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This is the Modem World: Why we fight
Each week Joshua Fruhlinger contributes This is the Modem World, a column dedicated to exploring the culture of consumer technology. I think I figured out why we love to argue about technology. It came to me via the wisdom of my mom, not surprisingly. It started last Sunday, when I was at her house to mooch some lunch while helping her get photos off of her digital camera and onto a sharing site so she could, ahem, share them. She was complaining that younger generations won't have photo albums, those lovely, physical relics of days gone by that mother and son can pore over and share memories. "But, we'll have Facebook Timelines," I replied, sheepishly. She glared. I glared back.
ThinkFlood WiFi remote for Android goes beta, but still requires iOS
ThinkFlood is best known for its universal remote control systems, but now it might become famous for something totally different: discovering a way to bring peace to the tiresome iOS/Android fanboy wars. Its new beta app for Android provides complete control over the company's RedEye and RedEye Pro products, which in the past were strictly iOS-only. In turn, a RedEye system allows a range of IR-equipped devices in a home to be controlled via WiFi -- so in principle you should now be able to control your home theater and other kit using your Android tablet or smartphone. But here's the twist: users of the beta app will need both an Android device and an iOS device in order to get full functionality, because the Android app can't yet handle configuration. The company insists this limitation will soon be fixed, but we say keep it. If all apps required us to own both platforms, things would be so much more harmonious. Full PR after the break. [Thanks, Martin]
The Soapbox: Game "journalism" is not journalism (yet)
Disclaimer: The Soapbox column is entirely the opinion of this week's writer and does not necessarily reflect the views of Massively as a whole. If you're afraid of opinions other than your own, you might want to skip this column. Hey folks, welcome back to the Soapbox. Before I get started, let me add a personal disclaimer onto the Massively disclaimer you just read: I don't hate game devs. On the contrary, I hold a couple of them in pretty high esteem. What does annoy me is the way that most of them get a free pass when it comes to tough questions. Another thing that sticks in my craw is the way readers sometimes confuse journalism with game journalism. The two aren't often the same thing, and in fact the latter term is a complete misnomer. So, when you throw together my disdain for PR-soaked reporting and my facepalming at any mention of the phrase "game journalism," you end up with this week's Soapbox. In it, I'd like to take a crack at educating the folks who erroneously refer to both me and other game bloggers as "journalists." To do so, I'll spend some time examining "game journalism," and I'll start by defining journalism itself. Then we can look at how applicable the term is to the current landscape of MMO-centric media (and really, game media in general). Merriam-Webster defines journalism as "the collection and editing of news for presentation through the media." So far, so good, right? Well, look deeper. A more thoughtful, thorough, and instructional definition is provided by the folks at Journalism.org. Rather than quote the entire nine-point synopsis here on my front page, I'll highlight what I consider to be the second most important principle of journalism (the first obviously being truth). Not coincidentally, this principle is one that game "journalism" utterly fails to uphold on a daily basis: "[Journalism's] practitioners must maintain an independence from those they cover."
Google fanboys egg the homes of those who opt out of being shown on Street View
You might have heard by now that some German folks didn't much fancy having their homes displayed on Google's Street View service and consequently opted to have their domiciles blurred out. Only trouble with their plan, it seems, was that they didn't account for some Google-loving zealots over in Essen, who were so outraged by the action that they ended up bombarding the offensively blurry homes with eggs and some eloquent signs. What did those placards have to say? "Google's cool." Pithy. A spokesperson from Mountain View has been quick to distance Google from the silly behavior, while also noting that it has been an isolated incident... so far, anyway. [Thanks, Milind]
The Soapbox: Episode II - A New Hype
Disclaimer: The Soapbox column is entirely the opinion of this week's writer and does not necessarily reflect that of Massively as a whole. If you're afraid of opinions other than your own, you might want to skip this column. Well golly, I think it's time for a bit of contrarian opinion regarding The Old Republic. I know, I know, I don't write about TOR aside from the occasional news post, but here is one of the many joys of Massively (and more specifically, the Soapbox). We all play a lot of games and have pretty strong opinions about them regardless of whether or not they're our bread and butter. So, while my day job consists of covering sword and sorcery titles for our fine website, it's hard to get away from the oncoming repulsorlift hype train that is The Old Republic. Several months back, I wrote a Daily Grind in which I basically said that all the hoopla surrounding the game was getting tiresome. Predictably, crucifixion by comments ensued, all for daring to question the supremacy of both BioWare and Star Wars. The fact that a minority opinion generated so much rancor (yeah, I went there) got me to thinking about TOR, BioWare, and the unrestrained optimism that often characterizes MMO fandom in general. On a purely personal level, my fire has gone out of the Star Wars universe, the fandom is all but extinct, a couple of posters and a model X-Wing are all that's left of my former religion. Can BioWare rekindle that fire? Do I even want it to? Make point five past the lightspeed jump for more.
Xbox contest searching for Canada's biggest Halo fan
Over the next week, Xbox Canada is searching for the biggest Halo fan across the Great White North. In order to enter the contest, fans must submit an image proving their Halo devotion to Xbox Canada's official Facebook fan page. The ultimate Canadian Halo fan will score a trip for two to the Halo 3: ODST launch party being held later this month in Toronto, Ontario.Now, to clarify any confusion -- the contest isn't looking for the "paunchiest" Halo fan, but someone who can prove (via image) that they outshine all other Canadians as the most dedicated UNSC fanboy across the nation. If the winner also happens to be "portly," it's just one of those win-win situations. [Image via Jason S on Flickr]
The Joystiq Network (except us) picks its GOTYs
While we at Joystiq like to be fashionably on time with our Game of the Year picks, our network of sites has already named some winners, and in case you've missed them: PS3 Fanboy Awards, now with one PSP category! More importantly, though, we've learned the staff is very good at making PSP and PS3 predictions. The Nintendo Fanboys couldn't play favorites, so they just chose their ten favorites for both Wii and DS and decided to put them in no certain order. The crew at X3F couldn't come to a consensus, either, so they did individual picks (Richard, Xav, Dustin) in addition to letting the readers choose for themselves. On the PC side of things, here's BigDownload and Massively's picks for the best of ought-eight. ... Oh, you want to see our GOTYs? Sorry, but you'll have to wait until tomorrow.
Top 5: Statements That Will Get You Punched in the Face By a Nintendo Fanboy
var digg_url = 'http://digg.com/nintendo/5_Statements_That_Will_Get_You_Punched_By_a_Nintendo_Fanboy'; "To each their own." It's a simple rule that, if universally followed, could result in world peace. On the other hand, if people didn't go online to bitch at each other about video games, then many bloggers would be collecting unemployment. I can't speak for every other hobby that exists, but I imagine that fly-fishing and glass-blowing message boards are considerably more pleasant than gaming forums. So as it is, the gaming world is chock full of debate. Hrmm, scratch that. The word "debate" conjures impressions of two well-groomed individuals standing behind podiums and taking turns eloquently addressing issues presented to them by a moderator. For every one of these moments, you get a couple thousand boring ones. But when the forum is switched to the Internet, the dialogue transforms into a partisan torrent of vitriol. While political campaigning may be viewed as a chess match between experts, an appropriate metaphor for gaming and Internet debate in general can be found in the gigantic brawl at the end of 1977's Slap Shot. In particular, Nintendo fanboys seem to simultaneously be a large source of and recipients to such slander. Perhaps it's due to Nintendo's extensive gaming history (especially when compared to Sony and Microsoft). Similarly, many of these Fanboys grew up with Nintendo, with the NES and SNES occasionally acting as a babysitter. For some, an attack on Nintendo is equal to or worse than an attack on one's family. To such individuals, I say take it easy. I'm certainly not above the label of "Nintendo Fanboy" (look at the name of this site for crying out loud), but I do try my best to apply sound reason and understanding to such hostility. I now present to you a look at 5 common weapons used in battle against Nintendo, an analysis of each argument, and how best a supporter of Nintendo should respond. NEXT >> #ninbutton { border-style: solid; border-color: #000; border-width: 2px; background-color: #BBB; color: #000; text-decoration: none; width: 100px; text-align: center; padding: 2px 2px 2px 2px; margin: 2px 2px 2px 2px; } .buttontext { color: #000; text-decoration: none; font: bold 14pt Helvetica; } #ninbutton:hover { text-decoration: none; color: #BBB; background-color: #000; } The Top 5 is a weekly feature that provides us with a forum to share our opinions on various aspects of the video game culture, and provides you with a forum to tell us how wrong we are. To further voice your opinions, submit a vote in the Wii Fanboy Poll, and take part in the daily discussions of Wii Warm Up.
MTV & NY Comic Con looking for 'true fanboy,' could be you
We know Sony PlayStation fanboys/fangirls are the most hardcore followers out of all the console factions. So, when we caught whiff that MTV is looking for a real-life, honest-to-God, genuine, pure-bred "fanboy," well we thought that someone in the crowd of our readers could be -- dare we say it -- that ultimate fanboy (or girl) they're looking for. The New York Comic Con 2009 is working closely with MTV to find that special someone to do a segment for the network's True Life television documentary series. Those of you looking at joining the casting call must be aged 16-28 and identify with: cosplaying, waiting at midnight launches, getting gaming-related tattoos and/or others. Check out the sign-up sheet here for more details.[via press release]
Readers pick best webcomic: The Unhorse
By a rather large margin, Penny Arcade's "The Unhorse" took the top spot in this week's webcomic wrapup. And we're sure all those voters were rooting for the horse, right? Right?Second and third places go to Fanboys and Digital Unrest, respectively. Thanks to everyone who voted, and be sure to let us know of any game-related webcomics you stumble upon this week!
Weekly Webcomic Wrapup is offended
We're offended by the above joke. We tend to look up bunnies all the time, at odd moments, but we do not have A.D.D. Here are our picks for the week's best game-related webcomics; voting after the break. The Unhorse (Penny Arcade) I just wanted to play it again... (Extra Life) Fwooosh! (Awkward Zombie c/o VG Cats) Wii Fit Training (Monday Night Crew) Wii Quit (2P Start) Historical Landmark (Digital Unrest) Knock Before Entering (Fanboys)
Readers pick best webcomic: Lego my statue
Tim Harding has redeemed his score change. His one-half contribution to 2P Start's "Lego my statue" strip this week one-half earned him one-half of the award for the week's best game-related webcomic. Second and third place go to Fanboys Online – from a week prior but we tragically missed it – and XKCD, respectively. Thanks to everyone who voted, and be sure to let us know of any game-related webcomic you stumble upon this week!
Zero Punctuation reviews fanboys
Apparently Yahtzee found the fanboy uproar over his Super Smash Bros. Brawl review so irritating that this week's Zero Punctuation is dedicated to reviewing the unpaid console defenders out there. Yahtzee finds his rage again this week and lashes out in a way that many professionals who make their living off the internet wish they could. Not us, of course, we're too heavily medicated and just allow the sea of hate to wash over us in waves of brilliant pinks and purples. Numbness is the first step to professional happiness on the internetz.Find Yahtzee's NSFW love-letter to fanboys after the break.
Ultimate PS3 fanboy goes cyborg ... not really
As incredibly bizarre as this is, we couldn't resist posting it. Kotaku reader Jonathan sent in a picture of himself to the site; apparently, he soldered the controller pieces into his flesh had a little fun playing PlayStation cyborg. Don't we all do this when we come home after a long day? Oh, you don't? Oh... whoops, said too much.Anyway, it's good to know that a functioning DualShock controller was not harmed in the making of his photo; good thing it was already broken before being disassembled. Now what we want to know is: are there any more PlayStation cyborgs out there? Well, if so, you should unite and conquer the world ... as suggested in this song (contains some explicit lyrics).
Readers pick best webcomic: To Catch a Predator
Sure, the BioShock edition of the webcomic wrapup was last week, but that didn't stop voters making ADAM-fueled decisions in their artistic preferences this week. At the top of the splicer heap, we have Penny Arcade's "To Catch a Predator: Rapture Edition"Second place goes to Fanboys and Ctrl+Alt+Del takes third. Thanks to everyone who voted and be sure to let us know of any game-related webcomics you stumble upon this week!
Weekly Webcomic Wrapup: expected response edition
We tend to exclude webcomics that reference in the wrapup -- issues of bias and all. However, sometimes a person can manage to incorporate Joystiq and humor in the same comic strip. Sometimes. Enter Fanboys Online. We won't include it in the wrapup, but we recommend checking it out.Here are our picks for the week's best game-related webcomic. Be sure to vote for your favorite! Necessarily evil Guitar Warrior III Our helpful guide Mass Erect Rise above Rare candy Stop the presses! Marathon estomac Halo 2 is for lovers
Readers pick best webcomic: Fictitious Pulp
Poor Fanboys Online. First it writes a brilliant satire of current video game events coupled with the film Pulp Fiction. Then it gets neglected in the first week of Webcomic Wrapup eligibility. Then when we try to add it to the polls, the Fanboys website goes down! Thanks to the readers, and especially Tim from 2P Start, we managed to get the comic up and to the masses (it later resurfaced), and Fictitious Pulp ended up being crowned the week's most popular webcomic.Second place went to Ninja Ken (direct link) and third to RPG-TV. Don't expect the next installment until Sunday while we spend Saturday recovering from E3. Thanks to everyone who voted, and be sure to let us know of any game-related webcomics you stumble upon this week!
Readers pick best webcomic: old rivalries
Mario and Sonic team up, so it's time to draw some old blood. For predicting future issues of Sonic and Mario Olympics -- specifically for the final scene in the comic, as cited by many readers -- Fanboys Online earns the rather dubious honor of webcomic of the week.Second place goes to Penny Arcade's look into the shady underbelly of GameStop and third place was nabbed by the recently-returned Press Start to Play. Thanks to everyone who voted and be sure to let us know of any game-related webcomics you stumble upon this week!
Readers pick best webcomic, now with Google
In the event of a tie, the supreme dictator has the right to choose which comic he deems most worthy, and therefore I am deigning the rare victor Fanboys Online the best webcomic of the week over the often favorite VG Cats (Sorry, Scott 1, but Scott 2 doesn't nearly get the same amount of recognition.) Third place goes to Dueling Analogs' clever mashup of some of our favorite games.Last week's list was over-indulgent, and we intend to purge it of its gluttonous weight and trim according to quality. We have a better idea of what the readers enjoy, but we will ultimately leave the selection up to supreme dictators (read: us). We promise to always showcase the little guys as much as possible, so as not to become a perpetual fistfight amongst the top 5 gaming comics.With that said, thanks to everyone who voted and be sure to let us know of any game-related comics you stumble upon this week!
Readers pick best webcomic and hate Mario Party
I know what at least three of you are saying out there: "how can you hate Mario Party? It's so fun and non-repetitive and I own all seven versions!" Well calm down there, skipper, because not everyone thinks video board games are the greatest thing since non-video board games.Julian's hands-on with Mario Party 8 sent Penny Arcade's Gabe into a frenzy and subsequently became the most popular gaming comic this week. Second place went to Fanboys Online and third place was claimed by Qwantz, even though we mistakenly linked to the picture and not the comic / news page (thanks, karmaghost). Be sure to congratulate Qwantz artist Ryan North, as his comic turned four years old as of February 1st!Thanks to everyone who voted, and be sure to let us know of any game-related webcomics you stumble upon this week!
