DCEmu Homebrew Emulation & Theme Park News
wraggster
by Published on September 5th, 2012 22:43- Categories:
- Android News
Kicking off the Motorola event in NYC, Google's Eric Schmidt has revealed some new Android figures for its captive audience of journalists and bloggers. It's now notching up some 1.3 million activations a day, which includes around 70,000 tablets ("We were late to them", notes Schmidt) every 24 hours. In total, that makes for just shy of 500 million Google-powered mobile devices around the globe -- 80 million in just over two months.
http://www.engadget.com/2012/09/05/g...vations-a-day/
...by Published on September 5th, 2012 22:41- Categories:
- Android News
There have been surprisingly few if any concrete leaks of Amazon's future Kindle Fire plans, even with the follow-up's appearance likely just hours away. Thankfully, we may have been given a last-minute peek into the company's strategy after an Engadget reader tipped us to some unusual activity in an app's hardware usage logs. At least a pair of hits have come from a new device identifying itself as "AmazonKFTT" instead of the much plainer "AmazonKindleFire" language attached to the original model. There's also signs that Amazon has upgraded the OS underneath to Android 4.0.3. We wouldn't anticipate this particular slate carrying a quad-core chip to tackle the Nexus 7 head-on, though -- unless the KFTT variant is just a firmware-updated Kindle Fire with a name change, the next generation should still have at least one dual-core tablet in the range. Here's hoping there are a few more surprises in store by the time Amazon takes the stage on Thursday.
http://www.engadget.com/2012/09/05/a...faced-in-logs/ ...by Published on September 5th, 2012 22:40- Categories:
- DCEmu
The number of mobile gamers is up, however
The NPD Group today announced that there are about 211.5 million gamers in the US, which is down five percent compared to last year. The firm's newest report, Gamer Segmentation 2012: The New Faces of Gamers, notes that of the six gamer segments outlined, only Mobile Gamers and Digital Gamers saw increases in the number of gamers when compared to 2011, with Mobile Gamers up 9 points to 22 percent and Digital Gamers up 4 points to 16 percent.
Importantly, Mobile Gamers now represent the largest gamer segment, ahead of Core Gamers, which was the largest segment in 2011. NPD also said that the Family+Kid gamers segment experienced the most significant decline of an estimated 17.4 million gamers.
"Given the long lifecycles of the current consoles and the increasing installed base of smartphones and tablets, it's not surprising to see a slight decline in the Core Gamer segment," said Anita Frazier, industry analyst, The NPD Group. "It's the revenue contribution of the Core Gamer segment that continues to outpace all other segments, and remains vital to the future of the industry."
"While this study segments the gaming audience based on a number of key variables and attributes, looking across the total gaming audience we see a tremendous impact from mobile gaming, particularly on smartphones and tablets," she continued. "Because of this, our next study, which will be released later this month, takes a deeper look into the area of mobile gaming."
http://www.gamesindustry.biz/article...cording-to-npd
...by Published on September 5th, 2012 22:36- Categories:
- PC News
Markus Persson dislikes the lack of user control on the platform
Mojang
Unlike a number of independent PC titles, Minecraft sits alone, preferring instead to self-distribute the game through its own website. In an interview with Penny Arcade Report's Ben Kuchera, Minecraft creator Markus Persson said that he's "constantly debating" whether Minecraft should go up on Steam.
"I'm constantly debating whether or not we should put it up on Steam anyway. Because the people could even get a Steam code if they buy the game, I don't know what they would really do. Or if we should just not do Steam at all and try to come up with our own thing, or whatever. Right now we don't know what we're going to do. We're just focused on the games still. It's an interesting opportunity, so we try not to waste it," said Persson.
Persson explained that while he likes Valve's service, there are some consumer issues and a lack of user control for developers.
"I think Steam is a very good service for the customers. The only thing I don't like is that they reserve the right to remove all your games and account, which is bullshit. I understand the legal reasons, and they have to do it for their partners, and I don't think they're going to do anything, they're not going to remove it," Persson said.
"But having that constant threat is not cool. I want to buy a game and be able to play it in 20 years. I still play Doom, I don't want it to be Valve closes down and I can't access my games, and then I have to do it through piracy. That's the only thing I don't like towards the players."
"But with us we have so many registered users, and with Steam we can't really control those users. So for us it can't really go on Steam. But for many other developers it makes a lot of sense."
The full, extensive interview covering a ton of topics is available over at the Penny Arcade Report.
http://www.gamesindustry.biz/article...debating-steam
...by Published on September 5th, 2012 22:31- Categories:
- Android News,
- Apple iPhone
Apple’s iPhone 4S has finished out of first in monthly smartphone sales for the first time since its launch eleven months ago.
Apple Insider reports that the recently released Samsung Galaxy S III won out in August, though the trend is not expected to continue.
Canaccord Genuity analyst Michael Walkley expects the lead to be short-lived, with Apple’s impending iPhone 5 announcement set for next week.
Walkley states his checks with US carriers found that iPhone sales have been particularly weak leading up to the reveal and subsequent launch of the new iPhone. That, he claims, is the sole reason attributed to last month’s victory for the Galaxy S III.
"We believe this is the first month since the iPhone 4S launched in October 2011 that it was not the top selling smartphone in the U.S. market," Walkley wrote. "However, our checks indicated strong consumer interest and likely demand for the iPhone 5, and we believe Apple will return to strong number one smartphone share in the U.S. post the iPhone 5 launch."
http://www.mcvuk.com/news/read/galax...one-4s/0102354 ...by Published on September 5th, 2012 22:29- Categories:
- Xbox 360 News
It was very, very nearly revealed at E3 back in June, but talk of a longer than expected wait for Xbox 720 is bubbling up once again.
"We have heard no word yet from Microsoft or Sony about their plans to launch new consoles,” Michael Pachter said in his regular Wedbush Morgan investor note.
“Both manufacturers are widely expected to launch consoles by year-end 2013, although we believe that Microsoft could delay a new console launch until spring of 2014 in order to accommodate what is certain to be overwhelming demand among hardcore gamers."
It’s a staggering development in the already lackadaisical road to market for the next-generation of console hardware, although one that does concur with recent statements from GameStop CEO Paul Raines.
“We have not been expecting two more consoles in 2013,” he insisted. “We're expecting Wii U this holiday, another one next year, and another one in '14. These rumours change every week, but we're hearing more about next year.”
While possible, it’s hard to believe that Microsoft would be prepared to delay the launch of its Xbox 720 successor even further than it already has.
At the turn of the year Microsoft was planning to reveal the Xbox 720 at E3. In fact, in the weeks running up to E3 Microsoft was pitching a very high profile brief to journalists that involved an unusual level of detail and attention involving pre-announcement meeting with regional management, pointing towards something very big at the LA expo.
Which, as we know, didn’t happen. At what stage Microsoft decided to reign in its next-gen reveal we do not know. But what was shown was weak to say the least, and leaves Xbox 360 in an uncertain position this Q4.
What’s more clear is Sony’s roadmap. It too planned a PS4 E3 reveal but gladly held back when it became apparent Microsoft was pulling the plug.
Sony is nowhere near as far down the development road as Microsoft with its machine, as was evidenced byits excellent E3 showing. But at the same time it will not allow Microsoft’s new machine to enjoy the same sort of head start in the next generation as it did in the current.
This sentiment may have been downplayed in more recent times by Sony execs but I assure you – that’s the bottom line at the top of the SCE hierarchy.
Furthermore, delaying the new consoles further is beginning to make less and less sense. The traditional console market is dying on its feet. There’s a strong line-up of releases on the way over the next six months, but the market is still odds-on to suffer yet another year-on-year dip.
The games market is more diverse than ever, and an increasing number of even traditional gamers are turning to emerging models such as smartphones and PC/online free-to-play. It’s becoming increasingly hard to convince consumers that £50 for a console game represents good value.
Don’t forget the publishers, either. Some studios are now openly announcing next-gen titles while others are doing so in a more subversive fashion.
And publishers can insists that games such as Metal Gear Solid: Ground Zeroes aren’t next-gen until they’re blue in the face. I’m not buying it. Any developer worth its salt in this day and age is now working with a fully scalable game engine. If the next-gen holds off, they’ll release on PS3 and Xbox 360. If not, they flick and switch and their titles will gratefully utilise that extra power.
Everyone is ready to go. We just need Microsoft and Sony to sound the claxon.
And all hope is certainly not lost. EA Labels boss Frank Gibeau predicted recently that both Xbox 720 and PS4 would hit in the next 12 months and claimed last month that he has seen both machines.
What’s remarkable about this transition is the staggering role reversal we’re seeing. Traditionally, platform holders have been keen push through new hardware (which more often than not equates to a nice sales boost) while publishers have resisted, hesitant at the idea of rebuilding (and, more often than not, upsizing) their ecosystems to accommodate new development requirements.
This time it’s the publishers, tired of staring at their dwindling returns, who are desperate for an injection of new life. So why are the platform holders so reluctant?
Well, Microsoft is still enjoying very strong sales of its Xbox 360 hardware in the US. It takes a leap of faith to turn your back on that. But chiefly it remains to be seen how easy it will be to convince them to fork out £250-£350 on a new console, too.
All in the industry are very aware that we may have already seen the last great console generation. Is it any surprise that they’re holding on to what they’ve got for as long as they can?
http://www.mcvuk.com/news/read/opini...ubt-it/0102359 ...by Published on September 5th, 2012 22:27- Categories:
- PC News
$100. That is much it will cost for users to register to submit their games on Greenlight.
And it’s proved a very divisive issue.
My opinion is perfectly clear – I think $100 is vastly excessive. Whether you agree with me or not depends completely on which side of the following argument you fall on.
On the one hand, you may see Greenlight as another possible route to market for developer startups akin to iOS or Xbox Live Indie Games. If you’re seriously about establishing yourself a full time (or even part time) games developer then $100 is a tiny investment to kickstart your future.
After all, you’ve invested time in this project. You’re committed. You’re telling you can’t find £63? Get out of my face you joker and leave this to those who are serious, OK?
On the other hand, you might see Greenlight as an opportunity for Steam to tap into and empower a whole new universe of untapped amateur talent. If so, then you’ll likely agree with me – the $100 is killing the potential of the service.
Anyone can invest time. Time is free(ish), and we can all go without sleep and food, right? And we can all find $100, can’t we?
Yes, I can find £63 when my daughter’s school shoes fall apart. Or if the fridge breaks. Or if I get a flat on the car. If we haven’t got the money that month, then I’ll ask the Bank of Mum & Dad. I’ll feel like shit about it and dwell on the fact that at the age of 33 I still can’t independently support my family, but I’m not having my daughter go without.
And don’t accuse me of exaggeration – when I get paid each month the first thing I do is pay the largest of the regular bills. That leaves me with pretty much sweet FA. Mrs Ben gets paid a week later. She pays off the next set of bills. Some months we’re left with a staggering low three figure amount to feed the family and live on as human beings for an entire month.
We have a shared bank account. If I forked out £63 to submit a game for possible publication on Steam she would quite literally have my balls off. London is expensive. She’s been made redundant twice since 2008 and earns well below what her qualifications should entitle her to. Sorry about that.
And I’m sorry if you feel £63 is chicken feed. Lucky you. But newsflash – for lots of us it is not.
Which doesn’t matter at all if you see Greenlight as a business opportunity. But I don’t. I see it is an outlet for all of those ideas that sit bottled up in someone’s brain as they scan items on the checkout, sit it queues on the M25 in an HGV or type figures into a spreadsheet.
And I thought that’s what Valve saw it as too. Obviously not.
I won’t argue that a fee or barrier of sorts will likely improve the service. But what I am arguing is that $100 is vastly too excessive. Would $10 not do it? If you’re some joker then even $10 is going to make you think twice about submitting your Wobbly Cock Simulator. That will eek out the chaff.
Yes, those who are really, really dedicated could save up over many months and maybe scrape the cash together. But why on earth would we want them to do that? Is it prerequisite that submitters must somehow prove themselves? Why not have them subjected to a day’s flogging with an HDMI cable and a Krypton Factor test in which they must construct an accurate representation of a Wheatley out of cabbage leaves? Then we’ll know who REALLY gives enough of a toss.
UPDATE: Readers have asked that I clarify again (as was said in our other coverage) that the $100 fee is donated to charity. Though in my opinion that is completely besides the point.
http://www.mcvuk.com/news/read/opini...nlight/0102370 ...by Published on September 5th, 2012 21:03- Categories:
- DCEmu
Sony's PlayStation Vita saw a dramatic sales spike in Japan this week, more than quadrupling from 9,751 units the week prior to 46,877. The surge was driven by the release of Sega's rhythm action game Hatsune Miku Project Diva F, which shifted 158,009 units and topped the all-formats software chart.
The scale of Hatsune Miku's feat is further underscored by the sheer number of new releases this week, with the top ten almost entirely refreshed. 3DS title Devil Summoner Soul Hackers came in at number two (with a total of 73,690 units) while MAQL's Senran Kagura Burst rounds out the top three with another 3DS release - only just behind Devil Summoner with 70,569.
Other new entries included Neptune V, Gundam Age, Aqua Pazza,Sengoku Basara HD Collection and Rurouni Kenshin.
The full software top ten for the week ending September 2:
01. Hatsune Miku Project Diva F (Sega, PSV)
02. Devil Summoner Soul Hackers (Atlus, 3DS)
03. Senran Kagura Burst (MAQL, 3DS)
04. New Super Mario Bros. 2 (Nintendo, 3DS)
05. Neptune V (Compile Hearts, PS3)
06. Gundam Age (Namco Bandai, PSP)
07. Aqua Pazza (Aqua Plus, PS3)
08. Sengoku Basara HD Collection (Capcom, PS3)
09. Pokemon Black & White 2 (Pokemon, DS)
10. Rurouni Kenshin (Namco Bandai, PSP)
Hardware sales for same period (and prior weeks figures):
Nintendo 3DS: 67,926 (64,921)
PlayStation Vita: 46,877 (9,751)
PlayStation 3: 12,846 (12,243)
PlayStation Portable: 10,918 (10,676)
Wii: 8,038 (8,476)
Xbox 360: 525 (563)
PlayStation 2: 411 (439)
Nintendo DSi: 279 (311)
http://www.edge-online.com/news/vita...uadruple-japan ...by Published on September 5th, 2012 20:56- Categories:
- DCEmu
Total War Battles: Shogun lead designer Renaud Charpentier has slammed the lack of design focus in today's developers, telling us that 70 per cent of games simply do not pass muster as a result.
Renaud's comments followed an impassioned session at Unite 2012 last month in which he and fellow The Creative Assemblycolleagues Nick Farley and Mattijs Van Delden stressed the value of prototyping early on in a project.
"When you look at the market, probably 20 to 30 per cent of the games are confident, and maybe 60 to 70 per cent are not good enough," he told us at the Amsterdam conference.
"Usually, they run. Most of them don't crash - most are competent technically. Most of them look okay or even good, but they play like shit."
It's a bold statement, borne of Charpentier's frustration with development studios' focus on technological progress over gameplay refinement. Too many developers, he believes, fail to recognise the benefit of prototyping gameplay and game ideas early enough in a project to inform other key areas of the development process.
"Their biggest risk is not on the tech, not on the art, it's on the design," he insists. "You have to front-load that: it has to drive many of the other decisions.
"Hopefully that's something we manage to do at Creative Assembly, and that we managed to do with Battles, but it's still something that I think is lacking [in the industry] and it has to change.
"We can't keep releasing games that anyone can tell are not interesting to play after 30 minutes when 20 or 30 people spent two years working on them. It doesn't make any sense.
There will always be ways to squeeze a little more performance out of hardware, find the extra memory you need or render a game object more efficiently, Charpentier asserts - even late in the day - but no developer can make a "turd into a great game to play" in the final three weeks of production. Despite calling for greater weight to be placed on design, however, he still recognises the need for the tools and efficient workflows that will make early-day prototyping productive.
"Is not about writing a 100-page document of design that is totally useless, no one will read and will be out of date by the time they do," he says. "It's about crafting the game.
"For that you need tech that is ready. I've [faced this problem] in previous teams, where I would have wanted to prototype, but the engineer tells you the animation system for combat won't be ready in four months. What do you do? You're blocked. You can't be absolutely sure that certain timings will work, certain controls."
But despite his experience from inside the industry, perhaps Charpentier biggest frustration is from the perspective of a gamer.
"As a player, I hate going through the burden of downloading a game, installing it, rebinding the controller, going through the tutorial, playing another couple of hours and then realising it's ****ing boring!"
http://www.edge-online.com/news/crea...nt-good-enough ...by Published on September 5th, 2012 20:47- Categories:
- Wii U News
The Legend Of Zelda series will be released for Wii U in 2014, a Nintendo Japan source claims, adding that Link's Wii U debut is being developed by the biggest team ever to work on a Nintendo game.
Speaking to Wii U Daily, the source - who spoke on condition of anonymity but seems reliable, having previously revealed in advance Wii U's achievement system and that Nintendo was working on a social network of sorts, which turned out to beMiiverse - claims that the game's visual style will closely resemble that of Wii swansong Skyward Sword.
"Nintendo is sticking to the core values of Zelda, while trying to appeal to a wide range of gamers, casual and hardcore [alike]," the source said. "They feel they've found the sweet spot with Skyward Sword, and they're continuing this approach with the Wii U Zeldagame."
"Hundreds" of people are working on the game, which will have been in development for four years by the time it appears on shelves. Development is being led by Skyward Sword director Eiji Aonuma.
"It'll end up being the most expensive game they've made to date," the source claims. "It's a huge investment for [Nintendo] in money and manpower - this is Rockstar/GTA territory."
The source puts that claim in context by adding that the first test dungeon Nintendo produced, which was set in a forest and ran on early, buggy Wii U hardware, was "bigger than Hyrule Field inOcarina [Of Time]… Its scope and details are unlike anything you've seen in a Zelda game."
While Miiverse will be used to let players leave hints for one another, online multiplayer was never part of Nintendo's plan; despite Wii U's greater emphasis on online functionality, it is sticking resolutely to Zelda's long-established gameplay template. The principal advances, it appears, will be visual.
"They're using a new, state of the art engine that's being built from the ground up in parallel with the game," the source claims. "It's got the most advanced visual features Nintendo has ever made, and includes a lot of thirdparty tech like Havok for physics and rendering middleware from Umbra."
It's little surprise that Nintendo is also ensuring that Zelda makes convincing and unique use of the Wii U's GamePad controller and its built-in screen. "It'll have some [revolutionary] gameplay. It has stuff that would never be possible on any console, and it's not just one cool feature, it's one cool feature after another.
"Each dungeon will offer a different gameplay experience with the tablet controller. It'll be the most innovative game ever - they've got stuff that will be copied by others for years."
Not much of this is surprising; a Zelda game on Wii U was always a given, and designing it as a showcase of the GamePad's capabilities is a continuation of a strategy Nintendo has had in place since the launch of DS in 2004.
But it's the scale that appeals the most, with a huge development team supported by some of the most respected middleware companies in the business. The prospect of dungeons of such scope and size is intriguing, and the source's claims - if genuine, of course - will do much to reignite interest in Wii U after Nintendo's disappointing E3 conference.
http://www.edge-online.com/news/wii-...-source-claims ...- Search DCEmu
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Catherine: Full Body’s English translation for the Vita