Marketplace Content Bombardment

In addition to the Family Guy content previously posted, the Xbox Live Marketplace has been updated with lots of content for you to get your grubby little hands on. This directly from Major Nelson's Blog:

Saints Row: Industrial Map Pack

Name: Industrial Map Pack
Price: 80 Points
NOT Available in: Asia
Dash Details: This fast paced level takes place in an abandoned factory. Available for Gangster Brawl and Big Ass Chains.

Video: Jimmy Neutron (1-6)

Name: Jimmy Neutron Videos (1–6)
Price: 80 Points/each
Available in: Belguim and The Netherlands
Dash Details: Download this video.

Pictures: Terran 3020 Picture Pack

Name: Terran 3020 Picture Pack

Price: 80 Points
Available in: All Xbox Live regions
Dash Details: Sci Fi Gamer Pics of Terran 3020 by team DZN. “Captain Conway, Nomorian Alien Warrior, The Pilot, and Lieutenant Gunner.”

Trailer: Fifa 07 feat. The Sheer Trailer

The following content is now available on the Xbox Live Marketplace:

Name: Fifa 07 feat. The Sheer Trailer
Price: Free
Available in: Belguim and The Netherlands
Dash Details: Download this trailer.

Theme: Medal of Honor Airborne

Name: Medal of Honor Airborne Theme
Price: 150 Points
Available in: All Xbox Live regions
Dash Details: A theme pack created with striking concept art featuring various Operations from Medal of Honor Airborne, the latest game in the acclaimed WWII First-Person Shooter franchise.

Pictures: Splinter Cell Double Agent

Name: Various ‘Splinter Cell Double Agent’ picture packs (see below)
Price: 60 Points/each
NOT Available in: Mexico and Asia
Dash Details: Varies

Sam Fisher Picture Pack 1
This first picture pack contains 5 gamer icons of Sam Fisher as a Double Agent.

Sam Fisher Picture Pack 2
The second picture pack containing five gamer icons of Sam Fisher as a Double Agent

Enrica Picture Pack
Contains five gamer icons of Splinter Cell's main female character, Enrica.

Multiplayer Picture Pack
Picture Pack of Splinter Cell's all new Multiplayer

Theme: Splinter Cell Double Agent

Name: Splinter Cell Double Agent Theme
Price: 150 Points
NOT Available in: Mexico or Asia
Dash Details: Customize the look of your marketplace with this Splinter Cell Double Agent theme.


Noted, some of that content is only available outside the US and UK, but who am i to deny my occasional reader from Belguim or Holland news about content only available in their country!?

Regardless of region, what do you make of this content, is it any good, better things which could have gone up? Have your say in the comments.

PS3 More Powerful? Get Outta Here!

Ever heard of the game Eternal Darkness? No, well click on it to follow through (please, no giggling) to a review of one of the best Gamecube games available, even now. And arguably, one of Silicon Knights' best games to date. What the hell has this got to do with the PS3 vs X360 debate i hear you ferociously call out, well, calm down, and let me tell you.

The head honcho over at Silicon Knights has revealed his informed opinion on which is the mostestest powerfulest super dooper next gen console, and it is...a dead heat!
Between the Wii and the 360...no, of course not, but in all seriousness...
Speaking to the San Jose Mercury News, Silicon Knights president has this to say:

"The 360 and the PS3 are equal in power in my eyes," Dyack says. "Maybe the PS3 has more processing power. The 360 has more available memory. It's pretty much a net, net. The public perception of the PS3 was that it was much more powerful. To developers, they look even."

Now when i first heard this, i must admit, a little voice in the back of my head was gently whispering "Too Huuuumaaaan, he's biased...", BUT, much to my surprise, and the to shock to the little voice in the back of my head also, this is not a biased opinion. Silicon Knights is in fact developing for both the X360 and the PS3, of note is that the PS3 title is unannounced. And i'm positive no one, no less than the president, of Silicon Knights would like to piss of either Microsoft of Sony.

So there, Sony fanboys, stick that in your blunt and smoke it, yeah, i said blunt*.

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*Apologies for Austin Powers reference.

Xbox Live Activity

Major Nelson, aka, Larry Hryb does this on a weekly basis. I don't always check this, but i did this week and found what i saw interested, so i thought i'd pass it on to you.

All lists are based on World Wide Unique Users on Xbox Live. These lists are based on title usage (while connected to Xbox Live.)

Xbox 360 Top Live Titles
1 Splinter Cell Double Agent
2 Call of Duty 2
3 Pro Evolution Soccer 6
4 Madden NFL 07
5 Ghost Recon 3
6 Saints Row
7 Tony Hawk's Project 8 Demo
8 Final Fantasy XI
9 Marvel Ultimate Alliance
10 Tiger Woods PGA TOUR® 07

Top Arcade Titles (Full Versions)
1 Ultimate Mortal Kombat 3
2 UNO
3 LUMINES LIVE!
4 Texas Hold 'em
5 Hexic HD
6 Geometry Wars Evolved
7 DOOM
8 Street Fighter II' Hyper Fighting
9 Bankshot Billiards 2
10 PAC-MAN

Original Xbox Top Live Games
1 Halo 2
2 Battlefield 2: MC
3 Madden NFL 07
4 Counter-Strike
5 Rainbow Six 3 BA
6 Star Wars: Battlfrnt 2
7 Forza Motorsport
8 Splinter Cell-DA
9 Splinter Cell Chaos
10 Rainbow Six 3

If the Xbox 360 list and the Original Xbox list were combined, then Halo 2 would be the top Xbox Live title, followed by Xbox 360 titles.

Now i must repeat, in addition to the Major, that these are not multiplayer statistics, it's title usage, apart from the Original Xbox Titles.

Things i found interesting were that Pro Evolution Soccer 6 is on that list, even though it is only available in Europe. I think that considering it has managed to climb to an impressive number 3. And also, UNO, this game is doing much better than i personally had ever imagined it doing, but i doubt Microsoft would disagree with me when i say that no one could have predicted just how popular this would be. Just my two cents (that's the right phrase right?)

Well, I Guess Sony Is Stupid After All.

This is news to me about PS2 I mean PS3 online:

"This week, some of our deepest fears about Sony's online service were confirmed when Insomniac's Ted Price revealed in an interview that one of the biggest launch titles for the console, Resistance: Fall of Man, is set to use its own buddy list, clan registry, in-game messaging and chat services, and so on. While the game sounds like it has a very extensive and comprehensive range of online gaming options, and it runs on Sony's international network of servers to guarantee a high standard of network performance for online play, the simple fact is that the last hurdle Sony needed to jump has been missed, at least for the launch titles. The central buddy list doesn't integrate into the game; you'll need to add all your friends again to play against them in Resistance. The ball, in other words, has not so much been dropped; it has been hurled at the ground with alarming force..."

Sounds great! A different user name and friends list for every game! Awesome!

(Via: Gamesindustry)

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Best.Game.Ever

Oh boy, it's great to be the King...

(Via: 360 Fanboy)

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Bad Ass Gears Multiplayer Footage.

Nothing like a little curb stomping and chainsawing... Six day and counting get your copy at midnight on Monday (In the States... Sorry ;-).

(Via: 360fanboy)

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Halo 3 Scans breakdown

Ok. I've got an awful secret. I looked at the Halo 3 scans from the Swedish Magazine. Yes, I'm ashamed, but you looked at them as well, and you too. If there was a way for me to get hold of that magazine, then i would have, and paid for the privilege to do so. But there isn't a way, i don't have any contacts in Sweden, unfortunately.

So i bring you this, a post breaking down what was actually in those scans, with, gasp, smaller images cut from those scans so you know what on earth (yes, got the halo pun in) I'm talking about!

We'll start with the less obvious stuff, and probably less important also.

The Battle Rifle, in Halo 2 it was a terrific all round weapon, very effective in multiplayer.

I noticed in one of the scans that there was a Spartan quite obviously using a battle rifle, now i don't know about you, but from what i gathered from the E3 announcement, i had assumed (seems silly now, actually) that the battle rifle was not going to be making a return, apparently it is:

Next, I've read some talk about the “return of Zanzibar” which has made quite a stir, well, i can certainly see the resemblance in the pictures below, and frankly, they look beautiful, and to think this is without the bells and whistles which will be in the final game...

Oh yes, the Legendary Edition, i've seen much talk about what it's going to look like, what size it is going to be, and thus far, i've only managed to get this pic, its pretty poor, but i'm sure there will be a better picture up on somewhere official before christmas.

The Spiker, a new gun for the brutes. Now, you may, or you may not have picked up in the scans (those of you that have seen them) that these guns are in fact dual wieldable. And they each have 2 blades on the underside, BLADES BABY...sorry, but i love blades...anyhoo, here's the picture of them.(click to enlarge, as with all)

Penultimately, the Spartan Laser, a weapon which looks absolutely awesome. Similar to the fuel rod cannon in terms of size and how much it takes up of the screen. This weapon is said to be the go-to weapon for taking out vehicles, it 'tears vehicles apart'. If fires a red laser which looking at the scans, seems to go on for an infinite distance, but of course this will have to be tested and fully clarified once the full game hits...^_^

And finally, the mongoose, 'the mongoose!?' you say, ok, to put it another way, the ATV which was originally planned to be in halo 2, but unfortunately didn't fit in with the game play Bungie were aiming for, which is fair enough, as long as it makes it in the final build, I'm happy!

"Ha, screw you, you ain't getting this back"

And that's your lot, I'm done, I'm out of pictures. Hope you enjoyed the breakdown, nothing beats a good old fashioned bit of speculation about the next (gen) Halo game, am i right?!

On a final note i would like to say what you've just seen and read is entirely speculation and is not a definite to be in the final game, but, if Bungie does prove it to be true, after all nothing is confirmed unless Bungie confirms it, then i will be one VERY happy customer when Halo 3 hits next year.

Get Ready For Tech Tuesday.

Some of you know and some do not, beginning today (10-31-06) I (Jay) will be a host on a gaming/tech podcast every Tuesday. For those who don't know what a podcast is, it's basically a recorded radio show that you get from the Internet to listen to on your computer or portable media player (read: iPod... Get it "pod"cast). iTunes makes listening very easy as you can subscribe (for free) to any podcast you want to listen to, and every week, or day, or however often the show comes out, iTunes just downloads it for you. The show I'm on is called, All Games Interactive, and they have a great show that they do every weekday (live I might add) and they've asked me to be a part of it. The segment I will be doing is called, "Tech Tuesday" and every Tuesday I will have a segment in there show where I talk about the latest tech news, gadgets, and rumors. This weeks show is all about the Zune, Microsoft's attempt at de-throwning the iPod.

Just keep an eye on the blog for any updates, and please comment here if there is any tech that you would like me to cover in upcoming shows. If you want to listen to the show live (5:30 central time) go here: Link! If you would rather wait and get it on iTunes as a podcast go here: Link! But through iTunes, you'll get the show a day later... Also, I will be making a post every Tuesday when I do the show, I might even be able to post the show on my blog. Thanks for your support!

PS. If you would like to be part of the show, you can always join in through the chat client on the website. Link.

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X360 Fall Update.

From out of nowhere, comes the fall update for the Xbox 360's dashboard (read: interface). There is 85 "new" "upgrades" in the update so I am only going to cover major/cool ones. (Stuff in black font is ripped from Xbox.com...)

Software Info

Streaming Video - Previously, the Video area on the Media blade of the Xbox Dashboard only played back videos from your hard drive. No more! Stream video from a PC, portable device, or Memory Unit. So what does this mean to you? From day one of the box the 360 could always stream music and pictures from any computer (on your network) or any USB device connected to the 360. Previously, you could only watch videos if you had a Windows Media Center PC. Now videos work the same way as music and pictures; any computer or USB device will do the trick! The catch, only video encoded in WMV (Windows Media Video) or MPEG2 will play back. This is significant because these are the worst and least popular video formats. AVI and DivX are far more superior formats, but Microsoft says them won't support them (for now) because they are used mainly for "piracy" (true, but still...).


1080p - The highest in Hi Def, TV's that support 1080p are just starting to make it to the market. If you can afford one, the 360 will display your games and HD-DVD's (see below) in all 1080p Hi Def glory.


Xbox Live Arcade - Big improvements have been made here:

• The arcade games now load much, much faster (thank god).
  
• There is now an auto download feature so you Xbox will automatically download the trial versions of any new XBLA title.
  
• Now you can sort by "Recently Played" and by "Category".
  
• An achievement area just for XBLA titles, so you can look through just XBLA games.
• Check out the top ten leaderboards from your friends on any game.
• "Tell a Friend" send a message to a friend recommending a game... (Wins my vote for worst "feature")

XNA Express - Finally we come to XNA Game Studio Express, a way for all you budding game developers to create games for Xbox 360. You'll be able to access these games through the old Demos button, which has been relabeled, surprisingly enough, to Demos and More.

Random -

• Improved multiplayer host migration.
• Improved Xbox Live Vision support.
• Improved voice chat quality.
• Expanded Family Settings for unrated movies.
• New credit card validation (CCV) field in signup and purchase areas.

Accessories

Wireless Headset - Completely wire free, connects directly to the 360 via the same wireless protocol as the controllers. Headset has volume controls, mute, and four light to indicate what controller port you're sync'd to. Release date: October 31st. $60

HD-DVD Drive - Here's the HD DVD (roll your mouse over the pics) Drive for the X360, no it's not for games just for movies but hey that's ok. And for all the ppl whining that they're going to lose their USB port for the wireless adaptor, you won't; see the bottom screenshot with TWO USB ports and the section up top to hold the wireless adapter. So you actually gain a USB as a "bonus" with your HD DVD Drive. Release Date: November 7th. $200

Wireless Racing Wheel - The only racing wheel made by Microsoft. Completely wireless (not counting the wire from the wheel to the pedals) and will control any 360 racing game. It does also support force feedback but, for that it does have to be plugged in... Rumble, though, is supported wirelessly. Bonus: it uses the same batteries as the wireless controllers! Package includes PGR3 with an update for use with the wheel. Release Date: November 7th $150

Zune - Microsoft's dip into the iPod space. This is their music/photo/video player, you can wirelessly (Zune to Zune) transfer music and photo's, although music bought through the Zune Marketplace can only be listened to 3 times or for 3 days on the receivers Zune. Bonus: All your Zune content can be played on/through your 360! (but not wireless) and you can use Microsoft Points to buy songs (Same points you use to buy thing on the 360). Look for this to make a big splash until that fabled "True Video iPod" hits... Release Date: November 14th $250

(Via: Xbox.com)

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Dane Cook Done, Halo Style.

If you've never heard of Dane Cook you're missing out. His is the funniest comedian right now and one of my favorites of all time. Check out this other clip of his too, it's about 24 minutes long and some of the best stand up I've ever seen.


For All Your Daily Tech News Check Out: All Day I Dream About...Tech

Sony: Dear Customer, IOU One PS3...

Well, ok so Sony it stating that they will give out IOU's to customers waiting for the PS3. it is unclear so far if Sony is going to make you pay for the whole thing up front or just a down payment... But as Dracula Jones pointed out, " Is the voucher in True HD?" Genius.

(Via: Joystiq)

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Two Words - Halo. Three.

You damn right! Yeah I said it! A number of gaming sites today have shown to the world, against copyright laws i might add, a series of high resolution scans (read photos) of a Swedish magazine giving us an inside scoop on what's really been going down in Bungie Studios. Below is what has so far been extracted from the articles (they are in swedish after all!), courtesy of xbox360fanboy:

Weapons
Spiker - a new Brute weapon
Spartan laser - a laser that tears vehicles apart
Nail Grenade - sticks into walls and sends nails everywhere

Vehicles
The Mongoose is in! This is the ATV that was cut from Halo 2. It seats two and has no weapons. Designed from recon and quick travel.

Multiplayer goodies
The "Man Cannon" - Spartans do their best Human Bullet impersonations for some extremely rapid transport. Players can still shoot in the air, and can be shot down.

Controls
The X button has a new, still secret feature. Reloading has now been allocated to the bumper buttons. Right bumper reloads the right weapon, and the left bumper reloads the left. Genius.

Miscellaneous
You can now see your secondary weapon when it's not in use. In other words, it's actually slung over your shoulder instead of magically appearing out of thin air. Also, a 4 DVD "Legendary" edition is planned that will have material from Red Vs. Blue, documentaries, and a collection of all cut scenes from the game (possibly the whole series?).

Additionally, 1up, one of the other organizations to have the honour to be invited for a massive press day at Bungie's Studios, has officially come out to confirm this information to be correct, and has also hinted at the ability to save video's of yourself playing, machinima style, but this was in the form of a rhetorical question so it's anyone's guess at this point.

Another awesome product of this Halo 3 news bombardment was this, it has become my new homepage, you want to know what it is i hear you say, well, it is a mini site exclusive to 1up, dubbed '3 weeks of Halo 3', the site will be updated with a series of articles, ranging from 'multiplayer map analysis' to 'halo 3 single player'. If you check out the link it will show when these articles will be hitting. God damn, roll on this months EGM already...

For All Your Daily Tech News Check Out: All Day I Dream About...Tech
Ps. Sorry if i beat you to this Jay!

F.E.A.R. Review, and its good news!

IGN have finally reviewed the once higly anticipated (hype for the game seems to have died down of late) first person shooter, F.E.A.R.
It's got a very respectable score, one of the highest 360 scores from IGN to be more specific, coming in with a 9.1.
Things which really impressed the guys over there were the AI, which they say 'provides powerful combat sequences'. I agree, after playing through the demo, one of the biggest things which stuck out for me was how clever the AI was, not 'splinter cell clever' (knowing where you are even though you're the other side a concrete block), but humanly clever - if they're getting pummeled, they retreat, then come back at you from another angle, fantastic for firefights because it keeps you guessing, much alike a multiplayer session.
Also particularly impressive was the sound. The sound effects are all excellent, notably the guns you wield, they all sound wonderfully meaty. But moreso, according to IGN, was the ambience, the creepy sound effects, they 'add volumes to the atmosphere'.
And last but certainly not least, this game keeps you on your toes, why? because it's one scary mother of a game, IGN don't hesitate to tell you that more than a few times during the review.
Hype, they say, will certainly pick up for this game once it hits retail. I for one agree, and am looking forward to picking this game up come it's November release date (can anyone say PS3 launch?) and dipping into the 'Instant Action' mode, which drops you into different situations throughout the single player game and records how well you do, and sticks your statistics onto an Xbox Live leaderboard. Good stuff. See you on the leaderboards.

Jay, welcome aboard!
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Australia Loves The 360.

Well the Xbox 360 is really taking off in Australia. Here's what 360 fanboy had to say:

...the 360 was released down under in March -- the 360 has gone to sell 100,000 units. This handily beats the PS2 total of 78,000 units in its first seven months. Also, Australians have purchased 400,000 games for their 360s since launch, trouncing the PS2 total of 198,000 during the same period after its launch.

Now if they (Microsoft) just had more games like Blue Dragon, for the RPG, anime lovin' Japanese...

(Via: 360fanboy)

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Rainbow 6: Vegas Demo Impressions.

I downloaded the RB6: Vegas demo through the Xbox Live Region work-around listed here. Now keep in mind this is a violation of Xbox Live's TOS (Terms of Service), but I gotta tell you this demo is almost worth it. First off let me say how beautiful this game looks, truly next-gen. Bright vivid colors (it's Vegas baby!), explosions, fire, neon, water, this game has it all. I've been a little disappointed with RB6 games in the past, they were just shy of being great. They always had something I couldn't quiet put my finger on that made then a 5 or 6 instead of a 8 or 9. Well from the demo of Vegas things certainly look much, much better. The character animation looks good, your team move well and does not put themselves into danger like most AI teammates. Enemies take and shoot from cover, they don't over expose themselves to you. There is a new much improved cover method used in Vegas, you simply come close to cover (walls, cars, columns, boxes, etc...) and hold the LT button down. You can then look, shoot, and move around said cover until you release LT. This make taking and leaving cover much more intuitive and easy to pull off, as apposed to trying to hit A on the right spot of the correct piece of cover and A again to release you. Aside from being short (it is a demo) this is a great download and I can't wait for the game.

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