MetaFight has released Shiny Red Tank v0.1.1a


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PinballWizard, WarpedFlash, and Arikado have released a demo of their upcoming library:



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AgentQ has released a new version of the port of scummVm for the Nintendo DS, heres the release information:


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In a guest lecture at Macquarie University on Monday night (AEST), Distinguished Professor Anderson, Director of Centre of the Study of Violence at Iowa State University spoke of the risks of violent videogames, presenting a series of findings that would surprise even the most seasoned gamers.

"Research was clear by 1975 that media violence caused aggressive behaviour," Prof. Anderson said.

"We know that short term exposure to violent media can lead to aggressive behaviour and aggressive thinking within five minutes of watching a violent film or playing a violent game, while long term exposure can lead to aggression into early adulthood."

To highlight this connection, Prof. Anderson examined the likelihood of violent videogames leading to aggressive behaviour by drawing on well-known examples of cause and effect. Such examples included the chances of regular consumption of aspirin leading to heart attacks, the chances of asbestos causing cancer, and the chances of condom use reducing the risk of contracting HIV. In all these examples, violent videogames proved to be a higher risk factor, going as far as being approximately three times more likely to happen than asbestos exposure leading to cancer.

On the scale of youth violence risk factors, violent videogames were more likely to increase aggression than substance abuse, poverty, and anti-social peers.

Anderson was careful to point out that this did not necessarily mean that everyone who played violent videogames would begin committing violent acts. Rather, violent games made players more prepared to think aggressive thoughts.

He cited another study where college students were asked to play a pro-social, neutral, and violent game, after which each was tested to see how willing they were to help their peers solve puzzles. The study showed that those who played non-violent, pro-social games were more inclined to be helpful by choosing easier puzzles for their peers to complete, whereas those who had just played violent games chose difficult puzzles to impede on their peers' ability to complete the challenge.

While Anderson believes that this increase in aggressive behaviour is a cause for concern, he doesn't think that violent games are solely to be blamed for anti-social behaviour.

"Extreme acts of violence always require multiple risk factors being present. You just don't ever have a school shooter, for example, who only has one risk factor. It just doesn't happen. There's usually four, five, six, seven risk factors, sometimes more. Media violence is one of those risk factors." he said.

"Does that mean playing violent videogames is going to create a school shooter? No, not if there aren't any other risk factors. But in kids who have a lot of other risk factors, can it contribute to the likelihood of some sort of extreme violent behaviour occurring? Probably, it can. More so than other risk factors? We don't know. There's no data on it."

Despite these findings, Anderson believes that games can be great teaching tools and, in many cases, can lead to positive behavioural changes. Titles such as Chibi Robot, Mario Sunshine, and Food Force were some examples of games he mentioned that lead to pro-social behaviour in children, encouraging them to be more helpful.

"There are some games out there that teach kids how to manage diabetes, ADHD and asthma, and kids who engage in those kinds of pro-social games experienced fewer health consequences," he said.

Anderson's lecture ended with what seemed to be the obvious: ways of reducing the impacts of aggression caused by violent games.

"We have empirical evidence that shows that adult involvement reduces the harmful impact of violent media," he said.

"We have data on that from several studies now. It's not conclusive, but it does suggest adult involvement is very important."

So it seems like it's not all doom and gloom. We can have our cake and eat it too. Sort of.

http://uk.wii.ign.com/articles/963/963251p1.html ...

Codemii have released a new version of the Homebrew Browser:


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News via Aep

A new version of the input plugin for PS2 emulators LilyPad has been released.

http://forums.ngemu.com/ps2-plugin-q...lame-name.html ...

morukutsu has posted an entry into the Neoflash Coding Contest:




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After working on Chibi Robo and Captain Rainbow, Skip focused their efforts on Nintendo’s Art Style series. Three Art Style games have been released on WiiWare domestically: Orbient, Cubello, Rotohex. Strangely none of them have been released in Japan. Skip’s home country got their first taste of Art Style from the DSiWare store.

Decode, a puzzle game where you arrange groups of numbers so their sum is ten, was one of the first Art Style games for the Nintendo DSi. Looks like it’s going to be one of the first Art Style DSiWare games to come overseas too. The OFLC rated D-Code with Skip as the designer and Nintendo as the publisher. Sounds an awful like the “Decode” game currently on Japan’s DSiWare store and unless the two companies are working on a strikingly similar sounding project we’re going to see Decode released internationally as D-code.

http://www.siliconera.com/2009/03/16...ional-release/ ...

A US registered patent filed by Sony Computer Entertainment clues us in to a video game controller sitting somewhere in Sony’s R&D labs. The unnamed input device has a LED on the front and an external power supply. Emitted light is captured by an inexpensive camera and translated into user input data. Sony’s interface program is unique since the device produces one or more colors of light which allows greater flexibility for differently lit rooms.

Since this information was revealed in a patent we don’t know how Sony plans on using said device, if it ever surfaces. However, multiple patent diagrams showcase the PlayStation 2 which already has a cheap EyeToy camera readily available. You might be thinking Wii Remote knock off, but Sony’s controller may not be a wand.

Another diagram shows a different device using the same variable color LED emitting technology. This hypothetical controller is designed to fit on a finger, radiates light from multiple LEDs, and has buttons on the side. Ring controllers… the future of video games?

What do you think about Sony’s light input device interfacing program? Could it keep the PS2 going strong past 2010? Should Sony port it to the PlayStation 3? Or scrap the idea all together?

http://www.siliconera.com/2009/03/16...d-for-the-ps2/ ...