Poker For Geeks

by Alanar on April 24, 2012

A long time ago in a galaxy far, far away…. Poker Wars! Okay, that was too much and… dumb. Poker, I think, is a cool way to make money – although many a math geek have gone bye bye because of it. So, we searched and found the solution… There is a way that makes it even more geeky (meaning fun… for us) and taking out the money factor without it being less fun. Poker Star Wars!!!

Isn't using the Force in poker cheating?

For anywhere from $50-$150, you can get yourself an awesome Star Wars poker set with:

  • a seal of approval from the Jedi Council
  • 150 Jedi chips (Obi Wan, Luke, Yoda)
  • 50 Vader chips
  • an Imperial deck
  • a Rebel alliance deck
  • a Death Star dealer button
  • a really awesome case

It’s not exactly cheap so I suggest you check your favorite online store to get the best price. I’ve seen it cheaper on Ebay than Amazon.

If you don’t like Star Ways – although there’s no reason no to like it – there are other poker sets out there. But, Star Trek sets, for instance, cost a helluva lot more so really, this it the way to go.

One look at the set and I’m sure Obi Wan wouldn’t have to convince you, “These are the chips you’re looking for.”

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Will The Next Xbox Won’t Have 16 Cores?

by Alanar on April 14, 2012

I usually don’t care much for rumors but this in particular has gotten a lot of attention both the digital and the real world. Plus, I really enjoy my Xbox 360 and I’m very excited about the next-gen consoles.

4 cores, 4 threads per core

So the image above should say it plainly and clearly: No, it’s not 16-core. Will that stop people from spreading rumors?  No.

Now, 16 cores isn’t an impossibility – remember, the Xbox 360 did come out with 3 processing cores years ago. But, that doesn’t mean that you need over five times that number for the next Xbox.

Let’s consider 16-core CPUs for the Xbox are really coming. Let’s then put that into perspective first: Those core are PowerPC cores that aren’t as powerful as the CPU cores you had in mind. This isn’t going to be a 16-core powerhouse to replace your PC.

Well, all we can really do is wait and see.

For a few extra things to think about, here are among the most popular questions on forums and blogs:

  • This technology has been with IBM for a while, but is it really practical for the next Xbox?
  • Will it drive the cost up too high?
  • Will game devs be annoyed at the extra work of coding to utilize or maximize the 16 cores?
  • How will multi-platform game developing be affected?
  • Will it bottle-neck the other hardware?
  • Will heat may become an issue?
  • Is it actually quad-core with 4 threads each core?

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Doom Developer Planning Next Shooter

by Alanar on April 6, 2012

Ok, so it's not Doom 4... Maybe 5?

The veteran game developer behind titles like Doom, Quake, and Wolfenstein is planning his next shooter.

John Romero, founder of id Software, has indicated that his plans for the project are almost all set. No big details were revealed apart from the game being an MMO-shooter and the game incorporating a new twist on how we play shooters now.

The last game Romero released was the mobile version of Red Faction for the Nokia N-Gage.

We are definitely interested and excited in whatever this will turn out to be. We’ll keep you updated as more information is made available.

For now, you can play the Romero classics on the go. Wolfenstein 3D and Doom are both available on the iPhone with Quake coming soon to your phone.

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Google Making “Scouters”

by Alanar on April 5, 2012

Life emulating anime?

Google has recently unveiled one of its secret projects called “Project Glass.” The device is basically a computer with a glasses-style augmented-reality type display. Think “scouters” from the Dragon Ball universe. You know those glasses that display Gokou’s power level, among other things? Yes, something like those things.

Google’s glasses in this case won’t be showing your neighbor’s power level or tell you if he’s a Saiyanjin, but it will show you your text messages, map overlays, information on certain stuff and other cool things.

There’s no indication as to when the display will actually make it into the market or even if it’s a certainty, but the fact that Google’s engineers and scientists are taking the devices out of the labs to field tests look good.

Also, there isn’t much information regarding how the device exactly works. Whether it will be an accompany device to a smartphone or a stand-alone device. We’re all eagerly waiting for more news from Google.

For a “demo” on how the device works (or should/would work), check out this video:

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April Fools Roundup

by Alanar on April 1, 2012

Here’s a quick and incomplete rundown or roundup of this year’s April Fools video announcements. It’s basically just what I saw while checking other blogs and sites. I’m sure every other netizen has found more. I’ll maybe update this list later… or not, if I get bored. Let’s see what happens.

Google Maps 8-bit for NES

Latest in Google products and services is an updated version of Google maps for one of the most popular gaming consoles ever created – the Nintendo Entertainment System. We can always expect good stuff from Google, so check this out:

Verdict: Potentially Legendary (because it’s for NES)

Google definitely topped last year’s April Fools prank: Gmail Motion. It’s basically a “kinect” style way of controlling Gmail via your webcam. If you didn’t catch it last year, check the video:

Assassin’s Creed Kinect Trailer

Coming soon on the Xbox 360 is Assassin’s Creed: Kinect. With the new Assassin’s Creed, the Kinect effectively becomes the Animus. You are in control, you are in the game.

This fan-made April Fools video by youtube user HawkandGamble has been making it’s rounds on the blogosphere and I thought I’d share it here.

Verdict: Just short of awesome – lacking a bit of chocolate sprinkles

April Fools jokes employing the Kinect are in no way new and this is just one among a myriad of Kinectified videos. The best, so far (in my humble opinion), was last year’s April Fools joke from Blizzard. Here is the epic StarCraft: Motion Overdrive:

 

And now, the boring attempts at April Fools Fun….

SEGA Bass Fishing of the Dead

Sega’s latest shooter puts you in control of Earth’s last line of defense against the killer fish zombies – the drunk fisherman.

Verdict: Borderline annoying

Riot Games Presents: League of Legends 3D Mode

Because League of Legends is doing so well in 2D, Riot Games has decided to release a 3D version of the game to provide a more immersive feel.

Verdict: Passable, bland

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No Joy on Possible PS4 Restrictions

by Alanar on March 30, 2012

Yes, this is the PlayStation 4

Now, before panic leads to full-blown ranting, there is no official word from Sony yet.

If you haven’t heard about the sucky news, just take a spin around the interwebs where blogs and forums are all abuzz about news that the PS4  (or whatever it will be called – it’s codenamed Orbis but that won’t stick) will provide no joy for disc swappers or game traders or even first-hand owners of used games.

Put simply, you won’t be able to play a second-hand PlayStation 2 or 3 game on the PlayStation 4. Also, you won’t be able to swap games with your neighbor Jimmy when you’ve finished your game – no renting, no borrowing.

Nowadays, when you beat a game, you can just get in touch with another friend who has other games you want to play and just swap games or hop over to the store and trade the game in. Now enough about restricting used games and on to other stuff.

On to the semi-partly good, partly sucky part. The PlayStation 4 is reportedly going to be able to support kick-ass hardware and resolutions of up to 4096×2160 (4k). That’s 4 times the pixel count of 1080p. That should be awesome, right? Well, no – not exactly. It’s rather hard to find screens today that support that and buying a new TV just for a PS4 isn’t exactly something I would do since all my extra gaming cash will most likely be needed to pay for every single game I play. Apart from a fat wallet, the average person will also need a huge-ass screen to notice the difference between 1080p and 4k. Then there’s the final bomb: it’s not like TV broadcasts or cable will support 4k any time soon.

I miss the good old NES days.

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Videogames Are Art

by Alanar on March 16, 2012

The Smithsonian American Art Museum has opened an exhibit showcasing ‘The Art of Video Games’ at the American Art Museum. The exhibit will run from March 16, 2012 to September 30, 2012. A book was also written to accompany the exhibit. The Art of Video Games: From Pac-Man to Mass Effect is available online or at your nearest bookstore for around $40.

The exhibit will feature mostly images and videos of the games but visitors will also be able to play a few games. Five games, each representing its gaming era will be playable during the exhibit. The games are Pac-Man, Super Mario Bros., MYST, The Secret of Monkey Island, and Flower.

The games on exhibit were selected through online voting. In total, 119,000 people from 175 countries cast 3.7 million votes.

Below are the 80 games on exhibit that the online public considers as art:

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