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Sega haunts the Wii with Ghost Squad
Much to our disappointment, Ghost Squad bears no relation to either the Ghost Busters series or the Wu-Tang Clansman, Ghostface Killah. No, it is merely a light-gun arcade game that Sega has decided to port to our fair console.If you've never had the fortune to come across Ghost Squad's arcade cabinet, it's an on-rails shooter that comes armed with plastic assault rifles for you to aim with. Playing without the modeled weaponry sounds like a downgraded experience, so hopefully there will be optional controller shells for us to equip by the time Sega releases the game this holiday season.This port will feature Wii-specific game modes, new ways to use the Wii remote as a "multi-purpose tool," and four-player co-op support. We've got a few screenshots that we grabbed from Jeux-France past the post break, but uh ... they're not very flattering. We think we'll stick with Umbrella Chronicles for all our light gun needs for now.
Autonomous, laser-guided turret takes aim
The homegrown home security options out there just keep getting sweeter and sweeter, as yet another go-getter has conjured up an autonomous turret to hold down the fort while the owners are away buying more capacitors and Fruit by the Foot. The programmable weapon relies on an 8 servo serial controller and a s666n High Torque servo motor, not to mention a good bit of programming to get things in working order. What started out as a curious ambition has now developed into quite a serious project, as the creator is hoping to "develop a weapons platform for the Defcon Bots competition," and judging by what we see here, things are lookin' up. The robotic sentry can apparently take out targets on its own or follow a simple laser to targets and fire away, but alas, what good would a made from scratch robotic piece of artillery be without a video to demonstrate? Click on through to see the firepower.
Another third-party Wiimote Blaster hits the scene
The Wiimote blaster love just keeps on comin', as cranking out third-party steering wheels, Wii Sports apparatuses, and full-fledged Link suits apparently isn't good enough. We all know the Zapper holds a dear place in most every gamer's heart, and judging by the variety set to be released for the Wii, accessory manufacturers are keenly aware. The latest Wii gun has popped up at GameStop, and aside from a smallish photograph and "Core Gamer" listed as the developer, we're not too sure about anything else. Of course, there's not too much to understand about how this here device will eventually work, but on or around June 26th, you can plop down your $19.99 and find out once and for all.[Via NintendoWiiFanboy]
USB BB gun sports barrel-mounted webcam, ensures home security
While there's certainly a variety of options to keep watch and protect your property from curious intruders, the latest branch of vCrib gives a new meaning to being on guard. Crafted by the designer of the Virtual Crib home automation software, the USB BB gun sports automatic firing, manual reloading, and the ability to fire based on commands given remotely on a PC. Moreover, the weapon actually packs a webcam on the barrel, allowing users to login via computer, tilt / swivel the gun with simple mouse flicks, and fire away if you spot any intruders within its broad line of sight. It shouldn't need mentioning that we'd make absolutely sure our landlord was cool with mounting a remotely-controlled weapon in the window, but if you need to take home security into your own hands (without actually being at home), be sure to click on through to see this controversial creation spittin' hot fury.
Legally blind Texans may use lasers to pick out prey
Completely bypassing the stunning fact that (legally) blind Texans are actually allowed to wield a weapon and fire at will during regular hunting seasons, a new piece of legislation could allow these folks to see what they're aiming at a wee bit better, which is thrilling news if you're being mistaken for game. Rep. Edmund Kuempel has initiated a bill that would enable legally blind hunters that have a valid Texas hunting license to strap a sweet laser scope on their weaponry in order to pinpoint exactly where the bullet is headed before pulling the trigger. The bill would require the hunter to be accompanied by a (not legally blind) licensed hunter of 13 years or older, and is being pushed as a "reasonable accommodation" for those with disabilities. Hey, we know Texas is good for helping out the less fortunate, but we'd seriously think twice before wandering out into the wilderness for a weekend retreat in the Lonestar state.[Via Fark]
Hey Wii Blaster, meet Joytech's Sharp Shooter
As we wait to see the final model of Nintendo's Wii Blaster, peripheral manufacturer Joytech is showing off the Sharp Shooter. The Sharp Shooter combines the nunchuk with the Wiimote. No word yet if this is the same method the Wii Blaster will use to form the gun, but it does raise questions about the two unit's accelerometers interfering with each other.We have absolutely no idea if this is meant to be competition for the Wii Blaster or is just some strange thing for ... well, we can't figure out what game it would be useful in. Guess we'll just have to wait and see the Wii Blaster to help explain our Sharp Shooter questions. No word on release date or cost for the Sharp Shooter.[Via WiiFanboy]
Wii Blaster incoming
With the announcement of Resident Evil 4 and Umbrella Chronicles for the Wii, coupled with the still unreleased Virtual Console titles Duck Hunt and Hogan's Alley, it's time to start asking, "Where's the Wii Zapper?" Gamestop has listed the Wii Blaster for $20 and what we strongly believe to be a placeholder date of May 1. Although, this isn't necessarily the most improbable date with the Resident Evil games expected to have a summer release.The Gamestop listing has no photo of the what the Zapper Blaster looks like now. The last time we saw her she was behind glass at E3 with a "work in progress" sign. We're really looking forward to having a gun, these first-person shooters just don't feel natural with a Wiimote. Now give us a game that allows for dual wielding Blasters and that's a guaranteed $50 going to that publisher!
Mexican government swapping Xbox / PC for gang's weaponry
Here's an interesting one. It appears that a newly-elected mayor is trying desperately to restore order to the "notorious inner-city barrio of Tepito," but rather than raiding gang hangouts and throwing 'em all in the slammer, the Mexican government is looking to reward them. In a presumably last ditch effort to curb gunfighting, officials are offering up computers ( reportedly worth $769) to gunslingers who give up a "high-caliber weapon such as a machine gun," while folks coughing up smaller artillery will be blessed with an Xbox console. Notably, the effort is already seeing minor "success," as some 17 guns were turned in on the program's launch day alone. Look, we know it's a hard choice between gaming and booze (and hair, for that matter), but we seriously doubt that turning citywide bullies into hackers and couch potatoes is the ideal solution here.
Pretec's bulletproof iDisk meets its match: .500 Magnum
We love when lofty claims actually get put to the test, and while we know that an iPod can't hold its own in a blender and an unshielded PSP is no match for a katana, neither of those actually touted any form of defense to begin with. Not so with Pretec's iDisk flash drive, which actually goes so far as to claim that it's "bulletproof," spurning a few shooters at a gun club to grab a few pistols, a camcorder, and give it a go. Initially, the battle-tested drive brushed off a 9mm round, .357 shot, and even a .44 slug without too much damage to the enclosure, but the little fellow didn't fare so well against the mighty .500 Magnum, which practically obliterated it in one fell swoop. Of course, a data thief desperate for your information isn't likely to destroy the very bytes he or she is after, but if you're frightened that Pretec's offering isn't quite macho enough for your needs, we're sure the "nuclear proof" Iron Drive could fit the bill -- until it meets the GP-219 or an eight-Megajoule railgun, of course. Click on through for the (admittedly lengthy) destruction process.
Wiimote gun mod is born
Apparently, for some the wait for the Zapper attachment has been too long, going so far as to modify the Wiimote into a gun of its own. The trigger has been wired to the B button, providing anyone using this mod with the authentic feel of 'bustin' caps in bitches.' That's good, because we were looking for some of that, to tell the truth ...[Via Engadget]See also: other Wii mods
Wiimote gun mod -- pop a cap in your Wii
So, you're a man's man, and while you might very well enjoy a game of Wii Tennis now and then, or launching a plunger or three at those dagnab Rabbids, you're getting tired of looking like a spazmo kid while you're at it. We're not sure about the spazmo part, but it won't be hard for people to take you seriously when you start waving this Wiimote gun mod thing around. Due to the limitations of machine translation, we're not too sure on the details of this hack, other than the fact that the trigger has been indeed wired to the Wiimote's B button, and that the original gun is an alarmingly realistic BB number that most likely would not be legal in the States without some sort of orange paintjob, and even then, we don't really recommend doing anything stupid with your own version of this -- don't even try and deny it, we bet you're already ordering up the materials -- 'cause Jack Bauer might just have to take you down.[Thanks, Suzuki]
Navy develops 8-Megajoule railgun, Nukem bows down
The mere mention of the word brings back visions of the original first-person-shooters to grace our now-antiquated machines, and now the US Navy is getting real personal with a realized version of the pixelated railgun we all love and adore. Presumably ripped straight from the (admittedly lacking) storyline of Quake, an 8-Megajoule railgun has been officially created, fired, and deemed worthy of flanking our naval ships, which should strike fear in the hearts of anyone wishing us harm. The gun was showcased this week at the Naval Surface Warfare Center at Dahlgren, Virginia, and utilizes massive quantities of electricity rather than gunpowder to propel "nonexplosive projectiles at incredible speeds." The weapon is powerful enough to equal the damage inflicted by a Tomahawk cruise missile, and the device's project director compared the impact to hitting a solid object "going 380 miles-per-hour in a Ford Taurus." Moreover, the railgun touts a 200 to 250 nautical-mile range, compared to the 15 nautical-mile range that current five-inch guns sport now. Interestingly, the weapon should "only" cost around $1,000 per shot once loaded onboard, which is chump change compared to the cool million that vanishes each time a cruise missile is deployed, and if everything goes as planned, we'll be seeing a 32-Megajoule prototype in June, with a 64-Megajoule rendition adorning our ships by 2020.[Via Slashdot]
AirSoft Project 2.0 touts four times the firepower
As if having your own USB-controlled turret wasn't lethal enough, the creator of the original has now completed AirSoft Project 2.0, gracing us with a bigger, meaner, and more potent weapon to mow down office mates and erratic offspring alike. By utilizing similar parts as before, but adding a radio-controlled option, laser, and quadrupling the firepower, this mechanical sentry most certainly brings the pain, and can reportedly pump out 1,500 rounds per minute for when things get really rough in the trenches. While its inventor claims that everything can be assembled in just 10 hours, and rates the project difficultly at a mere "amateur" level, we'd still recommend only the veterans in the house even give this one a go, but considering the "$150 to $250" it'll cost you just in parts, let alone the C++ / Javascript coding that you'll be doing behind the scenes, we doubt too many privates will get involved anyway. Mr. Bouck did note that upon completion, he realized that hooking it up with both USB and RC controls might have been overkill, and recommends that any copycats utilize just one method or the other. So if you're all amped from the recent Jack Bauer power hours, and you're eager to get started on this ruthless mission, be sure to hit the read link for the full breakdown -- but only after you click on through for a quick briefing video first.[Thanks, Tom]
Handheld germ zapper uses nanotechnology to nix parasites
If you're the type who rocks latex gloves everywhere you go, or you're just tired of toting around that messy liquid hand sanitizer, Hammacher Schlemmer has your solution. Posing as a flip-phone wannabe, this handheld germ-eliminating light reportedly eradicates "99.99-percent of E-Coli, staphylococcus, salmonella, and germs that cause the flu and the common cold." Aside from resembling a bevy of Nokia handsets, the device purportedly utilizes "UV-C light and nanotechnology" in order to "disinfect workplace keyboards or telephones (or mice), as well as items in the home that sustain germ vitality such as toothbrushes and cutting boards." Notably, it must be held just so above the germ-infested area in order to sterilize it, but an internal timer signals when the process is complete. So while we aren't apt to load down our knapsacks anymore with something so petty, the highly susceptible out there can get their own portable germ-slaying handheld now for $79.95.[Via Slashgear]
Gauss' GP-219 electromagnetic pistol fires steel projectiles silently
Sure, mechanical sentries and AirSoft turrets are novel, but there's nothing like whipping out an electromagnetic pistol to show folks you mean business. The Gauss GP-219 looks like it came straight from level 5 of Duke Nukem 3D, and rocks a PIC microcontroller, dual coils with "precision pulsing" to fire steel projectiles, twin infrared sensors to assist in positioning, and even a laser sight to keep your enemies pegged. Powered by an NiCd battery pack, this bad boy also features a bar display to track "capacitor bank charge progress," battery and fault LED indicators, and is "completely silent" when fired. The wildest part about this science-fiction dream come true is how effective it actually is, so be sure to click on for a few more pictures, and hit the read links for all the nitty gritty and even a few live action videos. Read - Gauss Pistol GP-219 Read - Pistol whipping in action, Nukem-style
Radio-controlled airgun picks off unsuspecting rodents, children
While it's no big deal when militaries establish sentry gun perimeters to protect their own backyard, crafting a slightly less dangerous version for your own property deserves its share of credit. While USB rocket launchers (even ones with lasers) are fairly potent at livening up your mundane office environment, their short range (and harmless nature) won't do you much good if you've got rodents (or mischievous kids) rummaging around your grasslands. Enter the RC Airgun, a remote controlled shooter that can be dictated from afar to take out any unsuspecting trespassers whenever you deem worthy. While details of its construction are scant, we certainly applaud the engineering efforts here, so be sure to click on for a few more pics, or hit the read link for some sweet video action.[Via Slashgear]
Paintball minigun in development, paintball BFG still on drawing board
To be honest, we're not that big on paintball except for when robots or tanks are involved, but special effects man Rick Galinson (of Snakes on a Plane fame, no less) has managed to pique our interest with the sheer badassness of his latest project. He's currently in the process of creating a room-clearing paintball minigun and, as the video on his site shows, he's made some impressive progress. While it can't actually shoot paintballs yet, its 1200 psi of pressure is more than enough to provide an effective and, frankly, scary demonstration with nothing but air. Unfortunately, Rick hasn't given any indication when he expects to finish the thing, but we're guessing that he's gonna keep it for himself when he does; lets just hope that whoever has to stare down the barrel(s) of this thing knows what they're in for.[Via Hack A Day]
Black Friday megadeals for Xbox 360
Sister site Xbox 360 Fanboy got the goods on some upcoming Black Friday deals yesterday. For those of you who may not know, Black Friday (so very appropriately named) is the Friday immediately after Thanksgiving, when stores feature gargantuan sales in an effort to suck shoppers in and kick-start the Christmas shopping season.Best Buy is having an $18.99 sale featuring: Amped 3 Condemned NBA Live '06 Rockstar Games Presents: Table Tennis The Outfit (apparently you can score this one for only $9.99 if you buy it in-store before noon) Circuit City offers a different set at $16.99: Full Auto Gun Perfect Dark Zero Quake 4 Tony Hawk's American Wasteland Our advice is to call the stores to find out if these deals will be available online and stay inside. Black Friday is normally a hellish experience with a lot of pushing, shoving and greed. In fact, we're surprised Rockstar hasn't made a video game version yet. Your mission: take out other shoppers before they can get your sale items.
Taking Red Steel for a MULTIPLAYER spin [update 1]
[Update: we've added the trailer, YouTube style, after the break. Enjoy!]We've heard about this mysterious "multiplayer" mode in Red Steel, but it was fraught with mystery and shroud ... till now. IGN has posted the official multiplayer trailer for the game, which you should probably go watch if for nothing else than the entertainment value of the trailer itself. When we play, we're totally ducking behind coffee tables for cover, and then climbing onto the ceiling only to drop down uselessly onto the couch we just left.In any case, the split-screen looks serviceable enough, though very little swordplay was shown (we assume there will be a swords-only option in the final build). Why couldn't it have been online? Bah. Red Steel 2, we're talking to you.
Call of Duty 2, other Activision games on Steam
Just after our keyboards cooled from typing the Psychonauts-on-Steam story, we learned that four Activision titles -- Call of Duty, Call of Duty 2, Call of Duty: United Offensive, and Gun -- are on the way to Valve's game download service. Oh, we'll play your game, Activision/Valve PR, and give you another post now. But you're on thin ice.Despite the PR play, we're interested in a big publisher putting somewhat-recent, top-tier games on Steam. We're not convinced that all games will shift to download-only sales -- brick-and-mortar is still magical to us -- but we expect most games to be offered as a physical/virtual choice. (And we don't think downloading in a physical store is the answer.)However, we expect to save money downloading a game, and these releases will cost about the same as the ones with glossy boxes and printed manuals. Where's the value? We never have to leave home? Call of Duty 2 will be $39.95, and all of the others will cost $19.95. All four will be 10%-off for their initial two weeks, but Valve couldn't tell us the exact launch schedule other than that it will happen this month. Maybe the company is saving the date for another press release.See also:Psychonauts and Valve make steamy, Steam-y loveRoboBlitz hitting SteamEB-Gamestop launches download service, "largely garbage" declares 1UP
