GT5 And Head Tracking

Another WTF for GT5 was me trying to get the head tracking working. I have the camera going through a USB hub and it appeared in the options settings, after i switched it back from the Moves wide angle mode, but i could not get the bugger working in the Arcade/Practice mode. After some reading on the intarwebs and frowning at all the conflicting information about it only working in some modes with certain cars i cracked it. In anything above a Beginer you have to turn off Fuel/Tyrewear in the pre-race options! don't ask me why, you just do. After i did that it seems to be working fine with all in car views.

The angle of turn isn't huge, it allows you to check out your rear view mirrors and look up and down a bit but it's enough to create a feeling of driver movement, i never realised just how much i do turn my head while driving in a game until now.

I've also been playing Tumble with my new wavey stick, does the end have to glow magenta? :D it shows off just how versatile the Move controler is and i imagine after a few more shots of JD stacking things on top of other things will be as much fun as:-

Unofficial Xmas Post.

If you reach out and touch someone, make sure they're legal ;P

Happy Xmas Citizens. Power to teh Gamer!

10 biggest gadget letdowns of 2010

Not everything lives up to the impressive-sounding, bullet-point list of features that appeared on the internet six months before launch.

Sometimes owning high-spec gadgets is best left to the imagination, as the result of your latest internet shopping spree can end with the courier dropping off something that isn't quite as life-changing and empowering as the multi-million pound, pan-European marketing assault initially suggested.

Spec sheets are one thing, but as tech gets more and more complex and attempts to please more and more people by combining ever-longer lists of features into one box, we're seeing companies fail to get the dizzying modern blend of software and hardware anything like right.

So what products have disappointed us this year? Which ones do we wish we'd waited for a few more reviews to filter through before maxing out the credit card? And which product was so terrible it was pulled from sale in the face of mass consumer disgust?


Read The Full Story Here: [[HERE]]

What we know about Starhawk

If I could only have one PS3 game, I'd have to choose Warhawk. Given it's over three years old, visually it shows it's age, plus it is solely a multiplayer game, it might seem an odd choice. That fact remains, I've had more fun playing Warhawk than anything else.

Rumours surrounding the sequel have been with us for a long time, and seem to be heating up - so here is a summary of what we know, littered with personal opinion as is traditional on U3S!

The name: Starhawk

Sony trademarked the name Starhawk around April 2009. That is all we know, it's not necessarily linked to LightBox Interactive (Dylan Jobe's development house, broken off from Incognito, responsible for Warhawk expansion packs etc.).

Is it a sequel?

Rumours are plentiful, I've been Googling this morning and the only verified source is Dylan Jobe's carefully selected comments on Twitter. So vague are these I won't repeat them here, but they do not state that the project LightBox are working on is indeed a sequel, a "Warhawk in space", or any other details whatsoever!

So what do we know?

It is clear that Dylan is passionate about his project and will not release information until ready to do so. There have been no leaks, so he's also running a nice tight ship. Best of all, he says we deserve games which are not rushed. We do, I'm happy to wait for one.

Via Twitter he refers to aiming to please fans, that's where the sequel rumour comes in. More interestingly he states they are developing "new and exciting stuff".

There is reference to mission design, some take this to imply a single player campaign - hmm, not necessarily...

So, we know just about nothing.. what do we want then?

Well, the balance in Warhawk is incredible, it's possible to be strategic to succeed, or skillful, or gain strength from teamwork, or on occasion a bit of blind jamminess! All these please!

I could bang on about how nice Warhawk vehicles are, how sweet a well timed mine or grenade is, how funny a man on man knifing runaround can be, how satisfying a thoughtful switch to a rocket launchers to take out a deadly tank or warhawk is, I could keep going. Enough said, just don't take the best of these out without putting twice as much back in.

The ability to quickly jump in on an official server 32 player romp, or find two or three likeminded folk for a little deathmatch - whatever you want to find, a tweak on the game filters and join in the game you want. To this day (three years later) the matchmaking (or perhaps lack of) is pure perfection, perhaps by virtue of not trying to be perfect!

The range of game options, map selection etc. is nice, the ability to set up a host game and even play on it in online split screen is just so perfect. Essential for the next one.

Good headset support, reasonably easy muting of idiots too.

So, I've listed only things Warhawk already has, as for the rest? Honestly, anything is OK! I want a modernised Warhawk with great new maps, without massive changes. Put it in space, back is the Warhawk world, between the two, anywhere - just don't go backwards on anything which was right before, it all needs a really good reason to justify something coming out.

What if it's completely different? Great, bring it on!

I like to think they know this at LightBox, one day, hopefully soon, we'll find out.

Gran Turismo 1.05 Live

The latest update to Gran Turismo 5, version 1.05, was made available just a few hours ago and weighs in at 608MB. Here’s a quick, official summary of all the new changes, but users are discovering a few more new tweaks in our forums as well:

* Seasonal Events: [Seasonal Events] have been added to the [GT Mode] – [GT Life] screen. From here you can participate in official online events from the Polyphony Digital team. In these events, all participants are under the same regulations, and if you complete the event you will win rewards and experience. Compete on the leader boards with players around the world, in Time Trials and Drift Trials!
* Online Collector’s Dealership: An [Online Collector's Dealership] has been added to the left and centre of the [GT Mode]-[GT Life] screen. In here you will find popular and rare cars. You might just come across that one car you’ve always been looking for, that you haven’t been able to find in the [Used Car Dealership].
* Online Race Rewards and Experience: When you complete a race in the [Open Lobby] or [My Lounge], you will now gain rewards and experience points. Even if you are focused more on playing online, you’ll still be able to gain rewards and levels that you need to progress in [GT Life].
* Driving Distance and Number of Wins in Online Races: The driving distance and the number of wins you achieve when you complete a race in [Open Lobby] or [My Lounge] will now affect your stats in [Profile] and the [Garage]. Here the results from your online play will cumulate within [GT Life].
* Improved Rewards: The rewards for winning races in both A-Spec and B-Spec in [GT Mode]-[GT Life] have been increased for a limited time only. (This applies until the end of January 2011.) This is a great chance for those who were previously having difficulties getting ahead in the game, due to a lack of funds for tuning and purchasing required cars.
* Race Information Display: It is now possible to set the [Race Info Display] in [Start]-[Quick Options]. (You can also set this in [Race Display] in [Options]).
* Save Data Backup: You can now copy and restore your save data. For details, please refer to the in-game [Manual].
* User BGM (Menu): From [Options]-[Hardware]-[Audio Settings], it is now possible to set the [User BGM] (Menu)]. (This can also be set from the [Music Library] within [GT Mode]).
* Car Name Change: The official name of “Red Bull X1″ has been changed to the “Red Bull X2010″.
* Integration with the Website: The main features within [GT Mode]-[Community] can now also be accessed through the “gran-turismo.com” official website.
* [Important Note:] We have made improvements to the [Log] within [GT Mode]- [Community] section, in order to make its operation more stable. Please note that the information that was contained here from before the update has been reset.

Xmas Like IT's 1985

Rockstar show off "depth analysis room"

L.A. Noire getting better with every moment:

http://www.rockstargames.com/lanoire/

Mass Effect PS3 vs 360

More Mass Effect 2 Videos

Need for Speed: Hot Pursuit - for £24.99 today

Game email told me I could get NFS Hot Pursuit for £24.99 today. I had a fiver on my loyalty card too, so I couldn't resist this for £19.99. All ordered up:

Merry Christmas MrJimmy, love from MrJimmy xxx

Much as I'm enjoying GT5 and have Black Ops coming from my missus, I miss Burnout Paradise's uber fast madness - seeing this is from the same team (saving the NFS franchise from self destruction in one foul swoop) I just have to rock this one...

Go for it: http://www.game.co.uk/lowdown.aspx?lid=14172&cm_mmc=game-_-multi-_-NFSDeal-_-email

My Bike Ride To Work... Maybe

The Ultimate PS2

While it is a kosher Sony product, Sony is keeping tight-lipped about the telly and wouldn't give us any details because the company is "not 'actively' pushing the item". We know the feeling: we've lost count of the days we've spent trying not to talk about something that seemed like a fantastic idea the night before...

"It's so ... black!" said Ford Prefect, "you can hardly make out its shape ... light just seems to fall into it!"

Zaphod said nothing. He had simply fallen in love.

The blackness of it was so extreme that it was almost impossible to tell how close you were standing to it.

"Your eyes just slide off it ..." said Ford in wonder. It was an emotional moment. He bit his lip.

Zaphod moved forward to it, slowly, like a man possessed - or more accurately like a man who wanted to possess. His hand reached out to stroke it. His hand stopped. His hand reached out to stroke it again. His hand stopped again.

"Come and feel the surface," he said in a hushed voice.

Ford put his hand out to feel it. His hand stopped.

"You ... you can't ..." he said.

"See?" said Zaphod, "it's just totally frictionless. This must be one mother of a mover ..."

He turned to look at Ford seriously. At least, one of his heads did - the other stayed gazing in awe at the ship.

"What do you reckon, Ford?" he said.

"You mean ... er ..." Ford looked over his shoulder. "You mean stroll off with it? You think we should?"

"No."

"Nor do I."

"But we're going to, aren't we?"

"How can we not?"

Nurburgring + VW Van + 'Tone =

Winter GT5 Photo Comp'

post your entries [HERE]

Sony Release New PS2

What do you get when you combine a Sony 22-inch Bravia LCD with a Sony PS2? The ultimate babysitter! It’s cheap at £199 (Richer Sounds) and has a small enough footprint to fit into most kid’s rooms. But best of all, while you’re working your way through the gory madness that is Splatterhouse on the livingroom PS3, the kids can enjoy your tame classic PS2 titles like Crash Bandicoot or Grand Theft Auto III. There really isn’t anything as rewarding as parenting, eh? If a built-in PS2 isn’t enough, there’s four HDMI ports, along with access to Sony’s Bravia online service either through Ethernet or via the optional wireless dongle. Sony’s not said just yet whether the US will get a version of the KDL-22PX300 Tough Titties America.

*runs to shop with new credit card*

Zombies!

Dead Nation is a superb zombie shooter, out yesterday in the PSN Store and a proper bargain dontchaknow.

I did a Beta runaround on this, it's a top game, as I'm increasingly believing anything by my Super Stardust HD providing heroes Housemarque is going to be. It's not one to play in front of the young'uns (due to the massive amount of bloodshed and desperately morbid and gory content), but it's a great change of scene from most of the games we are playing these days!

If anyone wants to go co-op, gimme a shout.

Bothering Kazunori Yamauchi On Twitter

Gran Turismo 5 has been out for a week now, and it looks like virtual racers are full of complaints and suggestions. Polyphony head Kazunori Yamauchi recently addressed a few player concerns at his Twitter account.

Here's a bit of what Yamauchi wrote:

Regarding a YouTube video upload feature, this was actually implemented at one point, but it required a lot of time for rendering because of insufficient memory. They're still looking into it, though.

Someone asked for a no HUD option, and Yamauchi replied that they'd like to do something about this in the future.

The next update for the game is scheduled for early this month.

Face tracking is only available in arcade mode due to memory restrictions.

New lounge functionality will be added over time.

Regarding an option for just driving around town, Yamauchi said that this is one of the things that they'd wanted to do but were unable to.

They're currently preparing a credits and experience system for online play. Yamauchi said to wait a bit for this.