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Motorola's Aura Celestial Edition soon taking "giant leaps" for "mankind"
Here's a fact: the world really doesn't need another mildly tweaked Aura. Sorry, it just doesn't. That being true and all, we're still pretty jazzed to see Motorola giving the ultra-luxurious handset another go with the moon-themed Celestial Edition. Word on the street has it that this here handset won't deviate much from the predecessor, but it will come pre-loaded with multimedia from the original moon landing mission, a laser etched quote honoring the 40th anniversary of the journey and a price tag that's far, far beyond stratospheric. We're told that it's all set to go on sale next month, but good luck finding one.[Via phoneArena]
Renegade Kid working on platformer for DS
Renegade Kid is apparently working on a kid-friendly platformer for the DS while it develops a sequel to Dementium. The developer showed IGN that its other new project is Maximillian and the Rise of the Mutant Mudds. Players will use a water pack (think Mario Sunshine) to double-jump chasms of doom and squirt the baddies to death.Renegade Kid plans to push its already impressive technical knowledge with the DS even further with Mudds. The developer doesn't know if it'll go the retail route or check out DSIware, and there isn't so much as an inkling of a release window. Check out a video of the game after the break.
Patch 3.2 PTR: Tauren Druid conversation may reveal lore and expansion secrets
Reader Chad forwarded us this screen shot of a conversation that takes place over on Elder rise in Thunder Bluff between two Tauren on the patch 3.2 PTR. Apparently it actually begins with a new quest by the Dalaran Portals, as pointed out in this thread at Scrolls of Lore, and while the quest leads nowhere, you do get to hear the linked dialogue. In it, Aponi Brightmane, a wounded warrior who wishes to return the front lines in Northrend, and Tahu Sagewind, a Druid, speak together about the history of Druidism, the moon, and the sun. They speak of Elune, whom they know as Mu'sha, one of the eyes of the the Earth Mother. They mention that it seems strange that if Tauren were the first Druids as their legends claim, that all Hamuul Runetotem teaches is the moon power of the Night Elves. Tahu wonders if Druids themselves, because of this, are out of balance. The idea segues back into the idea of the world out of balance due to the influence of the Scourge, wondering if sitting idle in Thunder Bluff is really a good idea when the Northern front is so bleak, wondering if balance must needs to be returned by action.
Second Life takes you to the moon (almost)
Tucked away on one side of the Space Frontier Sandbox in Second Life is a reproduction Saturn V , apparently to scale, at rest on the launch-pad and serviced by the customary gantry. The individual pieces are made by different Second Life users, but the combined work is that of one Wicked Quasimodo, who has turned it into a very authentic-seeming launch, flight and (eventually) moon-landing simulation. A HUD object provided on the launch pad provides all the NASA ambience that you'd expect from a detailed simulation. While still a work-in-progress, and with a few little glitches, it remains a very atmospheric experience.
Video: NASA's next-gen space suit back on track
It seems like only yesterday that we were hearing about Paragon's designs for greenhouses on the lunar surface (but that's because it was yesterday). Now we've been hepped to the fact that the company is teaming up with Oceaneering International to overhaul NASA's space suit. The last that we heard, the project had been scuttled altogether, but you know how quickly things can be unscuttled when the White House changes hands. The Constellation Space Suit System (CSSS) will be designed in a modular fashion, so that the same suit can be used by the astronaut for all the different aspects of his / her mission. You can look forward to the stylish debut of these bad boys on the new Orion spaceship, currently planned to launch in 2015. According to Engineering TV, this will be the first major space suit redesign in over forty years. Can we make a suggestion? Please don't do anything to that iconic NASA logo -- some things never go out of style. Video after the break.
Researchers tout plans for moon greenhouse, Silent Running sequel
The Google Lunar X Prize obviously hasn't drawn quite the same number of competitors as some of the more Earthbound X Prizes, but it looks like things are starting to heat up a little bit, with Paragon Space Development recently teaming up with Odyssey Moon in an effort to deploy the first greenhouse on the surface of moon. Specifically, the team is hoping to grow a Brassica plant (a member of the mustard family) in a pressurized greenhouse like the one picture above, and possibly even see the plant re-seed itself within a single Lunar day (or 14 Earth days), which just so happens to coincide with the average growth period for the plant on Earth. Of course, that would only be one small part of the X Prize mission, which first and foremost requires teams to safely land a craft, send some live video back to Earth, travel at least 500 meters, send some more video, and carry a payload. So, still a little ways off, but don't let that stop you from checking out the (autoplaying) video after the break, in which Paragon's Taber MacCallum (a Biosphere veteran himself) explains the project to the folks at Engineering TV.
Odyssey Moon hopes to bring lunar payloads to the masses with MoonOne
Looks like our civilian space agency is serious about getting their little robot outpost on the moon, and now they've teamed up with a company called Odyssey Moon to develop small robotic lunar landers based on NASA's Common Spacecraft Bus. The firm hopes to provide regular commercial services (the craft supports a roughly 110 lb payload) in the event of an oncoming "moon rush," a magical future time where everyone and their mother are looking to get a piece of the lunar surface. Who knows what sorts of new discoveries (and new practical jokes) await those of us who are brave enough to exit the gravity well and live amongst the stars? To peep that far out Engineering TV episode where they break it all down for us, hit the read link.
NASA ruminating a robot-built lunar outpost to make way for manned missions
NASA commissioned a study on the feasibility of using little smallish tractor bots to prep a lunar outpost before the humans show up, and the research seems to show it as a good idea. The theoretical plan is for 330 pound mower-sized bots to show up on the moon and prep the surface for actual buildings, landing sites, roads and so forth. The robots are basically glorified tractors (or perhaps simplified tractors) so lunarnauts shouldn't expect a palace by the time they show up -- just a bunch of displaced dirt. Berms seem to be a big theme of construction, since a sort of "blast shield" is needed to make sure debris from takeoff and landing don't damage the actual settlement.[Via ComputerWorld; warning: PDF read link]%Gallery-46088%
Joyswag: Moon prize pack [update]
Update: The contest has ended, and a winner has been chosen and notified (check your email!). Thanks for playing and keep an eye out for our next awesome Joyswag giveaway!After receiving and reviewing it, our copy of Moon became lost in a box of, uh, other games waiting to be given away. Now that we've found it, we're making sure to not repeat the same mistake again. We're going to give it, as well as the extra styli and game cases that Renegade Kid hooked us up with, to one (1) lucky reader! Who's going to be the one to walk away with a new copy of Moon ($35) and these promo goodies? Check out the rules below and best of luck to all of you! Leave a comment telling us what your favorite FPS of all time is You must be 18 years or older and a resident of the US or Canada (excluding Quebec) Limit 1 entry per person, per day This entry period ends at 11:59 am ET on Wednesday, March 4. We'll randomly select 1 winner at that time to receive one copy of Moon ($35) and 4 game cases/stylus packs (pictured) For a list of complete rules, click here %Gallery-20245%
NASA electric lunar rover struts its stuff for the President
For the Inaugural Parade, NASA astronauts greeted our new President in the style befitting such an august organization (and one that'll take all the funding they can get) by trotting out their Small Pressurized Rover. Hopefully by 2012 this thing will be spending less time cruising around Washington DC and more time on the lunar surface, where it can support two intrepid explorers for up to two weeks at a time. It sure looks cramped, but man, what a view! Check out some video of the thing in action -- in the nation's capital and in the wild -- after the break.[Via Billionaire Boys Club]
DS Fanboy Review: Moon
Renegade Kid is doing their damndest to push the DS in a variety of ways. With their games Moon and Dementium, they've attempted to bring a big-console feel to the dual screens, and the two represent a genre outside of the handheld's typical comfort zone. Moon and Dementium aren't so colorful as most DS games, and they lack the familiarity of a game like Metroid Prime Hunters. These are games of atmosphere, and often, there's blood on the walls and malice in the air. So it's fitting that their games are also about exploration, about discovering limits and new areas. Renegade Kid may not succeed in every aim -- and Moon does not -- but they're doing something different (at least, for the DS). When you're talking about a phenomenon like the DS, when everyone wants in, and everyone is releasing games on it, companies that go against the norm are to be lauded if they are at all successful. Though Moon is uneven, it succeeds in a lot of ways, and so it is to be lauded, too. Gallery: Moon
Metareview -- Moon (DS)
Developer Renegade Kid has shown it is quite technically proficient when it comes to making a first-person shooter on the DS. In 2007, it surprised us with Dementium: The Ward, and now the small development team brings Moon to the dual screens of the DS. The early reviews are all across the map in raw score, but they seem to chime in on the game's technical achievement and certain gameplay issues. Wait, read a review instead of just looking at the number? We know, this is madness we speak of. IGN (85/100): "When it comes to making a purchase decision on Moon, I encourage anyone that loves FPS games on DS to check this one out, as its technical offering, story, design, style, and control are all amazingly well done. The game can certainly get repetitive at times, as a few bosses are used multiple times with compounding difficulty elements added to them to change things up a bit ... but for the most part Renegade Kid has offered an experience that's more tuned towards the adventure side of things, adding in plenty of combat to keep the experience fresh." Nintendo Power (75/100): "Quickly becoming the torchbearers for the FPS genre on the DS, Renegade Kid builds on lessons learned from last year's horror title Dementium: The Ward... the game ratchets up the action... compelling story and diverse gameplay." Modojo (60/100): "We have mixed feelings with Moon. It's a superb visual achievement with spectacular controls and fun shooting, but we grew tired of the old school "hit this switch to activate this door" gameplay. So long as you go into it expecting a slow-paced first person adventure instead of Doom, you'll enjoy this lunar vacation." GamePro (40/100): "Moon proves itself as a creepy and innovative portable FPS experience, weighed down by a severe lack of challenge and variety."
DS releases for the week of January 12th
Moon, elves, chaos and madness -- it's just another week of new DS games, only this time, with actual games! January's been slow so far, but this week, Moon really is coming out, along with a few other titles. Looks like things are finally getting back to normal after the holidays. Jumble Madness The Lord of the Rings: Conquest Moon Personal Trainer: Math Gallery: Moon
A leisurely drive on the Moon
... at least, this might be called a "leisurely drive" if, say, you really enjoyed an all-terrain, life-threatening romp with lots of gunfire. Which is actually pretty likely if you're interested in Renegade Kid's Moon. The latest from director and co-owner Jools Watsham shows off some of the game's vehicular mayhem, courtesy of the LOLA-RR10, which is all armor and pew-pew-pew-style action. Which is to say that she ain't as pretty as a BMW, but she might be up for the title of "ultimate driving machine" ... on the moon.Contrary to some reports, Moon releases next week. If you're very, very good, we might tell you whether or not it's as fun as it looks. Gallery: Moon
DS releases for the week of January 5th
There's not much going on this week unless you're a DS fan in North America. If not, you're a bit out of luck, as Europe, Australia, and Japan have no new games scheduled this week, and here ... well, there's a slight scattering of other games, but mostly? It's the DS show. We've got at least one interesting title headed out, too: the Elebits follow up. Moon is scheduled, but we think that one's really headed out next week rather than this week. Time and the store shelves will tell, though. Animated Bigfoot: Collision Course Elebits: The Adventures of Kai & Zero Jumble Madness Moon Paws & Claws: Pampered Pets
Renegade Kid teases new project
Before even getting its upcoming sci-fi action-adventure Moon out of the airlock, Dementium: The Ward developer Renegade Kid has announced that it is already at work on its next project. And now you know everything we know about the game, which Renegade Kid's Jools Watsham describes as "the game that I'm most excited about ever in my career."The studio's owner and game director teased the project in a video posted on his personal blog, noting only his enthusiasm and that the game has nothing to do with Dracula, the rumored subject of an upcoming Wii project from the company. More information about the mysterious project is expected to be released at a later date, though Watsham concedes that it's likely "going to be a while." Until then, we await Renegade Kid to set off on its slightly delayed trip to the Moon on January 13.[Via DSF]
Telling stories: The next hurdle for story telling
As games have evolved, so too has the role of storytelling in the titles we play. As we turn the corner on 2008, we asked multiple industry personalities across all walks of game development on titles such as Dragon Age: Origins, Bionic Commando and Guild Wars for their thoughts.What's next for in-game story telling? In this, our final segment looking at video game narratives, our collective of industry professionals offer insight into what they believe is the next big challenge facing the evolution of story telling in the games we play.
Telling stories: The games that got it right
As games have evolved, so too has the role of storytelling in the titles we play. As we turn the corner on 2008, we asked multiple industry personalities across all walks of game development on titles such as Dragon Age: Origins, Bionic Commando and Guild Wars for their thoughts.It's rare that story tellers get all of the pieces of their narrative to fit together exactly right in any medium. But in this industry, where story shares a balance with gameplay and endings often get the short end of the development stick, weaving a complete and compelling tale must be a daunting task. Now, gifts unwrapped and bellies full, our panel of industry personalities sound off on those games that they feel were up to the challenge, delivering storytelling experiences above and beyond their peers.
Telling stories: How much is that ending in the window?
As games have evolved, so too has the role of storytelling in the titles we play. As we turn the corner on 2008, we asked multiple industry personalities across all walks of game development on titles such as Dragon Age: Origins, Bionic Commando and Guild Wars for their thoughts.Epic Games' Michael Capps recently caused quite an uproar among gamers with his suggestion to offer the conclusion to games as premium DLC rather than as part of the core experience. As the latest in our continuing week-long feature, we asked our panel of industry personalities what they thought of the proposal. Interestingly, much of the group was noticibly more tight-lipped in their responses than when answering other questions.
Telling stories: What's up with lame endings?
As games have evolved, so too has the role of storytelling in the titles we play. As we turn the corner on 2008, we asked multiple industry personalities across all walks of game development on titles such as Dragon Age: Origins, Bionic Commando and Guild Wars for their thoughts.While narrative has taken on a larger role, time and again we end up being left unsatisfied in the final moments with endings that fail to wrap up stories in interesting or compelling ways. In our continuing week-long feature, we asked our diverse collection of industry personalities why so many endings in the games we play leave us cold.
