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Tale of Tales celebrates 10 years with Experiments and Prototypes bundle
The Path and The Graveyard developer Tale of Tales is now ten years old, and is celebrating its anniversary with a special games bundle. Dubbed the "Experiments and Prototypes" bundle, the package contains just that: a collection of 18 prototype projects from the developer's decade-long existence. Many of the projects include multiple PC and Mac downloads for various renditions and experiments, from an experimental early first-person wind control tool for Fatale to special "Adam and Eve" character models for Quake. The bundle even features multiple demos and alpha versions of the unreleased game that started Tale of Tales, 8. Those looking to acquire the Experiments and Prototypes bundle can set their own price for it, though the whole pack carries a minimum price of $5 and a suggested price of $15. Tale of Tales stresses that the bundle is in limited order, as the offer is available until December 25 and "contains many items that have never been released before and will not be available later."
British Library's web domain archive is now available, just not on the web
If you need an illustration of the problems with overly stringent copyright laws, look no further than the British Library. The institution has just made its archive of UK website domains available to the public, but you can't actually visit it from the web -- the Legal Deposit Libraries Act requires that you stop by one of six libraries in the country to take a look. While reforms may be coming, the British Library says there are concerns that site operators could lose revenue if people flock to the historical collection instead of active pages. Whether or not there's any merit to that fear, those who can't swing by a reading room are largely out of luck. The British Library runs a permission-based web archive, but its roughly 13,000 sites pale in comparison to the billions stored in the offline repository. [Image credit: British Library]
Pre-orders open for God of War Collection on Vita
The God of War Collection for PlayStation Vita is now available to pre-order through GameStop. The pack includes remastered versions of Sony's first two PS2 games in the series with full trophy support. The listing does not indicate when the bundle will arrive, but it is priced at $39.99. Sony previously launched the God of War Collection on PS3 in November 2009 before packing the original games in with God of War 3, God of War: Chains of Olympus and God of War: Ghost of Sparta in the God of War Saga bundle for PS3 in August 2012. Those that own the former collection can already play the games on Vita thanks to a September 2012 update, which opened up remote play for the collection on the system.
Mew-Genics wants you to hoard attribute-boosting furniture
Team Meat recently unveiled another aspect of Mew-Genics' gameplay: furniture collecting. Super Meat Boy creator Edmund McMillen discussed the game's furniture system in a blog post on the game's site, drawing comparisons to Nintendo's Animal Crossing series. In Mew-Genics, players acquire furniture through Baby Jack's store then place it in a room in their house. Each piece of furniture, which belongs to one of five "types," influences a variety of stats in the game, from disease rates to each cat's life span. The five types of furniture are large, medium, small, wall furniture and those belonging to item sets. Team Meat says Mew-Genics will include 750 pieces of furniture in total, not including rare alternates for each one. The cat genetics and breeding game will launch in 2014 for Steam, iOS and Android.
LG promises to stop your Smart TV spying on you
In light of accusations that its Smart TVs were sending private data to its servers, LG has admitted that some of its sets are behaving in ways they shouldn't be. In a statement, the Korean manufacturer conceded that it has been collecting channel, TV platform and broadcast source data from some units, even when the feature was switched off. However, the company said that when the feature operates normally, it helps provide viewing recommendations to other LG Smart TV owners based on what they are watching. In response to claims it was also beaming over names of files located on connected USB keys, LG admits that it actually forms part of an upcoming service that searches the internet for detailed information on a particular film or TV show. Understandably, both features might leave a nasty taste in your mouth, especially if you own one of the affected Smart TVs. With that in mind, LG says that while it has never stored private data, it is working on a new firmware update that will ensure its data-collection settings adhere to user preferences -- that'll include killing off its file metadata-matching service before it had the chance to live. LG regrets any concerns these reports may have caused and will continue to strive to meet the expectations of all our customers and the public. We hope this update clears up any confusion.
Batman Arkham Collection packs three Batmans into one box
The Batman Arkham Collection will arrive on November 22 in the UK, Warner Bros. announced today. The bundle packs the two Rocksteady-developed Arkham games, Batman: Arkham Asylum and Batman: Arkham City along with WB Games Montreal's Batman: Arkham Origins into one batsuit. Arkham Asylum and Arkham City will both be included as download codes for the PS3 and Xbox 360 versions of the collection, with the PS3 bundle also receiving the Knightfall DLC pack for Arkham Origins. The PC version of the bundle will feature Game of the Year editions of either game, which grants players bonus DLC like Harley Quinn's Revenge for Arkham City and six additional maps for Arkham Asylum. Those two games are in a bundle of their own, which GameStop unveiled in September. We've contacted Warner Bros. to see if the Arkham Collection will arrive in North America as well.
Steam weekend: Deep Silver deals, Mass Effect 2 and EVE Online 75% off
Steam is offering up a number of deals this weekend, including discounts on Deep Silver-published games. Among the series in Deep Silver's catalog that are on sale this weekend are the Metro, Risen, Saint's Row, Sacred and Dead Island series, with notable discounts on their respective bundles: The Metro Franchise Pack is 33 percent off ($36.84), the Risen Collection is half off ($19.99), the Saints Row: The Third - The Full Package bundle is 50 percent off ($14.99), the Dead Island Franchise Pack is 66 percent off ($16.99) and the Sacred Collection is just $17.49. What's more, both Mass Effect 2 and EVE Online are 75 percent off this weekend, or just under $5 each. Three-month subscription plans for EVE Online are half off until Monday as well.
New trailer shows off the best of PvP in Star Wars: The Old Republic
Star Wars: The Old Republic has been hitting the advertising road a bit harder lately. The newest trailer isn't a live-action romp, but it does encourage prospective players to pick a side in the game's conflict between the Republic and the Empire. That's because this one is all about the game's PvP, more specifically about the factional warzones which feature several members of both factions beating the stuffing out of one another. Existing players will probably recognize all of the warzones pictured (and potentially question why so many people are standing in place fighting duels in a Huttball match), as the trailer doesn't contain any footage of the upcoming arena PvP maps. But if you're unfamiliar with what the PvP looks like in the game, you could do worse than taking a gander. Here's a hint: It involves a lot of lightsabers.
Elder Scrolls Anthology rolls up (nearly) everything from Arena to Skyrim
Bethesda will launch a special Elder Scrolls Anthology collection for PC on September 10 for $79.99. The compilation will span the five-game series (Arena, Daggerfall, Morrowind, Oblivion and Skyrim) and will include official add-ons, such as Skyrim's Hearthfire, Dragonborn and Dawnguard DLC packs. Not every game in the series is included in the collection, as the four The Elder Scrolls Travels cell phone games and An Elder Scrolls Legend: Battlespire are missing from the package. Bethesda says this is the first time it's put together a PC collection of The Elder Scrolls games, which began with Arena's launch in 1994. The Elder Scrolls Anthology will also feature five physical maps depicting the lands of Tamriel, Iliac Bay, Morrowind, Cyrodiil and Skyrim.
Minecraft belongs in a museum, according to MoMA
New York's Museum of Modern Art has announced that it is adding six video games, including Minecraft, and a console to its famous collection of contemporary art. The Museum chose to honor fourteen games last year (including Pac-Man, SimCity 2000, EVE Online, and Portal) based on their traits of behavior, aesthetics, space, and time. This year, the museum is adding Atari classics Pong, Space Invaders, Asteroids, Tempest, and Yar's Revenge, as well as Mojang's modern hit, Minecraft. MoMA's also adding the Magnavox Odyssey to the collection, remembering it not only as the first commercial home video game console, but as "a masterpiece of engineering and industrial design." As part of the museum's collection, all of these games and the console will periodically show up in exhibits put together by MoMA's Architecture and Design department.
Jukebox Heroes: Starting your MMO music collection
I love seeing people turned on to MMO music, particularly after it's gotten such a bad rap over the years. But for the new fan, it can be a daunting proposition to start up a collection. After all, it's not as if you can go down to your local vinyl shop, peruse a stack of 45s, and come out with a full set of SOE's greatest hits. Only a fraction of MMO scores are available for purchase these days, with the rest being free, packaged in with collector's editions, out of print, or just tucked away inside of game files somewhere. So how do you get started on building up a robust library of MMO music? If you don't have deep pockets, which scores would I recommend you pick up first? Well, my friend, I've given it some thought and have put together a guide to six essential purchases that will get you off to a great start. Don't thank me; thank music. And also me because I did this hard work.
AVP Evolution hosting a contest to put fan art in the game
Fox recently released an official Aliens vs. Predator action game on the App Store called AVP Evolution, which you can pick up if interested right now for US$4.99. Unfortunately, we weren't that impressed with the game here at TUAW -- it's a pretty boring action game with some solid graphics (and a good representation of the two sci-fi licenses), but some less-than-stellar gameplay. But AVP fans might get a kick out of it, as there are plenty of Super Predators and Alien queens involved. Plus, Fox is now hosting a big art contest for the game on their Facebook page. To enter, you'll need to go over to the Facebook page, Like it, and then submit your art there. Works can't be any bigger than 3 MB, and Fox asks that they're at least 300 dpi (presumably so they'll work when included in the app). Entries will be chosen based on originality, quality, a fit with the AVP storyline and a popular vote, and one winner will see his or her art included in the app itself. Four other runner-ups will also get an AVP DVD collection for their trouble, and of course the rest of us get to see some sweet AVP art.
AC/DC releases full catalog to iTunes Store
For those about to buy the entire AC/DC catalog mastered for iTunes, we salute you. Every album from the classic Aussie hard rock band, about to celebrate 40 years as a successful act, is now available on the iTunes Store around the world. Two collections are available: The Collection (US$99.99), which includes all AC/DC studio albums, and The Complete Collection ($149.99) with all studio albums, live albums and box sets. If you're just a fan of a single AC/DC tune, you can purchase it in the same "Mastered for iTunes" digital format. The full press release from Apple and Columbia Records is listed below. Show full PR text AC/DC Now on iTunes AC/DC's Complete Catalog Available Digitally for the First Time; All Tracks Mastered for iTunes NEW YORK and CUPERTINO, California-November 19, 2012-Columbia Records and Apple® today announced that AC/DC's entire catalog is now available digitally for the first time exclusively on the iTunes Store® worldwide (www.itunes.com). From their 1976 debut High Voltage to seminal classic Back In Black and 2008 smash hit Black Ice, every one of AC/DC's 16 studio albums, along with four live albums and three compilation albums, are available for the first time ever on the iTunes Store. All tracks are Mastered for iTunes®, and fans have the ability to download full albums or simply purchase their favorite individual songs. Fans can also choose from two specially packaged digital compilations: The Complete Collection, the complete iTunes-exclusive AC/DC catalog; and The Collection, which includes all 16 studio albums. AC/DC's thunderous and primal rock and roll has excited fans for generations with their raw and rebellious brand of music, which also resonates with millions of new fans discovering AC/DC everyday. Their growing legion of fans will now experience the intensity of AC/DC's music in a way it has never been heard before. AC/DC's music has been Mastered for iTunes, ensuring the music is delivered to listeners with increased audio fidelity, more closely replicating what the artists, recording engineers and producers intended. The full catalog which has all been Mastered for iTunes includes: Collections The Collection (all studio albums for $99.99) The Complete Collection (all studio albums, live albums and box sets for $149.99) 16 Studio Albums High Voltage (1976) Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap (1976) Let There Be Rock (1977) Powerage (1978) Highway To Hell (1979) Back In Black (1980) For Those About To Rock We Salute You (1981) Flick Of The Switch (1983) 74 Jailbreak (1984) Fly On The Wall (1985) Who Made Who (1986) Blow Up Your Video (1988) The Razors Edge (1990) Ballbreaker (1995) Stiff Upper Lip (2000) Black Ice (2008) 4 Live Albums If You Want Blood You've Got It (1978) Live (1992) Live (2 Volume Collector's Edition) (1992) Live At River Plate (2012) 3 Compilation Albums Bonfire (1997) Backtracks audio (2009) Iron Man 2 soundtrack (2010) The iTunes Store is the world's most popular music store with a catalog of over 26 million songs and over 20 billion songs downloaded, and is available in 63 countries. The iTunes Store is the best way for iPhone®, iPad®, iPod®, Mac® and PC users to legally discover, purchase and download music online. All music on the iTunes Store comes in iTunes Plus®, Apple's DRM-free format with high-quality 256 kbps AAC encoding for audio virtually indistinguishable from the original recordings. iTunes in the Cloud lets you download your previously purchased iTunes music to all your iOS devices at no additional cost, and new music purchases can be downloaded automatically to all your devices. Columbia Records is one of the most respected and successful record labels in the world, and is home to established superstars and exciting new talent. Columbia Records is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Sony Music Entertainment. Sony Music Entertainment is a global recorded music company with a roster of current artists that includes a broad array of both local artists and international superstars. The company boasts a vast catalog that comprises some of the most important recordings in history. Sony Music Entertainment is a wholly owned subsidiary of Sony Corporation of America. Apple designs Macs, the best personal computers in the world, along with OS X, iLife, iWork and professional software. Apple leads the digital music revolution with its iPods and iTunes online store. Apple has reinvented the mobile phone with its revolutionary iPhone and App Store, and is defining the future of mobile media and computing devices with iPad.
Final Fantasy Ultimate Box goes from PSOne to PS3: All 13 games for $450
To mark 25 years of dungeon crawling (and soft-resetting), Square-Enix has packaged together all of its core Final Fantasy titles for this elaborate fan-baiting package. Alongside discs for Final Fantasies I through XIII, the games-maker has packaged a numbered presentation plaque -- replete with new artwork from renowned character artist Yoshitaka Amano -- alongside a two-disc soundtrack and commemorative DVD. The price of a limited-edition slice of Final Fantasy heritage? A total of 35,000 gil yen, (around $450) will net you the compilation, which lands on December 18th. Japan residents can hit the source for preorder details, while global enthusiasts can read up on the full title (and format) breakdown -- there's no news of an international release just yet.
Blake Patterson's Byte Cellar: the ultimate man cave for aspiring geeks
Apple IIGS? Of course. Commodore 64C? You betcha. NeXTstation Turbo Color? Booyah! These three classics are just part of Blake Patterson's tricked-out technology den that's known as the Byte Cellar -- and yes, we're seething with jealousy. Take notes, folks, because this is how it's done. In all, the Byte Cellar currently plays home to 69 computers, video game consoles, PDA's and other noteworthy gadgets. Need to switch between the Atari and the Amiga? Not a problem, as each system is thoughtfully laid out on a workbench that allows one to easily scoot between rigs. Even the walls bleed vintage cred with a Space Invaders motif, rare posters and hardware components from bygone eras. Be sure to take it all in with a panorama photo that's been linked up below, along with a complete list of the equipment currently in Blake's collection. Regardless of whether you agree with his taste in hardware, one thing is for certain: the man must go through a lot of compressed air.
Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic Collection spotted for PC, launching July 17 [Update]
It appears an as-yet-unannounced Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic Collection will launch on July 17, according to a GameStop listing. We called a store representative and confirmed that a KOTOR collection is in their system, and is listed as a PC-exclusive title for $20.The first game in the series (developed by BioWare) was released to critical acclaim in July 2003 for Xbox, and later for PC. KOTOR came to Mac via Steam just a few months ago. Obsidian developed the game's sequel, which launched on Xbox in December 2004.We've reached out to LucasArts for more details on the collection.Update: The game is listed on Amazon as Star Wars Knights of the Old Republic I and II PC Bundle Pack, and is available for preorder. We are still confirming details with LucasArts.Thanks for keeping those eagle eyes sharp![Thanks, Josh!]
Leaderboard: Achievements vs. collections
Some may call them busy work or a fool's errand, but others delight in the additional fluff systems in MMOs that encourage us to take the path less traveled. Two of these systems, achievements and collections, stand out in my mind as the premier ways of encouraging us to game a bit differently. Achievements are ubiquitous at this point, from World of Warcraft to Warhammer Online (and that's just the Ws). Despite usually not offering anything more substantial than a pat on the back and a few numbers for your number collections, they have proved to be an incredibly popular motivator to going outside of your daily routine. Collections are somewhat more tangible: in-game objects that are often hidden for you to seek out, find, and collect all of them for the cool prize on the back of the box. That may be Cheerios, too. Anyway, titles like EverQuest II and RIFT enjoy sending players out on these scavenger hunts, and it momentarily takes our minds off the presence of death and slaughter that permeates everything. So if you had to pick one of these systems as the better motivation to get you out of your comfort zone and try new things, which would it be: achievements or collections?
Browse John Peel's legendary record collection, travel back in time
The Peel Sessions -- those are three blissful words to any music enthusiast. John Peel's BBC radio show was the stuff of legends. It launched entire careers and created a legacy of eclectic and intimate musical snapshots by our favorite artists. Can you imagine exploring his record collection? Well, now you can. The Space has created a wonderful site that lets you browse the late DJ's record archive one virtual shelf and album cover at a time -- complete with links to iTunes and Spotify. It looks and feels like the real thing, and provides a fantastic journey back in time. Only the letter A's been cataloged so far -- additional letters will be added (one each week) over the coming months. This is your chance to discover music curated by a man with impeccable musical taste over a period of four decades. Just follow the source links below.
Huge Apple memorabilia collection up for auction on eBay
TUAW reader Kray Mitchell sent along a link to let us know he's posted a whole bunch of his collection of Apple memorabilia from over the years on eBay, and even if you don't have the cash to pick up this stuff at all, it's at least interesting to browse through it. He's got an original Newton MessagePad up there to look at, a box of those Apple playing cards that we've seen before, lots of promo materials like this original iMac poster, and even a ... Service Award for the PowerBook team from 1991? Huh. If nothing else, it's a pretty interesting walk through some of Apple's history. We can't vouch for the prices on any of these things (the playing cards are already up to $100 and might go even higher), but just getting the chance to see some of this stuff after almost 20 years now is pretty cool.
15 Minutes of Fame: Come one, come all to the astounding Traveling Museum of Debris
From Hollywood celebrities to the guy next door, millions of people have made World of Warcraft a part of their lives. How do you play WoW? We're giving each approach its own 15 Minutes of Fame. Back in October, we profiled triple-threat collector Drrum's coordinated armor, pet, and mount collections, meticulously assembled and screenshot in complementary in-game settings. Last week, we chatted with collector Moonjade of Twisting Nether (US-A), who focuses on items somehow linked to game lore. This week, we complete our trifecta of collectors with an interview with a player who's assembled an actual in-game museum -- yup, curator-led tours and all -- of unusual gray items and assorted oddities. Now, we get crazy emails all the time here at WoW Insider about all sorts of weird things that've been found in game ... but man, I've never even heard of some of this stuff! Pestle, who's also GM of Infinite Asylum on The Scryers (US-A), manages the massive, multi-bank collection via Riplington E. Winchester III, the museum's intrepid gnomish curator character. The list of random items that she sent me is so long that there's literally no reader-friendly way to display it here (let alone the fact that it would take days to slap Wowhead links on all of it); we'll stream it for you in paragraph form just after the jump. For a visual idea of the scope of this massive collection, click through the gallery below before joining us to chat with its curator after the break. %Gallery-129232%
