A San Francisco start-up has launched a real-world operating system that it hopes will soon serve as a visual layer for wearable computing devices such as Google Glass. …
This OS could turn Google Glass into a game device
May 10, 2013 by Leave a Comment
Leap Motion Device Demonstrated With DoubleFine’s Dropchord
March 24, 2013 by Leave a Comment
We're a couple of months away from Leap's release in May, but the USB device was demonstrated at DoubleFine's PAX East booth. We had a chance to test it out with the launch game DropChord, and came away impressed with its accuracy.
Leap is a small USB device that sits in front of your desktop monitor, and tracks the location of your fingers. I held up both hands and was immediately surprised by how accurately it tracked all eight of my fingers simultaneously. Unlike Microsoft's Kinect, Leap doesn't appear to suffer from any kind of input lag. Onscreen indicators moved in perfect sync with my movements.
DoubleFine's Dropchord will be launching alongside the device, and it's controlled entirely with the Leap device. A circle appears onscreen, and you have to use your fingers to drag a line across dots that appear within it. Obstacles like lightning bolts appear at times, and you have to make sure your line doesn't come into contact with them.
It's difficult to explain in text, but it's easy for anyone to immediately grasp the "controls" and concept. Considering it's a launch title for the device, it should be a simple and fun way to demonstrate Leap's gaming applications. No price is set as of this writing, but DoubleFine told me that they expect it to fit within the standard mobile price range.
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The 7th Guest: 3 coming to a PC, Mac or mobile device right behind you
March 7, 2013 by Leave a Comment
Trilobyte has lured The 7th Guest: 3 out of hiding (yes, it was under your bed) and onto PC, Mac, iOS and Android, possibly within the next 18 months. The 7th Guest: 3 is the 3D, puzzle-licious sequel to Trilobyte’s The 7th Guest and The 11th Hour.
“In the world of The 7th Guest: 3, you will re-enter the mysterious and magical mansion, newly restored with games, puzzles and artifacts,” Trilobyte co-founder Charlie McHenry tells Polygon. “But it is still haunted, as players will soon discover. You will learn more about what happened on that terrible night, and discover the real story and previously hidden secrets of the gaming world’s most mysterious toymaker.”
Trilobyte is talking with potential financiers and plans to launch a Kickstarter in April, should funding fall through via other channels, McHenry says. The game could be done in 12 – 18 months, with some of the original development team working on The 7th Guest: 3 alongside new puzzle designers. If the actual game is as unsettling as having a colon before “3″ in the title, Trilobyte is on the right track.
The 7th Guest: 3 coming to a PC, Mac or mobile device right behind you originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 06 Mar 2013 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Same game, different device — a reality in 2013?
January 14, 2013 by Leave a Comment
Can the game industry, this year, execute on the promise of games played anywhere? Post-CES, Game Developer editor Patrick Miller examines many of the solutions at hand. …
Grab SkiFree And Rodent’s Revenge For Your iOS Device
January 10, 2013 by Leave a Comment
Remember those two free games you used to play on what may have been your first home PC? Now you can buy them both for your iOS device.
I never got into Rodent's Revenge myself, but I do remember the grid, the cheese, the mice, and not being able to figure the game out. SkiFree on the other hand, I spent a lot of time on, and I can't wait to download it, play it for few minutes and say, "Huh, I remember this," and then probably never play it again.
You can head here to grab Ski Free, and here for Rodent's Revenge.
Device convergence race heats up with Razer’s game-friendly tablet
January 8, 2013 by Leave a Comment
PC peripheral manufacturer Razer has announced the Razer Edge, a Windows 8 tablet designed for playing games in configurations resembling a laptop PC, portable game console, and living room console. …
Nvidia Unveils New Portable Gaming Device
January 7, 2013 by Leave a Comment
At CES 2013, Nvidia announced Project Shield – a new portable gaming device that plays Android and PC titles.
The all-in-one controller and screen device (which uses the company's new Tegra 4 mobile processor) plays any Android game on Google Play and Nvidia TegraZone, as well as PC games using Nvidia's GeForce GTX GPUs or higher streamed from a nearby PC and on Steam. Android apps such as Hulu and Netflix can also be accessed.
You can play games on the 5-inch, 1280×720 HD retinal multi-touch display or throw them to your regular TV – including utilizing Steam's Big Picture mode.
Ubisoft and Epic have already voiced support for the platform, name-checking compatible titles such as Assassin's Creed III and Hawken, respectively. At CES, Nvidia CEO Jen-Hsun Huang also demonstrated Need for Speed: Most Wanted at the show, which Engadget says was "really impressive" in its lag-free gameplay.
The controller itself (with the standard four bumpers, face buttons, d-pad, and two analog sticks) has HDMI, headphone, and mini-USB outs, as well as a microSD memory slot. It also contains its own speaker system.
According to Nvidia, Project Shield is capable of "hours of gameplay on a single charge" via an internal battery, with Engadget reporting up to 10 hours of gaming and 24 hours of video playback.
Project Shield is expected to come out in the second quarter of this year, but no price has been announced.
Catch ‘em all on your iOS device.
December 10, 2012 by Leave a Comment
Last month, Nintendo of Japan launched the Pokédex app for all iOS devices, and today, Pokémon trainers in North America will be taking their iPads, iPods, and iPhones with them on their Pokémon journeys.
For $ 1.99, you can download information on the latest 156 Pokemon. From Victini to Keldeo, and all of the monsters in between, this brand new app takes a thorough look at each and every Pokémon. Anything a trainer would want to know from attack lists, type advantages, game locations, and so much more is available at a swipe of your fingertips.
Full 3D models of each Pokémon allow Pocket Monster aficionados to take a closer look at whichever Pokémon they choose. This is the perfect app if you’re looking to build the perfect team of six to pit against your friends or online. For those seeking to complete the entire Pokédex are looking at the semi-pricey tag of nearly $ 26.00 at $ 5.99 for each generation preceding the latest, but given the price of most strategy guides, who could argue against a full, detailed, and official Pokédex on your mobile device?
I’ve already been playing around and customizing the Pokédex on my iPhone, and haven’t even downloaded any of the earlier region’s encyclopedias. This is a must-have app for any die hard Poké-fan. I will definitely be purchasing the remaining Pokémon in the near future.
Pokédex for iOS is developed by The Pokémon Company. You must have iOS 6 to download the app.
Sony: PS3 The #1 Netflix Device For Televisions
December 4, 2012 by Leave a Comment
Sony said today the PlayStation 3 is now the most popular device to watch Netflix streaming through a television and is also now the primary development platform for Netflix.
“The PlayStation and Netflix communities both share a strong passion for high quality entertainment,” SCEA CEO Jack Tretton said. “Netflix provides a fantastic experience for watching TV shows and movies on PS3, and our joint development will continue to produce innovations for our customers that further demonstrate PS3 as the true home for entertainment in the living room.”
In July 2011, a Nielsen report suggested the Nintendo Wii was the most popular home console to stream Netflix.
Nintendo’s Wii U may be an attractive device for Japanese RPG fans
November 22, 2012 by Leave a Comment
This is a column by Kat Bailey dedicated to the analysis of the once beloved Japanese RPG sub-genre. Tune in every Wednesday for thoughts on white-haired villains, giant robots, Infinity+1 swords, and everything else the wonderful world of JRPGs has to offer.
I didn’t manage to get a Wii U over the weekend. By the time I got around to ordering one, pre-orders were closed, and I wasn’t willing to camp outside in the rain or add my name to the wait list. I’m still getting a Wii U though, and not because of Nintendo Land, New Super Mario Bros. U, or even The Legend of Zelda. I’m getting a Wii U because I’m intrigued by the potential of its RPG library.
[Ed. Note: For more on the Wii U, check out Joystiq's comprehensive coverage.]
As I’ve discussed before, this is not a new development for Nintendo. Toward the tail end of the Wii years, it made a concerted effort to woo RPG developers. The result was the “Operation Rainfall” games – Xenoblade Chronicles, The Last Story, and Pandora’s Tower. Last week, I listed the Wii’s Top 10 RPGs for 1UP, and I didn’t even have to include Shiren the Wanderer or Tales of Symphonia 2. That platform’s RPG selection is deeper than many people know.
Continue reading Nintendo’s Wii U may be an attractive device for Japanese RPG fans
Nintendo’s Wii U may be an attractive device for Japanese RPG fans originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 22 Nov 2012 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.