Gizmodo: Videogames

Band Geek Hero Shirts Proclaim You King of the Keytar

Elaine Chow — Sat, 19 Jul 2008 12:30:00 EDT

Guitarists may get all the chicks, but some of us loudly and proudly played less popular instruments and heck, we ought to get a chance to be a hero too! While I plead with Harmonix to include the noble Euphonium in their next music game, you other band geeks can show solidarity with your instrument of choice by wearing it on your shirt. Torsopants has a crazy collection of Guitar Hero parodies for almost every musical player out there. Banjo Hero? Kazoo Hero? Didgeridoo Hero? All yours for $19 plus shipping. [Torsopants via Boingboing]

Logitech Rolls Out Driving Force Wireless Gaming Wheel for Playstation

John Mahoney — Tue, 15 Jul 2008 09:24:29 EDT

It's missing the built-in shifter and faux-carbon of the Driving Force GT, but it does offer force feedback and, of course, the ability to play Gran Turismo unencumbered by realism-killing wires—a first for Logitech. It'll work with both PS2 and PS3 for $100. [Product Page]

Eight Ways to Hurt Yourself Playing Video Games

matt buchanan — Fri, 16 May 2008 21:00:00 EDT

When I was talking with the SteelSeries guys about their gear, one thing they were serious about was that gaming is a sport. I scoffed. But, we've shown you how to work out with nothing gaming gear and now PC Mag catalogs eight ways to hurt yourself gaming—like any other athletic activity. Besides sore limbs via Wiitis, there's Rock Band Hand from too much drumming/strumming, WASD wrist for hardcore PC gamers (and bloggers), Burning Bladder for WoWites, and um, something that vaguely resembles epilepsy for puzzle gamers. Not featured, however, is the most notorious of Wiinjuries:

Getting the shit beat out of you by your uncoordinated friend. Do you guys have any crazier gaming-induced injuries? [PC Mag]

Rock Band Bot Can Get 100% On Expert Song, But You Still Suck

Elaine Chow — Sun, 04 May 2008 18:30:00 EDT

Robotics maker Mark Single hooked up a Rock Band guitar to Christmas light show software and scored 100% on Green Grass and High Tides on Expert, one of the hardest songs in the game. He's detailed how he did it so you n00bs can try your hand at it too. I've never really understood the point of modding a game to play itself, but in case you were one of the lame asses who needed to cheat to get sweet scores in Guitar Hero III and panicked at the thought of actually playing to pass songs in Rock Band, Pure Pwnage has got you covered. Though, at the end of the day, is it really worth it to get a perfect and still feel so empty? [Pure Pwnage via HacknMod]

Super Genintari 4-in-1 Console Jams Nintendo, SEGA, and Atari

Jesus Diaz — Mon, 14 Apr 2008 11:20:00 EDT

Super Genintari is the latest mega-console mod by Richard DaLuz, a perfect cocktail of Atari 2600, Nintendo Entertainment System, Genesis and Super NES enclosed in a retro-'80s bronze acrylic case, "formed and shaped on a homemade stript heater." It connects to a TV using a single cable, running four games simultaneously, and probably cooks bread with the generated heat—like the video shows after the jump. We talked with Richard about his superconsole mod:

Jesús Díaz: Great mix and cool retro look. Are these regular motherboards you are using?
Richard DaLuz: The systems inside the Super Genintari aren't anything you have to special-order. They're all the same old systems myself and many others grew up with through the '80s/'90s and regularly find floating around at garage sales to this day.

I used the beloved old gray and white "toaster" NES board, a model 3 Sega Genesis, the smaller redesigned SNES and an Atari Flashback 2 for the 2600 portion, since it's much smaller and easier to work with than retrofitting the original board from the '70s. It's still official reworked Atari hardware and completely compatible as far as I know, so all is well. The basic rule was that if any of the systems couldn't play ANY game I threw at it, it was out. I tend to avoid the much smaller "pirate/clone" systems for this reason.

JD: You didn't have to do any modifications to the boards to make them fit?
RD: The only board I really had to do any "major" modification to was the NES, and that was just a simple A/V amplifier mod using parts that can easily be found at any Radioshack for pennies. Other than that, just a lot of tedious rewiring and soldering to relocate the cartridge connectors.

JD: You have any background in electronics?
RD: Believe it or not, very little! I took one class way back in high school that basically just taught me how to operate a soldering iron without burning myself and/or others. (I still can't even tell you what the hell Ohm's Law is without Googling it.) Other than that I have no official training. Just a lot of dinking around by myself, finding out what works and what doesn't. It's an area that I've been curious about since I was a kid and still have yet to pursue professionally. This should be inspiring news to anyone else that's interested in this kind of stuff.

JD: What was the final bill for this wonderconsole?
RD: Mmm. You'd have to shell out whatever the going rate is for the four different consoles, plus about $50 or so for the casing materials, adhesives, machine screws and whatnot. Easily a couple hundred bucks if you're starting with nothing. But that's assuming you already have access to the necessary tools you'd need. (Soldering/desoldering irons, screw drivers, clamps, wiring, etc.) I ended up spending much more than that considering how many changes I made along the way though and that's something you have to consider when you're doing this kind of work. Nothing ever goes according to plan and the ole' wallet ends up taking the hit.

JD: And for how long have you been working on it?
RD: As far as what it's cost me in time... my God, I don't even know where to begin. I've been working on this damn thing on and off since early 2002! Granted I've taken many "sanity breaks" for several months at a time during the process and changed many things along the way, but that's still a long freakin' time. It's hard to come up with a figure for the time I've put into this thing, but know this... I wouldn't allow myself to part with it for less that a few thousand. I'm pretty sure this thing literally has my blood in it somewhere!

According to Richard, the system is very easy to hook up. Just one A/V cable is needed and you don't have to depend on any external transformer: he put all the necessary power in the case itself. Playing with it is as easy as the video shows: just plug in, put the cartridges in, turn the Super Genintari on, and enjoy.

[Stupidfinger —thanks Jenn and Richard]

DARPA Wants Contact Lenses to Turn Real-Life Combat Into Call of Duty 4

matt buchanan — Thu, 20 Mar 2008 17:45:46 EDT

The problem with cool strap-on heads-up displays a few lucky soldiers get to use on the battlefield today is that they're bulky affairs that make them look like half-assed cyborgs. Plus, the interface is limited. The Pentagon wants to develop contact lenses that'll put "first-person-shooter-type video game" graphics on top the soldiers' vision. Yes, they want to make real-life combat the realest Halo match ever.

Specifically, they're looking for "information on technology areas for the creation of micro- and nano-scale display technologies for the purpose of creating displays that could be worn as transparent contact lenses." And they want it now. Okay, like three to five years, but that's practically immediate for the Pentagon. Right in time for Halo 5. [Federal Business Opportunities via Danger Room]

First Hands-On Video of Wii Wheel with Mario Kart Wii

Wilson Rothman — Tue, 18 Mar 2008 21:00:00 EDT

My buddy Stephen T over at MTV's Multiplayer blog scored the first video demo of the Wii Wheel in Mario Kart Wii game play. Melvin at Nintendo shows him how to insert a Wiimote into the Wheel, then head to the races. Watch T manage to execute a wheelie and a powerslide, then—in the second video in the link below—try the same maneuvering sans Wheel, with far less enthusiasm. He doesn't say whether or not it's a true winner or a waste of plastic, but my guess is, he likes it better than this guy. His biggest gripe? No horn to honk, Maggie Simpson style. FYI: If you live in Canada, UK or Japan, MTV hates your guts. [MTV Multiplayer]

Teen Strangles Father with Gamepad Cable

Jesus Diaz — Thu, 10 Jan 2008 08:30:35 EST

A 18-year-old was arrested this week after trying to kill his father by strangling him with the cable of his videoconsole gamepad. While the videogame console brand hasn't been disclosed yet, the police have been able to establish the circumstances that lead to the almost surrealistic (but strangely understandable) murder attempt:

According to the police, the teenager was playing intensely with a game at the time of the event. The father, who warned him several times to stop playing, went into the room to demand that he turn off the videoconsole. The son ignored the father's orders and kept playing, trying to finish his game. As a response, the angry paterfamilias unplugged the power cable, making the son lose his progress in the game.

At that point, the son furiously jumped off the sofa and, angered by the fact that he lost all his game progress tried to strangle his father with the cable of the gamepad, almost achieving it. Fortunately, the wife heard the struggle and helped her husband break from his agressor. After that, the police and emergency medical teams arrived to the scene, taking the father to the hospital. A few minutes after this, the police arrested the son in a nearby street in Bilbao, the Spanish city where the events occurred earlier this week.

The son is now under custody and is going to be judged for a domestic violence crime. Now, while I don't approve of his reaction, I have to confess that sometimes I have felt an intense desire to smack someone because of similar reasons, being losing my progress in a long game or a document. I don't care if it happens because someone steps over the power cable or a general electric failure, but I have to say that I have crashed more than one gamepad and mouse against the wall. What about you?

[Gizmodo Spain]

Xbox Racing Games To Combat Real-Life Drunk Driving

Wilson Rothman — Wed, 26 Dec 2007 10:00:34 EST

The country that invented Scotch is paying to have virtual billboards implanted in Need for Speed: Carbon, Project Gotham Racing 4 and other titles, telling 15-to-24-year-olds not to drink and drive. At least not in real cars. It's probably okay for them to drink and drive virtual cars, because all they risk there is hitting those virtual "don't drink and drive" billboards. This comes on the heels of the British government putting intelligence-agency employment ads in games like Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell: Double Agent. The Scottish transport minister says that if this $20,000 pilot project is a success, other road-safety messages may soon appear, too. Like "Don't Drive Like You're Playing Need For Speed." [Kotaku]

Brain Age Creator Developing Intelligent Toyotas for Old People

Wilson Rothman — Tue, 18 Dec 2007 09:14:37 EST

First he developed Brain Age, a hit Nintendo DS game that helps keep people's brains fit well into their golden years. Now, the same guy, Ryuta Kawashima, is working with Toyota to make cars that help the older folks who perhaps didn't do all the mental calisthenics they should have.

The car systems, which will are now going into development, will be able to determine whether or not the driver was doing anything dangerous or erratic, and control for that or even act to prevent that kind of behavior.

There might be a system that uses both climate control and navigation to make sure the drivers stay alert, for instance. The system might automatically slows the car down if it senses an irrational punch of the gas pedal. There's no mention of the opposite, however. You know, the system that speeds the hell up when it determines that you've just merged onto a 75mph freeway and you're only doing 34. [SMH]

Nintendo's Wii Rainchecks Mean You Get the Console Plus the Agonizing Wait

Wilson Rothman — Fri, 14 Dec 2007 11:38:19 EST

Kotaku's Brian Crecente is liveblogging a chat with Nintendo US honcho Reggie Fils-Aime, where the first order of business was the availability of Wii "rainchecks" at GameStop stores. If you go in on December 20 or 21 and make a full payment, assuming they are out of actual Wiis, you will get a raincheck certificate which guarantees a Wii by the end of January. Though Fils-Aime told Crecente that the GameStop has "many tens of thousands" of rainchecks across their 3,000 or so stores, they may of course run out of those as well. Fils-Aime confirmed that Best Buy, Target and Wal-Mart were releasing lots of Wiis this weekend, but if none of this works, there's always cryogenic freezing. [Kotaku]

Fully Functional LEGO Guitar Hero Controller Shreds Other Plastic Guitars

Matt Buchanan — Mon, 06 Aug 2007 08:30:38 EDT

This Gibson Explorer-modeled, fully functional LEGO Guitar Hero controller is definitely one of the better DIY video game peripherals we've seen—it's exponentially more attractive than the last homemade GH controller we saw, anyway. How does it work?

The maker loses a bit of DIY cred by dumping the guts from a real GH controller into the LEGO case, but we'll let it slide because it looks damn good. The beefier case should be a boon for axe-wielders with gorilla mitts, to boot. [TechEBlog]

Army Uses Videogames for Civilians and Soldiers

Mark Wilson — Sun, 29 Jul 2007 13:05:04 EDT

The Army has been using their videogame America's Army to attract civilian youth demographics for sometime, but now actual soldiers are playing it with live ammunition for real combat training.

This video shows the integration of America's Army in real settings, and how the Army can set up this arcade/simulator/training anywhere they are stationed with ease. I knew that all these videogames have transformed me into a lethal killer...if only I hadn't specialized in using fireflowers and stomping mushroom men! [therawfeed]

Soviet Arcade Machines Fully Explain Russians' Vodka Addiction

Addy Dugdale — Thu, 07 Jun 2007 06:22:28 EDT

While Russian president, former KGB agent and failed comedian Vladimir Putin polishes his ICBMs, a group of friends at Moscow State Technical University has decided to do the same with a whole bunch of video game machines from the Soviet Era. And like the USSR's old missiles, these primitive Japanese arcade crude knockoffs look to be just as fun. I know this is all about nostalgia, but someone should tell them that some things are better left in the graveyard. At least the ICBMs. – Jesus Diaz

Soviet-Era Arcade Games Crawl Out of Their Cold War Graves [Wired]

Sony Style Store, Best Buy Website Dump 20 GB PS3

Matt Buchanan — Tue, 10 Apr 2007 19:51:40 EDT

For the 20GB PS3, it looks like the end is near. Sony's official store, Sony Style, as well as the websites of Best Buy, Gamestop and EB are no longer carrying the 20GB model, instead only offering its buffer, more expensive brother. While it remains on Amazon for the time being, there's no telling how much longer it will stick around. Add this to the fact that the 20 GB version was never available in Europe, and it smells strongly of an SKU execution.

We kind of knew it was coming. I mean, honestly, who actually bought one of them? Now we're just wondering how long it'll be before Microsoft drops the hammer on the Core 360, since three versions of a console seems like a bit much. Then again, there are 2353798 versions of Windows Vista. – Matt Buchanan

US retailers drop 20GB PS3 [GameIndustry.biz via Ars Technica]

Grandma Takes On PS3

Mark Wilson — Sun, 18 Mar 2007 12:35:44 EDT

If you are not a heavy gamer, you may not have heard of Old Grandma Hardcore. And if you are so blessed as to experience her signature videos for the first time, we will not ruin them for you.

But anyway, she upgraded her console arsenal to include a PS3. And I can't wait until MGS4 makes its way into her carefully chosen diction. – Mark Wilson

Wii Turns Elderly Into Addicts

blongo3 — Thu, 22 Feb 2007 17:54:50 EST

I remember people laughing at Nintendo's blue ocean strategy, where they said they were going to go after the untapped sections of the game market like the elderly.

Well if the Sedgebrook Retirement Community in Chicago, IL is a good indicator of Blue Ocean's success, then they are definitely onto something cause these geriatrics are hooked. Most notably with Wii bowling, which is set have it's own 20-person tournament.

I bet you Sedgebrook has the highest number of grandkids coming to visit as well. I know I would have went to see my Grandparents more if they were going to try and rock me at Wii Sports. Love you Gram & GP.– Ben Longo

Nintendo console has officially gone geriatric [DailyTech]

VP of Blizzard: "You Won't Need a Console"

blongo3 — Wed, 07 Feb 2007 20:06:19 EST

They must be putting something in technology exec's water this week. First Steve Jobs turns into the DRM Terminator, and now, Itzik Ben Bassat, VP of Business Development at Blizzard is claiming that there won't be a need for consoles by 2012.

He does actually raise an interesting point. Instead of having just one console attached to one TV, you could have a computer that could stream your movies, pictures, and even games to any TV. It would definitely make the idea of downloading video games more appealing, instead of locking them to just one console.– Ben Longo

WOW developer keeps close eye on Sony and Microsoft [Games Industry]

E3 '06: Team Kotaku Brings Gaming Noise, Funk

Joel — Wed, 10 May 2006 17:22:54 EDT

Don't miss Kotaku's on-the-scene coverage of E3 '06, with stories like these polished, possibly collectable gems:

• Kotaku's E306 Mini-Guide: Day 1
• Our up-to-the-minute image gallery live from the show floor!
• E306: Nintendo Wii Zapper
• E306 Clips: Press Conference Score Card
• E306: Shiver Me Timbers, Pirates of the Caribbean Online
• Draenei Confirmed As New WoW Race
• E3 2006 Clips: What Geeks Eat
• Grand Theft Auto 4 Announced!
• Kotaku Stalku E306: Don King's Hair Does Not Disappoint

High Score: The Best of Kotaku

Noah R — Mon, 17 Oct 2005 15:30:25 EDT

This Week in Kotaku: A blogger lets top secret World of Warcraft expansion info slip and is promptly silenced. On the heels of a security update, Sony's PSP gets TV capabilities. In the wake of X05, Microsoft unveils yet another viral campaign, Hex168. Kotaku goes interactive with comment launch.

An email with the subject line, "TIP: the beginning is nigh for 360 fans," pointed Kotaku and its readers at the latest viral marketing puzzle. The official site looks like an old tabloid with a countdown and a crop circle-y logo. The smart-as-a-whip Kotaku readership is hard at work figuring out puzzle in our newly unveiled comments section. Wanna talk back? Check the FAQ on how.

Computer Gaming World editor, Jeff Green let readers in on World of Warcraft's expansion when he said two new races would appear in the game at his blog. The post found its way to Blizzard and was removed. The secret's out though, the expansion will have a new race for the Alliance and a new race for the Horde.

It seems like my PSP has been getting firmware upgrades and downgrades every week. Sometimes its for security and finally, one came out for functionality. Boasting LocationFree Player support, firmware upgrade 2.5 gives PSP users the ability to view live TV, recorded TV over a broadband internet connection. Hot.