Kindly check out this video review of the Razer BlackShark Battlefield 3 gaming headset. This baby features enhanced bass response and a unique aviator style. As RPadholic Iceman pointed out, the BlackShark looks very similar to David Clark headsets used by many helicopter pilots. Some of you will remember this headset from this E3 2012 Razer booth tour. You can see the full specs here.
Overall, I loved the BlackShark’s looks and was impressed by its comfort level. However, there could be some audio issues depending on if you use your headset for certain genres of music and certain types of movies. Also, the price for this stereo headset is up there with competing 5.1 and 7.1 surround sound models.
Check out the review and let me know what you think of the Razer BlackShark (please!).
NASA landed its most advanced Rover, the Curiosity, on Mars last night. It’s one of the most significant scientific achievements in the last decade. However, some feel that it’s not getting the attention it deserves. The economy blows, the Olympics are happening, and Kristen Stewart cheated on Robert Pattinson — people are distracted! There are some that feel that the U.S. government is right to cut NASA’s funding given the economic climate. Others feel that advancing science creates jobs, creates enthusiasm, and stimulates intellectual pursuits.
Above is NASA’s video of the Curiosity and below is a clip of Neil deGrasse Tyson’s from Real Time With Bill Maher discussing why spending money on science is important to America’s future. I’d love to hear your thoughts on the Mars landing and how important scientific endeavors (like NASA’s) are or are not.
There’s not a whole lot happening on the retail front. Persona 4 Arena hits this week…and that’s about it. The downloadable space is way more interesting. Sound Shapes will be released this week for the PlayStation Vita and PlayStation 3 through PSN. I’ve been high on this game since E3 2011 and I can’t wait to play it. I’m a big fan of 5th Cell’s games (Scribblenauts, Run Roo Run) and the company has the Xbox Live Summer of Arcade game this week with Hybrid. August is traditionally dry month for retail videogame release. Thankfully there are two sweet downloadable games coming out this week to keep you and your consoles happy.
Like millions of Facebook users, I’ve played a bunch of Facebook games. None of them have really grabbed me though…until Insomniac’s Outernauts. As a big fan of Insomniac and someone that has played thousands of hours of Pokemon games, of course I was going to fall for the game’s blend of that distinct Insomniac charm and the Pokemon-like gameplay. Outernauts is the first Facebook game that I’ve loved.
In addition to capturing monsters, training monsters, leveling up, etc., there are several aspects of Outernauts that aren’t found in Pokemon games…
Welcome to Coffee Talk! Let’s start off the day by discussing whatever is on your (nerd chic) mind. Every morning I’ll kick off a discussion and I’m counting on you to participate in it. If you’re not feelin’ my topic, feel free to start a chat with your fellow readers and see where it takes you. Whether you’re talking about videogames, McKayla Maroney’s sexy anger when she “only” won a silver medal in the vault, Pamela Anderson going celibate for Dancing With the Stars, or Andy Murray looking at his Olympic gold medal as if it were a piece of crap compared to a Wimbledon trophy, Coffee Talk is the place to do it.
Like millions of Facebook users, I’ve played a bunch of Facebook games. None of them have really grabbed me…until Insomniac’s Outernauts. As a big fan of Insomniac and someone that has played thousands of hours of Pokemon games, of course I was going to fall for the game’s blend of that distinct Insomniac charm and its Pokemon-like gameplay. Outernauts is the first Facebook game that I’ve loved.
In addition to capturing monsters, training monsters, leveling up, etc., there are several aspects of Outernauts that aren’t found in Pokemon games — cooperative levels, a deep crafting system, PVP during adventures, and more. Since it’s tied to Facebook, the social aspect is played up; you can send items to and receive items from friends, allowing you to progress your adventure or enhance your item crafting. It’s also free-to-play with premium features. You can play for free, but have to wait between sessions for your character to replenish energy and/or for your monsters to heal. In short, it marries many of the features people love about Pokemon (save for Game Freak’s stellar monster design) and Zynga’s numerous “Ville” games.
So yeah, I love Outernauts, but I’m also really worried about it. The less important problem is the hate it’s getting in some corners of the Internetz. I was appalled by some of the comments left by Insomniac “fans” on Outernauts videos posted on YouTube. There are a lot of people that are pissing on the game simply because it’s new and different…and not Ratchet & Clank. Odin forbid the company tries something new and works on multiple projects, right?!?
The bigger issue is that this is a rocky time for the social-games space. A lot of Facebook games are in decline and many pundits believe that the first round of titles has peaked. There are too many social games that look, play, and feel the same. Hell, I can’t even tell most of Zynga’s games apart. Is a Pokemon angle and Insomniac’s stellar reputation enough for Outernauts to thrive? I’m certainly not smart enough to know. Instead, I’ll defer to the much smarter and much wiser Tadhg Kelly. He recently postulated on TechCrunch that the next round of social games has to be more like HBO:
The second generation needs to be thinking like HBO, not network television. It takes research and prototyping time to develop good game dynamics, but more than that it takes the right technology, talent and faith. This last quality is perhaps most frightening because it pretty much means letting the inmates run the asylum.
Games are no different than any other creative outlet in this respect though, but it’s hard for some people (managers, investors, producers, quants) to accept that. They think that games should be much more like software: predictable, mappable and about process engineering but games and players disagree. You may wish that game design was a process, but it’s an art.
That’s why the second generation of social games is unlikely to come from any of the current big players. They think too small, just as network television executives tend to think too small and need to be shaken out of their equilibrium by an HBO. By which I mean investing in providing real value rather than only playing the equivalent-value game.
Will Insomniac be the HBO of the social-games space? Will Outernauts be Facebook’s Sopranos/Curb Your Enthusiasm/Game of Thrones? It’s quite possible. The company has the experience and talent to make great games on any platform. It’s also relatively small and independent, allowing it the luxury to move and iterate quickly, unlike a large company. It also has the luxury of not having to worry about legacy social games (one of Zynga’s several headaches). Insomniac could have the perfect storm of factors to help determine the next generation of social games, with Outernauts leading the way.
As a fan of Insomniac and Outernauts, I hope the game kills it. I’m curious to see how it performs. In the meantime, I hope some of you give Outernauts a shot and play it with me (please!).
Here’s the video for “Knocc ‘Em Down” by Snoop Dogg (Lion), a song featured in Tekken Tag Tournament 2. The video features a reincarnated Bob Marley, Adrianne Curry, FilthieRich, Mark Man, Justin Wong, and more. There are supposed to be hints that point to Snoop Dogg’s transformation into Snoop Lion throughout the clip (and he does proclaim him self Snoop Lion at the end of the video), but I didn’t see them since I’m still coming to terms with the concept of a reincarnated Bob Marley. Will he go on tour with Hologram Tupac?!?
Anyway, check out the Tekken-tastic video when you have a chance and let me know what you think (please).
AC/DC has announced that that band’s wines are now available in the US and Canada. Yes, the Australian rockers have their very own Australian wines, which are now available through Vinport. The tasty selections include:
Back in Black Shiraz
Hell’s Bells Sauvignon Blanc
Highway to Hell Cabernet Sauvignon
Thunderstruck Chardonnay
Normally, I prefer cabernets over chards, but Thunderstruck Chardonnay sound too awesome to pass up. Actually, they all sound awesome!
Bethesda has announced the voice cast for Dishonored. Talent includes Lena Headey, Carrie Fischer, Michael Madsen, and more. The game impressed at E3 2012 and the star-studded voice cast makes it all the more impressive. Check out the awesome lineup:
Lena Headey
Carrie Fisher
Susan Sarandon
Michael Madsen
Chloë Grace Moretz
Brad Dourif
John Slattery
Here’s an excerpt from the press release:
Susan Sarandon, an Academy Award winner and five-time nominee, will make her videogame debut as the former aristocrat, Granny Rags – an intriguing old blind woman now deranged after years of street life. Academy Award nominee and Golden Globe-winner Brad Dourif takes on the role of the inventor Piero, creator of the iconic mask worn by Corvo as well as a wealth of gadgets Corvo can use. Emmy winner and Hollywood-icon Carrie Fisher can be heard broadcasting government propaganda over loudspeakers throughout the city of Dunwall, where the game is set.
The all-star cast continues with John Slattery (“Mad Men,” “The Adjustment Bureau”) who takes on the role of Admiral Havelock, a Loyalist who helps Corvo on his quest, as well as Michael Madsen who brings his videogame voiceover experience to the role of Daud, a mysterious assassin. Chloë Grace Moretz (“Kick-Ass,” “Hugo”) portrays Young Lady Emily, the Empress’ daughter who is kidnapped after her mother’s death while Lena Headey joins the cast as Calista, Emily’s caretaker. In addition to the star-studded voice cast, Composer Daniel Licht (“Dexter”) lends his musical talents to create the game’s original score.
It’s awesome that Cersei Lannister, Princess Leia, and Hit Girl are all in the same game.
Chousoku Henkei Gyrozetter is a recently released Square Enix arcade game. Developed by Rocket Studio, it’s a blend of racing and turn-based RPG combat featuring transforming cars and Unreal Engine 3 graphics. Square Enix has plans to take the game out of arcades and possibly to Western markets. Andriasangtranslated some GameBusiness.jp information and reported that a 3DS installment is coming in Spring 2013, with possible home-console versions on the way.
In Japan, Chousoku Henkei Gyrozetter is a pretty big deal. The Gyrozetter franchise has a tradable-card game, an anime series, and manga.
This is the Transformers game I’ve always dreamed about, but never thought would happen. I love transforming vehicles! I love turn-based RPGs! Ergo, I would love an English version of Chousoku Henkei Gyrozetter. Hopefully the Western name ends up being Mega Transforming Auto Giant Battle or something.
Would any of you play a turn-based RPG/racing game featuring transforming cars?
I would kill for Google Fiber. Maybe not kill…but I’d punch someone really hard to get it. Part of it is the 1Gb/second Internet speeds, not having to worry about data caps, the 1TB of Google Drive storage, and the included Nexus 7 that serves as a remote control. The thought of downloading a 1080p movie in five minutes or less sounds…amazing. Google Fiber is the stuff nerd dreams are made of.
Another reason I dream about Google Fiber is the lovely thought of being able to give cable and telephone companies a big FU. I’m tired of…
Welcome to Coffee Talk! Let’s start off the day by discussing whatever is on your (nerd chic) mind. Every morning I’ll kick off a discussion and I’m counting on you to participate in it. If you’re not feelin’ my topic, feel free to start a chat with your fellow readers and see where it takes you. Whether you’re talking about videogames, NBC getting heat for its coverage of the 2012 Olympics, Amish people giving it a go in Manhattan, or overdosing at a churrascaria, Coffee Talk is the place to do it.
I would kill for Google Fiber. Maybe not kill…but I’d punch someone really hard to get it. Part of it is the 1Gb/second Internet speeds, not having to worry about data caps, the 1TB of Google Drive storage, and the included Nexus 7 that serves as a remote control. The thought of downloading a 1080p movie in five minutes or less sounds…amazing. Google Fiber is the stuff nerd dreams are made of.
Another reason I dream about Google Fiber is the lovely thought of being able to give cable and telephone companies a big FU. I’m tired of the Internet duopoly held by AT&T and Time Warner Cable in my part of Los Angeles. I hate that my two choices for Internet service are “mediocre” and “worse”. I hate that my apartment building only has one (woefully overpriced) choice for television. There are times when I wish that Time Warner Cable were a person so that I could him in the face.
Right now, Google Fiber is only available in Kansas City, KS and Kansas City, MO (I have no idea which one has the baseball team). I can’t imagine living in either city and I sincerely doubt that Google Fiber is coming to Los Angeles (or any large city) in the immediate future. It’s great the Google is showing people what Internet service could be like, but I don’t see this happening in big cities any time soon. I’m sure I’ll spend several nights over the next year or two dreaming that I’m wrong.
What do you think of Google Fiber? Is it the kind of Internet and television service you dream of? What would you do with that godly amount of bandwidth? Would Google Fiber significantly change your gaming habits? Share your Google Fiber dreams in the comments section (please)!
