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Scratch: The Ultimate DJ's development turned to new studio
With most of its legal issues over, Scratch: The Ultimate DJ is ready for a comeback next year under developer Commotion Interactive. The game was previously being created by Activision's 7 Studios, but after a very messy legal entanglement, Scratch DJ Game, LLC -- a joint venture between Numark Industries and Genius Products -- was given the Scratch source code and tools under court order to proceed with development.Commotion's job now is to get the game out for Xbox 360 and PS3 by "early 2010." A representative for Numark informed us that the Scratch Deck peripheral will remain the same, but couldn't confirm whether it would be compatible with DJ Hero. We've also been told the game has taken a slightly different (visual) artistic direction and that new screenshots should be available in the coming weeks.We were also curious about the music selection and licensing in Scratch. MTV Games is the licensing muscle for Harmonix's Rock Band, while Activision has gotten good at licensing with Guitar Hero. Who is Scratch adding to its roster? "Our team is doing a great job of handling the music licensing," the representative said. "We already have agreements with; Kanye West, Run DMC, Outkast and others, with more announcements to come."With DJ Hero set for this year under the mighty marketing banner of Activision, Scratch will definitely need that special magic to make a commotion upon release.
Scratch: The Ultimate DJ hands-on
For the past few years E3 has been a tale of two guitar games. In a lot of ways it still is, with the Guitar Hero and Rock Band clans still battling it out for plastic instrument supremacy, but this year two turntable games are also vying for your attention. DJ Hero has far more brand recognition on the box, but Scratch: the Ultimate DJ has the better hardware, and we got our hands on it.
Scratch: The Ultimate DJ shows off its ultimate deck
Click to embiggen Scratch: The Ultimate DJ is ready to reveal the plastic peripheral that'll take up your precious living room real estate. The Numark-designed deck will certainly keep wannabe game DJs quibbling whether it's better than DJ Hero's deck.The Numark deck features a free-spinning, touch sensitive turntable (uh, the thing on the left in the photo) and a crossfader with 5 Akai Pro MPC-style drum pads, allowing players to trigger samples -- you know, just like real DJs. Players can use one of the 60 samples shipping with the game or "record and upload their own ... using a compatible USB microphone." Oh, and don't worry, lefties, the deck is flippable.We'll be certain to give our hands-on scratch impressions next week at E3, where the unit will be available.%Gallery-64264%
Scratch: The Ultimate DJ controller spins into life
We've already gotten a couple of glimpses of DJ Hero's turntable / mixer controller, and now it's time for Scratch: The Ultimate DJ and its Numark-designed deck to steal the spotlight for a song or two. The setup pretty much mirrors the on-screen interface we saw in the initial screenshot, with the free-spinning, touch-sensitive turntable on your left and five Akai Pro MPC-style drum pad triggers next to the cross-fader to the right. According to the press release, you'll actually be able to upload your own samples using a compatible USB mic if none of the pre-loaded jams get you going -- and not to worry southpaw scratchers, you can rotate the mixer to the left if that's more comfortable. We'll have more of Scratch at next week's E3, but in the meantime, hit up the press release after the break for more deets.
Judge orders 7 Studios to release Scratch source code
The deeper we get into the legal entanglement of Scratch: The Ultimate DJ, the more positive we are that it's never, ever, ever going to be released. Ever. As such, our interest is starting to wane, but let's see if we can muster up the juice for another pass ... together. An LA Superior Court judge has ordered that the source code for the game must be given to Genius and Numark, the two companies that formed Scratch: The Ultimate DJ LLC. 7 Studios, now owned by Activision, must also hand over the tools and tech used to make the game.Scratch (the company) says it plans on finishing the game and continuing its pursuit of damages from Activision.
AR-enhanced vinyl disk lets you scratch sans turntable
If you find the idea of turntablism without the hardware intriguing, but last year's surface-based TRAKTOR Scratch DJ system was just a little too abstract for your tastes, here's a rather clever compromise from Cambridge-based designerTodd Vanderlin. Using a vinyl record equipped with an AR marker, he manipulates the music by moving in front of a video camera. It's also got the added bonus of being able to control the beat across a three-dimensional space, and if you're viewing it through the camera's feed, the middle marker's replaced by pre-set visuals. Direct your browser to after the break for a video demonstration.
BBC Watchdog gets to the bottom of Xbox 360 disc scratching
We've all known about a busted Xbox 360's ability to not only self-destruct, but to also trash any games you place into the console. Bumps, vibrations, or any kind of movement while a game is being played can bring about a quick death to that particular disc, and now the problem has reached the doorstep of BBC Watchdog, who decided to conduct some tests of their own.Taking a new Xbox 360 and one that had been known to cause the circular disc scratch, BBC Watchdog placed each console on a level surface with a vase of water next to it to help monitor movement. Then, the tests began, starting with small vibrations to simulate walking around the house. Both consoles passed, but when the strength of the vibrations was increased to the level of a book dropping on a table, the older Xbox 360 put a big ring on the disc inside of it, whereas the new unit performed swimmingly.As always, the emphasis is on keeping the Xbox 360 on a level, safe place when playing. We understand that hardware malfunctions can be a touchy subject, but throwing a tantrum with a disc in the tray might be a bad idea.
Scratch: The Ultimate DJ: The First Trailer
MTV Multiplayer recently got its hands on the first-ever trailer for the upcoming 7 Studios/Mix Master Mike supercollider project, Scratch: The Ultimate DJ. The video contains a little bit of everything -- some gameplay footage (multicolored buttons on a track), some of the featured contributing musicians (Black Eyed Peas, Beastie Boys and Kanye West) and a few of the characters with which you'll be spinning vinyl (horrendously disfigured urban stereotypes). You can check it out after the break, but only if you live in the US. MTV's embeddable video player absolutely hates foreigners.
Kanye, Run DMC and Beastie Boys headline Scratch: The Ultimate DJ
Dust off your oversized headphones and brush up on your DJ skills, because Genius Products and 7 Studios just announced that Scratch: The Ultimate DJ will release with a library of over sixty songs.The complete list of tracks has yet to be revealed, but songs from Kanye West, Beastie Boys and Run DMC are already set to appear on our digital turntables during Q2 2009, on both PS3 and Xbox 360 platforms. Maybe with a more mainstream catalog of music, Scratch can carve out a space in the DJ market. "Intergalactic" by Beastie Boys "Flashing Lights" by Kanye West "Let's Get it Started" by The Black Eyed Peas "Slacker" by Tech N9ne "Don't Sweat the Technique" by Eric B. and Rakim Other Songs From: Run DMC, The Gorillaz, Nelly and Deltron 3030
BlackBerry Storm vs. knife blade... Fight!
Some things are best tested by others. Say, for example, the guy who first drank from a cow's mammary organ or the equally daring person who took the point from the knife above to the display of his new BlackBerry Storm. In either case, the results are tasty. See for yourself in the video after the break.[Thanks, Mike]
Scratch offers Numark-controlled Guitar Hero for hip-hop heads
Are the blatant rockist tendencies of Guitar Hero and Rock Band ruining your enjoyment of those otherwise brilliant titles? Of course they are -- we noted your b-boy flava from two blocks away. But don't sweat it because Genius Products, 7 Studios and Quincy Jones III have your niche in their sights and will happily sell you Scratch: The Ultimate DJ when it hits the stores sometime in Spring 2009. With a game controller designed by Numark (known worldwide for its DJ controllers -- there's an example for you after the break), the game will be available for the Xbox 360 and PS3 and feature tracks by "many" (as yet unnamed) hip-hop artists. Trevor Drinkwater, President and CEO of Genius Products promises all and sundry "a cutting-edge game that captures the vital energy of hip-hop culture." And here we thought they were cynically jumping on the Guitar Hero bandwagon! We stand corrected.
'Scratch: The Ultimate DJ' announced, Numark & QD3 on board
7 Studios today made a move toward being the first studio to renew the turntable-based rhythm game, announcing partnerships with DJ equipment manufacturer Numark and hip-hop producer Quincy Jones III, along with Genius Products and Genco Interactive. Dubbed, Scratch: The Ultimate DJ, the game will be played using a turntable controller, the "Scratch Deck," designed by Numark, which promises to "allow players to re-imagine songs on the fly and add their own creativity" (no word on an MC counterpart -- or b-boy, for that matter). 7 Studios joins Activision and presumably any other company with half a brain (you listening, Konami?) as it vies for precious mindshare of the next potential gaming phenomenon.Scratch is scheduled for release on PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 next spring and features "distinctive urban environments" and "original recordings from the catalogs of many top urban artists." Are we sensing a theme here?%Gallery-33928%
Video: Camera-based concept turns any surface into a DJ deck
DJ MoCAP, master of time and white space, has developed a camera-based controller for the TRAKTOR Scratch DJ System. Just sketch the deck onto a piece of white paper and turn any high contrast surface into a mixing table. There seems to be a bit of latency but overall the system looks fairly responsive. Why? Why not, we say. Video demonstration after the break.[Thanks, Brian]
Art Lebedev lets loose Plastinkus scratch pad
Sure, you could whip out your iPhone or Nintendo DS and your app of choice for a little impromptu DJ session before dinner, or you could get yourself one (or two) of Art Lebedev's new Plastinkus scratch pads, which supposedly sound just like you're scratching the real thing. While that claim may be somewhat dubious, at about four bucks apiece they're certainly at least worth taking a chance on, and you can even get 'em in no less than forty different color combinations. Now, if we could only get our business cards printed on them.[Via Pocket-lint]
Tools of the trade: Scratch for SL
MIT Media Lab's Eric Rosenbaum has produced a wonderful little tool called Scratch for Second Life (S4SL). Available for Mac or Windows (but not Linux at present, alas) S4SL allows you to create scripts by assembling simple colorful shapes (a bit like plastic bricks). S4SL is based on MIT's Scratch, and allows you to put together some useful functionality very simply. S4SL isn't going to make you a star creator of scripts overnight, though -- anyone who knows Second Life's LSL scripting language and has a modicum of programming skill can do much more, but that's not the point here.
ProteinDS app enables DJ-style scratching on Nintendo's DS
Not like we haven't seen Nintendo's DS used as a music maker before, but this variant may be the most amazing to date. yarglaaaafr's ProteinDS application is currently in demo mode, but judging by the demonstrative video waiting after the break, it's remarkably solid as-is. C'mon, it's a tool that enables users to scratch up tunes via the handheld's built-in touchscreen -- how could Mario not approve?[Via BoingBoing]
MS offers free replacements for scratched Halo 3 discs
Well that was fast. Microsoft is already offering free replacement for Halo 3 discs scratched by shoddy limited edition packaging. Consumers who send in their damaged discs along with a disc replacement form by Dec. 31 will receive pristine new discs within two weeks, according to Xbox.com. The Halo 3 limited edition replacement waives the usual $20 fee charged to replace other scratched, Microsoft-published discs under a program started back in April."We have identified that there are some instances of blemishes on discs as a result of the packaging," Microsoft spokesman David Dennis told an AP reporter. "This is a small fraction of the total number of Halo 3 games shipped and sold, and is a limited production version of the game."In most cases reported so far the scratches appear to be cosmetic and don't impact regular functioning of the game. Still, premium edition purchasers can rightly expect an unblemished disc for their extra money and it's nice of Microsoft to recognize this. Then again, that two week wait could be a killer for gamers who have already waited so long for some Halo 3 action. Reminds us a bit of another time-consuming Microsoft problem.Read - Xbox disc replacement programRead - AP story on the problem
Consumer check: Halo 3 limited edition may have scratched discs
It may be worth opening up your limited edition Halo 3 case (with camera in hand) while in the store tonight and make sure the disc isn't scratched before walking out. Although it originally started as a NeoGaf post (pictured), GameDaily now reports that three of their own staff members also received scratched discs in the limited edition case. The issue apparently only pertains to the limited edition version of the game which retails for $70, allegedly the nub holding the discs in place isn't working properly and the discs are tossed around inside the case during transport.The standard edition and the legendary edition (the Master Chief head one) don't appear to be affected by this issue. All this means is that for those of you who ordered the limited edition, just make sure to check your discs before you leave the store. Please make sure to take deep breaths if your game disc is scratched, you'll hopefully be able to hand the defective product back immediately for a full refund. Remember, the key is to play the game, not obsess over the box it comes in. Focus on the priority.
Scratch teaches game programming, commenting etiquette
We here at Joystiq are big proponents of teaching via video games. That's why we were happy to stumble across Scratch, a super simple programming language created by researchers at MIT. Using an incredibly intuitive drag-and-drop interface, Scratch gives you all the tools you need to make simple interactive Java applets, complete with graphics and sound, without any advanced programming knowledge.How easy is it? To find out, we put together the simple program shown above. It took about an hour, and that's without even reading the FAQ or watching the handy instructional movies. In fact, the biggest time expenditure was coming up with comments that would actually be useful and helpful to our readers. Like we said, we're big proponents of teaching via video games.[Via The Tech Savvy Educator]
Ask PSP Fanboy: Volume 19
Every Saturday, PSP Fanboy will answer your burning questions. If you have a question for the team, send an e-mail to andrew @ pspfanboy.com with the subject "Ask PSP Fanboy." NOTE: We do NOT answer questions related to downloading illegal copies of games. Stop asking.Q: Does Andrew hand-select his emails for Ask PSP Fanboy?A: Yes. Some questions simply can't be answered, while others aren't worth answering at all.Q: How many people have installed custom firmware on their PSP systems?A: This is probably an impossible question to answer. There's no way of tracking all the PSP systems out there, nor is there a fair way of evaluating it. If we polled the PSP Fanboy community, it will be more likely that we'll have users of custom firmware -- but will a casual player even know about homebrew? Most likely not. The one thing we can say, however, is that custom firmware is becoming increasingly popular. A look at dark-alex.org's alexa stats reveals the incredible growing demand for custom firmware.
