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Library lets patrons play DDR to avoid late fees
We've heard plenty of stories of libraries lending out video games, or using them to attract patrons, but this Nashua Telegraph story about expunging late fees with a quick play of Dance Dance Revolution is unique in our experience.According to the story, the library's annual "Patron Appreciation Day" let attendees avoid their overdue fines by donating non-perishables to a local soup kitchen or playing a quick game of DDR. The exact pay-for-play system wasn't discussed in detail, but 16-year-old Arienne Stearns apparently needed a "C" grade on her dance to erase $14 of fines from her record.Not that you had to have overdue books to play -- apparently, many girls "took second turns competing against the librarian, just for fun." This is a good deal, because from what we've heard, you haven't really experienced DDR until you've played it against a librarian ...
Joystiq impressions: Boogie (DS)
The dancing-puppet game, Boogie, launches on the DS this "holiday" season. The portable version of the title has more game in it (read: objectives and losing conditions). But after briefly playing, it still seems aimed close at the casual market Boogie (Wii) courted; rhythm fans might want to pass.Boogie (DS) copies rhythm game techniques, but it comes off as a casual, unfocused Elite Beat Agents. Maybe after hours of playing -- or a better fit with a gamer who's never tried a rhythm title -- it would feel more unique.%Gallery-7889%
Humanoid robots could still do the twist in 2193
If no one's complaining when the Rock-afire Explosion busts out a Bubba Sparxxx jam, we doubt the future alien population of this here planet will have any beef with an android cousin doing the Tango. In a bizarre feat of preservation, a team from the University of Tokyo, Japan has used "video motion-capture systems to record the movement of a dancer performing a Japanese folk routine called the Aizu-Bandaisan." Rather than just filing it on a DVD, however, they are teaching Kawada Industries' HRP-2 to mimic the moves, which could open the door (wider) for robotic dance teachers of the future. If you think it sounds weird, just wait 'til you catch the thing on video.[Thanks, Eileen]
BlizzCon: The Dances of Warcraft
BlizzCon's dance contest brought out some interesting entries on Friday night, especially in the female Blood Elf category, which just about everyone seemed to end up doing. There were also a couple of Murlocs in there, even a baby version, but the icing on the cake has to go to the first guy in the video above. He shows off "The Origins of the Ogre Dance", and we have to say it takes guts to get up on stage and do this. Literally. Unfortunately, he didn't even win or place, which is a complete travesty. The guy was robbed. The winning entry, which we didn't capture on video, was a guy in a Napoleon Dynamite-esque costume who wasn't half bad (he did the Blood Elf male dance, which is based on Napoleon Dynamite's famous move) ... but imitating Chris Farley's classic SNL skit while at a fan convention for a video game is pure gold.
Brush up on your etiquette for BlizzCon
Blizzcon is only three weeks away, and so right now might be the best time to start brushing up on your BlizzCon Etiquette-- Adriss from Skywall has written up this very helpful tongue-in-cheek guide to make sure you don't commit any faux pas at Blizzard's gigantic get-together.For instance, did you know that you should always ask permission before punting any gnomes you see? And also, I was sorry to read that Night Elves will not be permitted to dance at the convention-- apparently there will be children there. Pretty funny.Have any other tips for not stepping on any toes? My only suggestions would be to stay away from any shoulder-related comments when around Orcs, and by all means, do not feed the CMs. They subside just fine on their normal diet of forum trolls and customer tears.[ via WorldofWar.net ]
Today's finally understandable video: Boogie
Even though some of us have played Boogie, the title continues to confuse others. Today's video pick is the first time it made sense for this writer: instead of a dancing-and-singing game, it's a game where you control a dancing-and-singing puppet. Finally, the lack of direct correlation between controllers and avatars -- like left controller for left arm -- makes sense.It's still too early to predict Boogie's success, but at least we finally understand the basics. And it took us long enough -- the title is close to shipping, with an August 9, 2007 release. See the video after the break.
Mysterious Mysteries: Fel Reavers on wheels!
The Burning Legion's dreaded (and sometimes dancing) Fel Reavers have been seen gliding around Hellfire Peninsula for the last week without appearing to walk! Adventurers everywhere have been trying to puzzle out how this could happen, but Lebowski, the Grand Master Engineer at Honor Hold, seems to have come up with the most plausible explanation:"Using my specially-engineered-for-super-stealth [Silent-Strider Kneeboots]," he told Mysterious Mysteries, sporting some very nasty cuts and bruises all over his body, "I managed to get underneath a Fel Reaver before it spotted me! I saw very clearly the roller-skates underneath its feet before it saw me and trampled my body into the dust!" Fortunately, his wife, a night elf priest, came looking for him soon after this horrible accident, and raised him back to life. "At least Lebowski didn't die in the house this time," she said. "The last time he invented something, he got bodily fluids all over our family rug!" Have you noticed any odd creature movement happening around Azeroth or Outland? Creatures jumping up and down in some sort of twisted and evil exercise program as they come into your field of view, perhaps?
Happy funtime Memorial Day video: Rejected Wii Play minigames
A caution to our readers: anyone with a conscience or refined sense of humor may want to stay far away from the above video, which features a host of "rejected" Wii Play minigames to hilarious effect. It even includes Ribbon Dancing Revolution, which we called back in August of '06. The excellent reproduction of the Mii's simplistic style is alone worth the price of admission, so go ahead, click on the play button.We're not watching.[via GoNintendo]
WoW Moviewatch: Dranei Tunak Tunak Tun
Anything you can do we can do better! Sure, we've seen the source of the draenei's dance and we've even seen draenei dancing along with the original. But why insert draenei into a real world music video when you can make a great version of the Tunak Tunak Tun video entirely in World of Warcraft? Well, that's clearly what the makers of this machinima asked themselves -- how do you think it compares to the original?Previously on Moviewatch...
WoW Moviewatch: So that's where that dance came from!
We've all seen the videos of different dances. We've had ones where they all dance together, ones where the original source is cited. We've even seen video of a guy dancing like a Night Elf Female. Now we have another dance movie. There's one thing about this one that sets it apart, however. This is the first one I've seen that does a really good job of putting the dances side-by-side with their inspirations. As Bowzerblack on the WoW LJ said: "I didn't know that about ogres!" All I can say is that I didn't either. And yes, I know it's the Boomkin dance too, but you don't see a lot of (completely-bare) topless Boomkins running about. Which, now that I think about it, is probably a good thing.Previously, on MovieWatch...[via the WoW LJ community]
Raving Rabbids Redux
Not the official name, of course, but damn if we shouldn't take up careers in marketing. Rayman Raving Rabbids, a game noted for being rather dichotomous in quality, will be receiving the sequel treatment on both the Wii and the DS.Alas, the style of the game seems to be untouched: perform in various minigames and encounter some marginally bearable screaming lagomorphs en route. We're hoping that with familiarity comes refinement: this may be the first direct sequel of a game released for the Wii, and thus familiarity with programming the motion controls may bring a more natural and elegant experience. If not, Ubisoft, prepare to get market slapped, because we're kind of getting sick of minigames.[Thanks, Squishey!]
GM says "Mailbox piccolo concerts are right out!"
A forum thread about a player and a GM talking about the Piccolo of the Flaming Fire popped up yesterday. As usual it was deleted, but the image was saved by Neuroxin on the WoW LJ community -- where I saw this. While GM threads are nothing new, the reason that this player was contacted by a GM is a new one on me. Were you aware that using the Piccolo of the Flaming Fire when you are AFK on top of a mailbox can get you in trouble with the GMs?While I totally appreciate that the piccolo can be annoying over a long period of time, does it truly interrupt the ability to play? Is it on the same level as ganking someone over and over as someone suggested? I'll admit that I totally hate that item, but not because it makes me dance. I hate it because a small flute should not sound like a harp. (and yes, that's nitpicky of me)
Friday video: Get down, Boogie oogie oogie
Finally, we can see one of the most important aspects of EA's Boogie: the dancing. Our Featured Friday Video for this week shows off the new rhythm title in motion, and the best description we can think of is "spastic, but in a good way." Also on display: the characters, called Boogs, who can be customized (another EA game that uses cutesy customizable avatars, but not Miis?), and who don't all look like Earl. The factsheet for the game mentions minigames (wouldn't be a Wii game without 'em) and a music video mode that lets players save their performances with added voice and custom camera angles and effects. Unfortunately, you have to check the site for the video, since we can't embed the Vooks player. We do have screens, though, after the break.
Today's most educational video: learn Kanji and sweet dancing
There's a few DS applications out there that'll teach you Kanji ... but do any of them teach you how to dance the robot as well?Check out the commercial for Tadashii Kanji and see what you've been missing. A new alphabet and some sweet dance moves ... where can you go wrong?
Morpho Towers: ferrofluid sculptures that groove to the music
There's just something irresistible about random objects that get down to surrounding beats, and the Morpho Towers: Two Standing Spirals installation is quite the eye-catcher indeed. The pair of ferrofluid sculptures were deigned to stand in a platter of ferrofluid and move "synthetically to music," which translates into a magnetic field being generated by sound and creating autonomous art. Subsequently, the towers react by attracting "spikes of ferrofluid" from the bottom-up, which can mold itself and transform into a variety of stunning shapes. The spikes themselves are designed to "rotate around the edge of the spiral cone, becoming large or small depending on the strength of the magnetic field," and by utilizing time series metadata ingrained in the music, the designers can create (and control) more dramatic scenes on the towers' sides. So if you're interested in what a magnetic Christmas tree might look like, be sure to take a peek after the jump for the artwork in motion.[Via SciFiTech]
Boogie gameplay impressions: this is not DDR
MTV's Stephen Totilo got a chance to test EA's Boogie at an SSX Blur launch party, and has only now had an NDA lifted, so he can talk about it. The most shocking thing from his impressions is that it sounds really innovative. Rather than going down the Bemani/DDR "push buttons in time with the music" route, EA Montreal has created an improvisation-based game where you use controller gestures to try to satisfy the audience with your dance moves. The Nunchuk moves the alien guy's body while the Wiimote controls where his head is pointed. Success in the game is a matter of using a variety of dance moves and somehow being "stylish." There are no onscreen indicators of what to push when.Our first instinct is to rail against the game for being too dumbed-down and lacking any of the precision of pretty much any other music game, but that doesn't seem to be the right way to think about it. This may be a game about dancing in time to music, but it is a different kind of music game. And until we have conclusive proof that it's not good, we're going to be excited about the prospect of EA of all people expanding our favorite genre.Note: you may have to scroll down to find this article: individual MTV multiplayer stories can't be linked.
WoW Moviewatch: Dancing Fel Reaver
I'm sure we're all familiar with the Fel Reavers who wander around Hellfire Penninsula. You know, the massive mechanical beasts who stomp around the zone smashing anything in their path? (How could you forget those deaths, after all?) However, apparently smashing innocent players is not their only talent...Previously on Moviewatch...
EA reveals Wii-exclusive game: Boogie
After several weeks of hushed rumors about Electronic Arts' rhythm-based game for the Wii, the video game giant finally pulled the curtains back on its gossiped project, Boogie. The new IP will take advantage of the Wii's unique controls, encouraging gamers to sing and sway along with the karaoke/dance game. The reports of a microphone peripheral for the Wii remote seem indisputable now, but we're puzzled as to how it will work since the nunchuck will already be attached to the controller's bottom port. Players will be able to customize their characters and even "[star] in their own music videos." We're not sure if that means Boogie will allow us to import our Miis, but it would be a criminal oversight if the game didn't. Judging by the screenshots released so far, it would pain us to hear that our character selection would be limited to SpongeBob rejects with chest hair.EA Montreal (SSX Blur) is handling development for this Wii-exclusive game, and they expect to release the title worldwide later this year. Check out the first screenshots for Boogie after the post break!
First Wii commercial from Dancing with the Stars
If you're one who enjoys Dancing with the Stars (don't lie, we caught you dancing the moves while watching it) then, during last night's season finale, you saw the first Wii commercial. We've done our usual thing and embedded it into the post, after the break, for your viewing pleasure. [Thanks to everyone that sent this in!]
Phat Loot Phriday: Piccolo of the Flaming Fire
So last night we were in Stratholme and had just finished the live side when the mage in our group asked for us to kill a named and try and get his tier 0 boots. Unfortunately, he didn't get them (we'll have to go back), but after the loot roll was over, I had my favorite new item in my possession...Name: Piccolo of the Flaming FireType: Rare TrinketArmor: NAAbilities: Use: Causes nearby players (and you) to dance. Yup, use of this trinket (it's on a 60 second cooldown, starting on use) causes every other player around you who's not moving to dance like it's 1999. Even, as I found out last night while using this thing in the Ironforge bank and AH, if they're seated or mounting. There's nothing funnier to me than a Nelf rogue in full tier 2 dancing like a madman. Except maybe a female human pally sitting on a horse doing the macarena with her arms. HA! Lots of players hate this thing, and not only does it draw attention when you use it in populated places (raids, instances, towns, AH), but players might think you're a noob-- it's completely useless other than for the comedy of making other players dance. Either you think it's one of the greatest trinkets in the game, or you think it's completely useless. Obviously, I'm the former. Unfortunately it doesn't work on NPCs (so no Katrina Prestor boogie or Thrall throwdown), mobs, or players of the other faction. But maybe that leaves room for more gimmick trinkets in the expansion? Blizzard, you listening? How to Get It: If you share my appreciation for moving to music (I like to play a little techno whenever I hit this while scanning the AH), getting the Piccolo is easy. It drops from Hearthsinger Forrester in Stratholme-- he's usually just past the rat gate in there, and he's a pushover. In fact, there are numerous strategies around to solo this guy as a rogue or druid, so he's easily farmable if you're playing one of those classes. If you're not, it still won't take long to farm him, but you'll have to pull your way to him (like grinding more AD rep is a bad thing). The Hearthsinger, as I said above, also drops the mage's tier 0 boots, so just tag along with your guild mage when he's farming for epics, and you'll probably be able to pick up one of these.Auction Price: It's BOP, so if you want it, you'll have to loot it yourself. A vendor will pay you 1g 7s 34c for giving up the chance to get down, get down with your fellow players. Dance, monkeys, dance!
