Rabbits
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David Lynch's creepy web series 'Rabbits' is back online
David Lynch's unnerving web series 'Rabbits' is back online.
3DS update brings new Streetpass games, soft-selling rabbit
Ever dance with a rabbit who shilled new StreetPass diversions in the bright sunlight? No? Well, the latest 3DS update will fix that. Within the system's StreetPass Plaza dwells a white lagomorph with a penchant for salesmanship. After the anthropomorphic bunny describes each title and shows it off in the cutest and most Nintendo way possible, you can buy the quartet of new releases -- Mii Force, Flower Town, Warrior's Way and Monster Manor -- individually or as a discounted bundle. Each is $5 a pop, or with the package deal you can get all four for $15. The patch also brings another Puzzle Swap picture, Mii accessories purchasable with tickets earned from playing the new StreetPass games and new unlockable Mii hats. Nintendo says you can change your Mii's facial expression when StreetPassing with another user, too. Sure, Japanese and European owners got this a few weeks ago, but that shouldn't spoil the fun if you're in the US.
Scientists testing HUD contact lenses on rabbits, hope to bring augmented reality to your eyeballs
Scientists at Washington University are a step closer to bringing us all some sweet information displaying contact lenses. The team has been successfully testing prototype lenses on rabbits -- though there are some major caveats here. First, due to limits of circuitry, they can only display a single light-emitting diode at a time. Also, the scientists have yet to figure out a workable energy source -- at present, they need to be within centimeters of a wireless battery. The researchers have big plans, however, including the display of holographic images -- and, no doubt, information about which targets to destroy.
Ring in the new year with Final Fantasy XIV's Heavensturn
Considering Final Fantasy XI's longstanding tradition of celebrating nearly every holiday no matter how obscure, it should come as no surprise that Final Fantasy XIV is poised to carry on the tradition. The first holiday event is still taking place, but a new one will begin soon to celebrate the end of one year and the beginning of the next. Dubbed Heavensturn, the event is a chance for players to score another unique piece of equipment -- in this case, a hat that manages to combine the samurai aesthetic with a rabbit. Running from December 31st until January 17th, the event will function similarly to the ongoing Starlight Celebration, with characters obtaining festive items that may be used in crafting. The centerpiece is the Usagi Kabuto, which is exactly what it sounds like: a bunny hat for the lapine-conscious samurai. According the backstory, Heavensturn traditionally is a time of astrological significance, but the event has started getting a bit supplanted by the rabbit helms. Final Fantasy XIV players can take a look at the full backstory as well as the new crafting recipes for the event in the official dispatch.
The problem with 'exciting' starting zones
We love it when game designers make an observation that sometimes escapes us, like Dusty Monk's insightful post about the issue surrounding starting zones -- specifically in Cryptic Studio's last three games. His problem stems from the way in which the developer is responding to gamers' demands of a starting zone experience that doesn't involve a newly minted character thwacking sickly rabbits with a twig. It's an old -- almost passe -- gripe that was well founded back in the first half of the 00's. As many of you no doubt know, City of Villains, Champions Online and Star Trek Online tutorials all begin by inundating the character with chaotic immediacy, and information. Dusty's problem is the combination of these two elements. He posits that any sense of urgency is killed immediately upon the opening of a substantially novella-like text window. On the flip side of that problem, he contends that it's tough to learn a new system(s) while a Hollywoood blockbuster is taking place around you. And like any good person with an opinion, he's got a solution for the problem, too.
Happy Easter from TUAW
Today is Easter for those of you celebrating around the world, and what better way to celebrate than with Peeps? Specifically Peeps attending an Apple event -- these guys were made by Sarah Kohari and Erin Mastrangelo of Washington, and are part of the Washington Post's yearly Peeps diorama contest. This one is number 38, and they also made number 39 as well.We like it, obviously, especially the little Steve Jobs peep, as well as the iPeep nanos (in, apparently, all of the different colors Peeps come in). Happy Easter to everyone -- may you have candy and chocolate of all kinds (if that's what you're looking for today), and may all of your egg finding go well.
Two cute anime games for Japan
These two games are almost intolerably cute -- our internal cute-ometers are spinning out of control, having long since passed "awwww". The first, Yes! PreCure 5, is an isometric 2D action game from Bandai based on a magical girl anime. The premise of the anime involves, according to Wikipedia, a girl named Nozomi receiving a "Pinky Catch" from a pink butterfly, thus enabling her to transform into "Cure Dream", at which point she begins assembling a team of young girls as "Pretty Cure." Each member of Pretty Cure has her own special attacks, like "Mint Protection!" and "Cure Lemonade!" Hapi Hapi Clover is too cute to be the work of humans. We assume that some cuteness-making computer is working night and day churning out dangerous levels of cute, stopping only for Mallomars and hugs. The game is an adventure game with included minigames (an adorable Breakout-type game is shown in the link); the anime and manga seem to be about rabbits having cute adventures in the woods -- and learning.Read - Yes! PreCure 5Read - Hapi Hapi Clover
Sony releasing a herd of Play-Doh bunnies on NYC
Wait a second Sony; we are starting to get it. After you bounced thousands of colorful balls down the streets of San Fran and then plastered those apartment buildings with multi-colored paint, it is all starting to come together. You are trying to sell your Bravia LCDs based on their abundant color. So then after see those two commercials, it only makes logical sense that your next ad would feature hundreds of colorful Play-Duh bunnies, hopping down New York Cities streets. So once again Sony, you are stating that your TVs are colorful, right?[Via Sony BRAVIA advert Via TV AD Land]
Today's multiplying videos: Rabbids gameplay
The second Rayman Raving Rabbids is in production, and GameTrailers has posted a series of in-game clips from Ubisoft's gaming event. The Rabbids trailer and these clips seem to downplay Rayman even more than the first game. (Here's hoping the shipping version has little to do with the appendage-free mascot. Let Rayman thrive in the platformers; he doesn't add much to these mini-game buffets.)See gameplay clips of bunnies spitting carrots, playing baseball, rodeo riding, and serving food after the break.
Bunnies can't play with a DS Lite
While we can't say much about the quality of Rayman Raving Rabbids DS yet, we're more than happy to sing the praises of Ubisoft's marketing behind the recently-released platformer. The France-based company sent out three promotional images showing the game's villains, crazed and deranged rabbits, in various states of distress.They're not as cute as kittens playing with a Nintendo DS Lite, but not much else is. Head past the break for more artwork of the disaster-prone bunnies.
Rayman Raving Rabbids rumors debunked [update 1]
When a game like Rayman Raving Rabbids has this much hype, the rumors go flying. It turns into a he said, she said ordeal and 1up has put that to an end. For those of you thinking that this is strictly a platformer, you are wrong friend. This, as Nintendo cleared up, is a mini-game collection. As 1up tells us: The single-player story mode does feature Rayman running around in third-person along the lines of a platformer in places, but these places are limited to the game's overworld hub set in a gladiator arena. There is no "gameplay" connected to these scenes -- they simply involve moving Rayman from one challenge to another, without camera control, watching cinema sequences and earning prizes like costumes. Next, the rumor going around that the FPS mini-game has the player changing directions with the analog stick is false. The game automatically moves you and you aim with the Wiimote. Lastly, Rayman Raving Rabbids has not been moved to release in 2007. It is considered a launch title and looks like it will be one of the best (right after Zelda, of course). [Update: Fixed a typo.]
Raving Rabbids confirmed for DS
Crazy, crack-addict-like bunnies (er, rabbids) are threatening the world and our limbless hero, Rayman, is going to save our butts. He was originally only going to come to the rescue of those owning a Nintendo Wii. Just in case a Wii can't be purchased (even though we know you all are going to get one, right?), Ubisoft has announced that Rayman Raving Rabbids (try saying that five times fast) will also be available on the Nintendo DS. This also makes us question how Raving Rabbids will work on the DS. Stylus punching furry tails action? Or just plain 'ol directional pad plus ABXY?
