The Stupid Gamer

Now this is just downright insane. Over at Gamevideos.com, a user has uploaded video of a working calculator that was constructed in the LittleBigPlanet beta. This is just crazy, folks. Check out the video below, and then read what it took to put it together.

1up picked up on this video and asked the creator what it took to make this all work, and here’s what they said in their writeup:

The creator, PSN user ‘Upsilandre,’ admits that there are probably easier ways to create a calculator, but he opted to create an electronic calculator capable of doing decimal and binary conversions, as well as addition and subtraction. It was built using more than 1600 parts, including 610 magnetic switches, 500 wires, and 430 pistons. I find it difficult to wrap my head around organizing that many things, let alone making them the backbone of a functioning calculator.

It’s pretty incredible to think that Upsilandre was able to work this out in his head, and it’s equally incredible that the game allows for such creativity. I really can’t wait to see what the game will offer when the final retail version is out in the public’s hands.

Survivor, the popular reality competition show, kicked off its last night in its 17th season and one of its contestants happens to be the world champion for Super Smash Bros., Ken Hoang. The pro gamer should be used to being on TV cameras as he’s placed first in many televised tournaments, and was one of the main subjects of MTV’s documentary True Life: I’m a Professional Gamer. Within the gamer community, the champ is known simply as “Ken” or by his old forum and tournament name “SephirothKen.”

Ken, accepting a check for winning at a gaming tournament.

We’ll see if his gaming skills translate to Survivor, as Ken looks to be one of the more likeable characters in the early running, but maybe not one of the most physically gifted.

Ensemble, speaking exclusively with Gamasutra unveiled that their canceled project was indeed a Halo MMO. The game has been rumored to have been in development for quite some time, but it was never made official. Now that Ensemble is closing down, the studio was at liberty to discuss their unfinished projects. Check out a few screenshots below.

For more images, check out the flickr set for the canceled project: http://www.flickr.com/photos/30784486@N04/sets/72157607452469273/

It’s pretty awesome seeing ultra rare and collectable stuff show up for sale, and this one is a true gem. Earlier today, an Atari 2700 prototype sold on eBay for over $5,000. It sounds crazy that someone would bid that much, but the winning bidder is definitely going to be in possession of something they don’t have to worry about finding over at their buddy’s house any time soon. The seller apparently was a game developer from Atari and was given the 2700 as a gift from Leonard Tramiel himself. The auction can be seen here: eBay auction.

Oh, and yes, those are wireless controllers. For something that’s 25 years old, it’s pretty cool technology. To find out more about the 2700, check the Wikipedia page: Atari Remote Control VCS at Wikipedia.

Let’s be honest. We all hate eBay. We’ve all come up with the clever names for it like feebay, ePay, and holycrapIhateyourfacebay due to their terrible customer service, high fees, and awful policies. When possible, I’ll buy and sell my gaming-related stuff elsewhere, and places like Chase the Chuckwagon are proving to be very viable locations.

Chase the Chuckwagon (http://chasethechuckwagon.com) is geared toward classic gamers, but other sorts of collectibles are showing up on the site all the time. Seller fees are much lower than what you’ll find on eBay, and they even offer a one-time lifetime membership where you’ll never need to to deal with charges for selling ever again. So far the classic gamers and arcade gamers have been driving the site, but it would really help if more people joined in. To see a forum thread about how much cheaper people have been selling their stuff on Chase the Chuckwagon, check out this link: http://www.chasingthechuckwagon.com/upload/showthread.php?t=131

Seriously, guys, it’s time to ditch eBay and move on to a community that isn’t intent on squeezing every last penny out of its sellers.

CAG (http://cheapassgamer.com) has launched its highly anticipated redesign and has begun to roll out the new site user features. In recent episodes of the CAGcast, CheapyD and Wombat have discussed how the new site will help the community to be more expressive, interactive, and to play a more prominent role in the day to day happenings at the site. The new look is still simple and reserved, but the functionality is quite impressive. I even started my own blog over there (first post can be found here: http://www.cheapassgamer.com/forums/blog.php?b=48).

Surely this blog will still remain my focus, but hey, how can I resist the charms of the CAG community, especially after all the great deals I’ve found there lately? Hey Cheapy and Wombat, keep up the good work with the CAGcast, and good luck with everything going forward.

Check here for a list of site changes and updates: http://www.cheapassgamer.com/?f=3

With a few days left to go in the open donation window, the guys that ran the Super Mario Marathon to raise money for the Child’s Play charity have raised over $11,000. With the current total of $11,225, the event has been a major success. Three gamers played Super Mario Bros., Super Mario Bros. 2, Super Mario Bros. 3, Super Mario World, Super Mario 64, Super Marion Sunshine, and Super Mario Galaxy back to back while broadcasting their progress online for donators and interested parties to view. More details, including finishing times and stats can be seen at the official site.

You can also continue to donate until July 5th. Go here to check it out: http://mariomarathon.com/

Originally reported by Joystiq, Nintendo of Canada is auctioning off a ton of new and sealed games for the NES, SNES, and GameBoy. These are all in perfect collector’s condition, so they’re going at a high price. All the proceeds are being donated to charity, so feel free to indulge. There’s a good mix of both 1st and 3rd party offerings, as well.

Here’s the link: http://search.ebay.com/_W0QQsassZnocl604

Yeah, that awesome arcade game show that gave away arcade games as their grand prize is available to watch online. The show, which was too awesome for words, is hosted over at Starcade.tv. Check them out here: http://www.starcade.tv/starcade/episodes.asp

You’ll also see tons of examples of high fashion, amazing hair, and funky beats.

Back in the early 90s, my cousin and I used to ride our bikes to this Fred Meyer department store in Bountiful, Utah each Saturday. We did so to check out the new comics and to play the 7-8 arcade games that they had in a small room up front. The games would rotate, but the regulars included TMNT, Mortal Kombat, Street Fighter II, and Spy Hunter. Each Saturday for years I’d play that Spy Hunter at least once, until the store remodeled and the arcades were removed. As a kid, I was crushed.

Fast forward to 2008 and the wife and I decide to go camping down in Southern Utah to some sand dunes. Just before leaving I did my daily check on eBay, craigslist, and local ads for a Spy Hunter. BAM! There was one in Las Vegas and the auction was to end Saturday night. I contacted the seller and asked if I could pick it up if I won on Sunday, he said yes. I threw in a token bid, and we went camping.

Sunday morning we got up early, broke down camp, and made our way to St. George, Utah where we got some breakfast and I found a computer I could use in a hotel lobby. I checked eBay and…YES! I won! We started down for Vegas when the seller called and told me the directions to his house and that he’d be there all day.

We got there, crammed the machine in the back of my parent’s Yukon and rearranged all the camping supplies (and our dog) and made it all fit. Just wanting to get home, we drove the long drive back home, which is just north of Salt Lake City, Utah.

Last night as I was going over the machine, I found something really odd: a sticker from Classy Chassis Beauty Supply. This sticker came from a store that’s local to Bountiful, Utah (I googled it, it’s the only one)…and is only about 1/2 a mile away from Fred Meyer! I had somehow found my childhood Spy Hunter. I couldn’t believe it.

The machine needs some work to fix a broken trigger button, and it needs a good cleaning up, but knowing where it came from and where it’s been, I’m never letting this one go. Here’s a picture of the machine, before I get to restoring it, and before I get it down into the arcade room.