GayGamer.net

Wootini's Weekly Animal Crossing Diary

2010-03-20T01:00:00Z

Dear Diary,

I did pretty well this week in Narnia, as long as I don't lose another good friend. The town bulletin board says that the cherry blossoms are coming, but they're not here yet. I love them — they're so pretty. Though we did have a lovely little sight this week. Make the jump and see what it was!

]]>

My mom sent me a letter to remind me to eat my veggies. I'll eat whatever I want now that I'm out from under your roof, you harridan! Stuff Dad to the gills with your rabbit food — I'm gonna eat a nice juicy steak!

I bought 500 turnips from Joan because they were only 95 bells to start. Monday they were down to 70, and Tuesday they were 61, but on Wednesday they were 129. So I got all paranoid and decided to sell 300 of my batch just to be on the safe side. Then, even if the price dropped, I would have at least made some profit. I think. I don't know. I didn't do the math. But then on Thursday, they went all the way up to 181! So I sold the other two hundred and made a tidy profit. Too bad I didn't wait, but I was nervous. And on Friday, they'd gone down, but only to 179. Darn. This was a good week for turnips. I wish I'd bought 1,000!

St. Patrick's Day was this week. And while Nintendo didn't sent me anything in the mail to commemorate the holiday, I still had my hat from last year. So I ordered a military uniform from Nook to arrive on Wednesday, so I could enjoy St. Pat's Day in my emerald finest!

It's no cherry blossom festival, but I was wandering around town one evening later this week and heard that telltale zinging sound above me. So I looked up to enjoy the sight of another meteor shower. So pretty! Probably should've made a wish...

I was a little taken aback when Biskit approached me and told me he was thinking about leaving town. I begged him not to (I love my transvestite dogs!), and he said he'd try to get out of it, but I'm a little nervous. Not to leave you with a cliffhanger, but we'll have to wait until next week to see what happens!

Heavy Rain Patched!

2010-03-19T23:30:00Z

Today, Sony released that patch for Heavy Rain, which they hoped would address the issues that people have been having with the game, from graphical and sound glitches to not being able to load your saved game. Well, I would like to happily report that while they didn't sound entirely confident that it would take care of 100% of the issues people were having, it totally fixed my black loading screen of frozen death! A quick download of the patch and I was able to pick up where I left off and play the last hour or so of the game! Hopefully any of you who were also having this problem will also find it solved. And hopefully other glitches have been taken care of as well. While I agree that the game probably shouldn't have shipped with these kind of bugs, I appreciate the reasonably fast response. Now I can try to get all the rest of the trophies... and a better ending!

Lips Loves The '80s! (But Only In The UK!)

2010-03-19T01:00:00Z

Video Games | Lips: I Love the 80s | Debut Trailer

XBox 360 | Playstation 3 | Nintendo Wii

I don't know what's worse — that it took this long for the Lips series to branch out into a more specific genre for an add-on disc, or that it totally snuck up on me! Lips: I Love The '80s is apparently due out in the UK on April 2. I was really hoping for a US release, because I would have been all over that like I don't even know what! Unfortunately, I contacted Microsoft, and this is a UK release only. Sigh. Hopefully some of these songs will make it to our shores as DLC because I absolutely love '80s music, and they're are the songs I've always sang the most in Lips. And with tunes like "The Look of Love" by ABC, "Cruel Summer" by Bananarama, "Too Shy" by Kajagoogoo and "Kids In America" by Kim Wilde, I'd be in heaven! I'll put the full 40-track list after the jump, if you're a UK reader and curious as to what you're getting. If you're a US Lips fan, I don't recommend making that jump, because it'll just upset you. Seriously, I can't even express my disappointment in words here. It's awful...

]]> The Look Of Love - ABC
Forever Young - Alphaville
Cruel Summer - Bananarama
Dreaming - Blondie
Video Killed The Radio Star - The Buggles
You're The Inspiration - Chicago
Don't Leave Me This Way - The Communards
Do You Really Want To Hurt Me - Culture Club
Boys Don't Cry - The Cure
Let's Dance - David Bowie
Whip It - Devo
Come On Eileen - Dexys Midnight Runners
Rio - Duran Duran
Mirror In The Bathroom - The Beat
A Little Respect - Erasure
A Good Heart - Feargal Sharkey
Relax - Frankie Goes To Hollywood
The Power Of Love - Huey Lewis & The News
Don't You Want Me - Human League
Centerfold - J. Geils Band
Bad Reputation - Joan Jett and The Blackhearts
Too Shy - Kajagoogoo
Walking On Sunshine - Katrina & The Waves
Bette Davis Eyes - Kim Carnes
Kids In America - Kim Wilde
Celebration - Kool & The Gang
Our House - Madness
Blue Monday '88 - New Order
The Riddle - Nik Kershaw
Love Is A Battlefield - Pat Benatar
Roxanne - The Police
Don't Get Me Wrong - The Pretenders
Super Freak - Rick James
Alive And Kicking - Simple Minds
Tainted Love - Soft Cell
Gold - Spandau Ballet
Shout - Tears for Fears
Mickey - Toni Basil
Vienna - Ultravox
Don't Go - Yazoo

Final Fight Double Impact Priced & Dated

2010-03-18T23:30:00Z

Capcom announced today that Final Fight: Double Impact will be officially released on April 14 on Xbox LIVE and April 15 for the PlayStation Store. The game contains two classic arcade side-scrolling beat-em-ups, Final Fight and Magic Sword, and will run you $9.99 or 800 Microsoft Points.

Double Impact will contain enhanced graphic modes, a remixed soundtrack, and drop-in online co-op so you can play with friends and/or strangers online. And Capcom is claiming "GGPO network technology creates a frame-accurate arcade experience across the internet with online voice chat and the ability to join games in progress." Here's hoping, because there's nothing that kills online play worse than lag!

Oh yeah, and that's the cover art by Alvin Lee as colored by contest winner Chad Walker. Remember that? Nice job!

GlaDOS Cupcakes Are Not A Lie!

2010-03-18T01:00:00Z

Every so often, Snack or Die comes up with something that I think even I could make and have come out looking vaguely like their descriptions. Like these tasty-looking GlaDOS cupcakes. The Portal AI has never looked so delicious as when covered by icing and gummy candies! I'm not sure I'd be so careful as to give the exact number of dots depending on the color of the cores... I'd probably just want to ice them as quickly as possible to get them in my belly. But it's the details that matter, right? I'm gonna have to get one of our manservents in the Gay Gamer Castle to whip up a batch of these!

Portal GlaDOS Cupcakes [Snack or Die]

NIER Backstory To Be Revealed In Comic Series

2010-03-17T23:30:00Z

Square Enix has partnered with DC Comics' Wildstorm imprint to create a custom three-part comic series that will explore the backstory of the upcoming action-RPG NIER.

"We are extremely excited to partner with the storytellers at DC Comics to further explore the complex tale of NIER; to explore its unusual characters; and, to introduce new fans to a storyline that will challenge what they know from beginning to end," said John Yamamoto, president and chief executive officer of Square Enix, Inc. "NIER is a game that paints a sophisticated and graphic picture of the despair resulting from an apocalyptic plague and the triumph of a father's will to protect his most prized possession, his daughter. DC Comics' ability to create colorful and engaging comics will help deliver NIER's unusual story to gamers and prepare them for what lies ahead in the game. By exploring the comics, gamers will understand the basis of Nier's world before they even pick up a sword or cast a spell."

The comics will be available at the game's official website, on Xbox LIVE Arcade and the PlayStation Store between now and the game's release on April 27. The comics will reveal clues about key players from the game and address issues that set up the apocalyptic world of the game. The NIER comics are being produced by Emmy-winning creator Ricardo Sanchez and artists Pop Mhan, Eddie Nuñez, and Carlos D'Anda.

Kingdom Hearts Headed To PSP This Summer

2010-03-17T01:00:00Z

Square Enix announced today that Kingdom Hearts: Birth By Sleep will be heading exclusively to PSP's this summer. They're promising that this fifth installment of the popular RPG series "is a prequel that reveals the untold origins of the popular Kingdom Hearts franchise."

Birth By Sleep features three main characters: Terra, Ventus and Aqua, with three unique gaming experiences that all have to be played to experience the whole story. It also has never-before-seen Disney worlds and characters like Sleeping Beauty's Enchanted Dominion, the Dwarf Woodlands from Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, and Deep Space from Lilo and Stitch. There's also new game features and four multiplayer modes.

I'm kind of over Kingdom Hearts, but if you're not, I've got a whole press release from Squeenix after the jump if you're interested!

]]> KINGDOM HEARTS BIRTH BY SLEEP OPENS THE DOOR TO AN UNTOLD WORLD THIS SUMMER

Prequel to the Mega-Hit Franchise Comes to the PSP® system

LOS ANGELES (March 16, 2010) -- Square Enix, Inc., the publisher of Square Enix® interactive entertainment products in North America, announced today that KINGDOM HEARTS Birth By Sleep will be released in North America this Summer. Coming exclusively to the PSP® (PlayStation®Portable) system, the game is a prequel that reveals the untold origins of the popular KINGDOM HEARTS franchise.

KINGDOM HEARTS Birth By Sleep is the highly anticipated fifth installment in the beloved RPG series that has shipped over 14 million copies worldwide. Enjoy three unique gaming experiences through three main characters - Terra, Ventus and Aqua - in order to uncover the mysteries of the story. With a distinctive battle system and multiplayer mode, KINGDOM HEARTS Birth By Sleep adds a new depth to the KINGDOM HEARTS franchise.

The game also introduces Disney worlds and characters that have never been seen in previous KINGDOM HEARTS titles, including Sleeping Beauty's Enchanted Dominion, the Dwarf Woodlands from Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs and Deep Space from Lilo and Stitch. In addition, all-new stages have been added to familiar worlds like Neverland from Peter Pan. Disney lovers will rejoice at seeing their favorite characters appear on the handheld arena.

Story

Long before Sora was chosen by his Keyblade, the worlds' safety lay in the hands of Keyblade Masters. Three youths -- Terra, Ventus, and Aqua -- have been training long and hard under Master Eraqus to prove that they, too, exhibit the Mark of Mastery. But they will soon find themselves in the middle of a crisis affecting worlds far beyond their own--just as another Keyblade Master, Xehanort, goes mysteriously missing.

Three friends, three destinies. Everything will link back to the beginning.

FEATURES

* An essential piece to the KINGDOM HEARTS series arrives on the PSP system: From world renowned creator and character designer Tetsuya Nomura comes the latest installment in the beloved KINGDOM HEARTS series. The vibrant and colorful KINGDOM HEARTS world comes to life through stunning graphics in 16:9 widescreen presentation, made possible by the PSP system hardware.
* Disney worlds and characters new to the KINGDOM HEARTS series: Disney worlds and characters never before seen in KINGDOM HEARTS, such as Enchanted Dominion (Sleeping Beauty) and Castle of Dreams (Cinderella) will make their first appearances in KINGDOM HEARTS Birth By Sleep.
* Three distinct gaming experiences through the eyes of three protagonists: Unravel the mystery surrounding the origin of the KINGDOM HEARTS saga through the tales of three unique characters - Terra, Ventus and Aqua. The whole story is revealed only after playing through with all three characters.
* An action-packed combat system with intuitive controls: The familiar action-packed experience that KINGDOM HEARTS fans have come to embrace returns with an enhanced battle system, with all new features such as Command Styles, Command Decks, Shotlocks and Dimension Links. KINGDOM HEARTS Birth By Sleep is the most advanced KINGDOM HEARTS title to date.
* Four exciting multiplayer modes: Share the excitement and fun with your friends with four brand-new multiplayer modes: Versus, Arena, Command Board and Rumble Racing.
* New game features: The North American release will include a number of new features including Crown Stickers, an extra boss and additional multiplayer options.

KINGDOM HEARTS Birth By Sleep is rated E10+ (Everyone 10 and older). Please visit the Entertainment Software Rating Board (ESRB) website at www.esrb.org for more information about ratings.

The official website can be found at http://na.square-enix.com/khbbs.

Heavy Rain Patch Update

2010-03-16T23:30:00Z

Just a quick update for any of you hoping and waiting for a patch that will fix the bug that killed your game of Heavy Rain. After speaking with Quantic Dream and being told that a patch was in the works, now Sam from Sony Computer Entertainment Europe has been posting the following on message boards:

The latest news is that the game patch has now completed development and is currently in the final stages of testing. While a fixed release date is not currently available we are expecting the update to be released very soon. As mentioned previously, this patch is not targetted purely at the issues reported in this thread but does address a range of minor issues which could be contributing factors. Given the small percentage of players affected by these issues and the difficulty that has been had in reproducing them here we're optimistic that this patch resolves your problems but cannot guarantee that this will be the case. As ever, once there is more news I'll update you all further, however in the meantime we appreciate your patience in this matter.

I understand that a game like Heavy Rain is a very complex undertaking and with the sheer variety of paths you can take through the narrative, it's only natural that some bugs might slip through. But not being able to load and continue your saved game? That's kind of a big one. My only concern is that he says that the patch will address "a range of minor issues" that he hopes will fix everything. Yeah, that's not making me real confident, there, Sam.

Bethesda Publishing Hunted: The Demon Forge

2010-03-16T01:00:00Z

Bethesday Softworks announced today that it will be publishing Hunted: The Demon's Forge, a third-person co-op fantasy action game being developed at InXile Entertainment for the Xbox 360, PlayStation 3 and PC. InXile was founded by Brian Fargo, who was responsible for fantasy classics like The Bard's Tale, Baldur's Gate, and Fallout. Fargo is overseeing development of Hunted, while Michael "Maxx" Kaufman is directing the game. Kaufman previously art directed titles like Kingpin: LIfe of Crime, Redneck Rampage and Return to Castle Wolfenstein.

"We are thrilled to be working with Bethesda Softworks on this upcoming release that takes us back to our roots," said Brian Fargo, Founder of inXile Entertainment. "Bethesda's track record speaks for itself and the game we are developing for them is no exception."

"inXile has an extremely talented team and we couldn't be more pleased to have them working on one of our upcoming titles," said Vlatko Andonov, President of Bethesda Softworks. "We believe gamers will be really excited about what these guys have in store for them."

Fargo's track record is pretty impressive, and bodes well for Hunted: The Demon's Forge. And I like the idea of a co-op action game, as long as they allow for drop-in, drop-out gameplay (which seems like a no-brainer, but you never now). Details on the game are scarce right now, but if you guys want to know more, I can let you know as soon as I hear more!

Review: Faceez

2010-03-15T23:00:00Z

The DSi has a built-in camera with software that lets you manipulate the images in wacky ways, but indie game developer Neko Entertainment has produced a new app for DSiWare called Faceez that lets you take photos of yourself, friends and whoever, and manipulate them in entirely new ways. Like making yourself look like you've been hitting the bottle at the office, as in my example above! Make the jump for a couple more examples and the full review!

]]>

Using the built-in DSi camera, you take a photo of a face, being careful to place it just within the guidelines on-screen, which allows the software to manipulate the facial features by squinting the eyes, twisting the mouth, etc. Then you save it as a Faceez, and you can have up to 20 of them at any time. You can't delete them, but you can replace them if you like. You can swap facial features between your Faceez if you're curious what you might look like with your friend's nose, but it's a little creepy in practice!

You can disguise them with ears, hats, hair and other assorted accessories, but that's not the meat of the app. After saving your Faceez, your morphable face is placed inside a little oval with arms and legs that you can also animate. The animations aren't quite unlimited, but with the ability to separate arms and legs into different movements, as well as adding facial expressions, props, and altering the line quality and color, it's pretty expansive.

Unfortunately, despite what these screenshots might indicate, you can't animate more than one Faceez at a time. What you can do is place your animated Faceez into a background and take a screenshot that you can save to your DSi photo album. From there, you can upload it to Facebook or transfer to an SD card to do whatever you want with. Like illustrate an online review! There's only one built-in background, but you can use any of the photos saved to your DSi photo album or take a brand new one right at that moment. And by using screenshots with Faceez as your background, you can create a bizarre group scene.

With an app like this, it's hard not to focus on what it can't do, like animate more than one Faceez at a time, or save animations to Facebook or the SD card, but it only costs 200 Nintendo points, and what you get for a couple bucks is actually pretty fun. The first time you snap a friend's photo and show them the test animation, their reaction to seeing their face eat popcorn or brush their teeth is kind of hilarious. The facial recognition software is pretty good, and if your photo was taken just right, the morphing can be impressive. Since Faceez is just an app, I don't feel like it's appropriate to give it a number grade, but I will say that it's a really fun diversion. And since the animation is the best part, and you can't get that across in screenshots, here's a trailer for Faceez so you can see it in action:

Wootini's Weekly Animal Crossing Diary

2010-03-13T02:00:00Z

Dear Diary,

Slightly more eventful week in Narnia this time. I have to say that sometimes I love visiting my town just to walk around peacefully and water the flowers. After a rough day, it's a very soothing way to relieve stress. And this week I made some money and a new friend!

]]>

Turnips were going for 103 bells each this week, so I decided to go ahead and buy 300 again. As usual, the price dipped early in the week, but on Wednesday, it went up to 107. I was tempted, but thought I could still hold out for a little bit more. I'm greedy that way. And sure enough, Thursday's price was 194! And since I'm not that greedy, I sold all 300 and happily pocketed the cash. Turned out it was a good call, because on Friday, they were back down to 81! Yay me!

Another sure sign of spring appeared this week: bugs! At first I saw a couple of bumblebees flitting around the flowers, but then I saw some butterflies! I'm pretty sure I've caught most of them, but I know I haven't caught them all. (My golden net was a gift from a friend, not a reward for completing the collection...) Maybe I should look into what I'm missing...

Swung into the Able Sister's shop this week and found they were selling the crown again! It's so rare for it to actually show up, but you know what's even rarer still? Me actually having that many bells on me! I know last week I blew a good bunch on that throne, and the crown would be the natural companion piece, but even if I hadn't bought the throne, I doubt I would've had enough bells for the crown. Ah well, maybe another day...

Later, I did decide that it was time for a makeover. I felt a little foolish running around like the littlest emperor or whatever. So I saw a cap in the shop I liked, and a striped shirt that went pretty well with it. So I bought 'em for a sporty new look for Spring!

I was stunned to open my mailbox this week and see a good-bye letter from Poppy. I had no idea she was even considering leaving! Hm. Maybe if I actually said hi to her every once in a while she might have mentioned it in casual conversation. Ah well, whatever. you'll notice I'm not exactly crying rivers of tears over losing her. Next!

Wow, that was fast! Usually it takes about four or five days for a replacement townsperson to move in. But it was like, the next day when Twiggy showed up in the plot near the museum. He looks mean, but I think that's just the way his eyebrows were drawn on his face. (Should've stayed natural, dude...) He looks mean, but sounds fun. I should ask why Tyra fired him from Top Model...

Heavy Rain Fix On The Way?

2010-03-13T00:30:00Z

Like a lot of other PS3 owners, I snapped up Heavy Rain when it was released, and started playing the heck out of it and loving it to death. Unfortunately, like many other players, I was also stricken by the "black screen of death" towards the end of the game. When I attempted to continue my game, instead of a loading screen close-up of a character's face, I was presented with a simple black screen and the PS3 froze completely, requiring a hard reset. A quick search of some forums reveals that lots of other fans are also experiencing the same problems. There are some various suggestions like going back a couple chapters, deleting the patch that was released with the game, or pressing the PS Home button as you load up a chapter. But I've yet to find a workaround that works for me that doesn't entail simply starting the game over at the very beginning.

I also found a website called heavyrainisfalling.com, where you can communicate exactly what system you're running and the issue that you're having with the game, with the intention of feeding the collected data to Heavy Rain developer Quantic Dream in the hopes of seeing a solution. But who knows if it'll help. Apparently the issues that I and many like me are having with the game aren't terribly widespread, and that's why they weren't caught during the development process. Also, the problems range from freezes to crashes to audio and graphical glitches.

I contacted Quantic Dream co-CEO Guillaume de Fondaumiére to see what the status might be on any kind of a patch, and he responded that only 1 in approximately 700 users seem to be experiencing these issues, which is why it's been so hard for them to reproduce them in their studio. But he promises that they have been working hard the past two weeks to understand the issues and fix them. "This is currently under test now, and should be deployed rapidly," he wrote. "Sony will be communicating officially shortly now."

I certainly hope so, because I was thoroughly enjoying the storyline of Heavy Rain, and would very much like to see how the hunt for the Origami Killer turns out. (No spoilers, please!) I'll keep you updated if I hear anything further from Quantic Dream or Sony about this. Hopefully a simple patch will allow me and others like me to finish our games!

Gallery: Fragile Dreams

2010-03-12T02:00:00Z

In case there weren't enough games out to play, Fragile Dreams: Farewell Ruins of the Moon is due out on the Wii next week, too. Ever since I saw it at E3 last year, I've been really psyched to get my hands on this moody adventure, and have patiently been waiting for XSEED to finish the translation. If any of you are also eagerly anticipating the release of Fragile Dreams, I offer you this small little gallery of screenshots and artwork to enjoy in the meantime. So pretty...

Vote In Capcom-Unity's Ace Attorney Cosplay Contest!

2010-03-12T00:30:00Z

Over at Capcom's blog, they're running an Ace Attorney Tribute Contest, and one of the categories is for cosplay. It's a shame they didn't get that many entries, because I love a good Phoenix Wright costume! (Not that I would've entered myself if I'd known about it ahead of time, but still...) Oh, and there's also categories for arts and crafts, which you can also vote in.

Personally, I voted for David, because while not the most elaborate costume, I thought his setup was rather clever. Hope he wins!

Ace Attorney Tribute Contest: Cosplay Category [Capcom-Unity]

Will EA Sports Active 2.0 Take Fitness Games To The Next Level?

2010-03-11T02:00:00Z

Regular readers of this site know how I feel about Wii Fit, but you might not know that recently I purchased EA Sports Active just to have a little variety. Having played both, I have to admit I still prefer Wii Fit in general, but EA's title does have its pluses. And things might get even better now that EA has revealed that they're continuing the franchise with the fall release of EA Sports Active 2.0.

The sequel will feature a completely new wireless control system that uses new leg and arm straps with motion sensors, and a heart rate monitor (pictured above). This is a major step up from the previous title which had you using the Wiimote attached to the Nunchuck that you would periodically insert into a leg strap for lunges, squats, running and the like. Not having your arm connected to your leg by a too-short cord is a major plus. And it looks like they're trying to beat Nintendo to the punch with the whole heart monitor gadget thingy.

Additionally, EA Sports Active 2.0 will have an online component, something I've felt all these fitness videogames have been lacking. Through an online hub, you'll be able to track and share all of your workout data, joining a global community to keep yourself honest and motivated.

Even more interestingly, the title is not a Wii exclusive like its predecessor. No, the sequel is going to also appear on the PlayStation 3 as well as the iPhone and iPod Touch. Now, the press release had no details on the iPod/iPhone versions, but I'm going to assume that they're just going to be stripped-down portable versions with very limited functionality. The PS3 version, on the other hand, will have the added benefit of extra workouts and exercises that you can download to keep things fresh.

EA Sports Active had its limitations, but it looks like some of them are being addressed in the sequel, and I'm going to have to keep an eye on this one. I'm intrigued.