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Lost game coming courtesy Ubisoft Montreal
The relationship between ABC's mega-hit Lost and video games has long been considered, from its similarities to ARGs, how it would make a great MMO, to more recent rumors of an actual Lost console game. Now, according to a report from ABC News, Ubisoft's illustrious Montréal studio (responsible for the Prince of Persia series and, more tellingly, Myst IV: Revelations) is working on an adaptation of the series for consoles, handhelds, and PC. Just how the game will work on the various platforms (adventure?, platformer?, rhythm game?) has yet to be revealed, but the series' particular elements lend themselves well to a video game. Unfortunately, the same could be said of countless other adapted properties that have failed to live up to fans' understandably high reactions.Considering that Lost is frequently mentioned in the same sentence as "episodic" and "content," could Ubisoft be planning an episodic adaptation?[Thanks, jonathan]
HDTV Listings for May 17, 2006
What we're watching: Lost is still the show to watch, we guess. The last few episodes have been a bit of a drag, here's hoping they pick things up. Invasion wraps up their first (and last, thanks Bob!) season tonight, along with CSI:NY, Law & Order and Bones. The Detroit Pistons start from scratch tonight trying to put away the Cleveland Cavaliers with their series tied 2-2. The defending champ San Antonio Spurs however are just trying to stay alive after falling down 3-1 to the Dallas Mavericks. Think Mark Cuban can smell the Conference finals yet?Our traditional high-def listings continue below.
HDTV Listings for May 10, 2006
What we're watching: More new Alias / Lost / Invasion, although the biggest mystery may be how Miami got blown out by the Nets the other night. We'll see if they can repeat tonight at 8 p.m. on TNT. Fans of The Bedford Diaries can look forward to a two-hour season finale tonight while on Discovery they have Ice Cube's (wrong O'Shea) Big Adventure.Also could someone do me a favor, Starz schedule indicates their only high definition programming will be Hidalgo, and that they will be airing The Bourne Supremacy in prime time in standard definition. I honestly can't believe thats true, but it's what the schedule says. Since I won't be home to watch it myself, can someone flip over and tell us what sort of 480i miscegenation is going on here?Our traditional high-def listings continue below.
Hawaii is not an HDTV paradise
As our commenter BDevorzon noted, a combination of mountain-blocked OTA broadcasts, cable/local affiliate squabbles and limited satellite access combines to make the production home of one of the best HD programs, Lost, very unfriendly for high-definition TV owners. DISH network doesn't provide service to Hawaii at all, and DirecTV has not added locals for the area yet. Only the ABC affiliate in the area has an agreement with Time Warner Cable to show their high definition signal although negotiations with the others are ongoing. Although they do broadcast OTA, the layout of the islands makes that a tricky or impossible proposition for many. We're trying to muster up the same sympathy for our Hawaiian brethren that we showed for North Carolina residents before the Super Bowl but man they live in Hawaii. If Michigan was located a bit closer to the equator I'd shut the TV off and go outside once in a while. As it is, we at HD Beat probably won't get any closer to the island than a game of Test Drive Unlimited, but we do feel your pain.
HDTV Listings for May 3, 2006
What we're watching: Lost is back, although good luck at remembering what has been going on after all these repeats, check TV Squad if you need help like I do.While the first round may be over for some (thanks for coming Denver & Memphis, don't let the door hit you on the way out), the NBA Playoffs trudge march on with two Eastern Conference Game 5's tonight. LeBron and Gilbert Arenas continue their epic battle of mediocre teams while the Pistons attempt to put the Bucks behind them once and for all.Also showing tonight is the season finale of One Tree Hill and new episodes of all network TV shows except Everyone Hates Chris.Our traditional high-def listings continue below.
ABC launches free streaming experiment
Starting today through June 30th, ABC is experimenting with streaming some of their primetime shows on the web, for free. Now, you will have to watch ads (though you do that when you watch these shows on TV, so that isn't a deal breaker for me) and you'll have to watch them on your computer.The good news for Mac users? ABC is streaming these shows via Flash video, so we can actually watch them on our Macs (as long as you have Flash 8 installed, of course).Update: I failed to mention that this is USA only.Thanks, Dave Zatz.
HDTV Listings for April 26, 2006
What we're watching: Alias' final season continues on tonight, followed by a recap episode of Lost (that does not count as a new episode ABC, quit playing with our emotions). Alternatively, you can get your fill of loser-goes-home competition with either American Idol or the NBA Playoffs, the choice is yours.Also, you'll notice a few additions to our schedule, the oft-requested HDNet and HDNet Movies, as well as Cinemax-HD.Our traditional high-def listings continue below.
Hollywood unions announce contracts for mobile shows
As much as studios and talent unions like go at it about royalties and such, the truth of the matter is that those addicted to ABC's "Lost" must be teased with tiny morsels of Internet and mobile content -- there's no escaping it. To that end, Hollywood labor types have just finalised contracts with ABC to define payments for actors, writers and directors to be featured in two-minute "mobisodes." Sounds to us like talent will be reimbursed and protected in much the same way they are for traditional episodes, just on a smaller scale. This keeps with the show's producers' aims of keeping the quality up to snuff for the "mobisodes," and is being lauded by both sides as a groundbreaking agreement that should set a good precedent for royalties related to micro content. Now, for the real question: did they consult Locke about this?
DS releases for the week of April 24
This week's titles include the long-awaited Lost Magic, a game that's equal parts role-playing and real-time strategy. Guilty Gear: Dust Strikers has a lot of doubt surrounding it from those wondering if the frenetic action of its console cousins can be accurately transported to the dual-screened brilliance of the DS. As for Top Gun, well...is anyone excited for this game? Guilty Gear: Dust Strikers Lost Magic Top Gun As always, availability subject to manufacturer delivery.
HDTV Listings for April 19, 2006
What we're watching: Sydney Bristow is back. No Lost, but two hours of Alias should hopefully make up for that. Tonight's Monster Garage is also a good pick, as Jesse & crew add wings to a Panoz sports car. The LA Clippers get some much-deserved national spotlight tonight against the Mavericks, although both teams will likely be just trying to stay healthy for the playoffs. Check out the game though, hopefully Shaun Livingston will play and you'll see why I think he is the player with the most potential in the NBA right now. Crazy handles & court vision are just part of the package.Our traditional high-def listings continue below.
HDTV Listings for April 12, 2006
What we're watching: You know we're watching Lost, why even ask? King James and his band of merry men take on the Detroit Pistons at 8 p.m., unfortunately ESPN left their SkyCams at home. We don't usually watch Veronica Mars, but TVSquad says this is a great episode for new viewers to jump into the series on. Maybe its worth a shot at 8 p.m. on UPN as they replay last night's episode.We need a new Wednesday night fix since (after tonight) Lost is all repeats until May.Our traditional high-def listings continue below.
Lost, Desperate Houswives will be free on the web
Disney announced today that it will make episodes of both Lost and Desperate Housewives available for free via the web, starting in June. The files will feature "chapters" to let users quickly jump ahead in the episode, though not past the embedded commercials. The article merely says that the shows will be available "...on the internet," which sounds like they mean outside of the iTMS. Both Lost and Desperate Housewives have been big sellers for Apple, so this seems like an odd move for Disney (they are calling the project a two month experiment). I can't imagine that the shows will be available for free via the web while they're still $1.99US in the iTMS, so we'll see what happens. Thanks to everyone who sent this in.
HDTV Listings for April 5, 2006
What we're watching: Lost continues to grow increasingly convoluted, and yet we can't stop watching. It would have been great to read that map last week in high definition, if it had been written in English of course. Even though March Madness is over, things are just heating up in the NBA, with the playoffs right around the corner and everyone fighting for seedings. Four teams that are going to be a part of the postseason action in the Western Conference are in action tonight in a doubleheader on ESPN-HD.Our traditional high-def listings continue below.
Lost, Desperate Housewives, Ghost Hunters season passes
The title says it all. You are now able to buy 'season passes' for Ghost Hunters ($15.99), Desperate Housewives ($34.99), and Lost ($34.99) on the iTunes Music Store.If you aren't familiar with the iTunes Season passes, it works like this: for one price you get all the episodes of the current season that have already aired, and then iTunes automatically downloads the newest episodes the day after they air on TV.[via MacDevCenter]
Crysis direct-feed GDC trailer: it's hot
Folks expecting a prettier version of Far Cry with CryTek's new Cry Engine 2 can now gape in awe at what's possible with Crysis, the company's next-gen shooter for EA. No more off-screen video recordings for us!If nothing's changed about the FPS gameplay presented, we can look forward to some of the most realistically rendered in-game foliage ever, as well as a buggy boss who will most likely make another appearance at E3. Who wouldn't want to get Lost in that kind of tropical environment?[Thanks, Phil and alvin; smaller HD versions in WMV and QT over here]See also: Crysis for EA: good for Crytek? Behold: CryTek's Crysis Windows Vista delayed until 2007... taking Halo 2 with it? Rumor: game based on TV's Lost this fall for consoles
Rumor: game based on TV's Lost this fall for consoles
EGM's April 2006 issue sports a short entry under its monthly Rumor Mill section telling readers to expect a Lost video game this fall for unspecified consoles.The Q also claims that the playable adaptation will "even feature an online multiplayer mode called something like 'Passengers versus The Others.'" Predicting possible genres is sketchy at this point, but one could imagine modes such as Capture the Hatch, Pregnant Woman Rescue, and Team Freak-out popping up like a season or two's stranded passenger hallucinations. (Then again, maybe not...)
HDTV Listings for March 22, 2006
What we're watching: It seems to be premiere night tonight, with Heist and The Evidence kicking off on NBC and ABC, respectively. The only thing we like more than terrorist beatdowns is stealing stuff, so Heist seems like a natural pick. The Evidence is also a crime show that attempts to capitalize on all the CSI-style hype by starting off each episode showing all "The Evidence" in a videotaped log (get it?).Ahhh, who are we kidding, if it's Wednesday and a new Lost episode is on, you know what we're watching.Our traditional high-def listings continue below.
Widget Watch: Lost (for Dashboard)
The last Lost widget (say that five times fast) we featured was for Konfabulator, but now you Dashboard junkies can get in on the fun of pushing a button every 108 minutes.Am I the only one who doesn't get this whole Lost thing? Isn't it just a spooky version of Gilligan's Island?[via the Uber Geeks]
Gaming and 'Lost'
In an interview with Lost star Jorge Garcia, it transpires that Garcia is something of a video games fan, as he discusses how Lost could be turned into a game. It sounds like perfect MMO material.Of course, Lost and gaming are no strangers to each other--a network of websites themed around the show has exhibited suspiciously ARG-like behaviour. With this added on to the interactive nature of Lost, perhaps it doesn't need to be turned into a game--it already is one.[Via Cathode Tan]
HD commercials during Lost
Here at HDBeat we love HDTV so much we don't discriminate, not even against commercials. We all watched for HD commercials during the Super Bowl and expected that when it was over, we would be back to business as usually; SD commercials. We're guessing ABC figured it out and earlier this week during Lost they pimped a few HD commercials from the Super Bowl. Normally, we don't watch commercials but as we were skipping away TiVo, the HD commercial caught our eye, so we hit the rewind to check it out. Yeah, we know they're just commercials and when all commercials are HD they will be just as annoying as SD commercials today, but until then we'll search them out.
