GayGamer.net tag:gaygamer.net,2009-01-30://1 2013-01-11T23:38:14Z For boys who like boys who like joysticks! Movable Type Open Source 4.1 Teaser: Cyberpunk 2077 tag:gaygamer.net,2013://1.46721 2013-01-11T04:11:51Z 2013-01-11T23:38:14Z Women: They are our mothers, our sisters, our friends, and for many in our collective ranks, the most beloved of companions. Yet deep within their hearts, there is a dark impulse - one unique to the human female - to murder everyone they see with their deadly scythe-arms. Indeed, even their very essence paints a harrowing warning: the twain X's mimicking the eyes of so many dead men, whose cruel fate found them beneath the unforgiving stiletto heel of a sexy robot prostitute. Such is (stubbornly) not the message of Cyberpunk 2077, the forthcoming title from CD Projekt Red. For those who haven't been following its development, Cyberpunk 2077 is an open-world affair, based on the famed pen-and-paper game, "Cyberpunk 2020." The above clip showcases MAX-TAC (Maximum Force Tactical Division), also know as the "Psycho Squad," who have been given the unenviable task of exterminating those who have so dehumanized themselves as to drive them into a murderous, misanthropic frenzy. CD Projekt's press release describes these "Psychos" as: [...] individuals who overuse implants and substances that boost or otherwise alter the human body. There comes a point when they overdose on these innovations, and their bodies start to rebel against their biological body parts as well as against all things organic around them. Simply put, they start killing people, who they now derisively call "meatbags." Granted, the lash of bitter experience has taught me that a good trailer is no indication of a good game, but for what it's worth, it's appreciable on its own merits. So check out the video for Cyberpunk 2077 above! For those curious, the song in the video is "Bullets" by Archive. The music video (which I quite enjoyed) can be found after the jump!... Super Swede

Women: They are our mothers, our sisters, our friends, and for many in our collective ranks, the most beloved of companions. Yet deep within their hearts, there is a dark impulse - one unique to the human female - to murder everyone they see with their deadly scythe-arms. Indeed, even their very essence paints a harrowing warning: the twain X's mimicking the eyes of so many dead men, whose cruel fate found them beneath the unforgiving stiletto heel of a sexy robot prostitute.

Such is (stubbornly) not the message of Cyberpunk 2077, the forthcoming title from CD Projekt Red. For those who haven't been following its development, Cyberpunk 2077 is an open-world affair, based on the famed pen-and-paper game, "Cyberpunk 2020." The above clip showcases MAX-TAC (Maximum Force Tactical Division), also know as the "Psycho Squad," who have been given the unenviable task of exterminating those who have so dehumanized themselves as to drive them into a murderous, misanthropic frenzy. CD Projekt's press release describes these "Psychos" as:

[...] individuals who overuse implants and substances that boost or otherwise alter the human body. There comes a point when they overdose on these innovations, and their bodies start to rebel against their biological body parts as well as against all things organic around them. Simply put, they start killing people, who they now derisively call "meatbags."


Granted, the lash of bitter experience has taught me that a good trailer is no indication of a good game, but for what it's worth, it's appreciable on its own merits. So check out the video for Cyberpunk 2077 above! For those curious, the song in the video is "Bullets" by Archive. The music video (which I quite enjoyed) can be found after the jump!

]]> ]]> Nvidia Entering The Handheld Business tag:gaygamer.net,2013://1.46711 2013-01-09T01:20:24Z 2013-01-09T02:26:43Z During Nvidia's CES 2013 presentation, CEO Jen-Hsun Huang unveiled the company's newest chip: the Tegra 4. Once again a quad-core affair, the "erratic" keynote (according to ExtremeTech) "bounced from a relatively quick treatment of the architecture's specifications to a long discussion of Tegra 4′s camera capabilities." So what manner of mechanical beast will be be graced by this new chip? As revealed at the end of the presentation, Nvidia is indeed launching its own handheld. No stranger to the world of gaming hardware, its GeForce graphics cards are already well-known - as Time notes, "Nvidia's only rival is AMD/ATI and it's well ahead in terms of discrete graphics market share" - its Tegra processors have become commonplace on mobile phones, and its technology makes up the PS3's "Reality Synthesizer" GPU. Reportedly codenamed "Project Shield," the device will run Android Jellybean, and have 5-10 hours of battery life. The rest of the specs, according to The Register, is as follows: There's a quad-core Tegra 4 chip incorporating a "custom 72-core GeForce GPU" and quad-core ARM Cortex-A15 CPU; enough battery power for "five to ten hours" of gameplay; Wi-Fi; Android Jelly Bean; MicroSD storage; a 5-inch 294ppi 1280 x 720 display; a "bass reflex, tuned port audio system with twice the low-frequency output of high-end laptops"; and HDMI output. As the handheld market seems to be on permanent deathwatch, it is suggested that the device might not be a direct competitor to Vita and 3DS. Rather, Google Play and Nvidia's "Tegra Zone" will be the preferred method of game distribution, though interestingly, the device is said to have Steam integration. This means that games from one's Steam library could be run remotely over an "ultra-low latency wireless link." What do you think, gamers? Does the thought of an Nvidia handheld strike your collective fancy? Sound off in the comments section below!... Super Swede shield.jpg

During Nvidia's CES 2013 presentation, CEO Jen-Hsun Huang unveiled the company's newest chip: the Tegra 4. Once again a quad-core affair, the "erratic" keynote (according to ExtremeTech) "bounced from a relatively quick treatment of the architecture's specifications to a long discussion of Tegra 4′s camera capabilities."

So what manner of mechanical beast will be be graced by this new chip? As revealed at the end of the presentation, Nvidia is indeed launching its own handheld. No stranger to the world of gaming hardware, its GeForce graphics cards are already well-known - as Time notes, "Nvidia's only rival is AMD/ATI and it's well ahead in terms of discrete graphics market share" - its Tegra processors have become commonplace on mobile phones, and its technology makes up the PS3's "Reality Synthesizer" GPU. Reportedly codenamed "Project Shield," the device will run Android Jellybean, and have 5-10 hours of battery life.

The rest of the specs, according to The Register, is as follows:

There's a quad-core Tegra 4 chip incorporating a "custom 72-core GeForce GPU" and quad-core ARM Cortex-A15 CPU; enough battery power for "five to ten hours" of gameplay; Wi-Fi; Android Jelly Bean; MicroSD storage; a 5-inch 294ppi 1280 x 720 display; a "bass reflex, tuned port audio system with twice the low-frequency output of high-end laptops"; and HDMI output.

As the handheld market seems to be on permanent deathwatch, it is suggested that the device might not be a direct competitor to Vita and 3DS. Rather, Google Play and Nvidia's "Tegra Zone" will be the preferred method of game distribution, though interestingly, the device is said to have Steam integration. This means that games from one's Steam library could be run remotely over an "ultra-low latency wireless link."

What do you think, gamers? Does the thought of an Nvidia handheld strike your collective fancy? Sound off in the comments section below!

]]> Sony Patents Technology To Prevent Use Of Pirated And Used Games tag:gaygamer.net,2013://1.46709 2013-01-04T04:18:23Z 2013-01-05T16:29:27Z The news sites are abuzz, after the kids over at NeoGAF posted a recent patent application from Sony, entitled "Electronic Content Processing System, Electronic Content Processing Method, Package Of Electronic Content, And Use Permission Apparatus." In layman's terms, this would allow consoles to determine whether a disc had been previously used on another system, by using an ID that would be present on every unit shipped. The disc would then be prevented from working on any console other than that on which it was first used. From the patent application: "According to the present embodiment, realized is the electronic content processing system that reliably restricts the use of electronic content dealt in the second-hand markets. As a result, the dealing of electronic content in the second-hand markets is suppressed, which in turn supports the redistribution of part of proceeds from sales of the electronic content to the developers. Though in the following description a game application (AP) is exemplified as the electronic content, the present embodiment is similarly applicable to various kinds of electronic content such as an office suite, images, and music content." Now granted, being cynicism's unofficial mascot, I have no doubt that console manufacturers would love to see this sort of thing become a standard feature: those of us who have spent time anywhere in the general vicinity of the corporate world know that "we're just falling in line with the competition" is the preferred method of absolving otherwise-displeasing policy. On the other hand, individual companies aren't typically eager to be the first to pull the d**chebag trigger alienate a segment of consumers - yours truly, being the adorably working-class creature that he is, tends to favor used games - thus risking a scenario in which said consumers find themselves flocking to the competition. Also worth noting is the sad reality of consumer electronics: consoles break, and unless you want your games to be but so many circular paperweights, chances are you will purchase a replacement - one with a different ID that would, in the nightmare scenario, force you to re-purchase every game in your library. Granted Sony might remedy this through some kind of workaround (such as tying a console to your PSN account which seems to be plausible, according to the NeoGAF post), but that leaves those without internet access - yes, they exist - without recourse. Personally, i'm not terribly worried about Sony suddenly declaring all used games utterly verboten any time soon. It's a rather unattractive prospect, particularly given that Sony could see all their R&D and marketing cash they will be throwing at the PS4 evaporate in the fires of collective rage, and as Game Informer notes, "Sony owns many other anti-piracy patents, like USPTO #6,782,477, which have never been used." Those who wish to read the patent, fancy lawyer-speak and all, can do so at this link. What do you think, gamers? Is the news of Sony's patent call for alarm, or is this all so much overblown nonsense? Sound off in the comments section below!... Super Swede 1001.jpg

The news sites are abuzz, after the kids over at NeoGAF posted a recent patent application from Sony, entitled "Electronic Content Processing System, Electronic Content Processing Method, Package Of Electronic Content, And Use Permission Apparatus." In layman's terms, this would allow consoles to determine whether a disc had been previously used on another system, by using an ID that would be present on every unit shipped. The disc would then be prevented from working on any console other than that on which it was first used. From the patent application:

"According to the present embodiment, realized is the electronic content processing system that reliably restricts the use of electronic content dealt in the second-hand markets. As a result, the dealing of electronic content in the second-hand markets is suppressed, which in turn supports the redistribution of part of proceeds from sales of the electronic content to the developers. Though in the following description a game application (AP) is exemplified as the electronic content, the present embodiment is similarly applicable to various kinds of electronic content such as an office suite, images, and music content."

Now granted, being cynicism's unofficial mascot, I have no doubt that console manufacturers would love to see this sort of thing become a standard feature: those of us who have spent time anywhere in the general vicinity of the corporate world know that "we're just falling in line with the competition" is the preferred method of absolving otherwise-displeasing policy. On the other hand, individual companies aren't typically eager to be the first to pull the d**chebag trigger alienate a segment of consumers - yours truly, being the adorably working-class creature that he is, tends to favor used games - thus risking a scenario in which said consumers find themselves flocking to the competition. Also worth noting is the sad reality of consumer electronics: consoles break, and unless you want your games to be but so many circular paperweights, chances are you will purchase a replacement - one with a different ID that would, in the nightmare scenario, force you to re-purchase every game in your library. Granted Sony might remedy this through some kind of workaround (such as tying a console to your PSN account which seems to be plausible, according to the NeoGAF post), but that leaves those without internet access - yes, they exist - without recourse. Personally, i'm not terribly worried about Sony suddenly declaring all used games utterly verboten any time soon. It's a rather unattractive prospect, particularly given that Sony could see all their R&D and marketing cash they will be throwing at the PS4 evaporate in the fires of collective rage, and as Game Informer notes, "Sony owns many other anti-piracy patents, like USPTO #6,782,477, which have never been used." Those who wish to read the patent, fancy lawyer-speak and all, can do so at this link.

What do you think, gamers? Is the news of Sony's patent call for alarm, or is this all so much overblown nonsense? Sound off in the comments section below!

]]> Japan Bids Farewell To The PS2 tag:gaygamer.net,2012://1.46702 2012-12-31T16:23:19Z 2012-12-31T22:56:09Z Over the years, I've poked fun at Japan. Partly it's because of the of the destroying of our collective innocence with its twisted brainwrongs; partly it's because of the theory the only nation on Earth that treats its water with the "brown acid," and is generally a 150,000 mi2 factory for the world's night terrors. Yet I kid because I love, and aside from adoring its weird creations, our friends across the pond have given us some mighty fine game systems: among the being the NES, Sega Genesis, and of course, the PlayStation line - the most notable of which, arguably, being the PlayStation 2. Have rolled in the digital hay for over twelve years, the PS2 and Japan have decided to part ways. Indeed, after selling over 150 million units (according to Joystiq) and being the best-selling console of all time, production has ceased . With its final shipment on the way to retailers, gamers will have to suffice with used version of the popular system. So alas, we bid adieu to the PS2: its rectangular, black profile standing tall above its peers, like the monolith from 2001: A Space Odyssey. As our dear friend - one which served me with admirable reliability until the optical drive failed after 14 months god f*cking d*mmit - is being put out to pasture, I cradle it in my arms and say, "Leave this world with pride, brother. You gave us MGS3, Silent Hill 2, and Shadow of the Colossus. Now rest, my old comrade; you've earned it." via Kotaku... Super Swede launch-ps2.jpg

Over the years, I've poked fun at Japan. Partly it's because of the of the destroying of our collective innocence with its twisted brainwrongs; partly it's because of the theory the only nation on Earth that treats its water with the "brown acid," and is generally a 150,000 mi2 factory for the world's night terrors. Yet I kid because I love, and aside from adoring its weird creations, our friends across the pond have given us some mighty fine game systems: among the being the NES, Sega Genesis, and of course, the PlayStation line - the most notable of which, arguably, being the PlayStation 2.

Have rolled in the digital hay for over twelve years, the PS2 and Japan have decided to part ways. Indeed, after selling over 150 million units (according to Joystiq) and being the best-selling console of all time, production has ceased . With its final shipment on the way to retailers, gamers will have to suffice with used version of the popular system.

So alas, we bid adieu to the PS2: its rectangular, black profile standing tall above its peers, like the monolith from 2001: A Space Odyssey. As our dear friend - one which served me with admirable reliability until the optical drive failed after 14 months god f*cking d*mmit - is being put out to pasture, I cradle it in my arms and say, "Leave this world with pride, brother. You gave us MGS3, Silent Hill 2, and Shadow of the Colossus. Now rest, my old comrade; you've earned it."

via Kotaku

]]> GaymerCon Now "Gaymer X" tag:gaygamer.net,2012://1.46697 2012-12-27T02:48:37Z 2012-12-27T05:13:08Z Oh legal issues, you scamp... Indeed, as eagle-eyed readers might have guessed, the name "GaymerCon" has become a thing of the past. In the interest of avoiding trademark issues, the fine folks at this most festive of geeky get-togethers have, for the sake of avoiding any litigative unpleasantness, have decided to rename the coming fabulocalypse "Gaymer X," while its social media counterpart shall be called "GaymerConnect." According to the above video, posted by the con formerly known as GaymerCon founder Matt Conn, the specter of such issues came to light early in the Kickstarter. No names were provided; rather, he simply stated that they had "chatted with the owner of the trademark" about the matter, and that it was believed that the two parties could come to an agreement on a shared-use arrangement. That fell through, and Conn stated that the subsequent issues with licensing would have siphoned money from the con - and thus, from those that helped to fund it. The change also comes after GaymerConnect was released out of beta. Profile registration is free (as one would expect); those who wish to visit the GaymerConnect Fortress can peruse the forums, find LGBT guilds, or network with other gamers by "following" them - in addition to the rudimentary sending and receiving of private messages. For those feeling competitive (or wish to ascend to the heights of digital godhood), each profile features a leveling system. Those who are awaiting their badge codes will be happy to know that they will be sent out in the next week or so. So unless further issues arise, necessitating that Conn & Co. change the name to something along the lines of "GaymerCon: Revelations," you can check out GaymerConnect!... Super Swede

Oh legal issues, you scamp...

Indeed, as eagle-eyed readers might have guessed, the name "GaymerCon" has become a thing of the past. In the interest of avoiding trademark issues, the fine folks at this most festive of geeky get-togethers have, for the sake of avoiding any litigative unpleasantness, have decided to rename the coming fabulocalypse "Gaymer X," while its social media counterpart shall be called "GaymerConnect."

According to the above video, posted by the con formerly known as GaymerCon founder Matt Conn, the specter of such issues came to light early in the Kickstarter. No names were provided; rather, he simply stated that they had "chatted with the owner of the trademark" about the matter, and that it was believed that the two parties could come to an agreement on a shared-use arrangement. That fell through, and Conn stated that the subsequent issues with licensing would have siphoned money from the con - and thus, from those that helped to fund it.

The change also comes after GaymerConnect was released out of beta. Profile registration is free (as one would expect); those who wish to visit the GaymerConnect Fortress can peruse the forums, find LGBT guilds, or network with other gamers by "following" them - in addition to the rudimentary sending and receiving of private messages. For those feeling competitive (or wish to ascend to the heights of digital godhood), each profile features a leveling system. Those who are awaiting their badge codes will be happy to know that they will be sent out in the next week or so.

So unless further issues arise, necessitating that Conn & Co. change the name to something along the lines of "GaymerCon: Revelations," you can check out GaymerConnect!

]]> Teaser: Live-Action Deus Ex: Human Revolution tag:gaygamer.net,2012://1.46694 2012-12-22T05:30:45Z 2012-12-27T23:12:40Z As much as I despise video game movies, it is the fervent prayer of yours truly - shot skyward, toward the firmament, and into the omnipotent ears of He with the Greatest Beard - that I one day find those word thoroughly eaten. So while approached with due caution, I found myself fairly pleased with the trailer from a forthcoming, live-action short film of Human Revolution. A project from one Moe Charif (who serves as writer and director, as well as playing Adam Jensen, according to the credits), this live-action frolic first came to light back in January, when a behind-the-scenes video (featuring some rather fancy martial arts) of the project was uploaded to YouTube. The above video gives some indication of how the scenes turned out, and hopefully, a sign of things to come. So enjoy the audio-visual goodness, and as always, feel free to share your thoughts in the comments section below!... Super Swede

As much as I despise video game movies, it is the fervent prayer of yours truly - shot skyward, toward the firmament, and into the omnipotent ears of He with the Greatest Beard - that I one day find those word thoroughly eaten. So while approached with due caution, I found myself fairly pleased with the trailer from a forthcoming, live-action short film of Human Revolution. A project from one Moe Charif (who serves as writer and director, as well as playing Adam Jensen, according to the credits), this live-action frolic first came to light back in January, when a behind-the-scenes video (featuring some rather fancy martial arts) of the project was uploaded to YouTube. The above video gives some indication of how the scenes turned out, and hopefully, a sign of things to come.

So enjoy the audio-visual goodness, and as always, feel free to share your thoughts in the comments section below!

]]> Video: The Opening Minutes Of BioShock Infinite tag:gaygamer.net,2012://1.46689 2012-12-20T05:20:29Z 2012-12-20T17:18:39Z I'll spare you the requisite "spoilers above" bother, as indeed (as the title indicates), Levine & Co. have released the first few minutes of BioShock infinite. Capturing the inter-continental divide - two British NPCs engaged in spirited banter, while our American protagonist stares at his gun - the above video follows Booker DeWitt as before his ascent to the perpetual celebration of all things "flags and eagles," Columbia. Last week also brought an interview with Ken Levine, covering gameplay, delays, and the challenge of integrating a more "direct" narrative between characters during gameplay, as well as the themes of Infinite: particularly, a nod to the religious undertones of Columbia's mission. As much as I'd like to say that my position on religion is totally metal - i.e. something along the lines of "Ye who is called by a thousand cursed names, bringer of the Black Delights, speaker of lies innumerable, upon whose tattered wings Man shall usurp the heavens for his own wicked ends: I commend unto thee my immortal soul" - the less impressive fact is that we're simply not on speaking terms. Yet like Mr. Levine (who is not of the flock, strictly speaking), I've always been fascinated by the religious impulse: particularly the power it inspires to inspire, galvanize, and generally hold sway over its adherents. As noted in the interview, Comstock differs from Andrew Ryan in many ways: holding American Exceptionalism and old-timey faith as virtue, whereas Andrew Ryan was a staunch atheist who quite literally quit America out of protest against the restrictions of traditional, collectivist ethics - yet despite said differences, find themselves treading the same path toward absolutism - and ultimately, the tyranny both claim, in their respective ways, to reject. So enjoy the video, and check out last week's interview with Ken Levine (honorary mayor of Beard City) after the jump!... Super Swede

I'll spare you the requisite "spoilers above" bother, as indeed (as the title indicates), Levine & Co. have released the first few minutes of BioShock infinite. Capturing the inter-continental divide - two British NPCs engaged in spirited banter, while our American protagonist stares at his gun - the above video follows Booker DeWitt as before his ascent to the perpetual celebration of all things "flags and eagles," Columbia.

Last week also brought an interview with Ken Levine, covering gameplay, delays, and the challenge of integrating a more "direct" narrative between characters during gameplay, as well as the themes of Infinite: particularly, a nod to the religious undertones of Columbia's mission. As much as I'd like to say that my position on religion is totally metal - i.e. something along the lines of "Ye who is called by a thousand cursed names, bringer of the Black Delights, speaker of lies innumerable, upon whose tattered wings Man shall usurp the heavens for his own wicked ends: I commend unto thee my immortal soul" - the less impressive fact is that we're simply not on speaking terms. Yet like Mr. Levine (who is not of the flock, strictly speaking), I've always been fascinated by the religious impulse: particularly the power it inspires to inspire, galvanize, and generally hold sway over its adherents. As noted in the interview, Comstock differs from Andrew Ryan in many ways: holding American Exceptionalism and old-timey faith as virtue, whereas Andrew Ryan was a staunch atheist who quite literally quit America out of protest against the restrictions of traditional, collectivist ethics - yet despite said differences, find themselves treading the same path toward absolutism - and ultimately, the tyranny both claim, in their respective ways, to reject.

So enjoy the video, and check out last week's interview with Ken Levine (honorary mayor of Beard City) after the jump!

]]>


]]> Kaiju Combat: It Has Giant Monsters, For Christ's Sake tag:gaygamer.net,2012://1.46680 2012-12-14T13:27:03Z 2012-12-14T23:50:34Z We writers of the site each have our own role to play. Wootini holds the fort for most of the week: cranking out articles innumerable, as well as maintaining the video podcast. Hal brings us hard-hitting news and thoughtful analysis. Meanwhile, in the darkest depths of Gaygamer.net dungeon, yours truly dons his black robes, binges on the musical stylings of Watain, and alternaties between torturing the resident spambots and knitting a "Girl Power" sweater for his cat. Yet there is a fire that burns in my heart: greater than my passion for Scandinavian Metal, and more potent even than my love of cats. Naturally, said passion is for giant monsters - preferably of the "battling to the death while all humanity quakes before their mighty feet" variety. Said passion finds itself (potentially) realized in the form of Kaiju Combat: a Kickstarter project spearhead by one Simon Strange, owner of Sunstone Games. Mr Strange is no stranger (I tried desperately to avoid that pun) to the subject matter: the Kickstarter notes that his past work has involved "designing the combat & controls of giant monster fighting games such as Godzilla: Destroy All Monsters Melee, Rampage: Total Destruction and the classic Godzilla: Save the Earth." With Kaiju Combat, Strange & Co. look to take the battle to the online realm. Rather than a single title, Kaiju Combat aims to release several standalone games, which can either be enjoyed by themselves, or combined to create a larger experience, with more monsters, environments, and the like, as well as a single-player campaign. Strange states that, in keeping with claims made in Kickstarers Past, "every decision is being vetted by the fans who want to play the game." He touts the 400+ strong forum community which, in addition to providing feedback, and submitting original designs for the monster roster. The initial release will be twofold: the former being a free version (featuring one environment with four monster from which to choose), and the latter being paid, with more monsters, environments, and the aforementioned delve into a single-player campaign. Perusing the YouTube comments of Kaiju Combat's pitch video, Strange seemed optimistic about reaching the funding goal. Still, he noted that this is the second time that the game has taken to Kickstarter, and should the project fail, "we have no plans to try for a third attempt." The game will be a PC exclusive, with the possibility of a subsequent console release, should funding allow it. So if you're a fan of fighting games - preferably involving great beast stalking the Earth in search of blood and glory - check out the Kickstarter for Kaiju Combat!... Super Swede

We writers of the site each have our own role to play. Wootini holds the fort for most of the week: cranking out articles innumerable, as well as maintaining the video podcast. Hal brings us hard-hitting news and thoughtful analysis. Meanwhile, in the darkest depths of Gaygamer.net dungeon, yours truly dons his black robes, binges on the musical stylings of Watain, and alternaties between torturing the resident spambots and knitting a "Girl Power" sweater for his cat. Yet there is a fire that burns in my heart: greater than my passion for Scandinavian Metal, and more potent even than my love of cats. Naturally, said passion is for giant monsters - preferably of the "battling to the death while all humanity quakes before their mighty feet" variety.

Said passion finds itself (potentially) realized in the form of Kaiju Combat: a Kickstarter project spearhead by one Simon Strange, owner of Sunstone Games. Mr Strange is no stranger (I tried desperately to avoid that pun) to the subject matter: the Kickstarter notes that his past work has involved "designing the combat & controls of giant monster fighting games such as Godzilla: Destroy All Monsters Melee, Rampage: Total Destruction and the classic Godzilla: Save the Earth." With Kaiju Combat, Strange & Co. look to take the battle to the online realm.

Rather than a single title, Kaiju Combat aims to release several standalone games, which can either be enjoyed by themselves, or combined to create a larger experience, with more monsters, environments, and the like, as well as a single-player campaign. Strange states that, in keeping with claims made in Kickstarers Past, "every decision is being vetted by the fans who want to play the game." He touts the 400+ strong forum community which, in addition to providing feedback, and submitting original designs for the monster roster. The initial release will be twofold: the former being a free version (featuring one environment with four monster from which to choose), and the latter being paid, with more monsters, environments, and the aforementioned delve into a single-player campaign.

Perusing the YouTube comments of Kaiju Combat's pitch video, Strange seemed optimistic about reaching the funding goal. Still, he noted that this is the second time that the game has taken to Kickstarter, and should the project fail, "we have no plans to try for a third attempt." The game will be a PC exclusive, with the possibility of a subsequent console release, should funding allow it.

So if you're a fan of fighting games - preferably involving great beast stalking the Earth in search of blood and glory - check out the Kickstarter for Kaiju Combat!

]]> Trailer: Street Fighter X Mega Man tag:gaygamer.net,2012://1.46672 2012-12-12T03:32:08Z 2012-12-12T05:35:17Z $0: To those on my rung of the socioeconomic ladder, it's a familiar figure. Less than the price of a cup of coffee, and not even enough to feed a third-world child for any length of time, that dismal little non-amount often evokes sighs, the burying of head in hands, and naturally, a stark re-evaluation of one's life prospects. Yet every now and again, Dame Zilch dons her evening attire, seducing lady and gent alike with the promise of one of her sexy favors. Said favor comes in the form of Street Fighter X Mega Man, a crossover/nostalgia fest from the kiddos over at Capcom. Harkening back to a time known as "the 8-bit era," the game celebrates the 25th anniversary of both franchises with a full-bore, NES-style platformer. Having run out of robots (according to the above video), our intrepid protagonist now takes his fight to members of the Street Fighter gang who, for reasons undisclosed, have decided to turn against the forces of good. Street Fighter X Mega Man will be available for free PC download on December 17th. Until then, enjoy the trailer, and check Capcom Unity for further details!... Super Swede

$0: To those on my rung of the socioeconomic ladder, it's a familiar figure. Less than the price of a cup of coffee, and not even enough to feed a third-world child for any length of time, that dismal little non-amount often evokes sighs, the burying of head in hands, and naturally, a stark re-evaluation of one's life prospects. Yet every now and again, Dame Zilch dons her evening attire, seducing lady and gent alike with the promise of one of her sexy favors.

Said favor comes in the form of Street Fighter X Mega Man, a crossover/nostalgia fest from the kiddos over at Capcom. Harkening back to a time known as "the 8-bit era," the game celebrates the 25th anniversary of both franchises with a full-bore, NES-style platformer. Having run out of robots (according to the above video), our intrepid protagonist now takes his fight to members of the Street Fighter gang who, for reasons undisclosed, have decided to turn against the forces of good.

Street Fighter X Mega Man will be available for free PC download on December 17th.

Until then, enjoy the trailer, and check Capcom Unity for further details!

]]> Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance, Now With More Metal Gear Ray tag:gaygamer.net,2012://1.46669 2012-12-08T03:38:40Z 2012-12-08T04:55:53Z The term "magical" has come to mean many things. To the superstitious, it evokes fear of forces unknown. To romantics, it is the pairing of two wayward hearts. To Apple, it means a giant iPod Touch. Yet transcending all of these - stronger than the Black Arts, deeper than the most timeless romance, and cooler than the official Instagram iPad app - is the sacred union of giant robots and apocalyptic death lasers. As such, I've always had an affinity for Metal Gear Ray: in fact, for reasons known only to myself, it is my favorite of Kojima & Co.'s bipedal monstrosities. Said monstrosity finds itself front and center in the latest trailer for Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance. As part of Raiden's ongoing campaign to transform his image from "not Solid Snake, therefore sh*t" to "blade-wielding cyber-ninja," our humble ex-chump sees fit to bring his newfound might to battle Ray - leaping, slashing, and dismembering his foe with due prejudice - as his helpful assistant provides helpful information, while trying his best to fake a Russian accent. What do you think, gamers? Does Revengeance signal a bold new direction for the series, or is this all so much gimmicky nonsense? Sound off in the comments section below!... Super Swede

The term "magical" has come to mean many things. To the superstitious, it evokes fear of forces unknown. To romantics, it is the pairing of two wayward hearts. To Apple, it means a giant iPod Touch. Yet transcending all of these - stronger than the Black Arts, deeper than the most timeless romance, and cooler than the official Instagram iPad app - is the sacred union of giant robots and apocalyptic death lasers. As such, I've always had an affinity for Metal Gear Ray: in fact, for reasons known only to myself, it is my favorite of Kojima & Co.'s bipedal monstrosities.

Said monstrosity finds itself front and center in the latest trailer for Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance. As part of Raiden's ongoing campaign to transform his image from "not Solid Snake, therefore sh*t" to "blade-wielding cyber-ninja," our humble ex-chump sees fit to bring his newfound might to battle Ray - leaping, slashing, and dismembering his foe with due prejudice - as his helpful assistant provides helpful information, while trying his best to fake a Russian accent.

What do you think, gamers? Does Revengeance signal a bold new direction for the series, or is this all so much gimmicky nonsense? Sound off in the comments section below!

]]> Mike Capps Retires As President Of Epic Games tag:gaygamer.net,2012://1.46662 2012-12-05T04:24:29Z 2012-12-05T06:47:19Z Having never experienced childbirth, I can only assume it's something like this: a surreal, existential nightmare, which our mothers suffered in exchange for pinchable cheeks, adorable baby sounds, and naturally, the innate danger that said baby might end up setting the house on fire when he or she turns fifteen. While Epic's Mike Capps waits to behold this harrowing ordeal, there is the question of raising said child. In his case, this entails limiting his role at the company: as per a statement posted to the Epic Games website, Capps will be retiring from his post as president. As he and his wife are expecting their first child, the former president wishes to dedicate his time to being a stay-at-home dad "for a while," as well as the possibility of "teaching, spend more time on creative writing, and maybe get more active with a few charities." Despite retiring from the position, he will remain on the board of directors, with the former president adding, "I'll continue to be available as a resource to Epic, to provide context or advice where I can." As everyone on the internet has noted, Capps's retirement marks the latest in a string of departures affecting the company. Producer Rod Fergusson joined the BioShock Infinite team back in August, Gears of War gameplay designer Lee Perry left to form iOS developer bitMonster, while People Can Fly (an subsidiary of Epic Games) lost two artists and the creative lead from Gears of War: Judgment. So good luck to Epic during this moment of transition, and congratulations (and good luck) to Mr. Capps the child front. Being a stay-at-home parent seems like a smashing idea, until you realize that your shrieking doomspawn little bundle of joy uses the same vocalizations for "I'd like some milk, please" and "Oh god, the walls are pouring blood..."... Super Swede capps.jpg

Having never experienced childbirth, I can only assume it's something like this: a surreal, existential nightmare, which our mothers suffered in exchange for pinchable cheeks, adorable baby sounds, and naturally, the innate danger that said baby might end up setting the house on fire when he or she turns fifteen.

While Epic's Mike Capps waits to behold this harrowing ordeal, there is the question of raising said child. In his case, this entails limiting his role at the company: as per a statement posted to the Epic Games website, Capps will be retiring from his post as president. As he and his wife are expecting their first child, the former president wishes to dedicate his time to being a stay-at-home dad "for a while," as well as the possibility of "teaching, spend more time on creative writing, and maybe get more active with a few charities." Despite retiring from the position, he will remain on the board of directors, with the former president adding, "I'll continue to be available as a resource to Epic, to provide context or advice where I can."

As everyone on the internet has noted, Capps's retirement marks the latest in a string of departures affecting the company. Producer Rod Fergusson joined the BioShock Infinite team back in August, Gears of War gameplay designer Lee Perry left to form iOS developer bitMonster, while People Can Fly (an subsidiary of Epic Games) lost two artists and the creative lead from Gears of War: Judgment.

So good luck to Epic during this moment of transition, and congratulations (and good luck) to Mr. Capps the child front. Being a stay-at-home parent seems like a smashing idea, until you realize that your shrieking doomspawn little bundle of joy uses the same vocalizations for "I'd like some milk, please" and "Oh god, the walls are pouring blood..."

]]> Guillermo del Toro Still Interested in Making "inSANE" tag:gaygamer.net,2012://1.46652 2012-12-01T04:20:43Z 2012-12-01T21:13:19Z Super Swede

I don't think it's a terribly bold statement that often times, the puppy love between film and video games is one that simply should not be. Granted, I've found film to be the greater offender: not even the chemical embrace from my, shall we say, "addled" period could stave off my disappointment at the Silent Hill movie, and its successor is, according to trusted friends, a compelling argument for increasing the DARPA budget by 400% in the interest of one day being able to toss said film into the national memory hole.

Yet yours truly has but a limited reservoir of spite. Thus, I was disappointed - perhaps even what humans call "sad" - to hear that inSANE, a prospective video game from Guillermo del Toro (perhaps best known for the fantastic "Pan's Labyrinth"), seemed as though it would never see the light of day. The game has been in jeopardy, after financial troubles at THQ resulted in its cancellation. Fortunately for Del Toro & Co., the company returned the rights to inSANE, raising the possibility that it could eventually be picked up by another publisher. Still, the director had previously expressed his troubles with gaining support for the game, describing the chilly reception he received from the "very resistant and conservative" particularly at the thought of supporting a film director's foray into the world of Lovecraft-inspired horror games.

Speaking to IGN, Del Toro states that, despite coming from a cinema background, he prefers video games use their own form of storytelling, rather than relying on cues from film. From the IGN interview:

I'm 47, so I've seen video games evolve from tele-pong to now; literally, I'm that old. I think what it is, to me, when people say, "this video game is like a movie," that's not a big compliment. I think that what is great is when a video game is the best video game possible; when you are able to even go beyond any other art form and engage in storytelling through a video game engine.

Despite the unpleasant turn with THQ, Del Toro is optimistic about the prospect of an eventual release, as a developer (which he would not name) has expressed interest in supporting the project. Should inSANE have indeed found a happy little home (okay, perhaps "happy" isn't the right word), the director stresses that the game is still about two years off. While largely complete on paper - the story, universe, as well as creature and set designs - he notes that "we are now going to take that and start doing all the leg work with coding it, creating the engine, and starting to test it [...] The basic tenants of the game is that it's created, but now we're going to need to start actually making it."

So gamers, what do you think about inSANE's potential resurrection? Sound off in the comments section below!

]]> Video: Baldur's Gate: Enhanced Edition Gameplay Footage tag:gaygamer.net,2012://1.46648 2012-11-28T03:04:28Z 2012-11-29T02:54:45Z November 28th: The day when fervent roleplayers see their readied actions realized - i.e. "upon Baldur's Gate's release, hit 'download' button" - geekdom saps our collective bandwidth, and the great cyber-DM of the digital plane throws up his hands in defeat. Indeed, with the promise of some classic gaming goodness, tomorrow marks the day when Baldur's Gate will be available on PC, with Mac and iPad incarnations coming soon thereafter (the official site still has a rather vague "November" as the release date), and an Android version in the works. So while you stare at your bank statement, debating whether your mother actually needs that scarf for Christmas (she doesn't), Joystiq has provided some in-game footage from the game. I'll keep things rather brief - the aforementioned footage largely speaks for itself - but for those that haven't been following the epic quest of Baldur's Gate: Enhanced Edition, here are the goodies you will get, aside from the game itself, and the Tales of the Sword Coast expansion pack: New Adventure: The Black Pits New Character: Dorn Il-Khan New Character: Neera the Wild Mage New Character: Rasaad yn Bashir A new collection of player character voice sets Native support for high resolution widescreen displays Over 400 improvements to the original game Improved multiplayer support, with connectivity between all platforms Baldur's Gate will run you $20 on Windows and Mac, or $10 on Android or the iPad. via Joystiq... Super Swede

November 28th: The day when fervent roleplayers see their readied actions realized - i.e. "upon Baldur's Gate's release, hit 'download' button" - geekdom saps our collective bandwidth, and the great cyber-DM of the digital plane throws up his hands in defeat.

Indeed, with the promise of some classic gaming goodness, tomorrow marks the day when Baldur's Gate will be available on PC, with Mac and iPad incarnations coming soon thereafter (the official site still has a rather vague "November" as the release date), and an Android version in the works. So while you stare at your bank statement, debating whether your mother actually needs that scarf for Christmas (she doesn't), Joystiq has provided some in-game footage from the game. I'll keep things rather brief - the aforementioned footage largely speaks for itself - but for those that haven't been following the epic quest of Baldur's Gate: Enhanced Edition, here are the goodies you will get, aside from the game itself, and the Tales of the Sword Coast expansion pack:

  • New Adventure: The Black Pits
  • New Character: Dorn Il-Khan
  • New Character: Neera the Wild Mage
  • New Character: Rasaad yn Bashir
  • A new collection of player character voice sets
  • Native support for high resolution widescreen displays
  • Over 400 improvements to the original game
  • Improved multiplayer support, with connectivity between all platforms

Baldur's Gate will run you $20 on Windows and Mac, or $10 on Android or the iPad.

via Joystiq

]]> Cyber Black Friday: Trampling-Free, Worker-Friendly Deals From The Internet tag:gaygamer.net,2012://1.46641 2012-11-21T03:43:50Z 2012-11-21T05:46:36Z Black Friday will soon be upon us, bringing with it two notable things: 1) some of the lowest prices of the year, and 2) The fires of Hell being stoked, for another year, by the seething hatred of retail employees. Yours truly falls into the latter camp, finding myself taking a jaunt into the city at 4:00 AM to deal with the Great Unwashed, and generally battling the urge to d*ck punch every Black Friday shopper that wanders into my field of vision. Yet the internet heals all wounds, and as such, Black Friday's d*che-less equivalent has reared its digital head. The deals are too many to name, so in the interest of brevity, I will spare you an orgy of titles and prices, and instead provide a helpful little selection of some of the bounty you can claim during the e-madness. Black Friday: Because face it, no matter how much of a jerk I am to you, you're still going to buy that $150 tablet. Amazon: various "Lightning Deals" throughout the week, on both console and PC titles. Amazon also encourages shoppers to "check back daily for newly added deals." Steam: The Steam "Autumn Sale" will run from the 21st to the 27th, according to a recent blog post from the Secret of the Magic Crystals developer diary. Xbox Live Marketplace: Major Nelson has provided an Excel document (very fancy), adorned with links to the product description of each game in the Xbox Live Marketplace. The offer runs until the 26th. PSN: Several "Ultimate Edition" games (which include all free and paid DLC) will be up to 66% off, or 73% with a PlayStation Plus membership, through the end of the week.... Super Swede The-Zombies-shaun-of-the-dead-1355838-1500-987-657x341.jpg

Black Friday will soon be upon us, bringing with it two notable things: 1) some of the lowest prices of the year, and 2) The fires of Hell being stoked, for another year, by the seething hatred of retail employees. Yours truly falls into the latter camp, finding myself taking a jaunt into the city at 4:00 AM to deal with the Great Unwashed, and generally battling the urge to d*ck punch every Black Friday shopper that wanders into my field of vision.

Yet the internet heals all wounds, and as such, Black Friday's d*che-less equivalent has reared its digital head. The deals are too many to name, so in the interest of brevity, I will spare you an orgy of titles and prices, and instead provide a helpful little selection of some of the bounty you can claim during the e-madness.

Black Friday: Because face it, no matter how much of a jerk I am to you, you're still going to buy that $150 tablet.

Amazon: various "Lightning Deals" throughout the week, on both console and PC titles. Amazon also encourages shoppers to "check back daily for newly added deals."

Steam: The Steam "Autumn Sale" will run from the 21st to the 27th, according to a recent blog post from the Secret of the Magic Crystals developer diary.

Xbox Live Marketplace: Major Nelson has provided an Excel document (very fancy), adorned with links to the product description of each game in the Xbox Live Marketplace. The offer runs until the 26th.

PSN: Several "Ultimate Edition" games (which include all free and paid DLC) will be up to 66% off, or 73% with a PlayStation Plus membership, through the end of the week.

]]> MIT Game Lab Releases "A Slower Speed Of Light" tag:gaygamer.net,2012://1.46632 2012-11-17T03:47:07Z 2012-11-17T07:36:40Z Usually, when it comes to video games, I tend to take the "seizures and motion sickness" warnings with a grain of salt. Yet despite a mind bends to no pixel, and whose heart pumps pure testosterone, yours truly has found himself with that strange, uncomfortable sensation: one that, in an earlier era, would have sent Southern Belles to their respective fainting couches. Indeed, the kids over at MIT Game Lab have decided to make physics f*cking trippy fun, in the form of A Slower Speed of Light: a project that uses the whimsical world of video games to explore the concept of special relativity. The game revolves around the "laughably simple" task of object collection - specifically, a series of orbs. The twist is, as noted in the video by "Product Owner" Gerd Kortemeyer (who can't help but sound like every German villain in the history of American action movies), is that with each orb collected, the game "artificially lowers the speed of light." In doing so, A Slower Speed of Light aims to illustrate the distortions that occur when object approach the speed of light - something to which, it goes without saying, we are fundamentally unaccustomed. The game is quite short - it took me just under nine minutes to collect all 100 orbs - but well worth a playthrough. A Slower Speed of Light is an open-source project, and is currently available for free download at the MIT Game Lab. So until the release of Noam Chomsky's re-imagining of "Civilization," in which players lead indigenous people of an unnamed country, spearheading a noble, but futile agrarian movement against the forces of imperialism and international finance capital, enjoy the psychedelic loveliness that is A Slower Speed of Light! Do it for science.... Super Swede

Usually, when it comes to video games, I tend to take the "seizures and motion sickness" warnings with a grain of salt. Yet despite a mind bends to no pixel, and whose heart pumps pure testosterone, yours truly has found himself with that strange, uncomfortable sensation: one that, in an earlier era, would have sent Southern Belles to their respective fainting couches.

Indeed, the kids over at MIT Game Lab have decided to make physics f*cking trippy fun, in the form of A Slower Speed of Light: a project that uses the whimsical world of video games to explore the concept of special relativity. The game revolves around the "laughably simple" task of object collection - specifically, a series of orbs. The twist is, as noted in the video by "Product Owner" Gerd Kortemeyer (who can't help but sound like every German villain in the history of American action movies), is that with each orb collected, the game "artificially lowers the speed of light." In doing so, A Slower Speed of Light aims to illustrate the distortions that occur when object approach the speed of light - something to which, it goes without saying, we are fundamentally unaccustomed. The game is quite short - it took me just under nine minutes to collect all 100 orbs - but well worth a playthrough. A Slower Speed of Light is an open-source project, and is currently available for free download at the MIT Game Lab.

So until the release of Noam Chomsky's re-imagining of "Civilization," in which players lead indigenous people of an unnamed country, spearheading a noble, but futile agrarian movement against the forces of imperialism and international finance capital, enjoy the psychedelic loveliness that is A Slower Speed of Light! Do it for science.

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