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Morning Hangover #9: Fun With Vitality Sensors And British Humor

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TheFeed gang wants your thoughts on gaming, tech, your favorite iPhone game, and more. Let everyone know what you're thinking and chat it up with your fellow readers. Leave comments on anything and everything that's on your (gaming/tech/nerd) mind! The reader with the best comment will get to jump into a giant pie with Brian Leahy. 

BioWare Wants User-Generated Content On Consoles, Not Limited To PS3

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Epic Games was the first to truly open the door to user-generated content with Unreal Tournament III on PlayStation 3, which could adopt all user modifications. BioWare, a company with strong PC roots, will be releasing modification tools for their upcoming Dragon Age: Origins, and while speaking to Billy, BioWare co-founder Ray Muzyka said the studio hopes to bring some of that content to consoles -- including Xbox 360.

"We're exploring ways to bring some of the fan-created content over to the other platforms, as well," said Muzyka. "Obviously it's easier on the PC because we can get the tools out in the fans hands -- they're already out on beta form, so the fans are working away and making all kinds of cool stuff for each other and it's exciting to see that. Maybe we can bring some of that to the console systems, we'll have to work obviously with Microsoft and Sony, some of those details still have to be worked out to make that happen, but I'd love to that happen, it'd be great."

The hurdle is really Microsoft, not Sony; the latter proved it didn't have a problem with all-access user-generated content by stamping approval over Unreal Tournament III. That didn't happen with the Xbox 360 version of the same game, though BioWare believes their strong relationship with Microsoft means a compromise can be found.

"Microsoft's been a great partner to work with over the years," he said. "As you know, we worked with them on Jade Empire and Mass Effect and we're talking actively with them about all kinds of cool stuff we're doing in the future, as well. I think they'd be excited to see it happen. Obviously, there's some technology hurdles we have to jump [through] together with them to make it work, but we'll see where it goes."

It doesn't sound very likely BioWare is looking to open the flood gates for user-generated content, but move one step at a time, maybe bringing over a best-of-the-best collection or something along those lines.

Liverpool Looking To Establish A National Games Academy

Yesterday, I posted about various government bodies investing heavily in the gaming industry in one way or another. Well, keeping in that spirit of state-sponsored gaming, here’s a story about a rather interesting school in the works over in Liverpool (You know, where those Beatles guys from that Rock Band game are from?)

Develop Online reports that there are plans in the works to build a £5 million National Games Academy in order to turn Liverpool into a “breeding ground for the finest computer minds in the country.”

According to the Liverpool Daily Post, the city is currently the “most significant” region for gaming in the UK, thanks to the presence of companies including Sony, Evolution Studios (MotorStorm) and Bizarre Creations (Project Gotham Racing). However, I have a feeling that other cities such as Edinburgh (Rockstar North), and Dundee (Realtime Worlds, Ruffian Games) might be eager to debate this claim. Yet, there’s no doubt Liverpool will certainly have a leg up with the addition of a special institution designed to train the game developers of the future in every aspect of game design (art, programming, tech, business, IP development, etc.).

The games academy is still very much in the planning stages, but officials say they hope to secure government support sometime soon to get things jumpstarted. Best of luck to them.

Source via Develop Online

Microsoft Reveals Dates And Prices For Its Xbox Live "Summer of Arcade"

It’s no secret that summertime is a particular slow time for gaming. But it looks as though Microsoft is planning to keep gamers from succumbing to the temptation to get off the couch for a few hours (the nerve!). It’s all part of Microsoft’s “Summer of Arcade” promotion that will include a new game every week and plenty of chances to win prizes such as Microsoft points and even new consoles.

Here’s the breakdown of what Xbox Live subscribers have to look forward to over the coming weeks:

• July 22: Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Turtles in Time Re-Shelled - 1200 Microsoft Points (Ubisoft Singapore/Ubisoft): Cowabunga dude! Marking the franchise’s 25 anniversary, everyone's favorite Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles game is back with a brand new look in Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Turtles in Time Re-Shelled. The arcade classic has been revamped with all new 3D graphics, but the same classic beat 'em up gameplay.

• July 29: Marvel vs. Capcom 2 - 1200 Microsoft Points (Backbone Entertainment/Capcom): One of the most popular fighting games of all time, Marvel vs. Capcom 2, arrives worldwide on Xbox Live Arcade. Choose from 56 legendary characters from Marvel Comics and Capcom history, including Ryu and Wolverine. With online multiplayer over Xbox LIVE and enhanced HD graphics, decide your own dream team in the ultimate tag-team fighting experience.

Click through to see the full list.

• August 5: Splosion Man - 800 Microsoft Points (Twisted Pixel Games/Microsoft): Fools they were, to tread where knowledge should stay forbidden. For what emerged was not a man - it was a Splosion Man. "And all who saw him were sploded, for he was the fire and they were but meat." Able to splode himself at will, the Splosion Man launches his way through levels as an uncontainable force. From Twisted Pixel Games, developer of the award winning The Maw, Splosion Man will keep you on your toes as you play through more than 50 single-player levels and 50 multiplayer levels. Nominated by GameSpy, Gamespot, IGN, and 411mania, this meat-riddled splosion-fest took several Best of E3 awards including Best Platformer and Best Downloadable Game.

• August 12: Trials HD - 1200 Microsoft Points (RedLynx/Microsoft): Nominated for GameSpy’s Best Downloadable Game of E3 award, Trials HD is guaranteed to get our heart racing. Put on your helmet, and rev your way through Trials HD, a full-featured, physics-based motorcycle racing platformer in stunning HD graphics. Tear up more than 50 tracks and test your metal in two unique game modes: Race and Skill. Create, share and download an unlimited number of free tracks with the level editor, and customize your rider to fit your personality.

• August 19: Shadow Complex - 1200 Microsoft Points (Chair Entertainment and Epic Games/Microsoft): Winner of numerous Best of E3 awards including Best Downloadable Game from 1UP, IGN, GameTrailers and G4TV, Shadow Complex is the next evolution in downloadable games. Shadow Complex marries the quality and depth of a full retail title with the stunning visuals of Epic Games’ industry-leading Unreal Engine 3, and a classic side-scroller. Set in the world of Orson Scott Card’s best-selling novel, Empire, Shadow Complex provides more than 10 hours of in-depth gameplay and introduces a compelling universe.

Yeah. Yeah. G4TV was mentioned in association with Microsoft and the Xbox 360, but so were a number of other gaming outlets, so save your breath. Plus, Shadow Complex looks ridiculous, and should be an absolute blast, so if you want to accuse us of anything, then accuse us of favoritism towards potentially enjoyable games.

On that note, which of these upcoming titles are you looking forward to the most?

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Box Art Face-Off: Call of Duty: Modern Warfare vs. Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2

Activision seemed prepared to drop the Call of Duty name for Modern Warfare 2, essentially allowing Infinity Ward to launch a new franchise. It's not happening to that extreme anymore; Infinity Ward revealed the box art for Modern Warfare 2 today, complete with the traditional Call of Duty logo. The logo is different, however, emphasizing the Modern Warfare tagline over Call of Duty.

Keep reading to see a side-by-side comparison of the two box arts to see what I mean.

Capcom Mysterious About PC Plans For SF2HD Remix And Lost Planet 2

This week, Capcom release a port of Street Fighter IV on the PC as a retail boxed release and digital download on services like Steam and Impulse. Capcom fans over at the Unity forums are getting a bit antsy about PC ports for games like Lost Planet 2 and Street Fighter II Turbo HD Remix.

Hearing the call of their fans, Capcom representatives have swarmed the threads with some responses. First up, Lost Planet 2:

Christian Svensson, Capcom's VP of strategic planning and business development, chimes in on a possible PC version of Lost Planet 2, saying: "Sorry guys... nothing new to discuss right now. Hopefully soon though." Another moderator, "Yuffie", taunts the readers with: "You'll have to wait -nya! We all want to know, just gotta wait. =3"

As for Street Fighter II Turbo HD Remix:

Seth Killian, Capcom's senior community manager, vows to look into the issue: "It's an interesting question," he writes. "No plans at the moment, but to be honest, I couldn't tell you why not. Let me investigate." That sounds promising, right? Too bad.

Svensson comes in for the next post and drops the dreaded "e" word:

"We had selected SFIV as our forray into PC fighting games. Even with a couple of days sales, we're still not sure how it's going to do. It's an experiment of sorts.

The tech for HD Remix doesn't yet have a PC basis and it would be rather expensive to port the tech to PC, then port the game."

The bolding is mine.

Personally, I'd bet that Lost Planet 2 will hit the PC with Capcom bringing other non-fighting games to the platform with Bionic Commando and Resident Evil 5. It's all about the engine, as Christian Svensson points out. I also don't know how many more HD Remix's Capcom is going to be doing as they are much more expensive than an up-rezzed port like with Marvel vs. Capcom 2. Especially since, as the games get more recent, the quality of the original sprites hold up better over time.

Would you play Street Fighter II Turbo HD Remix on the PC?

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The Hot Sheet 7.09.09 -- Top 360 Live Games

Courtesy of Master of Microsoft Marketing Major "Larry Hryb" Nelson, today's Hot Sheet is a look at the ten most popular Xbox 360 games played online via Xbox Live. I am Andrew's complete lack of surprise at the top four games, and now that I've finally had an opportunity to dive into the multiplayer for Gears 2 (for a special upcoming project!), I wonder if I'll be able to notice some of the more notorious glitches and tech problems that people have been complaining about. Though most of that's supposed to have been fixed with various game updates, right?

Xbox 360 Top Live Titles for Week of June 29th (based on unique users)

1. Halo 3 
2. Call of Duty: World at War
3. Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare 
4. Gears of War 2 
5. Grand Theft Auto IV 
6. FIFA 09 
7. Left 4 Dead 
8. UFC 2009 Undisputed 
9. Fallout 3 
10. Rock Band 2

Once I'm done investigating Gears, is it worth it to revisit GTAIV? Any of you still playing that online?

Forza Motorsport 3 Won't Add Night Tracks, Weather, Or Rally Racing

The excellent looking Forza Motorsport 3 has a bunch of new features including its own movie-making tool, but it won't be adding a few things that fans were hoping would make the cut.

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Turn 10 has confirmed that Forza Motorsport 3 will not including nighttime races, weather effects, or rally car racing. Good thing it'll pack in over 400 cars and 100 tracks & variations.

What features would you like to see in Forza 3?

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Around The Net 7.09.09

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Comedy is like birthday cake, meaning it's great in large doses and with everyone. That said, we have a large dose of Around the Net flavored comedy for you, sprinkled with videos featuring dumb swimmers, a real kindergarden cop, a devastating natural disaster, a huge Michael Jackson fan and an amorous UFC fighter.

Find the direct video links from Around the Net on Attack of the Show below.

Psst...did you hear? It's the 1000th episode tonight! 

YouTube: Diver Cracks Tooth

YouTube: Hawk Jones    

YouTube: Beat It by Dr. K. Chaudhry   

YouTube: Michael Jackson Tree Stump   

YouTube: 2012: It's a Disaster!  

Did Mickey Mouse Screw Donald Duck Out Of The Lead Role In Kingdom Hearts?

It's no secret that Disney's Mickey Mouse has been shafting Donald Duck for decades. I never understood the rodent's motivation, but time and time again he's swerved his fowl friend. In a recent interview with Famitsu (translated by 1Up), Square Enix director Tetsuya Nomura revealed that Disney wanted to cast Donald Duck as the leading character for the project that eventually became Kingdom Hearts.