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Penny Arcade takes on Shadowrun's races
Penny Arcade's latest comic takes a rather humorous look at Shadowrun's races. In particular, the Troll, and the potential hazards that the RNA Corporation has to take into account when employing such a metahuman. In Tycho's post, he gives his take on the game's party system and gameplay and continues to support and recommend the title in spite of mediocre reviews. Either way, he reminds us that the demo is coming out tomorrow. Speaking of, are any of you still on the fence going to download the demo and give it a shot? We know that some of us here and Fanboy Towers made promises in regards to giving the demo the attention it deserves.
X3F H3 beta: Penny Arcade's two cents (Nyuk!)
Monday as well as today's Penny Arcade both feature Gabe and Tycho's thoughts on the Halo 3 Beta. The first comic dealt with their unexpected enjoyment of playing the beta and the adverse affects found therein. The second one takes a look at an X3F favorite, the Spartan Laser, and the hijinks that will inevitably occur upon acquisition. Tycho's news posts for both give insight into some of the highlights of the game to them. WAAACHOW!Read: The Third TimeRead: Jim BeamCheck out all the X3F Halo 3 beta coverage
Gabe plays Catan ... at least, we think it's Gabe
Friday's Penny Arcade pertained to last week's XBLA release Catan, starting off with the revelation of Gabe, of all people, sitting down to play a round. Obviously, that's slightly out of character, although it is revealed in the accompanying podcast that Mike actually has played the real life counterpart, and much to everyone's surprise, hated the game. Today's strip is a continuation of the storyline, but no longer relates to Catan anymore, for obvious reasons. We spent the better part of our weekend trading wool for ore, what about you? Expect a full X3F review on Catan to come later this week.
PA shows the less-than-sexy side of Live
So, earlier today we gave you a guide on how to be an A-hole, which is all good and weel. While, on the other hand, the guys over at Penny Arcade told their account of running into someone who was just downright creepy. To their credit, they did show a good idea on a feature that should be added to a future dash update when filing a complaint just doesn't cut. So, make the jump, have a laugh, and maybe shed a tear for those who run into people like this daily. That all being said, if this really weirded you out, don't worry, we got something lined up for you that'll brighten your day.
Penny Arcade on FBI 360 confiscation
Penny Arcade takes on the recent middle school shooting threat in Ohio this week. 360 Fanboy readers will recall that an Ohio middle school student, during a game on Xbox Live, told a California teen that he had plans to bring a gun to school. The California teen's father subsequently contacted the FBI. The middle schooler was later arrested and several items were confiscated from his home, including a pistol and his Xbox 360. Some find the claim that the 360 is "evidence" to be rather dubious, and that is the subject of today's comic. Oh, and in case you're wondering why the man on the right is devouring what appears to be a necktie, it is in fact Fruit by the Foot. Hit the "read" link to check out the comic.[Thanks, JohnHeist. Image credit: Penny-Arcade (obviously)]
Comcast to trial simultaneous release of DVD and films on demand
Hot the heels of Comcast's testing of TiVo comes an announcement sure to please couch-dwellers everywhere, as the firm unveils plans to release films on demand the very same day they're released on DVD. While it's no surprise to see Comcast digging deeper into the VOD closet, this plan (initially hitting Pittsburgh and Denver) hopes to seize a potential opportunity that's currently being wasted as movies hit the on-demand scenes approximately "30 to 45 days" after rolling out on DVD. Moreover, it seems that movie studios are more than willing to lend their support, as sagging DVD sales are reportedly being (at least somewhat) attributed to the skyrocketing popularity in not moving a single inch utilizing VOD. Of course, this newfangled approach could potentially hurt firms like Blockbuster, but representatives have purportedly said that studios would be "extra cautious" not to cannibalize sales in the rental and retail industries. It wouldn't be too shocking to see VOD purchases head north if flicks are released soon after their departure from theaters, but we're sure the DVD aficionados will keep piling up those collections no matter what.[Via Digg]
Cellphones enable PA system for the deaf
Typically, when we think of cellphones improving one's quality of life, we're speaking in terms of broadband data, big honkin' autofocus cams, and gobs of flash memory. Researchers in IBM's British facilities are looking at it a little differently, though, looking into how mobile devices might be used to help alert the deaf to PA announcements near their location -- something hearing folk take for granted in airport terminals, train stations, and sports venues, just to name a small few. Their LAMA system (Location Aware Messaging for Accessability) was originally designed with the hard of hearing in mind, but they're pointing out that it could come in handy for pretty much anyone: voice-based services to read signage to the blind, directions to various nearby places for the navigationally challenged, and so on. Better yet, the system may not be that far off, with European trials in train stations possibly coming before the year's out. No word on whether new handsets are required to take advantage of the system, but then again, we're always looking for an excuse to upgrade.[Via textually.org]
A look at Penny Arcade's ESRB ad campaign
Last week, the rascally duo from Penny Arcade announced their new ESRB ad campaign featuring Gabe-drawn characters and Tycho-penned backstories. The idea: to make gamers more aware of the ratings system in a hope that this knowledge will somehow be transferred -- through some kind of filial osmosis -- unto their guileless parents. ESRB president Patricia Vance gushes, "In order for the campaign to resonate with the gamer audience, we sought to have a little 'edge' to the creative and let's face it, Penny Arcade comics give a whole new meaning to the term 'comic mischief!'" Indeed. That's why we're hopeful a certain fruit-processing character assumes his rightful throne educating the masses on the finer points of M-rated behavior. In the meantime, we have Sarah here and the Andersons after the break representin' the letter E, with no mention of the additional characters in their press release (PDF).(Update: added new, higher-res screens that are -- get this -- actually legible. Thanks go to Gabe at PA for uploading them. I'll let him say it: "I was disappointed at the resolution of the images they released. Like I said everyone here is extremely proud of these ads and so I'll go ahead and post some better versions. These are designed to be read in a magazine. The idea is that kids will actually be turning the page around in order to read the text. It doesn't quite work as well with a monitor but you get the idea.")
Penny Arcade guys reveal all
Gabe and Tycho (that's Mike Krahulik and Jerry Holkins to you insiders), the brains behind (Weekly Webcomic Wrapup mainstays) Penny Arcade, get the third degree in Computer Gaming World's May issue. Don't have the mag, then check out the "Director's Cut" version at their website. So, what is revealed in this tell-all, gut-spilling, interview? They talk about their spat with Harlan Ellison ("... his audience there erupted and he glared at me like he wanted to choke me onstage."); their feud with Scott McCloud ("We're best friends. He came to my birthday party."); games they're playing ("... what I've been doing at night lately is playing Marble Blast Ultra."); their secret fantasies ("You had to punch guys until their clothes came off. Every time you'd punch them, like, their pants would fly off."); their Bioware module; their favorite comic ("They Hail From Canidon"); PAX ("We wanted to make a show where gamers could get the same kind of experience we got at E3."); and Child's Play.If this is the stuff that didn't make it into the magazine, that means the rest of the interview must have encompassed the sum total of their collective life experiences; a dump of their consciousness, ready and waiting for a post-human existence.
