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Alex’s Take: Nintendo E3 2014

June 13, 2014 Alex McCumbers

With so many safe games being released by Nintendo recently and their company teetering on the Wii U with the 3DS barely keeping them afloat, there must have been a lot of pressure for Nintendo. This was the event I looked forward to the most. I’ve always enjoyed their characters and most of their games, even though I’ll admit that they’ve made some mistakes recently. Nintendo has a chance to make a comeback, but they’ve got to be careful with their games. Super Smash Bros. 4 looks like it will be Nintendo’s saving grace.

Nothing says childhood like putting toys together in a battle arena; that’s exactly what Smash Bros. is all about. Recently, Nintendo leaked that they are releasing toys with chips in their bases to be used in the game, much like Skylanders and Disney Infinity. These toys were shown in a hilarious video as Miyamoto pulls out a sweet-looking Mario figure to help him in his fight. It was also said that four other games would also be compatible with the figures: Mario Kart 8, Mario Party 10, Captain Toad, and Yoshi’s Wooly World. These toys could be the edge Nintendo needs to come out on top, especially during this holiday season.

While I could say just how excited I am to play the new Zelda or Pokemon, I’m choosing to highlight one of the more interesting games coming soon. Because every game company needs a multiplayer shooter, Nintendo stepped up to the plate to reveal Splatoon. Splatoon, at a glance, looks like a child’s Team Fortress 2; however, the more it was discussed, the more unique it revealed itself to be. In the game, players play as squid people who use ink guns to cover a map with their color. The team with the highest percentage of the map covered wins. Things get even more complex as players can transform into squids to move quicker on their color or hide from enemies beneath their ink. The ink can also be used to defend, as members of the opposite team can cut off a route, slowing down enemies tremendously. The sheer strategy and whimsy of Splatoon is staggering. I’ve never been more excited about something brand new from Nintendo. Now if only Nintendo would release a PC client so I can continue yelling obscenities at cartoons on my monitor.

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Overall, Nintendo’s press event was fun and showed off the innovation they’re famous for. Choosing to take a more direct route, they showed off their games in a digital broadcast without an audience. Their videos were expertly designed and showed the attention to detail that Nintendo has. Each game was shown in its best light and was discussed by the people behind them with super relevant backgrounds. Unfortunately, this expert delivery was lost as soon as the Nintendo Treehouse began after the broadcast.

There’s nothing more painful than watching television hosts struggle on a live show. The two people chosen for the event were awkward and seemed really uncomfortable. It was a terrible contrast to the previous video mastery. There were a few funny moments though, especially when they started discussing Mario Party 10. Apparently, the player with the Wii U Gamepad will be able to play as Bowser and be a big jerk to the other players. The male host responded with, “I’m sure I’ll be at the receiving end of your jerkiness.” Honestly, I tuned out when they said that the Treehouse was going to last over 20 hours. I couldn’t take it anymore, but even with that blunder, Nintendo’s event was still exciting and a blast to watch.

Nintendo brought a level of wonder and humor to E3 that other developers didn’t have. Robot Chicken actually helped open the digital event, in which Nintendo made fun of themselves. I thought I was going to die of laughter when the man yelled, “Come on Nintendo! Where’s Mother 3?” Almost every gamer has grown up alongside Mario and his crew, making him special and relatable. The developers of these games have fun and enjoy their jobs. They want to bring that fun and joy to their audience, even if that means making Yoshi out of yarn or Kirby out of clay. No other video games capture this magic, which is why gamers of all ages love Nintendo.

Game File, Games and Software, Tech World

Alex’s Take: Microsoft E3 2014

June 12, 2014 Alex McCumbers

For once, I was actually on the edge of my seat with Microsoft. They came out of the gate with games presented by experts in the biggest entertainment industry. I hung onto every word about the remake of Halo 2, packaged with all the other numbered Halo titles. Xbox Live will be flooded with children not old enough to spell when the king of multiplayer returns. Halo: The Master Chief Collection will also run at 1080p and 60 fps. Oh, and there’s access to the Halo 5 beta test, but I’m sure that will pale in comparison. On top of that, several new games were revealed.

Sunset Overdrive blew away the first half of the show with it’s over the top action and art style. Players will be able to create their own character and destroy mutated monsters, which are the product of a strange energy drink. Multiplayer has also been integrated to give eight players the ability to take on challenges by voting for the task at hand. The style is what sets this game apart from the rest; it’s like a combination of Tony Hawk and Ratchet and Clank.

Another title that brought heavy excitement was Scalebound. With the recent interest in giant monsters (Pacific Rim, Godzilla, and Monster Hunter), two beasts clashing together was a welcomed sight. Scalebound also brings its own unique style: as the hero cranks up his headphones with electronic bass beats while sporting bad ass Dragoon armor. Only the cinematic trailer was shown, so gameplay elements are still a mystery. However, any game that gives the player a dragon companion and dubstep can’t be too bad.

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Even though there is already a playable beta, Project Spark was shown off in a new trailer. While these sort of games aren’t new to the market, Spark seems to open the door to new kinds of games that can be made and pushes to give this ability to anyone. The trailer showed a slew of content already developed during beta tests on Windows 8 and Xbox One, which at a glance portrayed almost every major genre in the industry. Finishing off the trailer was Conker slicing through the logo with his chainsaw. Conker is coming to Project Spark, presumably as a playable asset. For those of you unfamiliar with the beer-chugging squirrel, he is the main character of one of the best N64 games: Conker’s Bad Fur Day. It was so good that it was re-created for the Xbox in 2005 for better or worse. This is extremely exciting because players will now have the chance to create the Conker sequel they imagine. Needless to say, it’s going to be fun to browse the games list on Project Spark.

Rounding out the press conference was Microsoft’s love for independent studios. A compilation video showed off some interesting games: Mighty No. 9, a spiritual successor to Megaman (made by some of the same people); an interesting game called Cuphead, which uses an art style that gives homage to old Disney cartoons; and coming from the makers of Limbo is the strangely unique Inside. These three games were just the highlights; many more indie games are coming to Xbox One. In fact, Microsoft claims that a free independent developer kit will be available for these small-time developers. However, I’m not sure how free something like that could be, but I’ll be sure to check into it.

Through the whole event, Microsoft did what they should’ve done: focus on the games. There weren’t any new peripherals, no new services, or deals with major sports broadcasting stations. Nope, just games. With the Xbox One launching without the Kinect, at a lower price point, and tons of games coming out, maybe Microsoft will regain the respect they lost with me at the new console’s release.

Game File, Games and Software, Tech World

Alex’s Take: Sony E3 2014

June 11, 2014 Alex McCumbers

The PS3 was the most powerful game system of the last console generation. It boasted better graphics, more disc space, and free online play. In fact, the only thing keeping me from the PS3 was its initial high price point. When the PS4 released with a lower price tag than the Xbox One, I knew something awesome had happened at Sony.

Sony’s live press event this year continued last year’s jabs at Microsoft. It wasn’t nearly as often or mean-spirited like last time, but their jokes still had the crowd rolling. Many new titles of established franchises were shown alongside a few unique ones. PlayStation Now and PlayStation TV were also discussed, but several questions still remain.

The biggest game discussed was Bungie’s Destiny, which was told to have more bonuses and will overall be better on the PlayStation 4. In fact, Sony will be offering a white, 500 GB PS4, bundled with Destiny and 30 days of PlayStation Plus on September 9^th later this year. Furthering this almost awkward love for Sony, PS4 owners can play the Alpha test starting June12; the beta tests will hit July 17^th and Destiny will be released on PS4 first.

Following Destiny was a mysterious game, The Order: 1866. This game appeared on the cover of Game Informer, blasting out of hiding to woo gamers with its strange and dark art direction. Gameplay footage shown at Sony’s press event proved to be intense. The player, instead of a flashlight, held out a lantern with a single candle guiding his way. Stumbling upon an obvious zombie, the character stared in horror as it devoured some poor sap. Then, the zombie transformed into a Mr. Hyde-esque creature that chased the player and slapped him around.

All seemed bleak for the hero, until the magical triangle button appeared on screen. Lucky for the hero, the player hit that button, giving the hero the will he needed to take a health potion. While the art direction and story is intriguing in The Order, I wish quick quick-time events would fade away.

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Several games were given the remake treatment. Alongside a new film trailer, the original Ratchet and Clank is getting remade for the PS4. This won’t be an average graphics update either. Sony boasted that the game will get all new assets and set pieces, making the game the best it could ever be. Grim Fandango, a point and click adventure of the past, will also be getting a remake. The crowd exploded at this news, making me feel bad for never playing it. Other games being ported to the PS4 include The Last of Us and Grand Theft Auto 5. Feeling a bit jaded, the PS Vita will be receiving Minecraft and several of the indie titles with its big brother.

There were some shining gems in the press event. Of course there were several sequels and things we’ve seen before, but these games showed a uniqueness not seen in the others. Entwined is a beautiful game about two spirits in love and is available now for $9.99. Bloodborne, the darkest game shown, could be a super-spiritual successor to the Dark Souls franchise. ABZU comes from the makers of the award winning Journey. No Man’s Sky, creates a first person space adventure that lets the player take off to visit other planets. Sony ended their event with a trailer for Uncharted 4, presumably the last game starring Nathan Drake or as I like to say Indiana Croft.

While they didn’t show as many new games as Microsoft showed, Sony did put on a good show. Personally, I think a little too much time was spent on services and television shows. I was even more depressed when absolutely nothing was shared about Square Enix’s big sequels: Final Fantasy XV and Kingdom Hearts 3, two games that will force many gamers to buy a PS4.

Screenshot from Warosu.org — Image from Warosu.org

Games and Software, Industry Now, Tech World

Inside Look With “Stamp” Creator Erick Ballesteros

May 28, 2014 Jacob M. Neff

Thanks to Stamp creator Erick Ballesteros, we now have an inside look at the new organizational app that is changing the way the world makes appointments! (The interview below involves staff writer Jacob Neff and Stamp creator Erick Ballesteros.)

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Q1. What is Stamp?

A1: Stamp is an iPhone application that empowers freelancing services to accept appointments at anytime with automated scheduling and calendar synchronization.

Q2. Why did you create such an app?

A2: I created this app to further the share economy within our communities. I wanted to empower anyone to become an entrepreneur or run their own business. You can think of it like Lyft. With Lyft, anyone with a car has the freedom to choose their own schedule and make some extra cash (full-time or part-time). Similarly with Stamp, anyone can share their own services/skills to supplement their income. I also wanted to encourage usage of our digital calendars because I feel like the majority aren’t taking advantage of one. By promoting it, Stamp’s service can only increase in satisfaction.

Q3. Why the name “Stamp”?

A3: I like the name stamp because it emphasizes a commitment being made. It can also tie into a time stamp for when selecting a time. There will also be a cross-reward system throughout different types of services for people to recieve great offers.

Q4. What makes Stamp different from other organizational apps such as Evernote, Google Calendar, etc.?

A4: Stamp is different from things like Google Calendar because Stamp has discover-ability and centralized profiles for services to link their Facebook,Twitter, LinkedIn to let the client make the booking decision. In fact we integrate with Google Calendar to make things simpler and each appointment will automatically appear within Google Calendar. We also assign usernames to all services that sign up on our app. By doing this, we allow a very Twitter-esque feel to the app where people can not only stamp with people within their geographic vicinity, but also with people from all over the world (there I said it). This makes the scheduling process even easier for services that prefer to just share their usernames.

Q5. How has Stamp improved organization in your own life so far? Do you use your own app?

A5: I use Stamp to schedule business meetings with others and for workout sessions with my personal trainer. It’s really fun!

Q6. How many downloads does Stamp have?

A6: Stamp just launched two weeks ago on the app store. We have strong initial feedback and we are hard at work improving our service. Additionally, a web app is underdevelopment where the usernames will serve as the subdomain for each service provider using Stamp!

Q7. Where do you see Stamp going in the next 5 to 10 years?

A7: Over the next few years, I envision Stamp creating opportunities for developing nations. It will help many local economies while at the same time creating opportunities for two people to easily schedule with each other regardless of where they are located.

I would highly recommend Stamp for anyone with a full plate as it is an incredibly helpful way to organize appointments. Good news for iPhone users, Stamp is available now on the app store. Android users, hang in there!

Game File, Games and Software, Tech World

Ouch! Couch Turns Pranksters into Pixels

May 8, 2014 Alex McCumbers

The Janoskians, a group known for developing pranks and challenges, have over a million subscribers. Being that they are avid gamers, the Janoskians decided to bring their humor to the gaming world. Game developers often pull from pop culture in an attempt to blend mediums to an often terrible, but sometimes awesome, degree. Ouch! Couch is one of these attempts, but will it become a memorable gaming experience or will it fail to catch an asphalt wave?

Ouch! Couch was developed by Twistory Entertainment Studios, a company that also developed Belle’s War and Shinjuku Nexus. Twistory has published several graphic novels and have even collaborated with Yoshitaka Amano. Ouch! Couch takes a different design approach, accepting pixelated crocodiles and penguins over western gunslingers.

The game is visually appealing, especially for those that enjoy retro games. The player stands out amongst the growing chaos. The city in the background has several layers. Kangaroos look as they should, with murderous intent in their marsupial eyes. Everything about this game harkens back to the amazing games of the past, including the music. Of course, this isn’t Chopin, but it does have that sort of Megaman jive gamers have come to enjoy. However,playing long sessions could instill a bit of madness.

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Ouch! Couch plays simply, with a single touch command being the only input implemented. Players will mount their furniture steeds to slide down overpopulated streets while gathering fans that cling desperately to their salvation. A score can then be posted on the leaderboards, but most players of Ouch! Couch would be more interested in beating their friends.

Trends come and go, sometimes at an alarming rate. One of the fastest growing trends in the past few months was Flappy Bird, which spawned hundreds of clones and tributes. From Miley Cyrus to Bird Jesus, anything popular could potentially become a “game.” This is where Ouch! Couch comes in, just barely being different enough to be interesting for a few minutes. Twistory tries to shake up the formula, but falls short of bringing anything worth noting out of the muck of what’s been left in the wake of that yellow monster. Fans of Janoskians will probably download it, but everyone else could pass it by.

Ouch! Couch can be found on iOS, Android, and Amazon for $0.99.

To see more of the Janoskians’ antics, find them on YouTube.