Source GamesIndustry

The president of startup studio Ready At Dawn has told GamesIndustry.biz that developers must stop making excuses for producing handheld games that aren't up to the same standard as their console counterparts.

In an exclusive interview, Didier Malenfant conceded that consumers are becoming disgruntled with the choice of games available for the PSP, stating: "There's obviously not as many titles as people would want on the platform, but at the same time, up until now there hasn't been any title that really gives you the same kind of experience you could find on the PS2."

"Everything is compromised, and it bugs the hell out of me when you hear a lot of developers saying, 'Well, we can't do this that way because it's a handheld game,' or 'We can't do this because it doesn't have a second analog stick.'"

"Those are all excuses," Malenfant continued - observing that the original PSone controller didn't have any analog sticks, "And there were great games on that."

Malenfant, who formerly worked for Jak and Daxter developer Naughty Dog, co-founded Ready At Dawn in September 2003 together with former Blizzard employees Ru Weerasuriya and Andrea Pessino.

The studio's first game is simply titled Daxter, and is based around the character of the same name. Malenfant believes that Daxter "Is not only a really good game, but really something that shows that for the first time, this is a handheld that can give you the same experience you'd find on a home console."

"For me that's terribly exciting, because I tend to play my PSP a lot more than any other console, simply because it's portable. I don't want to end up playing sub-par games just because I'm on a handheld, which up to [the arrival of the PSP] has been what we've had to do."

"We really set out to prove that you can do a game that is as good, if not better, than a PS2 game and really show off the platform. If we do end up becoming the game that opens the floodgates, I'd be really really proud, because it's such an awesome handheld."

Daxter will be published this spring by Sony - a company with whom RAD has an excellent relationship, according to Malenfant.

"You need to get to a situation where you get the support, but at the same time, you're working with people who really understand games, and I think that's the hardest thing to do," he said.

"Obviously you want people who know the business side, but at the same time games are so much about passion that you really need people you can talk to on the same level, who really understand what makes a game great."

"That's what's so hard to find - because there are a lot of talented business people in the industry, but very few talented business people who actually know games."

When asked if RAD would consider accepting an acquisition offer by Sony in the future, Malenfant replied: "I can't say we've really thought about it. What's important to me as far as Ready At Dawn's concerned is that we've been able to build a new company culture with the people we've hired. As long as we keep that together and we're able to maintain that, there's no outright plan, or discussions for that matter." ...

More on Sonys Crappy PSP ads from Gamesindustry.biz

Sony has been forced to remove a poster which advised consumers to "Take a running jump" from tram and train stations across the country after transport staff expressed safety concerns.

The poster was part a recent advertising campaign to promote the PSP which ran throughout the UK. It featured a plain white background with red text which read: "Take a running jump from here."

A rail worker saw the poster on a tram platform at Metrolink's Manchester Piccadilly station, decided there was a safety issue and took action to have the poster covered over.

"An employee spotted it and said it was a bit inappropriate," A Network Rail spokesperson told the Manchester Evening News.

"The message goes completely against all our safety messages, particularly because PlayStation is aimed at youngsters and we are constantly telling them not to trespass."

Sony has since taken action to remove the poster from sites where it could be deemed inappropriate. Speaking to GamesIndustry.biz, a spokesperson said: "The PSP ad creative highlights the portability and multi-functionality of the console, and we have been made aware that one particular advert has been placed inappropriately in a couple of locations.

"In consideration of this, we have responded immediately and withdrawn the posters from these sites. This campaign run is planned to finish this Saturday." ...

Former Gizmondo exec claims links with anti-terrorism unit

The mystery surrounding former Gizmondo executive Stefan Eriksson and his crashed Ferrari has deepened following revelations that two men claiming to be "homeland security" appeared at the scene of the accident.

Eriksson claims he was not driving when his USD 1 million Enzo Ferrari crashed on a Californian highway last month, and police have yet to locate 'Dietrich', the man identified by Eriksson as the driver.

According to the LA Times, police are also attempting to ascertain the whereabouts of two men who arrived shortly after emergency crews reached the scene and flashed cards which said they were from homeland security. They were allowed to talk to Eriksson before leaving the scene. Police are now asking the public for help with identifying the two men.

It's also been revealed that Eriksson flashed a card of his own which declared that he was "deputy commissioner" of the San Gabriel Valley Transit Authority police's anti-terrorism unit. The SGVTA is a small non-profit organisation which provides transportation for people with disabilities in the California area.

SGVTA commissioner Yosef Maiwandi told the LA Times that he founded the organisation's police department so that he could seek funding for security and perform background checks on potential members.

Maiwandi said that he was introduced to Eriksson by Ashley Posner, who is also a member of the transit board. Posner is Eriksson's civil attorney.

According to Maiwandi, Eriksson offered to install free surveillance cameras and facial scanning technology on SGVTA buses, claiming that he had provided a similar system for transport agencies in England.

Maiwandi carried out a background check on Eriksson, but did not find cause for concern and accepted the offer. In return, Eriksson was given the title of deputy commissioner and a set of business cards. Maiwandi said that the two men claiming to be from homeland security were nothing to do with the SGVTA.

Californian law allows transport agencies to establish police departments, although officers are not allowed to arrest anyone without undergoing training and meeting legal requirements for hiring staff. Most of these departments are certified by the State's Police Officer Standards Commission - but the SGVTA is not. As a result, its officers' powers extend to carrying weapons and making citizen's arrests.

The LA County Sheriff's Department is still looking into the case. Eriksson is said to have given a sample of blood for testing, but refused a recent interview with police. ...

News from Lik Sang



Lik Sang started shipping PSP Euro software last Christmas, and the moment has come to turn some focus on the Nintendo DS! Timing couldn't be better as we kick things off with not less than 8 hot upcoming preorder titles that are as cool and fun as they are innovative and original. All games presented below, though published in Europe, are region free, as with every Nintendo DS game from any origin. They will play flawlessly on your NDS system, whether you actually own a Japanese, American, European, Australian or African edition of it. In theory, even mixed races Nintendo DS handhelds would run these titles

Coming on March 31st (a big day for Nintendo of Europe apparently), huge hits are reaching EU shores: Animal Crossing Wild World, Capcom's Phoenix Wright Ace Attorney, Resident Evil Deadly Skies and Prof. Kawashima's Brain Training. Animal Crossing DS, already available as US version, is the latest social phenomenon from Nintendo that took Japan by storm, with already two millions of users in the Mother country. It's hard to walk any street of Tokyo without encountering somebody playing AC:WW. Exchange your friends codes to visit each other's village, and add a dimension to the way you socializeby growing some kind of virtual extension parallel to your real life encounters. Forget about the out-fashioned Pokemons, Reality TV or Nintendogs, Animal Crossing is the next thing that brings people all together around the same subject, a watercooler show of a game really. Unisex, in that sense that it is appreciated by girls as much as by the traditional male audience, and suitable between 7 or 77 years old, Animal Crossing is one of these Nintendo magic titles that truly expand the reach of the community, bringing more people to play games, whichever your sex, whichever your age.

Also, in that "expanding the demographics" trend is Brain Training DS from Professor Kawashima that is appealing a lot to people in their 40's or above in Japan and that is even used in some hospital programmes for the elderly nowadays, in order to fight senilisation. One week before all that, Worms Open Warfare from Team17 will be playable on the go and with touchscreen, while nextgen Tetris DS and the ultra popular music oddity Electroplankton are coming out April 21st. One week later, on the 28th, it's the genius Atlus creation, Trauma Center: Under the Knife, that will allow you to play doctor with your stylus as surgery tool. Addictive as hell, Trauma Center is selling like hot cakes stateside and in the land of the Rising Sun, the title being already poised for a remake on the upcoming Nintendo Revolution. ...

News from Lik Sang



Lik Sang started shipping PSP Euro software last Christmas, and the moment has come to turn some focus on the Nintendo DS! Timing couldn't be better as we kick things off with not less than 8 hot upcoming preorder titles that are as cool and fun as they are innovative and original. All games presented below, though published in Europe, are region free, as with every Nintendo DS game from any origin. They will play flawlessly on your NDS system, whether you actually own a Japanese, American, European, Australian or African edition of it. In theory, even mixed races Nintendo DS handhelds would run these titles

Coming on March 31st (a big day for Nintendo of Europe apparently), huge hits are reaching EU shores: Animal Crossing Wild World, Capcom's Phoenix Wright Ace Attorney, Resident Evil Deadly Skies and Prof. Kawashima's Brain Training. Animal Crossing DS, already available as US version, is the latest social phenomenon from Nintendo that took Japan by storm, with already two millions of users in the Mother country. It's hard to walk any street of Tokyo without encountering somebody playing AC:WW. Exchange your friends codes to visit each other's village, and add a dimension to the way you socializeby growing some kind of virtual extension parallel to your real life encounters. Forget about the out-fashioned Pokemons, Reality TV or Nintendogs, Animal Crossing is the next thing that brings people all together around the same subject, a watercooler show of a game really. Unisex, in that sense that it is appreciated by girls as much as by the traditional male audience, and suitable between 7 or 77 years old, Animal Crossing is one of these Nintendo magic titles that truly expand the reach of the community, bringing more people to play games, whichever your sex, whichever your age.

Also, in that "expanding the demographics" trend is Brain Training DS from Professor Kawashima that is appealing a lot to people in their 40's or above in Japan and that is even used in some hospital programmes for the elderly nowadays, in order to fight senilisation. One week before all that, Worms Open Warfare from Team17 will be playable on the go and with touchscreen, while nextgen Tetris DS and the ultra popular music oddity Electroplankton are coming out April 21st. One week later, on the 28th, it's the genius Atlus creation, Trauma Center: Under the Knife, that will allow you to play doctor with your stylus as surgery tool. Addictive as hell, Trauma Center is selling like hot cakes stateside and in the land of the Rising Sun, the title being already poised for a remake on the upcoming Nintendo Revolution. ...

News from Lik Sang



Lik Sang started shipping PSP Euro software last Christmas, and the moment has come to turn some focus on the Nintendo DS! Timing couldn't be better as we kick things off with not less than 8 hot upcoming preorder titles that are as cool and fun as they are innovative and original. All games presented below, though published in Europe, are region free, as with every Nintendo DS game from any origin. They will play flawlessly on your NDS system, whether you actually own a Japanese, American, European, Australian or African edition of it. In theory, even mixed races Nintendo DS handhelds would run these titles

Coming on March 31st (a big day for Nintendo of Europe apparently), huge hits are reaching EU shores: Animal Crossing Wild World, Capcom's Phoenix Wright Ace Attorney, Resident Evil Deadly Skies and Prof. Kawashima's Brain Training. Animal Crossing DS, already available as US version, is the latest social phenomenon from Nintendo that took Japan by storm, with already two millions of users in the Mother country. It's hard to walk any street of Tokyo without encountering somebody playing AC:WW. Exchange your friends codes to visit each other's village, and add a dimension to the way you socializeby growing some kind of virtual extension parallel to your real life encounters. Forget about the out-fashioned Pokemons, Reality TV or Nintendogs, Animal Crossing is the next thing that brings people all together around the same subject, a watercooler show of a game really. Unisex, in that sense that it is appreciated by girls as much as by the traditional male audience, and suitable between 7 or 77 years old, Animal Crossing is one of these Nintendo magic titles that truly expand the reach of the community, bringing more people to play games, whichever your sex, whichever your age.

Also, in that "expanding the demographics" trend is Brain Training DS from Professor Kawashima that is appealing a lot to people in their 40's or above in Japan and that is even used in some hospital programmes for the elderly nowadays, in order to fight senilisation. One week before all that, Worms Open Warfare from Team17 will be playable on the go and with touchscreen, while nextgen Tetris DS and the ultra popular music oddity Electroplankton are coming out April 21st. One week later, on the 28th, it's the genius Atlus creation, Trauma Center: Under the Knife, that will allow you to play doctor with your stylus as surgery tool. Addictive as hell, Trauma Center is selling like hot cakes stateside and in the land of the Rising Sun, the title being already poised for a remake on the upcoming Nintendo Revolution. ...

Divineo UK have the latest Xbox Modchip Released in stock, heres the info on the chip:

The SP.ICE is based on the Xenium ICE modchip, but with a totally solderless installation on ALL Xbox version, from V1.0 to V1.6B! It has all the features of the amazing Xenium ICE but is so easy to install you will only need minutes to get it running!

Specifications & extra information

1.Works with ALL known Xbox versions to date (no need to check your version first) 2.No soldering required at all. Period. 3.Installs in seconds. 4. Unique precision engineered acrylic template for wire guide and safety feature. 5. Instant verification of correct contact on all five points through LED indicators (not for decoration only) 6. The only fourth gen., fully solerless DIY system offering such flexibility and compatibility available to date

...

We still fondly remember the wild heyday of the Pokémon craze - indeed, we've still got our Pikachu bobble hats and cuddly Jigglypuffs hidden safely under our beds. Now though, after several slightly muted years, Nintendo's set to release its DS precursor to forthcoming 'proper' entries in the Pokémon RPG series, in the form of Pokémon Ranger: The Road to Diamond and Pearl.
Pokémon Ranger is an action take on the traditional Pokémon RPG, seeing you play as a - you've guessed it - Pokémon Ranger. These differ from your bog-standard Pokémon Trainers insofar as they're tasked with travelling the land, preserving nature and protecting the Pokémon from strife.

One interesting new feature of Pokémon Ranger emerges in the way you catch the game's bountiful critters. Each Ranger is equipped with a 'Capture Styler', which means you're going to have to snatch the little blighters on the DS's second screen using the stylus. Beats PokéBalls anyday.
Pokémon Ranger hits Japan on March 23, with a European realise currently unconfirmed.

http://www.computerandvideogames.com....php?id=135466 ...

We still fondly remember the wild heyday of the Pokémon craze - indeed, we've still got our Pikachu bobble hats and cuddly Jigglypuffs hidden safely under our beds. Now though, after several slightly muted years, Nintendo's set to release its DS precursor to forthcoming 'proper' entries in the Pokémon RPG series, in the form of Pokémon Ranger: The Road to Diamond and Pearl.
Pokémon Ranger is an action take on the traditional Pokémon RPG, seeing you play as a - you've guessed it - Pokémon Ranger. These differ from your bog-standard Pokémon Trainers insofar as they're tasked with travelling the land, preserving nature and protecting the Pokémon from strife.

One interesting new feature of Pokémon Ranger emerges in the way you catch the game's bountiful critters. Each Ranger is equipped with a 'Capture Styler', which means you're going to have to snatch the little blighters on the DS's second screen using the stylus. Beats PokéBalls anyday.
Pokémon Ranger hits Japan on March 23, with a European realise currently unconfirmed.

http://www.computerandvideogames.com....php?id=135466 ...