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Holiday game sales continue: Kingdom Rush, 2K Games, The Walking Dead, and more
We're rolling right up to Christmas next week, which means 'tis the season for big discounts and freebies on App Store titles, as publishers try to climb up in the charts going into the big gift-giving event. Kingdom Rush (which some say is the best tower defense game on the App Store) is now free, and the team would also like you to know that it's entered the game in the Steam Greenlight program, if you'd like to support it over there. 2K Games is having a great big sale, featuring Borderlands Legends for just US$0.99, Civ Rev and Sid Meier's Pirates for 99 cents as well (which is pretty amazing), along with a few other titles at the same price. Telltale's The Walking Dead Game is winning acclaim all over the gamingsphere, with plenty of Game of the Year nods already, and the company has decided to give the first episode of the title away for completely free on the App Store. Download this one right now if you haven't played it yet -- if you're a fan of zombies or just really well-made mature games, you won't regret it. Telltale has also got quite a few other games on sale, including Puzzle Agent, the Monkey Island series and almost all of its other episode titles, all for just 99 cents. Cut the Rope HD is just a buck right now. Almost all of Gameloft's games are on sale as well, for just 99 cents. The Settlers HD and Nova 3 are probably the biggest standouts, but there are a lot of options there. Rodeo Games' Hunters: Episode 1 is also on sale, as is Hunters 2. Whew! And we've only just started this week. Stay tuned for lots more gigantic sales as the week goes on.
Invisible's 'The New Obsolete' showcases self-constructed instruments, touts a typewriter-driven piano (video)
If you're hip to repurposing old tech for new inventions, Invisible is right up your alley. The Greensboro-based unit calls themselves a "mechanical music museum" and "a reverse engineered folk science daydream" when describing their elaborate set of sound-making contraptions and recycled video equipment. The outfit's effort The New Obsolete was part of the Moogfest happenings this weekend, and our curiosity was immediately piqued. This particular performance is labeled as "an exploded view of the strange romance between humans and technology." Among all of the self-constructed instruments is the Selectric Piano: a typewriter that uses both computer and piano parts to control a keyboard. Each keystroke by the typist corresponds to a note added to collective soundscape and a mounted video camera allows the audience to keep tabs on the textual component. The project also showcases an object known as Elsewhere's Roof. The device controls a set of drum and percussion tools with water dropping into a few rather hi-tech Mason jars. In addition to arsenal of noise makers, multi-channel video and library of collected audio (via tape decks and turntables, of course) rounds out the lot. We were able to catch one of the stellar showings, so hit the gallery below for a look at the wares while a snippet of the action awaits beyond the break.
'5th Avenue Frogger' is exactly what it sounds like (incredible, that is)
Tyler DeAngelo is a problem solver. He sees Manhattan's Fifth Avenue, what with its rampant traffic and potential life-ending danger, and he turns peril into a game. Well ... not quite. He's taken a virtual approach to crossing said road, revamping the classic gameplay of Frogger with real-time data from cars traveling down Fifth Avenue. And then he – and two cohorts assisting the process – took things a step further.Like George Costanza before him, DeAngelo grabbed a Frogger arcade machine with his hands and pulled it down to the streets of New York City. Unlike Costanza, however, DeAngelo invited passersby to play it. Many frogs died in the process – naturally – but, you know, they're virtual.The whole process is run by rigging a camera with a clear view of the street up to a computer which translates the positional data of cars into in-game cars that your frog must avoid. It's all quite amazing, honestly, and we're inclined to believe it's actually dark magic rather than math. We've dropped a video of the game straight from the streets just below the break, should you be interested in having your mind partially blown this morning.
Worlds collide as Super Mario Bros and Portal become Mari0 (video)
Remember when the amalgamation of Super Mario Bros and a Portal gun seemed like the most amazing, yet impossibly lucid pipe dream? As it turns out, the cake named "Mari0" by developer-house Stabyourself actually wasn't a lie. But lest you thought this just a redo of Super Mario Bros with a skosh of Aperture science thrown in, you'd be oh-so-wrong. How's about four-player co-op, in addition to a level editor and a bevy of hilarious modes that'll put a new twist on an old favorite. And could it get any better than available for the sweet sweet price of free? If that's not a ringing endorsement, we don't know what is. If you're still reading this, we're unsure why you're still here -- get your game on at the source link below.
Snap into a Skyrim with the 'Macho Men' mod
We had to watch the above video a couple of times to make sure we weren't having some sort of fantastical dream, but we are apparently awake: the late "Macho Man" Randy Savage has made his way into Skyrim, and he's bringin' the pain. Ohhhhhh yeah!
Super Mario reimagined as a first-person game, conquers the castle of our hearts (video)
You've seen Super Mario evolve from a modest 2D sprite into a 3D world-exploring superhero mechanic, but have you ever seen life through his eyes? Here's your opportunity, as a fanmade animation treats us to a first-person view of the intrepid Italian's adventures through the familiar World 1-1. There are kill streaks, achievements like "headbanger" and "pole dancer," and some extremely realistic sound effects to set the mood. The priceless video follows after the break.
Breakfast Topic: What's your most memorable moment of amazement?
This Breakfast Topic has been brought to you by Seed, the Aol guest writer program that brings your words to WoW Insider's pages. Many of us get jaded playing WoW. We get burned out running the same raid for months on end as we wait for new content. We feel there is no reason to do instances anymore because there is nothing more to be gained -- or with the new expansion on the horizon, we think, "Why bother? I'll replace the gear with quest blues and greens leveling to 85." We spend a lot of time QQing about how there is nothing we need to do or want to do, or how we are bored with the current aspect of the game. However, we have all had our Oh wow, that was awesome! moments -- those moments that bring us back to why we play this game and why we pay 15 bucks a month to keep doing so. I have had my fair share, usually a couple in each of the iterations of the evolving world that is WoW. The first one had to be Ragnaros. At level 60, getting to Ragnaros and watching him just erupt out of the lava pool all gigantic and epic-looking ... He is still one of the most impressive-looking bosses with one of the best deaths in the game; it is kind of a shame you can kill him with just one or two people now. The Burning Crusade's high point to me was Mount Hyjal. I loved the Caverns of Time. I felt it was a great gaming invention to allow you to experience content from the old RTS Warcraft games in a WoW manner; being a part of it was a great idea. Also, Archimonde was a seriously great fight. Wrath has had a couple of memorable moments for me. Ulduar was a huge high point. Yogg+1 or +0 was such a truly difficult and exciting fight. And finally getting to fight Arthas -- that was a very well-designed fight, even in normal mode without the buff when it was actually difficult. What moments in World of Warcraft have left you amazed? All the bugs, server downtimes and trolls be damned -- this made up for all of it. What instant made WoW all worth it for you?
Mercedes SLS AMG and Isle of Man take center stage in 'world's fastest 3D car film'
Frankly, you could've stopped at "Mercedes SLS AMG" and "Isle of Man," but toss in ex-Formula 1 driver David Coulthard, a litany of 3D cameras, helicopters and a closed section of the Mountain Road... and well, you've got magic in the making. The crew here set out to create the "world's fastest 3D film," and honestly, we aren't in any position to doubt 'em. We're also guessing that this 4 minute and 2 second masterpiece will be looped in Benz dealerships around the world, and for good reason. Word has it that the clip will be shown on Sky 3D across the pond, but there's no telling when it'll grace three-dee screens in North America and beyond. While we wait, feast your senses on the 2D version just beyond the break.
Caption contest: Windows 7-themed restaurant serves 64-bit grub in Taiwan
We (falsely) assumed that the Windows 7 Whopper would be the last food item ever associated with an operating system, and now we're quite literally eating our words. As the story goes, a Hot Fried 77 restaurant has opened up over in Taiwan, offering tons of "Windows-themed meals" for NTD $77 (around $3 in Greenbacks), and judging by the cornucopia of images down there in the source, we're guessing this is no prank. We're debating whether laughing or crying is the appropriate emotion here. Josh T.: "While you're throwing .bak some fries and a burger, you should enjoy a .dll pickle." Nilay: "This is not what we meant by Windows 7 Server." Chris: "I'm a PC, and putting down a pint of Beast while installing Windows 7 was my idea." Richard Lai: "This is the real Windows Genuine Advantage." Joe: "We like to believe that Microsoft started with the restaurant and then reverse engineered an OS." Richard Lawler: "Obviously, there's no word for Seagrams in their language." Darren: "You haven't heard? Alcohol consumption by end-user is now listed in Minimum System Requirements." Josh F.: "When reading 'serve it to us on a plate' in a literal sense goes horribly right." Joanna: "Everything I come up with is just wrong." Don: "Can you tell me where the XP Cafe is?" Paul: "Would you like that in 32-bit or 64-bit?" [Thanks, Chris]
eBoy's FixPix iPhone game is basically the greatest thing ever made
Okay, so this isn't out yet, but it's hard to deny that the eBoy-designed Delicious Toys-developed game FixPix is probably the best idea anyone has ever had since the wheel or sliced bread. Maybe that's a little hyperbolic, but as you know, we are huge fans of eBoy and their mind-boggling pixel art. Now the design collective's cityscapes and fantastical scenes have been turned into an iPhone app where you can piece the 3D milieus back together by tilting your phone this way and that. As we said, the title isn't available, but there's an awesome demo site where you can play around with the concept, and it's likely FixPix could see Apple approval any day now. We can barely contain ourselves. Check out a video of the game in action after the break.
Why I didn't buy an iPad
Guest blogger B. Imei Hsu lays out the case over on Chris Pirillo's blog for "Why you don't want an iPad" -- she takes a few guesses at why you, dear Apple fan, may not have bought Apple's magical and revolutionary device this past weekend. She's actually a little venomous -- not only is there a bit of harsh language in there, but according to her, you're probably in denial or clueless about what the iPad actually is. Thanks for that, Ms. Hsu. Fortunately, I'm in a good position to answer this one -- I'm a lead editor on a major (unofficial) Apple weblog, and no, I didn't buy an iPad. Why not? Not because of any of the iPad's faults -- I got to play with one for an extended amount of time at an Apple Store on Saturday (there was a line building up behind me, and the Geniuses were starting to give me weird looks), and I think it's an amazing device. It feels solid and perfect, it runs even faster than I expected, and that display is just terrific. It makes apps, e-books, and the web look beautiful, and save for a few quirks with the keyboard (I often lay my fingers on the keys while thinking of what to write, and you can't have any stray touches on the iPad's keyboard), I think it's just as amazing as promised. But I don't have "a problem with desire," I'm not asking "the wrong questions," I don't "hate change," and I'm not envious. Ok, maybe I am a little envious, but not by choice at all. Honestly, I didn't buy an iPad this weekend because so far, I just don't need one.
The requisite announcement mashup
With every Apple event, we need someone to go in and edit together all of the reality distortion field generators, and this time, it's Neil Curtis, who has cut together most of the "amazing," "great," and "beautiful" adjectives from last week's keynote. Unfortunately, we don't have empirical data (anyone want to actually count up all of them?), but it sure seems to me like "great" and "gorgeous" had a big increase this time around, and "incredible" and "terrific" didn't show up quite so much as previous events. Also: no boom? Did we not get a single "boom" at all? It was a little more serene demonstration than usual, with Steve lounging on a chair to show off how comfy it is to browse the 'net on the iPad, but the A4 processor didn't inspire a single "boom"? That's disappointing. [via FSJ]
Conan O'Brien talks to the co-creator of USB on The Tonight Show
Now this is kind of amazing. Remember those Intel "rock star" ads -- featuring the co-creator of USB, Ajay Bhatt? Of course you do. What you might not know is that the Ajay Bhatt in those commercials is actually an actor. Apparently, Conan O'Brien made this discovery and felt compelled to sit down with the actual Ajay and pick his brain about technology... and, er, other things. Just watch the video after the break -- you'll thank us later. [Thanks, Carter]
Video game characters come to life, destroy humanity in Cloverbrawl
What if your favorite video game characters came to life? You'd think it would be a cause for celebration, but Cloverbrawl, the latest film from the geniuses behind LittleBigRevenge, suggests otherwise. The two-part 20-minute film touts some impressive special effects, splicing in characters from a myriad of games, from Smash Bros, to LocoRoco, to Left 4 Dead, and more. Thoroughly imaginative and brilliantly executed, this is a must-watch for all gamers.Check it out after the break.[Thanks, Lumberjack Satan!]
Found Footage: The reality distortion field, caught on video
Think Apple's products are "really great," "incredible," "amazing," "really easy" to use, "awesome," "terrific," "incredible," "great," and "amazing"? If so, it's probably because Apple told you that's what they were in last week's presentation. The above video's been making the rounds -- it's all of the adjectives cut out of the recent Apple event, and compiled together into a machine-gun lineup of just how Apple sets up their products. Now, just because these words kept showing up and being used doesn't mean there's some malicious brainwashing going on here -- it's probably true that Apple really does think that their products are "incredible," and "amazing," and "really great." And let's face it, they've never really been real up-to-date on the language anyway. They probably could use a thesaurus: maybe at the next event, the new MacBooks could be "marvelous," "extraordinary," or "glorious." But it does show you just how much we're shaped by what we see at these events -- Steve's and Apple's enthusiasm for these things is infectious. Apple's products really are amazing, but it doesn't hurt that most of us sit down to watch, read, or listen to an hour or two of them telling us just how "amazing," "incredible," and "really great" they are.
Video: iPhone 3GS can tether... to an RC plane
We're still not sure what to make of the iPhone in a pool video, but if this one is legit, it certainly represents one of the most glorious ways to endanger expensive hi-tech gadgetry. Let's face it -- who doesn't want to see Apple's moneymaker strapped to the belly of an RC plane and shot up into the air? Major engine noise and the phone's camera struggling for focus are all excused by the awesome landing that seems to place the iPhone about an inch away from the gravelly ground. Make your way past the break for the full vid.[Thanks, Mark]
13-year-old trades iPod for Walkman, reports on mysterious ancient artifact
If you want to get an idea of just how fast technology moves, a brilliant piece from the BBC should help light the way. The setup is simple enough: 13-year-old Scott Campbell is given a Walkman and told by his dad that it was "the iPod of his day" -- and that's when the fun begins. Having never used or even seen the device, the young man proceeds to experience the kind of equilibrium-destroying confusion which we can only imagine the elderly first felt when attempting to set a VCR timer (you do remember what VCRs are, right?). We've collected a few of the choicest bits from the teen's observations, but we highly suggest you read the full article... you won't be sorry. Our favorite picks (direct quotes): When I wore it walking down the street or going into shops, I got strange looks, a mixture of surprise and curiosity, that made me a little embarrassed. It took me three days to figure out that there was another side to the tape. That was not the only naive mistake that I made; I mistook the metal/normal switch on the Walkman for a genre-specific equaliser, but later I discovered that it was in fact used to switch between two different types of cassette. I managed to create an impromptu shuffle feature simply by holding down "rewind" and releasing it randomly - effective, if a little laboured. When playing, it is clearly evident that the music sounds significantly different than when played on an MP3 player, mainly because of the hissy backtrack and odd warbly noises on the Walkman. [Via Richard Lai]
iPhone 3GS takes plunge in pool while shooting video... and lives to tell the tale
Now, we're hoping this isn't some elaborate hoax perpetrated on the kind citizens of the internet, because if it's real, it's amazing. Here's the deal: a man capturing video poolside with his iPhone 3GS somehow loses control of the device and ends up dunking the entire phone... while filming. Miraculously, he manages to fish out the handset and it's still rolling. We don't know what the lifespan was / is beyond this clip, but obviously long enough to upload the video or transfer it to a computer. Impressive stuff, though we strongly suggest you don't test this one out on your own. Check out the full video after the break.[Via George Ruiz]
WoW Moviewatch: Cloud 9 by Zimtower
Tipster Dread Raven dropped us a note about Zimtower's music video Cloud 9. The tip labled the video as amazing. I admit, I was nervous about that word at first. The last time I got a tip labled that way was for BLIND, and that can be a hard one to measure up to. Also, just as importantly, we did a gnome-based video yesterday, and sometimes our readers have a low gnome-to-nongnome tolerance.But when I fired up the video and started watching, I was enthralled. Zimtower's work to animate the singer was astounding. Face and body movements are well-tuned and expressive. You can see her eyes behind her gnomish goggles. The soft glow of scenery and motion-capture are all beautifully done, giving the video an overall ephemeral quality.The song itself fits perfectly. While it's not my genre of music by preference, the strong bond between visual and audio has cemented "Cloud 9" as something to live in my iPod. Zimtower said the video was about joy. I was skeptical, but the sense of serenity and peace during the movie really did bring that across. I admit, I thought the music video was, in fact, amazing.If you have any suggestions for WoW Moviewatch, you can mail them to us at machinima AT wowinsider DOT com.Previously on Moviewatch ..
WoW Insider Weekly
Happy Saturday-- hope your Fall weekend is going well. Once again, it's time for us to roundup all of our great weekly features in one post for your perusing pleasure. Enjoy!All the World's a Stage: Oh, the drama! When to /ignoreSometimes, you get just roleplayed out.Azeroth Interrupted: It's OK to AFKAnd if you hearth before you do it, you get rested XP!Officers' Quarters: Rank and fileScott covers the best ways to organize your troops./silly: The tension is mountingA special treat for Gnomes.The WoW Insider Show: Episode 72.3, the Toyota ad, and yes, we do, in fact, talk about Paladin DPS.The Light and How to Swing It: Maximizing Paladin DPS, Part 1Chris talks about Paladin DPS, too, but in a much more practical manner.Build Shop: Priest 41/20/0Elizabeth tackles a Discipline Priest build-- no easy task.Shifting Perspectives: Drops for Druids in Zul'amanWhat you Druids will be druling (get it?) over in the next raid instance.Guildwatch: Revenge on the old GMTales of sordid drama, triumphant downings, and recruitment listings from around the realms. Where "I make $150,000 a year" is proof that I'm right.BigRedKitty: A video special eventBRK shows you, video-style, how to chain trap on Moroes.Know Your Lore: SargerasKYL tells the story of the biggest (known) bad guy in Azeroth.Two Bosses Enter: Princess Huhuran vs. MagtheridonWhich one will walk out of the arena, and which one will be dragged out?Totem Talk: Pre-raid gear - belts, bracers and bootsMatthew tells you Shamans what to wear before you hit the big time.Learn2Raid: Your first raidFrom the comments on the post: "A very well written and informative post. I wish I had this kind of guide when I first started raiding." There you go.Insider Trader: Tools of the TradeAddons you'll need to become a master crafter.The Care and Feeding of Warriors: Exploring the PTRMatthew breaks down what he sees happening in 2.3.Ask WoW Insider: Places you didn't know existedAre there still new places to find in Azeroth?Phat Loot Phriday: Talisman of Binding ShardA legendary necklace that's only available in legend form.
