new release via Freshmilk

Heres what Freshmilk had to say -

Hi All, and welcome to the 9th Release of TTR, v0.9!
(lol, there was v0.7 and v0.7b, so work it out for yourself). Please note this release is being released earlier than expected, so parts of it are still buggy, however nontheless...

So, as a starter, a short overview of what TTR is:

TTR stands for Table Top Rally, which is like your average Car-Dodging style game plus one. Rather than having the same boring old layout everytime you play, there are new cars, interchangeable backgrounds and cool music. If none of these appeal to you, everything I just mentioned can be custimized and changed with the minimum of effort, in 5 minutes, to make the game look and feel just how it should. And with our new feature, custom cars, the game's already limitless boundries are stretched even further.

This is basically the perfect game for the office, on the road, or having a wee, for an addictive fast-paced thrill game as you swere and dodge to avoid a firey death at the hands of oncoming traffic. Read on to find out more.
Phew, you'd think i'm actually trying to sell you this thing!

Now lets look at just a few of the names who helped to build TTR into what it is today:

Freshmilk - Coder, Developer, and basically Inventor of TTR
Maxime - Orginal Code, as this game was based on GTA: DF
Valo - Co-Owns the project, and has done all the GFX from V0.6 and onwards, although for the first time, in this version he was helped by
-Skyline- - First time GFX artist for TTR, who made good use of the little number of sprites we had and still producing brilliant Results.
ZeroeX - Sprites for the game
-Tacticalpaper- - For boosting TTR's popularity by including it in his shell, which is yet to be released, and will include a smaller version of this game.

I can't stress enough just how much skyline helped me during TTR's production... thanks dude!

Now that we know all about TTR and what it stands for and who made it, lets take a look of some screen shots of the new Mario Kart GFX:



Nice...

Now, lets wrap this release up with a quick summary of everything thats new, and let me just say, theres a lot new to this version!

- 8 new 'Mario Kart' characters from modified sprites
- Orginal 'Mario Kart' music
- New GFX overhaul, made by Oyez and Valo
- Individual stats for each car
- Stats editing system
- 4 New Tracks to race on
- Added in a boundry system for terrains, so that you cant go off the track.
- Fixed the Intesection Highscore bug
- Every car can now run on Intersection
- Added Driving Animation for rally mode (Directional Buttons)
- Added Driving Animation for rally mode (Analogue Stick)
- Added Driving Animation for Intersection mode (Analogue Stick)
- Completely Finished Intersection Collisions - Intersection is no longer a BETA
- Hopefully fixed the crash problem
- Currently works with 1.50 - 2.71, SE-A - SE-C, and possibly 2.80
- New *.ttr file type

Please note that this game is still a little buggy, and that it wouldn't be here without my new partner, -Skyline-.

Thanks to everyone who helped, as it all contributed to another great release.
Have fun playing, but remember:
Leave your comments, they are always appreciated!

download via links and give feedback via comments
via Freshmilk ...

news via nzherold

Few games consoles have been more sought after than Nintendo's Wii, which sold more than 300,000 units across Europe last weekend alone, forcing parents to turn to eBay in desperation.

But there was a warning yesterday for those inclined to unwrap one of the machines near the Christmas tree: switch off the fairy lights before using it, or you might find it behaving very strangely.

The hazards of operating a Wii when the fairy lights are on were revealed by bloggers, who were puzzled by its odd performance near the tree.

Writing on one users' blog, an owner of a Wii, which has wowed console enthusiasts with its innovative interface, said: "The last couple of days my Wii has been acting weird in not picking up the Wiimote (the console's controller) on the side of the Christmas tree and I could never figure out what was wrong. Well tonight, I turned off the Christmas tree and it fixed my problem."

Nintendo investigated and discovered the gamers had a point.

"In exceptional conditions where the Wii sensor bar is sat near a direct light source there may be some minor interference - this does not mean that there is any fault with your Wii," Nintendo said in a statement yesterday.

"For the best performance of your Wii, avoid bright light sources behind or near the TV, shining towards the Wii remote or reflecting off the TV screen."

Bemused Wii fans, whose machine allows them to control their on-screen actions by waving a remote control in the air rather than using a traditional joystick, are becoming accustomed to unexpected health warnings.

Yesterday's announcement comes days after Wii offered to replace millions of wrist straps for the video game controllers, after dozens of gamers complained of so-called "wiinjuries" caused by losing their grip on the controllers for the new console.

Relishing the chance to join in games simply by imitating the action of a tennis racket, sword or golf club, owners have lost control of heir gizmos, leading to bruised heads and black eyes, not to mention the odd damaged TV set.

"I decided to play the game for bowling," one battered and bruised gamer, Nicole, wrote on Wiihaveaproblem.com.

"I guess I swung really hard to knock down the pins and all of a sudden I realised my head hurt... Instead of it flying wildly into the air, it stopped and swung back around and hit me in the head."

In response, Nintendo offered top take back any of the 0.2m wrist straps in circulation and replace them with something more durable.

It said the fault lay with players failing to follow on-screen guidance to securely strap the device on to their wrists.

But yesterday it was revealed that the company is facing a lawsuit over the alleged "defective nature" of the straps, filed in the US.

Law firm Green Welling LLP, which is bringing the class action, said: "Nintendo's failure to include a remote that is free from defects is in breach of Nintendo's own product warranty."

These problems are not halting the unstoppable rise of Wii, which, contrary to many expectations is outperforming the long-awaited Play Station 3 worldwide.

Rumours were rife yesterday that Wii games based on two Disney titles - "Meet the Robinsons" and "Pirates of the Caribbean" - are under development.

So will the bright light glitches be at an end when the Christmas lights comes down? Yes, says Nintendo, which states that direct lights could only cause interference in "exceptional conditions" and that the console is not affected by lights under normal conditions. ...

news via huliq

Get ready for the ultimate party game extravaganza! Wario Ware: Smooth Moves will have you and your friends competing in a series of wild and wonderful challenges as you use the Wii Remote in ways you would not have imagined possible! Wario Ware: Smooth Moves launches on Wii across Europe on 12th January 2007.

Sequel to the hugely popular Game Boy Advance and Nintendo DS games, Wario Ware: Smooth Moves is the latest in the Wario Ware franchise but this time it can make full use of the Wii Remote! Featuring over 200 fast paced and action-packed microgames, players are challenged to hone their reactions and use the Wii Remote in an array of wonderful and wacky ways.

Twisting the Wii Remote this way and that, players must master positioning and movement of the controller to complete the challenges set. From the simple ‘Remote Control’ position to ‘The Elephant’ or ‘The Samurai’, manipulation of the Wii Remote is a must to complete one task and move on to the next. With the time available to complete the challenge getting shorter and shorter, accuracy is all important!

Each game only lasts a few seconds and requires the player to perform bizarre actions with the Wii Remote, such as sautéing vegetables, hula hooping (by holding the Wii Remote against your hip) and even slotting Grandma’s teeth into her mouth! Beware though, it’s not as easy as you may think! Humorous details fill the screen to simultaneously entertain and distract the player. Some recognisable faces will also make appearances from classic games such as Super Mario Bros, Nintendogs and Metroid Prime.

In single player mode, players travel around a map of Diamond City, selecting one of the characters to follow their wacky adventures. Each character will introduce the player to a new type of gameplay and a different family of microgames. The cast includes familiar faces from the Wario Ware series such as Wario and Mona, as well as new faces like Young Cricket the Kung-Fu Trainee. Once inside the microgame, players follow their chosen character’s story and complete a variety of mini tasks. If they are successful in fulfilling all the tasks, additional mini game adventures and multiplayer options featuring the Smooth Moves’ colourful cast are unlocked to enjoy.

Several multiplayer modes are available for selection in this game, allowing up to 12 people to play at once with just one controller. For example, in Survival mode up to 12 people can take up the Smooth Moves challenge where one wrong move eliminates them from the game - it’s truly the survival of the fittest! Go head to head in Star Nose where one player uses the Wii Remote and the other the Nunchuk to fly a nose-shaped spaceship along a corridor, making sure not to touch a single wall or obstacle. Five other exciting multiplayer games are available to play, including Darts, Lifeline, Balloon, Bomb and Bungee Buddies. No matter what your mood there will be a multiplayer game to entertain you and with 12 save slots available Wario Ware: Smooth Moves is the perfect title to play with your friends and family.

January 2007 at an estimated retail price of around 49 Euros (approximately £34 in the UK). The Wii console is available at the estimated retail price of around €249 (£179 in the UK). Included with every Wii console is one wireless Wii Remote, a Nunchuk, Wii Sports game, Stereo AV Cable and the sensor bar for Wii’s unique control system.

By Nintendo ...

new release via mediumgauge

This app allows you to play mp3 formatted files and also .wav along with being able to modify file names, etc. Basically what it does is allow you to view files from your memory stick on your psp.

Here's the change log

# cancel operation added
# RAMDISK memory leak fixed
# limit of 1024 files in RAMDISK removed
# UMD directory access attempted
# when a file is copied to RAMDISK, file marks should be cancelled
# you can now move files from RAMDISK

This is in eboot format for your psp, it comes for 1.0 and 1.5, This should make it a bit easy to keep files in order without your pc.

download and give feedback via comments ...

new release from Dezimalhexer

PSPIconIt 1.01

it's a little program to help those newbies out there to give your PSP's Memstick an icon and a label so your PSP can identify itself against Windows.

Just pick one of the included icons and give your PSP a name...

16 Icons are already included and I'm eager to add more and V2 will also feature a professional mode for those who want to add their own icons.

Of course I'm open for your suggestions...

Greets Dezimalhexer

Fixed the bug causing an existing autorun.inf not to be deleted - screenshot added

P.S.: It will of course also work on standart HDDs and USB-Drives

download, screen, and give feedback via comment
via Dezimalhexer ...

new release via jsharrad

Took a break from my current project to update some things that were bugging me in MinerPSP. Enjoy!

Changes in V1.2:
Fix: Changed random function to be more random.
Fix: Resampled some of the sounds for better size and compatability.
Fix: Included images into the executable for faster transfer to psp.
Fix: Tweaks to the game mechanics that aren't readily apparent.
New: Install-o-tron compliant HBINFO.TXT included.



Credits:
Harrel W Stiles for MinerVGA (the original game)
Folks over at ps2dev for the PSPSDK
Brunni for the Old School Library

download and give feedback via comment ...

YoyoMacy has created a rather great looking psp LUA game that looks very similar to the parachute game on many users ipods. This is a basic first release. So i would expect more from this in the future.

download, screen, and give feedback via comment ...

news via nytimes

EVEN before its release last month, Nintendo’s latest video game console, the Wii, was getting a lot of attention for its wireless motion-sensitive controllers. Swing the controller and — crack! — hit a virtual home run in a virtual ballpark.

Practically a sensation since its debut last month, the Nintendo Wii video game console is redefining the way vide games are played.

One controller is shaped like a sleek television remote (sometimes called the Wii-mote); the other plugs into the remote with a short wire, creating a vague resemblance to the two-handled martial-arts weapon it is named for, the nunchuk.

And beneath the controllers’ white plastic shells are an array of time-tested digital technologies working together in new ways.

The controllers communicate with the Wii console, a $250 box no larger than a child’s lunchbox, with the wireless technology known as Bluetooth. It is the means commonly used to link cellphones with their wireless headsets. The Wii remote also uses infrared, the same technology that links television sets with their remote controllers, to track where the controller is pointed.

In this case, a sort of crude camera — an image sensor — in the forward tip of the remote (the primary controller) detects tiny light-emitting diodes in a “sensor bar” that must be set on or very near a television plugged into the Wii. This system helps players use the remote to point accurately at specific things on the screen, like the virtual buttons to begin or end a game, or aim a weapon in a game.

Actions like pressing the buttons on screen or firing a weapon are conveyed between Bluetooth chips in the remote and in the console. The remote also contains a rumble pack, a component that vibrates to varying intensities based on information the console draws from the game’s programming and then passes to the controller.

But the controller’s most-talked-about feature is the capacity to track its own relative motion. This enables players to do things like steer a car by twisting the remote in the air or moving a game character by tilting the remote down or up.

“This represents a fabulous example of the consumerization of MEMS,” the tiny devices known as micro-electro-mechanical systems, said Benedetto Vigna, general manager of the MEMS unit at STMicroelectronics, a leading maker of the accelerometers embedded in the controllers. (Nintendo itself declined to talk about the controllers’ inner workings.)

He said the motion sensors, using the technology that activates vehicle air bags, can accurately sense three axes of acceleration: up and down, left to right, and forward and backward.

This is mostly achieved within the MEMS, micron-size machines that depend on submicroscopic structures carved into the silicon. For example, one structure moves like a tiny diving board, stimulated by the actions of the game players.

The structures are enveloped in an electrical field, Mr. Vigna said. When the MEMS elements are moved, the electrical field changes and the MEMS chip is sensitive enough to detect the changes.

These accelerometers are so sensitive, Mr. Vigna said, because electrons — those subatomic particles that whirl around the nucleus of atoms like a video game in the making — can sense the subtle atomic-level movement of the silicon structures. ...

news via ugo

Although it won't be debuting stateside until next year; Japan, Europe and Australia were lucky enough to get Wii Play (called Starting Out With Wii, Hajimete no Wii in Japan) with their console launch. The game comes bundled with a Wii remote for $80 in Australia, making it a budget title more or less designed to help introduce players to the remote and its many unique gameplay possibilities.

Wii Play includes a roster of 9 games, all of which can be played in a single player medal-reward mode or in two player multiplayer. It is uncertain how Nintendo will package the game in the US, but Down Under you are essentially getting the game for $10 in addition to the regular remote price, making the buy kind of a no-brainer if you are ever looking to play some Wii with friends or family. And despite the title's glossy exterior and budget nature, there is quite a bit of fun gaming to be had within.

Wii Play makes use of the Mii's on your console in several ways, the most basic of which is as a character selection to get started. But don't expect to just jump on in with your mates and start playing when you get the title home. In order to play each 'minigame' with two players you will first need to go through and play each of them in single player. It is a bit of an annoyance, but thankfully shouldn't take you more than half an hour to have all the games unlocked and ready to go. Once you do you are in for a treat, for although many of the games are quite enjoyable in single player, the two player mode is where this game shines.

The first game which comes unlocked in the package features simple pointing and clicking mechanics - Shooting Range. It is an obvious homage to the great Duck Hunt on NES, but mixes things up a bit beyond the regular duck and plate shooting. The first round starts off nice and simple with balloons floating up from the grass begging to be popped. This follows with a round of targets, which challenges you to take care not to pop your Mii in the face.

Plates, cans and flying saucers finish up the 3rd, 4th and final rounds respectively, with the occasional duck flying through the background for good measure. This is a great multiplayer game to introduce new players to as the interface is instantly recognizable and easily picked up. However the single player mode gets old once you have achieved a gold medal, as there are no further levels to unlock, and replay becomes just that as the same targets pop up making the game overly linear.

For something a little different try Find Mii, a "Where's Waldo" type game where you are asked to find the Mii's in your system along with randomly generated Mii's in varying circumstances. For instance, you might be asked to locate a particular Mii out of a crowd, or match up look-alikes as they swim through the ocean or ride an escalator. This game offers a nice easy pace compared to the rest of the line up, and yet could easily be the most difficult and challenging to earn your medals on. The two player mode has you racing against your partner to locate the specified Mii's for points, while the one player mode puts you up against the clock to test your powers of recognition, memory and focus. It's a solid addition to the package that should appeal to all ages with its simple point and click mechanics.

Table Tennis comes in next in what is undeniably one of the weakest games in the bundle. Instead of swinging your racket as in Wii Sports' Tennis you simply slide the Wii remote from side to side to position your paddle and return the ball. It can get a bit heated at times, but I found that the sensitivity of the controller makes it so that this is one of the hardest games for new players to pick up. I found it to be a bit of a let down that the mechanics were dumbed down so much, when really what you want to do is have a more fast and furious version of tennis, doing quick little flicks with your remote to maneuver your paddle. Here's hoping that Nintendo upgrades it for one of its future packages.

The most original game in the package comes in the form of Pose Mii, which some have likened to Tetris, but I honestly can't think of a single game I've played like this. The premise is simple, twist your remote to rotate your Mii onscreen, who will be posing in one of three stances - conservative, outstretched or the Egyptian. You flick through your poses with the A and B buttons, and move your character around the screen to fit into the silhouette of the particular pose floating to the bottom in a bubble. If it gets to the bottom before you can fit your Mii into place you lose a life, or in the case of multiplayer you lose your bonus score for that round; but you get some help in the form of Time-stop bubbles which freeze the screen momentarily giving you the chance to catch up. The music is catchy ...