This outstanding photo of a cosplayer dressed as Final Fantasy VII’s Cloud Strife was tweeted by several of my friends. It stands out for eschewing realism and being true to FFVII’s primitive graphics. I’ve seen lots of great cosplay costumes (mostly from Japanese cosplayers) over the years, but this is one of the best, most original, and funniest I can recall. Check it out! I know you’ll love it.
Hey guys! I’m at the Google I/O keynote armed with my BlackBerry. A lot of the keynote content will be geared towards developers, but there should be some cool stuff that interests you. Keep refreshing this blog post for updates and I’ll try to check up on your comments. After the keynote is done I’ll add some pics. Stay tuned!
– Hrm. WiFi and mobile signal is overloaded. This is what happens when too many nerds are in one place. Most of the people around me are checking their smartphones (superphones?), iPads, or laptops as they’re watching the keynote. It’s kind of rude actually, but I’m absolved since I’m press. Ha!
– Clicker.tv shows off how HTML5 can be used for entertainment. It’s pretty cool. Check it out on Chrome if you have a chance.
– Crap. My web server appears to be borked. What the hell am I paying those guys for?!? *sigh* Great timing guys! I’ll be sure to switch next year.
– Peeps from Mozilla and Opera are showing how cool HTML5 is on their respective browsers. The video capabilities are pretty awesome.
– Adobe dude is showing how HTML5 can be used with Dreamweaver, Illustrator, etc. You can tell Adobe is loving Google right now. He teases a lot of Google devices running Flash…that will be seen tomorrow. Tease.
– An HTML5 version of Tweetdeck — my favorite Twitter application — is being shown. It works pretty well and looks almost as nice as the Adobe Air version.
– Google will launch the Chrome Web store to sell web apps and games. Plants vs. Zombies and Lego: Star Wars are shown. The former is expected, but it’s cool seeing a “reak” 3D game running on HTML5 through a browser. The framerate looked a little choppy, so I’m assuming it’s early.
– Old guy from Sports Illustrated (EIC) is showing how HTML5 will help reinvent his magazine. He’s showing a live prototype using HTML5. He describes it as a “highly edited, curated, searchable, open, and social take on sports.” Video is embedded into individual articles. A radial wheel is available in each artcile; it allows you to hit up related content. Articles can be promoted with tools like Google Buzz. Advertisements are slick…and a little evil — a camera ad is shown and can be viewed with different lenses, eventually using Google Maps to show where consumers can buy it. That’s awesomely clever.
– Hmmmmm. Now I’m wondering if there’s a bigger Internet problem going on. I can’t access numerous sites now. Perhaps Google broke the Internet.
– Google Wave is being integrated into Google Apps. That makes much more sense if it’s going to be used as a collaborative business tool. If you’re a sysadmin that uses Google Apps, you can grant users Wave access now.
– Okay, the site is working again. Google didn’t break the Internet.
People raised their eyebrows at Nintendo when it announced that it was going with a dual-screen handheld for its next portable system. Even more people laughed at the notion of an underpowered console that relied on a “gimmicky” motion-control scheme. In both cases, the company sold millions of units of hardware. With that in mind, do you think the company will sell millions of Wii Vitality Sensor accessories?
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, Lost spoilers (please), Bryan Danielson going off on Michael Cole, or Hanley Ramirez phoning it in, Coffee Talk is the place to do it.
People raised their eyebrows at Nintendo when it announced that it was going with a dual-screen handheld for its next portable system. Even more people laughed at the notion of an underpowered console that relied on a “gimmicky” motion-control scheme. In both cases, the company sold millions of units of hardware. With that in mind, do you think the company will sell millions of Wii Vitality Sensor accessories?
On paper, it sounds boring…maybe a little stupid. It’s a frickin’ heart rate monitor! While I had my doubts about dual screens and motion controls, I knew they had the potential for fun. There’s nothing fun about a heart rate monitor.
Having said that, I know I’m not smart enough to doubt Nintendo. I’ve done it too many times in the past…but I can’t help questioning the company on this one. Shigeru Miyamoto is undoubtedly a game design genius, but can he make the Wii Vitality Sensor fun? I’m not so sure. Yet Nintendo has proven its doubters wrong so many times that I’m doubting my doubts.
All this second guessing is giving me a migraine. I know that quite a few of you have this anti-Nintendo thing going (rather unreasonably, in my opinion), but forget about whether you’ll like it or not. Do you think the Wii Vitality Sensor will sell? Do you see a way that it can be fun? What do you think a Miyamoto game featuring the Wii Vitality Sensor would be like? Make sure your heart isn’t beating too fast as you answer these question. I am not responsible for what happens to you as you type.
I’m filing this under “I still can’t believe this actually happened” — Filipino fast-food chain Jollibee made a brief appearance on last night’s episode of Glee. I’m guessing that most of you have no idea what Jollibee is; as far as I’m aware, California is the only American state with Jollibee restaurants. It’s like the Philippines’ McDonald’s. Hell, in the Philippines Jollibee kicks McDonald’s ass. Anyway, here’s the story from GMANews:
In a move that has left the global online Pinoy community quite amused –and the rest of the world quite bewildered– the popular US television show Glee featured a background cameo of what may well be one of the most recognized icons of pinoy pop culture: a Jollibee fastfood restaurant.
If the “global online Pinoy community” is amused, I’ll be delighted if it makes Americans flock to Jollibee. I’m guessing most of them will hate the burgers. They have a very distinct taste that’s geared towards the Filipino palette. In my opinion, the burgers are kind of crap…but the fried chicken is good.
Even though I’m not much on Jollibee’s burgers, I’m proud that the successful chain made it into one of the most popular shows in America. Pinoy power!!!
Star Wars
In total, look out for the following: Imperial snowtrooper (male and female), Boba Fett (male and female), Lando costume with cape (male), Chewbacca (male and female), Rebel snowspeeder pilot (male and female), Han Solo Hoth outfit (male), Leia Hoth outfit (female), Bossk (male and female), C-3PO (male and female), AT-AT pilot (male and female), and props like a tauntaun pet, a ballcap with Yoda ears (male and female), and a lightsaber!
I’m not big on premium avatar goods, but some of these costumes are pretty cool. Right now my avatar has the Modern Warfare 2
Any of you going to pick these up?
Diane Campbell, a poor and disabled woman, was unable to purchase an iPad at a Palo Alto Apple Store because she wanted to pay in cash. Apple’s policy states that iPads can only be purchased with credit or debit cards. KGO-TV San Francisco reported:
Being disabled and on a fixed income, Campbell held off on buying a computer until the Apple iPad came along. It was small, mobile and perfect for her needs. So, little by little she saved up the $600 she needed to get one.
“It took quite a long time for me to just save up this small amount of money to go down and purchase one,” she said. “I had my cash in the backpack and I went up proudly to the counter and told them, ‘I would like to purchase an iPad.'”
“They said, ‘Sorry, we don’t take cash.'”
People are currently allowed to purchase two iPads with a credit or debit card, according to KGO-TV. The idea behind the policy is that Apple doesn’t want people buying up oodles of iPads, exporting them, and making a killing by selling them in regions where they aren’t available. I get that. The policy also makes it so that people like Campbell have difficulty buying a product. Sure, it might be easy to say, “Well go open a ‘free’ bank account or get a pre-paid credit card,” but shouldn’t she be able to use common currency to purchase goods?
*sigh* I think I’m just sensitive to money issues today. Sorry!
It looks like EA’s Online Pass — described by RPadholic smartguy as “Just a money grab” — is a trendsetter. Ubi Soft will likely implement a similar ploy, which strongly discourages used-game sales. During a recent earnings call Ubi CFO Alain Martinez said:
We are looking very carefully at what is being done by EA regarding what we call the “$10 solution,” and we will probably follow that line at sometime in the future.
It’s funny that this morning I was thinking about how games will get more expensive. I can easily see several publishers adopting their own version of EA’s Online Pass. I understand how it benefits developers and I’m all for that. However, it just makes more money for publishers and makes things more expensive for consumers. That last part…just sucks.
3D stereoscopic gaming has been getting a ton of press attention since CES 2010 (January). I was really skeptical about the tech until I experienced it in person at GDC 2010 (March). That said, I still think it’s unfeasible — at least for a few years — for a variety of reasons. Square Enix CEO Yoichi Wada doesn’t think it’s going to take off either. Translating an article from Impress Watch, Andriasang quoted Wada as saying:
I’d be happy if it would revitalize the market. However, while it will likely become a big topic, I don’t believe it will form a market. Whether naked eye or with glasses, the method is unstable.
I’m excited to see more 3D games at E3 2010, but I still don’t think 3D on consoles will take off in a big way — not for a few years.
What do you think of Wada’s stance? Do you agree or disagree? Back in February you shared your opinions on 3D gaming in Coffee Talk. Has anything changed for you since then?
Source via Andriasang
Attention Blizzard fanboys and fangirls — tickets for BlizzCon 2010 go on sale starting June 2. Sadly, the event is still in Anaheim (aka Anaslime) and not in Las Vegas. Here’s a snippet from the official announcement.
Blizzard Entertainment, Inc. today announced that tickets for its fifth BlizzCon gaming convention will go on sale in two batches on Wednesday, June 2 and Saturday, June 5, 2010. BlizzCon is a celebration of the global player communities surrounding Blizzard Entertainment’s Warcraft, Diablo, and StarCraft game universes. The event will take place at the Anaheim Convention Center in Anaheim, California on October 22 and 23. Live coverage of the event will be available as a DirecTV Pay Per View package and as a multi-channel Internet stream, allowing viewers online to switch between coverage of multiple panels and activities during the show.
If you’re thinking about going, please let me know. It would be great to see you there!
It used to be that you needed a console, a controller, and cartridge/disc to enjoy a game. While the prices of consoles and games haven’t gone up too much over the years, you have to spend more money than ever to play games. On the hardware side you have accessories, on the software side you have DLC, and on the services side you have Xbox Live Gold. All of that stuff adds up!
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, Monday Night Raw rocking Toronto, your American Idol pick, or Nick Johnson lasting an entire month before requiring surgery, Coffee Talk is the place to do it.
It used to be that you needed a console, a controller, and cartridge/disc to enjoy a game. While the prices of consoles and games haven’t gone up too much over the years, you have to spend more money than ever to play games. On the hardware side you have accessories, on the software side you have DLC, and on the services side you have Xbox Live Gold. All of that stuff adds up!
While I’m surprised that Sony has taken this long to offer a premium version of PlayStation Network (rumored to be debuting at E3 2010), I’m impressed by EA’s ingenuity when it comes to making games more expensive. The EA Online Pass makes used and rented games more expensive by requiring a code to access all online content and features. I understand that company’s issue with the used-game market, but from a consumer’s perspective the company has pissed on two ways gamers can save money.
What’s left? How can publishers, console manufacturers, etc. get more of our money? It looks like all the bases are covered, but I’m sure someone, somewhere (probably Bobby Kotick *snicker*) will find a new way to part gamers with cash. What do you think it will be? How can gaming get more expensive?
