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A full Ghost Squad's worth of weaponry
Cruising around the CES show floor, Siliconera's Spencer stopped in his tracks when he noticed this full line-up of Wii weapons. Fit for an entire Ghost Squad, these weapons will offer a solution for those who really don't want the Wii Zapper or Link's Crossbow Training. We can imagine ourselves diving around our living room with the shotgun, pretending we're in the Metroid Prime 3 teaser trailer from E3 2006.[Via Go Nintendo]
Yes, it's a GUN
We felt extra motivated to throw this Zapper clone up here after seeing some of you complain in our Ninja Reflex post that we never talk about the boxart that we actually like. Well, here's an awesome packshot for you from Pebble Entertainment. Accessory manufacturers take note -- this is how you should be designing your boxes. Wacky packaging with kooky bulleted lists and random video game characters dropped in aren't going to sell your product. It's all in the presentation (and, uh, quality and price)!You probably already guessed this from the watermark, but import shop Play Asia has these Wii remote shells available for preorder for $19.90. As far as we can tell, the only advantages it has over Nintendo's official Zapper are its badass box and magazine-molded handle.
Zapper knock-off lets you pretend you're Eliot Ness
The latest in the long line of Zapper knock-offs looks like a modified Tommy Gun or WWII-style machine gun, allowing gamers to unload on chumps in Ghost Squad or dispatch the undead in Resident Evil: Umbrella Chronicles while firing from the hip, screaming at the top of their lungs like a total badass. The trigger might not be in the most ideal place, but it at least looks functional. That is more than we can say for some of the other knock-offs, obviously.You can even imagine you're a robot trashing cops like in that Terminator 2 moviefilm. Or, you can imagine you're Elliot Ness blowing away gangsters in a train station. Or, you can just go past the break and jog that memory of yours.
LEXID prototype gun can peek through walls
Believe it or not, devices used to see through walls are far from revolutionary, but hey, we'll take every one we can get. Reportedly, Physical Optics Corporation has concocted a prototype gun that utilizes the same method of viewing that a lobster does to see what's ahead in murky waters. The LEXID (Lobster Eye X-ray Imaging Device) functions by "radiating objects with tiny amounts of X-ray energy," subsequently allowing its user to see behind steel, wood or concrete. According to David Throckmorton, a project manager in Homeland Security's Science and Technology division, the resulting images aren't exactly drool-worthy, but they do allow you to make out a stash of weapons or a crouching enemy. Unfortunately, completion is too far out to estimate a price, but its creators are hoping to one day make it cheap enough for exterminators and contractors to purchase and use. 'Course, we could imagine middle schoolers getting into all sorts of trouble if one of these floated into the locker room.[Via The Raw Feed, image courtesy of POC]
Phat Loot Phriday: Precisely Calibrated Boomstick
Last week we did a high end raiding item, so this week we only do a piece of husky loot, but it's still pretty impressive. Why? It's the fastest gun in Azeroth, east or west. This... is my boomstick!Name: Precisely Calibrated BoomstickType: Epic GunDamage/Speed: 48-56 / 1.50 (34.7 DPS)Abilities: +14 Agility Ok you primitive screwheads, listen up! As far as I can tell (and it seems like whenever I make a blanket statement like this, our commenters always prove me wrong), this is the fastest non-magical projectile (not thrown) ranged weapon in the game. There's good news and bad news on that one. The good news is that for hunters, firing this fast will mean that any abilities that proc (Improved Aspect of the Hawk, Go for the Throat) will do it more often. You'll also get more crits, which is always nice, and some twink PvP hunters say this can actually keep casters from casting-- it hits so fast that their casting bar slows way down. But unfortunately, speed isn't everything-- as fast as this gun is, lots of hunters would rather have a slower gun that does more damage per hit. Not to mention that all this firing spends your ammo like it's going out of style-- more bangs means more money for new ammo. For BM hunters who autoshot a lot, this gun is nice at the level, but for most other hunters, it's probably not worth the time unless it falls into your lap. Rogues could also use it-- the agility in the ranged weapon slot is nice for the level. But anyone who takes it around 45 or so will probably be passing it up for something better within a few levels anyway. But that's how it is with lowbie weapons-- first you want to kiss them, then you want to kill them. Blow. How to Get It: It's a world drop, which means it could drop from almost anywhere in the world. So either you'll just get really lucky and have it fall into your lap while leveling or grinding, or you'll have to pick it up from the AH-- like other world epics, it is Bind on Equip. It's gone for hundreds of gold in the past, but even though I haven't priced it lately, I wouldn't imagine it being near that high these days-- 200g at the absolute most, and probably under 100g on most servers. You could probably get it cheaper, but only if you shop smart-- S-mart.Getting Rid of It: If you had it drop and don't need it, sell that sucker on the AH! Otherwise, a vendor will give you 2g 45s 40c for it, or it'll DE into a Large Radiant Shard. Hail to the king, baby. Gimme some sugar.
Nyko's Perfect Shot, critics surely ready to take aim
Get ready to blow away the competition with Nyko's Perfect Shot, the most gun-looking peripheral yet for the Wii. That is one fine piece of plastic Glock-like craftsmanship, almost makes you want to ... well, it's available for $13 from Amazon after Christmas.Following the Washington Post's take on the toyish Wii Zapper, we can't help but wonder how things would have played out if Nyko's Perfect Shot was on the market at the time. Doesn't it just beg to be painted metallic black? Depending on how the nunchuk actually attaches to this thing, it could actually be a cool looking peripheral for those who don't think toy guns will bring down civilization as we know it.[Via WiiFanboy]
Nyko's Perfect Shot Wiimote accessory -- less toy, more gun
Those who found the Zapper a tad too childish for their sadistic imaginations should probably adore Nyko's alternative, as the Perfect Shot Gun doesn't dumb down its appearance whatsoever. Rather, this Wiimote attachment resembles an actual pistol in most every way -- save for the plastic shell, vivid accents and its inability to fire actual bullets -- and it even features a pass-through port for the nunchuck / classic controller. Regrettably, it seems that this one won't be shipping in time for the holidays (unless Amazon's fibbing), but don't let that slow you down from paying your $12.99 and counting down the days till it hits your doorstep.[Via NintendoWiiFanboy]
Perfect Shot is perfect fodder for hysterical headlines
If, like the Washington Post, you expect hysteria to reign over the Zapper, just wait until the mainstream press catches a glimpse of Nyko's contribution to the ever-growing pile of third-party alternatives.The "Perfect Shot" is the most gun-like shell we've seen to date, a world away from the Zapper's unoffending curves and thoroughly un-gun-like appearance. And we'd bet our very last cent on it provoking outraged bleating from the press (and perhaps even a certain lawyer), who will no doubt make gossamer-thin links between a plastic toy and real-life violence in the process.So, in a Wii Fanboy world exclusive, we're going to beat them to the punch: if you want to train your child to be a cold-blooded, callous killer, you can pick up the Nyko Perfect Shot for just $13 on Amazon from December 24, and raise a murderer.
Automated paintball gun keeps the residence secure
Nah, it's not like tagging an intruder with shades of neon green, yellow and orange will do much to disable him / her, but it would probably make 'em think twice before going any further. 'Course, we're sure one could think of other uses for an automated paintball gun, and for those creative enough to agree, Team Cynergy has put together a videotaped how-to guide for building a laser-based motion detector and connecting it to your gun. We'll save the technicalities for those who dare to check out the near-10 minute clip posted after the break, but the long and short of it involves a Parralax BASIC Stamp 2 microcontroller, a red laser pointer, a servo and a good bit of tinkering (among other things). Besides, this is a lot less dangerous than that motion-activated BB rifle and laser-guided turret you built earlier this year, so why not flex some DIY muscle and give this endeavor a go?[Via HackedGadgets]
Inspect the Zapper even more closely
Seeing as it's (kind of) the next upcoming major Wii peripheral, we think it's worth our time to look at lots of hardware pictures of the thing and scrutinize its design. GAME Watch felt the same way as we do, except they got one.Luckily for us, they took a bunch of detailed pictures from different angles, of the peripheral alone and in use. We thought the picture above was interesting, because we don't usually see the two-handed approach in Zapper demonstrations. We think you'll agree-- it's nice to have the option, but it looks totally goofy with this gun shell design. If only they would give us such a detailed overview of the shark gun!
Pistol camera captures gunslinging action, seeks role in next Faces of Death
Barrel-mounted cameras aren't exactly revolutionary, but it's not everyday that you see the boys in blue sporting one on their sidearm. Nevertheless, Orange County's sheriff's emergency service team and the Newburgh Police Department will reportedly "be the first groups to test the pistol cam," which would record audio and video whenever the weapon was removed from its holster. According to Chief Eric Paolilli, it'll be implemented if trials prove that there are no safety / functionality issues associated with it. As it stands, the state has set aside $35,000 in order for the device to be adequately tested, and if everything goes smoothly, Newburgh officers could soon be rocking the camera (and creating footage for COPS) as part of their standard equipment. [Via The Raw Feed]
Armed stand-off ends with robot shot, man in hospital
The opening shot of the robot rebellion this isn't, but it's still a reminder of how robots are slowly creeping into situations where humans and their fleshy bodies can't go. A five hour stand-off that began with a man pointing his gun at a neighbor in a mobile home park in North Fort Myers, Florida was ended when the suspect shot a bomb disposal robot sent in by police to video the man. After the encounter -- the man shot out the video camera's lens -- police moved in to "subdue" the man, although it's not clear whether they shot back. The suspect is now in hospital and is being evaluated for mental health problems: apparently he hadn't been taking his medication, and residents say his wife had just left him. The state of the robot is probably something along the lines of "broken."[Via The Raw Feed]
Gun sequel announced via poster in THPG demo?
In what could be considered the weirdest game announcement ever, Joystiq has discovered that there is a Gun sequel poster hidden inside the newly available Tony Hawk's Proving Ground demo. The poster, as seen in the screenshot above, depicts what looks to be a Gun sequel called Gun: Magruder's Ghost featuring the cliche tag line "Even from beyond the grave". So, we're left wondering if this is a real Gun sequel announcement or if those artists over at Activision like messing with our heads and find it to be a funny easter egg joke. We find it a little odd but plausible that Gun: Magruder's Ghost would be announced this way, so we'll leave it up to you to make the call to what this all means. And if you're one of those fanboys who doesn't believe picture evidence, instead needing to experience it for yourself, then this is how you find the poster. Simply fire up your newly downloaded THPG demo, head down the beginning hill until you spot a large staircase on your left. You'll be able to see the poster on top of said staircase.
Autonomous sentry gun looks to mow down Defcon
Hand crafted autonomous turrets aren't anything unusual, but rather than piecing together a masterful creation with pre-fab parts, the folks over at Burnt Popcorn managed to take things one step further. After finding that cheaper AirSoft guns lacked the accuracy they craved, they decided to "make their own mechanism to fire BBs." The goal of the project was to enter the Defcon Bots competition and craft a machine that could "shoot down all the targets before the other person does." Of course, the actual programming involved in building this eagle-eyed shooter is a bit more extensive than can be covered here, but if you're looking for a pretty thorough guide complete with video demonstrations, be sure and give the read link a minute of your time.[Via MAKE]
Russians working up non-lethal water jet guns
Yeah, using Avurt's IM-5 launcher and Taser International's C2 stun gun sure seem like more enjoyable ways to injure-but-not-kill the baddies, but there's a certain novelty attached to the vision of an uber-powerful Super Soaker. Apparently, a team of Russians are toying with the idea of crafting a non-lethal weapon based around "electro-hydrodynamical effects." In layman's terms, what we're looking at is a device that relies on water jets to bring down enemies whilst minimizing long-term damage, and while we're not up to speed on all the mathematics that prove this valid, it sounds pretty plausible. And hey, it's not like ammunition wouldn't be readily available in many parts of the world. [Warning: PDF read link][Via Wired, image courtesy of iSoaker]
Wii Warm Up: Zappin'
Whether or not you like the coming Wii Zapper aside -- though you can talk about the design if you'd like -- we're curious as to whether or not you think it's even necessary. If there's one thing that the combination of the Wii remote and nunchuk can probably pull off, it's mimicking the action of shooting. Just point and pull the "trigger," i.e., the B button. So. Thoughts?
E307: A closer look at the Wii Zapper
When Nintendo announces a new peripheral, it's big news, and big news needs big images. They sent along a high resolution picture of their new Zapper, and we thought we'd pass it on to you so you can begin your careful inspection of Nintendo's workmanship and industrial design.Also, this might work as a reference model for a papercraft version, if you're impatient and want the semi-authentic feel of a Wii Zapper in your hands. Click the image to embiggen it greatly!
Homemade Zapper-mote
All the weapon shells in the world couldn't match the radness of this modded Light Gun. Having already given his console wings, AcidMods' CyberPyrot affixed an IR sensor from a Wii remote into the barrel of his gray, plastic pistol, wiring the gun's trigger with the controller's. The resulting apparatus looks a bit clunky, especially when you consider that the nunchuck hasn't even been hooked up yet, but CyberPyrot claims that it vastly improved his performance when playing Far Cry. Pew pew past the post break for more photos and a video of the refitted Zapper.
Playing easily, shooting happily
Unlike other "zapper" products like Joytech's Blaster, the Pega pistol doesn't have a cavity for you to dock the Wii's nunchuck. Instead, you connect the nunchuck's cord under the butt of the $15 gun while the remote slides and locks into its top half. We're not sure yet if this is a more cumbersome or convenient implementation, but given our experiences with cheap, third-party accessories from Chinese manufacturers, you can easily guess which side we're leaning towards. If you're wondering why we're even bothering to bring up this lackluster peripheral, it's because we love to scrutinize the packaging of these products! What's up with Splinter Cell graphics? And why is it branded with that same inapplicable Wii Sports logo we saw on Fire Bird's rechargeable controller grip? Does Pega actually expect people to play tennis with this clunky plastic attached?[Via DCEmu]
Armed cops burst into home to neutralize... Lara Croft mannequin?
Considering just how chaotic a police scanner can become when the crime lords decide to hit the streets, we can't fault the boys in blue for showing up at the wrong address or completely missing a shoplifter with a projector in his shorts, but this one's just absurd. Apparently, a Manchester man had his home invaded by squads of armed police after a pistol-wielding Lara Croft mannequin served as cause for concern. The officials mistook the ominous silhouette for an actual gunman, and took it upon themselves to rush in and attempt to save the day. Interestingly, the homeowner was actually arrested for "suspected firearms offense," but he's currently speaking to lawyers about "a possible claim for wrongful arrest." Man, publicly humiliating yourself and begging for a lawsuit -- now that's a full day's work.[Thanks, Dan G.]
