IFJ.org - IFJ Global - IFJ Report Lists China’s Secret Bans on Media Reporting
Press Freedom in China. There is none!!
And if no one is allowed to tell, then the government can do what the hell they like to you, your family and community!
Sunday 31 January 2010
Thursday 14 January 2010
Final Fantasy XIII w-Leona Lewis track
Sony are gearing up for the big one. I read there's a bus doing the rounds somewhere in the States.
Tuesday 12 January 2010
No I don't work for Sony!
Nah, don't work for them!
Historically Sony have been more innovative, Microsoft just cashed in on gaming with the XBox, rapidly rolling out a buggy (and poor quality build) machine to get the jump on Sony's PS3 and cut a profit- good for MS but not for the punter, a pity.
Meanwhile Sony were willing to take a price hit on their console, putting faith in power of the Cell, built in wireless networking, quality and future-proof. Games like Uncharted 2, MGS4 and Grand Tourismo 3D are proof of this. With PS2 and solid games (Final Fantasy, Metal Gear, Racers, shooters etc) as a track record, choosing the PS3 was a no-brainer for me.
The XBox alternative was a paltry hard drive,(with overpriced upgrade option, no Blu-ray, and the audacity to charge for on-line p2p gaming, I started saving for the PS3 instead.
Sure the X-box has a lot going for it but the 33% fail rate (only now improving) was an undignified and disrespectful (to gamers) start and eliminated any chance of me having faith in the product as a long term consideration.
The PS3 is now in it's stride and will be able to make the shift to full and exclusive on-line purchase and gaming if/when it eventually happens.
It's common knowledge that some developers are putting out games that look better on the X-box but that is either their preferred console and/or laziness and not proof of anything else.
Exclusives aren't a problem at all and are becoming less so because there are fewer exclusives and more than enough quality exclusives to keep both sides happy.
Historically Sony have been more innovative, Microsoft just cashed in on gaming with the XBox, rapidly rolling out a buggy (and poor quality build) machine to get the jump on Sony's PS3 and cut a profit- good for MS but not for the punter, a pity.
Meanwhile Sony were willing to take a price hit on their console, putting faith in power of the Cell, built in wireless networking, quality and future-proof. Games like Uncharted 2, MGS4 and Grand Tourismo 3D are proof of this. With PS2 and solid games (Final Fantasy, Metal Gear, Racers, shooters etc) as a track record, choosing the PS3 was a no-brainer for me.
The XBox alternative was a paltry hard drive,(with overpriced upgrade option, no Blu-ray, and the audacity to charge for on-line p2p gaming, I started saving for the PS3 instead.
Sure the X-box has a lot going for it but the 33% fail rate (only now improving) was an undignified and disrespectful (to gamers) start and eliminated any chance of me having faith in the product as a long term consideration.
The PS3 is now in it's stride and will be able to make the shift to full and exclusive on-line purchase and gaming if/when it eventually happens.
It's common knowledge that some developers are putting out games that look better on the X-box but that is either their preferred console and/or laziness and not proof of anything else.
Exclusives aren't a problem at all and are becoming less so because there are fewer exclusives and more than enough quality exclusives to keep both sides happy.
Saturday 9 January 2010
BBC News - 3D TV is being billed as possible industry saviour
BBC News - 3D TV is being billed as possible industry saviour
Posted using ShareThis
’m no expert but since some HD works on transmitting alternate images really fast to be picked up by gizmo glasses then why can’t standard 720i and 1080i simply be used to transmit the 3D signal? Then any HDTV will be able to show 3D
Just as Freeview digital started off as bog standard and now there is 3D freeview on the way I strongly suspect that 3D technology will soon be available on standard HD.
Call me a sceptic but chances are this is already possible but those friggin’ manufacturers would rather have us buy yet another new TV.
Forget it, I’ll stick with my crisp new Bravia thank you very much and Sony (much as I love ‘em) can stick their 3DTV where the signal don’t broadcast.
Posted using ShareThis
’m no expert but since some HD works on transmitting alternate images really fast to be picked up by gizmo glasses then why can’t standard 720i and 1080i simply be used to transmit the 3D signal? Then any HDTV will be able to show 3D
Just as Freeview digital started off as bog standard and now there is 3D freeview on the way I strongly suspect that 3D technology will soon be available on standard HD.
Call me a sceptic but chances are this is already possible but those friggin’ manufacturers would rather have us buy yet another new TV.
Forget it, I’ll stick with my crisp new Bravia thank you very much and Sony (much as I love ‘em) can stick their 3DTV where the signal don’t broadcast.
Friday 8 January 2010
MAG public beta - is it really worth bothering with?
So the MAG public beta is up and running.
This may seem strange to say, but in the long term I don't see the point of this one.
It does not add up.
The appeal of most games is they have a natural life cycle. Within that period regular gamers will level up within a given time period and eventually move on to other games. Modern warfare and MW2 for example. So you are left with prestige and veteran die-hards who who probably are spending less time on that game because it's not so challenging and there's the next big thing to deal with.
With no Story Arc (be nice to have a world map that shows in real time which armies are in control of which areas) the fighting is all a bit loose and pointless.
At least with COD, MW and other shooters there is a back story or context that gives the characters a bit of substance. and a historical context we were a part of making by playing through the single player campaign.
Which brings me to the possibility that a never-ending game like MAG with missions that, underneath the dressings, are all about running around shooting and blowing things up ad-infinitum will end up with the same bunch of die-hards running amok amongst various noobs and occasional visitors. Now a duck shoot is only fun for so long and few of the newer players (apart from the FPS veterans) that come on-line will want to put up with the superior fire power of elite players.
And now many people will really want to go back again and again and again to the Game?
Which is my point. 256 players is hollow, an 'emperors new clothes' feature. MAG has less to offer than most FPS MP games. It is a stripped down FPS without the single player story, nothing more,nothing less and as such will recede to the realms of the 'occasional' game like Warhawk did before it.
I'll be interested to see the timing and frequency that new maps, weapons and classes are made available by the developers.
Chances are that these will be markers for when sales begin to lag.
This may seem strange to say, but in the long term I don't see the point of this one.
It does not add up.
The appeal of most games is they have a natural life cycle. Within that period regular gamers will level up within a given time period and eventually move on to other games. Modern warfare and MW2 for example. So you are left with prestige and veteran die-hards who who probably are spending less time on that game because it's not so challenging and there's the next big thing to deal with.
With no Story Arc (be nice to have a world map that shows in real time which armies are in control of which areas) the fighting is all a bit loose and pointless.
At least with COD, MW and other shooters there is a back story or context that gives the characters a bit of substance. and a historical context we were a part of making by playing through the single player campaign.
Which brings me to the possibility that a never-ending game like MAG with missions that, underneath the dressings, are all about running around shooting and blowing things up ad-infinitum will end up with the same bunch of die-hards running amok amongst various noobs and occasional visitors. Now a duck shoot is only fun for so long and few of the newer players (apart from the FPS veterans) that come on-line will want to put up with the superior fire power of elite players.
And now many people will really want to go back again and again and again to the Game?
Which is my point. 256 players is hollow, an 'emperors new clothes' feature. MAG has less to offer than most FPS MP games. It is a stripped down FPS without the single player story, nothing more,nothing less and as such will recede to the realms of the 'occasional' game like Warhawk did before it.
I'll be interested to see the timing and frequency that new maps, weapons and classes are made available by the developers.
Chances are that these will be markers for when sales begin to lag.
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