Starting in 1996, Alexa Internet has been donating their crawl data to the Internet Archive. Flowing in every day, these data are added to the Wayback Machine after an embargo period.
If the headline seems a little familiar, it's because we've been here before. First, the Church of England issued a statement regarding the "offensive" presence of Manchester Cathedral in Sony's Resistance: Fall of Man for the PS3. Sony followed up by issuing an apology, stating that they had no intention of offending, but that the content was staying. Church of England responded by saying that the apology wasn't good enough, and Sony responded to the response of the response by apologizing again.
Now, following the announcement of the nominees for this year's BAFTA Video Game Awards, the Church of England is once again up in arms, this time issuing a statement pleading that the nomination for Resistance: Fall of Man be pulled, claiming that the nomination "is like rubbing salt in the wounds" of the Church.
The spokesman for the Church of England claims that the nomination comes from the game's solid sales, which they believe were increased substantially by the controversy. No word yet of a response from either Sony or BAFTA. Resistance: Fall of Man was only nominated for one award by the British Academy of Film and Television Arts: The PC World Gamers Award, which will be decided by a public vote, and not by a BAFTA panel.
If you've gone through Halo 3, you may have stumbled upon a comical exchange during level 3 ("Crow's Nest") featuring some familiar voices. Well, familiar if you're a Red Vs. Blue fan. Roosterteeth, the team behind the wildly popular machinima series, bid $9000 at last year's Child's Play event to get their voices included in Halo 3 (naturally, Bungie later told them they could've pitched in even if they hadn't won the auction).
GameDaily caught up with some of the crew last week to get their feedback on the experience and their thoughts on Halo 3 in general. Jason Saldana (voice of Tucker) said, "What's pretty cool about it is that six of us provided audio for it, so you end up hearing different voices depending on what difficulty level you play." Take a peek at all four of the different easter eggs involving RvB characters after the break.
So, Orange Box drops this Tuesday on PC and Xbox 360 (the PS3 release isn't until November). Despite being published by EA, who are suddenly excited by the Mac platform, there's no Mac OS release planned. Sure, no on plays games on a Mac, we get it ... but this is Half-Life 2 we're talking about. It's sorta a big deal.
In a recent Kikizo interview, Valve's Gabe Newell plants the blame for the absence of a Mac release of Half-Life 2 – and, indeed, most games – squarely on Apple's shoulders. On the other hand, Inside Mac Games' Tuncer wants you to know that it's never that simple; he explains that while it's true Apple met with Newell and nothing ever came it, it isn't because Apple couldn't stay focused (although we don't doubt that for a minute) but rather because of "Valve's insistence that anyone who wanted to port Half-Life 2 to the Mac had to advance $1 million to Valve." In the scrappy world of Mac OS X porting, a meeeeelyun bucks is understandably hard to come by ... up front.
That said, Apple's lack of focus on gaming remains a fundamental weak spot in their consumer strategy (let's not even talk Apple gaming consoles), but we're hopeful that as companies continue to adopt new technologies like Cider, Mac users will at least be able to enjoy smash hits like Half-Life 2 (if nothing else). Ah well, thank Freeman for Boot Camp.
Read – One Million Reasons Why Half-Life 2 Isn't on the Mac (IMG) Read – Gabe Newell on the Mac platform and Apple (Kikizo)
It seems like if you want some guaranteed internet traffic these days, all you have to do is slap Halo tags all over the place. In fact, it's probably standard practice by now for sites offering things like FREE VIAGRA and GET RICH NOW NOW NOW to put Halo in the metatags. Darned 'Halo' branded little blue pills.
However, if you actually go out and create something all your own as a fanatical tribute to the Halo universe, then you have our respect. When it involves recreating the Zanzibar map from Halo 2 completely to scale in Lego, then you have our allegiance. In fact, we'd love to have something like this gracing the front window of the 'Stiq offices. If you've ever read Douglas Coupland's Microserfs, then hopefully you get the reference. If you haven't read it, then you probably just think we're dorks.
Anyhow, check out the video of this incredible Lego creation, and then go raid your old toy closet and pull out the bricks. Time to get crackin' on your own Lego version of Lockout. Ping us when you're done.
It's not an exact rendition of the first level of Super Mario Bros. (maybe soon, little Billy), but the inclusion of Forge and machinima tools within Halo 3 has spawned an entire new group of enthusiasts.
However, the use of proper camera angles and the Mario sound effects lend itself to a thoughtful parody of the retro sidescroller. Of course, we're thinking the guy playing the protagonist plumber did not have as much fun during the making of this film.
Not everyone is planning on riding Nintendo's money-printing coattails. In an interview with GameTrailers (embedded above), Epic Games Vice President Mark Rein stated that, as he has on multiple occasions before, that the Unreal and Gears of War developer has no intention on providing middleware support for the Wii.
Rein cited resource concerns, saying that the company is more focused on pushing the limits of PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360. Interestingly, Rein also commented how making Wii graphics engines is not that profitable. "I think unless you're going to sell your engine to Nintendo, you're going for scraps on that platform," he said.
That point has been brought up before, how developers are not interested, and possibly lazy, in developing for the Wii platform and that their budgets for that platform are pretty low. However, from the perspective of a game developer, perhaps Epic could find a way to convert Unreal Tournament 2004 onto Nintendo's platform. The software alone would be profitable, we imagine, and then they'd have Unreal Engine 2 to license out.
Update: As it has been pointed out in the comments below, some Wii titles such as Red Steel do utilize Unreal Engine 2 -- optimized for the GameCube (keep the jokes to yourself, for now). However, we'd be interested to see Epic take the engine an optimize for the Wii's hardware upgrade.
Also, some people seem to be confused by Rein's profit comment. The profits for Epic wouldn't come from game sales but from licensing out the engine. Since most developers don't focus on the graphical prowess of their Wii titles, Epic would not be able to charge much for their engine -- hence why Rein doesn't feel the Wii would be a profitable venture for them.
Frankfurt-based developer Crytek has a history of flopping back and forth as to whether or not its eye-melting FPS Crysis could or could not ever make its way to the console market, first stating that the Xbox 360 and PS3 were unqualified to handle Crysis, before switching gears and saying "we could do it if we wanted to." Now, however, Crytek boss Cevat Yerli has set the record straight, stating that while "you cannot get Crysis as it is on PC on any console," the company could consider doing a console port depending on how well the game's PC release is received this November.
Yerli comments that the company believes the spec-heavy first-person shooter will be "at least as strong as Far Cry" at retail, though he personally edges his hopes a bit higher, noting that this would give the studio reason to believe Crysis could be successful on consoles as well. Given that console gamers have at least a passing fancy with first-person shooters, we think the game would do just fine.
Even so, the developer openly admits that like Far Cry before it, corners would have to be cut in terms of level design and UI in order to create "a derivative Crysis and optimize it for the Xbox 360 and PS3," echoing a similar report from January this year. However, he adds that the team would work to keep the game's sophistication intact. Honestly, we had no idea Crysis was so highbrow.
When given an opportunity to use three colons in series while maintaining grammatical correctness, we can't resist. Moving on, the other night's Skate trick video made us think of older -- but not yet retro -- uses of over-the-top Physics. When people ask why we are so excited about Forge and Gravity Hammers in Halo 3, we tell them it's because of our warthog jumping addiction.
How do you warthog jump, exactly? It's simple, all you need is a few dozen grenades and a good grasp of trajectories. After the break, 30 minutes of truly clever jeep-launching excitement -- seriously, we don't want to imagine how much time was wasted in the making of this film.
Usually, that $5 or $10 entry into the campus Halo tournament ends up funding one of two things: a frat party's Natty Light Beer Pong Extravaganza (togas optional), or a super fan's commission of a Master Chief oil painting from the quirky, "she's funny" art major he wishes could be more than a friend. However, there are more philanthropic options out there that combine shotguns and plasma rifles with medical research and saving lives.
We're talking about The Cavegirls Present: Fight Like a Girl, the Halo 3 tournament where all the proceeds go to fight breast cancer. Taking place on October 20, the only requirements beyond owning a copy of the game, and having an Xbox Live Gold account, is forking over the $10 entry fee.
As an added bonus, part of the rules include a no-asshole policy: "trash talking, racial slurs, sexist remarks, and other insulting comments" can constitute a DQ. Helping out a good cause and insurance the people you're playing with aren't the normal Live plebes? Sounds good to us.
Would-be director of the now thoroughly deceased Halo movie, Neill Blomkamp, recently spoke to Creativity Online about his work on the trio of live-action videos that preceded the launch of the third game in the series -- and really, did we even have to hyperlink that? Blomkamp made it clear that the clips are completely separate entities and shouldn't be seen as replacement nor attempted resurrection for the film. "In essence, those pieces have zero to do with the film," he said. "Like less than zero."
Not even forgotten movie props made it into the viral videos, as Blomkamp explains that "the design and everything that we'd made for the film is just locked up in some locker somewhere." Of course, "locker" is likely a euphemism for the coffin that now holds the "entirely dead" film. "Whatever happens with that movie, assuming that movie gets made, will be a totally different configuration. It's not so much me as the entire vessel sank." Despite the lack of optimism, the South African born director admits he's still curious as to what might happen in the future. You'd think a guy involved in Halo's marketing would, you know, "believe."
As if the inclusion of Half-Life 2, HL2: Episode One, HL2: Episode Two, Portal, and Team Fortress 2 in Valve's Orange Box didn't already represent one of the most incredible values in video games ever, they've just announced geek troubadour Jonathan Coulton (he of "Baby Got Back" and "Code Monkey" fame – WARNING: MySpace link) has recorded a "surprise" track to be included in that massive package.
But Coulton didn't go it alone. No, he had the help of the Valve design team (who are apparently fans, go figure) so we can surely expect something about Zombines eating your brains. At this point, with less than a week to go before the game's (games'? gameses'?) release, we're surprised the track hasn't already made its way to the seedy, illicit , peer-to-peer underbelly of the internet. Hey record industry, you should take notes!
There are some caveats to consider, but first place is first place. Media Create's Japanese software sales chart (as detailed by Gamasutra) shows Microsoft's absurdly popular sci-fi shooter in first place having sold 59,000 copies in the last week. It's a relatively modest debut in a sluggish sales period, but Halo 3 is one of a scant few titles to ascend the chart and indeed, the wall of apathy Japanese gamers have constructed around all things Xbox.
Master Chief even managed to best Nintendo's Pokémon franchise, if only because of Nintendo's habit of splitting each installment into two similar but separate versions. With 55,000 units sold, Pókemon Mystery Dungeon 2 nips at Halo 3's heels in second place -- had its sales been combined with its counterpart, Master Chief would be finishing the foreign fight sans legs. Of course, that's nothing $300 million can't replace.
There's a bit of bubbling on the internets that post-Halo 3, Bungie and Microsoft might split ways. This is seeming more and more unlikely, but if it were to ever happen, Microsoft would most likely retain rights to their FPS cash cow, and the milking would begin. The question is, who would be signed to develop the next true Halo sequel?
Over at MTV's Multiplayer blog, Stephen Totilo does the dirty work and compiles a list of likely suspects to continue the franchise. Notable on the radar are developers like Rare, Free Radical, and id, with each possibility being given "wholly speculative" odds on the likelihood of such a thing ever happening.
Of course, it's all just speculation at this point, but it never hurts to wonder. Who could work best with Bungie's golden franchise? For that matter, who could do the most damage to its hallowed reputation?
Bill Gates: Listen, those Bungie guys are OK, and it's great having them on the softball team and all. But I think it's time we set them free.
Shane Kim: Yes, of course sir.
Bill: Let's let them get out there in the world, you know? Make that Pimps at Sea game they're always talking about. After all, Halo 3 only brought us in $170 million, that's like 10,000 Segways, that's nothing.
Shane: Actually sir, our most recent report is that the game made $300 million in its first week.
Bill: ... How late is Shackles, Chains and Beyond open?
Continuing a tradition of throwing spitefully negative reviews in the face of overwhelmingly positive reception, The Escapist's angry video-reviewer Yahtzee has turned his sights on Bungie's Halo 3 -- and you better believe that it's enough to make the Sony and Nintendo Defense Forces blush.
Yahtzee's spitting-mad review might be in part a reaction to the high demand for it; he proudly admits to having had no intention of reviewing the megaton first-person shooter until an inordinate number of requests -- and his editor -- forced him to. Still, it's always refreshing to hear unabashedly critical reactions to a game that's largely been walking on water.
