tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-69251090887038463002024-03-13T09:08:50.880-07:00PixellationMagazinePixellationMagazine is a retro games eMagazine for eReaders and Tablet devices. This blog is an extension of the magazine with information, reviews, articles and more.PixellationMagazinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14148520845772318161noreply@blogger.comBlogger33125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6925109088703846300.post-80900704282666677912014-05-14T11:45:00.000-07:002014-05-14T11:51:20.351-07:00What’s in the Box? – Deadfall: Adventures Xbox 360<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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</xml><![endif]--><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAuEIckxWT3HUr0tbXxKesDvVZKg4smsnhK7Ajvo1riWLaHsAvX0sNWxqyizh2SwVZuO7e8evSK5uNaUEe4qFBatSLGn4UnqrZy7FKftKN1IMnDPIwQAhKQX7ctzQ7qxWCP3FvM_A7CRI/s1600/Deadfall+Adventures+Collectors+Edition.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAuEIckxWT3HUr0tbXxKesDvVZKg4smsnhK7Ajvo1riWLaHsAvX0sNWxqyizh2SwVZuO7e8evSK5uNaUEe4qFBatSLGn4UnqrZy7FKftKN1IMnDPIwQAhKQX7ctzQ7qxWCP3FvM_A7CRI/s1600/Deadfall+Adventures+Collectors+Edition.png" height="240" width="320" /></a><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 115%;"> Deadfall: Adventures was released for the PC and Xbox 360 in November
2013, developed by Polish studio The Farm 51 who also brought us the
NecroVisioN PC games, and published by Nordic Games. The game is directly inspired
by H. Rider Haggard (see King Solomon’s Mines) Allen Quatermain series of
books, a lost world and adventure series that has inspired many in its wake,
and as H. Rider Haggards work (including the Allen Quatermain character and
series) has passed into public domain, the series has been greatly explored and
expanded upon by other writers and directors.</span></span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 115%;"> In Deadfall: Adventures you play as James Lee Quatermain, a descendent
of Allen Quatermain no less in an action adventure game set in the first person
perspective. The game tells an Atlantean type story that will see the
protagonist continent skipping, from Africa and the Antarctic to South America
in search of powerful Atlantean artefacts. As you would expect from such a game
you will wonder through ancient ruins, fight off Nazis, ancient mummy’s that
come back to life, and of course have to avoid traps and solve puzzles. The
game feels more akin to the type of adventure found in old black and white
movies, with the same humour and some rigid voice acting, but it all gels
together. Deadfall: Adventures is by no means a Tomb Raider or Uncharted, nor
does it try to be either, it’s just a fun adventure game no more, no less.</span><b><span style="line-height: 115%;"> </span></b></span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b><span style="line-height: 115%;">Deadfall: Adventures Collector’s
Edition</span></b></span></span><br />
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<![endif]--><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 115%;">Comes in a cardboard box with
additional cardboard sleeve</span></span></span>
</li>
<li><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 115%;">Allen Quatermain Revolver & 3
exclusive multiplayer character skins DLC</span></span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 115%;">Artbook</span></span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 115%;">Making of movie DVD</span></span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 115%;">Soundtrack
CD</span></span></span></li>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">
</span></span><br />
<ul></ul>
PixellationMagazinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14148520845772318161noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6925109088703846300.post-71470005086082319392014-04-28T14:08:00.002-07:002014-04-28T14:26:05.478-07:00Emulation – The PC Alternatives<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaQa5E6930MP53fhrN-_ZDN3cRKdh-qjNORa3aFOIco2uo6rSQx7YEwvOoH1oQIzeaTSjtZ1SOJokXhBRq0MHIOso-iNLyk7qSEtn2ta1DIQ0rRsovaGX5dHr_73BvlVFV4adltHGleHw/s1600/Xbox+Console.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaQa5E6930MP53fhrN-_ZDN3cRKdh-qjNORa3aFOIco2uo6rSQx7YEwvOoH1oQIzeaTSjtZ1SOJokXhBRq0MHIOso-iNLyk7qSEtn2ta1DIQ0rRsovaGX5dHr_73BvlVFV4adltHGleHw/s1600/Xbox+Console.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 115%;"> The PC is still the dominant platform for emulation, it offers far more
in the way of variety and choice, and 99.99% of the time offers a more
competent and a superior experience (depending on who you speak to that is.)
Things have only got better and better as the years have rolled by: emulators
are improving year-on-year, laptops and desktops can now be hooked up to the TV
via HDMI, and the last half a decade or more has seen the Xbox 360 and PS3
controllers become the de facto PC method of controller supported input. More
recently there has even been an influx of USB adaptors that enable you to plug
old console controllers into the PC for use with emulators to create an even
better and closer console experience.</span></span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 115%;"> But what if you don’t want to do emulation on the PC? What if you want a
simpler console style experience? What if you want emulation on the move? Well
fear not, as emulation on other systems other than the PC has a long history,
and there is a wealth of choice out there these days. My Amiga 2000 for example
has a Dos 2088 PC emulation expansion board and there is also a version of the
Vice C64 emulator available for the Amiga platform. Old consoles such as Sega’s
Dreamcast now have plenty of emulators created for it that can be burned onto a
CD-R and booted up, so even retro machines are capable of emulating earlier
retro machines especially these days.</span></span></span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 115%;"> </span></span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 115%;"> In this article I will be focusing on two different systems and one
platform which I am very familiar with and have been experiencing emulation on
for some time now. The two systems are the original Xbox and the Nintendo Wii,
the other is the Android platform as I have been using a tablet which is what most
people will generally use. Why focus on Android instead of other mobile devices
such as the PSP or DS? Well it’s simply because I use my Android tablet for
emulation and have never experienced emulation on the PSP or DS. Also the
Android platform and the tablet market have exploded over the last 4 years,
these days most people have a tablet and if it isn’t an iPad then it’s an
Android tablet. It must be noted however that because of the wide variety in
manufacturers and specs on the platform, not everyone will have the same
cohesive experience of emulation on it, and that experience will come down to
your specific device.</span><b><span style="line-height: 115%;"> </span></b></span></span><br />
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<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b><span style="line-height: 115%;">Ease of Setup</span></b></span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b><span style="line-height: 115%;">Original Xbox</span></b><span style="line-height: 115%;"> –
To run emulation on the original Xbox it will first have to be modded, this
requires it to be either hard modded using a chip or softmodded. The latter
uses exploits in software to replace the old firmware with a new custom built
one and does not require any additional hardware to be installed. While I can’t
speak about how easy or not the hard mod route is, I can however tell you that
the softmod method is pretty strait forward to do and I’d say can be easily
accomplished by anyone, no matter what your skill level in these areas are. You
will have to acquire a few extras off eBay to accomplish the softmod, but it’s
pretty strait forward from there on in.</span></span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 115%;"> Two of the most challenging aspects of softmodding the original Xbox
comes later after the new firmware has been installed. The first is using an
FTP (File Transfer Protocol) program on your PC to send emulators over to the Xbox;
the other is installing a larger hdd to house all the emulators you might want
to install. The original Xbox comes with an 8gb hdd, once softmodded, 4gb will
be used by the firmware while the other 4gb will be free to use as you see fit,
but you might find that this small amount might fill up rather quickly. The
former is easy enough once you know how to use an FTP program, but the latter
is the most challenging technically and is a pain to be honest. There is a compatibility
list out there for anyone trying to find a compatible IDE drive right off the
bat, these are the best to go for especially if you manage to find a new one
for sale as they are easily installed and have the best chance of working even
if they are not on the compatibility list. The downside to using an IDE hdd is
that they are now really expensive as they are being phased out, now they can
cost double the price of a SATA drive with significantly less memory in
comparison. Don’t worry though as you can use a SATA drive in conjunction with
a SATA to IDE converter, but be warned that there is more of a chance a SATA
drive wont work compared to an IDE drive due to incompatibility issues.</span><b><span style="line-height: 115%;"> </span></b></span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b><span style="line-height: 115%;">Wii</span></b><span style="line-height: 115%;"> – I didn’t
have to buy anything more than an 8gb SD card to softmod the Wii, but the
initial installation of the custom firmware was more involved and a drawn out
process than it was with the original Xbox. This puts the Wii ahead of the Xbox
because although the initial setup is more complex, once its complete there are
no more additional steps to be taken afterwards. The SD card is essential as
this is where the new firmware and emulators will reside, you will need at
least an 8gb SD Card, but if you find yourself needing a bigger card later on
then everything can be copy and pasted over to the new card. Installing
emulators is made easy by plugging the SD card into a PC and putting them in
the correct folder, this is far easier and less time consuming than the FTP
method employed by the Xbox.</span><b><span style="line-height: 115%;"> </span></b></span></span></div>
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<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b><span style="line-height: 115%;">Android</span></b><span style="line-height: 115%;"> – Out
of all three the Android platform is the easiest to get emulators installed on.
It’s as easy as downloading free or paid for emulators off the Google Play
store, install them and away you go. If there are certain emulators you want
but can’t find on the store, but have found elsewhere, then the APK file can be
downloaded or side-loaded onto your Android device, it’s that simple, and for
that reason the Android platform wins in this category hands down.</span><b><span style="line-height: 115%;"> </span></b></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b><span style="line-height: 115%;">Plug & Play Experience</span></b></span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b><span style="line-height: 115%;">Xbox</span></b><span style="line-height: 115%;"> – As the
original Xbox is a console, my hopes always were that in softmodding the system
it would bring a console type experience to emulation that I couldn’t get from
the PC at the time, and sure enough it didn’t disappoint. I have found that
most of the emulators, although made or ported by different developers, seem to
work to the same basic design and principles as one another, and in doing so
have brought some uniformity across the board to the emulation experience on
the machine. All emulators I have used are plug & play: once installed they
require no further setup or configuration, they are ready to go from
installation, they just require you to hit play and this is very much in tune
with a console style experience. You can of course mess with options and
configuration if you wish, but it’s not mandatory or necessary. Controller
integration here is flawless as you would expect it to be, and for anyone wondering,
the d-pad works really well for older 8/16-bit games.</span><b><span style="line-height: 115%;"> </span></b></span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b><span style="line-height: 115%;">Wii</span></b><span style="line-height: 115%;"> – As with
the Xbox, I was hoping that the Wii would deliver a similar experience with
emulation, and as development on the Xbox was to such a high standard, I was
also expecting the same standards on the Wii. Unfortunately things turned out
to be a mixed bag, which is a shame as well as a missed opportunity. I don’t
know whether this is due to the fact that the Xbox has had a far longer
gestation period in comparison, but the emulation experience is somewhat
lacking on the Wii and often far from the plug and play experience that should
be on offer. The most common 8/16-bit emulators (Nes, SNES, SMS, Mega Drive)
are fine and do offer a good plug and play experience with the added advantage
of plenty of different control options via Wii Remote, Classic Controller (Pro)
and the Game Cube pad. But I have found that for everything else there always
seems to be something getting in the way, be it screen adjustment, setting
configurations before play or an emulator just being plain fussy about where
stuff is placed or what it can and can’t play. Stick to the most common core of
8/16-bit consoles and you will be fine and have a pleasant enough console type
experience, but stray any further and emulation on the Wii will leave you
considering better alternatives.</span><b><span style="line-height: 115%;"> </span></b></span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b><span style="line-height: 115%;">Android</span></b><span style="line-height: 115%;"> – Hot
on the heals of the original Xbox is the Android platform, and you would think
that this platform would be the furthest away from a plug and play experience,
but from my hands-on it does a far more competent job as a whole than anything
offered on the Wii. Just like the Xbox it’s as simple as loading up an emulator
and hitting play, with touchscreen controls already mapped out onto the screen.
I have yet to come across any emulator that didn’t offer a ready to go plug and
play experience, even all the emulators mimicking old computers are ready to
go.</span></span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 115%;"> There are a few hoops you will have to jump through to get a more
console type experience, such as connecting a controller (Moga, PS3, 360) and
connecting to a TV via a HDMI cable, but these will only seek to make a ready
and accessible experience more complete. Syncing a controller up to a tablet
will mean you will have to first dive into an emulators options to set it up
and map the button layout before diving into a game, but once done you
shouldn’t have to do it again when booting up the same emulator.</span><b><span style="line-height: 115%;"> </span></b></span></span><br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b><span style="line-height: 115%;">Emulator Settings & Options</span></b></span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b><span style="line-height: 115%;">Xbox</span></b><span style="line-height: 115%;"> – In this
area the original Xbox once again rules supreme over the competition as the
sheer wealth of settings and options that are on offer that can be tweaked in
each emulator is mind bending. You can tweak and change just about anything,
not that you will necessarily want to, but there are plenty of easy pickings
worth having a mess about with such as graphical and texture filters, audio
filters, frame rate etc. Its to the credit of all involved with bringing the
emulators to the Xbox that you can dive straight into playing games with no
need to go anywhere near the settings whatsoever, but if you did wish to change
or tweak options even further for whatever reason, then the user is certainly
well catered for.</span><b><span style="line-height: 115%;"> </span></b></span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b><span style="line-height: 115%;">Wii</span></b><span style="line-height: 115%;"> – For most
of the emulators bar a few the choice and scope of settings on the Wii’s range
is positively anaemic compared to those on the Xbox with less than a tenth of the
choice on offer to the user in comparison. Once again the main 8/16-bit console
emulators are reasonably catered for with some good and worth while settings on
offer to users, but its still a lot less than what you will find on the Xbox.
While it can be said that choice is not everything, it can also be argued that
the more options and settings available to the user to tweak, the more they can
adjust and cater to their particular experience, taste and variables in HDTVs.
When it comes to settings in emulators I am an advocate that more is better as
it allows for more freedom and flexibility and in the end will only add to the
gaming experience overall. Sadly though this is an area that is underdeveloped
in many emulators on the Wii so don’t expect the earth to breath fire here.</span><b><span style="line-height: 115%;"> </span></b></span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b><span style="line-height: 115%;">Android</span></b><span style="line-height: 115%;"> – Emulators
on the Android platform are slightly ahead of the Wii in the amount of settings
and options open to users, but only by a small margin. In some emulators
choosing certain graphical options or plugins will either open or restrict the
amount of settings available in relevant fields. There are also a wide range of
input settings on emulators on this platform as there are quite a lot of
Android Bluetooth gaming pads to choose from these days, and that’s on top of
the options given for tweaking touchscreen controls. You will also find that
most emulators will give you options as to how they handle the frame rate and GPU;
this comes in quite handy with the wide ranging hardware that has adopted the
Android platform.</span></span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 115%;"> The biggest difference and advantage emulators have in this category
over the Wii is that development is very much on-going as opposed to the Wii
where development seems all but dead. Emulation on Android is moving forward
and fast catching up to Xbox levels of quality, and six months from now there will
undoubtedly be newer versions of emulators available with a wider range of
settings on offer that will be implemented to a greater degree.</span><b><span style="line-height: 115%;"> </span></b></span></span><br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b><span style="line-height: 115%;">Overall Quality and Experience</span></b></span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b><span style="line-height: 115%;">Xbox</span></b><span style="line-height: 115%;"> – From my
experience the original Xbox has given the best overall experience, and is outstanding
in the quality of emulation on offer. While it lacks the option of a physical
keyboard and mouse for the old micro computer emulators, developers have still
managed to find the best logical workarounds and produce or port emulators that
outperform what’s on offer on other platforms. What you can find on the Xbox is
a wealth of choice where the quality of emulation on offer can only truly be rivalled
by what is on the PC, no surprise there then as the Xbox is basically a
consolized PC. The Xbox has always been synonymous with modding, emulation and
homebrew which began no sooner had the console been launched, a factor that
also contributed to its success no less. This inevitably gives the original
Xbox a leg-up when compared with any other platform as development is so far
ahead: at present I feel there is a generational gap between what is on Xbox
and what’s offered on the Wii, and perhaps three years gap capered to Android.
The Android platform will soon catch up, but I feel the Wii will always lag far
behind.</span></span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 115%;"> I cant say that I have encountered any problems with emulators, the
usual suspects are still fussy about certain games as is the case on the PC,
and on the whole I can say I have had a flawless and enjoyable experience
overall. Another great part of emulation on the system is that as far as
emulating old consoles go, the Xbox gives as close to a console style
experience as you can get, even beating the PC with its USB controller adaptors.</span></span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 115%;"> There is a barrier to all this however as the extra steps you’ll have to
take in the modding and setup process to get the best possible experience will
be a problematic and sticky experience for some, a complete barrier to others.
Having to FTP everything you want over to the system is a pain in the backside
as it’s a cumbersome process by todays standards and a time consuming one at
that, but these headaches are well worth suffering as the results speak for
themselves.</span><b><span style="line-height: 115%;"> </span></b></span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b><span style="line-height: 115%;">Wii</span></b><span style="line-height: 115%;"> – I find
that I can’t really recommend the Wii for emulation, not when there are better
options available. But having said that if you don’t have any other options
open to you, and you just want the basics, then the Wii route is one worth
taking. It does a competent job with the main 8/16-bit consoles as these
emulators are great: frame rate is smooth with accurate and reliable emulation,
there are a reasonable amount of basic options and the controls are flawless,
although I do find the picture rather hemmed in when compared with other
systems. But venture outside of these core emulators and towards anything more
exotic or computer based then problems and reliability issues will abound, not
to mention emulator specific quirks.</span></span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 115%;"> I can’t help but be very disappointed with the state of emulation on the
Wii; it should be a lot closer to where the original Xbox is even with a
generational gap between development. It has advantages in its varied
controller options, and that a mouse and keyboard can be hooked up via the USB
ports for computer based emulators, but sadly only to then be let down by poor
emulation and GUI implementation.</span></span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 115%;"> What’s worse is that the Wii seems to be all but abandoned, or at least
things have stalled and there has been little movement or development. After a
year or more I would expect to see some updates and progression, with newer
versions of emulators on offer, but that’s sadly not the case as nothing seems
to have moved forward. Its seems as if the Wii cant shake off the dust that
always seems to want to cover it and keep it tied down.<b> </b></span></span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 115%;"><b>Android</b> – From my experience I have
found emulation on Android to be fantastic, especially for such a small
portable device I can take with me on my travels. Its not the complete
experience on its own because lets face it, touchscreen controls are quite
honestly shit, shit is what they are and will always be as they will never be
good enough to replace real buttons, d-pads and analog sticks. So investing in
a wireless Bluetooth controller, whether it is Moga, Xbox 360, PS3 or one of
the many others on the market at the moment is simply a must to complete and
round off the emulation experience.</span></span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 115%;"> Emulation is of a high standard, it’s easy to obtain, install and there
are plenty to choose from as well as numerous different ones available for any
given system. But while most of the emulators are of a high standard, just how
well they run will more than likely depend on your specific tablet. More Ram,
GPU and graphical grunt the better, but that does not necessarily mean a specific
emulator will always run smoothly, it also depends on how much other stuff is
running in the background. I have found I got better frame rates and next to no
lockups when shutting everything down that I could before running an emulator.
You might also find on rooted tablets that squeezing them for more ram and GPU
power might help a lot with this, so this is something to bear in mind.</span></span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 115%;"> The portable market is a very fast moving one, and with so many
different devices on the market it’s always best to search the web and do your
research to make sure you pick the right device for you to save yourself from
disappointment. With the Android sphere being so fragmented with different tech
specs there will always be problems, but emulation development seems to be
keeping up pace and improving all the time, and as a result it looks set to
overtake the original Xbox sometime in the very near future.</span></span></span><br />
<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLRgUICXVGciuLqbQZWd9RdVygw2Ekahvgnpw2z6Ij1lZJUO3AhWO8II_6H_PjZpoLvphJJ0r9ZEtvrsOzFYGaoPB5IhDEgol7Q_zK_8FZolGpgVgutk62YgGhvLSXVUziYl0rt62Tdbg/s1600/Wii+Console.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLRgUICXVGciuLqbQZWd9RdVygw2Ekahvgnpw2z6Ij1lZJUO3AhWO8II_6H_PjZpoLvphJJ0r9ZEtvrsOzFYGaoPB5IhDEgol7Q_zK_8FZolGpgVgutk62YgGhvLSXVUziYl0rt62Tdbg/s1600/Wii+Console.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
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PixellationMagazinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14148520845772318161noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6925109088703846300.post-25093693225885437832014-01-04T09:26:00.001-08:002014-01-07T12:19:47.127-08:00Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas - Android Review<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTdrcCbrelQuHTvI3xmqUTLsQrTiY451RLJ4tlCi8itPckilJkt_AeNz-sOyee_7LhCrWU1tCweCZoQhmoueWGnSTns0vGsQ4XuvhTwj93E8t9N3DTwVB0fLgTwWtWSlyXHOvA7SyP73s/s1600/San+Andreas+Android+005.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTdrcCbrelQuHTvI3xmqUTLsQrTiY451RLJ4tlCi8itPckilJkt_AeNz-sOyee_7LhCrWU1tCweCZoQhmoueWGnSTns0vGsQ4XuvhTwj93E8t9N3DTwVB0fLgTwWtWSlyXHOvA7SyP73s/s320/San+Andreas+Android+005.jpg" height="200" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 115%;"> You would have thought that one of the best games ever made, certainly
the best (depending on who you speak to) GTA game ever made to make an
appearance on Android over the Christmas period would have sparked far more fanfare
and media coverage? But sadly it seems to have slipped past many unnoticed for
one reason or another, yet it really shouldn’t have if you’re a fan of this
game as this port is by no means a half-arsed half-baked slapped together cash-in
for the portable market. It’s actually a well nurtured highly polished Android
port that makes good over its console versions in some surprising areas.</span></span></span><br />
<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7AuLne4UCHNOHt3WTmlSg-yFemrtRE9rlfcOlMjcKA7hGJhfNcYyGonJmcoCdRqrjPlrX_1bnLyaLNOVDD_fZai7i2FP7R9Q0P_OZGWlM5fRFkrf3hSxrTRop33-IwpQ6HqaiIRXN0mc/s1600/San+Andreas+Android+006.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7AuLne4UCHNOHt3WTmlSg-yFemrtRE9rlfcOlMjcKA7hGJhfNcYyGonJmcoCdRqrjPlrX_1bnLyaLNOVDD_fZai7i2FP7R9Q0P_OZGWlM5fRFkrf3hSxrTRop33-IwpQ6HqaiIRXN0mc/s320/San+Andreas+Android+006.jpg" height="200" width="320" /></a></div>
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<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 115%;"> First and foremost then, just how does the Android version stack up
against the console versions in the graphics departments? Well, when I first played
the Android version the first thing I noticed was how crisp and sharp the
graphics looked, and how there was a distinct lack of jaggies present in this
version, everything the eye can see is smooth and defined. This was in stark
contrast to the Xbox version I was comparing it to where jaggies or blurriness
seemed to be ever present. In the Xbox version I had the choice between less
jaggies and more blurriness in composite 50 Hz, or a sharper picture and more
jaggies through a component lead at 480p. Here is where the Android version
comes out shining, as you get a super sharp picture (more so than on the Xbox
at 480p) but without any horrible noticeable jaggies present. As far as
graphical detail goes, I first thought that the Android version of San Andreas
would surly be closer to the PS2 original, but upon closer comparison I have
found that its actually on a par with the Xbox version which was slightly more
detailed over the PS2 original. In The Android version you can adjust the level
of graphical detail in the game to help it run smoother on less powerful
tablets, you can adjust the visual effects detail, resolution, draw distance,
shadows and car reflections. But with all these set to max, the Android version
without a doubt matches the Xbox version in the detail department. However one
effect it lacks over the console versions is the heat wobble in the daytime
sun, and I’m guessing this was taken out to give the game a cleaner sharper
look. Overall then the graphics in the Xbox version of the game has more
character and atmosphere about it, but at the cost of either jaggies,
blurriness or both while the Android version is the opposite having less
character and atmosphere yet is pin sharp with no jaggies or blurriness to
speak of.</span></span></span></div>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhwuB0qaN2XyMQnQLPnjpEUIf17yZkqpLPPfUXZeldcAsRgQU9sEfEo6U34F-9SRYqKZFnL1i0Zwd_J7pJvdHA97XXHalyMyx1dhCf4Urq7r4ieqfRzaLfZNNCPt5ZcMEsifbZCCVB7vg/s1600/San+Andreas+Android+008.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhwuB0qaN2XyMQnQLPnjpEUIf17yZkqpLPPfUXZeldcAsRgQU9sEfEo6U34F-9SRYqKZFnL1i0Zwd_J7pJvdHA97XXHalyMyx1dhCf4Urq7r4ieqfRzaLfZNNCPt5ZcMEsifbZCCVB7vg/s320/San+Andreas+Android+008.jpg" height="200" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 115%;"> Next up you’ll want to know just how well this massive game runs on a
capable tablet with the graphics settings maxed out. Well from my experience
there does seem to be slightly less NPCs and vehicles roaming about San
Andreas, but only slightly which would make the game run smother, but even on a
really capable device there can be some noticeable slowdown when there is a lot
of action onscreen. But fear not, follow these few simple steps and you should
see an increase in performance. Firstly you will want to turn off Bluetooth and
wireless on your tablet before playing the game, why? Well its simple, various
elements of your tablets OS will want to connect to the internet in the
background not to mention any other apps you have downloaded and this will eat
up valuable ram and processor resources. Secondly it’s best to reboot your
tablet and launch the game soon after it’s booted, this is the best way to
clear out and stop any apps and elements of the OS hogging ram and processor
space, don’t even bother using any cleaning apps to do this as they have
nothing on a clean reboot. These two simple steps will go along way to
improving overall performance and loading times even on the most powerful of
tablets.</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 115%;"> Last but not least controls, just how well do touchscreen controls really
work in this game? Well the controls work extremely well and are very
responsive, moreover the way in which they have been implemented has had some
real thought put into them and I can’t see them ever been implemented better
than this on a touchscreen device. Having said that they do take some getting
used to, and even then they will always be rather maddening and at times frustrating
to use over using a normal controller as an input method. But fear not as you
can use a proper controller with this game as it’s supported by the Android
Moga controller, or you have the option of using a wired PS3 controller, either
way both options are a welcomed relief.</span></span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 115%;"> The Android version of San Andreas could have turned out to be a piss
poor cut-down port of the game, but instead Rockstar have bought the game over
to tablets whole and seemingly complete and have worked towards making many improvements
to the game in the process. But while there is a lot to love about the Android
version of the game, it lacks one crucial and very important element, without
which makes it less the sum of its parts, and that ladies and gentleman is
cheats. Yes that’s right, this version lacks the one thing most if not all
gamers will want to implement within the first half hour of gameplay; it’s the
first thing many gamers will think about upon booting the game. But anyone
trying to implement cheats through touchscreen, controller or keyboard inputs will
be very disappointed as none of the above mentioned will work. I’m not sure
just yet whether it’s a case that Rockstar has left the cheats out all
together, or they have not put a way to implement them into the game. Either
way it has been left up to the modding community to create apps and hacks to
get cheats to work, which in a game so synonymous with in-game cheats is quite
frankly a stupid situation for this game to be released in and a baffling
decision by Rockstar.</span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 115%;"> Without wanting to download some dodgy APK from some website I have
never heard of I am sadly left with a brilliant version of San Andreas I can’t
use in-game cheats in, a game made for cheats that is. Which as good as this
game is and as much as I want to continue playing it, I honestly cant see
myself ever putting any more hours into this version over its console
counterparts until this issue with the cheats is resolved, so don’t go giving
up on that Xbox version just yet.</span></span></span></div>
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PixellationMagazinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14148520845772318161noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6925109088703846300.post-12802297093755268582013-11-18T06:09:00.001-08:002013-11-20T03:29:30.960-08:00Killer Is Dead Review<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidkHv2g3QiN3dHnx5JS6SnVLvVBofEmMrpsO_h4q374P4pRVZXgpDm0q-mlRTUNuxRcpdhdxgb3K0KOwi5vL9Q2-Sdy5wxGu2BnuH9vCun97BLHIggMu2nnAMMDdFgiz1zBNuBsatPk-I/s1600/131101-1939-11.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidkHv2g3QiN3dHnx5JS6SnVLvVBofEmMrpsO_h4q374P4pRVZXgpDm0q-mlRTUNuxRcpdhdxgb3K0KOwi5vL9Q2-Sdy5wxGu2BnuH9vCun97BLHIggMu2nnAMMDdFgiz1zBNuBsatPk-I/s320/131101-1939-11.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 115%;"> This generation we have seen a good many franchises and series take a
firm foothold and become hugely successful, so much so that sequels have become
a common order of the day. We have seen new IP in the form of Gears of War and
Uncharted trilogy’s, both becoming hugely successful and significantly raising
the bar in standards for each respective genre they’re in. We have also seen
series from the previous generation such as Call of Duty, Battlefield, Halo and
Killzone all go from modest success to global dominance, while other series
like Tomb Raider, Medal of Honor and Resident Evil have had to fight it out to
stay relevant and fresh with varying degrees of success.</span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 115%;"> Fortunately there are still plenty of original and down right quirky
games being released, more so than the amount of sequels filling shelves this
generation if only gamers would dare dig each consoles library a little deeper.
So at the tail end of the longest console generation on record, and at the
twilight of a new one set to be even longer, ask yourself whether you’re
satisfied that you have played and experienced all this generation has to offer
before moving onto the next? Bored and choked with disinterest with the same
old sequels, are you sure there aren’t any other types of games and genres left
to discover and tap into from this generation, before spending in excess of
£400 on the next to try and fill your waning interest?</span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 115%;"> Well here is a suggestion, try playing Killer Is Dead as it might just
put a smile on your face and more than likely result in a raised eyebrow or
two, as its unique over-saturated cell shaded look and sheer quirkiness will
keep you going back for more. This is a game set in a familiar genre
(hack-n-slash,) that happens to be less hardcore combo heavy in its gameplay
than say Devil May Cry and Bayonetta, but rather more easily accessible to a
wider audience without falling into the trap of being mind numbingly boring and
hemmed in by genre constraints. While other games in the genre like the aforementioned
are extremely over-the-top flamboyant and exuberant in their gameplay elements,
relying on multiple combos and quick time events in dramatic succession to
pummel and pound enemies into submission, Killer Is Dead is more reserved in
that respect. While this game does have its combos, they are simple and nowhere
near the extreme as other games, as the gameplay in this game is fashioned more
towards block, avoid and counter attack to fend off multiple enemies, dance
around them, and hit their weak spot to take them out as quick as possible. But
rest assured that Killer Is Dead is just as action packed and bloody as any
other game in the genre as enemies get dispensed and impaled on your characters
katana.</span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 115%;"> This reserved approach to the gameplay transfers to the upgrade system
in the game to as its all kept simple and minimalistic in its approach. Your Characters
Health and Blood gauge (the latter used when replenishing health or using the
arm weapon) are upgraded automatically as you work your way through the game,
while the upgrade menu allows you to buy or upgrade certain abilities. Upgrades
and gauge replenishment come from crystals and gems emitted from dead enemies
and destructible scenery, Moon Crystals are collected and used as currency to buy
upgrades while Blood Roses and Health Gems will slowly increase the blood and
health gauge.</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 115%;"> The game is split into four different game types for you to choose from
on the world map which acts as the mission menu screen; these are the main
story missions, sub (side) missions, gigolo and challenge missions. The main
story is 12 acts long and probably lasts somewhere between 8-10 hours long if
that, but when you add all the other different missions to choose from it can
far exceed this in length. Sub missions are off-shoots from the main story
though not necessarily related to it; they become unlocked and are set in an
area of the game you have just completed. Sub missions all tend to vary from
one another, some are very small story’s unto themselves, others mere
challenges such as fighting through an area within a certain amount of time or
finding various hidden items throughout a level. Scarlett, a Nurse in a skimpy
revealing outfit holding a giant syringe can be found hiding somewhere within a
level of each act of the main story, finding her will not only rejuvenate your
characters health and blood gauge, but unlock various challenges. These
challenges take part in an arena where you will have to meet certain criteria
to win such as defeating only one type of enemy out of a swarm or killing a
certain number within a time limit and so on. Finally gigolo missions are
basically where your character meets up with various women he has met during
the story and it is your job seduce them to receive a reward. This is achieved
by staring at various parts of a woman’s body like her cleavage for example,
the longer you stare without her catching you, the more points you acquire to
fill a gauge. Once the meter is filled you can offer her a present (bought from
the gift shop,) and you will receive more points towards another gauge
depending on how much she likes the gift, fill this second gauge up and you
have successfully seduced your lady. Honestly I’m not making this up; it really
is in the game!</span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 115%;"> In Killer Is Dead you take control of Mondo Zappa, a suave and sophisticated
ladies man who is as sharp with a katana as he is with his one liners. He is
part of a state sanctioned executioner’s office run by Bryan and Vivienne who
take on contracts to hunt down and execute various monsters and creatures that
have begun to inhabit Earth and the moon. The story, the way in which it is
presented to the player and the style of it for that matter is quite different
to your conventional game, its nothing new by any means, but certainly one some
will like while others will not. The story will not be altogether clear at the
start of the game, sometimes confusing even especially at the beginning as you
try to wrap your head around the sheer quirkiness of it all. But this
distinctly Japanese story becomes clearer the further through it you progress,
as it slowly unravels and opens up with each mission the less perplexed you
will be with a firmer grasp of the bigger picture.</span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 115%;"> Grasshopper Manufacture (Suda 51) has done a great job with this game
and don’t let anyone persuade you any different, as this game is just as good
in its own right as any other game from this company. If you have played any
other recent Suda 51 games such as No More Heroes or Lollypop Chainsaw then you
should know just what to expect (or not to expect) here, and if you enjoyed
them then you should enjoy Killer Is Dead. However if you have played a Suda 51
game before and ended up not liking it for one reason or another then there is
a strong chance you wont like this game. What I like about Killer Is Dead is
that they chose to make a hack-n-slash game without the pomp found in other
games of the genre, with gameplay focused on avoid, defend and attack rather
than constant super combos. By taking this direction in the gameplay they have
managed to make the game stand out and stand tall on its own merits rather than
following the same tried and tested formula and becoming lost in the genre. Yet
the game hasn’t lost out, it packs a punch just as much as Bayonetta does with
crazy bosses and swarms of enemies, Killer Is Dead just follows a more subtle
yet quirky path with a different approach, this game is without doubt a must
have for fans of the genre.</span></span></span></div>
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PixellationMagazinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14148520845772318161noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6925109088703846300.post-38296458015211257492013-11-02T12:39:00.001-07:002013-11-02T12:56:24.862-07:00Wii Classic Controller Pro<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWotenw5_L9lNczpfKmz47DvkOcL_3awyyHzwOhEFiEV4MeQczFYWu8CFLV7JUJGRg2I9i8y2Wbk_s5chyHW-r2ISc3OyX1IORaiMMlIecNLjjcATnnErocrhwb29kjD_LYGRCydpkXkc/s1600/Classic+Pad+Pro+001.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="220" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWotenw5_L9lNczpfKmz47DvkOcL_3awyyHzwOhEFiEV4MeQczFYWu8CFLV7JUJGRg2I9i8y2Wbk_s5chyHW-r2ISc3OyX1IORaiMMlIecNLjjcATnnErocrhwb29kjD_LYGRCydpkXkc/s320/Classic+Pad+Pro+001.jpg" width="320" /></a><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 115%;"> With the Wii now being discontinued by Nintendo and the Wii U on store
shelves (which is still to hit any kind of stride though there is plenty of
time yet,) some may think it a bit odd to be talking about the Wii’s Classic
Controller Pro. But with so many great games in the Wii library (yes there are
a great many of them,) there will ultimately come a point, at least there did
for me anyway, when certain games will come along which will make you carefully
consider whether to buy this particular controller or not?</span></span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 115%;"> I like the Wii Remote and Nunchuk, and don’t have a problem with using
them because as a Wii owner, I know that not all games will make me wave my
arms about nonstop all day long. I also believe that they (Wii Remote/Nunchuk)
still have great potential as a control method, and when utilised properly they
can really add to a game and make the overall gaming experience a whole lot
better, the Wii version of Resident Evil 4 is a prime example. Unfortunately we
all know that for every game that got the controls right, there are probably
two or more that didn’t for one reason or another. One issue with the Wii Remote
is that it was never as sensitive or precise enough than Nintendo would have us
believe all those years ago, and for some genres it wasn’t the revolutionary
control method it should have been. It seemed the Wii Remote, Nunchuk and the
first person shooter genre were going to be a match made in heaven, surly this
was the perfect control method for such a genre? I still believe it is, or at
least it was, if only coders had worked their magic better, and it still could
be in the future if the tech was redesigned and beefed up somewhat. But as time
has shown, it has never really panned out all that well with the odd exception
that is, with many games in the FPS genre feeling as though they had received
ported mouse and keyboard controls.</span></span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 115%;"> This is the point where you start lamenting the lack of a second control
option (at least I did,) and wished there had of been one right from the very
inception of the console itself. Eventually a more traditional controller did
appear in the form of the weirdly shaped Classic Controller, and then later
with the much better shaped Classic Controller Pro. But the question for any
Wii owner is whether it is worth buying one considering how they still seem to
hold their price like any coveted Nintendo product? The answer really lies in
the number of games you want to play that actually support this controller and
whether or not you frequently use a moded Wii for emulation. If there are
enough retail, virtual console and WiiWare releases that will outweigh the cost
of buying one and you do use the console for emulation, the Classic Controller
Pro is essential. Its worth pointing out that any game which supports the
Classic Controller also supports the Classic Controller Pro as they are
essentially the same product in different shells.</span></span></span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 115%;"> </span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 115%;"> As a general controller goes, or a traditional controller in Nintendo’s
case, this is in my humble opinion, the best the company has ever produced. I
have never been that struck on Nintendo controllers, even when I had a SNES
when I was younger, I always preferred to use a third party pad instead of
Ninty’s very own. As for their other controllers through the generations, I
find the NES pad extremely uncomfortable to hold for any length of time, I
didn’t like the feel of the N64 analog stick and found the general design of
the GameCube pad just weird. So for me at least, I find the very by-the-numbers
design and button layout very comfortable and pleasing, especially when playing
a game for several hours.</span></span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 115%;"> The grips sit neatly in the palm of each hand and the shape lets my
fingers naturally curl around the top of the pad onto the shoulder buttons
while I find the two analog sticks perfectly placed apart for the thumbs. The
face buttons are quite large and have a nice pop to them, and thankfully the
d-pad is rather large for a Nintendo controller which gets a big thumbs up from
me. That’s another complaint I had with the N64 and GameCube controllers, the
d-pads on them were tiny and felt just something awful, so I’m very pleased
Ninty didn’t do the same on this pad.</span></span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 115%;"> This pad isn’t without its quirks though, and while I understand the
reasoning behind them, it would have been nice to have had a pad featuring the
rest of the bells-and-whistles we have all generally become accustomed to over
the last two generations. This controller is not wireless, so to pass its
inputs onto the console it plugs into the bottom of the Wii Remote and
piggybacks off its wireless signal. It’s better than plugging the pad into the
console and stretching a lead across the room, but annoying all the same as
going down this cost cutting route means it also lacks rumble and a built in
speaker. I’m sure the mandate behind the Classic Controller Pro was to produce
a traditional style controller that would meet the needs of the target consumer
it was aimed at, yet be produced for significantly less by stripping its
features back to the core basics.</span></span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 115%;"> This
controller is well worth getting even if it does feed off the Wii Remote and
lack several features, especially if you can find one cheap enough, though
they do tend to hold their price. If you plan on playing The Last Story,
Xenoblade Chronicles, Call of Duty games or the madcap No More Heroes 2 then
you will find this controller a worthwhile investment and hard earned money
well spent.</span></span></span>PixellationMagazinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14148520845772318161noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6925109088703846300.post-42217116505070400022013-08-20T12:59:00.000-07:002013-08-20T13:16:33.789-07:00Three Laptop Cooler Reviews<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcZvm2YxlaY_xD2C_1TeEcjA8Gi1AwxhX2gFbFUHTPtOe_9J_ZeEdByy7IE8eRn5e5tsEItbiAT5yDU23ZJ3CcaNQBO5I5HPhyphenhyphen6uljdX9uguYM-vp_y0jRJVU8QmXHBzFX2UIyGRjTyNU/s1600/NotePal+004.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcZvm2YxlaY_xD2C_1TeEcjA8Gi1AwxhX2gFbFUHTPtOe_9J_ZeEdByy7IE8eRn5e5tsEItbiAT5yDU23ZJ3CcaNQBO5I5HPhyphenhyphen6uljdX9uguYM-vp_y0jRJVU8QmXHBzFX2UIyGRjTyNU/s320/NotePal+004.jpg" width="320" /></a><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="line-height: 115%;"> The UK has finally seen some sun this summer, so much so the country is
experiencing a very rare and unusually long heat wave. Anyone wanting to play
on their PS3 or 360 can forget it in this weather, unless that is you want to
see the systems overheat and melt before your very eyes. But the same can be
said of PC’s as well, whether you use them for playing games, surfing the web
or other more demanding work, the weather has made computers all over the
country break into a sweat and slow, not to mention cause their users to
perspire due to the heat emitted from them.</span></span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="line-height: 115%;"> Unfortunately for laptop/notebook owners, the heat is somewhat of a more
dangerous and pressing issue for their systems as they don’t contain anything
like the exuberant and luxury driven cooling systems found in a typical PC. The
kind of heat the UK has experienced over the past month has perished most
peoples will to hit the on button, yet the UK will continue to experience the
high temperatures and uncomfortable humidity for some time, making notebook
owners like myself having to limit the use of the computer in case of
overheating. I personally haven’t had any issues, but I have been keeping a
close eye on the systems temperature gauge, and made a conscious decision not
to do anything too demanding on the system, especially during the day.</span></span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="line-height: 115%;"> So since the start of the summer I have been on a quest to find the best
laptop cooler for my laptop, I didn’t expect to buy more than one, but I am now
currently on my third, so I have decided to write a review of each one and
explain along the way why I have gone through several in a short amount of time.
But before I continue I will set out the temperature benchmarks of my computer
to show you the reader, just how much of a difference these 3 coolers have made
if any.</span></span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="line-height: 115%;"> During winter and spring, before I decided to get a cooler, I would regularly
check the temperature of my CPU using my computers monitoring software, what I
found was it ran at about 35 degrees while idle, and around 38 running
demanding programs such as a video editor or a game. During this summers heat
wave (again prior to getting a cooler) my CPU temperature was around 40 degrees
while idle, but 45/46 running games or my video editor.</span></span></span><b><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="line-height: 115%;"> </span></span></span></b><br />
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<b><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="line-height: 115%;">The first Cooler I Bought</span></span></span></b><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="line-height: 115%;"> </span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="line-height: 115%;">Belkin Cooler Stand</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="line-height: 115%;">
This was the cheapest of the three cooling stands that I bought,
weighing in at around £14, and designed for 15” laptops, it also just happened
to be the most powerful of the three coolers that I bought. With a convex
design that allows it to support a laptop from each corner while keeping the
space directly underneath empty, and with the fan centred in the middle of the
cooler, it allows the cool air to flow underneath and exit either side of the
laptop. The Belkin Cooler Stand rests at a slight angle, propped up by a pull-out
stand at the back; this is obviously to allow the fan to take in the maximum
amount of air rather than from side vents that you see in other cooler designs.</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="line-height: 115%;">
This cooler made a noticeable difference to the running and idle
temperature of my CPU, it managed to shave off at least 3-4 degrees which I was
honestly impressed with. The downside is that this cooler was extremely noisy,
with it being comparable to how noisy the original model Xbox 360 was, but then
the fan was pretty powerful and did a great job at its main task, cooling my
laptop, so there is an obvious trade-off here.</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="line-height: 115%;"></span></span></span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="line-height: 115%;">
As good as it was at cooling my system, I quickly returned the Belkin
Cooler back to the store I bought it from for a refund as I had a few issues
with it. Firstly, the cooler did not like running off my laptops USB port, as
it kept powering up and down constantly, so I had to power it from the mains
using a USB mains adaptor. I’m not really sure if this issue was due to the
product being faulty or whether it was down to the powerful fan and it being a
case of my laptop couldn’t or wouldn’t supply it with enough power. The second
issue I had, although intermittent, was with the fan itself, it was making a
horrible grating noise, presumably from the fan coming out of its centre
alignment and scraping the sides of its enclosure.</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="line-height: 115%;">
I was disappointed that this product was faulty and that I had to return
it as it did a great job of cooling my laptop. A 3-4 degree reduction in CPU
heat might not sound like a great deal, but for an external cooling device, and
one where the fan wasn’t positioned over my systems hotspots, is more than any
user could hope for. I would still recommend this cooler though, and if the fan
noise is not a big deal breaker for you, then its cooling effectiveness coupled
with its cheap price could be a sure fire winner for you.</span></span></span><b><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="line-height: 115%;"> </span></span></span></b><br />
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<b><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="line-height: 115%;">The Second Cooler I bought</span></span></span></b><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="line-height: 115%;"> </span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="line-height: 115%;">Belkin V2 Laptop Cooling Lounge</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="line-height: 115%;">
This cooling solution was slightly more expensive than the previous
Belkin cooling stand at around £20, but has turned out to be the most used and
reliable of the bunch thus far. Its not technically a cooling stand as such
that’s meant to sit on a desk, but is designed to be more of a lap table that
also features a fan cooling system. It is designed pretty much the same as the
Belkin Cooling Stand, it has the same shape and form factor, allowing your
system to sit on a bed of air, and it is perfectly sized for 15” laptops. The
V2 Laptop Cooling Lounge differs in that while the top of the device is
plastic, the underneath is cushioned to make it comfortable to rest on your
legs.</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="line-height: 115%;"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="line-height: 115%;"> I wasn’t aware it was cushioned when I bought it, or that it was meant
as a lap desk rather than a proper cooling stand, but I had paid for it so I
wasn’t deterred and was willing to give it a go. It quickly became apparent
however that there was a significant flaw in the design of this Cooling Lounge,
one I find hard to understand how the designers failed to spot. At the back of
this device there is a vent system running along the length of the unit, and
this is supposedly where the centrally placed fan is meant to draw its air
from, or a certain portion of its air. The problem is, as it’s a lap desk,
there is a good chance that the fan will be obstructed underneath the Cooling
Lounge from resting on a persons lap, which means the fan is starved of air and
cant draw a sufficient amount of air through the vent at the back to make the
fan effective at cooling, which defeats the point in putting a fan in there in
the first place. So as you can imagine, using this resting on a desk to cool my
laptop would be pointless, but I found a way to get around this little problem
by resting the back of the device on a book to prop it up at an angle, and thus
allowing the fan to breath and become effective at cooling again.</span></span></span></div>
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<br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="line-height: 115%;"> The fan in this cooler is only half as powerful as the one in the
previous stand, but it did at least have a noticeable effect on the
temperature, but I only noticed a drop of a few degrees. It’s not anything
amazing, but during a heat wave such a small drop is more than welcomed, and I
guess the fact that you can use this as a comfortable lap desk is an added
bonus.</span></span></span><br />
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<br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="line-height: 115%;"> I have been using the Belkin V2 Laptop Cooling Lounge an awful lot, and
once I propped it up I was more than satisfied with the performance of it. But
although I like this cooler and haven’t experienced any problems with it, I
cant say that it is one that I would necessarily recommend as a cooling
solution to be placed on a desk, but I would recommend it if your after a lap
desk though.</span></span></span><b><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="line-height: 115%;"> </span></span></span></b><br />
<br />
<b><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="line-height: 115%;">The Final Cooler I Bought</span></span></span></b><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="line-height: 115%;"> </span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="line-height: 115%;">Cooler Master NotePal U3</span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">
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<br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="line-height: 115%;"> Firstly there are two versions of this cooler you should be aware of:
the U3 which I’m reviewing here and the previous iteration the U2, the only
difference between the two are the amount of fans they come with, the U2 having
two and the U3 having three (more on the U2 later.)</span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="line-height: 115%;"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="line-height: 115%;"> The U2/U3 NotePal design is a pure stroke of genius, there’s no two ways
about it, and it makes me wonder if there could ever be a better designed external
laptop cooler. The NotePal design is simple, minimalistic and for the most part
well thought out, and with the U3 being the most expensive of the three laptop
coolers that I have bought at £30, it is (thankfully) sturdy and really well
made as it feels weighty and expensive rather than a cheap piece of imported
plastic.</span></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">
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<br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="line-height: 115%;"> The idea behind this cooler is that it comes with three movable fans, so
the user can place each fan under a hotspot or vent on their specific laptop,
which in turn helps to cool the system better than other coolers on the market
that generally have centrally located fans. Each fan is held within a plastic
bracket, and it is the bracket that clips onto the underneath of the NotePal’s
aluminium mesh stand. All the fans can be removed from the brackets which is
handy, especially where this cooler is concerned, and all three are connected
to a fan speed controller that also doubles as the USB power plug. The U3s box
says it supports laptops from 17” up to 19” and it is certainly the largest of
the three coolers that I have bought, but I found it was fine for supporting my
15” laptop as the rubber pad at the bottom of the stand, coupled with my
computers rubber feet, easily stopped it from moving anywhere.</span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="line-height: 115%;"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="line-height: 115%;"> So you would think that with such a winning design that this cooler
would be without a doubt the best of the three and a sure fire winner, well
you’d be wrong. This cooler certainly ticks all the right boxes, but than
manages to mess everything up in a crucial element of its makeup that would
make it all work great. That element is the fans, which frankly are just really
crap, they might be whisper quiet, but what good is that when they are
significantly underpowered. I’m not sure if they are lacking the power they
need to run at their true full speed, or whether they are funning at full speed
and are just a rubbish choice of fans to use with this cooler. Adding a speed
adjuster to these fans was silly because at maximum speed the fans barely draw
enough air through them to move a thread of hair, and when set to minimum speed
they are utterly pointless, as you would be more likely to feel a gentle breeze
in space than from all three fans combined on this setting. Just how these poor
quality fans made it into this unit that has such a great design is beyond me,
as from the testing I did with this cooler it made absolutely no difference to
the temperature of my laptop with the fans positioned under two hotspots and a
vent. In fact my computer ran hotter during the heat wave so I quickly switched
back to the trusty Belkin Cooling Lounge, so as you can imagine, this cooler
was a real disappointment for me and the least used of all three.</span></span></span></div>
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<br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="line-height: 115%;"> As it stands I can’t really say I would recommend this cooler, purely on
the basis that the key components that are imperative to make it work (the
three fans) are useless, so no matter how good the design of this cooler is,
its pointless and a waste of money right out of the box. There is a saving
grace to this system though, but only if you are prepared to spend another
£20-£30, this systems potential can at least be salvaged. Because the fans can
detach from the plastic brackets that hold them onto the stand, you can buy
your own faster more powerful and effective fans rather cheaply off EBay or
Amazon and either try rewiring them up to the NotePals speed controller, or buy
a separate speed controller altogether. The other option is to try buying the
U2 version of this cooler as I have read in a few places that the fans in that
particular model are much better than the ones in the U3, but I have no way of
verifying this so buy at your own risk.</span></span></span><br />
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PixellationMagazinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14148520845772318161noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6925109088703846300.post-72445360887856282042013-06-26T12:03:00.002-07:002013-06-26T12:08:42.752-07:00Xbox 180<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 115%;"> The recent 180 that Microsoft has done regarding its restrictive Xbox
One console features and policies has taken many by surprise, not only because
no one (including myself) believed they would revise their standpoint, but
simply because they seemed to dig their heels in and refuse to listen or budge
on the matter in the face of overwhelming opposition and anger. But under
pressure, and facing commercial annihilation, Microsoft finally relented and
dropped their very controversial restrictions they had so vehemently defended
over the past several weeks.</span></span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 115%;"> Gone are the restrictions placed on lending/selling/trading your games,
where games were tied to an account and nothing more than pay-to-play licences.
Now consumer ownership seems to be restored, leaving consumers to do with their
games what they wish, as the system for game ownership and used games will work
as it does currently. Gone is the dreaded 24h mandatory software validation, as
the console no longer needs the internet to function, though an internet
connection is required upon first time setup of the Xbox One console, swings
and roundabouts people! The region locking has also gone up in smoke as the
console will be region free, good news for importers, that’s if there is
anything worth importing on the system that is.</span></span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 115%;"> While this story has a good ending in that gamers have brought about a
good meaningful change, just like in the case of the Mass Effect 3 ending, for
Microsoft at least, it was a simple business decision born out by simple financial
fact: if they didn’t drop the console restrictions and recant, the Xbox One
would turn into a financial disaster, one that would only add to the Windows 8
debacle. Microsoft still want to block used games, have an always on machine
and have a controlled eco system, but seeing how little pre-orders were being
placed for their console, and little interest in it outside of the controversy,
they had little choice but to change tack.</span></span></span>PixellationMagazinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14148520845772318161noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6925109088703846300.post-47086323331197287062013-06-12T12:30:00.002-07:002013-06-23T12:37:46.747-07:00Microsoft’s Xbox One: Army of None<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUXE9_tqN-HkwxayzJ1pTmxTMwn88UHot7bUkjkjBzoq3wdixtL1KxHCpSU_thR-d5zyQf_LP3RMV1hpXGLWi_2aFC3XOYrW0jPSTIRHNoxu3qIqmiNwcx283Gmx8SuW0ibtw30DH4njw/s1600/Steve+Ballmer+The+Gamer.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="308" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUXE9_tqN-HkwxayzJ1pTmxTMwn88UHot7bUkjkjBzoq3wdixtL1KxHCpSU_thR-d5zyQf_LP3RMV1hpXGLWi_2aFC3XOYrW0jPSTIRHNoxu3qIqmiNwcx283Gmx8SuW0ibtw30DH4njw/s320/Steve+Ballmer+The+Gamer.jpg" width="320" /></a><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 115%;"> Cast your minds back folks to the launch of the Xbox 360, it had a
spectacular launch with a bunch of great games. It sold well, and it would go
on to do very well over the years, even in the face of the RROD debacle, with
many gamers considering their gaming experience on the console so good, they
would part with their hard earned cash for a second, third and umpteenth 360
after the one previous overheated and died. Though some publishers have been
sadly doing their uttermost to sour that great experience in the latter half of
the consoles lifespan, with all kinds of malign practises to bleed wallets dry
from what were (up until that point at least) loyal customers. It’s a shame
that Microsoft (MS) has had such a hands off approach to these practises been
implemented through software on its platform, when discontent about such things
have been growing since their inception into the marketplace. But then after
recent events surrounding MS Xbox One, a hands off approach was probably for
the best when all’s said and done.</span></span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 115%;"> Anyone
thinking that MS has all of a sudden dropped the ball with its new console is
much mistaken, for in the hallowed halls deep within the company, all has not
been well for a long time, the ball was proverbally dropped many moons ago. To
see just where they went awry you have to look at the Xbox 360 and a lifespan
that can essentially be split up into two half’s: pre-Kinnect and post-Kinnect.
Pre-Kinnect MS was pushing gaming first and foremost and making sure that the
360 delivered the best gaming experience the ‘hardcore’ gaming crowd could want.
Sony was on the back foot, 360 exclusives were plentiful, XBLA was coming into
its own, indie games were to add another dimension and XBL was generally the
place to be for hanging out, co-op and multiplayer. Its not like the whole
all-in-one media box idea appeared out of nowhere with the Xbox One either, as
MS wanted to bring the media side of online computing (films, TV, music) to its
console by having the 360 be the best media streaming box out there. But of
course, the media streaming side of the 360 was always a healthy distant second
to gaming, which is the way it should have stayed.</span></span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 115%;"> Things would change however when Nintendo’s Wii console really started
to take off, so much so Nintendo’s machine was vastly outselling all
competition, and supply couldn’t keep up with demand. The buzz words were
definitely in, and they meant money, lots of money, ‘motion controls’ were now
where all the action seemed to be, and MS and Sony both decided they needed to
show up to the party. The only problem was, they both showed up late, to a
party they were not invited to, and to one which their friends and supporters
were trying to reason that they had no business even being present at let alone
considering going to. But some companys in the gaming industry are adamant they
know best, even when their target audience and loyal customers say otherwise and
show evidence to the contrary (Mega CD, 32X anyone?)</span></span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 115%;"> In the end Sony’s motion control aluminous vibrator shaped sex toy
inspired ‘Move’ for its PS3 moved about as much as the PS2’s EyeToy. In the end
with gamers on the platform showing little to no interest in it, Sony quietly
let it slide away to the back-burner rather than keeping it going with a dose
of Viagra and pushing it upon everyone, right move Sony! MS twat inspired
Kinnect made for wealthy sized living rooms, that wouldn’t actually work in
anything less than a grand hall faired much the same fate, as gamers the world
over gave the unwanted add-on the two fingered salute and opted not to swirl
their hips in front of TV’s and look like tits in front of their mates. The
only difference here is that MS refused to acknowledge one of gaming’s most
sacred commandments that never ceases to be proved wrong, ‘Thou shalt not covet
thy console with add-ons,’ as they refused to let the Kinnect die off with some
dignity still etched to it. The company has done less than stellar for the 360
and its loyal user base post-Kinnect, and has choose to neglect the consoles
core experience (gaming,) in favour of continually flogging a dead horse (the Kinnect,)
and concentrating merely on its media and social capability’s above all else.</span></span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 115%;"> While the Kinnect may have proved
a hit in technology and science labs the world over for its practical uses and
implementation in new and forward thinking technology, for 360 owners, there
was just no point in owning one. There were and still are no games for it that
make it a must have worthy of owning, and further more it never worked as well
as MS would have had everyone believe. Besides that, the motion control bubble
was ready to burst, and burst it did as people realised that the technology in
use was less than precise on any of the consoles than the big three would have
us all believe, as well as developers poorly implementing and tacking on dreary
control mechanics to games. The motion control bubble was brief and rose-up
quickly, but like a night out of too much beer and merry making, once it was
all over, the sobering realization dawned that it wasn’t all that great and
practical for gaming after all. So with the Move and Kinnect arriving so late,
gamers realized that adding these add-ons to their consoles was not in their
best interests as they added nothing to their systems but a wasteful expense
that they could do without.</span></span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 115%;"> Now fast forward to today, after years of complacency and a heavy media
focused strategy, MS have come out fighting with the Xbox One, with a console
reveal of, well, a much meatier media focused strategy, oh and Kinnect 2.0,
yay… anyone? But some would say that MS complacency of the last several years
has now morphed into outright arrogance, as many loyal Xbox users that have
been around since the original Xbox now feel rightly angered. We all know that
they have announced 15 exclusive games for their new system, but does anyone
care in the face of having draconian restrictive features built into the Xbox
Ones hardware to limit and control our gaming experience at the end of an iron
first? Well it would seem not if the massive backlash that erupted after MS
conference is anything to go by.</span></span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 115%;"> Many companies today listen less to their consumer base, if at all, and
instead try and bend and mould their customers to their will, even when it’s
contrary to everything their customers want, it’s like the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_Coke" target="_blank">New Coke</a> debacle of
the 80’s never even happened. Yet these same companies scratch their heads with
confusion at any backlash and failures that inevitably head their way as a
result, and no more so than those companies that are in the gaming industry.
From EA and Activision wondering why they are hated so much, to Capcom and
Square Enix wondering why they are beset with poor sales performances. Hell, even
MS with Windows 8, the OS that nobody wants, and the soul reason why PC and
Laptop sales have dropped off the map and into oblivion as soon as every PC
came packaged with their Metro OS. MS fundamental problem at the moment is that
they are not listening to customers, hence much of the backlash over Windows 8
and the Xbox One. In the end, they have a certain vision, and to them it
matters not that people don’t want or understand their vision and products,
because they are banking on being able to bend consumers to their will and
consumers giving in without a fight. So it comes to pass that rather than
reject any and all notion and implementation of much of the shallow practices
that have plagued many games of this generation on the PS3 and 360, much of
which has angered gamers over the years, they instead choose to embrace it with
open arms, much to the sinister delight of EA.</span></span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 115%;"> With the Xbox One, there will be no such thing as game ownership as we
have always traditionally had it, that’s something that will be consigned to
the past, replaced instead by licences that will last only as long as the
console does or the publisher sees fit to support them. The disks you will pay
£40-£50 or more for will be nothing more than licences to play games and in no
way will the consumer be paying to actually have any ownership rights over
them. A physical disk and case will be nothing more than a delivery system,
worthless and useless bin material after a game has had its mandatory hdd
installation. The disk cannot be used afterwards to resell or to lend out to
friends and family, it will be an empty vessel, and the licenced game will now
reside on your hdd and locked down to your account. To lend the game out to
others would mean giving others access and or control over your account.</span></span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 115%;"> Since the disastrous conference however, MS have been busy doing its
utmost to save-face, backtrack and allegedly pay companies to work damage
control limitation on their behalf after the massive backlash its received. So
now its emerged that they are shifting the heat onto publishers by saying that
the no used games restriction is an optional opt in/out scheme, and its up to
publisher whether to restrict the re-sale of their games or not. But at the end
of the day they are still building that feature into their console, and the
games are still licence to play games. They have also said you can play a game
licenced to you on another Xbox One console when signed in with your account,
but will only be able to play for one hour and that’s your lot. If the thought
of that wasn’t enough to excite you, then how about the console needing to
connect to the internet once every 24 hours to scan and verify the console and
software, and no connection means no gaming at all.</span></span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 115%;"> The reasons MS have given for doing this are the same old bullshit
publishers such as EA tried to rational the practise of locking out parts of
game content stored on disks. Where by a game bought brand new would need to be
registered, meaning access to all content on the disk was available to the
first time buyer. However if the game was then sold or lent out, the second-hand
buyer or lender of the game would have to pay a fee to unlock a segment of the
content on the disk, which in this publishers case was typically the
multiplayer part of the game, but other publishers have worryingly started to
lock out parts of the singleplayer portions of games. These practises, we are
told, are to give publishers and developers a cut from any used game sales, as
the used games market is supposedly crippling the industry in ways we just cant
imagine, as well as the fact that many companies in the gaming industry today
believe they have a right to take a percentage made from any used game sales.
The former has been well and truly disproved over the years, just the fact
alone that the used games market has always been around since the inception of
gaming just proves its less harmful to the industry than the big publishers
would have us believe. The latter really comes down to content/software
ownership, if you pay for it does that mean you own it and can lend or sell it,
or does it just mean you are temporarily licencing it, this is an issue that
has only heavily come to the fore over the last 4-5 years and was never such an
huge issue in the past as it is today.</span></span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 115%;"> The problem here is that this is the clashing point were
publishers/developers and consumers meet in gaming, and things look set for a
showdown with the Xbox One being the defining battleground for the future of
console gaming. Gamers/customers want to own what they pay a lot of hard earned
money for, as apposed to paying loads of money for something they don’t (a
licence to just play a game.) They also feel it is their right as consumers to
then be able to do what they wish with their games afterwards (sell, lend and
trade,) much as they have always done with video games and any other worldly
goods since the passage of time. Some (not all) publisher/developers want games
to be nothing more than a temporary paid for licence, to be pulled at a later
date or at their convenience. In this way they would force everyone to buy a
new game (or licence) at full price as the used games market would effectively
be wiped out; this way they will have ultimate control over what they at this
present moment do not. MS obviously shares in this licencing dream held
preciously by the likes of EA, who recently abolished its hated practise of
content blocking licences, claiming it had listened to feedback. Funny then how
they went on to pull out of making games for the Wii U completely, and that
such an announcement coincided with the Xbox One reveal. But no ones really
that fooled, as everyone and their mother knows it’s because they can’t force
their no used games market dream on the Wii U or current gen consoles. If
publishers and certain console manufacturers such as MS can ultimately control
the whole facet of the market place, it would freeze out consumer freedom and
market competitiveness, and the big companies would be in a position to monopolise
and control price, delivery and freedom at their whim.</span></span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 115%;"> I don’t know about you, but this prospect doesn’t sit well with me, and
I have never been so unenthusiastic and discouraged about an impending new
generation of console ever. MS dream of an ideal console future in their eyes
is an oppressive Orwellian one in mine, and one I won’t support. Every facet of
the Xbox One that MS are championing is a restriction and an obstacle, and
every carefully worded statement and press release by them won’t hide that fact.
Console gaming has always been about simplicity, ease of use and fun, all three
things that the Xbox One is definitely not. It’s a shame MS have messed
everything up so bad, but that’s what happens when you don’t listen to your own
customers, the Xbox One is DOA (to me at least,) and now Nintendo and Sony have
everything to play for.</span></span></span>PixellationMagazinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14148520845772318161noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6925109088703846300.post-77105523537778178302013-05-23T05:07:00.000-07:002013-05-23T05:12:55.029-07:00What’s In the Box? Alone In the Dark Limited Edition Xbox 360<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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Released in 2008 for the Xbox 360 and PC, with an altogether different
version released for the PS2 and Nintendo Wii that same year, (though with a similar
plot line to the 360/PC versions,) the game was embattled by a mixed reception
from critics, which then ended up in a mire of controversy. But no matter what
axe Atari and the review critics were trying to grind with each other at the
expense of gamers no less, the game itself got buried between the two parties,
shame really because if both parties had stopped trying to score points off of
each other, this great horror game might have reached greater success. </span></span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="line-height: 115%;">
Alone In the Dark 5 (or 2008, not to be confused with the original game
of the same name) was actually a really great horror game that sadly few have
bothered to play, though it did apparently sell quite well. Its surprisingly
one of the better horror games of this generation, more so than the very dismal
Resident Evil (RE) offerings that have been served up to disenchanted RE fans.
This game can be bought at a super cheap price, and it’s worth every penny, so
if you have the chance to grab a copy then do so, you’ll enjoy this game.</span></span></span><br />
<br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="line-height: 115%;"> This
Limited Edition version was only available to European gamers, and only
available through the video games retailer Game here in the UK, so if anyone in
the US likes the look of this then you will have to import it.</span></span></span><b><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 115%;"> </span></span></span></b><br />
<br />
<b><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 115%;">Alone In the Dark Limited Edition
Xbox 360</span></span></span></b><br />
<b><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 115%;">Contents;</span></span></span></b><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 115%;"> </span></span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 115%;">Game</span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 115%;">CD soundtrack by Olivier Deriviere</span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 115%;">Making of DVD</span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 115%;">Edward Carnby figure</span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 115%;">Hardback art book</span></span></span></div>
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PixellationMagazinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14148520845772318161noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6925109088703846300.post-78987842893880159152013-05-02T12:58:00.000-07:002013-05-11T01:50:25.295-07:00The SNES-CD<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCNvjUvQuHMmgTifjWZWz-XBVQuiPTH_sE5YbSaosOLb4Tymd7LvtqiiTPnpzeFogr0TuEoM6TW50QFWbpoegsbpUfDeF9E8lBWEtkBJ6cK_jpQ5DqZIZm5FOcsY68M3Rc-r36F0mZ6Hw/s1600/Snes+CD.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="179" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCNvjUvQuHMmgTifjWZWz-XBVQuiPTH_sE5YbSaosOLb4Tymd7LvtqiiTPnpzeFogr0TuEoM6TW50QFWbpoegsbpUfDeF9E8lBWEtkBJ6cK_jpQ5DqZIZm5FOcsY68M3Rc-r36F0mZ6Hw/s320/Snes+CD.png" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 115%;">
In the early to mid ninety’s Nintendo and Sega were going head to head
with their respective 16-bit consoles for the hearts of gamers across the world
as they each sort to dominate the market. In 1991 Sega released the Mega CD
add-on which took advantage of the new medium of the future the CD, as they
sort to expand upon and widen the Mega Drives range.</span></span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 115%;">
Nintendo already had previous experience with add-ons as they had
already ventured down this well worn path with the Famicom Disk System for the
Famicom (NES.) This add-on was never released outside of Japan because it
wasn’t a resounding success amongst other factors, such as piracy and
unreliability to name a few. But Nintendo wanted to compete and take advantage
of this new storage medium that offered so much more potential to gaming, and
so they approached Sony to produce what would be dubbed the SNES-CD.</span></span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 115%;">
Sony, having experience with this new CD-ROM technology, and Nintendo
having used the Sony SPC-700 processor for the SNES sound output, it seemed
like a natural fit for both companies. But it was mostly thanks to the
relationship built between Nintendo and Sony<span style="font-size: small;"> through</span> engineer Ken Kutaragi that such a
processor was created and used in the SNES, and that there was even an open
channel for dialog between the two companies at all, as Sony management didn’t
like being bedfellows much with other companies at the time. So it come to pass
that with a prior business deal, and a mutual business relationship (of sorts)
well established, the two companies agreed on a deal.</span></span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 115%;">
Where things fell apart, essentially dooming this add-on never to see
the light of day on a production line, is essentially when the powers that be
at Nintendo HQ realised that the contract they had signed off on with Sony for
the SNES-CD, also handed complete control of all software produced on it to
them, freezing Nintendo out of retaining control of the software. With the
Nintendo top brass less than happy with this seemingly one sided venture, they
secretly formed a deal with Philips and put a stop to any further work on the
SNES-CD with Sony. At the 1991 CES (Consumer Electronics Show) Sony announced
that it was working with Nintendo on the SNES-CD add-on. But the following day
Nintendo announced that they wasn’t working with Sony on the CD add-on for
their 16-bit console, but instead had formed a deal with Philips. Sony was left
red faced with embarrassment at their announcement the day before as Nintendo
had neglected to tell Sony that the SNES-CD deal was dead in the water.</span></span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 115%;">
Sony could have killed all further work right there and left the video
games industry to itself, but with a few different prototypes of the CD add-on
produced, they decided to further research and develop the project and
release a standalone CD-based console themselves. They eventually ended their on-going
tumultuous relationship with Nintendo and went onto release the PlayStation, and
the rest they say is history.</span></span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 115%;">
Although it can be said that if Nintendo had read the contract they had
signed with Sony properly, then it might not have been signed in the first
place. Or perhaps it would have been amended to allow Nintendo to retain
control and rights over all the software for the add-on, there for it would
have been signed, and the SNES-CD would possibly have been produced. Both these
could have kept Sony out of the console hardware business that it ended up
being the dominant leader in, but the truth is, it was Nintendo backing out and
backtracking on their original agreement that caused Sony to further its
development into a standalone console that would become the PlayStation. If
they had honoured their contractual agreement with Sony for the SNES-CD, their
decision to pull out and embarrass Sony (whether intentional or not)
wouldn’t have come back to bite them, as they would slip into second place in
the console market with the N64, and then third place with the Game Cube, all
as Sony remained at the top spot with its PlayStation consoles.</span></span></span>PixellationMagazinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14148520845772318161noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6925109088703846300.post-78304949777752544102013-02-06T07:39:00.002-08:002013-02-06T08:07:08.842-08:00El Shaddai: Ascension Of The Metatron Review<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlJU78Fef8aWaGDLUeImmRyhh935zwixef7_gtIRbiVnt2PrVgqdwLg3yvIuZTfvqInyMMxnlaMdwuE_YenOvLO0J28RFuiYjW3jnd79q5DdowNQK06GMIJtEuu1SN5KPq5v-BznypVs8/s1600/ES001+(Large)+(Small).bmp" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlJU78Fef8aWaGDLUeImmRyhh935zwixef7_gtIRbiVnt2PrVgqdwLg3yvIuZTfvqInyMMxnlaMdwuE_YenOvLO0J28RFuiYjW3jnd79q5DdowNQK06GMIJtEuu1SN5KPq5v-BznypVs8/s320/ES001+(Large)+(Small).bmp" width="320" /></a><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 115%;">
El Shaddai is easily the best platformer I have played since the likes
of Sonic the Hedgehog on the Sega Master System, which is a game I honestly
never thought would be equalled in the genre, let alone surpassed. I have of
course enjoyed many platform games over the years since, but while many are and
were brilliant, none of them have come close to matching Sonics first Master
System outing. Until that is when I finally played El Shaddai, a platformer
that didn’t equal it, but surpassed and smashed it. Yet I have found myself
staring at the box for the best part of ten minutes before starting work on
this review, just contemplating on how best to go about reviewing this game. I
have never felt daunted at the thought of reviewing any game, or felt so lost
on how to approach one, but I find myself in just such a position with this
amazing title. Not because its bad, or because I don’t understand it, but
because it has overwhelmed my expectations of it by breaking free from shackles
of decades old tradition, undermining my tired notion of what a platformer
should adhere to be, while leaving me unable to wrap my head around various
parts of it and quantify the game into a neat tidy label at its spectacular
conclusion.</span></span></span><br />
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<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 115%;">
El Shaddai is a game inspired by religion, taking much of its
inspiration and story from the Old Testament and The Book of Enoch in
particular. It is inspired by all the great stories, myths, places and people
found within, and you will see and hear this religious Judo Christian influence
throughout the game as it is the makeup and binding force that makes the game
what it is. Apart from its Jewish and Christian influence, you will also come
across others in the mix as well, Buddhism and Hinduism for example, though not
nearly as strong they are clearly there, in some chapters they are apparent in
the visuals, in others the music, but they are woven in there and are rather
more subtle. Don’t think of this game as one that wears its religious influence
on its collar and tries to force some belief upon you as that’s not what this
game is about. Think more of ancient history and some of the old myths and
stories, as the developers take that Old Testament good story telling aesthetic
and feel and make a game influenced from it, and an amazing job they have done
to, as El Shaddai feels like an ancient story about God, Angels and Man, one
that doesn’t feel at all out of place.</span></span></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2zgz3djSBlL-V2JhyphenhyphenrzvPcZvW0AMaf1HHFG-4p5iwgdnytJ5q_dqWAthsusuSreDruVeSmKzvTVqZ5hEExSbcowNHNdiEziGvwvS0b3q7zllafp582x-HWagi-_5Z_0WAG2ImeYUzwNc/s1600/ES023+(Large)+(Small).bmp" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2zgz3djSBlL-V2JhyphenhyphenrzvPcZvW0AMaf1HHFG-4p5iwgdnytJ5q_dqWAthsusuSreDruVeSmKzvTVqZ5hEExSbcowNHNdiEziGvwvS0b3q7zllafp582x-HWagi-_5Z_0WAG2ImeYUzwNc/s320/ES023+(Large)+(Small).bmp" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 115%;">
The way in which the story is told and presented also does it in such a
subtle way that follows the ancient astronauts theory that God and Angels are,
or were, extra-terrestrials, aliens if you will, who came to Earth, created mankind,
had a plan for their creations and influenced their development throughout
history. Furthermore heaven and hell are different areas where they preside and
Enoch’s (Enoch is the main protagonist in the game) weapons from God as well as
other things are nothing more than alien technology that ancient man interprets
as god-like instruments. This isn’t something that is openly suggested or put
to the player in any way, its just a subtle thing that’s there that is open to
interpretation by the player. Whether this was intentional by the developer or
whether I’m just projecting my beliefs upon the game and its story I'm not
entirely sure. But what’s cleaver is that the game in itself can be left to
this kind of interpretation by the player, (perhaps because of the religious
theme and story, and religion itself being open to many ways of interpretation itself,)
and what one may see within it may be different to what someone else will interpret
from it. Again whether this aspect of the game and its story was an intentional
element or not is anyone’s guess, but it’s certainly a unique and interesting
side to the game I haven’t come across before.</span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 115%;">
The story goes that God has a purpose for Man, one that was put into
place when he created mankind and placed them upon the Earth. God appointed his
loyal angels, the Grigori to watch over mankind from Heaven, who over time had
become besotted and captivated by the lives of man. They eventually descended
from the Heavens and lived amongst man, influencing them and procreating with
those they once watched over. The Fallen Angels corrupted man with sin, causing
them to deviating from the plan God had laid out for them, creating a false
path for man to follow. Angered by the Fallen Angels betrayal of God, the
Council of Elders in Heaven decided that the only way forward was to wipe the
Earth clean of man corrupted by evil and sin by creating a great flood upon the
Earth. One man, a scribe named Enoch brought to Heaven by God, pleaded before
the Council of Elders against flooding the Earth. They agreed to spare mankind
on the condition that Enoch returned to Earth, find the Fallen Angels and bring
them back to Heaven to face Gods judgment. So Enoch returned to Earth on his
quest, guided by the Archangel Lucifel, he must find the Fallen Angels and cleanse
man of their sin.</span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 115%;">
El Shaddai is a 2D/3D hack-n-slash platformer, it seamlessly blends both
2D and 3D platforming elements together to such a degree the game has nailed
the formula with its first go. In this game the transition between the two
different perspectives has quite literally been worked to a fine art. One
minute you will be in the 3D perspective, often with the viewpoint from an
interesting angle, running, jumping and fighting enemies, then before you even realise
it’s happened the perspective has stealthily transitioned into its 2D side on
form. Its not always as subtle as this, there are of course parts that are all
in one perspective or the other, but when the game transitions so seamlessly,
it makes you wonder why it hasn’t become the norm in the genre already as it
feels so naturally done.</span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 115%;">
Each level is a varied mix of elements always changing as the game
progresses, keeping things fresh and making sure the player can always expect
the unexpected as far as level design goes. Some of the 2D parts are designed
in such a way that they are superbly geared for speed runs, where a player is
supposed to become so finely tuned into the level that they smoothly glide
Enoch through it with ease. Other 2D parts are slower and perhaps a little more
traditional in their makeup, these platforming parts are about being more
careful and are certainly slower paced, having you fight enemies, avoid many of
the pitfalls, lurking dangers and timing those all important jumps. The 3D
parts can follow the same route, with levels designed for speed flow, with
others about meticulous precision platforming and danger avoidance.</span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 115%;">
The 3D parts however are where most of the games hack-n-slash fighting
will occur, but rather than force the player to fight for every step en route,
down narrow corridors and from one large area to the next, the fighting will
take place in rounded type sections effortlessly blended into parts of the
levels. You will quickly learn to identify these little areas dotted about each
level, and upon entering them they become like small arenas, fenced off until
you have defeated all of the spawning enemies or the end of level boss. Some
players might not take to the way in which the developers have choose to
implement the fighting in such a way like this, and I must admit it sounds more
detached than it actually is, more so down to my inability to quite put this
game into words than anything else. But believe me when I say that this really
does work more in its practical implementation than it sounds, as El Shaddai is
a game where all its sum parts seem to blend and flow together, fitting
perfectly, and this particular area is no exception. You do of course face some
enemies en route through the levels, but these are nothing more than fodder, they
are there specifically to pose as an obstacle, to knock Enoch off his footing
and into danger, nothing more nothing less, the real enemies lie in wait in the
arena type areas.</span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 115%;">
Combat is pretty simple, just as you would want it to be, with two
buttons for two different types of attacks which when held down will make Enoch
dispense more powerful variant attacks. Special attacks can be implemented by
pressing RB and X, and later in the story a special overboost attack bestowed
upon Enoch by the Archangel Uriel can be used when your boost level is full and
by tapping LB and RB. Enemies can also be whipped up and attacked in the air
and dealt multiple hits to wear them down, as well as being attacked on the
ground by a hovering Enoch, allowing him to go on the offensive yet avoid any
ground based attacks. There are no special powers as such in this game bar the
overboost, and there are no over flirtatious and exuberant combo’s to endlessly
string together that you find in other such games like Bayonetta and Devil May
Cry, nor can you collect, assign, build or equip different powers and power-ups.
As far as the hack-n-slash fighting element is concerned, El Shaddai takes
things back to its core roots, keeping things simple, uncomplicated and
minimalistic. But this does not suck the fun from the games veins, far from it
in fact; the game is just as fun and challenging as any combo power-up driven
game in this genre. Stripping the excess from this area has made the fighting
in the game feel fresh as much as it is in keeping with the style and flow of
the game, while also ensuring the fun and challenge remain intact.</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 115%;">
There is a blocking system in El Shaddai, but it’s tricky to implement
and will take some time to master and pull off. Blocking is split into a two
tear system, holding RB will block some attacks but not all depending on the
enemy and how they attack you, and you will still take damage here, but not as
much. Tapping RB just before an enemy strikes Enoch will repel their attack and
leave your foe off guard and open to attack so timing is everything. The
blocking system in this game is partly like the one implemented in the melee
survival horror game Condemned released by Sega back in 2005. Condemned, (while
in the first person perspective,) also relied on perfect timing to block enemy attacks
that when successful would repel enemies and leave them off-guard. The only
difference between the two games being that Condemned didn’t have a two tear
blocking system like El Shaddai.</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 115%;">
As well as being able to throw punches and kicks when finding himself
without a weapon on rare occasions, Enoch has access to three different weapons
through most of the game, though he will start off with one and the other two
will become available when the game progresses. The Arch, Gale and Veil are the
only weapons in the game and the only ones Enoch can use, each one very
different to the other, with each better suited to different situations and
enemies than the other, and each assigned its own unique special attacks. The
Arch is like a Klingon Bat’leth, yet sounds exactly like a Lightsaber and is
swung about like its essentially a sword, it’s the go-to weapon of the game
that I found myself using the most as it also has an air glide ability when
Enoch jumps, which come in pretty handy for all the platforming elements of the
game. The Gale is a long range weapon akin to the bow and arrow, circular in
nature like Xena: Warrior Princesses Chakram weapon, but with tiny metallic
bolts that circle Enoch which he is able to control and fire in any direction.
Finally the Veil, a weapon that is made up of two shields, one on either hand
that are both used to pound enemies into submission. This weapon is the most
powerful of all three, allowing Enoch to deal the most damage, but its trade-off
is that it’s slow and cumbersome, leaving Enoch more open and susceptible to
being attacked.</span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 115%;">
There are a variety of different enemies in the game, and as you
progress further you will start to encounter more powerful and challenging
enemy variants, but the three core types are ones that use Gods three weapons.
You won’t encounter them all from the beginning of the game; they will appear
in battles once you have reached a point where another of Gods weapons becomes
available to Enoch as the Arch is the only one available to him at the start of
the game. They also become more powerful and challenging throughout the course
of the game, so an Arch wielding enemy of Sin might pose a challenge and become
easily conquered at the start of the game when you are getting to grips with
things, but a faster, more powerful and nimble Arch wielding enemy will take
its place in another chapter, and the same can be said of the other enemies.</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 115%;">
The highlights of the fighting are the many different boss encounters
you will face in the game, all of which are varied, different and always
surprising. At first you will never know whether you are in a boss fight for
real or not, or at times whether you’re facing a mid-chapter boss or end of
chapter boss as they can pop up and challenge Enoch at random. These seemingly
random challenges will make short work of Enoch before transporting him back
into a level, and serve as an element to keep you always second guessing which
encounter will be the actual proper fight. As always in these kind of games,
you can expect variety in the boss designs, the weird and wonderful, with
multiple stages of attacks and attack patterns to learn and overcome, with each
harder and more difficult than the last. My favourite boss encounter has to be
Armaros, as it was not like any boss fight I have encountered before, with the
seamless transition between cut-scene and gameplay, Armaros dancing in the
foreground up against the TV screen as though he was dancing for a camera, and
having Enoch fight dancing enemies in the background. To say this boss
encounter was different and surreal is an understatement, and although Armaros
might not have been the most spectacular and all conquering boss fight in El
Shaddai, or in gaming history for that matter, it was surly the most memorable
and stylish to ever be conceived.</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 115%;">
With all that said and done there are but only a few things about El
Shaddai that I found to be amiss, nothing major or significantly game changing,
just a few very small things, as the game is pretty much as polished as you
could hope for in a game on todays current systems. You can either play the
game with Japanese voice acting with English subtitles (much better and
preferable to dub in my opinion,) or English voice acting and turn subtitles
off, or set them to Japanese. The problem with the English voice acting doesn’t
rest with the acting itself, as the voice work in the game is superbly done,
but lies with the lip-sync, as is common with dub, it can be out of sync and
noticeable. This shouldn’t be a problem in games really as the lips for in game
characters and cut-scenes can easily be synced to the voice, but in El Shaddai
it hasn’t been done, at least not in a way it should be done with a game, but
more like English dub you will find in movies. It’s not all that bad, but it is
noticeable in the cut-scenes, you wont notice it in the game though as the
camera is to far away from the characters.</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 115%;">
The only other complaint is that when you get caught in an enemy attack,
or stringed attack, it’s almost if nigh on impossible to break free. Once enemies
get hold of Enoch and whip him up into their attack patterns, then he is
essentially locked in for the duration until it’s over, so no matter how you
try and break free, you just have to accept the punishment and wait until it’s
over. More than anything else this is just frustrating; it’s not a bad
mechanic, its just punishment for not successfully blocking in the first place
or dodging an enemy move.</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 115%;">
The game didn’t leave me furrow browed, more like slack jawed, I appreciated
every minute of it, yet was left with my head wrapped within its meandering
story and gameplay. You don’t play El Shaddai, as it’s not a game to be played;
you experience it, as it’s a rare gaming experience that doesn’t come around too
often. El Shaddai is a game to be seized upon if given the chance to play it, as
it’s not often a game ebbs and flows so serenely, yet will always keep you
second guessing every twist and turn of your journey through it. El Shaddai
extends its hand to you, offering a journey and an experience, where story and
gameplay are inseparable and intertwined, one indistinguishable from one
another. If you have reached that point where you truly crave a unique gaming
experience set within this familiar of all genres, which is not constrained by
its formulaic tradition and rules, then you may want to extend your hand to.</span></span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 115%;">
I’m hoping that if anything I have at least peaked your interest in El
Shaddai, enough to make you want to give it a go, as I could have wrote at
length about the graphics, but I think the screenshots will speak for
themselves, so let’s just say the visuals are quite breathtakingly beautiful. I
have tried my best to put into words as much as I could and give you, the
reader, a simple understanding of what to expect from the basic makeup of this
great game, but El Shaddai can’t be fully explained. Its like that one thing
that’s always on the tip of your brain, but you can never fully grasp and pin
down into words; it’s always just out of reach, which is why it can only be
fully understood by experiencing it for yourself.</span></span></span></div>
PixellationMagazinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14148520845772318161noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6925109088703846300.post-88910395058894403992013-01-13T11:21:00.001-08:002013-01-13T11:32:15.027-08:00Nintendo 3DS XL First Impressions<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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I’m not going to bore you by listing of the specific spec’s of the 3DS
XL as they are well known by now and anyone wanting to know these just needs to
use a search engine, but I thought as I have recently bought the system I would
do an overview and give my initial impressions of it.</span></span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 115%;">
The system comes packaged in a small unassuming box with less fanfare
splashed across it than a supermarkets own brand of cheap biscuits, and I was surprised
that it didn’t have better design work on it to be honest, but then its what’s
inside that really counts. Included in the box with the system is a 4GB SDHC
memory card which comes installed in the SD card slot and a pack of AR cards to
use with the AR Games software on the system. There were two things however
that immediately struck me before I even opened the box. Firstly the notice
that the 3DS XL does not come packaged with an AC adapter to power and charge
it, as these are sold separately. I have to say this is poor form on Nintendo’s
part and is a small blight on what is an amazing system as it should come
packaged with a power supply no arguments about it.</span></span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 115%;">
When I was initially looking at
buying the system I wasn’t sure if my DS or DSi XL charger would work with it, and
its fortunate that I already owned these systems and had chargers for them as I
discovered later on that my DS Lite charger should work with the 3DS XL. But at
the outset it looked to me as if I would have to spend £169 on the system, plus
another £20 for Nintendo’s official cradle and charger kit in one shop I
happened to look in, plus extra for any games on top of that. So what initially
looked to be a very competitive price point next to Sony’s PS Vita actually
turned out to be less competitive than I first thought, even after shopping
around a bit, though the PS Vita was always priced higher no matter where I looked,
the price gap didn’t seem that huge after all. It was lucky I heard via the
grapevine that DS chargers would work with the 3DS XL, though I wasn’t one hundred per
cent sure, so I just bought the system and tried my luck. But if I didn’t own a
DS/DSi XL, the added cost of a charger, even a cheap third party one would have
put me off buying a 3DS XL, as the thought of forking out for a new games
system that doesn’t come bundled with a mains AC charger as standard, like it
should do, is a hard concept to fathom let alone stomach.</span></span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 115%;">
Next thing that struck me was the information notice on the back about
the systems backwards compatibility; it is backwards compatible with DS and DSi
software but not GBA (Game Boy Advance) games. Also if like me you own DS
imports, then it warns that some imports may not work on the 3DS so don’t get
rid of those DS/DSi systems just yet. I tested Shin Megami Tensei: Devil
Survivor and Sands of Destruction, both NTSC American games, and both worked no
problem. I did have a small problem playing the DS version of Lego Lord of the
Rings on the 3DS XL though, as I reached the end of one section the game went
to auto save and then froze up. I thought I had lost my progress up until that
point as I had to reboot the system, but turns out it did save my progress even
though it locked up, so again, I wouldn’t go discarding your DS/DSi just yet as
the backwards compatibility might not be perfect for all DS games.</span></span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 115%;">
With all that said and done it’s on to the system itself. The 3DS XL is
a really well made high quality handheld gaming device, its not cheap at £169,
but rest assured the end result is that its made to a high standard and looks
the part rather than feeling cheap and tacky. At the top of the console there
are the left and right shoulder buttons, the game card slot, mains adaptor
socket and an infrared transceiver bar. On the XL’s left side, just below the
left shoulder button is the volume slider, which is a really curious and silly
place to put it as on many occasions now i have accidently moved the volume
slider while playing a game, and I’m sure I'm not alone in this, it stands to
reason that it would have been far better located next to the headphones jack
at the bottom left of the console. On the right of the XL is the stylus holder,
SD card slot, wireless on/off slider, and at the top outer surface of the
clamshell are two (outer) cameras allowing for the capture of 2D/3D photos and
videos.</span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 115%;">
The two screens on the 3DS XL are not that much different from the ones
on the DSi XL, better resolution and more pixels aside of course. The bottom
screen is the same size as the DSi XL’s, the top is the same height but width
wise is about 2cm longer, so while the DSi XL has two big screens of equal
proportions, the 3DS XL only has a wider top screen. I like the fact that the
top screen is wider, and although the bottom one is still pretty big in itself
as well as being centrally aligned with the above screen, I do personally feel
that both on the 3DS console should have been made the same width as each other,
preferably that of the wider top screen, as this wouldn’t make the system all
that much bigger. The clarity and crispness of both screens however are pin
sharp and both deliver much more of a visual punch on everything from the home
menu, games, through to video. The top screen is the main viewing screen, all
videos will be viewed on it and games will utilise it as standard while the
bottom one is used for secondary usage such as options, maps and other stuff. The
only things I have found with this system, and this is something I found with
the DSi XL as well, is that the screens have a glossy reflective surface, more
so with the 3DS XL and this can cause some to get eyestrain much in the same
vein as staring at a very reflective glossy computer monitor. The touchscreen
will also become very scratched over time as well as becoming plastered in
fingerprints, so it’s best to buy a screen protector as soon as possible.</span></span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 115%;">
While on the subject of the 3DS XL screens I guess this is a perfect
time to talk about the 3D feature incorporated into the system, something of
which was used as a big selling point by Nintendo when the original system
first launched. The bottom screen is just a bog standard touchscreen and does
not have 3D implemented on it, only the top screen with the 3D adjustment
slider next to it delivers the 3D feature. There are some things I would like
to make the readers mindful of about the 3D feature. Firstly the 3D can and
should be calibrated by using the calibration option in the settings menu; this
will help adjust the 3D to a comfortable level that makes it work properly for
you. As you calibrate the 3D you will adjust the 3D slider to increase or
decrease the strength of the 3D, but this can still be done afterwards during
gameplay if you find the strength or depth not to you liking. Lastly the 3DS XL
as well as the 3DS for that matter comes with a warning that vision damage may
be caused to children using the 3D feature on the system aged six and under,
and therefor Nintendo recommends that only children aged over the age of six
should use this feature. They also recommend locking this feature out using the
parental controls which is a good idea. Once done every video, game and
application will ask the user if they want to start it in 2D or 3D, if 3D is
selected it will be locked out and a pin code will have to be entered that was
set up within parental controls, so in short only a 2D experience will be
available.</span></span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 115%;">
This part is purely my opinion of course and my experience of the 3D
feature on the system and I’m fully aware as I’m sure a lot of people are that
3D works differently for everyone, as it works for some better than others. I
have tried the 3D feature, on the XL and the normal 3DS, and I have tried using
it on different types of games as well as using the calibration option and
adjusting the 3D slider to various strengths, and for me personally it just
doesn’t work. That’s not to say the 3D doesn’t work, it just doesn’t work for
me personally. For me the whole 3D thing is and has always been very much a non
starter, whether it be 3D films or 3D games, glasses or non silly looking
glasses, it just doesn’t work on me as all I get to see is a double blurry
image. I have never been fussed about it either as I would much rather see a
big push towards holograms and holographic technology as I find it much more of
an interesting area of technology not yet fully explored. But I suspect 3D
doesn’t work for me however because of two things, one being the fact I am
short sighted and wear glasses, the other is that my eyesight is better in one
eye than the other. These things are the likely causes why 3D does not work for
me, and viewing any kind of 3D media gives me headaches and makes me feel cross-eyed
in the extreme, but I have to say I’m not bothered by this fact, nor do I feel
like I am missing out by not using the 3D feature. The main selling point of
the 3DS is its increased power and graphical capability’s that allow<span style="font-size: small;">s</span> for bigger
more expansive and better looking games. The 3D element to the portable console
is a cool additional feature that users can make use of, but is in no way part
and parcel of the system that has to be used, and is certainly not the main
selling point of the 3DS itself, so for me it will remain permanently switched
off.</span></span></span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 115%;"> </span></span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 115%;">
The system comes with some pre-installed software to get your hand on, none
of which are particularly anything breath-taking, but a nice surprise all the
same. The two main games are Face Raiders and AR Games, while the other free
software titles are Nintendo Letter Box, Mii Maker, Mii Plaza, Nintendo 3DS
Camera, Nintendo 3DS Sound. I also got Super Mario 3D Land for free via a
download code via the Nintendo eShop, which I promptly downloaded to the SD
Card. I’m not entirely sure whether this is a limited time offer or not, but I
was only able to use the download code between the beginning and end of
January, outside of this timeframe I would loose the chance of a free game so I
didn’t hang about. If it wasn’t for deciding to register the XL with Club
Nintendo to see what all that was about I honestly wouldn’t have known about
the free game offer, and I only decided to check out Club Nintendo on a whim.
To get your free game you have to register your 3DS XL and complete a survey, and
then you will be given the option of choosing a game out of a selection of
five, Professor Layton and Mario being the most notable of the games on offer.
There was absolutely no advertising in the supermarket where I bought my 3DS XL
about the free game offer, and I was not told about it by the cashier upon
purchase of the system, that’s if he even knew about the offer which I highly
doubt. There is also no mention of this offer on the box or in the manual, so I
could have completely missed out on this entirely. It would surly be in
Nintendo’s best interest to advertise this offer or any other future offer
quite vigorously, on the system box, and at point of sale as this would
encourage sales if anything, especially over holiday periods, but as it stands
customers like myself have been left to stumble across this particular offer
for themselves<span style="font-size: small;">.</span></span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></span></span></span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 115%;"> At the moment I only have two games for the system, Super Mario 3D Land
and Rayman Origins, but I have downloaded the Resident Evil: Revelations and
Epic Mickey: Power of Illusion demos. All demos are limited to a set amount of
playthroughs so once your allocation is up for a certain game, then that’s your
lot. I cant say what Rayman is like because I haven’t got around to playing it
yet, but I have at least tried the first bunch of levels in Super Mario 3D
Land, and I have to say that making the games levels truly 3D as opposed to
traditional side-scrolling 2D platformer has made the game seem so much more
interesting to play as well as making it highly addictive to. Graphics wise
there is not much to shout about with Mario and Rayman other than they both
look really great, same for Epic Mickey really, which was a game that had such
a slow start to it I might add. But Resident Evil: Revelations at least gave me
a snapshot of just what to expect out of the 3DS graphics and power wise, and I
have to say I was very impressed by just how detailed and pin sharp everything
looked. The graphics seemed to me on a par with later PS2 or equivalent, and I
was more than pleased as its amazing just how graphically advanced handheld
gaming systems such as the 3DS have become these days. The system still has a
long life ahead of it so anyone wishing to get one can expect some real treats
in the very immediate future<span style="font-size: small;">.</span> </span></span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 115%;">
I wanted a 3DS since its release, but not for the 3D feature, but for it
being a more powerful system that would have bigger and better games on it, the
3D for me was never a real selling hook that would draw me in, and it shouldn’t
be for anyone else. The 3D feature is a nice addition, but that’s all it is, an
additional feature, the real draw of the system should be the bigger, better
looking games the system will accumulate. The lack of a second analog stick
(well its actually an analog slider, or circle pad as Nintendo call it) has
been quite a contentious issue for the system since its initial release, and
I’ll admit that I to have always thought Nintendo missed a trick and messed up
by not adding another to the system. But to be honest, now I have played on one
and a bunch of its games, I now think that it’s not really needed, as the 3DS
was never to be a system for developers and publishers to clog its library up
with FPS games. A second circle pad is not needed, and I can say this after
playing on one, and it’s only through playing games on the system will you
realise this. Take Resident Evil: Revelations as a perfect example, as some
would have you believe its better with the second circle pad peripheral and is
a must for the game, but this simply isn’t the case, playing with one circle
pad is perfectly fine, perhaps even better as its like the tank controls of the
first classic RE game of old.</span></span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 115%;">
I was over the moon when Nintendo released the 3DS XL with its bigger
screens as this was a revision I was waiting for, and I'm very pleased with the
system overall, and at the moment there has never been a better time to pick
one up as it has a lot going for it. There are a few niggles here and there,
but certainly no show stoppers. The lack of a charger included with the system
is a poor decision as is the lack of promotional advertising making potential
customers aware of the free game download. The growth of the 3DS library of
games is growing, albeit very slowly, and the release line up seems to be very
quiet at the moment, but it should now pick up a bit of pace with the release
of the Wii U. Its sad b<span style="font-size: small;">ut</span> a true fact that the 3DS library offers more variety
and has far more games as well as looking far healthier at the moment than Sony’s
PS Vita, good for 3DS owners, not so for PS Vita owners. Hopefully Sony will
turn things around soon instead of releasing the system and then letting it die
on its arse, but only time will tell.</span></span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 115%;">
It’s a perfect time to get a 3DS or 3DS XL when all is said and done,
the future looks bright for the system even with the onslaught of the
smartphone gaming market, as some like me still prefer a gaming device to be
just that rather than a do everything machine, and the 3DS XL is one hell of a handheld
gaming device.</span></span></span></div>
PixellationMagazinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14148520845772318161noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6925109088703846300.post-50887455957293937552012-12-17T13:09:00.000-08:002012-12-17T13:13:28.516-08:00Old Computers Won't Last Forever<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 115%;">
When I first started looking into buying an Amiga, I found that there
were plenty of different models to choose from, and so I had to do a fair bit
of research at the time about each model and reading up on the history of
Commodore and the Amiga range of computers, all of which was fascinating and
made me hunger more for one of these old machines.</span></span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 115%;">
Then, as if waking from an amnesia type brain freeze, I remembered that
I already had one, an A2000 sitting in the shed, along with a tone of software.
Damn my ineptitude and complete lack of foresight! Trust me to store a great
computer in a damp, dusty, cobweb filled shed instead of storing it somewhere
proper and safe from the environmental effects that could kill an electrical
device off faster than the main man Chuck Norris. It wasn’t a machine I had in
my youth, nor one that me or my parents bought at the time it was on the
market, but it’s a system I acquired and messed about with until I ran out of
space to store it. Yet I wasn’t into retro gaming at the time, and I knew
little if anything about the Amiga or its significance, so in the shed it went.</span></span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 115%;">
Of course I was kicking myself when I rescued it from the damp shed, as
I was becoming strongly entrenched in retro gaming, and enjoying plenty of
games and systems from my youth, and having a blast on old games as well as the
latest and greatest a modern system could offer. But would it still work
though, that was the question, would the A2000 still fire up after all these
years in the shed? After taking the cover off and inspecting the insides,
everything looked ok, the ribbons connecting all the drives looked a little
worse for ware, but everything else seemed ok. Lucky for me it fired up, and
after turning it on and off more times than I care to remember the hdd
eventually kicked in and Workbench appeared, as you can imagine, I was relieved,
more so than a vegetarian being told that what they were eating was in fact quorn
balls and not hairy cows bollocks dipped in gravy.</span></span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 115%;">
Though the A2000 still worked and Workbench fired up, the machine had
still taken a hit: the floppy drives had bit the dust, they damaged one floppy
disk then didn’t want to work, and the ribbons looked in a state of serious
decay. So even though the system still lived on, it needed some serious TLC,
something of which it wouldn’t need if I had looked after it properly in the
first place.</span></span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 115%;">
Well 4 years later and I’m still in the process of doing my Amga 2000
up, I got as far as replacing the two floppy drives and a drive ribbon, but that’s
about it, but now, with the system in a permanent place under my TV, I’m ready
to start refurbishing the system again. Late last year I did strip the system down,
and clean the whole thing from top to bottom, all boards, the case,
connections, everything. I was even pleased to find that the clock battery had
not leaked onto the main board (something which I thought had happened,) and so
on the advise of others, I de-soldered it from the main board as the big box
Amiga’s suffer from clock battery leakage, and this has the potential to kill
the system.</span></span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 115%;">
One unforeseen side effect though was that when removing the main board
from the system, which was a complete pain, and in hindsight was a two man job,
some of the legs on the second mouse port snapped away from the board. It was
far to awkward to re-solder them back on as there were other components in the
way, so I wouldn’t have been able to get to the legs in question, so after
careful thought, I decided to remove joystick port 2 completely. The plan was
to solder wires from the main board to the corresponding legs, this I managed
to do, but it was a sloppy job and the wires eventually came loose. So recently
I tackled the problem again, but this time I bought a D-Sub9 connector and some
soldering flux and it worked a treat. I re-soldered wires back onto the main
boards D-Sub9 joystick port 2 connections, planned the route around the board I
wanted the wires to take and used insulator tape to stick them down so they
wouldn’t move, then soldered the wires onto the D-Sub9 and popped that into a
back port plate. So now I plug a controller into the back of the A2000 where
port 2 is newly located.</span></span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 115%;">
I basically did what I had to do to save joystick port 2 and get it
working, as many Amiga games take advantage of controllers and joysticks, but
through the second port, and so if that’s out of action, it’ll make it very
awkward to play many games. Upon looking at it it’s a bit of a ‘what in the
Frankenstein’s monster!?’ But my A2000 isn’t getting any younger and over time
things break, so I have done what I needed to do to keep the machine going,
it’s not the best solution, but it works, that’s the important thing.</span></span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 115%;">
As time marches on and we all continue to use these ageing machines way
past their intended usage, its inevitable that things will break or stop
working and repairs will have to be carried out. Some will be repairable,
others won’t, it’s just the way things go, and over time it’s a fact that old
computers and consoles will become rarer and more uncommon as the years tick
by. Yes even all the abundant sun faded turd brown Super Nintendo’s you can
find for sale online will one day become a wild and not too often seen item,
more ripe chance for asshole sellers on eBay to charge through-the-arse prices
on the auction site no doubt. I already own two A1200 because one has a dodgy
expansion port and the other stopped outputting sound at one point, and add to
that a cassette player for the Spectrum that’s now just dead electronic weight.
It’s amazing that a lot of these computers and consoles are still going and we
can only do our best to preserve them while actively using them, so it’s sad to
think that one day, if these machines don’t re-enter production somehow
somewhere in the future, that emulation will be the only real way to experience
them, food for thought.</span></span></span>PixellationMagazinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14148520845772318161noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6925109088703846300.post-31935271611853762462012-11-17T10:58:00.001-08:002012-11-18T01:04:30.691-08:00Dreamcast Analog Stick Mod Guide<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span>
This is a mod for the Dreamcast analog stick that I think is a must.
Have you ever been in the thick of the action on Ready 2 Rumble Boxing, Sega
Rally 2, Soul Calibur, or possibly running around Dobuita in Shenmue and found
your thumb slipping off the nub constantly? Well I have, and at times it can be
quite annoying to be honest. As much as I love the design and layout of the
Dreamcast controller, it’s the convex design of the analog nub, coupled with
the fact that Sega choose to use plastic instead of rubber that causes ones
thumb to always slip from its grip at the worst possible time. They did add
small dimples or dots of plastic to help your thumb grip, but it really doesn’t
help much, a rubber nub is what’s needed for maximum comfort and grip. So here
is a mod that might be small in nature, but adds so much to the overall
Dreamcast experience, enjoy Sega fans!</span></span></span><br />
<a name='more'></a><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<b><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 115%;">What You Will Need</span></span></span></b><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>The Mod</b></span></span><br />
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<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxlNQjBxvXeVcBhlKlfmLwUN2cKrGmc5WfIkfxZO14bugWtVCjuU28HGQV3ZHFIPZLkeqzn7Z8FL9fXt-8KLIVxlPBNP2wMcuebK1l7yxm-G_2AJ9pIXNmx3u6gmEXcs7Aw0xTRjw06F4/s1600/DC002.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxlNQjBxvXeVcBhlKlfmLwUN2cKrGmc5WfIkfxZO14bugWtVCjuU28HGQV3ZHFIPZLkeqzn7Z8FL9fXt-8KLIVxlPBNP2wMcuebK1l7yxm-G_2AJ9pIXNmx3u6gmEXcs7Aw0xTRjw06F4/s320/DC002.png" width="309" /></a></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 115%;">1.</span><span style="line-height: 115%;">Firstly you will need to open the
controller by unscrewing the five screws from the back of the controller.</span></span></span><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiVPToFWp44kMXicwhwvJhKwtbfry9jrJ3B-WlfFalM6WM6WOv_kI5et0ppCOLlBUIplivAWViV-hZNXIeVx_y7fiyNzPhRCDZHak9MrBE5bjDM2VSIrfUuNlmOHlXpepdGHai6GgK7K8/s1600/DC005.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="314" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiVPToFWp44kMXicwhwvJhKwtbfry9jrJ3B-WlfFalM6WM6WOv_kI5et0ppCOLlBUIplivAWViV-hZNXIeVx_y7fiyNzPhRCDZHak9MrBE5bjDM2VSIrfUuNlmOHlXpepdGHai6GgK7K8/s320/DC005.png" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 115%;"></span><span style="line-height: 115%;">2.<span style="-moz-font-feature-settings: normal; -moz-font-language-override: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"></span></span><span style="line-height: 115%;">Once you have opened the Dreamcast
controller and carefully removed the back, you will then need to unscrew the
two screws at the top, either side of the VMU/rumble mount that keeps it and
the controller’s main board fixed in place.</span></span></span><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUXD_100-YUD7N1xFl-ez3rZiARUdZ-p9-eiYZuCvmvINaoq8sdi-W3V2bWZzaij68eVfid3XKLAytnH0MqzUfl8hdo-FOXqBwKc_B5oJCfG9APgEgSGMcF1Ni5bYv8QIuNh8jdWyJwfk/s1600/DC006.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="303" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUXD_100-YUD7N1xFl-ez3rZiARUdZ-p9-eiYZuCvmvINaoq8sdi-W3V2bWZzaij68eVfid3XKLAytnH0MqzUfl8hdo-FOXqBwKc_B5oJCfG9APgEgSGMcF1Ni5bYv8QIuNh8jdWyJwfk/s320/DC006.png" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 115%;"></span><span style="line-height: 115%;">3.<span style="-moz-font-feature-settings: normal; -moz-font-language-override: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span><span style="line-height: 115%;">Maintenance time. If you are doing
this mod on a brand new never used controller then proceed to step 4. If
however you are using an old controller then it might be worth removing all the
rubber pads and cleaning the buttons, d-pad and start button. You might have
noticed that the A button on some old controllers has significantly lost its
springiness (or pop,) this can be caused in most cases by a build up of grime
on the buttons due to years of usage. Cleaning the buttons as well as the
channels they sit in on the front of the controller might help alleviate this
and bring the buttons back to life again.</span></span></span><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkkWaJjvCc6-pdqPt0HvlZwEYrdRzCr6qL4Dq4E9ZAIpxKc1xcKlfwqF-5e-b6XGJQb1kDhlrxFMtR5ikLJgvaVaUfrAtBixunahePbAPaAiVY1ACtnV2gfPt9zPgqh1iLpEy3A6j7uGY/s1600/DC007.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="258" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkkWaJjvCc6-pdqPt0HvlZwEYrdRzCr6qL4Dq4E9ZAIpxKc1xcKlfwqF-5e-b6XGJQb1kDhlrxFMtR5ikLJgvaVaUfrAtBixunahePbAPaAiVY1ACtnV2gfPt9zPgqh1iLpEy3A6j7uGY/s320/DC007.png" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 115%;"></span><span style="line-height: 115%;">4.<span style="-moz-font-feature-settings: normal; -moz-font-language-override: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"></span></span><span style="line-height: 115%;">Remove the analog stick from its
mount on the main board by gently pulling it.</span></span></span><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzGuaD5AD0HCpqhLsyKNJxOYu36-cQvqPhFcQEVNB7dPJMnwa3aZgfnr82JCRfCDS-wZf77Zg7j1mBuHXqQGOtIekPxgkiV98jHGDRjgu5B7AlIO9gFboANZDZUiW_M_AtFbsf9ndQ-1w/s1600/DC008.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzGuaD5AD0HCpqhLsyKNJxOYu36-cQvqPhFcQEVNB7dPJMnwa3aZgfnr82JCRfCDS-wZf77Zg7j1mBuHXqQGOtIekPxgkiV98jHGDRjgu5B7AlIO9gFboANZDZUiW_M_AtFbsf9ndQ-1w/s320/DC008.png" width="300" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpWvSQFl7tCnEVYsKFV5BbZejonX5JS6YvegUyt-MMqGbo2xfKz5ZX7Q0FHgU_atdqxxei7yfK4qAWa5rCk5xSBWc9ii8wG8Bqj4C7lYeNnlEGclwmaokhUObDxGHfVC0-wsPEvoC4n18/s1600/DC009.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="274" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpWvSQFl7tCnEVYsKFV5BbZejonX5JS6YvegUyt-MMqGbo2xfKz5ZX7Q0FHgU_atdqxxei7yfK4qAWa5rCk5xSBWc9ii8wG8Bqj4C7lYeNnlEGclwmaokhUObDxGHfVC0-wsPEvoC4n18/s320/DC009.png" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 115%;"></span><span style="line-height: 115%;">5.</span><span style="line-height: 115%;">Wearing protective goggles, attach a
thin cutting end to the rotary tool. Now carefully cut each edge off of the
Dreamcast analog stick’s convex nub until it resembles a square shape. Try and
cut the nub as close to the neck of the analog stick as possible, but don’t get
too enthusiastic about it, as you don’t want to cut into the neck itself.</span></span></span><br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuD137TKWuSZFfoZs6OFvWk50eitTXuAdJPAiPvX1cRXfo6GNMvdONXTF2UnYSG3gWKGwgAZaIrGcvEhvtbJgKx4uyPTbdzQF-8ZTYXF4yEJ_PigyH5os9zyxfVFA7Jvn0YYQ4K5yNhrk/s1600/DC010.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuD137TKWuSZFfoZs6OFvWk50eitTXuAdJPAiPvX1cRXfo6GNMvdONXTF2UnYSG3gWKGwgAZaIrGcvEhvtbJgKx4uyPTbdzQF-8ZTYXF4yEJ_PigyH5os9zyxfVFA7Jvn0YYQ4K5yNhrk/s320/DC010.png" width="277" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Before sanding</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_4iSK-MfUg_J9PV9x2zrEpYxR5IQ_xI8pxmJmCeJcI9DNaQk-pTbydcYmF2pTyNwID-TEe0MbtI0PijT-Hnp4pwdif82ydCS4Yyujjq8uWlCMgWYgzJNBc9jGGy3BYCXNYusiRy1xxLU/s1600/DC011.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_4iSK-MfUg_J9PV9x2zrEpYxR5IQ_xI8pxmJmCeJcI9DNaQk-pTbydcYmF2pTyNwID-TEe0MbtI0PijT-Hnp4pwdif82ydCS4Yyujjq8uWlCMgWYgzJNBc9jGGy3BYCXNYusiRy1xxLU/s320/DC011.png" width="281" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">After sanding</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 115%;">6.</span><span style="line-height: 115%;">Change the cutting end to a sanding
end on the rotary tool. Now slowly and carefully sand away at the small square
nub that it left, rounding it off to fit in line and shape with the neck of the
analog stick.</span></span></span><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbXVf80kODK8901yr-rYhydpF6rkCzdLEWsHfd_bcGPj8CFI-3_kaLlnEEBG4XdI7jfxuAKZTdXLCK99mPKuMDcQCZ7_hYNmegr1KX1BygqXjyqcSysWUO5uBz_oRxhRcWhyuOVwjmLKA/s1600/DC003.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbXVf80kODK8901yr-rYhydpF6rkCzdLEWsHfd_bcGPj8CFI-3_kaLlnEEBG4XdI7jfxuAKZTdXLCK99mPKuMDcQCZ7_hYNmegr1KX1BygqXjyqcSysWUO5uBz_oRxhRcWhyuOVwjmLKA/s320/DC003.png" width="279" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibq2O0WaS27CTuDE_ozcDcER42rH4g3mnfQVkAhyHsDd9bUKQjtXA5MCkDGQReU-zYAoUq59wQC0wfz9BjKGqXPdKdqN3nCSG32Rn-LtwV6Ehvvt6hrWMFjMYDcJG9XY0kZNCl_i0Iofo/s1600/DC012.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="282" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibq2O0WaS27CTuDE_ozcDcER42rH4g3mnfQVkAhyHsDd9bUKQjtXA5MCkDGQReU-zYAoUq59wQC0wfz9BjKGqXPdKdqN3nCSG32Rn-LtwV6Ehvvt6hrWMFjMYDcJG9XY0kZNCl_i0Iofo/s320/DC012.png" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 115%;">7.<span style="-moz-font-feature-settings: normal; -moz-font-language-override: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"></span></span><span style="line-height: 115%;">Now take the Xbox 360 analog stick
and cut the nub away from the base. Ideally you want to cut as close to the nub
as possible, but be very carful not to damage it.</span></span></span><br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYKNpNr9L5eVNwCvwbCuMkP6VcFRZO97_YkJDLLgZOXHufMLklzUXy0KRZ2HNQSPWjjcnTmU7CsFG5-b4IWOCZUu7SmrFhqnjrrwpdta8MItz7o66_hjez_yOIzZhuv84bwRyhfX3_h_M/s1600/DC014.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="260" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYKNpNr9L5eVNwCvwbCuMkP6VcFRZO97_YkJDLLgZOXHufMLklzUXy0KRZ2HNQSPWjjcnTmU7CsFG5-b4IWOCZUu7SmrFhqnjrrwpdta8MItz7o66_hjez_yOIzZhuv84bwRyhfX3_h_M/s320/DC014.png" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Before sanding</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7SyYp0VFr5EJPBP5nu1B6vWRzf278ZTXYvEOYERGfrSPzp3xP7oQpVe4fgCrKbtpq-n_4Hhkw52tG0vkSdc-ej31v0pA8c006E4PPPGAWFne7Hj32eTQIx0LVgUG6IIEpvxIqsWuIUpc/s1600/DC015.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="297" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7SyYp0VFr5EJPBP5nu1B6vWRzf278ZTXYvEOYERGfrSPzp3xP7oQpVe4fgCrKbtpq-n_4Hhkw52tG0vkSdc-ej31v0pA8c006E4PPPGAWFne7Hj32eTQIx0LVgUG6IIEpvxIqsWuIUpc/s320/DC015.png" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">After sanding</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 115%;"></span><span style="line-height: 115%;">8.<span style="-moz-font-feature-settings: normal; -moz-font-language-override: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"></span></span><span style="line-height: 115%;">Now swap to a round sanding end,
preferably one that is very small and cylindrical in shape. Gently start
sanding the neck that’s left away from the nub until it is gone and the bottom
of the nub has a level surface.</span></span></span><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjD0CmmKdl0DwnW5xCQm3Lgo06j0nB8KBfdcSIE2wwLsDajcrja5ELWBFn9pAu5YQZF12-oDOfWWmuqNDonIY6nHwzfkaCue1u_zVFo-S8g4ILNy6QRWMWGsofmPrEBqKZaAaRK3Cu5uRM/s1600/DC016.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="277" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjD0CmmKdl0DwnW5xCQm3Lgo06j0nB8KBfdcSIE2wwLsDajcrja5ELWBFn9pAu5YQZF12-oDOfWWmuqNDonIY6nHwzfkaCue1u_zVFo-S8g4ILNy6QRWMWGsofmPrEBqKZaAaRK3Cu5uRM/s320/DC016.png" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 115%;">9.<span style="-moz-font-feature-settings: normal; -moz-font-language-override: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"></span></span><span style="line-height: 115%;">Its now time to make a hole for the
neck, or what’s left of the nub on the Dreamcast analog stick to fit into. I can’t
stress just how careful you have to be here because you don’t want to bore a
hole in the 360 nub that is too deep, as the top surface of the nub is just
made up of a thin layer of rubber. So go too deep and you will easily go
straight through, but also if you don’t take your time about it, then the
rubber will bubble or blister like mine did because of the heat build up, so
take it slow and stop frequently.</span></span></span><br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgw7QmuVRhfCf9QH3Hm7gUe9FkAU5f1lCmElbZrcCugZTJ_mU7zbwBkuiQDcexiWin95xZLEFEqlqG7hyphenhyphenkiPI39kspS1QZzr9ACDeTHs9ZqqPwGwLDAhjpuH8zp1vpigfTBXbLeZD6KoEc/s1600/DC017.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="294" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgw7QmuVRhfCf9QH3Hm7gUe9FkAU5f1lCmElbZrcCugZTJ_mU7zbwBkuiQDcexiWin95xZLEFEqlqG7hyphenhyphenkiPI39kspS1QZzr9ACDeTHs9ZqqPwGwLDAhjpuH8zp1vpigfTBXbLeZD6KoEc/s320/DC017.png" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Here you can see that the rubber blistered because of the heat</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 115%;">10.<span style="-moz-font-feature-settings: normal; -moz-font-language-override: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"></span></span><span style="line-height: 115%;">First
align the neck of the Dreamcast analog stick on the 360 nub and make a mark
with a pen in the dead centre of the 360 nub. Now you only want to go deep
enough to fit what’s left of the Dreamcast nub inside of the new 360 one, and
you only need it wide enough to fit it inside as well. With the sanding rotary
tool very slowly sand away the plastic from the 360 nub, stopping frequently to
check the depth and width. Ideally you want to make it a tight a fit as
possible, but don’t worry if its not one hundred per cent correct.</span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 115%;"> </span><br /><span style="line-height: 115%;">11.</span><span style="line-height: 115%;">When
you<span style="font-size: small;">'re</span> satisfied that you have made the hole in the 360 nub wide and deep
enough then its time to glue the Dreamcast base and neck into place. Don’t
worry if the top of the 360 nub blistered like mine did, as this can be picked
off later and if needs be filled in with silicone sealant (the type used to seal
around baths, sinks, and tiles.)</span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 115%;"> </span><br /><span style="line-height: 115%;">12.<span style="-moz-font-feature-settings: normal; -moz-font-language-override: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"></span></span><span style="line-height: 115%;">Coat
the inside of the 360 nub with a liberal amount of superglue, then place the
nub on a table and place the Dreamcast analog neck into it pressing down
firmly. Don’t worry about any excess over spill of superglue on the 360 nub for
now.</span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 115%;"> </span><br /><span style="line-height: 115%;">13.<span style="-moz-font-feature-settings: normal; -moz-font-language-override: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"></span></span><span style="line-height: 115%;">Kneel
down so that you are looking at the analog stick at eye level and make sure it
is perfectly cantered and straight. Turn the analog upright if needs be to make
sure the 360 nub is dead-straight and cantered as the last thing you want is a lopsided
nub.</span></span></span><br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbquYOMlX9aIJlqCIAq2TrFOcWU5GaR1cUP9-7WIuqBlStGqemMhZL53eUb3vO-seS37TTnNklMIG7P-VnpoqiOG7in-eBgZusiI2ZedImTddE-HQvGKqXaoCN0HBGqgEuwJCjWm0VfGM/s1600/DC018.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="313" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbquYOMlX9aIJlqCIAq2TrFOcWU5GaR1cUP9-7WIuqBlStGqemMhZL53eUb3vO-seS37TTnNklMIG7P-VnpoqiOG7in-eBgZusiI2ZedImTddE-HQvGKqXaoCN0HBGqgEuwJCjWm0VfGM/s320/DC018.png" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Here i have picked the blistered bit of rubber o<span style="font-size: small;">f<span style="font-size: small;">f</span></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 115%;">14.<span style="-moz-font-feature-settings: normal; -moz-font-language-override: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"></span></span><span style="line-height: 115%;">Now
with a small piece of paper carefully wipe off any excess superglue and leave
to dry overnight.</span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 115%;"> </span><br /><span style="line-height: 115%;">15.</span><span style="line-height: 115%;">Time
for one last bit of superglue. There might be a few crevices that need filling
in with superglue just to make everything solid, so use more glue to fill these
in and add a touch more around the neck to add more support. Then smooth off
with some paper and leave to dry for another day.</span></span></span><br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxY5HiEWHoBY9P1MkiI-Aaya_gVTTwRZjNshTMFsDciIqblNPA2N0Zg8Rh41N5-LAugH_dhUdLz2Vt9vG-rc5UFi5NogYWq5qAve4w_4ZLSK632HeNyrBmXpQSACmgaK_kl2hoI1cZnO8/s1600/DC019.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxY5HiEWHoBY9P1MkiI-Aaya_gVTTwRZjNshTMFsDciIqblNPA2N0Zg8Rh41N5-LAugH_dhUdLz2Vt9vG-rc5UFi5NogYWq5qAve4w_4ZLSK632HeNyrBmXpQSACmgaK_kl2hoI1cZnO8/s320/DC019.png" width="294" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Before with excess superglue</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBvuP0mPrCO55YtIIXjiIP00lY2ikyLrarNjropM6BUd_RjiYDMUx5Rs4mx4SnYCrhaU2nfTxwPvbU3RdFKU6QXU8gzvVz52S1cu-nMOlbUN5l9WidUrhf0mBHuX8xk7snWRBDfjcUoBQ/s1600/DC020.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBvuP0mPrCO55YtIIXjiIP00lY2ikyLrarNjropM6BUd_RjiYDMUx5Rs4mx4SnYCrhaU2nfTxwPvbU3RdFKU6QXU8gzvVz52S1cu-nMOlbUN5l9WidUrhf0mBHuX8xk7snWRBDfjcUoBQ/s320/DC020.png" width="313" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">After a quick bit of polishing</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 115%;">16.<span style="-moz-font-feature-settings: normal; -moz-font-language-override: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"></span></span><span style="line-height: 115%;">Lastly
you may see a bit of superglue on the neck and base of the analog stick, if so
then use a cloth based polishing end on the rotary tool to polish the base and
the neck, then you’re done.</span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 115%;"> </span><br /><span style="line-height: 115%;">17.<span style="-moz-font-feature-settings: normal; -moz-font-language-override: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"></span></span><span style="line-height: 115%;">No
more thumb slipping while playing Dreamcast games from now on!</span></span></span><br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHsW9S4Kr1lNLyKp9kza6TCl0SVlk83TpsPAM9robMxDbL13WkIrrIrwFwlWym9W3yYdFkMOFuYbn3pInSoHHMo6teRGAXO8uleHB9mI9MysEnHMFXYXQBPdE7-kLfwb8dIXSHFtghgvU/s1600/DC001.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHsW9S4Kr1lNLyKp9kza6TCl0SVlk83TpsPAM9robMxDbL13WkIrrIrwFwlWym9W3yYdFkMOFuYbn3pInSoHHMo6teRGAXO8uleHB9mI9MysEnHMFXYXQBPdE7-kLfwb8dIXSHFtghgvU/s320/DC001.png" width="317" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Before</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvaucSG1fWJseQFBiIhZLGpr5RtTZGdJGhyphenhyphen70F0bHKbv7kf2GyzHAv45eRi-p5wSikVNYoe9rQPmUN68BNZ3bhcNNYciLkQEK5zCCfJyLTO6QJ-YHG1sLoaZzfwhoqB9ZRwJZ_OUwiYns/s1600/DC021.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvaucSG1fWJseQFBiIhZLGpr5RtTZGdJGhyphenhyphen70F0bHKbv7kf2GyzHAv45eRi-p5wSikVNYoe9rQPmUN68BNZ3bhcNNYciLkQEK5zCCfJyLTO6QJ-YHG1sLoaZzfwhoqB9ZRwJZ_OUwiYns/s320/DC021.png" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">After</span></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
PixellationMagazinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14148520845772318161noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6925109088703846300.post-17934219774841172542012-10-20T03:11:00.000-07:002012-10-20T03:25:51.118-07:00AverMedia Game Capture HD<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEio87VOycpzmp_dR7tMEe3Yg4YehdRWNlKDvzOOfKx6NU769q9GoG24ggIHleyM69QPZpkrz3fY7EywBAIdle0tDGNN_dnobNqQxQaTR2nB-RpsY6_Mfec4VsBmvRBG31l2EZloIrKR11E/s1600/AverMedia+Game+Capture+HD+New+001.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEio87VOycpzmp_dR7tMEe3Yg4YehdRWNlKDvzOOfKx6NU769q9GoG24ggIHleyM69QPZpkrz3fY7EywBAIdle0tDGNN_dnobNqQxQaTR2nB-RpsY6_Mfec4VsBmvRBG31l2EZloIrKR11E/s320/AverMedia+Game+Capture+HD+New+001.png" width="320" /></a></div>
<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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If there was one thing that always bothered me about capturing
screenshots and video footage of games from various different consoles and
computers, it was just the sheer inconvenience of it all. With the need for
screenshots and video footage of a particular game very much a necessity, I was
always forced to laboriously disconnect a certain console or computer from its
life support and haul it from its favoured spot to the floor beneath the aging
behemoth that is my desktop PC. I would then have to connect it to the machine
via EzCAP (yes it really is spelt that way!?) and use Windows Movie Maker (WMM)
to capture the incoming video signal from whatever games machine I was playing
on. This was all very laborious and inconvenient, not to mention time consuming
in the extreme, complicated more by the fact that WMM would only let me view
the video signal being captured in the smallest of windows (the size of which
was unchangeable.) I also only had one double plug socket at my disposal which
was already being used by the PC, which meant using an extension cable. Once I
was done, I had the happy job of putting everything away afterwards, only to
repeat the whole process a day or two later.</span></span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 115%;">
Something clearly had to be done, something had to give way eventually,
and I could only hope that there was a much simpler way of capturing video
footage and screenshots from all my consoles and computers with minimal amount
of hassle. The biggest part of this for me was cutting out the need to use a PC
entirely from the equation altogether, and I was sure that a quick search of
Amazon would bring up a myriad of different devices for me to choose from. But
sadly I couldn’t have been more wrong.</span></span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 115%;">
At the time there was only one standalone box on the market that didn’t
require a PC to operate, and furthermore was specifically aimed at those who
wanted to capture video from games consoles. I was disappointed at the complete
lack of choice, and I found it rather perplexing that all the other
manufacturers who had various capturing devices in the same marketplace all
deemed it necessary to require a PC to function with their products. But
therein lies the problem for me, all the other products are essentially
dedicated external video cards, they are powerful which goes without saying,
but they are just the hardware component. The software side of things, where
you initiate the recording, processing and furthermore the storage of the
video/picture files happens on the PC end, so a PC is always needed in the
equation. What I wanted was an all-in-one external capturing device that was
the capturing card, storage and software all under one hood that was totally
independent of a PC and a self contained unit. I found what I was looking for
in the AverMedia Game Capture HD; it was exactly the all-in-one box I wanted,
though it wasn’t without a few small drawbacks.</span></span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 115%;">
The Game Capture HD is small and compact for what it is; it’s an
unobtrusive box that can be easily found a place between your favourite
consoles, as it’s almost half the height of a GameCube and only a few
centimetres bigger width wise. It essentially acts as a pass through box by
which the video output of a console is connected to the unit via a component
lead, with the output from the box connected to a TV via component cable as
well. The video signal from the console passes through the Game Capture HD
where it can be recorded and stored on its way to the TV, but best of all, and
most importantly, there are absolutely no lag or latency issues while you play,
and no impact to the video quality (depending on which mode the box is set to.)</span></span></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpgvdQ4TLsuArLy-Ypsers1vBzVia62vw8vvPF4MzOsG-abZY8lDfEoUpMxmL9T6xQE66fyV7vVYfnaAQhXpfmUZxPJ9R3TkftGao8qjHVxvYo9THWLxPcPBUeURyqB9aqbIoBIP5lSsI/s1600/AverMedia+Game+Capture+HD+New+003.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="230" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpgvdQ4TLsuArLy-Ypsers1vBzVia62vw8vvPF4MzOsG-abZY8lDfEoUpMxmL9T6xQE66fyV7vVYfnaAQhXpfmUZxPJ9R3TkftGao8qjHVxvYo9THWLxPcPBUeURyqB9aqbIoBIP5lSsI/s400/AverMedia+Game+Capture+HD+New+003.png" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 115%;">
The Game Capture HD has a compartment underneath it to fit a 2.5” SATA
hard drive, which you can add one anywhere up to 500GB in size (500GB
recommended by AverMedia,) or the unit has one USB port on the front if you
wish to use an external USB storage device. Be warned though, like any media
unit, if you do decide to fit a hdd internally, or use non-flash USB storage
externally, then it is recommended that you use one that runs as fast as
possible, preferably 7200rpm or above.</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 115%;">
The unit has two buttons on the front, a power button and a record
button, which you can be used instead of the remote. The remote, like the unit,
is small and compact, but is essential as it is used not only to initiate the
unit and record function, but to set the video and picture (screenshot) quality
(of which there are three different levels of quality and compression to choose
from,) but to also jump between a full and minimal functionality mode. Full
functionality mode gives you access to all the menu and preview options while
you are playing a game, so you can play back what you have just recorded, or
mess with the quality and compression options. The only downside to this is
that full functionality does impact slightly on the video quality you see on
the TV, but only by a barely noticeable degree, and only on the real-time TV
image, this does not impact on the quality of the video being recorded. Minimal
functionality has no impact on the TV image and gives you a flawless picture
while you’re playing a game, but the menu and video/picture playback options
are not available, you are only able to use the record and stop function.</span></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 115%;">
The quality of the screenshots and Video that the Game Capture HD
records really speaks for itself, on the best quality settings this device
records and captures some very high quality video and pictures. I have never
had any complaints about the quality of any video I have recorded, and I have
had nothing but a flawless user experience with this box. There are several
drawbacks to the Game Capture HD however that are worth taking into consideration
when buying one though, they are not show stoppers by any means, but rather
features that would only have complemented the device and make it a more
complete Game Capturing all-in-one box.</span></span></span></div>
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First off then, as you might have spotted already, this is a HD video
capture box, so it naturally captures video in HD quality. The initial firmware
out of the box (firmware version 1.5) will capture video in AVI, but as of the
latest firmware update (firmware version 2.0.6) it now captures video in MP4. I
have tested the quality of both video types from both firmware versions and
they are fantastic of course, and now that the system captures video in MP4 as
of the latest update the video is more compatible and friendly with video
editing software and other media playing devices.</span></span></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjE0NPpq4RS9LY0u0JOddfc6S92M1Mrub-8VfJrYWmBTwKlTMnBx24eM92klRytNwgGHmnTdkBN8r8tKeFTrKpIh6fW9Vq-x7w0cX_w2G0lRZPZaDTrXg-h2AHBPUNoQCcArRttUIHPnvM/s1600/Original+Xbox+(Medium).png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="224" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjE0NPpq4RS9LY0u0JOddfc6S92M1Mrub-8VfJrYWmBTwKlTMnBx24eM92klRytNwgGHmnTdkBN8r8tKeFTrKpIh6fW9Vq-x7w0cX_w2G0lRZPZaDTrXg-h2AHBPUNoQCcArRttUIHPnvM/s320/Original+Xbox+(Medium).png" width="320" /></a></div>
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The downside is that as a HD capturing device it only accepts component
HD video input, so in other words it only captures video from the current
generation of consoles (Xbox360/PS3/Wii,) or at least anything through a
component lead as low as 480i all the way up to 1080i at 50/60hz. The Game
Capture HD can also capture video from an Original Xbox if you have one, as
when used with a component lead and its HD video output enabled, games will run
at 480p and the odd few at 720p. The Game Capture HD does not have a composite
input so you’re really out of luck for older systems, which is a real shame for
anyone like me that has a variety of different systems and computers from
various decades past. Not being able to capture composite video signals is
somewhat of a disappointment and a missed opportunity by AverMedia to make this
box the all-in-one video capture box that any gamer could ever need. It also
means anyone whishing to capture composite video from older systems will need
to look elsewhere, and annoyingly find a place for another device.</span></span></span></div>
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Another drawback that I have come across is that this particular box
only accepts component, furthermore it only allows for one component input at a
time. This is also another missed opportunity, AverMedia could have at least
allowed for a HDMI input at the very least, which would allow for more than one
console to be hooked up at any given time, albeit by different input cable
types. Or they could have offered two HDMI inputs and a component as is the
standard on most HD devices these days. But truth is there was a lot more they
could have done really and as it stands, this oversight or lack of foresight
makes for a lot of unnecessary cable swapping that could have been avoided.</span></span></span></div>
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Another feature that the Game Capture HD lacks is the ability to adjust
the brightness and contrast of the video being recorded, and although it’s
nothing major, it should really have been a standard feature in the box’s
settings. While the box does record a crisp image that quality wise is great,
the video and the screenshots do turn out to be pretty dark compared to the
image being viewed on the TV. Whether AverMedia never thought to add brightness
and contrast settings, or whether they thought the user could adjust these in
game or even on the console end, who the hell knows? But the fact remains that
the video does turn out way too dark, and this is another thing that could have
easily been addressed, and it could still be addressed in a future firmware
update. The only way at the moment to remedy this is to post process the video
or screenshots via video editing software for the former (or Youtube if you
plan on uploading) and something like Paint.NET for the latter, all of which
will fix the brightness issues and make the image as it should be.</span></span></span></div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQXM-42Hdnp2ftkR4gg3IDQoTg2yXmJASkE9ih29xts_QQ1uROnaRZqFMjp_x4KitCmHtBVGDPAelE4HhxEElCD1PLQ2AunEERTNnfhBFpMQ19hkbwUym_uvZnGIrZmhVbSnnLrVHPU-E/s1600/Otagi+Redone+004.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQXM-42Hdnp2ftkR4gg3IDQoTg2yXmJASkE9ih29xts_QQ1uROnaRZqFMjp_x4KitCmHtBVGDPAelE4HhxEElCD1PLQ2AunEERTNnfhBFpMQ19hkbwUym_uvZnGIrZmhVbSnnLrVHPU-E/s400/Otagi+Redone+004.png" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Otagi - Xbox - Post render using Paint.NET</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3ED_NORnNSNuEfJUVRbyBHuT5_htqJgC4aIaz9xvahSM8NuoeHNo_dcpBb9iVgJmDL5yYoaMFLovO-zQATC7A4PJCTBg4LH4TmdyR386IrhZBdiplY-yG0LmjhAaP3NcWk3nCn4zXgno/s1600/Otagi+001+(Small).bmp" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3ED_NORnNSNuEfJUVRbyBHuT5_htqJgC4aIaz9xvahSM8NuoeHNo_dcpBb9iVgJmDL5yYoaMFLovO-zQATC7A4PJCTBg4LH4TmdyR386IrhZBdiplY-yG0LmjhAaP3NcWk3nCn4zXgno/s400/Otagi+001+(Small).bmp" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Otagi - Xbox - Original Screenshot pre-render</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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It’s a shame that the Game Capture HD has the small issues that it has,
if AverMedia could only have gone that extra mile, it would make all other
capturing devices on the market worthless, it really could have been the all conquering
solution. But having said that using this all-in-one video capture box is a far
better solution to capturing current gen gaming footage in my opinion, as there
is nothing worse than having the major headache of setting up your console next
to the PC just to capture some video. What the Game Capture HD is in essence is
pure convenience as opposed to other devices that require a PC, which are quite
honestly the total opposite. The Game Capture HD is definitely worth purchasing
even with its small faults, and I am certainly happier and better off using it
over the cumbersome irritation of other devices period.</span></span></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuTuTEo6eNIn8ZUGPWHarp6ncvKnBjGRqF8C06dJ6Z2ML-iZn2KuqYNQGh-iphNCaAP_JlFafLbaMFPfkcvJjKfvS-gBzqLwK2Cv9AjY42EElY6r9rvS5qO91t7GZlqvTxckANkmIP_ck/s1600/Otagi+010+(Small).bmp" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuTuTEo6eNIn8ZUGPWHarp6ncvKnBjGRqF8C06dJ6Z2ML-iZn2KuqYNQGh-iphNCaAP_JlFafLbaMFPfkcvJjKfvS-gBzqLwK2Cv9AjY42EElY6r9rvS5qO91t7GZlqvTxckANkmIP_ck/s400/Otagi+010+(Small).bmp" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Otagi - Xbox - Original Screenshot pre-render</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgx9JTX-FRKcvM-L37-TpJqHPg2GYeySOZRupzjS0wjqQP3jLGRwajDySWwdoNKMiF6CtcEqANCYi4OY4UyOX76KrlcE2bEJwPF5QR-7HZMens_ORP7ZYcSJ2kofP-AYgjN2irkosflBpA/s1600/Otagi+Redone+002.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgx9JTX-FRKcvM-L37-TpJqHPg2GYeySOZRupzjS0wjqQP3jLGRwajDySWwdoNKMiF6CtcEqANCYi4OY4UyOX76KrlcE2bEJwPF5QR-7HZMens_ORP7ZYcSJ2kofP-AYgjN2irkosflBpA/s400/Otagi+Redone+002.png" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Otagi - Xbox - Post render using Paint.NET</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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PixellationMagazinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14148520845772318161noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6925109088703846300.post-90431218737480226892012-08-02T12:44:00.000-07:002012-09-18T12:57:34.389-07:00What’s In the Box? Real Sound: Kaze No Regret<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCqXFu164uG6JFS2IpD9HYH4VSdDIrb3AfE-0nRTwDZSXGKCUXlh1CO-RrkE12Z1EFCEigPIkQlxZqp6V5jFB-2wcn8zuv22ofRkdzjUcBe2e_Dk12WTU11fOaPk4mvaWZQvXG-juOGIY/s1600/Real+Sound+011+(Medium).png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="270" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCqXFu164uG6JFS2IpD9HYH4VSdDIrb3AfE-0nRTwDZSXGKCUXlh1CO-RrkE12Z1EFCEigPIkQlxZqp6V5jFB-2wcn8zuv22ofRkdzjUcBe2e_Dk12WTU11fOaPk4mvaWZQvXG-juOGIY/s320/Real+Sound+011+(Medium).png" width="320" /></a></div>
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Real Sound: Kaze No Regret is a Japanese game made for blind people, so
there are no visuals to speak of as the game is made entirely around sound,
kind of like an interactive audiobook. Made by WARP, the creators of D no Shokutaku
and EO (Enemy Zero,) this is without a doubt the most unique and interesting
game on the Sega Saturn. WARP were known for using sound as an important
mechanic in some of their games, so Real Sound seems like a natural fit for the
developer, and they also have the honour of being the first developer to create
one of the first ever games to be made for blind people which is still highly
sort after in Japan to this day.</span></span></div>
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Kenji Eno, WARPs founder and director decided to make Real Sound after
visiting visually impaired fans who had wrote to him about his games. Curious
as to how they were able to experience playing video games, Kenji went to visit
them and see for himself first hand how they were able to experience and enjoy
games. This inspired Kenji to make the game specifically for blind people,
where the game was based around sound and would give them the same experience
as those who weren’t blind. The game was a Sega Saturn exclusive and did
receive a re-release on the Dreamcast with some visuals, but the game was
essentially the same, and still one to be played by listening to the audio.</span></span></div>
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I wish I could tell you what the game is about, but I can’t, as to play
the game requires an understanding of Japanese, which sadly I do not possess.
But what I can say is that if you are studying Japanese, and are at an
intermediate to advanced stage of your learning of the language, then this game
is the perfect study aid. Most Japanese adventure games are a perfect way of
helping you learn and further your studies of Japanese, but none will ‘test
your metal’ as to just how much you have learned as Real Sound will, as without
any visuals to help you interpret what you don’t understand, you have nothing
to go on other than the audio itself.</span></span></div>
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Real Sound comes in a double Saturn case as the game is spread across
four disks, and comes in a plastic slip case, which has clouds pictured on it,
with the all important collectors spine card cased within it. The game has an
accompanying braille manual, a post card, and numerous other cards that have Japanese
on one side and pictures of cloud skylines on the other. What really makes the
game unusual from a collecting standpoint is that it comes with a packet of
herb seeds, that’s herbs as in the traditional garden or ‘kitchen’ herb, and
not the cannabis variety. I have tried in the past to find out what herb the
seeds are, but haven’t been able to find anything out, and although I know I
could just plant them and find out, I’d rather not open the packet and plant
them as this would make the game incomplete from a collectors standpoint. Some
might find this a really unusual thing to pack in with a game as an extra, and
it is, but for WARP its rather tame as a previous game, Short Warp, came
packaged with a condom amongst other things, so in light of this, its not that
outlandish.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="line-height: 115%;">Real Sound: Kaze No Regret - Sega
Saturn</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="line-height: 115%;">Outer plastic sleeve</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="line-height: 115%;">Spine card</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="line-height: 115%;">8 Cards</span></span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Herb Seeds Front</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Herb Seeds Back</td></tr>
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PixellationMagazinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14148520845772318161noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6925109088703846300.post-41410994184864643162012-07-26T10:04:00.000-07:002012-09-18T12:43:39.843-07:00Pixel Nation Magazine: An Interview<br />
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Traditionally if you have ever wanted to buy a gaming magazine of any
type, then it has always been a case of taking a walk down to the local news
agents or local branch of WHSmiths. No matter what home computer or console you
had, or even which video games company you sided with, they have always been
the preserve of retailers, all clumped together in one part of a shelf. Of
course there has been the option of a subscription if you felt a magazine was a
justifiable purchase every month, and you had a penchant for that particular
magazine, but the digital revolution means the whole landscape is changing
dramatically. Not only is the traditional form of print media under threat, but
also the very foundations of its distribution: no longer are gaming magazines
the preserve of the big companies rich enough to ensue such an endeavour and
consigned to a small elitist club, and no longer does a magazine have to be
printed in physical form or even distributed nationally by traditional means.</span></span></div>
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The rise of the internet has sparked a revolution in the sharing of
information and the form and type of journalism on offer, and this is no more
evident than in the gaming scene. Just scouring the world wide web on such an
entertaining pastime and your search engine is flooded with countless websites,
blogs, podcasts and much more, all talking about the gaming great and good.
This unbarred and unfettered immediate access to any and all information about
gaming, has caused a natural slump in the sales of traditional printed games
magazines, as the reasons for such a slump is as plain to see as the sky.
That’s not to say that things have slid so far down the garden path that
magazines in their natural guise have become unviable, or that they are about
to disappear off of store shelves and consigned to past memory’s with immediate
effect, there is still life in the old dog yet as the saying goes. But whether
you like it or not, the landscape has changed and is still evolving, with the
digital switch becoming more encompassing with each passing minute, it would
seem, at least to some, that the writing is on the wall as it were, but is it?</span></span></div>
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This hasn’t deterred some; rather the internet has given rise to an
opening in the gaming magazine market that in the past didn’t exist. While
magazines like Retro Gamer continue to thrive, catering to what is still seen by
some as a niche within gaming (that being retro gaming itself,) and with the
loyal support of its customers, it still follows the traditional route of print
media distributed to, and sold from newsagents across the land with
subscription as a substantial counterpart. It would also seem that finding a
niche can work to a magazines advantage, rather than becoming a hindrance as so
often thought, as it can be rather appealing and stand out in a cluttered
market. Others with a passion for retro gaming have formed their own small
teams and taken to creating their own retro games magazines, releasing and
sharing them on the net. If you can think of any old system from yesteryear
then the chances are there is a fan devoted PDF magazine created and available
for it somewhere on the internet. Some who haven’t sampled these would probably
argue that they can’t hope to match the quality and design of traditional big
publisher driven magazines, or even hope to have the in-depth scope and insider
information in their articles. But after reading plenty of them for myself, it
is quite honestly clear that such a conclusion is most definitely wrong. The
quality in design and layout of some of these magazines is actually substantially
high, as is the quality of the articles contained within, and these magazines
are a credit to all involved and the hard work put into them by all contributors.</span></span></div>
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Still, there was until recently, only one UK based magazine on the
market devoted to retro gaming (Retro Gamer Magazine) covering all formats, and
only one other magazine, a parent of Retro Gamer no less, that devotes a
section to retro gaming (Games TM). While there are other multi-format retro
gaming magazines, they remain locked in their digital form and remain solely on
the internet duo to the cost it would incur to get them into print. They are
also not regularly released like Retro Gamer and Games TM are, which are both
buy monthly’s, this is in part due to the very independent nature of these mags
and the much smaller teams involved in them.</span></span></div>
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But this is all hopefully set to change as a new independent magazine
has emerged onto the scene that hopes to fill the retro reading void on a quarterly
release bases and with the options of a printed and digital version of the mag
available for purchase. <a href="http://www.pixel-nation.co.uk/" target="_blank">Pixel Nation</a> is a new, fully independent Retro Games
magazine, with its first issue released to the world on March of this year and
is the brainchild of fellow gamers and retro collectors Steve Gauntly &
Keith Lutener. But there is more to Pixel Nation than meets the eye as it
shakes off some of the shekels of decade’s old tradition, and cleaves its
unique path in the games magazine market, forming its own original ideas and
quite unique concepts. I caught up with one of Pixel Nations founders Keith Lutener
to get some insight into the Magazine and explore its unique concepts and
ideas.</span></span><br />
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<b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">What is PN?</span></b></div>
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">Pixel Nation is an independent retro game book
publishing company with a range of retro books and regular quarterly bookazine. We don’t have a board of shareholders or
upper management to report to, everything we do is for the love of retro
gaming.</span><br />
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<b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">Where did the idea for PN
come from & why did you decide to start it?</span></b><br />
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">I’ve been a big reader of the likes of Retro Gamer
for several years and throughout 2011, I’d been involved with NES-Bit.com. The
community grouped together to help create a magazine to help promote the site
to NES fans and it was a huge success. Shortly after the idea was born to try
other magazines and after a bit of brain storming Pixel Nation was formed.</span><br />
<br />
<b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">How long did it take to go
from concept to launch?</span></b><br />
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">A few
months spent planning out how we could even tackle such a project, shortly
after which a website was built then tested.
In the end it must have been close to 7 months from start to the launch
of our first issue PN1.</span><br />
<br />
<b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">What were the hardest parts
of PN to realise & what hurdles did you have to overcome to bring PN
together?</span></b><br />
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">The
hardest part involved contacting writers, designers and people from the
industry for interviews (such as Bob Wakelin). We pretty much came from nothing
and convincing people this was a project worth taking part in was always going
to be a struggle.</span><br />
<br />
<b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">How many people are involved
in PN & are you looking for others to get involved?</span></b><br />
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">We are
growing bigger every issue! With 1 we had around 8 people involved including
writers, it’s just passed 15 for issue 2.
Always happy for others to join the team, we’d like to offer every
writer the opportunity to present their work to the retro community.</span><br />
<br />
<b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">PN Issue 1 was released in
March, what has the reaction & feedback been like for the first issue?</span></b><br />
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">Overwhelmingly
positive, there was always the fear that people wouldn’t take to such a book.
It’s hard to judge how big the retro crowd actually is as we are all so
widespread, but everyone has really showed their support. We have listened to everyone’s suggestions
and the overall look and feel of PN2 will be very different, it should be
available by the time you read this!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;"> </span><br />
<b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">Is PN available in digital
& printed form & how much does it cost?</span></b><br />
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">The PDF
download of PN is £3.99 with it being £8.99 for the high gloss print
edition. We can’t say enough how
gorgeous the printed edition is, it’s a high quality glossy print in full
colour with a book covering. Looks
fantastic on a bookshelf by any retro collection!</span><br />
<br />
<b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">Do you offer worldwide
shipping & if so how much does it cost?</span></b><br />
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">We offer
worldwide shipping at £3.99 for the US and all of Europe.</span><br />
<br />
<b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">When do you plan on
releasing each subsequent issue?</span></b><br />
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">The
initial plan was for a quarterly release, roughly every 4 months but with the
current team and way things have gone, it offers the opportunity for a
Bi-monthly publication. A case of watch this space!</span><br />
<br />
<b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">What can readers look
forward to seeing in issue 2?</span></b><br />
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">Just a
few tid bits, Steve Wozniak sat down with us and talked about his early days of
Apple and the programming language that started it all, in some detail too,
this is a huge plus for us. Next up is the guy behind the C64 classic Alter
Ego, Peter Favoro, who goes into detail about what was involved making the
game. A look at Touhou shooters, a
feature on Final Fantasy VII and even a special glimpse at Atari Japan, a side
of the history I can guarantee you won't have read or seen before. We have done
our best to try and gather as many industry interviews as possible this issue
and the book is packed full with content.</span><br />
<br />
<b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">What improvements, based on
reader feedback, have you made in issue 2?</span></b><br />
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">One of
the main ideas for Pixel Nation is to offer readers the chance to comment and
suggest what they would like to see. With this in mind we have listened to a
lot of feedback about general issue design, even taking on some professional
designer comments. I’m hoping people will see just how well the new issue is
streamlined to a professional appearance yet still maintaining that retro feel.</span><br />
<br />
<b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">What is your vision, aims
& goals for the future of PN?</span></b><br />
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Beyond the draw of the main quarterly bookazine
the main goal is to eventually offer a central retro hub. A place where people
can pick up professional publications mixed in with the work of people of the
retro community. <a href="http://www.pixel-nation.co.uk/index.php/u-publish" target="_blank">U-Publish</a> is a big part
of our site where everyone can download books/magazines produced off site.</span>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pixel Nation Issue 1</td></tr>
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The first PN mag is quite the debut it must be said, as the design,
layout and writing contained within it are of a really high standard for such a
small independent mag just blossoming into the retro gaming world. Its fair to say that PN is a bookzine rather
than a magazine, and its easy to see why, its size is A5 rather than the
typical A4, something which sets it apart from other publications from the
start, this makes it easier to take on your travels for reading on the go as
well as making it easier to store around the home. PN also uses thicker paper
with a higher gloss to it than anything you’ll find in any typical mag, giving
it that extra added touch of quality for your moneys worth, this is another
nice touch that I like that adds to the overall special feel and unique nature
of the bookzine.</span></span></div>
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The first issue has quite a varied range of articles that should keep
any retro fan enthused, spread over a hundred pages, with a diverse range as
interviews with Cynthia Preston and Jonathan Potts about their voice roles in
the Zelda cartoon to a look at games such as Nights into Dreams and Outrun. I
really cant do the diverse nature of the content within PN issue 1 any justice
here as there is far too much interesting stuff contained within, so be sure to
check the links below to take you through to each issues contents page at the
PN website, this will give you a full run down of the contents as well as some
pictures of the mag.</span></span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pixel Nation Issue 1</td></tr>
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If I had to pick out some of my favourite articles in issue 1, it would
have to be Revival of the 2D Platformer and Confessions of a Girl Gamer. The
first article looks at what made platformers so popular and appealing back in
the old 8/16-bit days and how we are starting to see this once loved genre,
that seemed to almost disappear, make a much welcomed comeback. This is
something particularly close to my heart as I played so many great games in the
genre back in the day, and as it’s a genre that I have rediscovered over the
past year both in retro games as well as in the current generation of consoles.
The second article particularly stood out for me as I found the writers perspective on the male dominated
world of gaming and her view point on some of gaming’s most iconic heroin’s,
such as Lara Croft, a very interesting read. </span></span></div>
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One of the points the guys at PN have been keen to get across to its
readers is that it’s a mag that will be guided and driven forward by the
readers, and they are keen to hear any and all feedback on the bookzine that
will help them build upon what has been accomplished each issue, and how they
can make PN better with each subsequent release. Without the feedback from its
readership they can’t gauge what readers like/dislike and would like to see
introduced into the publication. With the recent release of issue 2, and after
reading much of the feedback for myself first hand, it’s clear to see when
flicking through the new copy that reader’s feedback has been instrumental in
making the second issue better. The font used and its size is now more uniform
throughout the bookzine with a better use of alignment and margins, this has
given PN a more unified and integrated feeling throughout as you go from one
article to the other. The use of pictures and artwork (essential to any
publication of its type) has been altered as some of the feedback was that the
use of them was taking president over the writing itself in the first issue.
The team has sort to address this imbalance and find some middle ground between
the writing, artwork and screenshots. PN’s layout and design certainly looks
cleaner and less overbearing than in the first issue, though as many designers
know, this is a fine art, so this is an area that will most certainly be
closely refined with each issue.</span></span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pixel Nation Issue 2</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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Issue 2 sees the conclusion (parts 2) of Confessions of A Girl Gamer and
the Amiga 1200 look back articles as well as The Shadow Of The Beast interview,
the first part in issue 1 being with Martin Edmondson and this conclusive part
in issue 2 being with Tim Wright. I really liked the way both parts of the interviews
were done, rather than being with all one person for both, they offered two
perspectives behind different parts of the games in each issue. Atari in Japan
article offered a different look at what the company was up to in Japan, something
not often talked about, as well as an interesting look at the legendary Atari
Panther console. There is also a really in depth look at Touhou (bullet hell
shmup’s) as well Bubble Bobble and the Dizzy series and much more besides, so
there is quite the varied range and enough to wet any retro gamers appetite.
One thing I really like and I hope that PN can continue, is with interviews and
articles about composers and musicians that produced the music scores of some
of our much loved games. Issue 1 has a small article on Koji Kondo while issue
2 has interviews with Philippe Vachey and Tim Wright respectively, this is a
much welcomed step in my humble opinion as those who created the music for many
classic games are not celebrated enough. So well done to the PN team in bringing
these interviews and articles to the fore and lets see them continue to flow
into future issues.</span></span><br />
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Another part of <a href="http://www.pixel-nation.co.uk/" target="_blank">Pixel Nation</a> that’s unique in itself is the <a href="http://www.pixel-nation.co.uk/index.php/u-publish" target="_blank">U-Publish</a>
area of the website; this area is dedicated to anyone who wants to publish their
retro books and or magazines on the site. The idea behind it is to make
U-Publish the ‘go-to’ place for retro gaming publications, where you can go to
download, buy and discover new work all from one central location, rather than
numerous ones that are spread-out and hidden away in undiscovered corners of
the internet. It’s a fantastic idea, yet a very simple one with a potentially
huge impact and it begs belief that nobody has hit upon this idea earlier. With
the PN bookzine being the primary focus and drive of the site, this section
makes a lot of sense, and shows that the guys behind PN have a true passion for
gaming and the scene that goes hand in hand with it. Keith was keen to point
out that those who decide to purchase PN have a keen interest in the subject,
so its readers might like to read further works on the subject of retro gaming,
and so PN can help people discover works by other writers. It’s this kind of
selfless act and drive to help connect the dispersed parts of the scene and try
to bring them together under one roof that really sets Pixel Nation apart, so I
decided to question Keith some more about U-Publish.</span></span><br />
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<b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">You have another part to the
PN website called U-Publish, what is U-Publish?</span></b></div>
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">It’s a
means for everyone to have a central location where they can download or
purchase other authors retro gaming books/magazines.</span><br />
<br />
<b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">Where did the idea of U-Publish
come from?</span></b><br />
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">Whilst
producing NES-Bit Magazine System (which has 2 issues now available on
U-Publish) the biggest hurdle was actually letting people know it existed. Even
visiting various forums, news sites and blogs could only offer so many views.
People just didn’t know it existed and that’s when the idea for U-Publish was
born. The thinking was to offer a single location where readers could download
or see the latest retro pieces without having to rely on luck that they came
across it. The best part of having them
all in one place is that people can discover entirely new work as well without
much effort. Plus it can help give a boost to other sites as Pixel Nation advertises
in numerous places with regular updates, effectively giving authors a chance to
share our visitors.</span><br />
<br />
<b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">How many books/magazines are
currently available on U-Publish?</span></b><br />
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">We have 16 at the moment with a few more in the
wings, books like Pixellation and the Retrocade magazines are very popular.</span><br />
<br />
<b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">Can anyone submit their work
to be published on U-Publish & are there any specific criteria that
need to be met to do so?</span></b><br />
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">As long
as it’s not written on Post It notes we pretty much consider everything
submitted. We full push everything on the U-Publish side with our Twitter,
Facebook and forum so there’s always a form of advertising in the background. We can even design a cover for authors if
they feel their skill is only in writing, but we do like to specialise in
smaller PDF gaming books. We currently have an author working on a 20’000 word
book for U-Publish based around the Touhou series (bullet hell style shoot ‘em
ups), this will be fully designed by ourselves as part of the U-Pub service.</span><br />
<br />
<b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">What publishing options do
you offer & how do they work?</span></b><br />
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">With printing our own quarterly bookazine we
have access to a large print company at trade prices. This means we can place
orders for smaller book runs which don’t cost heaven and earth (like the big
publishers insist on). The first choice
we offer for all is a downloadable PDF copy which can be offered for free or at
a cost suited to the author. If an
author would like to see their work in print we operate a pre-order system,
once a small number has been received then the print job can go ahead. We feel it gives everyone a fair chance to
gain something from their work and our rates are well below the industry
standard!</span><br />
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Pixel Nation issue 1 & 2 are out now and can be purchased from the
Pixel Nation website, and both are available for world wide shipping. If you
have any questions then don’t hesitate to send them through to the PN team as
they are happy to answer any inquires.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="line-height: 115%;">
If you have a skill that you think PN might be in need of, whether it is
writing articles, design, proof reading, or any other help you might like to
offer the PN team then head over to their website and drop them an email.
Further to that if you have a retro gaming magazine or book you would like to
make available through the U-Publish service then don’t hesitate to contact the
team as they are keen to hear from anyone who would like to publish their work.</span></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXlT6WSBiwKw5Cdf6DsbFsQKLXVxCndod3cyP1H7MwDqp8UquRlP8DSrtoUEkxRCm7JmA34LOS2iPCX4QlvmBkDnHWJxUAxf5CLPrWlmKGTV0b3k8wA2aE1DKubQPB8yPzs85_6mliEAc/s1600/PN001+(Large).JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXlT6WSBiwKw5Cdf6DsbFsQKLXVxCndod3cyP1H7MwDqp8UquRlP8DSrtoUEkxRCm7JmA34LOS2iPCX4QlvmBkDnHWJxUAxf5CLPrWlmKGTV0b3k8wA2aE1DKubQPB8yPzs85_6mliEAc/s200/PN001+(Large).JPG" width="200" /></a><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="line-height: 115%;"><a href="http://www.pixel-nation.co.uk/index.php" target="_blank">Pixel Nation</a> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="line-height: 115%;"><a href="http://www.pixel-nation.co.uk/index.php/online-store/product/57-pixel-nation-issue-1" target="_blank">Pixel Nation Issue 1</a></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="line-height: 115%;"><a href="http://www.pixel-nation.co.uk/index.php/online-store/product/144-pixel-nation-issue-2" target="_blank">Pixel Nation Issue 2</a> </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="line-height: 115%;"><a href="http://www.pixel-nation.co.uk/index.php/u-publish" target="_blank">Pixel Nation U-Publish</a> </span></span><br />
<br />
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PixellationMagazinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14148520845772318161noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6925109088703846300.post-65251016933643273822012-07-11T07:06:00.000-07:002012-07-11T07:07:37.042-07:00Tin Toy Adventure<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhS5xzvNkPYm2TQjoNz6boO252JjU_Yr4sBHzMb0MrHA99aZLCs89CPi2zJMNSCzmG0pQDPM642TYpxZEgYbH17_FDTssoVg_ugwMLxlqZgdAyxNna1iv91TMhMFeun7BsiImQP45RCi-4/s1600/TinToy+New001.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="220" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhS5xzvNkPYm2TQjoNz6boO252JjU_Yr4sBHzMb0MrHA99aZLCs89CPi2zJMNSCzmG0pQDPM642TYpxZEgYbH17_FDTssoVg_ugwMLxlqZgdAyxNna1iv91TMhMFeun7BsiImQP45RCi-4/s320/TinToy+New001.png" width="320" /></a></div>
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Tin Toy Adventure was released in 1996 for the Amiga, so it was released
quite late in the day, and by that time all but the most hardy and dedicated of
the Amiga hardcore were still enjoying the fruits the system was able to offer
up. So as you would expect with such a late Amiga game it’s an AGA (Advance
Graphics Architecture) title, and honestly it really shows.</span></span></div>
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This game has some beautiful looking graphics that are well drawn, well
animated, with plenty of parallax scrolling. But what really shows off that
this is an AGA game more than anything else is the sheer amount of colours
displayed on screen; the game is very colourful with a diverse range on screen
all throughout each level. The only other AGA title that I have come across
that can match and equal this game in its graphical detail and amount of
colours on screen is Simon the Sorcerer.</span></span></div>
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Tin Toy Adventure is toy themed with each stage taking part in a
different stage of a house, and each being differently themed in terms of
design to coincide with each different room. Each stage consists of three
levels with a boss fight at the end. The levels are well designed with
interesting layouts and a good use of imagination for each one, but what really
becomes obvious about the game is the fact that it is a tough platformer, and
as a player you really have to know the levels inside and out if you want any
hope of reaching the next level.</span></span></div>
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The difficulty of the game is perhaps the most addictive thing about it,
as the incentive to keep playing is the sheer sense of satisfaction you will be
rewarded with when you have managed to get to that next level. The difficulty
is quite reminiscent of a lot of the old 8-bit home computer games of the 80s,
yet the game isn’t infuriating and impossible to complete like those games of
old.</span></span></div>
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You have quite a few different abilities at your disposal, you can jump
on enemies to kill them, though they will take quite a few hits, which is
something that will steadily increases the further you progress through the
game as enemies get tougher to eliminate. Pressing down on the d-pad will
scroll through a number of different abilities, that when selected will only
last several short seconds, but can be more than useful when faced with a tough
part of a level. You can select a tornado, and much like Taz from Taz-mania, it lets you wiz
around the level really fast, knocking out enemies as you go. There is a power
that inflates your characters body which will let you float above the level for
a short distance, but the drawback of this is that when the ability wares off
it can easily drop you onto spikes and enemies. There is even a magical top hat
that will appear and walk in front of your character, knocking out any enemies
that get in its way and it also doubles as a platform for you to access those
hard to reach areas.</span></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIgmJ6KIKv1_1jin0XQQjpM69_TWG_WAtoXavHLy57j79DESSepqb_jGK68GJ6bklqxoSNDddBrKX3Y2-FsnpRbZ8yqvcbVR3QSOhIn2TXTkA3W1gQCbqNQedfT71zPXTiTEzd9zdIn00/s1600/TinToy+New005.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="222" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIgmJ6KIKv1_1jin0XQQjpM69_TWG_WAtoXavHLy57j79DESSepqb_jGK68GJ6bklqxoSNDddBrKX3Y2-FsnpRbZ8yqvcbVR3QSOhIn2TXTkA3W1gQCbqNQedfT71zPXTiTEzd9zdIn00/s320/TinToy+New005.png" width="320" /></a></div>
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Overall I honestly think that this game is a little jewel in the crown
of the Amiga’s library, it won’t be everyone’s cup of tea due to the steep
difficulty level, but it is certainly a top quality title high up there with
the Turrican series, Fire & Ice, James Pond, Super Frog et al. To me this
is a platformer that managed to stand out from the crowd of 90s platformers,
yet I reserved judgement until I had played the game proper, and it turned out
to be an amazingly addictive and fun game, but don’t take my word for it, go
and play Tin Toy Adventure.</span></span></div>
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<br /></div>PixellationMagazinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14148520845772318161noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6925109088703846300.post-10368937073750250422012-06-30T07:52:00.000-07:002012-07-04T04:42:42.462-07:00Sonic the Hedgehog - Master System Memory’s<br />
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The 16-bit Sonic games are held up as some of the finest platformers the
16-bit era had to offer, and I would totally agree with that, the games are
fantastic, graphically a visual treat, with a cool mascot, well designed levels
and fast paced and engrossing gameplay. Though I don’t doubt there are those
out there that don’t like the Sonic games for one reason or another, which is
fair enough, but it can be said that they (Sega) certainly hit the right spot
with the games at the time. As I remember back to my youthful days, Sega’s
mascot was never far from people’s lips whenever the Mega Drive (MD) was
mentioned, and there were few who hadn’t experienced the Sonic games first
hand. But I never knew at the time how Sonic came to be, I never knew why he
was created, or the pretext for his creation? But nor did I care, or even care
to think about such things, though I find it really fascinating now.</span></span></div>
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The fact that his existence is tied to that of Nintendo and Mario, and
that without them and their success, Sonic would have been a proverbial no show
is something that just makes me wonder, would Alex the Kid still be Sega’s
unofficial mascot? Well doesn’t bother me so much as I like the Alex the Kidd
games ‘he says in a quiet hushed whisper,’ though it would be a loss for gaming
without Sega’s cool blue blur. But for a corporate mascot created by designer
Naoto Oshima, to become such an icon of cool to so many, when he created Sonic
in response to Sega’s management challenge to its designers to create a rival
to equal and top that of Mario, is some feat by everyone involved in bringing
the games and the hedgehog to life. Sonic was the perfect corporate construct,
created as a response to its rival, and to serve the companys specific aims of
having its own recognisable mascot to associate with its brand, its own must
have platformer, and to drive the MD forward being its killer title. How they
pulled this off and made all the elements work and feel natural, instead of
forced and artificial has to be one of the biggest marketing achievements in
gaming and popular culture history, as Sonic and the games he appeared in
become seamlessly woven into the fabric of 90’s brilliance. The corporateness
of Sonic and the way in which he came to exist is not in anyway demeaning, nor
does it make him a shallow corporate construct, but rather shows how a company
and those within it can produce something with passion and meaning, that in
turn brought joy and happiness to the lives of many millions across time and
continents.</span></span></div>
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I consider myself privileged to have been a youthful kid during late
80’s and early to mid 90’s, oblivious to the wider world and its intrusive
problems and only concerned with my own immediate small part of it, hell, even
the late 90’s was a pretty great time long since gone. The 8-bit and 16-bit era
was the special time period in gaming for me, I got to experience a lot of
games, few were easy, and many were hard. Sonic managed to captivate me in the
early 90’s, he and his games stood out amongst the crowed of titles I had
played before he swept me off of my feet, maybe some would say I just hadn’t
played the right games before then, but I wouldn’t say so. Nothing said cool like
Sonic did to me and my friends and no other platform games bar Earthworm Jim managed
to come even remotely close. Nobody on the playground of petty school arguments
and whimsical fallings out would dare argue differently, no not in my school,
not for fear of ridicule and mockery, bullying or of being outcast, but because
everyone thought the same. Sonic and all of his MD games were cool, they were
the best platformers, it was an unspoken, unwritten law, Sonic was ‘in,’ and we
all damn well knew it! Even those of us that owned Nintendo systems, myself
included, and even those that didn’t own anything Sega, and yes, even those
that owned home computers, all at the time, at least at my School, knew Sonic
wasn’t a cheap trick fad, we all knew the Sonic games were a must play must own
experience not to be missed out on.</span></span></div>
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I never owned a MD at the time, but that didn’t stop me from
experiencing what the console had to offer, thanks in no small part to my
friend and his deep cash filled pockets that kept a constant stream of games
flowing his way. I was always around his house playing on the latest game he
had acquired, and he would do the same when I got a SNES. In those early days,
you experienced other platforms and different types of games through your
friends, as next to no one had the luxury of owning multiple systems of that particular
generation, as is now the norm these days. So it was at my friends house that I
first played Sonic 1, and I honestly couldn’t quite believe what I was seeing,
the levels were so detailed, filled with vibrant bright colours, tons of
enemies, with different routes Sonic could traverse through the levels, and it
was all seamlessly fast paced with some excellent sound. My friend was pretty
smug in the fact he owned Sonic the Hedgehog, and a MD for that matter,
especially now he had a game that finally showed off just what the console
could do and what Sega represented. All I could think while watching him play
the game was when is he going to shut up talking and give me the bloody controller,
it was a joyous mesmerising thing to watch the game run, but I couldn’t have
snatched the controller from his hands fast enough when he decided it was
finally my turn. So that’s how I got to experience Sonic for the first time and
was able to join in with the growing banter at school about each game, and how
I managed to become acutely familiar with the 16-bit versions of Sonic 1 &
2 over time. I never got the chance to play Sonic 3, which was one game that
managed to escape me, although I do remember my friend having it in his
possession. However I was fortunate at some point to play a considerable amount
of Sonic & Knuckles, though it was only for a brief period and never long
enough to work up an affinity with the title like the first two.</span></span></div>
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But I have a confession to make,
and its one that’s quite niche and controversial that when uttered, would
either make you laugh and point, thinking I’m some kind of crazy, or reach for
the nearest pitchfork and quick dial for the inquisition to sentence me for my heresy.
Although I became very familiar with the MD versions of Sonic 1 & 2, and
the MD version of Sonic the Hedgehog being my revolutionary experience of that
title, introduction to the series, Sonic and helped cement Sega as the
definition of ultimate cool in my mind. The truth of the matter is all these
years I have had to keep this under wraps, for fear of ridicule and rejection
and the lack of others willingness to understand from my point of view. I
actually prefer the Master System (MS) version of Sonic the Hedgehog over the
MD version any day of the year, and as much as I had a rocky love/hate
relationship with the 8-bit Sonic 2 because of its steep difficulty level,
again, I still prefer that version over the 16-bit one. I’m sure any Sonic and
Sega fan will probably be shocked at the mere thought of this, and most within
the mainstream would have me down as a nutter for choosing what some would see
as the lesser games over the obvious (in their eyes) superior ones.</span></span></div>
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Maybe it’s just me, who knows? Because I have never found another
kindred soul that has felt the same way about the MS Sonic titles, but then I
have never had cause to mention the fact either, or had the strength and willingness
to. I came close once, i told the very same friend who had introduced me to
Sonic that although I had a SNES (at that point in time,) I still loved playing
on the MS and would never get rid of it because I had too many awesome games on
it that the SNES didn’t have, and quite frankly couldn’t beat in terms of
playability, like Operation Wolf for example. Well that didn’t go down well, as
he laughed and joked at my expense all the way to the shops about it, ‘the MS,’
he scoffed, ‘the MD and SNES have far better graphics, and the games are better
than anything on the MS,’ he continued, so I knew then that there was no point
in trying to continue with that argument.</span></span></div>
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In the early 90’s when a scuffle broke out between friends on a certain matter,
it would then lead the issue to be taken directly to the ‘higher ups,’ as was
the customary law of the playground. The ‘higher ups’ were a handful of your
most popular friends within your circle who would form a small group, or
council to settle delicate matters like this. Each party in question would
argue the finer points of their cause, once they (the council) ruled on a
matter, whatever it was about, it was passed into law and everything was
considered settled, even if later they were proved wrong. Go against their
ruling and you were punished by being outcast for a certain length of time,
destined to wonder the school yard alone, I was witness to this form of justice
countless times over, and it was never easy to accept, I think everyone had to suffer
it at least once or twice as the years rolled by. It all might seem very harsh
and Lord of The Flies now, but this was serious stuff to the young generation
of the 90’s. So I couldn’t continue to champion the MS before my friend, and
had to bite my tongue on my thoughts about which versions of Sonic I preferred,
if I had persisted, he would have brought the debate before the council, and I
had the overwhelming feeling I wouldn’t win them over to my train of thought on
account that they all owned either a MD or SNES.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="line-height: 115%;"><b>Sonic The Hedgehog - Master System </b></span></span></div>
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The MS version of Sonic the Hedgehog is quite different to the MD
version, it doesn’t tranquilize a player with detailed fancy graphics in the
way that only the MD could, nor could the developer have Sonic move through
levels at the same speed or populate them with as many enemies. A different
approach was needed, one that suited the 8-bit hardware and built upon its
strengths and weaknesses and formed its own unique experience, rather than
being a poor cut down one to fit the MS.</span></span></div>
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The 8-bit Sonic the Hedgehog wasn’t a compromise or a cut n’ shut, it
was crafted into its own compelling game, but borrowing certain key elements
from the 16-bit version: such as having three acts in each zone, collecting
over fifty rings to reach a special stage, and generally keeping most basic elements
that were present in the MD version that would become the signature attributes
of the Sonic franchise. But while the gameplay was from the same gene pool, it
had its own feel and construct to it, with the level design tailored to suit
this different approach to the gameplay. The MS version was about precise
platforming at its heart: with Sonic’s movement slower and more carefully
planned across levels, simple yet challenging level design, with carefully
timed jumps needed, strategically placed enemies, and a good balance of
difficulty. Mistime a jump or falter at killing a well placed enemy and Sonic
will either loose his rings (which cant be re-collected,) or his life, carful
yet meticulous precision in manoeuvring Sonic about each stage is what will see
you through to the end of the game. This is a title where the layout of each
stage and the position of all dangers within it need to be memorized, as the
game has some strategically placed enemy’s, spikes and bottomless pits. Some enemy’s
can appear on screen pretty fast, sometimes just where your expected to be jumping,
as if the developers designed stages with cause and effect in mind, knowing
that if they designed them in a certain way, it would force any new player unfamiliar
to the game to jump into harms way, crafty and clever as hell!</span></span></div>
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The special stages are much different to, rather than being a place to
obtain a crystal, they alternatively served as a place which allowed the player
the chance to gain a continue (which are needed to see you through the game) by
destroying a TV. These are always positioned in an awkward spot between or by obstacles
that repel Sonic away if touched slightly. A time limit coupled with more
infuriating level design always made for some pretty tense, if not rage
inducing punch the TV screen moments, as Sonic not only had to destroy the TV
to get the continue, but then navigate further through the level to the
finishing TV panel at the end.</span></span></div>
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There are rings in the game to act as a barrier between Sonic and his
death, as well as act as an added challenge for the player to either obtain an
extra life by reaching a hundred rings or anywhere over fifty to be granted
access to the special stage. There are also springs doted throughout the game,
but instead of these being used in such a way as to help drive the momentum of
Sonic through a stage and keep his speed up, the MS version uses them merely as
a tool to reach rings that would otherwise be out of reach, or to gain access
to another part of a stage. If you do get hit by another enemy of jump on a
spike, then you will loose all the rings you have collected as they don’t spill
out of Sonic for the player to re-collect them like in the MD version, this
adds more tension to the game and causes the player to be more carful.</span></span></div>
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Sonic himself is also well designed and well animated for his 8-bit outing;
his proportions are well balanced against the enemies in the game as well as
against the levels in general. His features and shape are sharp, clear and easy
to pick out, with his blue spikes flapping in the wind as he runs and his
impatient tapping of his foot if you leave him idly standing.</span></span></div>
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There is a lot more that I could say about this MS Sonic game, about how
well designed the levels truly are (Jungle Zone being my particular favourite,)
about how each crystal is craftily hidden away in an act within each one of the
zones, and more besides. But the proof as to really how good this Sonic game
is, and the subsequent MS sequels for that matter, is really in the pudding as
it were. The MS Sonic games as a whole are a true testament to the platforming
genre and how to make a popular game series transition from a powerful piece of
hardware to one less powerful. Yet, in doing so, keep all the key signature
elements associated with the games and craft new titles that can stand on their
own without being cheap cut-down limiting versions best consigned to the past.</span></span></div>
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It’s a real shame that when everyone reminisces about the good old days
of Sonic, it’s always without fail about the MD and Dreamcast titles, which is
no bad thing, but Sonic appeared in far more great games on other systems than
just them two in particular. I for one would like to see a retro compilation
from Sega which consists of all the other Sonic titles made since his
inception, with the MS games at the forefront of such an endeavour. These games
are too hidden away and forgotten for my liking, they need to be brought back
from the doldrums and into the open so everyone with a penchant for the mighty
blue blur can experience just how damn good all his other platform games are.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="line-height: 115%;">Sonic the Hedgehog 2</span></b><span style="line-height: 115%;"></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="line-height: 115%;">Developer – Aspect</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="line-height: 115%;">Release – 1992</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="line-height: 115%;">System – Master System/Game Gear</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="line-height: 115%;">
Sonic 1 on the MS set a pretty high benchmark for the series on the
system as the blue blurs debut was a pretty superb one that set the standard
pretty high for any and all sequels, let alone any other subsequent platformer
on the system. But Sonic 2 managed to take everything that was great and
perfect and improve upon it in all areas, that is accept for the games balance
in difficulty, which for this outing was made more difficult, especially in
certain stages such as Aqua Lake act 2.</span></span></div>
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The graphics were slightly improved, not so much that they were a world
apart from Sonic 1, but they were just noticeably better with a smidgen more
detail and colour. Sonic himself looked pretty much the same, though subtle improvements
like adding his trademark red and white shoes which wasn’t present in the first
game made for a nice touch.</span></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCvBcQjjXeS6lUNRnTm6VgrWUIWYtnZCHswMhNNUZmPrma-7lXxhFCjMZOIv3vT-mmFCSc7ghWapGXmI29v7QBgs7IGdJgnOBViPfzPgbvWrrPkGQvCvlzko9K0AObm009ReI54gwfnnw/s1600/Sonic2+New+004.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="219" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCvBcQjjXeS6lUNRnTm6VgrWUIWYtnZCHswMhNNUZmPrma-7lXxhFCjMZOIv3vT-mmFCSc7ghWapGXmI29v7QBgs7IGdJgnOBViPfzPgbvWrrPkGQvCvlzko9K0AObm009ReI54gwfnnw/s320/Sonic2+New+004.png" width="320" /></a></div>
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Add the fact that the level design was much better with more intricate
stages in certain zones, the ability to collect back lost rings, vastly
improved tunes that are far more memorable and catchy, as well as the addition
of the hang glider and mine cart and what you have is one hell of a sequel.</span></span></div>
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The only downsides to the game is the lack of the spin-dash, but then
the game was released before the MD version so its absence is understandable,
and the increase in difficulty rather than a more even balance, but otherwise
what’s not to like about this game.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="line-height: 115%;">Sonic the Hedgehog: Chaos</span></b><span style="line-height: 115%;"></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="line-height: 115%;">Developer – Aspect</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="line-height: 115%;">Release – 1993</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="line-height: 115%;">System – Master System/Game Gear</span></span></div>
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Also known as Sonic Chaos in the US and Sonic & Tails in Japan, this
is the third Sonic game to be released on the MS, and you would naturally
assume that if Sonic 2 managed to continue the high standards of the first
8-bit Sonic game as well as improve upon it, then Chaos should have reached a
higher level of tailored perfection. Unfortunately this game lacks the high
standards set by the previous two games as it seems to be a poor reworked game
from the ground up, instead of taking the game and graphical engine and trying
to make subtle tweaks and improvements with better music and level design.</span></span></div>
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The graphics seem to have taken a significant hit, the game doesn’t look
as good as Sonic 2 with a real lack of subtle detail that was brought into the
previous game, though at times the visuals do look pretty interesting in some
stages. Sonic seems to have been redesigned, looking far worse with terrible
animation as well as his proportions looking out of sync against the levels.</span></span></div>
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The crystals now have to be collected in the special stages instead of
hidden throughout the levels, which takes away from the replayability aspect of
the game and the element of discovery. Its also harder to reach the special
stages as you now have to collect a hundred rings as opposed to over fifty, and
with the sharpest of difficulty of all the games, a real understanding of each
level is a must if you ever hope to reach those special stages and collect all
the crystals.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="line-height: 115%;">
The game does have a few saving graces, such as introducing Tails as a
playable character for the first time on the 8-bit games (though he did make a
small appearance for the first time in Sonic 2) as well as introducing Sonics
spin-dash. The Special stages are also different and varied with each one
different from the other and testing your various platform skills to obtain the
crystals.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">
</span><span style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 115%;"> On the
whole this is the worst of the three, yet it should have been the best, it’s a bit
of a let-down after the other games were so damn good, though does have some
more unique elements to it, but don’t be surprised if you don’t find yourself
going back for more.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="line-height: 115%;">Sonic Blast</span></b><span style="line-height: 115%;"></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="line-height: 115%;">Developer – Aspect</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="line-height: 115%;">Release – 1996 Game Gear/1997 Master
System</span></span></div>
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While Sonic Blast was first and foremost made for the Game Gear, and is
essentially a Game Gear release, it did eventually receive a MS release in
Brazil only by TecToy in 1997, and it’s quite unique enough to be featured
here.</span></span></div>
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The game is perhaps one of the most visually accomplished of any 8-bit
game released as it sports pre-rendered graphics, quite an accomplishment for
an 8-bit system, though its perhaps fair to say that the visuals would have
been better suited to any other game or series other than Sonic The Hedgehog.
Some stages don’t look all that amazing while others do; it’s quite the mixed
bag, with some looking quite bland and uninspiring, and at times lacking the
detail of previous 8-bit Sonic games. While you will wonder if some of the
stages have benefited from pre-rendering at all, Sonic and the enemy sprites on
the other hand are clearly quite detailed and accomplished, with some excellent
animation, though they do look somewhat out of proportion set against the
backdrop of the levels.</span></span></div>
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Gameplay wise it’s the usual Sonic fair, but without the high polish and
shine of previous titles, in fact this is perhaps the worst Sonic game pre
Sonic Heroes in terms of gameplay as its lacking the magic that keeps a player
going back for more. The stages are simple and uninspiring, the controls are
ropy and there are simply better platformers out there, the inclusion of
Knuckles as a playable character and pre-rendered graphics do little to save
the game in the face of poor gameplay.</span></span></div>
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<br /></div>PixellationMagazinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14148520845772318161noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6925109088703846300.post-7333552305083824262012-06-06T13:25:00.000-07:002012-06-07T12:25:07.600-07:00What’s In the Box? Beneath A Steel Sky<br />
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="line-height: 115%;"> Another Amiga game, another
striking cover/box design, and this one is both eye catching and instantly
recognisable. Beneath A Steel Sky was released in 1994 on the Amiga, CD32 and
PC, developed by Revolution Software and published by Virgin Interactive, this
game is a point and click adventure that uses Revolutions Virtual Theatre
Engine which was used in their previous game Lure Of The Temptress.</span></span></div>
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With a matt black box sporting a
silver motif dead centre of the front cover, this striking design choice was
nothing short of genius, with it turning out to be one of the most iconic box
art designs of its time, it certainly sits well with the game and makes this a
title that is instantly recognisable. The picture of a silver skyline billowing
smoke with the games title emblazoned within its silver boarders in bold black
letters. This is one hell of a box art, one which leaves you to believe this
game is going to be completely awesome, or awesomely naff, fortunately it
turned out to be the former.</span></span></div>
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The story takes place in Union City;
a city state in Australia controlled by a powerful central computer and is set
in a dystopian future where the world has been ravaged by disasters and war.
Your character, Robert Foster, is abducted by security forces one day from his
adopted family in the outback, after which they are then all killed, and he
finds himself carted off to Union City with no explanation as to why?
Accompanied by his sentient AI companion Joey who’s stored on a circuit board
and can be inserted into any machine or robot for him to take control of,
Foster must evade the security forces now hunting him down and discover why
he’s been brought to Union City and what the future has in store for him.</span></span></div>
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This game also comes with a few really cool extras that rounds off the
package and adds to the story and feel of the game somewhat, so if you decide
to pick up the Amiga version, then you’ll want to make sure Beneath A Steel Sky
comes with these little extras. This game usually commands a decent price, and
there is nothing worse as a collector than paying a lot of money for a game
only to find it missing some of its original contents.</span></span></div>
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<u><b><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="line-height: 115%;">Contents</span></span></b></u></div>
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<i><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="line-height: 115%;">15 floppy disks </span></span></i></div>
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<i><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="line-height: 115%;">Technical Manual</span></span></i></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="line-height: 115%;"><i>Beneath A Steel Sky short comic</i> -
This comic was designed by David Gibbons and is a short prologue to the game
and is only included with the floppy disk versions, the CD versions include
this comic as the opening sequence to the game. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="line-height: 115%;"><i>Yellow Security Manual </i>- A mock up
security manual carried by a LINC security officer from Union City, it contains
security details, rules and procedures to be followed at all times as well as a
suspect list of citizens under observation.</span></span></div>
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<br /></div>PixellationMagazinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14148520845772318161noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6925109088703846300.post-31708161054295355532012-05-18T05:01:00.000-07:002012-09-18T12:19:12.316-07:00My Japanese Coach<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Ok so this one isn’t a game, but I thought it would be worth doing a
review on it as I know a lot of gamers are interested in all things Japanese as
well as leaning the language itself. There’s a huge wealth of Japanese games
out there that are just begging to be played, yet while some can be played
through without any understanding of the language, others are very text heavy
and require a good grounding in Japanese if you have any hope of playing
through them. So if you have decided to learn Japanese then I’m sure you will
have looked for plenty of learning material, books, websites and of course
software, and there is so much out there to choose from these days that will
aide your journey. But while the PC has quite variety of Japanese language
software packages to choose from, they lack the portability that could make them
very useful and handy compared to being chained to a PC chair with eyes glued
to a monitor. Well, look no further than My Japanese Coach (MJC,) a handy
Japanese language package for those eager to learn the language, and one that’s
on the Nintendo DS no less, but is it any good?</span></span><br />
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First off its worth noting here that like any language software you may
use, don’t expect MJC to be able to teach you how to speak fluent Japanese in a
day, let alone a week, been able to be fluent in any language comes from years
of hard work and studying. With that said and done, this fantastic DS software
is not only a great starter for the budding beginner, but it also manages to be
useful to those at an advanced level with the software split into three main
sections, learning, games and reference. Learning is where MJC teaches you the
language, starting from complete beginner and working up the ladder to higher
levels. Games is were you can choose to play many of the different games, some
helping you learn by simple repetition, while others test what you have
learned, and finally in the Reference section, users can find their status
stats, a dictionary, phrasebook and a sketchpad. With this review I’ll go
through each section separately just to be thorough and then give my overall
verdict on the software.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><u><b><span style="line-height: 115%;">Learning</span></b></u><span style="line-height: 115%;"></span></span></div>
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The learning section is exactly that, it’s where the software teaches
you a basic understanding of the Japanese language step by step, starting from
the very basic and very gradually increasing in complexity as you learn each
tiny lesson. The first module consists of 29 (beginner) lessons in total, and
there being 6 modules altogether, all of which will have to be unlocked and
completed before moving onto the next. The top screen gives you a rank or grade
and some stats on how many words you have mastered thus far, along with how
many points you need to unlock the next lesson.</span></span></div>
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The lessons start off very easy and simple, with the software getting
you to start learning single words that are quite commonly used such as Hello, Good, Bad, Thank You and so on, but as you move through the course of the
module, these types of lessons will throw more difficult words at you to learn.
Some words like days of the week or months of the year are easily picked up and
remembered, while I found others quite difficult to remember, just because of
the fact that in English we tend to have a lot of words that can mean several
things and be used in different contexts. The word ‘They’ is a perfect example,
in English this could mean ‘They’ as in two or more people, a mixture of male
and female, or one or the other. In Japanese however, you could say ‘Karera’
meaning They (mas,) ‘Kanojotachi’ meaning They (fem,) or ‘Karerais’ which is
used for a group of two or more people that includes a male person. Lessons
like this might seem easy enough, but when there are several words like this to
master within one lesson it can be quite hard to learn them so quickly and
easily as others. Later lessons in the first module will start to show you how
to connect words together to form simple sentences or questions, this is a very
gradual process though, and one that is neatly threaded into certain lessons
and will use words you have already mastered. An avatar, Haruka sensei, will guide
you through each lesson and explain everything you will need to know as you go
along, she acts as your teacher through your leaning experience in MJC.</span></span></div>
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The layout of the lesson on the bottom screen is very easy and intuitive
especially when being taught words, with the romaji on the left side and its
meaning in hiragana and English on the right. The right hand green panels are
interactive buttons, first displayed in hiragana, but when tapped with the
stylus they will turn to the English meaning, but the words will also be spoken
by Haruka for you to understand what they sound like in Japanese. There is also
a top interactive panel consisting of three sections, Listen, Speak and Write.
Listen, which is highlighted by default and has words voiced by Haruka, while
the Speak option allows you to speed up or slow down her voice in case you find
a word hard to understand, it also has the addition of letting you record your
own voice in order to compare how well you say a word against Haruka sensei.
The Write option allows you to practise writing each hiragana character that
makes up a word by using the stylus, which might seem good in theory, but the
practical truth being that often what you sketch on the DS using the stylus is frequently
not picked up by either the handheld or perhaps the software itself, which is
very frustrating.</span></span></div>
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Overall this section does its job fantastically at building up your
vocabulary of Japanese and teaching you the very building blocks of the
language, it’s this sections simplicity and easy to learn method of teaching
that really makes it work for those who use it. There are a few downsides
though, more like little niggles rather than any real complaints about the
Learning section of MJC. Firstly, it would have been nice for there to have
been simple visual representations for all the words, phrases and sentences as
it has been shown that one of the best ways to learn another language is by
visually representing (by way of pictures,) what a student is learning. This
might have made some of the words, like the different ways of saying ‘They’ in
Japanese easier to master when represented visually. One other issue I found
was that some lessons do consist of learning hiragana, not a bad thing of
course, but these lessons were interspersed with other lessons, making the
module feel more random at times rather than focussed. I would have preferred
it if MJC had a separate section within the software for specifically learning
hiragana, katakana and kanji, with its own tables, lessons and learning games.
Sketching each hiragana character out on the DS, whether by freehand or by
tracing over a character can also be completely hit and miss and doesn’t really
work at all in practice, making progression to the next lesson seem impossible
at times.</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="line-height: 115%;"> At the end of each lesson you will be tested in a variety of games
that are aimed at both imprinting the subject matter in your head by simple
repetition, or by demonstrating what you have learned. Doing these games
accumulates points for each correct answer, which then go towards a target
number that when achieved, will unlock the next lesson. The problem with this
where learning hiragana and katakana are concerned, is that with the software
or DS constantly failing to pick up your writing, you will constantly fail the
games and not reach the target number of points needed for the next lesson. I
found these lessons a hindrance rather than a help, and I found it much easier
and quicker to learn hiragana from a text book and practice on a white board than
on MJC, so I would advise doing the same here.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><u><b><span style="line-height: 115%;">Games</span></b></u><span style="line-height: 115%;"></span></span></div>
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There are numerous different games to choose from to help you along with
the learning process, all of which you should be pretty familiar with, at least
the ones you have unlocked. You don’t need to accumulate points in order to
unlock the games as they are gradually unlocked as you progress through the
lessons and modules. Some games are quite frankly rubbish, and don’t do a great
job at helping you remember or learn what you have gone through in your
lessons. The Memory game for example, has twenty cards face down on the screen,
half red with the other half blue, and you have to tap one coloured card to
reveal something in Japanese, a word or hiragana character, then the other
colour to find the matching meaning. This game might sound ok, but it’s one of
the more boring games on offer and does very little in the way of helping you
learn the language.</span></span></div>
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I haven’t managed to unlock all the games, but there are quite a few that
are excellent at helping to learn and progress, and they just happen to be
rather fun to. Flash Cards is a great game, perhaps my favourite so far, and
it’s a perfect example of learning through repetition. In this game Haruka will
say a word or hiragana character in Japanese, and you will have to choose the
correct answer from four possible choices in English, it’s simple, yet
brilliantly effective. Another game is virtually the same, but with a slightly
different layout, where a word or hiragana character is displayed in English on
the top screen, and you have to choose the correct answer out of a choice of four
that are in Japanese, again very simple, but fun and very affective.</span></span></div>
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At the start of each game you’re also given a few choices, whether to
play a game using words from a pool of those you have mastered in your lessons,
or from the software’s entire library. You can also choose from easy, medium or
hard setting, but I found the easy and medium setting pretty pointless as they
didn’t offer any kind of real challenge, and at times even hard can seem pretty
easy, whether this means I need to move forward more in the lessons or not is
debatable, though this would expand on vocabulary I’m not so familiar with.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><u><b><span style="line-height: 115%;">Reference</span></b></u><span style="line-height: 115%;"></span></span></div>
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You can find some nifty features in this section, though I’d avoid the
sketchpad option as it so often fails its user. In the Player Stats section
though, you can find all the useful information on your current progress
through MJC such a rank, total number of words mastered, and a breakdown with
line graphs on the progress of such accomplishments, it’s a nice handy section,
but granted its nothing to get excited about.</span></span></div>
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The two sections that really help sell this software are the dictionary
and phrasebook sections. In the dictionary you and scan through the entire
library of words in the software’s database, and as standard you can do so in
English, Japanese or by Hiragana. You can also search for words by typing them
in from the onscreen keyboard to make things quicker, and again in either
English or Japanese, and there is even the option of searching for words you
have only mastered in your lessons. The phrasebook is perhaps the most useful,
especially if you plan on visiting Japan, it could prove to be most invaluable
at times, as MJC has a wide range of phrases available. You can choose phrases
by category, from the database list or by searching using the onscreen
keyboard, and you can even build up your own handy list of phrases and store
them in the favourites section for easy quick reference. I honestly can’t think
of anything greater than My Japanese Coach to take with you on a trip to Japan
with the dictionary and phrasebook features, as finding the right words or
questions to show someone what you mean or are trying to say, can be done
within a few easy clicks. It also makes things easier that all words and
phrases in these sections are displayed in English and Japanese, as well as the
addition of everything being spoken by the software in the native language,
this is a must have for any would be traveller.</span></span></div>
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On the whole MJC proves to be quite the excellent piece of software
rather than some overly expensive piece of slapped together shovelware. It
proves that it can be a great counterpart at building up your Japanese
vocabulary and helping you understand the building blocks of the language and
how it’s structured and formed. With a simple but effective layout, giving you
both English and Japanese, romaji and hiragana/kanji, as well as having each
word and phrase in its huge database spoken in Japanese for students to hear,
simply makes this a must have learning tool. The addition of visual
representatives for each word and phrase would have been a big bonus and made
the learning process even easier, but you cant have it all I guess, and MJC is
already pretty comprehensive and packed out full of features. With the
phrasebook and dictionary to boot, and taking into account just how lightweight
and small a DS Light is makes this the most essential travel companion when
visiting Japan no matter how far advance you are at Japanese.</span></span></div>
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MJC will help you along with your journey learning Japanese and
represents a cheap comprehensive portable package you can take anywhere, as
opposed to rather one that is tied to a PC. Be warned though, this software can
vary in price and is really hard to come by in the wild, best place is to
search out a copy online, though you should expect to have to pay a fair amount
for a pre-owned copy, even one that’s just the cart on its own, but its easily
worth any asking price.</span></span></div>
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PixellationMagazinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14148520845772318161noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6925109088703846300.post-41259141067402367742012-05-01T11:22:00.000-07:002012-05-20T09:44:05.986-07:00Majin and the Forsaken Kingdom<br />
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="line-height: 115%;"><i>All Screenshots that i have used only represent one small area and one boss fight within the game.</i></span></span><br />
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Have you heard of Majin and the Forsaken Kingdom? No? Well you really
should have because this is one of the most beautiful and heart warming games I
have played. Its heart warming without being overtly sickeningly cutesy and
cuddly like some games, which to me, is something that can be hit and miss, not
least off putting at times. But this game really is a classic in its own right,
a hidden gem that won’t fail to impress those who play it and love the genre(s)
to which this title comfortably fits in. Forget about trying the demo for this
game as its one of those that isn’t really representative of the actual game,
and unfortunately fails to show off a lot of its good points to those that want
a sneak peek before they buy. If you like platformers, puzzle solving, and hack
‘n’ slash games, this game evenly balances all three into the mix, so have some
faith, support Bandai Namco by buying this game new and enjoy it, you’ll love
it I promise!</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="line-height: 115%;">
The game follows two characters throughout the game, one of which you
will play as, the other you instruct through commands to help you during your
quest. Tepeu who is a thief with the ability to speak to animals and is the
character you will control throughout the game, where as the Majin, a friendly
ogre/monster and protector of the kingdom is the character you issue commands
to. While you have full control over Tepeu, you can only issue orders to the
Majin, such as attack, wait, getting him to open heavy doors and turn leavers
that are far too heavy for Tepeu, and as such both characters are essentially
two half’s that together, make a whole. Tepeu is the character that will do all
the nimble sneaking around, climbing and all the general platforming elements
you would expect from a platformer, as well as the fighting elements, though
his attacks are very limiting in power and range. The majin, who you command,
holds all the power-ups and special abilities, such as discharging electric
bolts, breathing in and out fire and much more besides, and all of which are
used for both solving puzzles and attacking enemies. Essentially the characters
need each other, this makes for a very interesting game, having the platforming
elements given to the playable character Tepeu, but the special abilities and
powerful attacks given to the command based character Majin, and it works
seamlessly.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="line-height: 115%;"> The
story is told through character development and the friendship that builds up
between Tepeu and Majin, oft times through conversations between the two
characters at certain points in the game. Other parts of the story are told
through beautiful Asian shadow puppet style animated cut scenes which mostly
deal with what happened to the kingdom and the Majin in the past, all of which
helps gradually build up the story of the game as you progress. The friendship
that slowly builds up between the two loveable characters is one of brilliance,
and clearly shows mastery over character development and storytelling. As the
game moves along you will care for the characters and warm to them, and the
story never feels pushed or forcefully cute and bubbly, it is just naturally
presented and subtly crafted together.</span></span></div>
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The game is split up into five different areas, each one becoming more
difficult and building on each new ability you have learned with the Majin, be
it using his electric bolt to bring a leaver of lift to life, or getting him to
swing Tepeu around in a circle to strike multiple enemies at once. Each area is
split up into several sections, each having its own puzzle or set of sequential
puzzles that has to be solved for you to progress further through the game, and
at the end of each a boss that must be beaten. All the puzzles in the game
require you to use both Tepeu and Majin to solve them, but rest assured as they
are easy enough to work out, being a challenge to pull off, yet refraining from
being too infuriating to know what it is you have to do. Beating enemies as
well as the bosses is a gentle mixture of hack ‘n’ slash and puzzle elements
blended together, this fits well with the rest of the game as it drives you on
to use what you have learned in the game thus far, using your wits, rather than
resting on your laurels.</span></span></div>
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I have to say that Majin and the Forsaken Kingdom is a fantastic game,
well worth buying brand new, and quite frankly is one of the few games I have
played recently that has been a welcomed break from all the hyper action titles
so prevalent these days. It’s a great game that’s not the norm, its not one
that follows any current trends, nor one that tries to overtly copy any other
game in the vein hope of appealing to the great mass of the gaming public. It’s
a game made with heart and passion, it has soul and speaks volumes, one that
was made for the love of gaming itself rather than the love of money, and it
did well by not chasing the buck or by diluting its many elements. It’s a shame
that it hasn’t reached a wider audience and been a bigger success in its own
right, but I’d wager that those of us that have been fortunate to play through
it have all had an amazing enjoyable experience, and one we are keen to share
with others.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="line-height: 115%;"><i><span style="font-family: inherit;"><u><b>A few extra points to consider that's not mentioned in the mini review</b></u></span></i></span></span><br />
<ul>
<li><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">The game is a bit slow for the first 3 hours or so due to the game teaching you the ropes of the game, but the game does dramatically pick up afterwards and soon hits its stride, so give the game a chance at look past the first few hours.</span></span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">The musical score really fits the game well and is a significantly memorable one.</span></span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">The story is a real tear jerker towards the end.</span></span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Unlike some platformers, you wont have any problems with the camera angles in this game. </span></span></span></li>
</ul>
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<br /></div>PixellationMagazinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14148520845772318161noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6925109088703846300.post-19651994143548422002012-04-06T03:51:00.000-07:002012-09-18T12:04:29.911-07:00Metal Slug 1st Mission - Neo-Geo Pocket Color<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"></span></span>
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<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"> <span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">
</span></span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">Well, isn’t this the little undiscovered gem of a system, the Neo-Geo
Pocket Color (NGPC) is quite the surprising treasure of a 16-bit handheld.
It’s a real shame that this system never really took off, and it’s such a
crying shame that it only received such a small library of games. But one thing
the system can boast, much like my console favourite the Saturn, its library is
one of quality over quantity.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="line-height: 115%;"> <span style="font-family: inherit;">
</span><span style="font-family: inherit;">Metal Slug 1</span><sup style="font-family: inherit;">st</sup><span style="font-family: inherit;"> Mission is a perfectly playable handheld Metal
Slug game within the series, everything you would expect from this game is
there in terms of its gameplay. Noticeably the graphics are very much lacking
of course as it’s a 16-bit system, so it can’t hope to match the graphical
prowess of its arcade or console versions. The graphics do look the same stylistically
and in its art direction, and if you were to show screenshots of the game to
anyone remotely familiar with the games they will instantly recognise the game
to the series in which it belongs, though they may not know from what system it
originates. But for what it does 16-bit wise, especially on an old handheld, it
really does looks great.</span></span></span></div>
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Gameplay wise, it feels exactly like any other versions of the games,
something you wouldn’t think possible from such a system, but it honestly does
feel perfectly at home on the NGPC, thanks in no small part to the systems
little analog stick. If it wasn’t for the thumb stick, I’d highly doubt that
this game would feel so much at home on the handheld as its this control input
method that gives so much fluidity and freedom to the movement of the
character, something which is needed in this awesome run ‘n’ gun platformer.</span></span></div>
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I must admit, I wasn’t expecting for the game to pack such a powerful
punch either, as it manages to include almost all the things that make this
game so appealing in the arcade and console versions. You get different weapon variants,
storm through levels in tanks, ride zip lines, fly jets and of course skydive,
and you can expect to do all these wonderful things within the first 15-20
minutes of playing the game, now that’s what I call action packed!</span></span></div>
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The AI in the game is quite competent to with enemies doing their utmost
to avoid your bullets and trying their hardest to shoot you, or at least
overwhelm you by sheer numbers, at least in the case of the later levels
anyway. The game will seem easy enough at first, but as you crank through the
levels, expect the difficulty to increase somewhat, with the game becoming more
challenging with every step.</span></span></div>
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There is not much else I can say about this game, accept it really is a
great game on a fantastic handheld. If you have ever played a Metal Slug game,
than you can expect all the goodness and run ‘n’ gun platforming in this
version with plenty of destruction and bullets all the way through, its Metal
Slug, its everything you’ll expect it to be.</span></span></div>
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PixellationMagazinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14148520845772318161noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6925109088703846300.post-91896707601220222652012-03-09T13:06:00.001-08:002012-03-10T12:22:10.998-08:00Sega Saturn US Exclusive Games List<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAZ1Mi0-3wJRyYE_yyVpEn4w_mPClwZ9XinlLVK8WTIA-TsFWlfWlkqj4IJQX8PtmZkzsX7gk01X9D44JlgLFSylZUKzXDW1gdmizWtVrLvlP7F3MKJ-WKdc4DxObWi-C-apiO5h8AjLM/s1600/SANY0005+%2528Medium%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAZ1Mi0-3wJRyYE_yyVpEn4w_mPClwZ9XinlLVK8WTIA-TsFWlfWlkqj4IJQX8PtmZkzsX7gk01X9D44JlgLFSylZUKzXDW1gdmizWtVrLvlP7F3MKJ-WKdc4DxObWi-C-apiO5h8AjLM/s320/SANY0005+%2528Medium%2529.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">I thought these Saturn lists would be a good to add to the blog to complement the PAL Saturn list.</span></div><div style="font-family: inherit;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">These are all the Saturn games that received a US release, though they are not all exclusive to the US as some were released in Japan as well, but these games did not receive a European release. All the games highlighted in <span style="color: red;">red</span> are US exclusive games not released in other regions.</span></div><div style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><ol style="font-family: inherit;"><li><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">3D Baseball</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">Albert Odyssey: Legend of Eldean</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">Astal </span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">Bases Loaded 96: Double Header</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">Brain Dead 13</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">Creature Shock Special Edition</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">Criticom</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">Dark Legend</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">Heir of Zendor: The Legend and the Land</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">High Velocity: Mountain Racing Challenge</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">Iron Storm</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">Magic Knight Rayearth</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">MegaMan 8: Anniversary Collector's Edition</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">Megaman X4</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">Minnesota Fats: Pool Legend</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">P.T.O. 2: Pacific Theater of Operations 2</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">Romance of the Three Kingdoms IV: Wall of Fire</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">Shanghai: Triple Threat</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">Virtual Casino</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">Winning Post</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">Sega Rally Championship Plus Net Link Edition</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">Daytona USA C.C.E. Net Link Edition</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"><span style="color: red;">All-Star Baseball 97 Featuring Frank Thomas</span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"><span style="color: red;">BattleSport</span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"><span style="color: red;">Bottom of the 9th</span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"><span style="color: red;">College Slam</span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"><span style="color: red;">CONGO The Movie: The Lost City of Zinj</span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"><span style="color: red;">Contra: Legacy of War</span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"><span style="color: red;">Corpse Killer: Graveyard Edition</span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"><span style="color: red;">Double Switch</span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"><span style="color: red;">Grand Slam</span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"><span style="color: red;">Herc's Adventures</span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"><span style="color: red;">Midway Presents Arcade's Greatest Hits</span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"><span style="color: red;">NFL 97</span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"><span style="color: red;">Quarterback Attack</span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"><span style="color: red;">Scud: The Disposable Assassin</span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"><span style="color: red;">Ten Pin Alley</span></span></li>
</ol>PixellationMagazinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14148520845772318161noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6925109088703846300.post-10227913481835176362012-03-09T12:53:00.005-08:002012-03-14T13:05:44.185-07:00Sega Saturn European/UK Exclusive Games List<div style="font-family: inherit;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAZ1Mi0-3wJRyYE_yyVpEn4w_mPClwZ9XinlLVK8WTIA-TsFWlfWlkqj4IJQX8PtmZkzsX7gk01X9D44JlgLFSylZUKzXDW1gdmizWtVrLvlP7F3MKJ-WKdc4DxObWi-C-apiO5h8AjLM/s1600/SANY0005+%2528Medium%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAZ1Mi0-3wJRyYE_yyVpEn4w_mPClwZ9XinlLVK8WTIA-TsFWlfWlkqj4IJQX8PtmZkzsX7gk01X9D44JlgLFSylZUKzXDW1gdmizWtVrLvlP7F3MKJ-WKdc4DxObWi-C-apiO5h8AjLM/s320/SANY0005+%2528Medium%2529.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">I thought these Saturn lists would be a good to add to the blog to complement the PAL Saturn list.</span></div><div style="font-family: inherit;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">These are all the Saturn games that received a European/UK release, though they are not all exclusive to Europe and the UK as some were released in Japan as well, but these games did not receive a US release. All the games highlighted in <span style="color: red;">red</span> are European exclusive games not released in other regions.<br />
</span><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><ol><li><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">3D Lemmings</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">Chaos Control</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">Darius2</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">Deep Fear</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">Destruction Derby</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">Hebereke's Popoitto</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">Jewels of the Oracle</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">Keio Flying Squadron 2</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">Megaman X3</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">Mighty Hits</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">Parodius</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">Pinball Graffiti</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">Riven The Sequel to Myst</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">Sea Bass Fishing</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">Street Racer</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">Discworld</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">The King of Fighters 95</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">Virtual Golf</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">Whizz</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">WipEout 2097</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"><span style="color: red;">Atlantis: The Lost Tales</span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"><span style="color: red;">Discworld 2</span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"><span style="color: red;">Frankenstein: Through the Eyes of the Monster</span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"><span style="color: red;">Formula Karts Special Edition</span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"><span style="color: red;">Jonah Lomu Rugby</span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"><span style="color: red;">Swagman</span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"><span style="color: red;">Trash It</span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"><span style="color: red;">UEFA Euro 96 England</span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"><span style="color: red;">World League Soccer 98</span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"><span style="color: red;">Z</span></span></li>
</ol>PixellationMagazinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14148520845772318161noreply@blogger.com0