thoughts on the 3DS<i>Since I haven't experienced all parts of the 3DS (StreetPass and experiencing coping with the battery) I thought I'd post up the thoughts of my....interestingly minded older brother. He's not as avid of a gamer as me, but he plays regularly, and pays attention to games and tech news.</i><br />
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<b>Q: What do you think of the design (look) of the 3DS?</b><br />
A: It's a great size, not too big, not too small. It has a good weight and feels well constructed, though the hinge should have a stronger hold (Editor's note: this concerns the hinge staying locked into it's open positions, not necessarily an issue of wobbling while in the open position). I would prefer it in a different color (red) and I'm not a fan of the tri-color scheme.<br />
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<b>Q: Are there features or hardware you would like to have added (or removed) or improved on the 3DS?</b><br />
A: No additions really but there are some things I would change. I would prefer that both screens have the same aspect ratio, even if it meant they were both 4:3, but I would prefer wide screens. I don't like the location of the power button or d-pad. I feel like I could accidentally turn it off, and I have to readjust my hand to use the d-pad. I would much rather have a rocker or two buttons for adjusting the volume. I think that it's an improvement that they moved the headphone jack to the middle and made the buttons snappier (vs. a DS lite). I love the new stylus; it feels high quality and looks nice. I also like the speakers; they seem a ton better than any of the DS' speakers (Editor's note: Neither my brother nor I have experience with the DSi).<br />
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<b>Q: Concerning the operating system/user-interface, how easy or tough was it to navigate the menus and find features you were looking for? (Editor's note: My brother is a fan of Mac computers and owns an iPhone 4, so I was hoping to see if there were any navigation concerns from someone used to those interfaces)</b><br />
A: No real trouble (Editor's note: He took a few seconds to find the Internet browser). It feels "familiar".<br />
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<b>Q: Have you already seen or could you imagine, a way that 3D would improve your ability to play a game? What do you think of 3D in general?</b><br />
A: No, between the built in software, PilotWings Resort, and Ghost Recon Shadow Wars, I don't see the potential for 3D enabling me to play games better. It's really neat and not needing glasses makes this a better experience than movie theater 3D. In general though, I see 3D as more valuable in games than movies.<br />
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If you have any questions or comments for my brother, throw them in the comment section and I'll send them his way for rebuttal.WesFXhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13671940889778134918noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2772300945348413135.post-42391367132849965322011-03-29T19:44:00.000-05:002011-03-29T19:44:03.247-05:00The 3DS Came Today!!!I'll tear my eyes away from the 3DS to give some owner's impressions. Hopefully soon. I'll see which family members I can get impressions from, and write those up as well. If you didn't see <a href="http://vgamalgam.blogspot.com/2011/03/buy-one-get-one-half-price-sale-on-3ds.html">the post</a> when I first got them, I have PilotWings Resort and Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon Shadow Wars, so I'll include impressions for those as I play them.WesFXhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13671940889778134918noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2772300945348413135.post-41104699788748987582011-03-28T01:05:00.006-05:002011-03-31T01:58:33.678-05:00Podcast Roundup Sunday - 3/27/2011<i>Added Invisible Walls, the podcast from the GameTrailers group. I gave this episode a listen and really liked the 3DS talk; a diverse group of opinions, including someone that can't view stereoscopic 3D. A little note on the Nintendo Voice Chat podcast; there are several factual errors and general ignorance in this episode. It's not a once in a lifetime event, but it's been months since they had this many in one episode. Listen with caution. <b style="font-size: x-large;">Oh, and they spoil PilotWings unlockables without a spoiler warning.</b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: xx-small;"> Those bastards.</span></i><br />
<br />
Wednesday:<br />
- <a href="http://wiimovies.ign.com/wii/audio/article/115/1157366/NVC_032311.mp3">Nintendo Voice Chat: 3DS Mania</a>: <span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;">3DS, Nintendo's stance on downloadable software</span><br />
- <a href="http://xbox360movies.ign.com/xbox360/audio/article/115/1157276/Podcast%20Unlocked%20Episode%20003.mp3">Podcast Unlocked</a>: <span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: lime;">Crysis 2</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: lime;"><span style="color: black;"> </span></span><br />
Thursday:<br />
- <a href="http://hw.libsyn.com/p/7/c/e/7ce14acdaae23fd0/Bionic_Arm.mp3?sid=ac21ee03a33be8407993863746d666de&l_sid=19854&l_eid=&l_mid=2491483">Nerdist #72</a>: <span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #f1c232;">Rather inappropriately, the author included no information about the podcast...</span><br />
- <a href="http://ps3movies.ign.com/ps3/audio/article/115/1157507/Podcast%20Beyond%20Episode%20180.mp3">Podcast Beyond #180</a>: <span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue;">SOCOM 4 Beta, Crysis 2, Ghostbusters: Sanctum of Slime, and sausage</span><br />
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Friday:<br />
- <a href="http://retromovies.ign.com/games/audio/article/115/1157781/Game%20Scoop%21%20Episode%20199.mp3">Game Scoop! Podcast #199</a>: <span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #999999;">Kratos in Mortal Kombat, Homefront, Dead Island's boxart, co-op gaming</span><br />
- <a href="http://trailers-ak.gametrailers.com/gt_vault/6414/t_iw_152_gt.mp3">Invisible Walls #152</a> (must have a free account to download): <span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #999999;">Crysis 2, Motorstorm: Apocalypse, and 3DS</span><br />
- <a href="http://hw.libsyn.com/p/a/6/6/a66afc8763d76ad0/DLM412_-_with_audible_spots.mp3?sid=8d3239f63f543a93c9b15f8c9a4c0fc6&l_sid=19257&l_eid=&l_mid=2491615">Doug Loves Movies</a>: <span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #f1c232;">Nick Hexum and P-Nut of 311, and Graham Elwood guest</span><br />
- <a href="http://hw.libsyn.com/p/e/9/b/e9b6b924a6233e38/stevedave-55.mp3?sid=183aeb93917b27bc26ff4e23e1e8cde5&l_sid=18391&l_eid=&l_mid=2491662">Tell 'em Steve Dave #55</a>: <span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #f1c232;">Rebecca Black (Friday song girl), the Illuminati, is money still tradable for a donut?, and a new game from Walt</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #f1c232;"><span style="color: black;"> </span> </span><br />
Saturday:<br />
- <a href="http://hw.libsyn.com/p/9/f/c/9fcaa3bb3f3a007f/gonin293.mp3?sid=2a0b667123851b51a00bd8e9f6e78f4d&l_sid=18615&l_eid=&l_mid=2492974">GoNintendo Podcast #293</a>: <span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;">3DS, Iwata Asks, and this week's game releases</span><br />
- <a href="http://retromovies.ign.com/games/audio/article/115/1157689/250311.mp3">IGN UK Podcast #78</a>: <span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #999999;">Special guest Craig Roberts, playing bodyguard to Jake Gyllenhaal, updates on A-Team 2 and next Batman movie, and iPad 2 shortages</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #999999;"><span style="color: black;"> </span> </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #999999; font-family: inherit;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444; line-height: 18px;"><b>Color Code, Podcast Subject:</b><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: orange;">General Conversational/Comedy</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;">Gaming - Nintendo</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue;">Gaming - Sony</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: lime;">Gaming - Microsoft</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #999999;">Gaming - General</span><br />
Tech Discussion General</span></span>WesFXhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13671940889778134918noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2772300945348413135.post-74176975935373998972011-03-27T20:41:00.000-05:002011-03-27T20:41:08.750-05:00Slick Battery Life Extender You Can Use with Your 3DS, $35<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.thinkgeek.com/images/products/additional/large/ceca_wrist_charger_gaming.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://www.thinkgeek.com/images/products/additional/large/ceca_wrist_charger_gaming.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #999999;">Na na na na na na na na Batman!</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #999999;"><br />
</span></div>That's right, it's a wristband battery and it comes with a connector that fits the 3DS. Specifically, it's designated as a DSi/DSi XL adapter, but it will fit in the 3DS perfectly since they use the same connector.<br />
Coming in at $35, it's more expensive than the 3DS specific <a href="http://vgamalgam.blogspot.com/2011/03/nyko-already-has-20-solution-to-3dss.html">battery replacement Nyko is offering</a>, but it will fit more gadgets, and leave your 3DS looking like it did the day you got it, if those things are important to you. The battery is rated at 1800 mAh, whereas the 3DS' battery is rated at 1300 mAh, so it's conceivable that this will at least double your play time with the 3DS while in use. If/when the battery life of the 3DS starts to bother me, then this is definitely a product I will consider buying. It has an adapter for iPhone and mini-USB among others, so depending on what you own, you could get a ton of use out of this.<br />
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If you guys were considering the Nyko battery, is this a more appealing option? I'd love to hear why or why not in the comments.<br />
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You can buy it right <a href="http://www.thinkgeek.com/computing/usb-gadgets/ceca/#tabs">here</a>.WesFXhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13671940889778134918noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2772300945348413135.post-61726264267816441712011-03-27T20:10:00.002-05:002011-03-27T20:48:12.814-05:00Joy - 3DS Arrival Date Bumped Back to the 29thLooks like Amazon came through, and my 2 day shipping is really 2 day shipping. I checked it only hours ago, and the status was still <i>Not Yet Shipped</i> or something similar and the arrival date still set for Wednesday (the 30th). But I just checked it and it says "Shipped" and the estimated arrival date is the 29th. That's one less day of sitting and staring at <a href="http://vgamalgam.blogspot.com/2011/03/buy-one-get-one-half-price-sale-on-3ds.html">two 3DS games I can't play</a>.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://cdn.screenrant.com/wp-content/uploads/paul-giamatti.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://cdn.screenrant.com/wp-content/uploads/paul-giamatti.jpg" width="217" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #999999;">My face when (but not my face)</span></div>WesFXhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13671940889778134918noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2772300945348413135.post-50011995499373812712011-03-27T16:09:00.002-05:002011-03-27T20:47:23.735-05:00Buy One Get One Half-Price Sale on 3DS Games at Toys-R-Us<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgutEZi-PG111Re60_sMqddYA1ZemV69aiNRxX_3ZisYDXuey4KVHTQ3Js8FT1sBdf27AVbUl8od8RTgXpeVHd2jz1W7NfAyxOa0MEfltkKjnqvLhgAuFpTlZ0Re7mxOWlFaj5Ijb3ObbDa/s1600/%252420+savings.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgutEZi-PG111Re60_sMqddYA1ZemV69aiNRxX_3ZisYDXuey4KVHTQ3Js8FT1sBdf27AVbUl8od8RTgXpeVHd2jz1W7NfAyxOa0MEfltkKjnqvLhgAuFpTlZ0Re7mxOWlFaj5Ijb3ObbDa/s320/%252420+savings.jpg" width="278" /></a></div><br />
I hadn't heard about this deal, so I'm glad I walked into Toys-R-Us <a href="http://vgamalgam.blogspot.com/2011/03/3ds-is-not-supply-constrained-in-my.html">to check out 3DS supplies</a>. Best deal I have seen for 3DS games so far. Even after tax it beats Amazon's $10 credit with a 3DS game.<br />
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I'm now the proud owner of two games that should be very entertaining:<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEd3el7mpNqGTVIP2fJv2xn5bokOdmRklla1yhd7jNUsyHnwpCb7cl8ArjOiVILSuZdY4Dytkg99gbk0EkRszzX4M5OuPwF4Yc0zJu4Jee5fIDQW5rBeyEOh5IH0KSQ6FxnNTtblbQtQ4R/s1600/First+two+3DS+games+edit.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEd3el7mpNqGTVIP2fJv2xn5bokOdmRklla1yhd7jNUsyHnwpCb7cl8ArjOiVILSuZdY4Dytkg99gbk0EkRszzX4M5OuPwF4Yc0zJu4Jee5fIDQW5rBeyEOh5IH0KSQ6FxnNTtblbQtQ4R/s320/First+two+3DS+games+edit.png" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #999999;">The twins</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #999999;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: left;">Unfortunately, my 3DS isn't due to arrive till Tuesday. But hey, saving $23 on the 3DS, and now $15 on two games is definitely a good thing in my book.</div>WesFXhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13671940889778134918noreply@blogger.com0