via PS3 Fanboy


The Full Moon Show, an Insomniac podcast, recently released "Episode 2" where they interviewed some guy who called himself David Jaffe or something like that. Ever heard of this lout? He thought he could explain why Calling All Cars, made by this other guy named... hmm... well, shoot, we completely forgot! Was it something like Javid Daffe? Either way, here's the explanation from the man himself.

During their extensive playtesting, there were instances where one player would just blow away the other players, creating a gap in score that kept growing to silly amounts. Sensing that it would draw away from the fun, Jaffe retreated to some devs who worked on older, arcade-style games for some coding help. Enter the image of Jaffe conversing with a Council of Elders in Developerland. Jaffe and crew are currently testing out some of the strategies for fixing the issue as given by these other developers. At least he's trying to make it fair for everyone, right? ...

via PSP Fanboy


Killzone fans want Infrastructure support--and they want it now! Unfortunately, it appears that this downloadable addition has been delayed yet again. According to a PlayStation forum post, "We still have too many bugs that need fixing before we can be 100% happy with the patch. We want it to be as good as possible and releasing it right now would not be fair on you guys, so we have decided to postpoine is a couple of weeks."

In the midst of bad news, there's still some good: the single-player extension will be free, and the multiplayer mode will support microphone use, so you can taunt other players online: "Good news is, we have the all clear to make Chapter 5 a free download. We have been expecting this and have been 99.9% sure it would be, but we could not announce it without the blessing of the higher ups. Also I want to confirm that it will allow Voice comms for those with headsets, but that is all I want to tell you about it right now. "

This Killzone patch can not come soon enough. ...

via Xbox 360 Fanboy


Most people, outside of those planning to buy an Xbox 360 Elite, are understandably miffed that the 120GB hard drive will debut at a wallet draining $179. As such, Microsoft has received quite a bit of flack for the pricing of the unit. Major Nelson himself got an earful from us on the subject during the latest Fancast. Aaron Greenberg, group product manager at Microsoft, recently defended the 120GB HDD price in an interview with GameTheory. Greenberg noted a few reasons for Microsoft's pricing decision, among them that Microsoft requires stringent specifications for drive performance. In other words, they have to perform at specific speeds to provide an optimal gaming experience, and they must provide a certain level of security. Greenberg also notes that the 120 gig HDD price is comparable to other self-powered external hard drives on the market. Greenberg's statements are in line with what we heard from Major Nelson.

Additionally, Greenberg notes that the pricing structure is consistent with the rest of the Xbox line. As he puts it, the $299 core becomes the $399 premium by adding a $99 hard drive. By adding a $179 hard drive to the core, you get the $479 price of the Xbox 360 Elite.

Sure, there are some expensive external hard drives out there, but we don't buy that Microsoft can't find comparable drives at lower prices. There are plenty of 120GB drives out there for much less than $179. Are we to believe that all of them fail to meet Microsoft's specifications? ...

via Games Industry


Sales of the PlayStation 3 have dropped dramatically on the second week of release in the UK, with official Chart Track figures revealing a fall of 82 per cent.

Chart Track data is gathered from 7000 UK retail outlets representing 90 per cent of the software market, including GAME, Gamestation, Play.com, Asda and HMV.

A spokesperson for Chart Track confirmed the figure to GamesIndustry.biz this afternoon, stating: "Yes, sales of PS3 hardware have dropped by 82 per cent."

Last week, Chart Track revealed that the PlayStation 3 had sold 165,000 units in the first two days following the launch, making it the fastest-selling home console in the UK.

"We publish the first week figures because there's such a clamour for them that we can't keep it a secret," said the spokesperson.

This week's software charts revealed that sales of the top two PlayStation 3 titles, Resistance: Fall of Man and MotorStorm, had dropped by over 60 per cent.

Sony Computer Entertainment Europe declined to comment. ...

via Xbox 360 Fanboy


Our Canadian friends are now officially feeling the Xbox 360 Elite love, because they've become privileged enough to be able to preorder the black wonder. X3F reader Trevor sent word that both Canadian Best Buy and Future Shop stores are now taking online preorders for the 360 Elite. So, if you're Canadian and willing to throw down $549.99, simply make your way to their online stores and get your preorder on. Also note that in the US you can only preorder the Elite from Circuit City, because US Best Buy stores have yet to take the preorder plunge. As we always say, preorders for all fanboys everywhere (except Europe)! ...

via Xbox 360 Fanboy


Yesterday, over on Bungie.net, they put up a little warning post to current Halo 2 players stating that they were adding new servers and that some game stats may get lost during the work. They then went on to say that these shiny new servers will also be running and logging all of our future Halo 3 beta and Halo 3 fun. But wait, did you just read that? Bungie is adding brand new game servers that'll support the Halo 3 beta! Holy cow! That means the Halo 3 beta will be releasing in like weeks, no days ... wait, minutes or even seconds! Or not, because soon after the servers went live Bungie updated their post by saying that, "this was just a routine server upgrade, similar to when we upgraded the web servers a couple weeks ago, and isn't a hint of imminent changes in the beta status". So, we guess the new servers aren't official confirmation of anything beta related. It was just our inner fanboys yearning for Halo 3 beta news and nothing more than that. What a sobering thought. ...

via Xbox 360 Fanboy


Capcom just announced that we'll be seeing more Lost Planet multiplayer map love this week. On Friday, April 6th Lost Planet's map pack #2 will be released to the XBLM featuring two new maps and will set you back 400 Microsoft Points just like it's old brother map pack #1. The two new maps are called "Hive Complex", which is set in an abandoned mine, and "Trial Point" set in a futuristic business complex. Preview videos of the new maps are available after the jump. Has anyone purchased the previous map pack and came away satisfied? If so, are you thinking about purchasing these two new multiplayer maps for more frigid fun? ...

via Kotaku


So Kojima's address at GO3 contained...not much, aside from a casual stroll down memory lane. Straight afterwards, though, I had a chance to sit down with Mr. Kojima (sadly, no tea OR biscuits) and talk Metal Gear, movies and "the rumble guy".

This year marks the 20th anniversary of Metal Gear. 20 years. It's a long time to be making the same game. So I ask him if he's surprised that he's still churning out Metal Gear games this far down the line. "I'm very surprised", he says. "Twenty years ago when I created my first one, I thought it'd just be over. To be more extreme, I didn't think the fist one would sell at all!".

Oh, but sell they did, and when games sell, you make more of them. "But I have kept making Metal Gear games", he says. "When I look back, while it looks like the same game, I've been adding new features and using new technology each time, so it's never felt like I've been making the same game."

This focus on new tech was a big part of his address, as with each advance in console hardware he says he was able to make fundamental changes to the series, culminating in the crazy wartime escapades of MGS4. "I have to say, the evolution of technology, that has helped me to keep 'creating' Metal Gear", he adds.

Since Metal Gear Solid 4 has come up, I do the polite thing and ask how it's coming along. "Its almost at the 'shooting stage' of creating a movie", Kojima says. "All the design and scenarios are finished, we're just completing the actual game".

It's been a long time coming, so it can't have been easy. Kojima agrees. "Nothing was easy", he says. "Everything has been hard, because we've set not just a high bar for ourselves but a number of bars. So there's nothing easy, everything is hard!"

With rumble having been a key aspect of the series thus far, I ask him his thoughts on the issue now that Sony and Immersion have made kissy-kissy. "I want to use rumble, yes", he says, "but it's a race against time. If it can make it in in time I'd like to use it, yes."

"The part that's troubling me, I cant really say...". He pauses. Oh, do go on: "...but we always designed the game without rumble, and I had great ideas without rumble, so if rumble comes back we have a decision to make whether to leave that new feature in or to take it out and replace it with rumble".

Could you patch it? A later update would at least give players the choice. "I want to implement it, rumble, yes", he says. "I'm not thinking about a patch, though". Oh. Well, early days, I guess. Maybe rumble and motion-sensing can't get along after all?

He won't say, but if he had to choose between the two, it looks like rumble would win out. His "other" idea doesn't have a nickname and a long-term relationship with the company. "Ever since MGS1 there was a specific guy, nicknamed the 'rumble creator', who worked on it for us", he says. "But he's been on a long vacation since we didn't think rumble was going to be in MGS4, so we're calling him back right now". Hmm. Long vacation sounds...ominous.

Moving on, I remind him of a comment he made last year comparing each of the three current consoles to "different kinds of dinner". Did he still think that was the case, now that all three are on the market? Nope. "They're more like a movie theatre metaphor", he says.

"The PS3 is like the theatre, it's a little bit high-priced but it has to be high quality as well. The 360 is a DVD, it still needs to be high quality but you need more variations, while the Wii is almost like a TV channel, because every game you have it with your family".

I look for a funny/revealing insight into the comment, then realise he's probably quite close to the mark. Still, by that admission, if the PS3 is Hollywood, is he feeling the heat of being the system's first big, exclusive title? "Yes, there is pressure", he admits, "but there is Final Fantasy XIII coming out as well, so it's not all me!".

Still on MGS4, I ask whether this really is the end. He's said repeatedly he wants to walk away at the end of this game, and the trailers seem to show everyone from the series getting together for one final shootout. So when MGS4 hits, will you hang up your boots? "Well, atually its really up to the users, its up to them to decide", he offers.

"If users want more Metal Gear, then I will probably step up as producer, like the James Bond series does", he says. "That way I can have new, upcoming directors making MGS while I oversee the project, and then perhaps I can move onto something ...

via Nindendo DS Fanboy


Of course, the Mario theme has been done to death with a variety of instruments and without. But this is Super Mario Bros. 2 and, upon hearing these fine kids rock it percussion style, we're forced to throw up the horns and bang our head with the best of them. Rock on young band folk, rock on!

The video can be viewed here. Leave feedback via comments. ...