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Maingear's Axess HD Gamer PC looks to blow your mind, empty your wallet

by Ross Miller posted Jun 19th 2009 at 4:44AM

Make no bones about, Maingear's new Axess HD Gamer (and by merit of its namesake, HTPC, too) is nothing if not a powerhouse for those wanting to pay an arm and a leg for a souped up gaming experience. You want specs? At its best, we're looking at an Intel Core i7 on a X58 chipset, dual NVIDIA GeForce 9800 GT in SLI, up to 12GB of DDR3 RAM, Blu-ray, Windows Vista / Media Center, and two 3.5-inch storage bays supporting 320GB SSD or 2TB HDD. If you need more nerd cred, ghost of vaporware past Phantom Lapboard serves as one of the bundled input devices, as does the NVIDIA GeForce 3D vision kit and a 22-inch Samsung LCD. Starting price is $1,799, but if you wanna go for broke -- and whether not you can, you probably want to -- top configurations can run you well over $5,000.

James Cameron's Avatar game coming in stereoscopic Sensio 3D on PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360

by Richard Lawler posted Jun 5th 2009 at 9:42PM


We'll admit it, we fell asleep during James Cameron's epic description of the game that will accompany his latest movie, Avatar, during E3 earlier this week, so we have no idea what it will be like. What we do know however, is that the movie is expected to be another leap forward for 3D technology, and apparently the game will be as well, now that Sensio has announced Ubisoft will deliver it in stereoscopic 3D. All that should be required is connecting one of the consoles to a Sensio-compatible TV (Panasonic's 3D Full HD Plasma Home Theater System was used to demo the game at E3, although its unclear if that was a special version) and a pair of 3D glasses.

Skate 2 enables red/blue 3D mode via cheat code

by Richard Lawler posted Mar 1st 2009 at 1:18PM


Sony showed off some slick 3D gaming setups at CES last month, but since you probably don't have two PS3s, a special copy of Gran Turismo 5 and a 3D display just laying around, Skate 2 is the closest thing available right now. Punch in "strangeloops" under the Extras section of the main menu and you'll be in anaglyph 3D mode (you did hang on to your Sobe 3D glasses, right? Doh! as noted by commenters below, those glasses are amber instead of red and won't give the slight 3D effect desired with this cheat) We're sure many are shocked that EA didn't try to slip this in as paid DLC instead of providing a free cheat code, once you've recovered check out a YouTube demo embedded after the break.

[Via TeamXbox]

Continue reading Skate 2 enables red/blue 3D mode via cheat code

Sony to boost the PS3 with game / movie combo Blu-ray discs this year

by Richard Lawler posted Feb 12th 2009 at 12:58PM

With the PS3 not quite the slam-dunk Blu-ray player choice it once was for many due to cheaper competition, Sony's new strategy to move units will include hybrid game / movie releases. Citing a significant sales bump with The Dark Knight release, director of hardware marketing John Koller told Video Business that we can expect to see as many as two or three releases here this year. Of course, we can just imagine the reaction when (insert high profile release here) packs a demo for the game tie-in instead of a lossless audio soundtrack or other extras, but otherwise we'll have to wait and see what positive effect this has for the movie or gaming crowds.

D-BOX's GPH-120 Hybrid Motion system lazes its way into living rooms

by Steven Kim posted Jan 9th 2009 at 5:54PM

D-BOX GPH-120 Hybrid Motion system
We didn't think we'd see the day that D-BOX's motion chairs would find a way into homes, but between video gaming and Motion Code on Blu-ray, it looks like it's going to happen. The GPH-120 Hybrid Motion system is a reclining theater and gaming chair that will carry a $2,999 price tag. Not cheap, but motion actuators that can roll, pitch and move your head to the tune of 2Gs might provide more immersion than some 3D efforts we've seen and without the funny glasses. Plus, we're thinking any feelings of nausea might be more intentional, too.

D-BOX ventures into video game sector with Motion Code

by Darren Murph posted Nov 14th 2008 at 2:07AM

First it was home theaters, and then came the rumors of actual theaters. Now, D-BOX is officially getting into bed with video games, though we can't say for certain how well it'll be received. For those in the dark, D-BOX's Motion Code system enables specialized chairs to rumble and bumble along with the on-screen action, and thanks to a new deal with Electronic Arts, synchronized buzzing will be a part of Need for Speed Undercover on the PC. There's no word on what other titles are lined up for Motion Code treatment, but we've all ideas this one here will be a litmus test of sorts to see how things pan out. Call us crazy, but we'll take an actual Sunday drive over a simulation.

[Via TheHDRoom]

Banjo Kazooie: Nuts & Bolts getting fixed for SDTV owners

by Darren Murph posted Nov 10th 2008 at 11:58AM


They always said the squeaky wheel gets the grease, and yet again that adage has proven true. After demo players of RARE's Banjo Kazooie: Nuts & Bolts found the text to be unreadable on SDTVs, word was passed on that the issue would remain in the final version of the game. Now, however, RARE's George Kelion has stepped in to announce that a fix is indeed in the works. To quote: "We would like to assure you that contrary to earlier reports, we are aware of the [text] issue and [are] currently working on a title update to be released within the next 30 days that will fix it for those with standard-definition TVs." Nice job raising cain, people.

[Via The Escapist]

Banjo Kazooie: Nuts & Bolts text unreadable on SDTVs, no fix planned

by Darren Murph posted Nov 6th 2008 at 7:04PM


Whoa, boy. Talk about causing an uproar. Rare, the development studio behind the forthcoming video game Banjo Kazooie: Nuts & Bolts, has decided to move forward with the game without fixing a glaring textual issue when playing on an SDTV. Essentially, the text in the game -- of which there a lot -- is darn near illegible on standard-def televisions. When playing the game on an HDTV (even at 480p), it's relatively easy to make out what's going on; when attempting to play on an SDTV, things get ugly. As you can see above, we find it hard to believe SDTV owners will be able to stand the game-play for more than a few minutes, and amazingly, Rare has admitted that there are no plans to fix things before it goes gold. So, how do you feel about this? As a presumed HDTV owner, you probably couldn't care less personally, but should SDTV-owning gamers be given more respect here?

[Via Joystiq]

Haze doesn't quite measure up to 720p

by Richard Lawler posted May 20th 2008 at 11:57AM


We knew native 1080p gaming wouldn't necessarily be the standard this console generation, but especially in light of Sony's "HD era doesn't start until we're on the market" comments, things are getting a bit ridiculous. PS3-exclusive Haze is the latest to slide in underneath the 720p bar, with sharp eyed pixel counters finding a mere 1024x576 resolution in the demo on PSN, anumber confirmed by the game's creative lead after it was originally denied on the U.S. Playstation blog. Haze is hardly the first game to do this, with GTA IV on the PS3, Call of Duty 4 on Xbox 360 and PS3 and Halo 3 on Xbox 360 all using upscaling to deliver extra effects over pixels, but someday we'd like to have our cake and eat it too. Of course, judging by early reviews, how many pixels are present might not have saved lackluster gameplay.

[Via PS3 Fanboy]

GameplayHD's videogame animated series "Sacred Road" launches this fall

by Richard Lawler posted Mar 3rd 2008 at 7:19PM

Voom's GameplayHD channel has a new 3D animated action series on the way, Sacred Road. As if we weren't already getting enough HD gaming in (CoD4 anyone?), the new series is being created entirely within a videogame engine, taking Red vs. Blue's concept to a whole new level. With graphical assets courtesy of Gearbox Software's Brothers in Arms game, Sacred Road is about a group of WWII soldiers caught up fighting Nazi's with an army of undead World War I fighters at their command. Check it out this fall, either on GameplayHD or via the website.

[Via GameIndustry.com]

Lumines creator Tetsuya Mizuguchi: HD is very important to gaming

by Richard Lawler posted Jul 26th 2006 at 2:28PM

Finally, someone who gets it. While some (Nintendo) seem to believe HD comes at the expense of gameplay, Tetsuya Mizuguchi believes that the increased resolution can give games even more emotional impact. He remarks on a feeling that many of us have had, when watching a movie we've seen over and over, watching it again in HD can give an entirely new feeling. Sure playing Mike Tyson's Punch-Out on NES was (and is) fun, but this is 2006. High definition allows you to appreciate lumping up opponents faces in Fight Night Round 3 in ways the SNES never could. Even simple games like Geometry Wars are even more inpressive on HDTVs, there's nothing like having millions of multicolored geometrical shapes chasing you on an enormous screen with no blurring whatsoever. In the interview with Games Industry Mizuguchi goes on to add that he thinks other elements like 5.1 surround sound and particularly online connectivity combine with high-def as a new frontier for gaming.

This is the man who created such classics as Sega Rally, Lumines, Rez, Manx TT and others. He understands the importance of good gameplay, but instead of shrugging off HD as a niche product with little value, he's willing to acknowledge the possibilities and look for ways to enhance gamers experience, rather than limit it.

Playstation 3 price: 500 euros ($600 U.S.)

by Richard Lawler posted Apr 5th 2006 at 11:06AM

Playstation 3That's what a few French websites are reporting, apparently stated by Sony Europe boss George Fornay in a radio interview. That would convert to roughly $613 American dollars and make the PS3 the most expensive videogame console out by quite a bit. He apparently confirmed that the Playstation was delayed to work out Blu-ray copy protection issues (that we still haven't seen a final design for the controller, system or a finished game does not appear to have been a contributing factor), and that it should launch in the range of 499 to 599 euros. He justified the high price by saying it was cheap for a platform capable of reading Blu-ray discs.

With no confirmation or official announcement from Sony U.S. or Japan this is still in rumor territory, but its a little late for an April Fools. Their main competitor, the Xbox 360 Premium system, launched at 399 euros. Well, I guess we'll ask you again, is around $600 your price for PS3 Blu-ray? Personally, I'm not buying one until they announce a Bob Ross videogame.

Previous Playstation 3 price news:

HDTV Game of the Week: Fight Night Round 3

by Richard Lawler posted Feb 23rd 2006 at 4:51PM


This is a game I've been waiting for since the impressive demo Sony used to advertise their PS3 at E3 last year, and EA's Fight Night Round 3 has not failed to impress. Every bone cracking punch, every drop of sweat and blood, almost every boxer you could ever want to fight is ready in glistening 720p. If you were waiting for the "next generation" feeling to hit you, put your gloves on and find your mouthguard because it is here.

Continue reading HDTV Game of the Week: Fight Night Round 3

Sony Playstation 3: Say goodbye to your Tivo, your iPod, your..........Xbox 360?

by Richard Lawler posted Feb 3rd 2006 at 8:04AM

Sony Playstation 3No price, no release date, no playable demos = no problem. The hype machine is officially rolling as more details leak from the latest PSM article detailing how the PS3 will change the world upon it's launch later this year. Why should your credit card be running in fear of a pre-order? Let's run down the list:
  • DVR
  • Online service that will surpass Xbox Live
  • an iTunes Music store-style service for downloading high definition movies music and more
  • Better media center functionality than the 360
  • Stream DVR'd content or disc-based movies to your PSP over the Internet via LocationFree
  • Fall release
That's not even mentioning the dual 1080p output and Blu-ray disc playback we already know about. We're excited, but we also remember when Ken Kutaragi told us the PS2 would be like jacking into "The Matrix", 5 years later and there are no plugs in our bodies. We'll keep a space open in the entertainment center, but we're not shaving our heads in preparation (again). What features are you most anticipating when the Playstation touches down by an HDTV near you?

Can we expect a November date for the PS3? Analysts think so

by Richard Lawler posted Jan 18th 2006 at 12:50AM


Apparently we're not the only ones feeling befuddled at the PS3's relative absence from CES. after Sony had previously indicated a possible spring launch, analysts now believe that the Blu-ray/dual 1080p powerhouse from Japan will launch as late as November in the US. Couple that with rumors of hardware problems, the possibility that what we have seen so far is only a concept design, and you've got some very anxious gamers.

Delays or no delays, we are definitely looking forward to the PS3 launch, it will probably be the cheapest source of 1080p content for anyone with a TV that supports it, probably the cheapest Blu-ray player available and almost certainly a monster of a games machine.

Heres to hoping Sony brings something better to show and tell at E3.




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