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Halo: Combat Evolved remake coming this holiday
Joystiq has learned that the previously rumored remake of Halo: Combat Evolved will indeed launch this holiday season for Xbox 360 with a full visual overhaul. Sources explain that the re-release is not Bungie's 2001 Xbox game simply running at a higher resolution -- it's being remade with new art assets. While Halo's audio will likely remain unaltered, the controls will allow for more recent Halo configurations. The Halo: Combat Evolved remake is allegedly being developed by New Jersey-based Saber Interactive, the company behind TimeShift and Namco's upcoming Inversion, but we've been unable to confirm the nature of the engine powering it. We understand that it's something other than the Reach engine. The Halo: Combat Evolved update, one of two Halo games currently in development under the watchful eye of 343 Industries, is expected to support 1080p resolution and 3D televisions. Details on multiplayer are supposedly still being worked out, but we understand the remake will likely feature online co-op (the original game supported two-player split-screen co-op). The game is expected to re-evolve on November 15, 2011, ten years after Halo: Combat Evolved launched alongside the Xbox. Our sources didn't know of any plans to similarly upgrade the recently disconnected Halo 2, but it's hard to imagine Microsoft playing favorites with its biggest franchise.
The Lunar Festival's greatest prize: Rep!
If you're a human after a saber, troll after a kodo, or any other combination like that, don't let this opportunity pass you by!As most of you know, during the Lunar Festival there are 50 Elders scattered across Azeroth that hand out Coins of Ancestry which you can turn in for prizes in Moonglade. There is another prize, however: Reputation! For every elder you speak to, you earn 75 reputation toward your entire faction. Yes, all five races.If you put the time in to talk to every single elder, some of which might be a pain to reach, you'll net just shy of 4,000 reputation. 3,750 to be exact. For humans, this will come out to about 4,125 rep, give or take a bit. Nerf Diplomacy!This won't drastically lessen a rep grind, especially after the reputation gain changes they put in awhile back, but its certainly more interesting than tearing apart low level quests or farming endless amounts of Runecloth.
Saber's DA-1N1-I analog / digital combo PCI TV tuner
While most of the hybrid tuners we see 'round these parts are of the USB variety, Saber's DA-1N1-I is looking out for those of us needing a new occupant in a lonely PCI slot -- but we'd be careful calling it a "hybrid." This low-profile "combo" card should be ideal for HTPCs, and offers up an analog NTSC tuner with hardware decoding as well as a QAM-capable ATSC tuner for grabbing those high-definition OTA broadcasts. Meant to operate in Windows Vista and MCE scenarios, this sucka can even be installed beside a clone of itself for freaks that would actually use a dual analog / dual digital tuner setup, and the low, low price of around $99 ought to garner quite a bit of attention.
New shifty TimeShift multiplayer deets
IGN recently took a moment to talk to Kyle Peschel, lead producer of TimeShift, the upcoming time-bending shooter from Saber Interactive and Vivendi. The focus of multiplayer, according to Peschel, is customization. Players will be able to create and name their own special game modes, which they can save for later use. Several aspects of the game, from damage ratios to gravity to run speed, will all be adjustable by players. As Peschel put it, players can design a gametype just to "instantly offset their buddy who comes over who is nothing but a spawn camping whore." Sounds good to us. On time manipulation in multiplayer, Peschel doesn't go into details, but notes that time powers won't work exactly as they do in single player, as it's hardly fair for one player to freeze and entire field of players and wreak havoc. Hopefully we'll hear some more specifics on multiplayer time control soon.
New Timeshift screens abound
Xboxyde got a hold of some very pretty screens of Timeshift, the FPS from developer Saber Interactive and publisher Vivendi. The water effects from the rain and the textures on the side of the building are a sight to behold, showing the power the developer's Saber 3D engine. Other screens show some sexy smoke effects and minor explosions. While details are a little scarce on the game, other than some of the cool time manipulation effects, are you intrigued by how its playing out?
Brain-reading biofeedback caps on the rise, NeuroSky returns
Pushing the envelope is what it's all about, and for companies cranking out Wiimote-like devices to make gaming and PC experiences more eventful, even that's not enough to satisfy a bevy of outfits with their eyes set on getting biofeedback into games. Companies such as Emotiv Systems, CyberLearning, and our old friend NeuroSky are all looking to take advantage of the public's current curiosity about thought-controlled (and influenced) gaming by offering up electrode-laced headsets that read a variety of brain impulses to effect gameplay. Essentially, these gel-free caps rely on technology such as electromyography (EMG), which records twitches and other muscular movements, and electrooculography (EOG), which measures changes in the retina, in order to change the way games are experienced. For instance, a nervous, uneasy GTA player would barely be able to aim at his / her enemies, while a daydreamer would have a hard time staying on course and reaching full speed while playing Gran Turismo. Unsurprisingly, said companies have noted that "finding their target markets" have been the most difficult aspect, and certain analysts rightfully question whether gamers would actually enjoy such "mentally taxing restrictions" on their games, but if all goes as planned, we should start seeing a few more options in the commercial brain-interface market before too long.
