Xbox 360 News
News: Watch Out! Kinect-Based AI System Knows What You're Up To
With Microsoft's release of the Kinect SDK, things seem to have slowed down a bit in the world of Kinect development. Have developers exhausted the uses of Kinect already? No way! Four researchers at Cornell University have created an AI-based system on the Kinect that can recognize what you're doing, and maybe even who is doing it.
News: Hackers Rejoice! Microsoft Finally Releases Kinect SDK for Windows 7
It's been a long time coming, but Microsoft has finally released a software development kit (SDK) for the Kinect on Windows 7 PCs. The word "hacking" is no longer needed, thanks to the free beta download available at Microsoft Research that allows anyone with a Windows computer and some coding knowledge to take advantage of the Kinect's motion-sensing capabilities.
The Schmupaissance: Gatling Gears and the Rebirth of Shoot-'Em-Up Games
Shoot-em-up games, or shmups, consist of lone or small groups of players shooting at and being shot at by hordes of colorful enemies. The genre is thought to have peaked in the mid-'90s, but recent games in the indie world may be saying otherwise. Geometry Wars and other twin-stick games kicked off the trend, but newbies Trouble Witches NEO, Outland and just-released Gatling Gears have brought some much needed originality into the modern shmup scene—making it something worth exploring again. ...
News: Video Game Landscape Brought to Life: A Real World Tour of "Fallout: New Vegas"
Following in the footsteps of great historical figures is a great way to learn about them. Michael Wood famously did so in the 1980's for his PBS documentary and book In The Footsteps of Alexander The Great. This March, UK-based marketing director Chris Worth completed a similar endeavor—not by tracing the path of a real-life emperor or explorer, but a humble video game character. One known simply as "The Courier".
News: 5 Alternative Uses for Your Xbox 360
Video games consoles have long wanted to be more than just consoles. Nintendo Japan called the NES the Famicom because they wanted to make it the sole family computer. Obviously that didn't work out, and most efforts to make consoles into all-in-one entertainment systems have had similar fates. Sony has done the best job with the Playstation consoles, probably because they have experience with other types of electronics that most video game companies do not.
News: 5 Month Retrospective of the Hacked Kinect
Nintendo's Wii Remote came close, but never has a video game peripheral garnered such adoration from the hacker community than the Kinect.
Outland: A Polarizing Experience
Sticking with our theme of XBLA games with uninspiring names, we have Outland. This game shares its name with an unrelated sci-fi cult film from 1981, unrelated comic strip from the '90s, and unrelated region in World of Warcraft. Didn't exactly try hard to build name recognition. Other than that, Finnish developer Housemarque has created the best 2D platformer I've seen in years.
News: Bullet Hell or Bullet Heaven? The Case of Trouble Witches NEO
The Xbox 360 is America's video game system. It was designed in America, it has better market share in America than anywhere else, and it has the most overtly macho game catalog of any console. For many Xbox fanboys, gaming heaven is shooting hordes of really well-animated things in the most intuitive way possible. Trouble Witches NEO - Episode 1: Daughters of Amalgam, released last week on Xbox Live Arcade (XBLA) for $10 by Japanese developer Adventure Planning Service, is a typical Xbox 360...
News: Want a Next-Gen Old-School Final Fantasy Game? Go Cheap. Go Cthulhu.
I was raised in the glory days of Japanese RPG's (JRPG's) on the Sega Genesis and Super Nintendo. Final Fantasy and Dragon Quest were the biggest game franchises, and real gamers could debate their merits endlessly. We remained engaged in the stories of the games, even though the soldiers, princesses and schoolchildren all had spiky day-glo hair. We waded through hours of randomly triggered menu-based battles instead of playing Doom or baseball. And we loved every minute of it.
News: Hetero, Gay or Bi? Bed Your Soulmate in Dragon Age 2
When you grab a video game off the shelves, finding love is probably not your end goal. Most games focus on letting the player shoot guys, order other guys to shoot guys, or build houses. Mass Effect 2 comes closer than most titles to offering virtual romance, but the relationships are shallow and strictly heterosexual. I found whoring my way around the Normandy much more satisfying as a gameplay option than developing an emotional connection to another character.
Eyes Officially Popped: The Future of Gaming Looks Awesome
Tune in! Below, an attendee of the Game Developers Conference 2011 captures footage of the new eye-popping visual effects in Epic Games' latest upgrade of their Unreal Engine 3, a "toolset used in blockbuster video games, 3D visualizations, digital films and more." If this is what the graphics looks like captured from an audience cell phone, well, one can only imagine what it would look like on your widescreen... The demo, titled "Samaritan", ran on a custom-built PC system in real-time compu...
News: Are Video Games the End of Civilization?
Some folks in South Korea seem to think so. Below, recent images from website All Voices reveal a boot camp for naughty Korean children who skip school, join gangs or commit the (somehow equatable) sin of becoming addicted to video games.
News: Kinect Hacked To Play Full-Body World of Warcraft
The world has been overflowing with Microsoft Kinect hacks, each more amazing than the last. The latest innovation, created by a group of engineers at USC, promises an exciting future in gaming (and gets gamers off their asses). The program is called FAAST, and allows for full body motion control in different PC applications, such as World of Warcraft, as demonstrated below: Previously, Hacked Kinect Captures 3D Video in Real Time.
Friday Fresh: Make A Black Ops Penis Emblem & More
In every nerd, there is a 12-year-old boy just dying to get out. This week, we bring you the ultimate in indulging your inner kid.
Friday Fresh: Master Halo: Reach Achievements & More
Every day of the week, WonderHowTo curators are hard at work, scouring the web for the greatest and most inspiring how-to videos. Every Friday, we'll highlight our favorite finds.
News: All Hail Street Fighter
As a tribute to video game classic, Street Fighter, Hongkiat has compiled a collection of impressively done artwork on the theme. My favorites below; click through for the whole series of 60 (and artist credits).
News: Everything You Need to Know About Red Dead Redemption
Not being much of a video game buff, I haven't been in the loop when it comes to the enormously popular game Red Dead Redemption. Apparently the game is completely dominant in video game sales. Since it's May 18 release, over 5 million units have sold, making it the most popular game since Modern Warfare.
News: New Rock Band 3 UNVEILED (With Fully Functional Keyboard!)
Via WonderHowTo World, LoadSave: Rock Band 3, coming this Fall, was revealed at none other than USA Today. Fully functional 25 key keyboard, 80+ songs including The Doors and Bohemian Rhapsody, Pro mode, updated guitars, and a kitchen sink are included in this new sequel. USA Today:
News: Crazy Awesome Xbox 360 Mod Up For Auction
Jeez, Microsoft is really pulling out all the stops lately. First, a whole lotta bling, and now they celebrate their millionth console sold with this limited edition Halo Xbox 360, designed by Richard Taylor and the Weta Workshop. The one-of-a-kind console is being auctioned off on Ebay, and the winning amount will be matched by up to $10,000 by Microsoft New Zealand for a donation to Cure Kids.
News: Play XBox Live With Flirty (or Dirty - Your Choice) Girl Gamers
Dating sites are getting more and more culture specific, and this week's brand new girl + guy site offers a very specific service. Cute girls are paid to play video games. Gamer dudes pay to play with them.
News: Exercise Daily (While Playing XBox 360)
ProjectExciteBike is a device that harnesses the manpower pedaling speed of an exercise bike and in turn, converts the energy into a single control button on a gamepad (which would translate as the "gas pedal" for racing games). This particular project works with XBox 360, but can be adapted for other systems as well.