Modern Warfares Last Stand for Dedicated Servers

If you have been following the release of Modern Warfare 2 then you've probably come across the droves of outraged pc gamers who are demanding answers from Infinity Ward. On October 17th, 2009, less than a month away from the highly anticipated release of Modern Warfare 2, Robert Bowling AKA Infinity Wards community manager announced over a live podcast that there would be NO dedicated server support for Modern Warfare 2. Instead, a new matchmaking system called IWnet will be implemented. In response to this bombshell, a Dedicated Server Petition for MW2 was created in which over 170,000 people have already signed. Despite these large numbers, Infinity Ward doesn't even seem phased as they have released no official response to the issue.

With the release of Modern Warfare 2 just around the corner (Nov 10, 2009), many devastated PC gamers are losing hope that their cries will be answered. In spite of all this, Angry Employee has taken up the cause for Dedicated Servers and has launched a campaign that they hope ALL fraggers across the world will embrace. The concept, that all PC gamers across the world will unite and come together as one on the 10th November 2009(MW2's Official release date), and send IW a message of exactly what they are doing in removing dedicated servers.

The Plan? A PC COMMUNITY PLAY DAY COMBINED WITH A 24 HOUR DEDICATED SERVER SHUT DOWN. What the plan entails is to create a large amount of traffic to Infinity Wards master server via a large number of PC gamers simply logging on and playing in dedicated servers. When the clock hits midnight on November 10th, the community as a whole will turn off their dedicated servers. The goal being that this large traffic build up will ensure that when the clock hits 00:00 Nov 10th there will be massive connection losses at IW's master servers. As each country and continent follows suite Infinity Ward will see for themselves exactly how we feel about no dedicated servers.

How can you participate in this event? Overall Traffic to the master server and people being online is the key. If you are working, leave your home PC in a dedicated server in spectate mode. If your home all day but can't frag, you guessed it, leave your home PC in a server and in spectate. If you have purchased or are currently renting a dedicated server, try and populate your server and be sure to turn off your server when the clock reaches midnight.

This may very well be the PC communities last chance to show Infinity Ward how widespread our ill feelings are towards no dedicated server support. Blurt this message out wherever you can and help spread the word. Whether its in forums, news papers, chat rooms or in game. Wherever you are and whatever your doing, try and make this day count for something.

Sports Resort Leads Wii Sales, Wish Lists

As the holiday season rolls around, video game sales are expected to rise and one of the most requested games across all the major gaming platforms is Wii Sports Resort. In a survey of 1,005 consumers ages 8 to 17, conducted by retailer Game Crazy and children's magazine Weekly Reader, Sports Resort and guitar Hero 5 topped the list as the games boys and girls want to see under the Christmas tree this year. New Super Mario Bros. (which will come out in November) and Mario and Sonic at the Olympic Winter Games were also popular amongst the kids. Both games were developed for the Wii and Nintendo's handheld consoles. It probably goes without saying that the Wii was also voted the most popular gaming console by survey participants.

Not surprisingly, Wii Sports Resort, which was released in the United States in July, is also currently leading Wii's North American sales. The game comes with the Wii MotionPlus device and is the sequel to the Wii Sports game that comes packaged with the Wii console.

Sports Resort takes place at a beach resort on an island called Wuhu Island. The game features a number of sports including swordplay, wakeboarding, frisbee, archery, basketball, table tennis, golf, bowling, power cruising, canoeing, cycling, and air sports. Games are played by holding the Wii Remote or Nunchuk as though you are actually participating in the real-life version of the game. The Wii Motion Plus device allows for greater accuracy. For example, in Table Tennis, a player can now add spin to the ball. Most sports allow up to three to four players and can be played by sharing on Wii Remote, however for more than one player to take part in the canoeing game, all players must have their own controller.

Netflix Streaming on the PS3

PS3 owners rejoice! Or don't rejoice if you either A.) Don't care or B.) Hate Netflix but either way Netflix streaming is coming to your PS3. In a recent press release from Netflix, we have gathered all the details about the partnership. One of the best things about this feature is that fans and subscribers of Netflix can enjoy tons of movies and tv shows through the internet on-demand without having to pay any extra cost other than their Netflix subscription cost, which can be as low as $9 a month. Xbox 360 owner's have that added Xbox LIVE subscription fee which runs $50 a year.

But, there is some bad news. In order to enjoy the delightfullness of the Netflix streaming, users will be required to insert a special Blu-ray disc into their PS3. This disc will enable Netflix streaming through the Blu-ray's BD Live functionality. This is something you do not have to do with the Xbox 360 or other Blu-ray players which already have the Netflix option built-in. BD Live can be slow and clunky at times but it does work better on the PS3 than it does on typical Blu-ray players. There is a catch to the special disc however. The press release said that the disc would be needed initially so this could hint at a future software update that will add Netflix as a built-in feature.

Many people have been waiting for this feature to come to the PS3. The 360 has already had it for some time and PS3 owners were getting antsy. We are seeing more and more innovations coming to both the Xbox 360 and the PS3. Netflix is now on both consoles and there is always Twitter and Facebook.

But, despite having the seemingly annoying disc to contend with, Netflix streaming has been envied by PS3 owners since it was released on the Xbox 360 and I'm sure they won't mind the disc all too much. According to Netflix, the feature will be available to all PS3 owners by the end o f the year. As an added bonus to all Netflix subscribers who own a PS3, the special required disc can now be reserved.

Source: G4TV

Band Hero Releases Pop Song Playlist

Band Hero doesn't come out until November 17, but that hasn't stopped gamers from taking to the internet to speculate about what kind of music the game will feature. It's been described as "Guitar Hero Goes Pop" and with a previous mention of Taylor Swift headlining the game, many were left wondering if it would be a little Teenybopperish.

Well, some news about the game was released this week and while the music is definitely more pop than Guitar Hero, it's not just stuff that appeals to fourteen year old girls. There's something for the 80's fans, the 90's fans, and some current music, as well. (See the entire playlist below.)

In addition to the list of songs featured in the game, it was made clear that the songs would be importable to Guitar Hero and vice versa for a small fee. Players will have the opportunty to create the band they've always wanted with any combination of guitar, drum and vocals.

All 65 songs from the Band Hero Playlist:
3 Doors Down - "When I'm Gone"
The Airborne Toxic Event - "Gasoline"
The All American Rejects - "Dirty Little Secret"
Alphabeat - "Fascination"
Aly and AJ - "Like Whoa"
Angels & Airwaves - "The Adventure"
Ben Harper and the Innocent Criminals - "Steal My Kisses"
Big Country - "In a Big Country"
The Bravery - "Believe"
Carl Douglas - "Kung Fu Fighting"
Cheap Trick - "I Want You To Want Me (Live)"
Cold War Kids - "Hang Me Up To Dry"
Corinne Bailey Rae - "Put Your Records On"
Counting Crows - "Angels of the Silences"
Culture Club - "Do You Really Want To Hurt Me"
Dashboard Confessional - "Hands Down"
David Bowie - "Let's Dance"
Devo - "Whip It"
Don McLean - "American Pie"
Duffy - "Warwick Avenue"
Duran Duran - "Rio"
Evanescence - "Bring Me To Life"
Everclear - "Santa Monica (Watch The World Die)"
Fall Out Boy - "Sugar, We're Goin' Down"
Filter - "Take A Picture"
Finger Eleven - "Paralyzer"
The Go-Go's - "Our Lips Are Sealed"
Hilary Duff - "So Yesterday"
Hinder - "Lips Of An Angel"
Jackson 5 - "ABC"
Janet Jackson - "Black Cat"
Jesse McCartney - "Beautiful Soul"
Joan Jett - "Bad Reputation"
Joss Stone - "You Had Me"
Katrina and The Waves - "Walking On Sunshine"
The Kooks - "Naive"
KT Tunstall - "Black Horse and the Cherry Tree"
The Last Goodnight - "Pictures Of You"
Lily Allen - "Take What You Take"
Maroon 5 - "She Will Be Loved"
Marvin Gaye - "I Heard It Through The Grapevine"
Mighty Mighty Bosstones - "The Impression That I Get"
Nelly Furtado - "Turn Off The Light"
N.E.R.D. - "Rockstar"
No Doubt - "Just A Girl"
No Doubt - "Don't Speak"
OK Go - "A Million Ways"
Papa Roach - "Lifeline"
Parachute - "Back Again"
Pat Benatar - "Love Is A Battlefield"
Poison - "Every Rose Has Its Thorn"
Robbie Williams and Kylie Minogue - "Kids"
The Rolling Stones - "Honky Tonk Women"
Roy Orbison - "Oh Pretty Woman"
Santigold - "L.E.S. Artistes"
Snow Patrol - "Take Back the City"
Spice Girls - "Wannabe"
Styx - "Mr. Roboto"
Taylor Swift - "Love Story"
Taylor Swift - "Picture To Burn"
Taylor Swift - "You Belong With Me"
Tonic - "If You Could Only See"
The Turtles - "Happy Together"
Village People - "YMCA"
Yellowcard - "Ocean Avenue"

Project Runway Coming to Wii

After years of attempting to appeal to a female audiences with fashion-related games, it looks like Atari Inc. has finally come up with best idea, yet. The hit TV show "Project Runway" is being made into a Wii game and it will be available next year.

"Of all the brand opportunities out there, we thought 'Project Runway' was the leading fashion brand. The audience is building, the talent is recognizable. It reaches such a broad audience," Atari CEO, Jim Wilson, told Variety.com.

Fans of Heidi Klum, Tim Gunn and the gang will have the opportunity to virtually "make it work" as players will be able to participate in their own home version of the show. Aspiring fashion designers will take part in various tasks and challenges that are similar to those on "Project Runway," though the details on what types of activities and how they'll translate to a game aren't yet clear. And just like on the show, players will have the ability to model and show off their fashions, by "walking the catwalk" using the Wii Balance Board. The game is said to include over 200,000 combinations of shoes, clothes, makeup and accessories. Players will also have the opportunity to photograph their designs.

"Project Runway" is a reality show, currently in its sixth season, airing on the Lifetime Television Network. It is hosted by supermodel, Heidi Klum. Fashion Designers looking to make it big compete in various competitions each week with various themes, restricted time limits, and often restricted materials. At the end of each show, their creations are judged by a panel of fashion experts and a contestant is eliminated.

The game will most likely come out as a series, with the first one to be released in spring 2010.

FIFA 10

Sports games take a lot of flack from gamers and reviewers and such. If you don't do something that is hands down better than the previous year's game, then you shouldn't even bother putting it on a store shelf. But it isn't always the easiest thing to do, outshining the previous installment. However, despite the difficulty, a few games have been able to succeed. NHL 10 was better than NHL 09, as was NBA Live 10 over NBA Live 09 and now FIFA 10 can be added in the group as well.

With sports game, gamers are always wanting some big, mind blowing new addition or stunning graphics to enhance the game. While FIFA 10 doesn't quite have those large improvements, it does manage to improve on every traditional aspect of the sport.

The first and foremost difference in the game is the tempo and feel of the game. FIFA 10 is immensely smoother and faster paced than it's 09 counterpart. While the play in FIFA 09 was very smooth and fast to begin with, FIFA 10 just takes it to the next level. The player movement is much more fluid than the 09 game and the added features to what you can do on the field also helps a lot. For example, physical play has been given an upgrade. In FIFA 09, you could bump and push a little to get the ball, however in FIFA 10, physical play is much more intense. Now you can actually fight for the ball for longer than 3 seconds, pushing back at your attacker. Also, player sizes are also used better. A large veteran defensive player can easily throw a light weight attacker off the ball, granted he can keep up with his speed. Another great feature is what I like to call the "jump over" maneuver. In 09, when a player attempted a slide tackle, if they got the ball or were close to it your player would either fall or stumble and lose possession of the ball. In 10 your player, if the slide tackle is poorly executed, will pass the ball around the defender and jump over him, continuing the play. This was slightly prevalent in FIFA 09 though FIFA 10 has greatly improved on the feature.

The AI intelligence has also been greatly improved. Defenders will now clear the ball better than just randomly booting it around. They will attempt to put the ball in logical locations given the opportunity. The goalie AI has also been greatly increased. Goalies now do a much better job of getting rid of balls and making the save. Goalies now jump and punch the ball out if necessary and are better on stopping second chance goals. If your goalie blocks the shot back into play and the attacker goes for a follow up shot, your goalie will work harder to get into position and dive back to block the shot. The improved goalie AI is definitely a refreshing take on the goalies of 09. While good, the 09 goalies were severely limited in their abilities.

Dribbling has been given a nice upgrade. There is no more eight-direction dribbling like that seen in FIFA 09. The eight-direction dribbling greatly limited your abilities. Now you can move in any direction as well as switching the ball from your strong to weak foot depending on your angle and you can also pull off even more spectacular dribbling moves, should you be brave enough to attempt them. If you take this and add it to the improved physical play, you get a feeling of soccer authenticity that almost uncanny.

The Virtual Pro mode is a fantastic feature. It starts off sort of the same way as the previous Be A Pro mode (which is still included). You make a player and customize his attributes to your play style and sculpt his looks to your liking. You can even upload a picture of your own face and design a character that way as well. Virtual Pro differs from Be A Pro in one major way. Instead of being confined to a Be A Pro match where you are stuck using your noob player, you can now use our created player in any game mode. He can be used in the all new practice arena and work on drills and scrimmages, take him in a Play Now match, or take him into manager mode. You can also take him online and play in a Pro Club Championship with tons of other Virtual Pros. Along with the player creation is the ability to create custom set pieces and player runs. Creating your own unique play is a definite plus and will make for some very interesting and competitive player v.s. player matches.

Graphically, FIFA 10 has made small yet noticeable changes. Stuttering during instant replays has been fixed and the framerate also holds up better in Be A Pro gameplay. You also want to play this game with the volume cranked up to 11 because the crowds are loud and proud for their teams. Not quite as good as the real ones and not quite as violent, but still very entertaining.

Speaking from personal experience, this game is hands down one of the best sports games on the market. Its stand out improvements over last year's installment coupled with the amazing new features are what really drives this game into the spotlight. If you are a soccer fan or a fan of FIFA 09 then there is no reason whatsoever for you not to play this game. Definitely one of the must have games on this year's holiday wish list. You can get your hands on FIFA 10 right now if you live in the UK but if not then you have to wait until October 20th when it is released nationwide for the Xbox 360, PS3, Nintendo Wii, PC, PSP, Nintendo DS and PS2.

Source: IGN

Epic Mickey Bringing Disney's Dark Side

This month's issue of Game Informer magazine has got gamers and Disney enthusiasts in a tizzy. The magazine features an exclusive cover story and they have even set up a website where they will make exclusive announcements over the course of this month about what is rumored to be a single-player, Wii-only game (though recent reports say the game will also be available for Play Station 3 and Xbox 360). According to the website, they will be posting stories, videos, images and details exploring the process behind the design and creation of the project.

October 5th's announcements brought news that Warren Spector will be developing the game. Who is Warren Spector? Just one of the biggest role-playing game designers of all time, of course. He's probably best known for Deus Ex and its sequel Deus Ex: Invisible War. In 2007, Disney Interactive acquired his Junction Point Studios and Epic Mickey has been rumored to be his first Disney project. While gamers may know Spector's name, they probably don't know that he is slightly obsessed with Disney. An interview with Game Informer Magazine reveals that Spector owns a second home filled with rare Disney memorabilia. Who better to work on this game?

The game probably won't be released until the fall of 2010, meaning players will have to wait an entire year, but that hasn't stopped rumors and internet chatter. The game promises to be dark - not your average Disney - and some say it will take place in a dark world of forgotten Disney characters ran by Oswald the Rabbit - Disney's original character creation before Mickey Mouse. Oswald is supposedly jealous of Mickey's fame an has called on The Phantom Blot to help get his revenge. The Blot covers the world with sticky black ink and it is up to Mickey Mouse to restore order and return things to normal by painting, mending and clearing obstacles.

Check out this month's Game Informer Magazine for more details.

Wii Fit Plus... for Dogs?

Perhaps your pooch needs to lose a few pounds? Forget the special diet dog food or those extra walks around the block, Nintendo's new Wii Fit Plus has just what you're looking for. Okay, so maybe it doesn't exactly work that way - there are no exercises for dogs - but you can weigh the family pet and make a little doggie avatar if you desire!

Wii Fit Plus, the sequel to Nintendo's extremely popular Wii Fit, was released on Sunday and measuring your dog's fitness level is just one of many new additions. With the new game/workout system, you can master kung-fu, work through an obstacle course, lead a marching band, and learn new yoga poses, all for $19.99 (unless you need the original Wii Balance Board, then you can expect to pay $99).

The new version of the Wii Fit combines all of the old activities with 15 new games and six new strength-training and yoga exercises. The game also features a personal trainer who can recommend exercises based on your time constraints and what you desire to improve upon. You can also customize your own routine. New users can create a new profile or if you are an original Wii Fit owner, you can keep your old one, making the transition seamless.

Another neat addition for those serious about getting in shape is the calorie counter. Upon completing an exercise, a calorie counter pops up on screen, showing how many calories you burned during an exercise. The game is said to be a complete mind and body workout, helping you "burn calories while achieving inner peace."

In September, Nintendo dropped the Wii retail pice from $250 to $200 making the popular console even more appealing, even to the most casual gamers and most likely making it a popular holiday gift item, once again.