Microsoft has patented a new system of purchasing downloadable content via an automatic prompt, which attempts to ensure all players in the game have the same updates.

Discovered by website Broke My Controller, the "automated directed transaction and delivery system for digital content" (ATDDC) is designed to automatically detect if a player has not installed a particular component necessary to take part in an online game.

Once the content, such as a map or character download, is detected a prompt to the user is automatically generated. This allows them to purchase the extra content and automatically download and install it while remaining in contact with the other players.

The patent application uses a racing game in its example, describing a situation where a game host has a downloadable circuit which another player does not. Rather than having to exit the game and visit the Xbox Live Marketplace the ATDDC system would allow them to purchase and install the content immediately.

As with any patent there is no guarantee that Microsoft will implement the system, although it does have obvious potential for increasing sales of downloadable content.

http://www.gamesindustry.biz/article...line-upselling ...

Final Fantasy XIII on Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 has entered straight in at number one in the UK all formats chart, becoming the fastest-selling title of the year so far.

Despite a more mixed critical reception than normal for a mainline entry in the series the game broke the record for the fastest selling title of 2010, which was set only last week by EA's Battlefield: Bad Company 2.

Unusually for a multiformat title it was the PlayStation 3 version that sold the most, with 54 per cent of sales, reflecting the series' long association with Sony consoles dating back to Final Fantasy VII.

The rest of the chart saw little other movement of note, with Bad Company 2 dropping only one space to number two as sales fell by 38 per cent. Ubisoft's Just Dance on Wii saw sales drop by only 9 per cent at number three, while PS3 exclusive Heavy Rain was a non-mover at number four with an 8 per cent decline.

Wii Fit Plus rose one place to number five with sales up 11 per cent on the previous week, with Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 just behind it with an increase in sales of 2 per cent.

This week also saw Modern Warfare 2 become the second highest selling title ever in the UK, taking over from Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas and now behind only Brain Training on the Nintendo DS.

Other new releases outside the top 10 include Namco Bandai's multiformat cartoon tie-in Ben 10: Alien Force - Vilgax Attacks at number 13 and THQ's PC exclusive real-time strategy standalone expansion Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War II - Chaos Rising at number 14.

Sega's PS3 exclusive Yakuza 3 debuted at number 24, Disney film tie-in Alice in Wonderland at number 34 and retro compilation Sonic Classic Collection on DS at number 35.

The full top ten follows:

01 Final Fantasy XIII
02 Battlefield: Bad Company 2
03 Just Dance
04 Heavy Rain
05 Wii Fit Plus
06 Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2
07 Sonic & Sega All-Stars Racing
08 Aliens vs Predator
09 Wii Sports Resort
10 New Super Mario Bros. Wii

http://www.gamesindustry.biz/article...-records-in-uk ...

New downloadable content for Take-Two's BioShock 2 was already on the game's disc, according to accusations from fans.

The Sinclair Solutions pack was released on Thursday, March 11 and includes two new playable characters, 20 new trials, new upgrades for weapons and an increase of the level cap to 50. The pack is priced at 400 Microsoft Points (£3.40/$5.00).

Fans on the official 2K Forum message board noticed that the download was only 24K in size on the PC and 108K on Xbox 360, implying that the content was already finished and stored on the game disc.

A comment from forum community manager "Elizabeth" tacitly admits that the download was already on the disc, claiming that this was to ensure there was no split in the userbase for the game's multiplayer mode.

Although no formal comment has been made by senior Take-Two staff Elizabeth continued: "I know some of you have strong beliefs about DLC, and I'm not here to sway your opinion or convince you to buy our stuff - if you like what we're offering, I hope you get it and enjoy it. If it's not your speed, enjoy BioShock 2 as we released it."

Charging for content that already exists on a game's disc has proven consistently controversial with fans, with Capcom becoming embroiled in similar user revolts over its Versus mode downloadable content for Resident Evil 5.

http://www.gamesindustry.biz/article...isc-claim-fans ...

Sony Worldwide Studios European boss, Michael Denny, has told GamesIndustry.biz that he believes the forthcoming PlayStation Move motion control system will be instrumental in boosting sales of the PlayStation 3 when it's released later this year.

Speaking shortly after the brand was unveiled during a press conference in San Francisco last week, Denny explained that the release of Move echoed the business strategy previously seen on the company's last generation console.

"It's interesting - you look back at PlayStation 2 and it was about the same time in that console's life cycle that we started introducing new casual/social games and new interfaces, like SingStar, or Buzz!, or EyeToy before that," he said. "It's not new to PlayStation fans having physical gaming, or having new interfaces.

"If you look at where we are with PlayStation 3, and where we can get to, this new system that has genuine new appeal in both vision technology and motion technology - and the experiences it can bring - I think it really will not just attract new audiences to PlayStation, but re-excite some of the existing PlayStation fans in the experiences we can give them."

And when asked if the motion control system would boost hardware sales, or simply appeal to existing PS3 owners, he was very clear.

"It's going to do absolutely both of those things," he said. "If you've already got a PlayStation then it's a great additive experience. It can add to existing games, or existing franchises that people already know. We'll bring new IPs, new experiences for it - but as I said before, the stage we're at in the life cycle with PS3, it can help us broaden the audience now, as we'd expect to do at this time anyway."

http://www.gamesindustry.biz/article...l-ps3-consoles ...

Microsoft's Aaron Greenberg has claimed that Xbox 360 has "nearly twice" PS3's installed base - partly because its lack of a Blu-Ray drive allows it to be sold at a more attractive price point.

The Xbox product director claimed that "being $100 cheaper [than PS3] is part of the reason we're nearly twice their installed base".

It's likely Greenberg was referring to Xbox 360's North American installed base, with 360 and PS3 widely reported to be neck-and-neck in Europe.

"Sony bet on the physical disc, and there are costs associated with that," Greenberg told Edge magazine.

"The fact that we're able to offer a console starting at $199 is a benefit of not being burdened with that cost."

He added: "For us, our bet was on digital distribution, that was the future - the ability to [play] 1080p movies with no disc, no download required; we have the largest movie and TV library, the largest HD library of any console."

His comments come after Microsoft's director of Xbox and Entertainment Stephen McGill told CVG the firm had "no plans" to adopt Blu-Ray drives into 360.

Greenberg claimed that 360 had more exclusives than PS3 last month in an interview with CVG.

http://www.computerandvideogames.com...VG-General-RSS ...

Metro 2033 has pushed Xbox 360 graphical standards in a way that hasn't been "done before", according to THQ's head of communications Huw Beynon.

"The 4A Engine is a fabulous piece of tech," Beynon told VG247, "and you'll see Metro 2033 doing things on the 360 that you haven't seen done before. Personally, I think it looks incredible. But take a look, judge for yourself."

"PC is a another level again," he added. "I think we scared a few people when we suggested our Optimum specs, but Optimum means exactly that - the very best set-up for the very best quality and performance."

"Metro will run well and look great at the minimum spec, let alone Recommended which is well within the reach of serious PC gamers. Then there's 3D Vision implemented - Metro is currently NVIDIA's poster child for their 3D tech, if you get the chance to see it you really should."

http://www.computerandvideogames.com...VG-General-RSS ...

Gloves off. Knuckledusters on. Attack. Google has hired Tim Bray as its developer advocate, seemingly with a specific responsibility for Android. He's a big name in tech circles, having been one of the people behind the XML web standard.
Anyway, he's announced his new job on his blog, with a list of reasons why he's excited about Android, praising its improving user experience, its developer-friendliness, and its open nature.
What does he think of Apple though? Well, he has a few views.
"The iPhone vision of the mobile Internet’s future omits controversy, sex, and freedom, but includes strict limits on who can know what and who can say what. It’s a sterile Disney-fied walled garden surrounded by sharp-toothed lawyers. The people who create the apps serve at the landlord’s pleasure and fear his anger. I hate it."
And furthermore:
"Apple apparently thinks you can have the benefits of the Internet while at the same time controlling what programs can be run and what parts of the stack can be accessed and what developers can say to each other. I think they’re wrong and see this job as a chance to help prove it."
As Bray makes clear in his blog post, these are his views, not the views of Google itself - although he admits that Google asked to see a draft of this particular post before publication, and didn't suggest any changes.
But the post does highlight the fact that the big battle between Apple and Google isn't about personal emnity between the companies' CEOs, or even particularly about patents and technology.
It's about openness. And specifically about whether mobile users are best served by a controlled environment or an entirely open ecosystem.
Google's hiring of Bray brings it a powerful and respected advocate of the latter approach. This battle just got even more interesting.

http://www.casualgaming.biz/news/299...uck-into-Apple ...

Newly released for Dingoo:



D1X-Rebirth is a Source Port of the Descent Engine and provides classical Gameplay combined with a bunch of improvements and new features.

Download Here ...

News via http://www.retroactionmagazine.com/

The March 2010, Volume 4 Issue 3, of NintendoAge is now available to download. The monthly e-Zine covers everything Nintendo and the PDF can be downloaded for free (following a quick registration, if you aren't already).

This month's content includes:
Captain's Chair: Game Boy
FinNESt Literature
Member Spotlight: Custom NES Guy
The Ecstasy of Order: King of Blocks?
Dargon Quest I & II
Price Guide
Weblink: http://www.nintendoage.com/ ...