Cambridge-based start-up Play140 announced the beta launch of its first three social games playable through Twitter and text messages: T.A.G. (The Acronym Game), Be Greedy, and Robot Smash Battle.
Wednesday, December 22, 2010
Play140 Launching Public Beta For Twitter, SMS Games
The 'GDC 25' Chronicles: The Inventor of Fire
[Continuing his 'GDC 25' archival research ahead of the 25th Game Developers Conference in San Francisco next February, official GDC historian Jason Scott makes available a rare GDC 2008 video featuring game pioneers Ralph Baer and Al Alcorn.]
So let's say you're a caveman.
A really, really smart caveman, actually - you figure out that fire, which you usually only see burning the tops of trees after a terrifying lightning storm that sends your contemporaries running for the safety of their caves, can be harnessed.
You work out how to strike rocks to make a spark to burn a torch, so you can make a fire anytime. From your discovery, humans learn to cook food, warm themselves at night, and a million other skills.
Now let's say that you live long enough to be able to stand up at a NASA convention and give a speech about those great fire discovery days.
That's the inherent fascination for me about Ralph Baer. Here's a guy who essentially invents video games; actually does the engineering work to create a game that you would recognize in a second as being a video game (pong).
Then he continues to invent and innovate while he watches his idea grow from a tiny niche industry to the dominant form of entertainment.
At this GDC 2008 video presentation we're making available online for the first time on GDC Vault, 'How to Create an Industry', Ralph Baer gets to stand up at that NASA convention equivalent, that Game Developers Conference (an amazing idea in itself, looking back), and talk about how he came about figuring out how to knock the rocks together to make a spark.
He's given this presentation a bunch of times at various events, but it never gets old for me - it gets even better. He walks you through his life, the pieces of thought that brought him to play with televisions, and the design work that brought him to thinking of doing a 'pong' game on them. If you've not seen it before, now's your chance.
And before I stop with Ralph, let me say that he appears here with Al Alcorn, who took Ralph's game and designs Atari's Pong, a game that brings the coin-op industry firmly into the video era.
When Ralph brings us to the Odyssey home console, Al picks up and takes it to the next ten-plus years of innovation at Atari. And all this in 40 minutes. Check it out on GDC Vault now!
Five great Nintendo DS games for the holidays
Nintendo's DS game machine is loved the world over by gamers of all ages. If you're hoping to buy just the right game for the DS owner in your life, these excellent titles are a good place to start looking.
Source: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/40563327/ns/technology_and_science-tech_and_gadgets/
Tuesday, December 21, 2010
Square Enix?s Secret of Mana Out Now in App Store
Final Fantasy series publisher Square Enix reaches into its back catalog for today’s App Store release: Secret of Mana ($8.99), an adaptation of the company’s 1993 Super NES action-RPG. Also known as Seiken Densetsu 2 in Japan (and designed as a sequel to Final Fantasy Adventure on the Game Boy), Secret of Mana stars a [...]
Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/fingergaming/~3/M5v26ILotSA/
MILLICOM INTL. CELLULAR MOBILE TELESYSTEMS NANYA TECHNOLOGY NII HOLDINGS
Zynga Collaborates With Dr. Dre For First Music Partnership
Social game developer Zynga announced its first in-game music partnership, a deal with rap artist Dr. Dre to debut a music video from his upcoming Detox album and branded virtual goods in Mafia Wars.
As part of the promotion, Mafia Wars will begin streaming the music video from Detox's first single, "Kush" (featuring Snoop Dogg and Akon), for free. Players will also be able to watch an exclusive Dr. Dre video message, enter a contest to win headphones and the album, and purchase the single via an in-game iTunes link.
Mafia Wars will feature Dr. Dre-inspired content such as music and limited edition virtual goods in a "Hustlin' wit Dre" section of the game. In that area, players will be able to collect headphones, vintage cars, weapons, and more. There's no word yet on whether his World Class Wreckin' Cru red suit will appear in the game.
This campaign follows another Mafia Wars event Zynga promoted heavily with Dr. Dre's rapping partner Snoop Dogg in August. That partnership, however, did not feature the artist's music and instead centered around the disastrous livestreaming of Snoop Dogg as he blew up an armored truck to promote Mafia Wars Las Vegas.
"Dre is a cultural icon that has inspired generations of music lovers," says Zynga CEO and founder Mark Pincus, who may or may not have spent the early '90s cruising the local strip while blasting The Chronic in his jeep at full volume.
Pincus added, “We're huge music fans at Zynga and we know the players within Mafia Wars will love the chance to discover incredible music content while playing with their friends.”
Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/WorldsInMotion/~3/JoS6eJKjMgo/zynga_collaborates_with_dr_dre.php
NA PlayStation Store Update - Marvel Pinball, X-Men Arcade, POP Warrior Within HD, I Must Run! And More
Bit of a Marvel Comics day today with two new releases encapsulating the franchises that came from them.
First up is X-Men Arcade, bringing back classic 1992 brawler to the for $9.99, and Marvel Pinball -- 4 brand new stand alone tables featuring Wolverine, Blade, Iron Man and Spider-Man also for $9.99.
Alongside it we have some ex-retail releases getting the digital treatment -- Prototype can be bought online for $29.99, Prince Of Persia: Warrior Within HD is available for $14.99, and Sackboy?s Prehistoric Moves, a PSMove specific piece of content from Little Big Planet 2, is also available for $5.99, or free with a PS+ subscription.
Speaking of PlayStation Plus, those with a subscription can try out Prototype for free, and pick up Sam & Max Season 3, Fieldrunners and Crash Team Racing all for free.
PSOne Classics bring another import title -- Galaxy Fight for $5.99.
And finally, one new PSP Minis -- I Must Run! by Gamelion for $3.99. If you're into Canabalt, this might be worth a look.
Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/gamerbytes/~3/URc5OqLmvtI/na_playstation_store_update_ma.php
Wall Street Journal Examines Angry Birds, Bejeweled In iPhone Privacy Report
Persistent, connected entertainment has become ubiquitous across mobile and social platforms, and that’s raising questions for many users about the security of their online identity. A new Wall Street Journal report is causing some trouble for Angry Birds developer Rovio and Bejeweled house PopCap — claiming the games share users’ personal data with third parties. [...]
Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/fingergaming/~3/e2CcCIBwFO8/
DST SYSTEMS DISCOVER FINANCIAL SERVICES DIODES INORATED DIEBOLD
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)