DCEmu Featured News Articles

It’s been a while since we’ve seen [Sprite_tm] pull a project from thin air, and we haven’t seen him do anything with a Raspberry Pi yet. All things must pass, and finally [Sprite] has unleashed his tiny, pocket-sized MAME machine to the world.
The build uses a Raspi for all the Linux-ey and MAME goodness, but [Sprite_tm] didn’t want to fiddle around with the HDMI or analog video output. Instead, he chose to use an SPI-controlled TFT display that is only 2.4 inches across. This isn’t a new hack for [Sprite] – he figured out how to connect this display over GPIO pins with a Carambola earlier this year.
To make his cabinet portable, [Sprite] opted for using old cell phone batteries with a cleverly designed charging circuit. When the power supply is connected to +5V, the batteries charge. When this power is removed, an ATtiny85 provides 5V of power to the Raspi and display.
No arcade cabinet is complete without a marquee of some sort, so [Sprite] used an extremely tiny 128×32 white OLED to display the logo of the game currently being played. Everything in the Raspi is set up to be completely seamless when switching between games, automatically configuring the controls and marquee for the currently selected game.
You can check out [Sprite]‘s mini MAME booting straight into Bubble Bobble after the break along with some gameplay footage and finally switching it over to Nemesis. A very awesome build from an exceedingly awesome maker.

http://hackaday.com/2012/11/26/tiny-...-raspberry-pi/ ...

There's no telling how many minutes or seconds remain on this deal, as we're sure it's flying off of shelves, so you'll have to make your mind up about this Vita deal post haste.

Amazon is selling the Crystal White Assassin's Creed 3 Liberation bundle – with extras including a copy of PlayStation All-Stars Battle Royale, $10 off Assassin's Creed 3 for PS3 or Xbox 360, and 3 months of PlayStation Plus – for a special price of $179.99, $70 cheaper than the base Vita bundle.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00...=ATVPDKIKX0DER ...

For those that missed out on yesterday'sHalo 4 Lightning Deal, you have another shot at getting a $20 Amazon gift card and $10 in Instant Watch credit with the game today. Unfortunately, a few of the earlier deals for today have already been claimed, but if you rush to your computer with your credit card in hand, you might be able to score The World Ends With You ($14.99) and Pro Evolution Soccer 2012 ($19.99) before the deals run out.

http://www.amazon.com/Outlet/b/?_enc...-2&pf_rd_t=101 ...

For as long as most folk remember, games have launched on Fridays in the UK and on Tuesday in the US. That's the way of things. Sometimes they converge for a glitzy worldwide launch but mostly they don't - they stick to the norm, and Europeans wait.
But why? Who decided on Friday, and who decided on Tuesday? If some games can be released on a Tuesday worldwide why can't all games be? More pertinently, why do we stick to the same rules for downloadable games? If everyone can buy and pre-install a game on Steam at the same time, why can't they play at the same time - why must someone in the UK wait until Friday but someone in the US can play from Tuesday?
Where do all these rules come from and, more to the point, can they be changed?

How UK Fridays began

In the olden golden days of home computers, there was chaos. Games came from everywhere in the '80s and shops flung them on shelves whenever they turned up. "It was just release whenever you could," recalls Andy Payne, a veteran of the UK industry. "Stuff would release every single day." Even the bigger shop-chains in the 8-bit and 16-bit eras joined the scrum, buying stock from wholesalers, amassing it at warehouses then racing it out to stores to go on shelves "as quickly as you bloody could".
That's what Graeme Struthers tells me, and he should know: he was a games buyer for Dixons Stores Group (Currys, Dixons, PCWorld) at the time. "And we were by far the biggest retailer for 16-bit," he - wait, was he boasting?
Big operators like Dixons weren't happy. They had order for other goods in their stores and they advertised them in newspapers on Fridays and Saturdays. The prospect of stock turning up late and missing the weekend wasn't a good one, so the big shops did something about it.
"Dixons basically started sitting down with the supply chain and saying, 'If you release products on a Friday that means we can include it in our advertising; that means we can promote you.' It's carrot and stick," Graeme Struthers explains. "I wouldn't say that Dixons were the company that made it Fridays, but it was the retail chains that said having product just turning up ad hoc is useless; having product that's got a defined release date means we can all orientate our distribution to get it into all of our shops for a Friday so that we've got the weekend business.
"It was basically retail bringing order to a very chaotic supply chain. Within about six to eight months, everyone was selling things on a Friday. It was very quick to reach that agreement and understanding."

"It was basically retail bringing order to a very chaotic supply chain. Within about six to eight months, everyone was selling things on a Friday.
Graeme Struthers

Dorian Bloch has been researching UK game sales for over 20 years, for some reason. He too remembers that Friday pact made between shops, ELSPA (Entertainment and Leisure Software Publishers Association) - now UKIE (Association for UK Interactive Entertainment) - and his company Gallup (now GfK Chart-Track). "The theory was that this was a clear differentiator to music/video releases on Mondays and gave retailers another window of sales opportunity and some great products to sell for the weekend, also giving publishers a clear and unique window in which to release titles," Bloch recalls.
They weren't enforced, those release dates - there weren't any penalties like there were for music. "It was just good for the industry as it brings a bit of order to something," Struthers shrugs, "and everyone seemed to be happy with it for quite a number of years."
Having no proper penalties did have downsides of course, especially as there were many more shops, each wanting to one-up the other. What would you do if stock turned up early one week, on a Wednesday or Thursday, and you had other shops within a stone's throw to compete with?
"Put temptation in front of people and guess what happens..." Payne rolls his eyes. But routine helped, and the cogs of the giant retail machine were soon well oiled and efficient. "Having worked in retail," says Struthers, "if you've got 600 shops, and you've got staff who do lots and lots of things, if there is no routine, if there is no process, the chances of it happening become lessened. If you just say 'hey this week the release date is a Monday', chances are: less compliance."
Friday was really cemented for the UK when home consoles boomed and home-grown games petered out, and when platform holders strode onto the scene. Not so much the NES or the Master System or even the SNES: it was the Mega Drive that went "absolutely bat s**t mental", recalls Graeme Struthers.
By the sounds of things, so too did Sega, flinging adverts all over papers and television, and doing "some amazing quite daring marketing", all the time reinforcing Friday, Friday, Friday. "When I was a kid I knew when I went to the record shop on Tuesday at 4 o'clock that's when all the new singles would be out," he remembers. "I guess there's kids out there who know you go into a shop on a Friday ...

Sony is planning to release an update designed to fix a minor bug identified in the recently launched Vita firmware 2.00.
The issue causes the PlayStation Plus automatic cloud save functionality to fail, meaning players have to use the Content Management app to manage and backup their data, Exophase reports."We're sorry for any inconvenience," Sonysaid. "We are preparing to update the system software as soon as possible to improve this condition."
Launched earlier this week, Vita firmware 2.00 introduced PlayStation Plus on the handheld, as well as new and revised applications.

http://www.computerandvideogames.com...-saving-issue/ ...

Time flies. It's been a full 12 months since the Metro Dashboard arrived on Xbox 360. There was an update this October, but it didn't fix the same problems many CVG readers, Redditors and Xbox.com forumites have had with Microsoft's next-generation user interface. One year since its release, and the Metro experiment is regarded by many as a failure.
Xbox 360 originally launched with the famous 'blades' Dashboard with individual pages for System, Media, Games, Xbox Live and, later, the Marketplace. It was neat on the surface but did a pretty lousy job of presenting the information players needed, and buried DLC and Live Arcade stuff beneath layer after layer of obfuscating menus.
Microsoft's New Xbox Experience Dashboard fixed all those problems in 2008 with an interface styled after Windows Media Center, but fixed yet another 'problem' by freeing up space for advertising and promotion. When people fondly recall the old blades it's usually because it was so free of advertising.They forget that downloadable content was ordered alongside everything else in one giant alphabetised list and that the 360 had no support for Kinect, streaming TV or any of the 360's modern media functions. NXE fixed that, then fixed it again with Kinect support which never quite worked, but all of it was merely a stop-gap for Metro, which everybody hoped would provide the ultimate home media centre for Xbox owners.
Officially, it's not 'Metro' any more. Microsoft has been advising developers against using the Metro name since July with rumours of a trademark dispute with German wholesalers Metro AG. It's now 'Microsoft Design Language', and is used on Windows Phone, Windows 8, Surface and 360.

METRO-FLEXIBLE

MDL works well on Windows-powered phones and on Microsoft's new Surface tablet where the bold panels display information simply and can be activated with a touch. Windows 8 users have their own problems with the interface, mostly tied to the accessibility of the classic Windows desktop and how it's designed more for fingers than a mouse, but those problems pale in comparison to 360's.
On Windows Phone, Surface or Windows 8 you can build your own homepage with the apps you most commonly use. On 360, the Dashboard is laid out by Microsoft. It's not your UI; it's theirs - how else could it turn Xbox into an ad delivery machine? The latest version of MDL adds a search panel to every page but misuses a colossal amount of screen space.The three left-hand squares are the only practical panels on each page. Less than 15% of the screen is available for things you use regularly; the rest is reserved for advertising. It's a fundamental component of Microsoft's modern business strategy. Even Windows 8's default apps are ad-supported. Delta Airlines appear in the News app and Pantene intrudes on the Weather app, but on PC you can dump Microsoft's apps for third-party equivalents.
The same isn't true on 360's closed system where you're stuck with what Microsoft gives you. In a Facebook poll, 70% of Xbox World magazine readers said they 'hate' the modern 360 Dashboard. "It's good on touch screens, mediocre at best for Kinect, and useless for mouse or controller," says XBW reader Steve Abramo. Ryan Clayton agrees: "It looks cool but it's a pain to navigate with a pad.
"Games are buried under menus too, but the thing I hate most is the advertising for Nike trainers over the thing people use their console for most: games." So how can it be fixed? "Get rid of the ads," says Chris Wells. "On every other online service, Premium = no ads. Reduce the number of pages and leave it at Home - Profile - Apps - Settings. Has anyone ever used the Bing bar?"
Phillip McLean agrees: "I'd remove all the freaking ads for paid users, first off, then I'd make everything on the one home hub: games, music, movies, apps etc." MDL isn't bad in its concept, the problem is Microsoft's handling of the user interface and their insistence on making Xbox an advertising platform.
"Anyone who owns a Windows Phone knows how customisable the tiles are," says Jamie Jones. "Just give us a 'my page' option where you can place game shortcuts, apps, even a direct link to a friend's Gamertag."
"The interface itself is nice," says Mark Marling from the XBW Facebook group. "The problem on Xbox lies in how it's been implemented. There are too many layers and ads cluttering the dash, but dismissing Metro as a UI is throwing the baby out with the bath water."

SQUARE-PUSHER

The perfect 360 Dashboard? A simple homepage with nine bold panels, easily 'touchable' with Kinect or controller - we've mocked up our own version, stripping the 360's UI down to bare essentials and making everything accessible on one page. Games, video, music, friends, apps and system settings are instantly available, and online friends are visible from the minute you boot up.

http://www.computerandvideogames.com...tro-dashboard/ ...

Wii U has already sold out at multiple UK retailers.
A number of unnamed retailers told MCV that their launch allocation of the new console has been completely taken by pre-orders one week ahead of the Wii U release date of November 30 in Europe.HMV is hosting the official Wii U UK launch event in London. The retail chain claims it has 'secured extra stock' to sell on the night without customers needing to pre-order the system.
CVG understands that on launch day there will be less than 30,000 consoles on sale across the UK - though Nintendo has a plan to replenish stock frequently.
http://www.computerandvideogames.com...ead-of-launch/
...

Game designer Tadhg Kelly has an article discussing the direction the games industry has taken over the past several years. Gaming has become more of a business, and in doing so, become more of a science as well. When maximizing revenue is a primary concern, development studios try to reduce successful game designs to individual elements, then naively seek to add those elements to whatever game they're working on, like throwing spices into a stew. Kelly points out that indie developers who are willing to experiment often succeed because they understand something more fundamental about games: fun. Quoting: 'The guy who invented Minecraft (Markus "Notch" Persson) didn't just create a giant virtual world in which you could make stuff, he made it challenging. When Will Wright created theSims, he didn't just make a game about living in a virtual house. He made it difficult to live successfully. That's why both of those franchises have sold millions of copies. The fun factor is about more than making a game is amusing or full of pretty rewards. If your game is a dynamic system to be mastered and won, then you can go nuts. If you can give the player real fun then you can afford to break some of those format rules, and that's how you get to lead rather than follow the market. If not then be prepared to pay through the nose to acquire and retain players.

http://games.slashdot.org/story/12/1...-in-most-games ...

Sure, Ultrabooks and Windows 8 tablets are flashy gift options, but it's extras like the ones found here that really make 'em sing. Whether it's a desktop or portable storage solution, a smart thermostat or a secondary camera for those more experimental shots, we've got you covered. This collection of high-tech add-ons will surely snag the attention of anyone on your holiday shopping list, so mosey on past the break to start perusing.
On the cheap

TWELVE SOUTH BOOKARC

If you're in need of a cozy resting spot for that new MacBook Pro or Air, Twelve South has you covered. The company's BookArc stands sport the same metal stylings as the tech they're made to cradle. The heavy-gauge steel construction nestles a soft insert to keep scratches at bay while your machine is tucked within. In an effort to further tidy up that workspace, the BookArc features a cable management system that ensures the display, headphone and power cords stay put.
Key specs: MacBook Pro and MacBook Air models, steel construction, built-in cable management, cushioned insert for secure fit.
Price: From $40 on Amazon
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Logitech Touch Mouse T620

What better way to welcome Windows 8 to your holiday party than with a touch mouse that supports the new operating system's gesture controls? Logitech's T620 does just that. The peripheral implements proprietary 2.4GHz wireless tech (and the transceiver will need to occupy one of your Ultrabook's USB ports).
Price: $50 on Amazon

Apple Lightning Adapter

If you're lucky enough to receive one of Apple's recently unveiled handhelds or slates, you'll likely need some extra help if you want to use your current speaker dock. This little fella allows all of those newfangled gadgets to connect to 30-pin-wielding chargers and accessories, and minimizes a few headaches in the process.
Price: $29 from Apple


Mid-range

LACIE RUGGED USB 3.0 THUNDERBOLT

A little added protection for that portable HDD you'll be lugging around never hurt anyone. Luckily, the folks at LaCie are quite familiar with the heavy-duty storage devices. Its latest, the Rugged USB 3.0 Thunderbolt Series, packs quite a punch in its familiar, orange-lined digs. As the moniker suggests, the drives offer both USB 3.0 and Thunderbolt connections, and the SSD version transfers at speeds of up to 385 MB/s while the HDD offering clocks in at 110 MB/s. You won't need to pack a power supply for these bad boys, either.
Key specs: USB 3.0 and Thunderbolt connectivity, up to 1TB capacity, SSD and HDD models, Mac and Windows compatibility, sturdy frame.
Price: $249 on Amazon
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Nest Learning Thermostat

The original Nest Learning Thermostat arrived on the scene about a year ago, but a new version of the household gadget recently broke from cover, offering a slimmer design and support for about 95 percent of heating and cooling systems. New features like System Match and Auto-Away pad the capabilities of the dapper, in-home temperature gauge.
Price: $250 on Amazon

Cinetics miniSkates video dolly

If the funds required to snag the CineSkates are too much to commit to your best mate's video habits, perhaps a smaller version will do the trick. The miniSkates video dolly is a rolling mount that secures both smartphones and cameras of up to 1.5 pounds. The complete set includes a GorillaPod that contorts to capture the perfect angle.
Price: $130 from Cinetics


High-end

LYTRO CAMERA

When it first arrived on the scene, we were quite impressed by the Lytro camera's after-shot refocusing and intuitive UI. Now, the handsome kit has added manual ISO and shutter controls to pilot the f/2.0 8x optical zoom lens alongside a host of accessories for keeping the unit safe in your backpack. You'll be able to snap 350 holiday photos with the 8GB model and 750 images of that ski trip with the 16GB model, and the entire lot plays nice with Windows, too.
Key specs: Post-shot focus, manual ISO / shutter controls, 8GB or 16GB of storage, f/2.0 8x optical zoom lens, simple UI.
Price: $399 on Amazon
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Western Digital My Book VelociRaptor Duo

If that special someone needs a safe depository for all those high-res images, HD videos and 3D renders, look no further. The My Book VelociRaptor Duo wields two 1TB 10,000RPM drives capable of SSD-esque speeds of 400 MB/s.
Price: $850 on Amazon

Apogee Quartet

Looking to get super serious about that recording habit? Add this USB audio interface to your wish list. The command center packs four channels of analog / digital conversion, six balanced outputs, a headphone jack, monitor controls, MIDI I/O, full-color displays and QuickTouch pads for sorting through all those connections.
Price: $1,295 from B&H

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