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Week of July 24, 2005
ScummVM 0.71 WIP 30/07/2005
>> Carcharius released a new WIP release of ScummVM Xbox(info) that allows playing games based on LucasArts' Scumm system.
What's new/fixed:
* New: screen resizing capability - hold Right-Trigger and click Right-Thumbstick.
* New: reload ScummVM launcher - hold Rightt-Trigger and press Black.
* New: reboot to dashboard - hold Right-Trigger and press White.
* Changed: removed optimizations for Simon The Sorceror engine. Fixes music issue. Shouldn't affect performance too much if at all.
* Note: Probably changed other stuff in the time since the last release, but I can't remember what that might be!
Official Site: n/a, by Carcharius
Xbox-Scene Discussion Thread: forums.xbox-scene.com
Download: n/a (built with XDK)
News-Source: xbins.org
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(Saturday 30 July 2005 17:46 EST) - (Category: (default)) - (Posted by::
)
Gentoox update: ALSA v1.0.9b
>> From ShALLaX on gentoox.shallax.com:
[QUOTE]
ALSA has been upgraded to v1.0.9b in magic... go upgrade!
[/QUOTE]
Note: The Advanced Linux Sound Architecture (ALSA) provides audio and MIDI functionality to the Linux operating system.
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(Saturday 30 July 2005 13:11 EST) - (Category: (default)) - (Posted by::
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Twentieth Century Fox is choosing Blu-ray DVD over HD-DVD
>> From softpedia.com:
[QUOTE]
The unified DVD format is now just a dream, as Fox Home Entertainment announced that they are planning to support the Blu-Ray format. In the raging battle for the next DVD format, Sony and Toshiba are trying to convince as many movie studios as possible to support their format.
With Fox Entertainment choosing a side, right now the top six studios of the entertainment industry are now equally divided on the issue of choosing between Blu-Ray and HD-DVD format.
[/QUOTE]
Read the whole article on softpedia.com.
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(Saturday 30 July 2005 13:05 EST) - (Category: (default)) - (Posted by::
)
Xbox 360 QWERTY Keyboard Revealed
>> From TeamXbox.com:
[QUOTE]
Once again, new Xbox 360 material has been leaked onto the Internet. This time, a Spanish presentation of the Xbox 360 that includes the console, the peripherals, the XNA tools and some other goodies.
Most of the info in these slides is already known but to our surprise, one of the slides has revealed the existence of a first-party QWERTY key pad, similar to those found in the BlackBerry handhelds.
The info for the Text Device says:
* QWERTY Keyboard
* Connects to controller
* For sending text messages or in-game chat
The info for the Xbox 360 Camera says:
* Captures video @ 640x480, 8 frame per seconds
* Takes still pictures @ 1,3 megapixels
* 8 times the resolution of the Eye Toy
* Includes microphone that connects to the Xbox 360 controller
* Incorporates chat functions and video messages for Xbox Live
[/QUOTE]
Find out more slides and details of this presentation on TeamXbox.com.
dvd2xbox v0.6.8
>> WiSo released a new version of dvd2xbox(info). What's new/fixed:
* simple skinning engine
* fixed a crash when selecting LCD and "use lcd" is turned off
* fixed a filemanager memory leak
* changed CDDB ip and fixed the exception handling
* Note: The skinning engine is still beta and this version should only be used by those who wanna play with the dvd2xbox look and feel. Look at the default skin for examples. I'll try to get a documentation ready soon so please have a look in the wiki for updates. If you encounter problems with a new skin press left+right trigger and Y together in the main menu to activate the default skin. I hope to see some new skins in the future. Please post it and bugs in the dvd2xbox forum.
Official Site: http://dvd2xbox.xbox-scene.com
Download: n/a (built with XDK)
News-Source: xbins.org
Microsoft sees Xbox 360 in driver's seat
>> From News.com:
[QUOTE]
Although some have suggested that the upcoming PlayStation 3 might have a more powerful engine, Microsoft chairman Bill Gates said he's happy with the Xbox 360.
"Our view is basically we've got a Ferrari, they've got a Ferrari," Gates said in a question-and-answer session at Thursday's meeting with financial analysts. "Our Ferrari is leaving the starting line substantially before their Ferrari is, and in most races that's a very nice thing."
Robbie Bach, the Microsoft senior vice president who heads up the Xbox, said he doesn't see Sony having a demonstrable advantage with its hardware.
"They're going to be a little faster in a few areas, we're going to be a little faster in a few areas," Bach said. "The net result from a hardware perspective is going to be kind of a toss-up."
[/QUOTE]
Read the whole article on News.com.
XBMC in August's Hardcore Gamer Magazine
>> August's issue of Hardcore Gamer Mag (by DoubleJump Publishing, Inc.) features a great 4-page article about XboxMediaCenter(info).
They also mention the xbox-scene.com community on the 2nd page (27) :-)
  You can find the article on page 26-29
You can buy a printed version of this magazine for just $5 in any GameStop and GameCrazy store, most other newsstand outlets will have copies soon too.
You can also download the PDF version of the magazine on hardcoregamermag.com (mirror).
Support printed media that writes objective articles about the homebrew scene - go buy an issue if you can.
Xbox 360 Interview: The Light Synth Vision
>> From gamerlounge.com:
[QUOTE]
Jeff Minter is one of the videogame industry's true eccentrics - a man who has followed his own agenda for the last twenty years, even if that has meant going off in a completely different direction to everyone else (Tempest 3000 for the ill-fated Nuon device to pluck out one example). But strangely, his experiments with various 'light synthesiser' applications throughout the years may well have finally brought him in line with mainstream thinking. At a time when console manufacturers are desperate for their latest machines to be appreciated as allround audiovisual entertainment centres rather than just games machines (Nintendo excluded, of course), Microsoft is embedding Neon, the latest version of Minter's hypnotic light synth software, onto the Xbox 360.
Jeff Minter conducted an interview to answer many more questions about his technology and Xbox 360:
Q: Microsoft go on quite a lot about this being a machine with no bottlenecks, nothing inhibiting performance - would you agree with that from your experience?
A: Well, we were working with alpha hardware and still managed to achieve staggering performance with just that, and the alpha kits probably operate at only about 30 percent of the capacity of the final hardware. I'm really looking forward to doing more on final hardware and really pushing the thing as hard as we can.
To read the full interview, visit gamerlounge.com.
[/QUOTE]
Check out the full interview on gamerlounge.com.
ELSPA Game Summit 2005 Slides
>> From GamesIndustry.biz:
[QUOTE]
ELSPA has made the presentation slides from its International Game Summit last month available, featuring a wealth of research data on the videogames industry and recaps of keynotes from top executives including Peter Moore and David Reeves.
The ELSPA International Game Summit took place in London on the 21st and 22nd of June, and brought together key industry players from around the world to discuss a wide range of topics - ranging from presentations on emerging markets to panel discussions of contentious issues facing the industry.
[/QUOTE]
There's one presentation that's Xbox specific:
* Microsoft Xbox vice president Peter Moore opened the conference on the first day with a presentation titled The Importance of Being Europe, where he explored the core ingredients for success in the next-generation console race and the specific challenges of the European market.
You can download this presentation and many others on GamesIndustry.biz.
Slimline PlayStation 2 drop to $100/£60 after Xbox360 launch
>> From Spong.com:
[QUOTE]
Retail sources speaking exclusively to SPOnG:
“You can expect significant reductions in the price of everything this Christmas, but most noticeable will be the PlayStation 2,” our well-placed source told SPOnG. “We’ve been briefed to expect a price as low as £60 (87 EUR) beginning at the start of December. Sony’s probably looking at a global price cut – around $100 in the States and a serious Platinum range announcement too.”
It was also claimed that Nintendo will make a similar move with its GameCube console, backed and buoyed by the release of the new Zelda game Twilight Princess.
Expect an official announcement sometime in November.
[/QUOTE]
News-Source: Spong.com.
PS3 to Launch in 2007 if Xbox 360 Fails?
>> From Spong.com:
[QUOTE]
According to analysts at Wedbush Morgan, seemingly still unable to lay off the crack pipe, the PlayStation 3 will ship in 2007 if the Xbox 360 fails to ignite the hardware market.
"We expect Sony to defer a decision regarding PS3 launch until it is able to assess the likely success of the Xbox 360, and anticipate that Sony will make its decision shortly after the Xbox 360 launch. We do not expect the PS3 until mid 2006, at the earliest, and should Microsoft fail to garner sufficient software support to gain an insurmountable lead, we think that there is a possibility that the PS3 launch will slip into early 2007."
Of course, this stands in stark contrast with wider expectations, set by Sony at The PlayStation meeting last week (albeit off the record) that we’ll see at least a Japanese launch of PlayStation 3 in spring 2006.
Sony is keeping tight-lipped on this as you might expect, though SPOnG cannot help wonder if the analysts quoted above have any tangible concept of what it takes to launch a videogame platform. The entire process is a massive undertaking and cannot be decided upon a whim, as suggested.
[/QUOTE]
Read the whole article on Spong.com.
Soul Calibur III non-exclusive?
>> From joystiq.com:
[QUOTE]
A few very observant readers have noted that GameStop is now accepting pre-orders for Soul Calibur III on the Xbox (which, it claims, will be playable on Xbox Live). No release date is set (though the PlayStation 2 version is still scheduled for October 25th), and there is no confirmation from Namco on whether or not this is true or just wishful thinking on GameStop’s part.
[/QUOTE]
Read the whole article on joystiq.com.
DuoX 2 Lite Sample
>> We received a sample of the new DuoX 2 Lite modchip from divineo.com / divineo.cn / divineo.fr. As the name suggests it's a 'light' version of the DuoX v2 modchip. It retails for only ~13usd or ~12eur.
The Features:
* One chip for v1.0-v1.6 Xbox
* Very easy to disable mod for Xbox-Live. (use eject button to boot with onboard bios, power button to boot with modchip bios).
* 512KB bios flashchip.
* 9 solder points + 2 wire installation or LPC port rebuild + 2 wire.
* Includes v1.6 quick rebuild board and pinheader.
More Pictures:
* DuoX v2 Lite in it's package: Low Res. | High Res.
* DuoX v2 Lite PCB top: Low Res. | High Res.
* DuoX v2 Lite PCB bottom: Low Res. | High Res.
* DuoX v2 Lite LPC repair top: Low Res. | High Res.
* DuoX v2 Lite LPC repair bottom: Low Res. | High Res.
Official Site: http://www.duomodchip.com
Installation Manuals: here
Buy Now 13USD/12EUR: divineo.com/divineo.cn/divineo.fr
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(Thursday 28 July 2005 19:03 EST) - (Category: (default)) - (Posted by::
)
DemonWare Unveils Network Middleware for Xbox 360
>> From the pressrelease[TeamXbox.com]:
[QUOTE]
DemonWare announced today that it is providing support for the Xbox 360 and multiplayer titles being released on the platform. Having worked closely with Microsoft for the last 6 months on the 360 dev-kits, DemonWare is the first network middleware company to offer a full next-gen solution to developers and publishers for networking and all technical aspects of online gameplay.
DemonWare provides a complete range of network tools for studios and publishers working on multiplayer titles. DemonWare Netcode is widely regarded as being the most developer-friendly network middleware available and is being used in a number of AAA titles being released across all console platforms in 2005.
[/QUOTE]
You can read the whole pressrelease on TeamXbox.com.
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(Thursday 28 July 2005 13:46 EST) - (Category: (default)) - (Posted by::
)
Designing the Xbox 360 User Interface
>> From igniq.com:
[QUOTE]
DesignInteract.com has an interesting look at the design of the Xbox 360 user interface. Designing the interface for the next-gen console took 2 years of hard graft according to the article.
Russ Glaser is group user interface design manager at Microsoft, and it was his responsibility for the design of the user interface. Where the Xbox was simply for gaming, the Xbox 360 will act like a media hub where people will be able to store their photos, music and an other media files, so understandably a lot more thought and care had to go into the design.
[/QUOTE]
Read the whole article on designinteract.com and igniq.com.
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(Thursday 28 July 2005 11:25 EST) - (Category: (default)) - (Posted by::
)
Xbox 360 Playable at Leipzig (Germany) Expo
>> From the next-gen.biz:
[QUOTE]
The expo runs from August 17 through to August 21 and the list of publishers preparing to show off their next generation efforts is beginning to grow. THQ has confirmed that Relic Entertainment's WWII action-strategy game The Outfit will be present as will Volition's much-talked about action title Saint's Row.
Following in THQ's footsteps is Square Enix who has promised that attendees of the show will be able to get a hands-on feel for certain areas of Final Fantasy XI. Both THQ and Square Enix unveiled their Xbox 360 titles at E3 back in May but the builds expected in Germany will be in a more advanced state than what was shown in LA.
[/QUOTE]
News-Source: next-gen.biz
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(Thursday 28 July 2005 10:21 EST) - (Category: (default)) - (Posted by::
)
Xbox 360 Beta Kits in Action
>> From 1up.com:
[QUOTE]
These Beta kits, which were released to the development community roughly three weeks ago, have recieved quite a bit of chatter amongst hardcore Xbox fans who have been disappointed by certain Xbox 360 games shown thus far -- which were running on Alpha kits -- and want to see the games improve graphically before they hit stores.
As it turns out, the Beta kits look able to achieve solid results, but it's doubtful they will provide the instant visual leap many players were hoping for. We tested both Full Auto and Condemned, and they featured roughly the same amount of visual detail as was in the E3 versions, but both games had problems keeping a smooth framerate. It's obvious this is due to the Beta kits only having been around for three weeks and not poor programming -- the Full Auto team expects their framerate to be back where it was at E3 time in just one week from now -- but it shows that the Beta kits are not the immediate miracle that some fans were hoping for. Developers will not be able to port over existing code and see it magically look better.
[/QUOTE]
Read the whole article on 1up.com.
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(Thursday 28 July 2005 09:38 EST) - (Category: (default)) - (Posted by::
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(Europe) Microsoft Giving Punters Free Xbox Games
>> From computerandvideogames.com:
[QUOTE]
So keen is Microsoft to get you hooked up to Xbox Live that it's giving away free games to entice you into its online world.
Sign up for a Live account before or on August 31, 2005, and you'll get to choose a free Xbox game out of Forza Motorsport, Conker: Live and Reloaded or Dead or Alive Ultimate.
And if you just happen to be one of the first 200 people to take advantage of this offer, you'll get all three of the titles for free.
Registering for this offer involves sticking in your details on https://www.xboxemea.com/anotherlevel, purchasing a 12-month-subscription Xbox Live Starter Kit and then signing up for Xbox Live (be aware that you need to use the same email address you used on the registration site when singing up to Live so Microsoft can match up your details).
[/QUOTE]
News-Source: computerandvideogames.com.
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(Thursday 28 July 2005 09:32 EST) - (Category: (default)) - (Posted by::
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Xbox 360 Hands-On
>> From kotaku.com:
[QUOTE]
Jason Dunn with Digital Media News and Views got some hands-on time with the Xbox 360 during a recent Windows Vista event on the Microsoft Campus.
He came away from the event with some interesting X360 tidbits:
* In some countries the console will come with a smallish remote for DVD playback, navigation and power.
* The graphics for Ghost Recon 3 are “jaw dropping.”
* The Xbox 360 sports a 20GB hard drive.
Go check out the full article for all of Dunn’s impressions and more details about Media Center connectivity with the next-gen console.
[/QUOTE]
Read the full article on digitalmediathoughts.com and kotaku.com
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(Wednesday 27 July 2005 18:22 EST) - (Category: (default)) - (Posted by::
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Microsoft keynote at TGS and GDCE
>> From ign.com/ign.com:
[QUOTE]
* Nintendo and Microsoft will be giving keynote presentations at the Tokyo Game Show in September, according to a recent update at Japanese site Famitsu.com. Microsoft will be sending Entertainment Division Senior Vice President Robby Bach over to Tokyo for a speech to be given from 10:00 to 10:50 on 9/16, the business-only day of the public show. Bach's presentation will be followed by a speech from Nintendo president Satoru Iwata, scheduled for 11:00 to 11:50.
The themes of this year's speeches from the two executives has yet to be announced, but most are expecting Bach to discuss X360. And most are hoping -- praying -- that Iwata will reveal something more solid about Revolution.
* Chris Satchell of Microsoft and John Cahill of Yahoo! are scheduled to deliver the keynote speeches the European Game Developer's Conference in London this year. Like its American counterpart that was held in San Francisco this past March, the conference consists of speeches and panels that discuss the state of game development and prepare developers for future obstacles.
Satchel is the General Manager of the Game Developer Group at Microsoft which spearheads forging partnerships and delivering the XNA platform to developers. Not surprisingly he will speak on the topic of next-generation game creation.
[/QUOTE]
Read the whole articles ign.com[TGS] and ign.com[GDCE]
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(Wednesday 27 July 2005 15:50 EST) - (Category: (default)) - (Posted by::
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Pandora's Cube Pirate Sentenced to Jail Time
>> From the pressrelease on businesswire.com:
[QUOTE]
WASHINGTON--July 27, 2005--The Entertainment Software Association (ESA) today applauded the U.S. District Court for the District of Maryland for handing down a sentence including prison time for Hitesh Patel, an employee of Pandora's Cube, a major retailer of pirated game software and modified game consoles in the Washington, DC area. Judge Peter J. Messitte ordered Patel to serve eight months for his crime, four months in jail and four months of home detention, in addition to 2 years of supervised release.
Patel, 31, of College Park, Maryland, pled guilty to charges of conspiracy to commit felony copyright infringement and to violating the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA). Patel managed one of the Pandora's Cube locations and served as technician for all three stores. He assembled and modified Microsoft Xbox video game consoles, turning them into what Pandora's Cube called "Super Xboxes." These "Super Xboxes" defeated the Xbox's copyright protection system and permitted the user to avoid purchasing and paying for legitimate video games.
Enacted in 1998, the DMCA prohibits the manufacture and distribution of products or services that circumvent technological protection measures designed to prevent unauthorized access to and copying of copyrighted materials.
[/QUOTE]
The ESA pressrelease fails to mention that these "Super Xboxes" were not just modified, but were also 'preloaded' with 15+ pirated video games on the HDD and sold for $500. Read more about it in our previous articles about this case here and here.
Read the whole pressrelease on businesswire.com.
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(Wednesday 27 July 2005 13:12 EST) - (Category: (default)) - (Posted by::
)
VSDA Calls for Compromise in Blue Laser DVD Format War
>> From TeamXbox.com:
[QUOTE]
Bo Andersen, the President of the Video Software Dealers Association (VSDA) today called for compromise in the DVD format war, saying that "the launch of a single high-definition DVD format is unquestionably preferable to a 'format war' that could cause consumer confusion and lead to a reluctance to embrace either format."
In addition to advocating the adoption of a single high-definition DVD format, the document also argues that, whatever format is adopted, the features, dimensions, packaging, and marketing materials for high-definition DVD must be designed to generate widespread consumer and retailer support for the product.
[/QUOTE]
Read the whole article on TeamXbox.com.
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(Wednesday 27 July 2005 12:11 EST) - (Category: (default)) - (Posted by::
)
Halo2 mod: DoorM4n's UnderGround Arena from Team DeFiance
>> From eVDoorMan on halomods.com:
[QUOTE]
Been working on this mod insanly long, trying to get coordinates right and trying to do a couple sick things making a map very fun. This mod is an Under"Ground" Lockout Arena. There are some extreme changes, which of course the arena being one change, on this mod. Some of these things I have added have never ever been done before and I'm sure you will enjoy. This is a mod meant for Xlink Kai(info) and XBConnect(info) not just for show.
As you may know, Glitchy Guardian has not yet released a lockout.MVF file for his Coord Finder which makes this mod extra special. Over a month of finding possible coords for his arena, eV DoorMan finally end up with this. Head over to the file forums and this mod could be!
[/QUOTE]
More Info/Screenshots/Download: halomods.com forums.
Electronic Arts Swings to a $58M Loss
>> From forbes.com:
[QUOTE]
For the three months ended June 30, Electronic Arts lost $58 million down from a profit of $24 million a year ago. Excluding charges such as amortization, employee stock-based compensation and restructuring, the Redwood City, Calif.-based company lost $55 million compared to net income of $25 million for the year-ago quarter.
Revenue fell to $365 million, down from $432 million in the prior year.
For the year, the company expects to earn $1.45 to $1.60 a share, below Wall Street's forecast of $1.63. Electronic Arts also lowered its revenue expectations for the year to between $3.3 billion and $3.4 billion. Analysts had expected the company to see sales of about $3.41 billion.
Much of why the company lowered expectations was blamed on the delay of the company's "Godfather" game, which is expected to be a top seller, analysts say. Two weeks ago, Electronic Arts said it would begin shipping "The Godfather" in the fourth quarter instead of the third.
[/QUOTE]
Read the whole article on forbes.com.
FreeBSD for the Xbox
>> From Rink Springer on the gmane.linux.ports.xbox.devel newsgroup:
[QUOTE]
Over the last 2 weeks, I have been working on a port of FreeBSD for the Xbox. During this effort, Ed Schouten has given me assistance by reviewing patches and giving advice.
The port is fully functional. The framebuffer is fully supported, same goes for sound and USB devices (such as an USB keyboard for the console). Only ethernet is missing, currently, as the binary only driver in /usr/ports/net/nvnet fails with an error 5, for some reason. Assistance there would be very welcome.
I have made patches for FreeBSD 5.4-RELEASE and FreeBSD 6.0-BETA1. Currently, the port requires the Linux Cromwell(info) BIOS (which was patched so it would understand FreeBSD kernel ELF files). More information on the patch can be found in the mail archives of xbox-linux. You will need the latest CVS version for it to work, or 2.40 + patches (patches can be found at the URL above)
Also, a live CD has been created, which has 4 kernels: a 5.4-RELEASE and 6.0-BETA1 patched kernel with /dev/acd0 and /dev/ad0s1a root devices, a patched Cromwell BIOS (which you can load from a normal Cromwell BIOS), as well as the base installation files and kernel patches; as the framebuffer driver isn't ready enough yet to provide proper ANSI support, installation should be done manually.
The project's results (including patches, todo items etc) can be found at http://nexus.il.fontys.nl/ and http://freebsd.ilse.nl/xbox/. The patches are available there, including a BitTorrent file of the LiveCD (which is about 200MB).
As the patches are so minimal (about 1000 lines, including sample kernel config), I hope they will be considered for 6.x-RELEASE or HEAD, as they can easily be integrated on a i386 CD without hurting anything. I would be happy to help with this effort.
[/QUOTE]
Official Site: http://nexus.il.fontys.nl/ and http://freebsd.ilse.nl/xbox/
Download: LiveCD with both kernels (torrent), patches and experimental port of Raincoat(info) are available on the official site.
Xbox-Scene Discussion Thread: forums.xbox-scene.com
PlayStation 2 ships 91.62 million units worldwide
>> From TheInquirer.net:
[QUOTE]
EVERYONE seems to be in Tokyo this week. Following on from the Xbox 360 summit there Monday, Sony has come out with some interesting numbers for its PlayStation sales and also showed off several of the games that will be released on the PlayStation 2 over the coming months in the hope to use them as a stopgap between the release of the Xbox 360 and the PS3.
The firm told an audience that 91.62 million PS2 units have been shipped worldwide thus far, with 37 million of those going to North America, 33.21 million to Europe and a further 21.41 million units going to Japan and the rest of Asia. .
[/QUOTE]
Read the whole article on TheInquirer.net.
Videogame Ads Attempt Next Level
>> From wsj.com:
[QUOTE]
Advertising in videogames, dominated in the past by static ads such as billboards and signposts, is beginning to look more like TV commercials.
For the past few weeks, Massive Inc., a New York company that distributes ads in videogames, has been testing an ad with full motion and sound in a science-fiction game called Anarchy Online. Today, Massive will roll out the full-motion ad capability to advertisers generally.
Finding better ways to advertise in videogames is extremely important for many marketers, particularly those selling products aimed at young men, who often spend more time playing videogames than watching television. To be sure, the money spent on ads in videogames is currently only a drop in the bucket compared with television -- $10 million compared with $10 billion on TV advertising aimed at young men, according to estimates from Harris Nesbitt Equity Research. But advertising in videogames is growing fast and expected to reach $92 million by 2008, according to Yankee Group, a global technology-research firm.
Massive says its technology works for both online games and consoles, but it hasn't yet negotiated a deal allowing for ad-insertion in console games. Mr. Davis says he hopes to strike a console game deal soon. Edward Williams, managing director at Harris Nesbitt Equity Research in New York, says the videogame ads won't take off until console games are included.
[/QUOTE]
Read the whole article on wsj.com.
SmartXX, Xecuter3 Guides/Interview in German - Xored ETM Engine with X3LCD
>> From teamxecuter.com:
[QUOTE]
A German scene site now gives Xecuter(info) technical support for any of our German speaking users. They just gave the Xecuter mod their highest ever rated review of 92%!
Here is a link to their German Language Flashing and Installation Tutorials: here and here.
[/QUOTE]
Team Xecuter also posted on their news that the Xored ETM Emulation Engine (see earlier news) will have support for the X3LCD (Xecuter3 LCD screen addon).
From smartxx.com:
[QUOTE]
Special thanks to modcontrol.com for the german translation of our manuals and the nice interview with our main lead coder.
Manuals: here
Interview: here
[/QUOTE]
UPDATE: Team X-Changer announced they also have their guides translated and their german support forums at hmodcontrol.com
Modcontrol.com has also translations to german of other modchip guides, check all their translated guides here[modcontrol.com].
Xbox Summit 2005: Xbox 360 Accessories and New videos
>> From xbox360.ign.com:
[QUOTE]
One of the more peculiar aspects of Microsoft's Monday afternoon Xbox Summit in Tokyo was a display showing the Xbox 360 system, its accessories and mockups of its boxes. What was strange is that Microsoft didn't want people taking pictures of any of the items (we were allowed to touch the Xbox 360 controller, though, and can confirm that it's the best controller since the Sega Saturn 6-button pad).
Microsoft's sudden camera shyness suggests that the packaging and accessories may not be complete, so what you read here may change.
Game boxes for Xbox 360 resemble the current generation Xbox boxes -- green DVD cases with a paper cover insert holding the Xbox 360 logo.
Mockups for the Xbox hardware box were also shown. The box, in its current form, is white and nearly square. It lists the following included accessories: console, hard drive, wireless controller, headset and Ethernet cable.
Microsoft had a number of accessories on display, all in mockup packaging. Here's a list of what we saw, with the product names listed exactly as they were listed on the packaging: Wireless controller ; Memory Unit (includes case) ; Rechargeable Battery Pack ; Play & Charge Kit ; Quick Charge Kit ; Wireless Network Adapter ; Hard Drive ; Universal Media Remote ; S-Video AV Cable ; VGA HD AV Cable ; Component HD AV Cable ; Face Plates.
We were a bit surprised by the size of the Xbox 360 hard disk in accessory form. You actually have to buy the entire top part of the console, rather than a little attachment.
[/QUOTE]
Read the whole article on xbox360.ign.com.
Besides the many game trailers, IGN has also uploaded more videos of presentations.
You can download the "Peter Moore Introduces Xbox 360", "The real Xbox Live" and "Microsoft's Xbox Image Video" presentation here: videos/article.
The "Interfacing with Xbox 360" presentation is available here: video/article.
Xbox Summit 2005: Xbox 360 Game List, Launch in 2005, Jap games, HD-DVD?
>> From TeamXbox/IGN/Joystiq:
[QUOTE]
* Microsoft Japan hosted today in Tokyo the eagerly awaited Xbox Summit 2005, an event that Xbox division head Yoshihiro Maruyama promised it will be a "product unveiling on the scale of E3."
It was expected that several Japanese publishers would confirm their Xbox 360 line-up while announcing new games and exclusive titles for the Xbox 360. We have already reported some exclusive games announced at the event but here's the complete game list.
Read More: TeamXbox.com
* Microsoft Corp. announced at Xbox Summit it would launch the Xbox 360 game console in Japan and Europe in time for the year-end holiday shopping season.
Microsoft, which unveiled the Xbox 360 on MTV on Thursday, May 12, 2005, had already announced plans to launch the console this year in the United States ahead of the holiday season, which begins in late November. It had previously said Japanese and European launches would follow within six weeks.
Read More: TeamXbox.com
* Because we're sure you're interested in seeing Gates address the crowd for yourself, we've uploaded a video of his speech. We'll follow this shortly with a lengthier, more pertinent speech given by Peter Moore.
Go download the video on IGN.com
* In terms of new reports, Namco has announced that they will be bringing the Ridge Racer franchise to the next-gen Xbox platform.
When I asked Peter whether or not Konami has any plans to bring the Metal Gear Solid series to the Xbox, he couldn’t tell us any new information.
Regarding Capcom’s plans, they recently announced that Resident Evil 5 will be coming to the PS3 and Xbox 360, firmly closing the door on any previous Nintendo exclusivity on the franchise.
These titles will join with the E3 announced title Dead or Alive 4, which is a confirmed Xbox 360 exclusive title.
I asked whether any of the recent announcement of Japanese titles for the Xbox 360 will be on or around the console’s release date, but Peter wasn’t too optimistic about that. Apparently we’re talking “Summer next year” or thereabouts.
I asked Peter to clarify the situation and say whether Microsoft is or is not planning a HD-DVD drive. He replied that “HD-DVD is still a question”, and “we may do something”.
Read More on Joystiq.com
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More Xbox Summit 2005 news (with tons of new game screenshots and trailers) on TeamXbox.com, xbox360.ign.com and also check Joystiq's coverage.
XboxMediaCenter (XBMC) 2005-07-24 CVS build
>> A new CVS compile (by T3CH) of XboxMediaCenter(info) has been released.
This T3CH-compile is a BAREBONE package (so less stuff that can cause issues) compiled with XDK v5849.
What's new/fixed (since 07-17 release):
* added: initial support for syncing interlaced output to interlaced display (enable in settings).
Issues:
-no good way to find out if a frame is interlaced in mplayer, (syncs when not needed)
-causes huge framedrops when playing ntsc video on pal system without pal60
-audio/video desync on some files
-can only be used when using the "Original Size" zoom mode
* added: made HTTPAPI callable from Python scripts
* added: warning dialog before tdata deletion. NEW KEY COMBINATION, INSTEAD OF START+BACK USE LTHUMBCLICK+RTHUMBCLICK.
* added: System.Kai(info)Connected conditional visibility.
* added: SITE HELP command.
* added: Ftp SITE commands to XBMC's builtin functions.
* added: routines for knowing wich field is currently being rendered, can be used to sync interlaced video
* added: Calculate Folder size to My Files.
* added: Separator bar to settings screens.
* added: System.FPS infolabel.
* updated: German, German (Austrian), Norwegian, Chinese (Simple) language file
* updated: swedish strings.xml (thanks limit) and italian strings.xml (thanks kotix)
* changed: Minor cleanup of system info.
* changed: removed some separator bars from settings screens
* changed: reorganized the settings screens (moved some things and added separators)
* changed: Auto visualisation timeout changed to a screensaver mode (Use Visualisation if playing music).
* fixed: direct opening of SMB files if no SMB authentication information is in the url
* fixed: dvd tray states could become wrong (empty when disc was present) with some pc dvdroms.
* fixed: Various skin issues (thumbpanels + buttonscroller)
* fixed: Vis as screensaver had issues on finish of song.
* fixed: Framerate in video playback.
* fixed: iTunes streaming.
* fixed: Settings weren't saved on app exit.
* fixed: UTF16 RSS feeds should at least display (no idea if they'll look as they're supposed to!)
* fixed: Program bookmarks with ' in them screwed up.
* fixed: External dvdplayer couldn't be based off Q:
* fixed: Couldn't alter volume while paused.
* fixed: Karaoke with paplayer + reduced mic delay.
* fixed: Incorrect focused category in settings screens on reentry.
* fixed: if xbmc ran out of memmory when starting a video, it often lockup with a black screen
* fixed: deinterlacing in mplayer wasn't possible to enable without enabling postprocessing
* fixed: Settings are saved on exit from the settings screens and on exit from the app.
You can add more scripts and skins yourself if desired. You can download them from allxboxskins.com, xbox-skins.net and xbmcscripts.com.
Keep in mind this is a CVS snapshot of the current development tree. It's not a official (stable) point release. Use only if you know what you are doing.
Official Site: http://www.xboxmediacenter.com / http://sourceforge.net/projects/xbmc
Full Changelog/Xbox-Scene Discussion Thread: here
Download Binaries: n/a (built with XDK)
Download SourceCode: here
ccXgui 2.0 W.I.P. update: new screenshot and changelog
>> [XC]D-Ice posted new screenshots and a WIP-changelog on his website showing the progress made on the new ccXgui(info) v2.0 so far:
[QUOTE]
Here are a few new screenshots. As you can see, the "design" has changed a bit, so it feels like the good old v.1.xx build :-)
More Pictures: ScreenShot2
I thought I would share the progress log with you all, so you all can follow the progress :-)
07-24-2005: v.2.0.0.66
- Removed ALL extra skins from the exe file
+ Added all the skins as extra for user to add
+ cleaned alot up in the code. Decresed exe size with ~400kb
+ Added a nice scrolling about box
+ Added XBMC and Xbox-Scene logo in about box
+ crc32 check 100% working now. Might need to be extended
07-24-2005: Initial Progress log
+ skinning (theme)
+ skinning selection (user decided)
+ v.1.xx style share window
+ ccXstream.exe checking
+ crc16 and crc32 checking
+ more clean source (easy to modify)
+ share information in main window (still beta)
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Official Site: http://dott.lir.dk/cms/ / http://ccxgui.xboxmediacenter.de
Official Forums: http://dott.lir.dk/forum/
IGN talks with developers about the Xbox 360 beta dev kits
>> From xbox360.ign.com:
[QUOTE]
So what's happened since E3? Why has all the hype, all the 360 noise disappeared? Will Xbox 360 games look any better? And are Xbox fans doomed to have PS3 fanboys laugh at their underwhelming new system? IGN has spoken with several developers on the subject of the newly released Xbox 360 Beta Kits to get a better idea the progress developers have made sine E3, and whether the beta kits have helped, hindered, confused, or improved game development.
We asked several developers what they thought of the Beta Kits. Epic Games' Mark Rein was frank with us but slim on details. When asked about the power of the system, he said the best example of that was Gears of War. "You've seen the answer to (all of your) questions. It's called Gears of War. What you've seen is just a tiny sample of what we'll be able to achieve in our first generation Xbox 360 title and clearly we're pretty darn excited about it. More will be revealed over time."
Other developers were more forthcoming.
"They're better than the Alpha Kits," said one local developer. "They're still not quite as powerful as final hardware, but they're much more representative of what we expect final hardware to look like."
Of the five developers that we spoke to, only one was disappointed with their power.
"Right now, we're still wrapping our heads around them, but I have to be honest, I'm a bit disappointed with the Beta Kits. Microsoft still has a lot of work to do in terms of optimization. Also, the Beta Kits are loud to a point of distraction."
With the exception of the audio chips (this chipset isn't complete), the Beta Kits contain about 90% of the console's chip set. They comprise the specialized three-CPU core processors and the graphics GPU. There are still some speed issues with the GPU we're told, but functionality-wise, the Beta Kits are about a 90% representation of the final consoles.
We spoke with a few retailers, who said the potential $59.99 price tag for games is still hanging in the air. "We're having a hard time selling good games at $49.99 right now, so an increase of $10 is not set by any means."
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Go read the whole 5-page article on xbox360.ign.com.
W.I.P. Xored ETM emulation engine
>> From maxconsole.net:
[QUOTE]
Those savvy 'cheat guru's' at Team Xored have decided to give us an exciting preview of the upcoming Xored ETM emulation Engine. As you may well be aware, previously many of the scenes trainers were only compatible with the EvolutionX(info) dashboard - well thanks to Team Xored's innovative Engine you can enjoy ETM's on ANY dashboard, even the infamous Avalaunch(info). That's right the latest cheats for the hottest games, for free and all you need is a modded Xbox! This new engine is shaping it nicely and is due for release shortly. So here it is a scrumptious teaser for your viewing pleasure...
[/QUOTE]
Read the whole article on maxconsole.net.
Xbox 360 Microsoft Irony girlie facts revealed
>> From TheInquirer.net:
[QUOTE]
During my discussions with Xbox marketing head in the UK Stephen McGill last Thursday night, the subject of female gamers came up.
McGill stressed that Microsoft wanted to reach out to "the untapped market of female gamers" by designing games that are more female friendly and, critically, emphasising less of the marketing efforts on appealing to teenage boys.
It is with great glee then that I received these photos of two stunning models displaying the console at the event - sadly earlier in the evening than when your correspondent was there…
Old habits die hard I guess and good luck to Microsoft, or just about anyone in the industry for that matter, reaching female gamers when they can’t even get past the marketing materials and packaging without being bombarded with pretty faces providing the backdrop to gaming products that most women will never touch.
[/QUOTE]
News-Source and Pictures: TheInquirer.net
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