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Rockstar classic 'Bully' arrives on iOS and Android
Think of Rockstar and your mind probably jumps to the Grand Theft Auto franchise, or Red Dead Redemption. While excellent games, they've arguably overshadowed an oft-forgotten classic from the PlayStation 2 era: Bully. The adventures of Jimmy Hopkins at Bullworth Academy were charming and mischievous, blending pranks and favors with classroom mini-games. Ten years after its original release, the game is now available on Android and iOS. It comes with the extra classes, missions and characters from the Scholarship Edition (released on Xbox 360 and Wii in 2008), while introducing new lighting, textures and character models.
Volvo's self-driving cars will hide from UK 'bullies'
If you could see that the car in front of you was being driven autonomously and therefore navigating in an ultra-safe manner, how would you react? Would you treat it as you would any other road user or be more inclined to torment it, knowing it would yield to your advances? It's a very real question that car makers and insurance companies are wrestling with and one that has prompted Swedish automotive giant Volvo to take preemptive action. The Guardian reports that it's decided that when the first 100 self-driving 4x4s hit London's streets in 2018, they'll look no different to any other Volvo of the same model so that other road users aren't tempted to "take them on."
Sony brings PS2 classics 'Manhunt' and 'Bully' to the PS4
It was a big deal when Sony introduced PS2 backward-compatibility on the PlayStation 4 with the launch of Star Wars: Battlefront, but it's already old hat, apparently. With its latest PlayStation Store update, the company released Rockstar titles Bully and Manhunt without a lot of fanfare. As before, the games get "full 1080p up-rendering and enhanced features such as trophies, shareplay, remote play, activity feeds and second screen support for game manuals with 'PS Vita' or PS App." That means you'll get nearly the same experience as on a PS2, though Sony adds that "some features may not function properly."
Wesley Arthur's re-creation of Bully's dorms is sharp, untidy
Wesley Arthur isn't working on his Masters at Bullsworth Academy, but that didn't stop him from paying a visit to the stomping grounds of Jimmy Hopkins, protagonist and general mischief maker of Rockstar's Bully. Arthur's work, seen in the above tour, is a faithful, HD recreation of the game's dorm environment built in Unreal Engine 4, complete with backing music written and recorded by James Smith that's inspired by Bully's original soundtrack. Is this a good time to bring up those trademarks that were filed in 2013 for "Bully" and "Bully Bullsworth Academy"? What about Polygon's interview that took place between those filings with Rockstar's Dan Houser, who responded to the idea of a Bully sequel with "I know I want to" and "Well, hopefully, you never know"? ... What's that? It's actually the worst time and we should fall down a well? Hmm. [Image: Wesley Arthur]
UK wants tougher prison sentences for internet trolls
Online harassers in the UK may soon face much harsher consequences for their scare tactics. Justice Secretary Chris Grayling tells the Daily Mail that a newly proposed measure will let magistrates send cases of internet abuse and threats to crown courts, boosting the maximum prison time for those cases from six months to two years. The measure likely won't intimidate the most determined of trolls if it takes effect, but it could serve as a warning to "casual" abusers who don't think they'll pay a price for their long-distance hate campaigns. Given how nightmarish internet threats have become as of late, the proposed tougher sentencing might be well-timed. [Image credit: Eirik Solheim, Flickr]
Modders invite the undead to invade Bully: Scholarship Edition
Rockstar Games may not have introduced zombies to its childhood delinquency simulator Bully, but thanks to industrious modders you can see what might happen if shambling corpses were to invade Bullworth Academy. That footage you see above comes from Bully: Zombie Edition, an in-production modification for the PC version of Bully: Scholarship Edition that strips out most of its gameplay elements in favor of a new, as yet incomplete storyline. We'd tell you more about this new zombie-focused plot, but the mod's creators have yet to publicly reveal any details of what it might include. Likewise, the clip above is taken from an early stage of the modification, and should be viewed only as a proof of concept for the game's environments as well as its formerly deceased inhabitants. As of now there's no scheduled release date for Bully: Zombie Edition, but if you'd like to keep tabs on the mod you can visit its ModDB page. Everything you need to know can be found there and presumably that will be where the modification first debuts, once it's complete.
Take-Two files 'Bully Bullsworth Academy' trademark in Europe [Update]
Take-Two recently filed another trademark related to Rockstar's Bully property in Europe. Titled "Bully Bullworth Academy: Canis Canem Edit," the trademark was filed just a few days ago, on November 20. The publisher filed another Bully-related trademark in July with the USPTO. Rockstar first developed Bully for PS2 in 2006, following it up with enhanced versions for Wii, PC and Xbox 360 in 2008. The latest trademark refers to the original game's New England boarding school setting, Bullworth Academy, which offers a stronger suggestion that Take-Two is doing more than just protecting the Rockstar property. Update: As a point of clarification, since Bully launched as Canis Canem Edit in Europe, the trademark may also refer to a re-release of the original game.
'Bully' trademark pops up from Take-Two
Take-Two filed a trademark for "Bully" on July 29, covering video game software and all of the related accessories. This could mean Take-Two doesn't want anyone pushing it around and trying to claim the Bully brand as their own, or developer Rockstar could be interested in a new Bully game. Rockstar released Bully in 2006 for PS2, and then made an updated version for Xbox 360, Wii and PC in 2008. It was notorious for stirring up controversy amongst anti-bullying groups with both releases, picking up critical acclaim and awards along the way, fair and square. We reached out to Take-Two for clarification on the trademark. Until then, maybe try another game that has to do with bullying. They're basically the same, right?
The Mittani gets hit with ban and resigns in wake of EVE Online controversy
Alexander "The Mittani" Gianturco has been a fairly notorious figure in EVE Online for years now, but his recent notoriety has been all about some rather untoward remarks from the EVE Online Fanfest. Following harsh remarks in which he advocated finding and harassing a player who had expressed suicidal thoughts, Gianturco issued an official apology for his actions. But that isn't the end of it -- Gianturco has also been hit with a 30-day ban from EVE Online due to actions that violate the game's terms of service. He's also resigned from his position as chairman of the current Council of Stellar Management and forfeited the right to serve on the next CSM. CCP Games has been following the whole issue and has put together an official post detailing what happened at the panel, what went wrong, and what steps will be taken to ensure that this incident is not repeated. According the official response, the format for the panel was entirely wrong and went far beyond the boundaries of what is acceptable for an official event hosted by the company. Offhand remark or no, it looks like a few careless words have caused some major disruptions to the life of EVE Online players.
Shocker: Geeks more likely to be bullied
Sadly, a review of scientific literature shows things don't quite play out as per the picture above. Analyzing 153 studies, researchers at two universities noted that bullies and their victims actually have a few things in common -- namely, poor social coping skills and negative attitudes -- it was the children with poor academic performance who were more likely to beat up on their nerdy brethren down the road. Still, we suppose it never hurts to double-check your firewall, eh?
Rockstar collection 50% off through Steam this week
Haven't picked up Grand Theft Auto: Episodes from Liberty City? For about the same price as the retail console version of the GTA IV expansion packs, you can get every nearly single Rockstar game in one massive, discounted bundle. The "Rockstar Collection" includes 13 titles, including Bully: Scholarship Edition, Manhunt, Max Payne, Midnight Club 2, and every Grand Theft Auto for PC -- including The Lost and the Damned and The Ballad of Gay Tony. This week, the bundle will be discounted to a mere $42.49, a considerable savings over the suggested $169.90 value for all the games combined. Considering the bundle includes rather new content, one can even consider this package ... a steal. [Via BigDownload]
Top 5: Games for your Day Off
Gaming is a hobby, but sometimes it can feel like a job. As developers try to boost replayability, your gaming commitments can become anxiety-inducing. Just ask anyone who dared to attempt achieving 100% of Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas. At first, it's a fun and wonderful romp through a vivid world that's just oozing with life and character. By the end, you wish you'd never left Vice City. Did anyone here complete all of Super Smash Bros Brawl? I'm talking Classic Mode with every character, all of the Event matches, the target smashes, and every trophy and sticker available. At a certain point, some games can become an obligation rather than a means to entertainment. Today being Labor Day in the US, let's take a break from completing every mission, collecting every star, and unlocking all bonus content. Sometime between your 11 AM rise from bed and your evening consumption of copious amounts of hot dogs at your family barbeque, take some time to truly enjoy gaming. Here's our Top 5 recommendations. 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.
GC 2008: Bully ready to give PC an atomic wedgie
Looks like the kids of Bullworth Academy are ready to practice their delinquency on PC. Eurogamer notes that a poster in the Leipzig Games Convention has the Bully logo with the words: "Demnachst fur PC."We're positive some umlauts belong in there, but the basic message is that Bully is coming to PC "soon." Rockstar will probably make an official announcement sometime during the convention.
Bully is still riling up the Brits
When will the UK stop freaking out about Bully? If you guessed "Never," "Probably not anytime soon," "Not in this lifetime," or "Is that a rhetorical question?" then you're on the right track.The newest slew of censorship whinings stemmed from a commercial for the game, which some people found "offensive," "distasteful," and (insert negative adjective here). The ad featured typical Bully shenanigans: destruction of property, wedgies, and so forth. The Advertising Standards Authority received thirty-one complaints about the commercial in question, as a handful of folks were upset that children could easily see it on their tellies. Take Two blames sensationalist media coverage for the complaints, and as for the ASA? They don't seem too worried, as the organization declined to take any action regarding the ad. Even so, Take Two has no plans to run it again in the future.To see the "offensive" commercial for yourself, just click past the break.%Gallery-14099%
Bully ad complaints dismissed by ASA
The UK's Advertising Standards Authority has dismissed complaints that a television ad for Bully Scholarship Edition trivialized bullying. The agency said that although some might find the game's content and name in poor taste, the content of the ad was "unlikely to cause serious or widespread offense."It's funny that the ASA would take the stance that the Bully ads wouldn't cause "widespread offense" when it received a total of 31 complaints. Comparably, the banned ad for Kane & Lynch only received 26 complaints. The extra complaints isn't exactly surprising; remember that the original PS2 version of Bully actually changed its name to Canis Canem Edit when it was released in Europe.
Bargains on Bully and bullet hell
If you're the type to never pay retail on anything, especially video games, the like-minded misers at the Cheap Ass Gamers community have found two worthwhile Wii deals for you: Bully: Scholarship Edition - $26.99 (Amazon) Castle of Shikigami III - $19.99 (GameStop) If you haven't looked into shoot-em-up Castle of Shikigami III before, make sure you check out the videos we posted a couple of months ago -- there's a flying butler! Amazon also has CSI: Hard Evidence on sale for $19.99, but we have a feeling that not many of you will be too excited to pick up this video game adaptation of a poor man's Law & Order.[Via CAG]
The Wii owners' Sunday shopping guide
This week's Sunday ads bring some interesting sales and deals to the table. Most noticeably, it seems like Bully: Scholarship Edition has had a universal price drop, and now only costs $30. Circuit City is the only store to advertise this, but from checking around at other retailers, the slashed price seems like the rule and not the exception. While $50 for the port might have been too expensive for your tastes, $30 sounds a bit easier to swallow.All the other deals worth mentioning will probably only motivate folks who were already on the fence. Best Buy, for example, is offering a $10 gift card to those who purchase Alone in the Dark. As for Circuit City, the retailer has a handful of $20 games marked down to $15 (Balloon Pop, Furu Furu Park, and Prince of Persia: Rival Swords, namely).Topping it all off is Amazon's "Deal of the Day," which ends at 3am EST. Here you can find ezGear's Wii Rechargable Battery and Charger, which you can use to charge up your Wiimotes. We're not sure how reliable ezGear is when it comes to third-party accessories, but for $10, this dock might be worth a try.Hopefully your wallets will come out unscathed from this gauntlet of deals, but if not, feel free to rant at us for our evil, tempting ways.[Via CAG]Source: $10 gift card with purchase of Alone in the Dark at Best BuySource: Amazon's "Deal of the Day" -- ezGear's Wii Rechargable Battery and ChargerSource: Circuit City (for sales on Balloon Pop, Furu Furu Park, and Rival Swords)
Bully ban means no virtual wedgies in Brazil
Brazil seems to be having a lot of censorship issues lately, but in terms of video games, Bully is the most recent victim.According to an Associated Press article, Judge Flavio Rabello recently ordered that Rockstar's controversial game be banned from the country. This means that Brazilian stores (both brick and mortar and online) cannot sell the software, nor can the title be imported, distributed, or promoted.So, why Bully over other violent games? State prosecutor Alcindo Bastos commented, "The aggravating factor is that everything in the game takes place inside a school. That is not acceptable." Yet, Bully isn't first game to be prohibited in the Latin American country; earlier this year, Counter-Strike and Everquest were banned as well.It's a shame when governments don't take the time to understand something before following a knee-jerk reaction. Perhaps bullying is a touchy subject, since the issue involves children committing violence against other children, but pretending it doesn't exist by banning media that portrays it won't solve any problems. Gallery: Bully [Via Game Politics]
Brazil bans Bully
No sooner does Rockstar finally succeed in getting Manhunt 2 unbanned in the UK than another Rockstar game gets banned in another country. This time around it's Bully: Scholarship Edition that's been banned by a Brazilian judge, as the AP is reporting.According to the report, the ban prevents the game from "being imported, distributed, sold or promoted on Web sites and stores" in the country. Brazilian distributors and retailers will have thirty days to comply with the ban, which came in response to a request from a Brazilian youth center. "The aggravating factor is that everything in the game takes place inside a school" said prosecutor Alcindo Bastas. "That is not acceptable."A Take-Two spokesman said the decision "will not have a material impact on the sales of this popular title." We're relatively sure this is not the last we'll hear from the publisher about this matter.
Rockstar acquires Mad Doc Software, forms Rockstar New England
There's a brand new face for us to lovingly stick into our Take-Two Family Album -- Rockstar New England. Take-Two's Rockstar Games has announced the formation of the studio following the acquisition of Andover, MA-based Mad Doc Software, "one of the premier independent development studios in North America." The praise release continues with Rockstar founder, Sam Houser, weighing in on the purchase."The team at Mad Doc Software is extremely talented," he said. "Bringing them within the Rockstar Games family will enhance our core technology and further support our commitment to creating progressive and innovative gaming experiences."C'mon everybody, let's join in singing the praises of the studio that most recently worked on the Xbox 360 version of Bully: Scholarship Edition! What's that? We can't hear you! We seem to be experiencing audio difficulties! Hello?!
