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World Rally Championship racing coming to Discovery HD Theater
It's been far too long since we've had new programming to mention on Discovery HD Theater, and far too long since World Rally Championship action has been broadcast in the U.S., so it's good to hear that the two are coming together this October. Expect weekly coverage from every round in the championship in 1080i and 5.1 surround of 4WD turbocharged vehicles rocketing down narrow off road routes plus "a range of other content." Those familiar with the series can attest to the beautiful locales WRC finds itself in, and should look great on our HDTVs this fall. That brings nearly ever racing series into high definition, except For 1 notable exception.[Via Autoblog]
Codemasters signs Ken Block for DiRT 2
Taking up duties as the face of the DiRT franchise, popular rally driver Ken Block tells us why he wanted to be involved in Codemasters' racer in the video above. Taking inspiration from the late (and sorely missed) Colin McRae, the new kid on the block regales his story of getting involved in the sport of rally racing and how he hopes to fill the gigantic shoes left behind. The video isn't all sitting around and talking, however, as it also shows Ken's influence in the sequel, with some brief snippets of gameplay. Expect plenty of big air opportunities in DiRT 2, as is Ken's style.DiRT 2 is drifting toward a Fall release on the PS3, PSP, Xbox 360, Wii, ColecoVision, DS, Virtual Boy, and PC.%Gallery-45501%
Samsung resignations spark rioting, photo burning
Think you're a fanboy? Supporters of the Samsung Group gathered for a rally during a press conference held by Kim Yong-chul, a lawyer calling for punishments to be handed out to disgraced company CEO Lee Kun-hee. During the proceedings, supporters burned pictures of Kim and generally made Apple and Microsoft fanatics look like choir boys on especially good behavior. Now that's dedication.[Thanks, Dooder; Image courtesy AP Photo/Ahn Young-joon]
Microsoft, Onkyo collabo includes Windows Rally network technology, cross-licensing
We haven't heard much about Windows Rally since the first device was unveiled earlier this year, but it looks like Onkyo wants to join Microsoft's network connectivity movement. Microsoft demo'd streaming HD between different devices at the WinHEC 2007 (check the video after the break), and Rally should allow many different devices to communicate and configure each other (in theory, its like USB). We haven't seen any home theater hardware using this tech yet, but combined with a cross-licensing agreement just inked by both companies, Onkyo should likely have some Vista-ready receivers, players etc. on the way soon.
Breakfast Topic: Last word on Ron Paul in Azeroth
A little while back, we were the first news site on the 'net to report on the Ron Paul rally, and after it happened on Monday, our own Elizabeth Harper reported on the rally itself. And now, the rally has come full circle, and political tech news site techPresident has wrapped the whole thing up with a question about whether or not politics belongs in Azeroth in the first place.So this morning, let's wrap it for good: the majority of the comments I've seen say that political rallies like this don't belong in Azeroth at all. Players claim that they play the game to escape from the real world, and that they don't want to be confronted with real-life politics in a virtual world.But I, and others, maintain that this is not a complete fantasy world-- it's a world populated by real people who should be allowed to express their opinions. Sure, nobody wants to have an opinion forced on them (this kind of thing shouldn't fly on a roleplaying server, obviously), but the World of Warcraft is a big one-- if you couldn't go somewhere else on Whisperwind Monday night, you could sign on to a different realm. And if you make the choice to deny one expression of opinion, you have to deny them all.Any last thoughts? I suppose the final word on this actually came from Blizzard-- they did nothing to stop or endorse the rally, so clearly they're not against players simply expressing their opinions in game, political or otherwise. And there is good news for those of you who never want to see politics in Azeroth again-- the rally on Monday didn't exactly help Paul win in Iowa, so odds are none of the other candidates are going to be rolling a new alt.
Ron Paul's World of Warcraft rally
On New Year's day supporters of Republican presidential hopeful Ron Paul gathered on the Whisperwind (US) realm in World of Warcraft to march across Azeroth and show their support for their candidate of choice. The rally started outside Ironforge with approximately 240 players (with 400 members in their RP Revolution guild) and traveled to Stormwind, Westfall, Booty Bay, Ratchet, and finally Orgrimmar. And if you didn't make it, you can still experience the rally vicariously via our image gallery below (and if you did make it, feel free to send screenshots to us at aroundazeroth@wow.com!) or video above!To the best of our knowledge, this was the first political rally to be held in World of Warcraft -- and looking at their numbers it seems to have been a successful and upbeat gathering (or at least it was upbeat for the participants). Will this event help Ron Paul's chances in the election? It's hard to say until the votes are cast, but the uniqueness of the event is causing it to get a lot of media coverage. (And no press is bad press, so long as they spell your name properly, right?) Read on for impressions of the event.%Gallery-12524%
Microsoft announces Windows Rally network device framework, shows off first product
It's strange that we haven't heard a peep about this earlier, but apparently Microsoft's been working on a suite of bundled network discovery and configuration tools called Windows Rally, designed to ease ODM development of network devices and make them as easy to use as USB gear. Although things have been going down on the DL since April, today's the big coming-out party, and the crew in Redmond is celebrating with...the launch of VS-IPC1002 VGA webcam from China's Vimicro. Aimed at "China's fast-growing surveillance market," the standalone cam plugs directly into a 10/100 Ethernet network and uses Windows Rally to auto-configure itself and begin streaming 30fps video to a Vista PC. That doesn't sound like the sexiest thing in the world, but if it actually works as described, we might be seeing a lot of actually-interesting Rally-powered devices in the future.Update: Check out a video of Rally being demoed at WinHEC after the break -- thanks, Dan Z.
Ron Paul march in Azeroth
Here's video via Gamepolitics.com of the march that took place last night in Azeroth (a.k.a. the World of Warcraft) to support Ron Paul, a Republican candidate for the president of the United States. We originally reported on this topic over at WoW Insider (which, if I may say so, was one of the reasons so many people showed up), and we'll have more coverage of the march last night there soon.But while Gamepolitics gives a good man-on-the-scene writeup, they also avoid the real question here: does real-world politics belong in a world like Azeroth at all? No one questions it when politicians show up in Second Life-- in fact, the few Second Lifers I know take it as a badge of honor that their world is important enough to host those folks. And certainly there are places where politics don't belong-- on WoW's roleplaying servers, discussion of the real-world is a no-no.But let's not forget that we players aren't just avatars in a game- we're real people with opinions of our own to express, whether they be political or otherwise. Whether they should have or not (and many players on Whisperwind, where the rally took place, where extremely unhappy with the queues and congestion on their server last night), they expressed those opinons last night.Update: Looks like Paul also wins the presidential naming race.
Colin McRae Rally due out Friday
Ian of Feral Interactive kindly dropped us a note that Colin McRae Rally for the Mac has gotten a release date: this Friday, October 26th. I'm not sure if he's aware that he's got a little bit of competition that day (because, as we all know, Dan in Real Life is releasing on Friday, too-- what? Leopard?), but then again, maybe the big OS release will give a little boost to the latest rally racing game, PC editions of which have been reviewed pretty well so far.And if you don't trust reviews for other systems (probably a good idea), worry not-- we're told a demo is imminent, so you'll be able to try the game out for yourself. Find out more about the game itself over on the minisite. Apparently the game features more than 30 cars, 300 tracks in nine locations around the globe, and realistic physics and handling. Throw in a few muddy curves, and you've got a recipe for a fun Saturday night.On a sad note, the release was actually set for earlier this year, but was delayed due to the accidental death of the series' namesake. Very sorry to hear it-- fortunately, the legendary racer's legacy lives on in his memory and phenomenal racing career history.
The B[ack]log: Coming clean (about Dirt)
[The B[ack]log now returns from hiatus which, given the subject matter, is probably a bad thing.]A few weeks ago, I experienced my first proper gaming injury... and it wasn't at all how I imagined it would be. My fantasies of physical folly usually involve a mangled foot on a Dance Dance Revolution machine or a Wii remote lodged in an eye socket, bodily damage incurred from activities that largely require, you know, activity. I considered it a dubious achievement to have unlocked pain in a part of my body simply by sitting on a couch and fervently pushing buttons. How fragile my body is! Though the process of waking up is generally one I try to avoid -- it feels too much like being dragged through the dangling rubber strips at the top of an airport baggage claim -- I immediately knew that Monday morning was off to an even worse start than usual. The immobilizing lower back pain was the obvious clue, its origin being quite the mystery at first. Was I picking up refrigerators in my sleep? Did someone replace my mattress with a pile of rakes? Or did I really manage to hurt myself by playing Dirt non-stop for a weekend?
Breaking news: Racer Colin McRae dies in helicopter crash
[Update: Codemasters, publisher of the Colin McRae games, has issued an official statement.]A sad day for fans of racer Colin McRae on Saturday as news broke that he died in a helicopter crash. He was apparently piloting a chopper near his home in Lanarkshire when something went tragically wrong, and according to eyewitnesses it exploded in a fireball. It's not known who else was onboard with him, but some reports say his five year old son may have been aboard as well. McRae's five-year-old son was also killed in the crash.The official Colin McRae website is completely black as a sign of mourning, and our thoughts go out to his friends and family during this tragedy. The last video game bearing his name, Colin McRae: DiRT was released earlier this summer, and sold over 500k copies in its first week of release. Born in Lanark in 1968, McRae was the son of five-time British Rally Champion, Jimmy McRae. He was the first Briton to be named world champion when he won the event in the mid-1990s and was awarded an MBE by the Queen for his outstanding achievements.[Thanks to everyone who sent this in]
Get Dirt on your PS3 this September
Codemasters has announced that the PlayStation 3 version of gratuitously grimy off-road racer, Dirt, will skid into stores this September. Having already crushed several Xbox 360 controllers due to the sheer tension experienced when rapidly hurling a screeching hunk of metal through a tight corner, we're pleased to note that the Playstation 3 version will support sturdy racing wheels and force feedback functionality. Several PlayStation 2 peripherals, including the Logitech Driving Force range, are more than welcome at these rally events.One feature touted as being unique to the PlayStation 3 is 7.1 audio, bolstered by "third-order Ambisonic soundfields for the most realistic positioning." We're not sure what that is exactly, but it sounds like something we'd enjoy. There's no mention of Sixaxis motion support in the release, though shaking the controller violently would be an appropriate way of strangling Dirt's annoying co-driver. Take that, "Mr. Smooth!"
Sega Rally skids onto PSP this September
We never really understood what a "garally" was or why we had to say it, but our love for rapidly moving metal objects needs no explanation. Joining the previously announced PC, PS3 and Xbox 360 version on store shelves this September, Sega Rally for the PSP is described by Sega as a provider of "everything its predecessors laid out when defining the rally genre; amazing visuals, superb handling and closely fought competitive racing." And as any rally fan will tell you, the real competition comes in the form of dirt, dust and remorseless trees.In terms of human competition, the game will feature an infrastructure multiplayer mode along with Wi-Fi support. And for those worrying that Sega Rally might be a shoehorned PlayStation Port-able game, Sega assures us that it's been developed from scratch by Flatout's Bugbear Entertainment. Garally![Via PSP Fanboy]
New (dirty) SEGA Rally Revo screens
SEGA has finally lifted the veil on it's latest Rally installment SEGA Rally Revo by showing of a few in game screenshots. It looks good, it looks dirty, and looks heavy on the motion blur effects, but we're not sure how much more we're supposed to get from these screens. SEGA promises to re-energize the Rally franchise with dynamically breakable obstacles, bumper to bumper action, and a flurry of two and four wheel vehicles. Can it compete with Colin McRae: DIRT? We'll just have to wait and see this fall when SEGA's Rally Revo makes its dirty debut on the 360.
Colin McRae to kick up DIRT in June
Developer and Publisher Codemasters announced today that their new gen Rally racing game, Colin McRae: DIRT is on schedule for release towards the end of June. Filled to the brim with off-road, point-to-point, and Rally Cross events, with your standard set of 2WD, RWD, 4WD and Classic vehicles, you'll be well equipped to sling mud in the eyes of your opponents online. Complete with European, International and Global online championships, and a fancy new damage engine, this looks to be a promising summer for gearheads. Are you looking forward to powersliding through the mud to victory this June?
Colin McRae consumes DIRT in June
Of course, North American rally fans will want to read that as "DIRT consumes Colin McRae in June." Eurogamer reports that the Scottish speedster's first outing on those newfangled Xbox 360 and PS3 devices is currently slated for a June arrival. A Codemasters spokesperson relays that "everything's on track", though it would be wise to remember that in this sport, everything doesn't always stay that way. Regardless, Colin McRae: DIRT, or DIRT: Colin McRae Off-Road as it's vaguely known in the US, remains highly anticipated by those that prefer to race against an insidiously ticking clock as opposed to some playboy in a Ferrari.On a related note, we expect it was that very same playboy that said "no" (or "nay", if he's especially pretentious) to any chance of a Rallisport Challenge 3.
Next-gen Sega Rally: Damn good donuts
Two things I remember from my closed door look at the rebirth of Sega's famed arcade racer for PS3 and 360:1. Sega Driving Studio Director Guy Wilday's first and last name. It just rolls off the tongue. Guy Wilday. Guy Wilday.2. The dynamically deformable terrain will have you making more donuts than Krispy Kreme.
Sega Rally Revo coming to PS3
Sega's Road to E3 coverage has been steadily dropping information, the latest of which is an announcement that a sequel in the Sega Rally franchise will be heading to next-gen systems in 2007, most importantly to Sony's next-gen system. The press release reveals no screenshots or concept art for the title, instead aiming to paint pictures in your mind through illustrious use of the English language. Such language use includes: "With revolutionary dynamically deformable terrain, proprietary next-generation graphics, bone-jarringly realistic physics, and competitive bumper-to-bumper racing, SEGA RALLY REVO will set a new benchmark in its genre with a high-tempo driving experience that is every racing fan's driving fantasy." In regards toward the comments on dynamically deformable terrain, the release states: "[...]race course surfaces dynamically deform upon repeated contact with vehicle tires and changing weather effects. SEGA RALLY REVO features a variety of fully deformable surfaces, from gravel-littered tracks and smooth tarmac roads, to snow-covered mountain passes. This means no two laps will ever be the same, and drivers can skillfully lower their lap times as they hurtle their chosen world-renowned rally vehicles down photo-realistic courses only made possible on next-generation hardware."
Top Gear: Downforce announced for DS
Tantalus (you may remember them for Spongebob Squarepants: Yellow Avenger) and Kemco (you may remember them for, um, Batman: Dark Tomorrow) sent me a politely worded press release informing me of their intention to release Top Gear: Downforce for the Nintendo DS. Following the original Top Gear (N64) and the rally-themed GBA sequel (which was rather good), the game is set for release late in 2006 and will presumably involve fast cars going around a track. In other words, something completely different!"This time around we’re attempting something completely different," says Tantalus CEO Tom Crago. "We want to create a racing game that feels perfectly at home on the DS platform, something built from the ground up to exploit the cool features of the hardware." One of the features touted for this top-down, 3D racer is the ability to lay down road hazards via the touch screen, sure to annoy the people you're wirelessly playing against. The press release doesn't say anything about Nintendo Wi-Fi, but we'd expect no less from something exploiting the cool features of the hardware. The DS could definitely use some more racing games in its online garage.
