If you thought a hint that PSP2 may make an appearance at E3 was exciting, get a load of this shit.

Baby steps.
MCV rumoured last week that Sony “could” announce PSP2 at E3.
VG247 goes digging. According to a source familiar with the matter, it’s “99 percent” it isn’t an E3 reveal.
But there’s much, much more.
Multiple British sources have confirmed that PSP2 NDAs have been in place at publishers and developers for many months.
PSP2 has two cameras, one forward and one backward facing.
It has a touch-screen, but apparently it has retained the trademark physical PlayStation buttons.
UK sources were previously working towards a “2010″ release. This is now “2011″.
One source would be “amazed” if there was any kind of physical media involved. We’ve been told it “could” be 3G-enabled, as opposed to the WiFi-only PSP go. This bit was sketchy.
Multiple PSP2 games are being made in Britain right now. Some have even already been canned.
There have been “finished units” in the UK, but we haven’t spoken to anyone that’s seen a final case.
When asked directly about reveal timing, one source said, “If the games were aiming for end 2010, beginning 2011, and now it’s a 2011 release, I’d say a gamescom or TGS announce for launch early next year”.
One source told us the machine is “****ing powerful,” being based on a four-core Cell CPU. PS3 runs on an eight-core version.
Crapped yourself yet? Good. Remember, “99 percent” certainty leaves “1 percent” of uncertainty. Don’t take your eyes of Jack’s hands in Sony’s E3 press conference on June 15.
We will, of course, be there.

http://www.vg247.com/2010/05/17/psp2...eginning-2011/ ...

News via http://www.psp-ita.com/?module=news&...1&view_reply=1

The developer Hellcat, nearly a year after the release of Recovery Flasher v1.6, releases the first firmware pack for his valuable note that homebrew is able to correct partial brick and is useful for backup / recovery of the flash. With this add-on will be possible to directly install the latest custom firmware 5.50D3 (only compatible with PSP-1000 and PSP-2000 except TA-088v3), without the need of intermediate steps.
More information about and links to download below.

Installing the add-on 5.50GEN-D3:

Quote:

.: Required:.
- Recovery Flasher v1.6
- Recovery Flasher Add-On 5.50GEN
- Fw 5.50 (if installed CF)

• Unpack the archive on your PC Recovery Flasher Add-On 5.50GEN
• Depending on the model of PSP in possession (1000 - 2000), select the file. RFPs and copy it to the main root of the Memory Stick

When installing CF 5.50GEN-D3
• Copy the fw 5.50, renamed 550.pbp in the main root
• Start Recovery Flasher 1.6
• On Target FW, select the "Load from external FW pack
• Next, select the Install CFW and load the file. RFPs that will be detected from
• This starts the installation phase of CF-D3 5.50GEN ...

MTV Games boss Scott Guthrie has indicated that he expects Green Day: Rock Band to sell more than The Beatles: Rock Band.

While the Fab Four's videogame debut last year was critically acclaimed - Eurogamer's resident Beatlemaniac Johnny Minkley awarded it 9/10 - sales worldwide were reportedly well below two million.

That's more than Guitar Hero 5, also released late last year, but far fewer than Rock Band 2 or Guitar Hero: World Tour 12 months ealrier.

"We were pleased with the performance of Beatles: Rock Band but we were expecting higher sales," Guthrie told MCV.

"Our core audience of 16 to 34-year-old males are much more familiar with Green Day music than The Beatles."

"Green Day probably has a much higher awareness than perhaps The Beatles did."

Green Day: Rock Band is due out for PS3, Wii and Xbox 360 on 8th June.

http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/mt...utsell-beatles ...

News via http://www.psp-ita.com/?module=news&...0&view_reply=1

Modified version of the Music PRX, plugin that allows us to hear our songs stored on the Memory Stick or UMD all games up for the occasion executable suitable for use on the new custom firmware revision Jan upto 5:50 D3.
The controls are the same as the classic version, is installed as a normal prx and weighs a few kb, also worth remembering that among the functions is also a convenient shortcut to toggle the audio of the game running, so to hear the songs without the sound effects even at high volume.
To follow the link to download.

Controls:

Quote:

SELECT + square: Shows the menu

SELECT + Circle: reset all settings

SELECT + triangle increases the CPU clock

SELECT + cross: it decreases the CPU clock

SELECT + to: raise the volume

SELECT + Down: Volume Down

SELECT + Left / Right: changes track

SELECT + home: turn off the audio of the game running

SELECT + start: Enable the repetition

SELECT + L: pause / resume playback

SELECT + R toggles shuffle ...

News via http://www.psp-ita.com/?module=news&...5&view_reply=1

Almost four months since the last release, an update is available for CTFtool GUI application designed by the developer patpat PC, allowing you to create themes for the CXMB PSP-compatible addition to allowing the extraction of files from format issues. Ctf ready. This new release, although it is still in beta, introduces new features and fixes some bugs in previous versions.
Following the full changelog and download link.

Changelog v4 Beta 5.9:

Quote:

Note: The following files were removed from the archive:
- 5:50 Folder: game_plugin.prx, game_plugin.rco, msvideo_main_plugin.rco, music_main_plugin.prx, paf.prx, visualizer_plugin.prx, vshmain.prx, common_gui.prx
- Folder basis (3.71 - 4.01): common_gui.prx, vshmain.prx, paf.prx
- Base Folder 5.00: common_gui.prx, vshmain.prx, paf.prx, msvideo_main_plugin.rco

These files have been removed because, for a variety of domestic politics PSP-ITA, are not allowed to post on the forum.
To find them, you must use the PSARDumper and extract them from their firmware.

Changelog v4 Beta 5.9
- Added Windows Explorer context menu support for RCO | PRX | CTF | PTF | PMF | MPS | TTF | PGF | VAG | WAV | GMO | GMO | GIM | TGA | BMP | PNG | JPG | GIF | ICO | PSD | BIN | GZ | ZL file format right-click menu
- Join the PGF, gim, vag, omg, gmo, mps, zl file type association, direct double-click to open
- Added image processing functions, support GIM | TGA | BMP | PNG | JPG | GIF | ICO | PSD format for the rapid conversion, reset the resolution, indexed color
- Join OMG wave model image extraction / Import module
- Added random picture QUICKLY generated / replace omg wave pattern (wave patterns Have Been ball, boot style wave, wave tilt style, classic style wave)
- Added vag / wav audio Mutual Convert function
- Added mps / pmf Mutual Convert video function
- Added ttf / font PGF Mutual Convert function
- Floating-point value added prx extract / Import function
- Added rco function of conventional resource extraction
- Added boot sound extract / Import function
- Added PGF font information extraction capabilities
- Added PTF package features (CBC special, picture format open only over the two pictures into a folder you can right-fast packaging. Recommend the picture to pi, bp, bg, 01,02,03 or open name, Corresponding preview icon, preview maps, wallpapers)
- Added 01-12.bmp/13-27.bmp pack / unpack functionality (picture format not limited to one or more into the folder with the right to QUICKLY pack)
- Automatically Theme pack in the 01-12.bmp Amendment vshmain.prx the size of the function parameters
- Added theme pack psp Automatically sent to the function and Automatically Detect Whether the installed plug-ins and open CXMB
- Added gzip compression / decompression
- Added zlib compression / decompression
- Fixed 500 rpm led 550 rooms, networking crash bugs
- Added tray bubble tips
- Optimized code to Improve processing speed
- Fixed CTF-extracting file records HAVING empty bug Caused decompression failure ...

Guitar Hero 6 will not feature playable celebrity likenesses.

Maybe legal arguments with No Doubt and Courtney Love have swayed Activision.

The game will instead allow real-life legends like Metallica founder (and drummer) Lars Ulrich to be recruited in Quest mode, according to Official Xbox Magazine (thanks VG247). Complete their songs and you'll unlock a uniquely-powered alter-ego. Character Warrior Lars has a maximum 6x multiplayer.

Kiss hero Gene Simmons will narrate the Quest mode.

Guitar Hero 6 aims to return to the series' foundations, reinstating the old characters and focusing more on Rock n' Roll.

Streakers, Momentum and Do or Die will be available in online modes, and all DLC will be carried over into the new game.

Glam rockers Queen, Kiss and Black Sabbath have been confirmed

Guitar Hero 6 hasn't been officially unveiled but has been talked about by Activision in financial reports gone by. Expect full word soon, especially with E3 around the corner.

http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/gu...playable-stars ...

Capcom has revealed that PlayStation 3 owners playing Lost Planet 2 will soon be able to download Helghast skins for the game for free.

The Helghast Assault and Helghast Scout troopers will both be made available at the end of June, according to the official PlayStation Blog. Check out the video below to see them in action.

The Helghast are exclusive to the PS3 version, obviously, as were the Monster Hunter skins.

Xbox 360 owners needn't cry though, because they got their own exclusives in the shapes of Marcus Fenix and Dominic Santiago, courtesy of the Microsoft-published Gears of War series.

Capcom has been pretty keen with the old downloadable skins and cross-series exchanges - Frank West from Dead Rising is also lurking in Lost Planet 2 somewhere, and Albert Wesker from Resident Evil was a pre-order incentive.

http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/he...-lost-planet-2 ...

News via http://forums.xbox-scene.com/index.php?showtopic=710285

Icepir8icepir8 released a new revision of Xbox 360 Commander, a Windows utility to backup/restore, transfer on and format Xbox 360 hard drives.

What's new/fixed:
* Made several changes to deal with the corruption of larger hard drives. Can't really test the changes so I would like to here from the people having problems.
* Also cleaned up some of the progress bar issues. ...

Developer Treyarch believes Call of Duty: Black Ops will finally put the studio on level pegging with IP pace-setter Infinity Ward.

"We've taken some creative risks," studio boss Mark Lamia told Official Xbox Magazine (scanned by WePlayCOD and picked up by VG247). "We want to do something different than we've done before.

"It's time," Lamia added. "We want the game to speak for itself."

Those creative risks Lamia mentioned included letting players pilot helicopters and empty rounds of missiles (the series has previously limited players to manning a mounted mini-gun).

Other vehicles will return but "not in the way you remember them from [World at War]," according to the preview.

In Black Ops, you're an elite soldier on a hush-hush mission with orders to get the job done under any circumstances. The magazine preview mentioned that you will come into contact with North Vietnamese troops at some point.

Another headline new feature is four-player co-operative play. Treyarch revealed that there will be dedicated co-operative servers to power this.

Multiplayer will of course return, and Treyarch appears keen to gain ground in this area. Internally multiplayer was up and running very early, and feedback from World at War has been fastidiously researched.

Matchmaking has apparently been altered to make playing with friends easier, and character creation will use kit and perks to offer more customisation than before.

Treyarch changed the subject when OXM asked about a wave-based Nazi zombie mode.

A multiplayer beta is being "considered".

Last week USA Today took us through a similar opening portion of Black Ops. Details spilled from that preview include the double-viewpoint storyline, revelation of a crossbow weapon and a spot of cliff-hanging.

Call of Duty: Black Ops is due for release on PC, PS3 and Xbox 360 on 9th November.

http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/tr...ck-ops-details ...