Gaming Industry News & Rumors

PS3 Online Launch Woes
As if Sony needed any more negative press, rumor has it that most launch titles for the PS3 will have very little online content or gameplay. Developers are frustrated at the lack of support they have thus far received from Sony in this area, and many have supposedly decided to entirely drop the online component from their titles. There is still time for some of these issues to be addressed, but that time is quickly running out.

Considering a) these new online issues, b) expected unit shortages at launch, and c) a very high price-point, Sony seems to be relying heavily on consumer brand recognition to help carry the PS3 through the early stages of the its lifespan. Only time will tell if that strategy works, but Microsoft and Nintendo must be quietly (or loudly) excited.

Nintendo Announces Wii Launch Titles
Yesterday, Nintendo announced their complete list of launch titles. This list includes both next-gen titles for the Wii and downloadable Virtual Console titles, all of which are expected to be available by the end of December.

Next Gen Titles
Excite Truck
The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess
Wii Sports (bundled with the Wii console)
Call of Duty 3
Marvel: Ultimate Alliance
Rapala Tournament Fishing
Tony Hawk’s Downhill Jam
World Series of Poker
Dragon Ball Z Budokai: Tenkaichi 2
Trauma Center : Second Opinion
Madden NFL 07
Need for Speed: Carbon
Elebits
The Ant Bully
The Grim Adventures of Billy & Mandy
Happy Feet
Rampage: Total Destruction
Super Monkey Ball: Banana Blitz
Metal Slug Anthology
Super Swing Golf
Avatar: The Last Airbender
Barnyard
Cars
SpongeBob SquarePants: Creature from the Krusty Krab
Far Cry: Vengeance
GT Pro Series
Monster 4×4: World Circuit
Open Season
Rayman Raving Rabbids
Red Steel – This & Zelda are the hottest launch titles.
Tom Clancy’s Splinter Cell Double Agent
Ice Age 2: The Meltdown

Virtual Console Titles
Mario Bros.
The Legend of Zelda
Donkey Kong
Donkey Kong Jr.
Ice Hockey
Pinball
Soccer
Tennis
Urban Champion
Wario’s Woods
Baseball
Solomon’s Key
F-Zero
SimCity
Super Mario 64
Sonic the Hedgehog
Altered Beast
Golden Axe
Columns
Ecco the Dolphin
Gunstar Heroes
Space Harrier II
Toe Jam & Earl
Dr. Robotnik’s Mean Bean Machine

And now, a word from our sponsors

ITVN- The Honeymoon is over

So I take back everything nice that I have said about ITVN and their wonderful customer service.  After submitting the review, and watching another movie, connection was lost.  I opened up my instruction booklet and followed their troubleshooting tips to the tee (power down your modem, router, and ITVN box for one minute, power up the modem, let it do it’s thing, power up the router, and then power up the ITVN Box).  I called their customer support and got a guy reading from a script who instructed me to do the exact same thing and after failure, he could not help me and someone will call back later with more info.

I just got off the phone with the second support guy, who told me to do the same thing, and would not accept the fact that I have restarted everything 100 times with no change.

Support Dude: Yeah, you are going to have to power off the modem, and the router, and the ITVN box-

Me: I have tried this over a dozen times and it hasn’t correct the issue.

Support Dude: Yeah, you are going to have to power it off, and bring it back online-

Me:  You are not listening.  I powered everything off, let the modem boot up, and then powered on the router, and then once the router was up I turned on the box over a dozen times with no correction.

Support Dude: Yeah, you should restart the modem—

Me: Ok!  I will do it one more time, and if it doesn’t work I will call support one more time, and if that doesn’t work I am talking to the manager and fucking sending your bullshit back!

Support Dude: Yeah, it should work this time.

Me: Why?  Do I have to do this all the time.

Support Dude: 90% of the time restarting everything makes it work.

So ITVN, don’t be an asshole and make your product work.

South Dakota: I’m afraid of you

1 - “Current South Dakota law generally allows a pregnant woman to obtain an abortion during the first 24 weeks of pregnancy. Beyond 24 weeks, abortions may be performed only if necessary to preserve the life or health of the pregnant woman.

House Bill 1215 would prohibit any person, at any time, from providing any medicine or other substance to a pregnant woman for the specific purpose of terminating her pregnancy. However, a person may provide a contraception substance to a woman
without penalty prior to the time her pregnancy could be determined by conventional medical testing.“

2 – “This initiative would allow persons, including minors with parental consent, with a debilitating medical condition, to be certified to grow (not more than six plants), possess (not more than one ounce) and use small amounts of marijuana for medical purposes.”

3 – “Amendment C affirms the traditional understanding of marriage in South Dakota. The amendment is designed to make clear what marriage is and what marriage is not.

The amendment merely reflects what South Dakota citizens have always understood—that marriage is a union between one man and one woman and that the State of South Dakota should not recognize any other kind of “marriage” or “quasi-marital relationship,” whether called a “civil union,” a “domestic partnership,” or by any other newly-coined name.”

    These are just examples of constitutional amendments that are up for the vote on November 7th in SOUTH DAKOTA. Yes, all 7 of the farmhands that know what voting is in South Dakota will be able to vote on some of the most controversial issues being debated in our country. Do conservatives think that because it’s in a state no one cares about that people won’t pay attention to what’s going on? Do people in South Dakota smoke a lot of grass?

These are questions I want to know the answers to. I’m really surprised this hasn’t gotten more attention from the media.

SHSIBAE poll:

Would you change your state of residency just to vote on issues like this?