Oz
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Listening to starlight: Our ongoing search for alien intelligence
Six hours a day, seven days a week, for four straight months. That's how long radio astronomer Frank D. Drake pointed the 26-meter telescope at the National Radio Astronomy Observatory (NRAO) research facility in Green Bank, West Virginia, toward the heavens, looking for signs of intelligent life beyond Earth. He dubbed his efforts Project Ozma, in honor of the Queen of Oz from L. Frank Baum's famed children's book series.
Saints Row 4 denied Australian classification in re-review
The Australian Classification Board reaffirmed the ban on Saints Row 4, a three-person panel unanimously refusing the game classification in its re-review of the original decision. Drugs were again the cause of consternation for the ACB, who said Volition's over-the-top sandbox game couldn't attain the recently introduced R18+ rating and as such be sold in the country because "drug use related to incentives and rewards is not permitted." Saints Row 4 is expected to launch in Australia on August 23, the Steam page listing a "Low Violence" version; publisher Deep Silver told us in June it had plans to submit a reworked version of the game for the territory. The decision passed today, the ACB clarified, is on the "unedited" version of the game. We've reached out to Deep Silver for comment. On January 1, Australia passed the much-lobbied-for law permitting games for audiences over the age of 15 to be bought in the country, these games carrying a R18+ rating. Many games have since earned the rating, including Ninja Gaiden 3 and Dead Island: Riptide, but in June Saints Row 4 became the first game to be refused classification since the law's introduction. It was soon followed by XBLA hit State of Decay, although unlike Saints Row 4 that game has since been rated R18+.
Spicy Horse's Oz game is OZombie: 'If I only had some brainsss'
Spicy Horse's Oz game combines the undead with "an Oz not of our remembering" – it's called OZombie, and it stars Dorothy, Toto, the Lion and the Tin Woodsman. The Scarecrow, who always wanted brains, is cast as the villain in this iteration, and instead of carrying around a basket, Dorothy gets a repeater. Spicy Horse is unsure which game it will make next, OZombie or Alice: Otherlands, and it all depends on whether the studio can regain the Alice rights from EA. If Spicy Horse and EA work out a good deal, then Alice it is. If not, OZombie gets the green light and probably a Kickstarter. "Actually, the more I think about it – and the more I see/hear feedback from you guys – the more I'm personally leaning towards Oz," Spicy Horse founder American McGee writes on the OZombie Facebook page. "There's so much fun stuff to explore, so many interesting characters and locations to discover. Wonderland will also be there, if not today, if not the next project, then perhaps the one after that?" Keep in mind (and mind your brains) that OZombie is entirely separate from American McGee's Oz, the game Atari canceled in 2004.
American McGee's Spicy Horse working on a shiny new Oz game
Spicy Horse, the studio founded by Alice creator American McGee in 2007, is working on a game based on The Wizard of Oz – but it's not American McGee's Oz, the game that was canceled in 2004 when publisher Atari pulled funding. "This is not, in any way, shape or form, the title from 2004," Spicy Horse Community Manager Kelly Heckman tells Joystiq. The new Oz game is still in its early stages, and Spicy Horse has yet to decide which genre it will be – strategy, puzzler, platformer, action, FPS – though the studio has a few ideas. The game will be cross-platform between tablets and PC, Mac and Linux, and while Spicy Horse likes the idea of a physical product, it has no concrete plans in that regard. "It will be based on the entire Oz series – almost all 14 titles – so expect to see unique things not seen in previous incarnations," Heckman says. As legend has it, nearly a decade ago McGee began crafting a Wizard of Oz game, but Atari canceled it in 2004, after producing a handful of action figures and concept art. McGee went on to found Spicy Horse and partnered with EA to launch Alice: Madness Returns in 2011. Spicy Horse is currently in talks with EA to retrieve the Alice license, and it has plans for a third game in the series, Alice: Otherlands. Spicy Horse is working on two Kickstarters – one for Alice: Otherlands and one for Oz – but which project actually goes live will depend entirely on EA and how that Alice deal goes down, Heckman says. Yesterday on the Facebook page for Alice: Otherlands, one fan suggested that if Spicy Horse couldn't work out the Alice rights with EA, it should develop "that Oz title instead." Spicy Horse responded, "It's already in the works."
Temple Run 2 travels to the land of Oz
Disney and Imangi Studios are collaborating again with Temple Run: Oz, a mishmash of Temple Run 2 and the coming film Oz the Great and Powerful. The two previously played nice on Temple Run: Brave.If you've played Temple Run 2 – and it would appear at least 50 million of you have – this latest version has the same running, jumping and sliding gameplay, but now with a yellow brick road.The gameplay isn't just confined to the wizard's inexhaustible stamina; there are sections where players will be tasked with guiding a hot-air balloon. Unlike Temple Run 2, which is free, this movie tie-in will set you back $1, but comes with 1500 coins of in-game currency.
Disney releases Temple Run Oz, another branded take on Imangi's hit
Just last week we were talking about Disney's potential for originality with a brand new Toy Story app, and now here the company is sticking like glue to some old habits. Disney has released a new app called Temple Run Oz, which, as you might imagine, is a mashup of Imangi's famous Temple Run game with Sam Raimi's upcoming Oz: The Great and Powerful movie. Temple Run: Brave (which combined the first Temple Run game with Pixar's Brave) is still available on the App Store, but this new version is much closer to all of the innovations spotted in Temple Run 2, which means it has curvy pathways, more powerups and various goals to go after and complete. It's not a bad game at all, actually, and like Temple Run Brave, Disney has added in some original gameplay, in addition to the Oz-based sounds, graphics and content. Instead of just dodging trees and cliff dropoffs, you also duck under flying monkeys, and you can jump in a big balloon to tilt your way through the air and collect coins. There are weekly challenges as well, and while the game isn't significantly different from Temple Run (you're still running, swiping and tilting), it does feel a little more substantial than just a reskinned game. The price is also interesting: It's available for US$0.99. That's a buck more than the free Temple Run 2 (which I'd recommend as the better game), though it's likely only for a certain launch period, as you get 99 cents worth of in-app currency when you buy the game. Temple Run Brave is still 99 cents as well, so maybe the price is part of the agreement between Imangi and Disney. Whatever the reason for the pricing, Disney saw a fairly big hit with Temple Run Brave, but it'll be interesting to see what the market is like with four different (!) versions of Temple Run now on the App Store.
Frontrow has arrived to let you take and share photos from YouTube livestreams
YouTube's been beefing up the tools for its users lately, adding an audio editor, stabilization and color correction tools, and even ways for live-streaming productions to empty our wallets. Now, an outfit from the land of Oz has created an application that uses YouTube's live-streaming capabilities to allow those watching to grab pictures of live-stream and share them. Called Frontrow, it'll make its debut streaming the Vivid LIVE music festival currently going on at the Sydney Opera House. The app doesn't just let you take simple snapshots, either, users can zoom in and out and apply image filters to grab that perfect image of Florence + the Machine while watching them via WiFi a world away. Hit the more coverage link and check the video after the break for more.
Apple's Australian Store discounts most things by around 10 percent, foreshadows Black Friday deals
Just like last year and the year before, Apple's kicking off its Black Friday sale in the land of Oz first. Australian Mac lovers can now buy the iMac, MacBook Pro and MacBook Air for A$121 less than their usual price, while the iPad and iPod touch dip down by A$51 apiece and the iPod nano is now A$25 cheaper. It's all for today only, but should also be followed by similar discounts in the US and Europe.
EB Games endorses R18+ rating in Australia
Australia isn't just dangerous because of its abundance of deadly, poisonous wildlife, it's also not a great place to live if you're an adult gamer. See, the country's maximum rating for video games has long been MA 15+, meaning that a mature game must either be censored down to what the country deems is suitable for a 15 year old individual or outright banned from release in the country. This forces many gamers to navigate the seedy streets and back alleys of the importing scene. Nasty stuff, believe us. But, there's hope. A new rating of R18+ has been a hot topic as of late. Recently, the government has been receptive to a change in the legislature, despite South Australian attorney general Michael Atkinson's vehement disapproval. The public is able to weigh in on the proposed change right now, but retailer EB Games has also decided to join the fight for more mature titles. And like anyone else trying to get something done on the internet, it's started a petition. The "Grow Up Australia & EB Games" petition pretty much mirrors the same form found on the Aussie government's site here, so if you're a bloke or sheila who has already voiced your opinions on the government site, there's no need to fill out this new EB Games questionnaire. If not, get on it. The deadline is February 28. [Via IGN]
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Apple's Black Friday deals hit Australia site, same as it ever was (update: US and UK too)
Apple Down Under™ has revealed its today-only holiday gift specials, and with most deals hovering between 5 and 10 percent off, it's nothing out of the ordinary for Cupertino's wares. Still, if you're shopping for a new iMac this season, seems like the perfect opportunity to fill up your virtual shopping cart. If history tells us anything, look for these deals to hit Apple's US syndicate sometime around tomorrow. Update: It's after midnight in the UK, and as logic dictates, the one-day sale is now in effect there, too. Update 2: And it's Stateside: same percentage discounts, different currency.
OFLC rating outs 'Ghost Recon: Predator'
Ubisoft's tentatively titled Ghost Recon 4 may just be "Ghost Recon: Predator" -- that is, if this OFLC classification is any indication. The classification itself is pretty barren, save for the title of the game, the fact that it's multiplatform and it's rated MA 15+. Still, given the title, it's a pretty safe bet that this will be a Ghost Recon game more in line with the roots of the series and not another Advanced Warfighter -- mostly because it doesn't have "Advanced Warfighter" in the title. Hopefully, Ubisoft will confirm sooner rather than later. We definitely encourage the company to do so, especially if it still hopes to get the game on shelves by March 2010. [Via VG247]
Off to see the Wizard? Netflix streaming the classic in HD today only
Just in case you haven't already grabbed the remastered Blu-ray, Netflix is streaming The Wizard of Oz today only (until 9 a.m EST. Sunday, October 4,) in HD for subscribers with the proper hardware to play it. Even those who haven't signed up yet can view it via PC, though with a few less pixels. We checked it out already via Xbox 360 and while it is remarkably clear -- and probably better looking than you've seen it in the past on VHS or dodgy OTA broadcast, it's still the same movie, though the difference becomes more dramatic once reaching the colorized land of Oz.
Blu-ray releases on September 28th 2009
You know we can't help it so here we go -- we're off to see the Wizard on Blu-ray this week as one of the all time classics is released in HD, but other than that there isn't much to get excited about. Sure if you like TV shows you might be interested in the latest seasons of The Unit or How I Met Your Mother and like usual there are plenty of other catalogs to help complete your collection, but most can keep waiting for the Summer blockbusters to open their wallets. The Wizard Of Oz (Warner) Superman Batman: Public Enemies (Warner) Away We Go (Universal) The Dark Crystal (Sony) Facing The Giants (Sony) Fireproof (Sony) Labyrinth (Sony) How I Met Your Mother: Season 4 (Fox) The Unit: Season 4 (Fox) Snakes on a Plane (New Line) The Texas Chainsaw Massacre (2003) (New Line) The Girlfriend Experience (Magnolia) Lies And Illusions (Anchor Bay) Management (Image) Monsters vs. Aliens (DreamWorks) Bad Boy Bubby (Blue Underground) The New York Ripper (Blue Underground) Screwballs (Severin) Eagles Over London (Severin) Streets Of Blood (Anchor Bay) The Universe: The Complete Season Three (A&E) Henry: Portrait Of A Serial Killer (Dark Sky) Yellowstone: Battle For Life (BBC)
Australia to receive several 250GB PS3 bundles
Aussie reader, if you've been salivating over the prospect of owning a 250GB PS3 Slim, know your day is coming. SCE Australia has confirmed the console is headed down under and will be bundled with one of the following titles: Uncharted 2: Among Thieves Ratchet & Clank: A Crack in Time Singstar Motown EyePet The bundles will go on sale starting October 15 and retail for $599.95RRP, coinciding with the release date of Uncharted 2. Perfect timing! You're going to need every last one of those gigglebytes to store the countless Machinima fan fictions you've already concocted in your head.[Thanks, Adrian]
Netflix taking everyone to Oz for free via streaming, subscribers go in HD
As if we weren't already hyped that The Wizard of Oz is returning to theaters in celebration of its Blu-ray release, Netflix is putting a little something extra -- and free -- on it. Anyone in the U.S. will be able to stream the classic online via PC (trailer embedded after the break) at Netflix.com/wizardofoz from 9 a.m. October 3 for 24 hours, while subscribers can pull the stream down in high definition on any compatible device. No interruptions, no cost, no hassle. Prefer the group watch experience with an actual physical group of people? The company is also putting on a free concert and outdoor showing in NYC's Central Park September 29. With the options of on disc, streaming, in a theater or even outside it's hard to think of more ways to see a movie than this one, which would you pick?
The Wizard of Oz HD comes back to theaters September 23
Ahead of its remastered 70th Anniversary Blu-ray release, The Wizard of Oz is returning to the big screen in high definition. September 23 at 7 p.m. over 400 theaters will be showing the remastered version for the first time, plus the "To Oz! The Making of a Classic" featurette. If you go, take someone who thinks old films can't benefit from high definition.
DS more popular than Paul Hogan in Australia
Okay, so DS hasn't really bested Paul Hogan's popularity -- as the man is an Australian legend -- but it is the fastest-selling piece of gaming hardware ever down under. Edge reports the DS, DS Lite and DSi have pulled together to sell two million units in a span of 221 weeks, the fastest any platform has managed to reach that coveted two-million milestone. Nintendo of Australia boasts that the DS has been the number one console in Australia for three years. That's just ... wow.
Gears of War Xbox 360 bundle heads down under
Microsoft is sending a special Gears of War Xbox 360 bundle (depicted above) to our friends in Australia. Included in the bundle are copies of the original Gears of War and Gears of War 2. Sadly, the console itself isn't as special as the box it comes in, for it's of the plain white Pro variety.The new bundle will hit Aussie store shelves on June 4 and retail for $449 AU.[Thanks, Josh]
House of the Dead: Overkill stirs up trouble down under
We all know how much swearing there is in House of the Dead: Overkill. There's a world record-setting amount. For some reason, though, the game has no warning about said language in its Australian classification of "MA15+ Strong Horror Violence" -- and some people are understandably upset. Do the people responsible for classifying games down under even play them?Pro Family Perspective director, Angela Conway, is leading the charge against Sega's game, calling for research into the impact of violent video games on players. She says players will be affected by the amount of "sexually aggressive violence and aggressively violent language" found in the game. Wait, what? We think she got her adjectives mixed up. Shouldn't it be sexually aggressive language and aggressively violent violence? That doesn't sound right either ...Source - House of the Dead: Overkill lacks language warningSource - Australian watchdog group protests House of the Dead: Overkill rating%Gallery-29952%
Aussie soldiers abroad receive surprise visitor, free Wii
Some Australian soldiers in Afghanistan received a very welcome gift recently. Handed over by Governor-General Quentin Bryce, the Wii is, we assume, the talk of the barracks. In supporting her troops abroad, the Governor-General arrived to shake hands, offer well wishes, and get a game or two of Wii Sports: Bowling in with the now less-bored troops. Okay, we lied about that last part, but sue us if we like to daydream about politicians playing Wii.[Via Kotaku]
