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Beta test Tournament.com, gain the need for gaming greed
Tournament.com is looking for a few good beta testers and giving the participants $1 credit for every match they complete before the official launch later this spring. Tournament.com is looking to become a skill-based tournament environment where players compete for real money. Co-founder Marcus Pearcey says, "Much like golfers or chess players can compete against each other in tournaments, Tournament.com users can prove their skills and make some cash in secure, fair, competitive matches that reward winners with more than just bragging rights." Tournament.com has received the rights to use Valve games Counter Strike and Half-Life 2 for the beta, they plan to announce more titles after the beta.Of course, this sounds just a tad bit like gambling, but Tournament.com insists this is skill-based competition. There is a list of locations that believe this is gambling and won't allow you to play. Competitors are only allowed to place $150 USD into their account every month to wager $1 to $10 on their competitions -- you must also be 18 or older to participate. The beta testers who receive the $1 credit per round need to use up their credit value before they can cash out. For gamers into competition, the stakes just got real. The $150 cap prevents us from saying that this is just begging for intervention. Tournament.com doesn't sound any different than bars that hold gaming competitions with buy-ins. Just make sure to check that the software is legal to download in your location before you go trying to pwn n00bs for cash.
Ohio Game Jam asks: can you make a game in 24 hours?
Ohio University's Post Online brings us a story on the Ohio Game Jam, a competition among amateur designers who try to create the best game possible in only 24 hours. The winning title was developed in only two hours, which is still a longer development cycle than some commercial products seem to have.Says "Event Overlord" Ian Schreiber: "You don't end up with Shakespeare, but you have some high levels of creativity because of the time constraints." By most accounts, you don't end up with Shakespeare even if you spend years on a game, so that's okay. And a quick-and-dirty contest like this is bound to result in ideas you'd never see in a game developed over three years by a committee. For instance, one of the Jam games used Chuck Norris's head as a projectile. We'd love to play that. But then, we'd also love to be called "Event Overlord."
Carpentry sim turns Wii gaming into work
The Great Canadian Video Game Competition has inspired developer Big Blue Bubble to turn playing video games into hard work. The developer is creating a carpentry sim for the Wii, Hobby Shop, that uses both controllers to let players build bird houses, catapults, soap box racers, and more. The team wants the game to be "family friendly" so parents will want to play it with their children. Guess that means no driving nails through your hand or sawing off limbs.Hobby Shop has passed the first two stages of the competition -- innovation and project development -- and scored the dev team over $200,000 for their work. The winner of the final stage of the competition (to be announced in September) will receive another grant to help in the commercialization of their product. In other words, Hobby Shop could be on store shelves sometime next year. It just might be quirky enough to work.
Dell announces cheap desktop for China
While it's never going to compete on price with the ultra-cheap, homegrown $203 desktop we saw late last year, Dell's new 2,600 yuan ($335) entry into the Chinese PC market certainly has a chance to make a few waves in a country where the average machine costs almost twice that. Reports thus far are pretty light on the specs (unnamed Intel CPU, up to 512MB of RAM and 80GB of storage, XP Home Edition), but obviously the real story here is not some five-year-old tech but the fact that Dell is making aggressive moves against entrenched players Lenovo and Founder, with the former manufacturer claiming over a third of the market at present. Still, Dell is already number three in China, and assuming that consumers have forgotten about that CPU switcheroo mini-scandal from last summer, it looks like the battle will be heating up once again to see which company can be the first to offer its hardware completely free.Read - ReutersRead - BBC
A competitor falls: the end of Game Park [Update 1]
Like many gamers I've always had the desire to own every console that hits the market. Unfortunately I never owned a Game Park. I always admired the fact that despited not really having big developer support, the system found a fanbase because of its homebrew scene. The systems success also was probably helped by the fact that the Korean gaming platform didn't have a lot of competition. Until 2002 Japanese electronics were banned from Korea. The increase of competition also came with a system (PSP) that was more than capable of doing homebrew perfectly, making importing a handheld with a homebrew bent less attractive. Now Pockett is reporting that Game Park has declared bankruptcy and their once proud gaming site is replaced by one that sells shoes. You can probably still pick up one of the many Game Park system variations, but it doesn't reduce the sadness of one less player in the games industry. [Via Insert Credit] [Update 1: Corrected formatting and link source. We apologize to Pockett.]
LG sets up $25,000 texting contest -- with a catch
Where we come from, trying to participate in a texting context with a QWERTY device is called "cheating," but we guess LG has some obligation to push the text-tastic capabilities of its V and enV handsets, so we'll cut 'em some slack here. In fact, the V and enV are the only devices LG's allowing in the competition -- with active Verizon service to match, of course -- so we suppose that sorta levels the playing field a bit. It seems LG wants to turn this into a costal battle, too, with the West Coast qualifier going down on the 31st of this month and its eastern counterpart rocking on the 21st of April; the winner from each gets ten grand and a trip to New York City to compete in the $15,000 final. Good luck, cheaters (don't worry, we still love ya).
Capcom's 'Plead Your Case' Phoenix Wright contest results posted
Capcom's recent contest asking gamers to beg for an English version of Gyakuten Saiban 3 has come to a close. Using a supplied comic strip and talk bubbles, participants attempted to fill a courtroom scene with witty dialogue in the hopes of scoring free swag. Nearly 120 entries were received, ranging from slightly amusing to almost incoherent. Capcom has posted the results on a Flickr page to be perused at your leisure.Now, give us Gyakuten Saiban 3 ... pretty please.
NPR commentator: Wii Sports bad for self-esteem
First Newsweek's Stephen Levy alleges that Guitar Hero is "dumbing down musicianship," and now this. NPR commentator Kelly McBride recently aired her fears that Wii Sports is artificially inflating the self-esteem of her Wii-playing children. According to McBride's logic, children used to effortless success with minimum effort in Wii Sports tennis will be frustrated when they pick up a real tennis racket and aren't immediately experts. She has a point -- mastering a video game simulation is often much easier than mastering the real world activity it mimics. Just ask a fighter pilot or a world leader. But while the barriers to success are lower for many video games, the rewards for success are also lower. While schooling someone in virtual basketball might let you hear your opponent's moan of defeat over a headset, the real look of anguish when you take someone down in a hard-fought game of real basketball is infinitely more satisfying. There's something about the physical exertion and human interaction of real sports that makes it compelling in a way that's totally different from sitting alone playing a video game. Even jumping around and playing Wii Sports with friends isn't quite as interesting as taking them on in a real sport (though it's often more practical). This is why paintball hasn't gone away even though Halo is popular and people continue to ski even when Alpine Racer might be available at a nearby arcade. Sure, children will often be more interested in the instant gratification of a simple game than the complex rewards of real competition, but as they get older most mature adults will come to realize the importance of sticking with something and attaining new skills in the real world. Video games aren't a replacement for real world activities. They never have been and they won't start to be now just because Nintendo lets you move your arms a bit while you play them.
Wii auctions outpacing PS3 on eBay
Cruising around eBay the other day for a deal on every single NES game, we stumbled across eBay Pop, a great little feature that lets you easily monitor the popularity and average selling price of various game consoles (and other products) on the world's most popular internet auction marketplace. Looking at the results for the past two weeks (above) we can see the Wii is the undisputed auction leader, selling over twice as many units as the PS3. That doesn't mean the Wii's dominance will last, though -- the number of PS3 auctions has shot up nearly 50 percent over the past two weeks, outpacing the Wii's increase by a good 20 percent. The Wii is also in the lead for price inflation, with auctions finishing at an average of 151 percent of the retail price. PS3 auctions average around 127 percent of retail (though this might be slightly higher when accounting for lower priced 20GB units) and, surprisingly, Xbox 360 premium auctions are selling at an average slightly less than the system's $399 retail price. Also surprisingly, more people seem to want the original NES than the 360 core system. Guess people really want that hard drive. While these stats aren't indicative of the entirety of internet auctions, or even directly relatable to actual in-store sales of the systems, the regularly updated numbers provide some good data for those of us who thrive on the horse race aspects of the console transition.
Losing Faith in Miss Video Game competition
Faith, of The Girl Gamer, has lost faith in the Miss Video Game competition and decided she can no longer be a part of the "farce and possible scam." After being an early supporter of the competition, which is billed as an event to raise the profile of female gamers, she began digging up information on the company involved and became concerned there were legal issues with the contest.Faith describes that things were suspect from the beginning for the simple fact this competition has no contract or release to sign. Originally the contestants needed to be 18 and over, this rule apparently was ignored as contestants started showing up on the site who were under the age of majority. Faith could not find a business license for the company to operate, eventually she received one from Miss Video Game Inc. stating that the license was issued Nov. 29, 2006 -- two months after the contest began. MVG also informed her that a company called Titan Gaming would handle the online portion of the competition, no such company exists. When attempting to contact the company with the information MVG provided, the email bounced back.The lengthy article goes on to describe increasing evidence that caused Faith to remove herself from the competition. The pageant doesn't require sponsors because they are "backed by a privately owned company that wishes to remain anonymous." She describes numerous problems with the MVG website itself and wonders how if this company can't coordinate a website, how's it going to run a live event? The questions surrounding the event are plenty and we here at Joystiq have also been researching our own concerns regarding the competition. Gamer girl beware.
Slamdance left "half empty" over Super Columbine controversy [update 1]
Smatbomb co-author Heather Chaplin attended the Slamdance Guerrilla Game Maker Competition for the New York Times and reported on the "half empty" rows of folding chairs and "uncomfortable quiet" that permeated the whole proceeding. The cause of this melancholy, of course, was the decision by competition president Peter Baxter to remove finalist Super Columbine Massacre RPG from the competition, leading six other finalists to remove their games in a show of support.. Baxter told Chaplin that he doesn't personally find the game immoral, somewhat contradicting an earlier statement to the Rocky Mountain News that "there are moral obligations to consider here with this particular game." The Times article also mentions "outraged phone calls and e-mail messages [Baxter had] been receiving from Utah residents and family members associated with the Columbine shooting," as a reason for the game's removal. In the end, the remaining attendees voted not to award any prizes at this year's competition, implicitly supporting director Sam Roberts' contention that the competition had been compromised. Whether or not the stain of this decision will last into next year's competition remains to be seen. [Update: Fixed a typo In Ms. Chaplin's name. Sorry Heathen ... I mean Heather.]
Singapore's DSTA launches urban warfare robot contest
While it's not unusual for a nation to desire a full fledged robot army to handle its dirty work, Singapore's Defense Science and Technology Agency (DSTA) is actually offering up a reward to anyone who can "build a robot that can operate autonomously in urban warfare conditions." Obviously, the task is easier said than done, but the country is aiming to acquire an intelligent, street-fighting machine that can move in and out of buildings, open and close doors, and most importantly, "search and destroy targets like a human soldier." Notably, anyone (including institutions) in the world is open to participate in the TechX Challenge, but foreigners must collaborate with local partners in their construction. The contest is being created in order to shift away from remote-controlled robots that tie up human resources, but the goals of the project may indeed be a bit lofty for today's technology. Robert Richardson from the University of Manchester, UK has proclaimed that the "competition could present a major challenge to even the most sophisticated robot," and added that doors and elevators would likely give the autonomous drones the most problems. Crafty individuals interested in the admittedly tempting S$1 million ($652,000) reward must (hastily) submit their entry by May of this year, where a few rounds of elimination will eventually end when a winner is chosen in August of 2008.[Thanks, John S.]
Steve Ballmer laughs off the iPhone, deems it "most expensive" in the marketplace
We'll be the first to give props to Steve Ballmer for accomplishing what he has at Microsoft, and we will agree that the iPhone is one expensive (and probably overpriced) little machine, but during a recent interview where he was questioned about the iPhone, he proceeded to not only compare Apple's forthcoming handset with the "$99 Motorola Q," but insisted that the iPhone was "by far the most expensive phone in the marketplace," which couldn't be further from the truth. Sure, most of the long, long list of mobile phones priced above (sometimes well above) the $500 price point aren't exactly mainstream handsets, but as the luxury phone market continues to bloom, Apple is looking to take advantage of those willing to shell out half a grand to have the hottest gizmo out. Additionally, Steve did mention that the iPhone was absolutely "not suitable for business purposes" due to its complete lack of a keyboard, but considering its half-hearted attempt at Push mail and lack of 3G, we doubt Mr. Jobs is out fighting for the corporate market just yet anyway. Nevertheless, it's always entertaining to see one head honcho completely mock another company's product, so click on through for the YouTube'd interview.[Via Digg]
Hot Cooking Mama screens from the oven
Like an Easy Bake Oven for the 21st century, Cooking Mama on the DS warmed its way into gamers' hearts with Wario Ware gameplay propelled forward by the shame of disappointing dear mother. Now Mama returns in Cooking Mama: Cook Off for the Wii. All the original fun will be there including Iron Chef competition against a friend -- "ALLEZ CUISINE!" Using the Wii-mote gamers will chop, grate, slice, stir and do all the actions of cooking without actually being able to eat anything afterward. There will be 250+ foods to create 55 dishes. No word yet on an actual release date, but find screens for the game after the jump.
Frag Dolls pwn Rainbow Six CPL tourney, first pro win
The Frag Dolls won their first pro-circuit event last night, beating "The Unknown" to earn first place in the 4v4 Rainbow Six Vegas competition at Winter CPL. Aside from being the Frag Dolls' first big victory, it appears that this is also the first time an all-female team has won a (co-ed) pro-circuit tournament. Valkyrie, Seppuku, Calyber, and Psyche (all pictured) proved to be the winning combination for the Ubisoft-sponsored team.
Bill Gates: man in the bubble.
You've heard about the Apple bubble, right? The prevailing belief that Apple's stock is overpriced and about to explode? Turns out there's definitely a Microsoft bubble, too. Different kind, though. One that surrounds Bill Gates in his day-to-day role at Microsoft. Microsoft employs a technical assistant dedicated to deleting Mr. Gates' email. "It is a corporate policy not to make a permanent record of Bill's works...The job duties of the technical assistant require him to delete email files from Mr Gates' computer weekly." Apparently this directive appeared after the recent US Government antitrust case, where many emails showed Microsoft's anticompetitive policy. Still waiting to get to the Apple punchline of this whole post? Turns out that in a (non-deleted) 2004 email, a senior executive told Gates that if he didn't work for Microsoft, he'd buy a Mac. Which shows that you really can find good people for senior management. It also makes you wonder how many deleted emails discuss the preference for iPods over the Zune.Link may require registration.
Microsoft copied the only iPod they could
John Gruber has penned an interesting observation of how Microsoft might very well have missed the mark from the get-go when they made the strange decision to take on the iPod and iTunes. Since the player's initial wiz-bang sales period is essentially over (as in: it more or less set a decent sales barometer, at least for now), John wrangles some interesting statistics from Amazon's charts on exactly where the Zune stands in comparison to Apple's players (including year-old models), as well as its ranking in the overall electronics category. To spoil the surprise: the Zune isn't doing so well. We've looked at Amazon's charts before, but as of this writing, a record player is beating out the best selling Zune on the electronics list, while iPods - specifically the small, flash-based nano and shuffle - dominate most of the top 10 spots.John then uses this data and good ol' fashioned people watching to conclude that Microsoft shouldn't have taken what could be their only swing at the plate in producing a hard drive-based iPod; they should have cranked out a flash memory model to go head-on with the nano - inarguably the home run slugger in Apple's lineup. While I tend to agree with John, I also see a problem with going down this road: Microsoft would likely have had even less room to maneuver, and even fewer things to market ('Beam your tunes') and invent lame, dead-end lingo for - they actually refer to sharing your music wirelessly as 'squirting'. Who wants to bet how excited Steve Ballmer's kids are to 'squirt' at school?Sure, when you look at what you're up against in the DAP market, Apple's iPod nano and SanDisk's respectable 2GB Sansa player (expandable via an SD slot, and at #11 on Amazon as of this writing) are the top dogs to beat - but what could they have offered? I highly doubt they could have fit their DRM-crippled and arguably worthless (though admittedly buzz-worthy) Wi-Fi sharing feature into a nano-sized player, even if they made it slightly larger and uglier like the Zune is to its 30GB iPod rival. A 'Zune nano' with nothing unique to offer would dry up on its own in a market already dominated by Apple, SanDisk and Creative, and Microsoft's exclusive, 3rd party bitch-slap of a music store would have even less of a leg to stand on.In summary: I think John's right - Microsoft made a bad move in copying the 30GB hard drive-based iPod, but it was the only move they had. In this light, it kinda makes you wonder why they bothered in the first place.
Microsoft's Robbie Bach calling out Xbox 360 price cuts?
Ah c'mon, we all knew this day would come, but the sooner the better, right? While an Xbox 360 price cut has likely been in the works for some time now, it's no surprise that it hasn't happened quite yet. With Sony's latest gig coming in well over what Microsoft is asking, there's been no reason (yet) for Microsoft to take an even bigger loss (at launch, at least) on each console sale. Nevertheless, it seems the time is drawing nigh, as Microsoft's own Robbie Bach has stated that bringing down the costs associated with the console is "the first order of business." He also boasts about the 360's "larger installed base," and claims that its "fundamentally easier to manage on costs," insinuating that those price reductions would soon be passed onto the consumer as the Xbox 360 hits its second holiday season in full stride. This latest round of price yapping comes on the heels of European stores slashing bundle prices (history repeats itself?), offering the Premium console and Gears of War for an "unprecedented" £269.99 ($520). Although we aren't certain as to when Gates and company will indeed chop prices on its next-generation machine, we'd suggest holding off just a bit longer if you're already leaning this direction.[Via MCV]
Edelman is your new Second Life neighbor
PR and marketing firm, Edelman is entering the world of Second Life without any overt marketing agenda -- at least none that seems to exploit the online residents. Instead, Edelman is working with virtual commerce group, The Electric Sheep Company, to offer a competition and seed funding for a Second Life-based business plan.Edelman and Electric Sheep are also launching a machinima video blog within Second Life, further burrowing into the virtual space. Should Second Life players be nervous that more corporate entities keep appearing within the world? Probably. But we cautiously applaud these Edelman plans; it sounds like the company is trying to build a respectable reputation within the community.[Via AdRants]
Peter Dille calls DS for kids in Engadget interview
Dave Karraker isn't the only Sony executive to face the mic in the past day. Our sister site, Engadget, went face to face against Peter Dille, about PLAYSTATION 3 and PSP. Just like Karraker, Dille says that the PSP does not compete directly with the DS:We're not focused on competing with the DS head to head against the consumer they're going after. If we were, you'd see a very different top-down strategy. You'd see a very different technology that would deliver to games geared towards kids. Which is for the most part what they're doing. And so when people talk about how we're doing vis-a-vis the Nintendo DS, again, it's not the whole story. We're selling a device to guys our age, who are using it to play games, to play movies, to access video on the net, music, etc. And it's a very different product than Nintendo DS... You can look at the software that they sell. All their licensed kid stuff. So, what we're doing with the PlayStation Portable is really establishing a new marketplace, and establishing, frankly, a new beachhead. And that takes time. Having said that, it's the fastest selling platform we've launched to date. We're up to 20 million units worldwide, and that's off to a great start. So, we just need to sort of set people's expectations based on what we're trying to do, not compete against a kid machine.Ouch. Calling the Nintendo DS exclusively a kid's machine sounds like something a fanboy would do. Didn't Mr. Dille get the memo? The DS is for old people too! Regardless, he makes a very good point about how the DS and PSP are targetting different consumers: they are different devices, and there's no need to directly compare the two. It's similar to how Nintendo keeps saying the Wii doesn't compete with PLAYSTATION 3: they focus on different markets, and do very different things.Other highlights of the interview include Dille apologizing about how they didn't focus the UMD's library correctly (but they still plan on trying to expand the UMD market. Uh...). Check out the rest of the interview at Engadget to see Dille avoid some crucial PS3 info, and fail to apologize for Kutargai's insanity.
