Archive for November, 2009

Another Sweet PS3 Bundle

Posted by Luke in Commercials, PS3 on November 29th, 2009

What do you get, when you take Kevin Butler, and a BestBuy employee? You get the power of BOOM! Check out the latest “Dear Playstation” ad campaign commercial and save up to $1,100 when you purchase a PS3, Bravia HDTV, and a choice of a new game and a Blu-Ray movie. It seems like the promotion only runs from November 29th until December 12th across BestBuy stores nationwide, but don’t despair , the nice folks of BestBuy promise to do the basic installation for free.

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So That’s What Happened To Those Fat PS3s

Posted by Sakinah in PS3 on November 28th, 2009

 
Last year, the Air Force acquired at least 300 PS3s for test purposes of the Cell Broadband Engine. The systems, now numbering at 336 PS3 units, are at Air Force Research Laboratory’s information directorate in Rome, N.Y.Now the Air Force wishes to at another 2,200 consoles to the mix, which presumably means that the initial test batch yielded pleasing results.
After inspecting the document on the Federal Business Opportunities site, it appears that the Air Force is not interested in the new, cheaper slim model. Rather, it is after the 160 GB model (CECHP01 or 989038) that was available in limited quantities before the 120 GB slim model arrived.

 The Air Force has used the PS3 cluster to stitch multiple radar images into higher resolution composite images, video processing, and building computers with brain-like properties.

Source

Brain-like properties? Can anyone say..SkyNet?

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Crack in Time Impressions

Posted by Darrin in Game Impressions, Ratchet & Clank: Crack in Time on November 27th, 2009

CiT1

Improvements from Tools of Destruction

  • Challenge: One of the big problems with Ratchet ToD was the lack of challenge. CiT definitely nailed this one. I felt that completing the main campaign on the “hard” setting was on the easy side, but there is tons of challenge in getting the skill points and PSN trophies, doing the optional moon side-quests, collecting the Zoni/bolts, and most importantly, improved arena battles. I still prefer the approach of the older Ratchet games that spread the arena style challenges over the ends of different campaign missions in different non-arena environments.
  • Visuals: Compared with ToD, CiT adds tons of new graphical effects, filters, and brings back spherical levels. Overall it simply makes more skillful use of the same general technology.
  • Space Mission Hub: The space combat was pretty simple, but the big improvement was the easy to navigate mission and mini-moon hub.
  • Tons of Small Changes: The core game design is the same as ever, but there are tons of small tweaks and changes to everything about the game, which make the game feel fresh and improved.
  • Fun New Mini-Mechanics: Mini-Moon Side Missions are the big standout. Hover boots and time puzzles were also fun.
  • Aesthetic Improvement: Some of the levels really showed some artistic flair beyond the standard high production values that are expected from the series.

    • CiT2

    Positives that aren’t new to the series

  • Core Diverse Action/Platforming Gameplay
  • 60 FPS
  • Production Values: Animation, voice work, 3D graphics, colorful environments that feel alive, and the cut scene quality are all great.
  • Diversity and Level Design
  • Arena Battles: These challenges are often some of the best parts of the game.
  • Great Level Design + Well Balanced Battles

    • CiT3

    Negatives

  • No Flying: I loved the tilt wing flying segments (not the outer space stuff) in Tools of Destruction and was really hoping that they were going to take that to the next level. Instead, it was completely removed.
  • No Racing: Mario Galaxy had highly entertaining water race levels, Jak 2 + 3 had the best racing segments in the genre. I’m disappointed that the new Ratchet title doesn’t have anything similar. The hover-boots and rail grinding segments were nice, but weren’t fleshed out into full racing gameplay.
  • Father/Son Issues: There were many horribly awkward father-son dialog that made me want to slink out of the room. Whoever wrote this game had weird parenting issues and they felt wildly uncomfortable in a game.
  • Story: It’s extremely well voiced and animated, but the story and characters were unengaging.
  • Simple puzzles: Many of the puzzles such as the battery-bots and the omni-soaker felt almost like simplified chores.

    • CiT4

    Conclusion

    If you aren’t familiar with the series, it’s really fun: The core fun is the combat and managing all your different weapons and powers and figuring out how to tackle all the different zany and very well balanced levels and battle scenes and then getting awesome Pixar-like production values on top of that.

    If you are familiar with the series this is definitely a high point: lots of little improvements and enhancements and polishes to the Ratchet experience. Also, this is a full blown sequel with all new levels, monsters, story, gameplay adjustments, etc.

    8 Comments

    LittleBigPlanet: Online Create Mode

    Posted by Darrin in LittleBigPlanet on November 27th, 2009

    This week, LittleBigPlanet will be patched with support for Online Create Mode (multiple players connected across the Internet create a level together), as well as netcode improvements, and save/export improvements.

    Online create mode sounds great. I hope we get more features, modes, and levels like this that are exciting. Looking back at the DLC for 2009, most of that is just filler stickers and costumes.

    The two previously announced, upcoming, DLC enhancements that sound really exciting:

    • Web Level Queue: There are so many really amazing community levels, but it’s hard to find them in the in-game tool. With this system, web sites can post a link that will add the level to your in-game level queue so it’s all ready to play when you boot your PS3.
    • Water

    3 Comments

    Uncharted 2 1.02 Update Today [Update]

    Posted by T0SH in QuickNews, Uncharted 2: Among Thieves on November 27th, 2009

    The Uncharted 2 1.02 update should be arriving in about 1 hour. The update includes a new map and double cash weekend. Plus the Uncharted 2 characters are fat from thanksgiving, lol. [Update: Now live!]

    14 Comments