Seth Killian at Capcom Unity posted this fan-made trailer for a Final Fight movie. It’s actually pretty cool and certainly better than most of Uwe Boll’s work. Big ups to Blinky Productions for this video. Check it out and let me know what you think (please)!
Akira Yamaoka Joins Suda51’s Grasshopper Manufacture
Former Konami music composer and game producer Akira Yamaoka — best known for his work on the Silent Hill series — has joined Goichi Suda’s (aka Suda51) Grasshopper Manufacture. The extremely tall Kevin Gifford reported the news at 1Up and provided some fine translation from a recent Famitsu article. Here are Suda51’s thoughts on Yamaoka:
I really love Yamaoka. Ever since I saw a video of Silent Hill 2 at the Tokyo Game Show nine years ago, I’ve always dreamed of working alongside him. That’s why I thought I’d invite him over when I started hearing rumors that he left [Konami].
Yamaoka’s first project will be composing music for game being designed by Suda51 and former Capcom ace Shinji Mikami. That’s one hell of a dream team! The unannounced title will be published by Electronic Arts and is sure to make millions of otaku wet themselves.
Seriously though, this is fantastic news. I’m a huge fan of Yamaoka as an artist and as a person. It’s brilliant that he’s teaming up with other powerhouse creators.
Next Legend of Zelda Game to be Motion Plus Exclusive
While a lot of you are down on Nintendo for going all mainstream, some of you have been holding out hope for the next Zelda, Mario, and Metroid games. With all of that in mind, I can’t wait to hear your reactions to producer Eiji Aonuma saying that the next Legend of Zelda title will be Wii Motion Plus Exclusive. Andriasang translated a recent Famitsu article and posted:
Aonuma told Famitsu that it will be Wii Motion Plus exclusive. This was actually an area that was under debate at the outset of development. “After actually making it compatible,” said Aonuma, “it just feels so natural. Link’s sword and the controller that you’re holding become one.”
What do you think of the news? Are you more or less interested in the game now that you know it won’t use a traditional control scheme?
Coffee Talk #78: Your Game Developer Dream Date
I’ve “known” a lot of you long enough that I have a pretty good idea of what games you like and don’t like. However, I’m not so sure about your favorite game designers and developers. So let’s play a game! If you could have dinner with one famous game designer, who would it be and why? What questions would you ask him or her?
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,the season premiere of Lost, if Adrien Grenier should change his name to Vincent Chase, or why pinch-to-zoom is a must-have feature, Coffee Talk is the place to do it.
I’ve “known” a lot of you long enough that I have a pretty good idea of what games you like and don’t like. However, I’m not so sure about your favorite game designers and developers. So let’s play a game! If you could have dinner with one famous game designer, who would it be and why? What questions would you ask him or her?
As for me, it would be Nintendo’s Shigeru Miyamoto. I’ve had one-on-one interviews with him in the past, but that was in the late ’90s. My recent encounters with the legend have been in group settings. I want more! I’d love to hang out with Miyamoto over a slow dinner, followed by dessert and coffee. I’d love to pick his brain, to see how he gets his amazing ideas. I’d even enjoy observing his use of ordinary objects like a fork or a coffee cup. His perspective is just so different. Remember, this is the guy that came up with Nintendogs and Pikmin after getting a pet and taking up gardening, respectively. Maybe he could come up with a marvelously entertaining game base on my morning ritual of grinding beans and making coffee in a French press.
So yeah! Who is your developer dream date? In addition to who it would be and what questions you’d ask, let everyone know what the setting would be. Also, I reserve the right to punch anyone that selects Cliffy B (I’m kidding. He’s awesome!).
Iron Man Apple MacBook Sticker Completely Rules
The latest great product from the wondrous world of Etsy is this completely cool Iron Man sticker for Apple MacBooks. The sticker makes the iconic Apple logo look like it’s one of Iron Man’s repulsor rays. That’s so awesome!!! It makes me want my dream MacBook (you know, the one with an Intel i5 processor) even more.
Dragon Age: Origins Awakening Character Reveal: Anders
[Updated with video!] BioWare has unveiled new information on a brand new character that will debut in the Dragon Age: Origins Awakening expansion pack (due out in March!). His name is Anders and he’s an apostate (illegal mage). A flippant fellow, Anders seems to heavy a healthy hate for blood mages and the chantry. My initial thought is that he’s Alistair with magic, but I’m sure there’s more to him than that. I can’t wait to learn more about him!
Let me know what you think of Anders when you have a moment.
Google Nexus One Getting Multitouch This Week
One of the big complaints on Google’s Nexus One phone is that it didn’t integrate multitouch functionality. A firmware update — available on a rolling basis this week — fixes that issue. In addition to new features in Google Maps and the addition of Google Goggles, this update adds pinch-to-zoom functionality in Maps, the web browser, and the photo gallery.
*sigh* I’m trying to be patient because I want an Android 2.1 phone with a good keyboard…but the Nexus One is so tempting!
Fret Nice Combines Platform Gaming with Guitar Controllers
Coming this Thursday on Sony’s PlayStation Network is Fret Nice from Tecmo, a cute platformer that’s played with a guitar controller. The game is so novel that it deserves its own post (complete with video!). Here’s what Tecmo producer Ray Murakawa had to say about the game’s origins:
The game actually started as a degree thesis project and as that aimed at looking into the concept of adding an unorthodox game controller into an ordinary game genre such as the 2D platformer to see what benefits could be drawn from the new way of controlling the game. Although the game has since evolved to being not so much about the academic side of things, the guitar controller and what it can be used for in its new context has always been the essence of Fret Nice’s design.
I’m probably going to download it this week simply because it’s cool and different. Any of you interested?
Google.com/phone and the Nexus One: 28 Days Later
It has been 28 days since Google launched the Nexus One phone and its Google.com/phone web site. Some aspects of Google’s foray into consumer electronics went smoothly. Some didn’t. I caught up with a company representative to get some insights on the launch and Google’s mobile-phone future.
It has been 28 days since Google launched the Nexus One phone and its Google.com/phone web site. Some aspects of Google’s foray into consumer electronics went smoothly. Some didn’t. I caught up with a company representative to get some insights on the launch and Google’s mobile-phone future. Some of the answers were insightful and some were the standard PR line. Check it out and see for yourself!
Raymond Padilla: Considering that the Nexus One was Google’s first attempt at selling consumer electronics, what were some of the things the company did right? What were some things the company could have done better?
Google: Because we just launched the Nexus One four weeks ago, I think it’s too early to comment on these questions.
RP: A lot of journalists are fixated on iPhone killers and are unable to talk about the Nexus One without comparing it to the iPhone. To me, the bigger story is Google.com/phone. Isn’t that the bigger deal?
Google: We do view our new consumer web store as a significant announcement. With the Nexus One and future devices, our hope is to change the way consumers purchase a mobile phone. The goal of Google’s new consumer channel is to provide an efficient way to connect Google’s online users with selected Android phones from partners. We want to make the overall user experience simple: a simple purchasing process, simple service plans from operators, and simple and worry free delivery and start-up.
RP: Some of my readers don’t see how Google.com/phone is changing anything. I see it as a work in progress with the potential to change the market. How is Google’s effort to sell phones directly to customers different than buying an unlocked phone off of Amazon.com, for example?
Google: Working with device manufacturers and operators worldwide, our vision for this new program is to give customers more choice and simplicity when it comes to purchasing their mobile phones by matching hardware preference to service options. Our ultimate goal is to give the consumer the opportunity to buy the phone of his/her choice (as more phones beyond the Nexus One become available) and choose an operator which best meets his/her needs. This is a new model in the US, and we hope it simplifies the buying process for mobile devices moving forward.
RP: What about the disadvantage of not being able to play with a phone at a store. Some people feel that the Amazon Kindle would have been more successful if more consumers could see what it could do first hand. The Nexus One is currently in a similar boat. Doesn’t it take a leap of faith to buy a $529 product without getting to play with it?
Google: We are introducing a new consumer purchasing model with the Nexus One. It will only be available through our Google-hosted web store initially, and we have included tools in this online store to enable users to take virtual tours of the hardware and software elements of Nexus One.
RP: In a perfect world, what will Google.com/phone have to offer one year from now? Would 25 phones on all four major American carriers be a conservative or aggressive estimate?
Google: The Nexus One is just the beginning, our plan is to:
- Add more operator partners in the US and internationally.
- Launch more Google-branded devices, brought to market in partnership with other Android handset partners.
- Bring these devices to more countries for more consumers to enjoy.
RP: Some customers need someone to talk to for customer service. Are Google’s support forums for the Nexus One enough?
Google: Our support site can be found at google.com/phone/support, which has pointers to our help center, where there is lots of troubleshooting information. HTC provides telephone support for device troubleshooting and warranty, repairs, and returns. Google also offers self-help through our help center, user-to-user help through forums, and email support to customers who are unable to find answers to their questions online. T-Mobile USA also fields calls regarding their service (including service billing inquiries).
We work quickly to solve any customer support issues as they come up, and we are trying to be as open and transparent as possible through our online customer help forums. We’ll continue to address all issues in as timely of a manner as possible, and we’re flexible and prepared to make changes to our processes and tools, as necessary, for an optimal customer support experience.
Trauma Team Walkthrough #3: Orthopedics
Please check out this Trauma Team walkthrough, which goes over the orthopedic procedures in this upcoming Nintendo Wii game. I wish this doctor was around when I first hurt my knee. Ha! Here’s a detailed description from Atlus:
This latest video follows the exploits of orthopedic surgeon Hank Freebird, tasked with repairing the various bones and joints that make up the human skeletal system. In addition to the new entry in the video walkthrough series, the publisher also confirmed that the game’s release date would be held back for further observation, now slated to release on May 18th.