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Joystiq hands-on: Scarface not so meh
Going into today's meeting with Vivendi, my expectations on what Scarface -- which ships either in September or October for the PlayStation 2, Xbox and PC -- would be like were pretty low. I knew the basics of the game and had seen a trailer here and there, but assumed it would be just another paltry Grand Theft Auto clone/crappy movie license game. Lucky for Mr. Tony Montana, I was dead wrong. Still in its pre-beta form, but light years away from what it looked like at E3, the game is actually progressing nicely with solid controls and other elements to make any Scarface fan weep at the sight of its unbridled violence. Since most open-world third-person games claim to be different or improve upon the GTA formula, Scarface actually backs up its similar claim with a mix of what worked for GTA and betters what didn't. Check after the break for the full breakdown on a game that is surprisingly not as awful as you might expect.
Automator Action Packs galore
In my newsreader today I saw an 'iPhoto Action Pack' from Automator World that adds a handy action for workflows involving iPhoto: "Find iPhoto Item Path". While debating whether that was TUAW-worthy, my newsreader became bombarded with more headlines like System Action Pack, TextEdit Action Pack, Preview Action Pack... until I finally decided to post a roundup to cover them all in one fell swoop. So here you go kids, a whole batch of Automator Actions that add some missing abilities to everyone's favorite (or the only?) OS automation utiliity: System Action Pack iPhoto Action Pack Filemaker Pro Action Pack TextEdit Action Pack QuarkXPress Action Pack Preview Action Pack Photoshop Action Pack InDesign Action Pack These actions, to my knowledge, are provided free from Automated Workflows, LLC.[UPDATE: Automator World's admin stopped by to let us know that some of these action packs are actually demos of retail versions of these products offered by Automated Workflows, LLC.]
Yojimbo plugin for Quicksilver (or: My heart just skipped a beat)
I need to make more of a habit of rooting around in Quicksilver's plugin pane, as I almost always find stellar new tools each and every time I open it. This time around I stumbled on a Yojimbo plugin for Quicksilver that seems to do a better job of adding items to the Yojimbo database than the bookmarklets that BareBones added themselves in the latest 1.2 update. Tim Gaden at Hawk Wings agrees, and he even beat me to the punch with a post that elaborates how this plugin works, complete with screenshot goodness. Be sure to check it out for a needed tip on turning this operating into a Quicksilver Trigger.After tinkering with this plugin, I am even happier that I uninstalled StickyBrain. The beauty of these actions is that, when adding or archiving a webpage to Yojimbo, this plugin doesn't force Yojimbo to the front, taking the focus away from whatever else you were doing. I don't know how these Quicksilver ninja developers managed to pull this off, as this is one of the main advantages over those new bookmarklets I mentioned.I hope I speak for many users of Quicksilver and Yojimbo when I say: thank you, Quicksilver ninjas.
WidgetKiller: stop Dashboard dead in its tracks
WidgetKiller, as its oh-so-deceptive name might betray, is a simple Automator action with one purpose in life: turning on and off Dashboard. If you've been counting every bit and megabyte of RAM that your widgets quietly eat up, this action is for you.WidgetKiller is free and available from Apple's Dashboard downloads section.
Photoshop Automator Action Pack 2.2
Ben Long has released a v2.2 update to his most excellent set of Photoshop Automator Actions, a collection of over 70 workflow-enhancing actions for automating everything from switching color modes to cropping images and even archiving them to a disc. New in v2.2 is Intel Mac compatibility (some actions simply wouldn't work) and two new actions - Filter by File Type and Assign Custom Profile. Of course, there are the obligatory bug fixes and enhancements, so check out Ben's announcement post for details on this excellent action pack, and scroll down quite for details of this specific v2.2 release.Photoshop Automator Actions are donationware and available from Ben Long at Complete Digital Photography.
Scarface babe roster announced
Say hello to Tony Montana's new friends. Meagan Good, Vida Guerra, Jillian Barberie, Amanda Righetti, and Diora Baird (not pictured) have been added to the voice cast of Vivendi's Scarface: The World is Yours. And while these lovely ladies are easier on the eyes than a coked-out Michelle Pfeiffer, or Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio with an afro, we'll only get to hear their pretty little voices -- no 3D likenesses are mentioned in the VU press release. Each femme fatale will help Tony gain respect as he fights to rebuild his criminal empire in 1980s Miami. Scarface will be released this Fall, bubble bath not included. [via TeamXbox]
John Woo's Stranglehold hands-on
Take the gun out of your mouth folks. John Woo's Stranglehold looks like more than just a shot-to-sh-t cash-in on the Hong Kong action auteur's single-syllable last name. Senior Game Designer Patrick Curry (a loyal Joystiq reader) pulled me out of the crowd for a little quality time with Midway's homage to Woo's bullet ballets and I came away impressed. This 360 game is from the same team that did Psi-Ops: Mindgate Conspiracy, an awesome Xbox title that was on everybody's "best game that no one played" list. After commiserating with the staff over the inexplicable disappointing sales of that game, I picked up the controller to try out its "spiritual" next-gen sequel. Stranglehold plays like Max Payne with, better graphics, more style and more ridiculously cool slow-mo moves. Midway's pitch focused on the destructable environment, which allowed me to blow up everything from wall tiles to frozen pigs. Combined with an array of Woo-ish bullet-time maneuvers, the level I saw did a good job of recreating the vibe from the tea house shoot-out scene in Hard-boiled. I asked executive producer Brian Eddy for the honest truth about Woo's involvement and was told he really did write the script. He also personally nixed blown off limbs, which sadly aren't his stylistic bag. Fortunately, he does prefer that perforated enemies stack up a la The Killer rather than disappear, so the team is working on that feature. They're also adding melee moves beyond the standard pistol whip present in the current build. Employing a common E3 tactic, Midway is keeping multiplayer details close to the shoulder holster, but I was assured that bullet-time will be implemented in an innovative way. Oh, and no warehouse levels.
Scarface will give you balls
The Vivendi booth in South Hall didn't have anything hands-on for Scarface (or at least, not that I saw) -- just two flat panels playing clips from the movie, and a big, sweeping staircase that led to an upstairs "screening" room, where we got to watch a demo of the ugly game. Oops, did I say "ugly?" I meant fugly. The graphics thing aside though, I can see how someone who liked the movie would like to "say hello to my little friend" in a game. The game picks up where the movie left off, with you, Tony Montana, up at the top of the staircase. Instead of getting shot and killed like in the movie, the first thing you have to do is turn around and kill the guy behind you before he kills you (otherwise, I guess you have to start over). After that, the game is all about building up your cocaine-trafficking empire, basically by using your cajones. You earn Balls points by intimidating others with the use of voice, or by doing balls-y things. Higher speed driving, more destructive shooting, and of course, being more of an a**hole as you cut deals with local shopkeepers to join your cocaine empire.
Xbox 360 impressions: Lost Planet: Extreme Condition
Capcom's third-person Xbox 360 shooter shares many qualities with the brilliant Resident Evil 4, most notably in its emphasis on survival. The planet you find yourself on is unbelievably harsh, with thick banks of snow, blizzards and freakish monsters attempting to foil your progress at every turn. That's why you're equipped with up to three big and satisfying guns (with more mysteriously littering the icy wastelands) and a suit that keeps you nice and warm. Unfortuately, the suit requires an orange substance called T-Eng to maintain your body temperature and it is continuously exhausted as you traipse about in the cold environment. It's awfully convenient then, that the vicious creatures so fond of attacking you release this substance upon their death. Kill to stay alive.
Geometry Wars superstar shoots for millions
As I'm walking through the packed lobby of the Los Angeles Convention Center heading toward the West Hall, I see a huge Xbox 360 setup with a screen the size of a theater canvas boasting Geometry Wars. Some attendee is blasting his way past a score of 3.5 million. This is not an uncommon sight. A big crowd is always hanging around it, soaking up the radiation and shouting out encouraging cheers to whoever is playing. The featured score above is a far cry from what we've seen lately, but it's interesting to watch the efforts of various industry people (or booth babes perhaps?). We'll keep you posted if a record-breaking high score shows up!
3 Final Fantasy XIII games; 2 just for PS3
Final Fantasy XII won't be out for the PS2 in the States until October, but we now have a glimpse of Final Fantasy XIII thanks to Square Enix's pre-E3 press event -- and this installment in the series won't be coming alone.Like the different titles in the Compilation of FFVII collection of games and movies, the initially announced installments in the FFXIII universe will span multiple platforms which, in this case, include both the PS3 and sufficiently advanced mobile handsets. Not much is known about the mobile-bound Final Fantasy Agito XIII, but the subtitle-less version of FFXIII will concern a gun-and-sword-toting heroine in a futuristic world, while Final Fantasy Versus XIII will focus on "a spiky-haired character," "extreme action elements," and a primary theme of "bonding" (whatever that means). Anybody ready to "resist the world"?The multiple titles might explain the earlier rumor reported in March that FFXIII was "practically close to being finished" (maybe only one of these games was nearing completion). Whatever the case may be, we're just happy that more than one not-so-Final-Fantasy will be hitting the next PlayStation in relatively rapid succession. RPG feasting: on the way.[Via Joystiq]
LEGO Star Wars II jumps onto the Xbox 360
LEGO Star Wars II: The Original Trilogy will now be making an appearance on the Xbox 360, along with its earlier announced platforms (which include pretty much every current-gen system). Whether creating a Han Solo-Greedo, lightsaber-wielding humanoid hybrid is really the wisest course of action or not is a debate best left to the fan community, however. (A green HanGreedo on the 360 -- it could work.) Our only hope is that the original LEGO Star Wars will make its way onto the official Xbox backward-compatibility list by the time the sequel's released in September. Getting those unlockable characters from the prequels onto the next generation would be awfully nice. (Transferable saves? Even better.) The complete Lucasfilm press release follows below. See also: LEGO Star Wars II out with OT DVDs Sept 12 Original Xbox Games Playable on Xbox 360 (last updated in March)
LEGO Star Wars II out with OT DVDs Sept 12
LEGO Star Wars II: The Original Trilogy will be out this fall when it releases with the unaltered original trilogy DVDs on September 12th. Sure, the limited-edition double dipping on the theatrical version of the films may rile movie collectors, but fans do want Han shooting first on their Star Wars DVDs. (The "theatrical" release will only be available until December 31st.) The simultaneous release of game and film on DVD follows in the tradition of the Star Wars Battlefront games releasing alongside the special-edition release of the original trilogy as well as the retail launch of Episode III. The special-edition versions will also be included on each two-disc set. [Thanks, Spindash54, Phil Theobald, Princess Zelda, John, & Jonathan] See also: More LEGO Star Wars II character details Trailer with Yodarth, See-Chewpio, and Princess Obi-Wan Kejawa Hands-on with LSWII; visual mix-up with Diablo 3 ad snafu at IGN Wicket W. Warrick's blog on the game over at 1UP.com Wikipedia entry on "Han shot first"; also, the PvP T-shirt
Access iPhoto and iTunes libraries with a simple Automator action
You could also file this under "fantastic Automator actions that Apple should've advertised when Tiger was being released."A post at macosxhints has discovered a simple Automator action you can use to open panel containing your entire iPhoto or iTunes library (pictured), complete with albums/playlists, DnD and even search abilities. This is for all those times you groan at having to start iPhoto just to grab an image or two. Bonus points for the iTunes library action: songs are playable from this panel.Check out the macosxhints post for the drop-dead simple 3-step process (it's really only two steps) for creating this handy panel.
Gans to direct Onimusha film
Brotherhood of the Wolf and Silent Hill director Christophe Gans will be manning the chair for a film based on Onimusha, Capcom's popular action-adventure franchise. Silent Hill had a successful weekend, and if it continues to perform well at the box office, Gans is under contract to direct its sequel. This means the Onimusha flick could be a few years off. Hopefully, Brotherhood wasn't a fluke, and Gans will deliver another top notch action thriller, samurai style. There's no mention of Onimusha 3's Jean Reno appearing in the film, but adding Brotherhood's Monica Belucci to the cast wouldn't hurt. [via 1UP]
Crash & Spyro headline Vivendi E3 lineup
Vivendi revealed that new Crash Bandicoot and Spyro the Dragon games will be appearing in the publisher's E3 lineup, joined by some popular entertainment licenses. TimeShift, which was just acquired from Atari, will also be on hand. Here's the complete list of titles that will be featured at Vivendi's booth: 50 Cent: Bulletproof (PSP) Caesar IV (PC) Crash Boom Bang! (DS) Eragon (DS, GBA, PC, PS2, PSP, Xbox, Xbox 360) Freestyle Street Basketball (PC) Joint Task Force (PC) The Legend of Spyro: A New Beginning (DS, GBA, GameCube, PS2, Xbox) Miami Vice (PSP) Scarface: The World Is Yours (PC, PS2, PS3, Xbox, Xbox 360) TimeShift (PC, Xbox 360) World in Conflict (PC)
Make a Delivery Automator app
I haven't tested this yet, but Make a Delivery sounds like a handy little Automator action that will create a .dmg file from the Finder items you have selected, then attach that .dmg to an email. One quirky thing, however, is that you have to move a resource folder into your Applications directory; it isn't just an action that you can use or turn into a right-click Finder plugin.In any case, if you prefer an easy way to create .dmg's for emailing (instead of zip archives), Make a Delivery might be just what you need.
Backup files to Backpack with Automator
Non Stop Mac has put together an ingenious how-to on creating an Automator action to backup files to Backpack. It's a simple process that uses the genius of Backpack's page-specific email addresses to email files that are sitting in a specific folder. Head over and check out their post for the full details, as it really isn't difficult to create a system for keeping your stuff backed up, online and accessible. However, don't forget: free Backpack accounts (to my knowledge) don't allow for hosting files or images.I actually have an amendment to offer up for Non Stop Mac's Backpack backup process. While I haven't tested this out yet, it should work in theory: instead of saving this system out as an Automator action, I bet you could save it as a folder action, then simply attach it to a folder of stuff you want to back up. In a sense, this might be a basic, one-way iDisk: you could (theoretically) save items to this folder, which would then automatically be emailed to Backpack. If you try any of this out, feel free to share your thoughts on the experience.[via Backpack blog]
More LEGO Star Wars II character details
Three new screenshots and a number of new playable character descriptions have been released for LEGO Star Wars II: The Original Trilogy... and Lucasarts has decided to share the LEGO love with us! Excerpts detailing the new characters and their abilities follow after the jump, as do the three screenshots mentioned, which capture Chewie, Han, Leia, and even Obi-Wan doing his best non-canon work (as can be seen in the Free Play shot aboard the Blockade Runner featured here). If you played through the original LEGO Star Wars on consoles or the PC, you'll be able to import its unlocked characters into the sequel, which should come in handy to begin General Grievous's training with Yoda. (More prequel characters = more sequel lightsabers.) And if you unlocked that secret (but short) bonus level--after completing all the mission requirements in the prequel--you know that you'll need to get your hands on the sequel. Anyone else lookin' forward to more LEGO action this fall? [Thanks, Chris]
Geometry Wars' unprecedented success
Microsoft has released more information on the performance of Xbox Live. One figure that really leapt off the page (if we're interpreting the rather vague language correctly) was the fact that Xbox Live Arcade title Geometry Wars by the makers of Project Gotham Racing 3 has achieved a conversion rate of 39%. That means that nearly 40% of the people who have tried the Geometry Wars demo have gone on to purchase the full version of the game. That is a fantastic figure, as conversion rates for demo games tend to be much, much lower (around 1% to 2% on game portals like Pogo.com, games.msn.com, and games.yahoo.com, according to TrayGames). Basically, the figures validate further what we've been saying all along. Geometry Wars is the single best title of the Xbox 360 launch and remains the best fun-per-dollar value on any console platform. It's hot.
