The Stupid Gamer

Apparently Tony Hawk’s Proving Ground is going to offer games an early peek at Guitar Hero III for the 360. Also announced by Activision is that two weeks after the release of Tony Hawk Proving Ground that the demo would make its way onto the Xbox Live Marketplace as a free download. The songs reportedly being included in the demo are:

“Lay Down” by Preistess
“Even Flow” by Pearl Jam
“The Metal” by Tenacious D
“Hit Me With Your Best Shot” as made famous by Pat Benatar
“Rock You Like A Hurricane” as made famous by Scorpions

The “as made famous by” means that the song is a remake while the others are master tracks. Pearl Jam in the demo? Awesome.

Activision has tossed three more songs up in a single download pack on Xbox Live Marketplace for 500 points. The songs include Smoke on the Water, I Wanna Be Sedated, and You Got Another Thing Coming. No word is available yet if more songs are coming.

So what’s the deal here? Not only are they charging a ridiculous price for these songs, but they’re rolling them out sloooooowly. At this rate, it will cost you over $100 to own all the songs from the original Guitar Hero and take you approximately a decade to get them all. I’m still not about to pay these prices for three songs…especially since More Than a Feeling still hasn’t appeared.

-Halo theme opening by Corporeal (sp?) guys was pretty awesome.
-Peter Moore comes on stage as the music wraps up - mild applause
-Every game and demo shown will release THIS YEAR
-Peter claims it’s the best lineup in holiday history

-Rock Band by Harmonix w/ Peter Moore
-Peter on guitars
-Looks like an absolute blast
-Peter flubbed a few notes

-Viva Piñata Party Animals
-Attempt to cash in on mini-game craze
-50+ games

-Mass Effect
-Day one purchase for me
-Amazing animation
-Incredible production value
-All that next-gen should be
-November

(start video reel)
-PG4
-Dynasty Wars: Gundam
-COD4
-Stranglehold
-GHIII
-Beaut. Katamari
-Lost Odyssey
-NBA Live 08
-Fatal Inertia
-Medal of Honor Airborne
-Tiger Woods 08
-Ace Combat 6
-NHL 08
-Assassin’s Creed
-Spder-Man: Friend or Foe
-The Simpsons Game
-Splinter Cell Conviction
-Nascar 08
-Eternal Sonata
-BioShock
-Madden 08
-Tony Hawk’s Proving Ground
-Crash of the Titans
-Harry Potter Order Phoenix
-The Orange Box
-Bee Movie
-Naruto: Rise of a Ninja

-VP GLobal Marketing Jeff Bell
-Scene it game
-New controller “for everybody”…looks dumb

-More money will be spent on games than music
-Spin spin spin about install base
-Outselling PS3 2:1…tight race with Wii
-Highest attach rate, more overall sales than PS3/Wii combined, 2/3 3rd party games
-Half of consumer spending on 360 (doesn’t include handheld)
-Top 5 games were GTA/Halo last gen
-360 only platform to have GTA, Halo, Madden at once

-Naruto
-Looks nice, not my cup of tea
-Naruto runs like an idiot
-Fighting looks fast and fun like GCN games

-EA 2008 Lineup
-Double speed (fps)
-NCAA 08 next week
-Reggie Bush on stage
-Cheesy banter
-Obviously staged moment where Reggie busts a big run for a touchdown

-7 million Live members
-45 million game downloads
-Games show in video reel
-Bomberman Live
-Undertow
-Hexic 2
-Sonic the Hedgehog
-War World
-Sensible World of Soccer
-Every Extra Extend Extreme
-Geono
-Wing Commander Arena
-Feeding Frenzy 2
-Track and Field
-Spyglass board games
-Golden Axe
-Space Giraffe
-Super Puzzle Fighter II Turbo HD
-Word Puzzle
-Marathon
-Poker Smash
-Switchball
-Tetris Splash
-Puzzle Quest
-Boku Sudoku

-HD Library twice size of leading cable provider
-Disney on Xbox Live d’load service…pretty much everything
-Tons of movies coming
-Global HD video downloads this year

-VP Corporate Office Shane Kim
-Forza 2 to sell over 1 million by end of month
-PGR4 demo
-All top manufacturers for bikes and cars
-Over 120 vehicles
-10 locations
-Shanghai shown w/ storm
-PGR4 shares photos and videos PGR on demand
-This September
-New trailer shown
-Claims 360 is most powerful console
-Lost Odyssey demo
-Looks great, very FFX in style

-Games for Windows
-Viva Piñata to PC
-Gears of War
-Game editor, new content, other surprises
-Cliffy B. on stage
-5 new chapters
-New multi mode, new multi arena
-Huge boss fight demo

-Peter Moore returns
-Live Support built in to unreal engine 3
-More than 60 titles on GFW this year (start video reel)

-Flight Simulator X
-Thrillville: Off the Rails
-Bee Movie
-Hellgate: London
-Age of Empires III: Asian Dynasties
-Stranglehold
-Gears of War
-BioShock
-Crysis
-Universe at War: Earth Assault
-BlackSite: Area 51
-World in Conflict
-Age of Conan
-Lost Planet
-Kane & Lynch
-Company of Heroes: Opposing Fronts
-Zoo Tycoon 2: Extinct Animals
-Juiced 2
-Viva Piñata
-Spider-Man: Friend or Foe

-Call of Duty 4 demo
-Amazing graphics and ambiance
-Very detailed
-Retains frantic nature of CoD series
-Live demo
-Awesome sniper action in demo
-Make good use of cover and stealth
-Exclusive to 360 online multi beta http://charlieoscardelta.com (was down at time of conference)

-Splinter Cell Conviction talked about
-GTAIV trailers were real-time 360 version - shown again
-Oct 16 NA , Oct 19 Europe
-Extra exclusive episodes by Spring

-RE 5!!! (only game shown not to be released this year)
-Jaw dropping graphics
-Village turning into zombies of some sort
-Trailer only about 20 seconds long
-July 26th full trailer on XBLM

-Assassin’s Creed
-Jayde gets cat calls from audience
-demo in Jerusalem
-everything in view is interactive
-villagers interfere or help
-fell into trap
-fights based on timed combos and counter attacks
-environment important in fights
-chases differ by personality of opponent
-November

-Halo 3 promo trailer with live actors – NOT HALO MOVIE
-Looks cheesy
-True to game series
-Warthogs, Pelicans!
-New console for Halo release
-Green Halo 360 Special Edition in September
-”meh” from the audience
-Halo 3 trailer to close show

-Halo 3 trailer!!!
-Pretty great trailer showing the Chief allied with Elites fighting Brutes
-MASSIVE enemy vehicles
-Environments looked gigantic
-Cortana looked to be in some sort of pain

-Crowd filed out during live music inspired by Halo franchise

Overall the conference was pretty ho-hum, but the 360 will still most likely have the best holiday lineup. There weren’t any real surprises outside of Resident Evil 5 being shown, but it was only a brief glimpse. There is plenty in the lineup to be excited about, however, so even though fans are feeling down about the quality of the conference, they should be extremely excited by the release schedule.

Pac-Man Championship Edition, available on Xbox Live Arcade is pretty dang awesome. With challenge on par with the best of the XBLA games, and an addictive charm that rivals Geometry Wars Retro Evolved, Pac-Man CE is the best title to be released on the download service in quite some time. The game sports some beautiful visuals and some rock-solid gameplay.

The game play similar to the old Pac-Man, but there are some new and unique twists to the formula. Instead of starting with a full maze of pellets, you’ll be given a small maze partially filled. As you progress, the maze expands and more pellets appear. All of this is pretty frantic, especially since you’re working within a time limit. The goal, like any other Pac-Man game before it, is to rack up the highest score possible. Comparing scores with your friend list is going to drive you back to the controller again and again.

It’s a shame that a game of this quality is going to be passed up because people will see the name Pac-Man and figure that it’s an old and antiquated title. The truth is, Pac-Man Championship Edition is one of the most fresh and quality experiences to be had on XBLA. My sole complaint isn’t even with the game itself, it’s with the crappy quality of the 360 d-pad and the imprecise nature of the analog stick.

I highly recommend the game to all types of gamers.

Overall Score: 9/10

I rarely use the blog as a space to whine, but there is a bit of a point to this. Just last night I went online and I played my first ranked match of FIFA ‘07 on Xbox Live. I picked Real Madrid once I noticed that the other player was choosing Italy (of course). I’ve been using Real Madrid in a league I’m a part of, and I wanted more practice with the team, and I figured they’d be a pretty fair match for Italy.

I score the first goal early on to make it 1-0 and the other player soon answers back to make it 1-1. During this time neither of us has said a single word…no trash talk, no congrats. In the second half of the game I picked up a couple of quick goals to gain a 3-1 advantage, and this joker decides that he’s going to ruin the rest of the experience. Instead of playing, he just constantly slide tackles my guys; drawing many fouls in the process. Eventually, with only a few minutes left on the clock he injures one of my players, so I have to sub him out. Once I start the process, the guy goes off and starts questioning my mental capacity and my sexual orientation all in very, ahem, colorful language. I just let him know that I have to sub out the guy because he’s injured. Well, after that he just keeps on with the slide tackles, so I decide to slam one more goal into the net, ending the game at 4-1. He logs off, and I figure that’s the end of it.

A few minutes later I check my rep and the guy has left me negative feedback and said that I quit the match early. What’s annoying is that it’s the first blemish on my rep, and I can’t respond to it in any way. At least eBay lets you respond to negative comments.

I can live with the bad feedback. I’m sure it will happen in the future, even when I’m being cordial. Why does this have to happen, though? Why can’t we just enjoy our hobby and accept defeat or win with class? If this was my first experience with Xbox Live, I’d wonder if I would want to return. Back on the original Xbox I stopped playing online for this sort of thing. At least this time around enough of my friends have 360s that I can just play with them and avoid the jackasses online. It’s a shame that I have to do that though.

Ah, how I miss the days of the arcade…there was nothing to hide behind. If you lost, you drooped your head and got back in line to challenge the current champ once more. If you won, you accepted the next opponent with a nod and gave it your all.

I guess I shouldn’t expect people to live to any sort of standard or ethics in the online gaming world. I’m probably being naive to hope for better. But hey, wouldn’t it be great if could all just play fair?

Gamerscore Blog is reporting that Aegis Wing, an intern project for XBLA, will be available for free this week for North American audiences. The game is a 2D shmup that looks gorgeous with support for 4 players over Live.

Make sure to pick up the game this week, as its free status is for a limited time only.

Source: Gamerscore Blog

Publishers are started to adopt the nickel and dime philosophy via Microtransactions with open arms, and us gamers don’t like it. Well, EA has taken another ridiculous step forward with their newest set of Marketplace offerings for The Godfather. This info is taken from Major Nelson’s blog:

The following in-game content is now available for ‘The Godfather’:

Name: MobFace Apparel Bundle – 5 Items
Available in: All regions
Price: FREE
Dash Details: Limited time offer, free Mobface Bundle, download now before its too late! Be the best looking mobster in the neighborhood with a stylish bundle featuring a leather jacket, two hats, and two glasses. Choose from several variations for each item. The best thing is, it won’t cost you nothing! Just get the bundle then go to your favorite tailor shop in-game to find your new items.

Name: The Don Collection
Available in: All regions
Price: 800 Points
Dash Details: Become a “made man” with the ultimate collection of weapons, money and in-game items. You will receive all 5 Level-4 weapons upgrades, $50K, $100K and $250K in-game money downloads. Additionally, you’ll receive the MobFace apparel bundle, Favor Pack with 3 new missions and the Buddy Crew upgrade. All items sold individually on Xbox Live Marketplace!

Name: Level 4 Revolver - Black Widow
Available in: All regions
Price: 100 Points
Dash Details: Get the ability to buy the most powerful revolver in the game. One bite from this beauty stings worse than any venom. Look for the special arms dealer at the Continental Club in Little Italy. At $300,000 it provides great bang for your buck.

Name: Level 4 Pistol - Herzstopper
Available in: All regions
Price: 100 Points
Dash Details: Your chance to get the most powerful pistol in the game is just one stop away. For $400,000 you can be a real Romeo, stopping hearts all over town. Rendezvous with the arms dealer at the Full Moon Nightclub in Brooklyn. Good luck, killer

Name: Level 4 Magnum - Annihilator
Available in: All regions
Price: 100 Points
Dash Details: You want the most powerful Magnum in the game? You have to get the right to buy it first. You won’t regret it, though. For $500,000 and a trip to Hell’s Kitchen you can pack some serious heat. Look for the arms dealer at Poppy’s Westside Nightclub

Name: Level 4 Tommy Gun – Spectre Minigun
Available in: All regions
Price: 100 Points
Dash Details: Get the ability to buy the most powerful Tommy gun in the game. It’s one of the best weapons you can own, but top-of-the-line firepower comes at a price - $750,000 to be precise. Only one arms dealer in the city sells this baby. You can find him at Jay Sizzle’s Steakhouse in Midtown.

Name: Level 4 Shotgun – Lupara Semi-automatic
Available in: All regions
Price: 100 Points
Dash Details: Be the proud owner of the most powerful shotgun in the game. The arms dealer who specializes in the Lupara hangs out at Joe Foley’s Bar in New Jersey, but it’s worth the trip out of the city. Bring $600,000 along with you to pick up this gun

Name: Hired Assassin
Available in: All regions
Price: 250 Points
Dash Details: Give yourself some extra muscle by getting the ability to buy the most powerful crew member in the game, regardless of your current rank in the Corleone family. It’ll cost you $10,000 to add him to your team, payable to special crew dealers

Name: In-Game Money - $50K
Available in: All regions
Price: 40 Points
Dash Details: Add $50,000 to your game portfolio. It’s not a fortune, but it’s nothing to shake a stick at either. The money will be added directly to your in-game bankroll once you return to gameplay. This is a one-time offer; it cannot be purchased multiple times.

Name: In-Game Money - $100K
Available in: All regions
Price: 75 Points
Dash Details: Fatten your wallet with $100K. Maybe that’ll help you on your way to buying that new Tommy gun you’ve had your eye on. The money will be added directly to your in-game bankroll once you return to gameplay. This is a one-time offer; it cannot be purchased multiple times.

Name: In-Game Money - $250K
Available in: All regions
Price: 150 Points
Dash Details: Add $250,000 to your game portfolio. Now we’re talking some serious cash. The money will be added directly to your in-game bankroll once you return to gameplay. This is a one-time offer; it cannot be purchased multiple times

Name: Level 4 Weapon Bundle
Available in: All regions
Price: 400 Points
Dash Details: Get the ability to buy five of the most powerful weapons in the game. You still have to buy the weapons separately in-game from arms dealers, but if you do, you’ll have one of the most feared arsenals in the mob world. Check the individual weapon descriptions for arms dealer locations.

Name: Favor Pack – 3 Favor Missions
Available in: All regions
Price: 250 Points
Dash Details: Favors are the currency of the mob world. You do something for somebody, they owe you big. Get three additional favor missions that are available exclusively on Xbox Live Marketplace. Get over 100% game completion! (Note: All three missions have in-game prerequisites which you can view at http://godfather.ea.com.)

This needs to stop. SERIOUSLY PEOPLE, STOP BUYING WORTHLESS MICROTRANSACTIONS! Don’t support this behavior from games. If this kind of stuff is successful, we’re all going to be buying incomplete games soon and we’ll be forced to buy the rest of the game online. Stop paying for what used to be (and still should be) free.

Lumines Live is one of the biggest rip off slap to the face of gamers that I have seen in a long time. The game costs 1200 Marketplace points (a lot to begin with), but doesn’t include all of the skins or modes in the game. In fact, all of the included skins can be played through in under an hour from start to finish. To get the full experience of the game you’ll need to buy 3 additional packs via microtransactions on the Xbox Live Marketplace.

Come on people, this is a sick joke. If this is the way next-gen is progressing, I might become a retro gamer even more than I am now. It sickens me to see this nickel and diming model become the standard in the industry.

Don’t buy Lumines Live. DO NOT SUPPORT THIS KIND OF CONSUMER ABUSE. The only way to properly speak out is by withholding your dollar. Send a message! Do not eat up either Microsoft’s or Mizuguchi’s damage control on this issue. For the sake of us all, ignore this game!