new for X-Flash V18:

- Multi Firmware Version implementation.
Supports three versions including 3.02 OE unofficial hybrid.
- Esitmated free space on flash0 is more accurate.
- Program terminates if any firmware installation on flash0 is
greater than 20.2 Megabytes (all firmware versions).
- Gameboot movies for 3.02 SE must be no greater in size than
the original gameboot movie.
- Added a Christmas theme for the X-Flash menu.

download and give feedback via comment ...

The Yabause team (myself included) has released version 0.8.0 of our multi-platform Sega Saturn emulator. You can get it from the download page : http://yabause.sourceforge.net/index.php/?page_id=4 .

I won't go into what's changed since the last version, since there's too much to mention. Suffice it to say, Yabause is becoming quite a nice Sega Saturn emulator.

The release tonight includes binaries for Linux, Windows, Mac OS X, and Dreamcast (as well as the source code).

So, enjoy; and Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays from the Yabause team. ...

Well, its my turn for a Christmas release, and for that I bring you Yabause 0.8.0! For those who don't know, Yabause is a multi-platform Sega Saturn emulator. For the first time, I have a Dreamcast release ready at the same time as the other ports of Yabause.

To download the newest release, go here:
http://yabause.sourceforge.net/index.php/?page_id=4 .
If you pick the Dreamcast version as listed there, you'll get the plain files for the emulator (1ST_READ.BIN). You'll need a Saturn BIOS image to go with it named saturn.bin in the root of the cd. After that, just burn it like any other selfbooting emulator, pop it in your DC, and follow the directions on screen. Performance wise, you'll get somewhere between 4 and 8 FPS most places, but only around 2 in movies. Not all games work, and some work in the PC version that will not work on the Dreamcast version. Sorry about that.

Here's some screenshots for those who haven't seen them:






These are all from the game Magical School Lunar, by the way.

Anyway, Merry Christmas, and Happy Holidays.

Download here ...

Hello All,

I am pleased to announce Super Mini Halo: Xmas Edition (or SMH:XE). This build is just a rework of version 1.5 with Christmas graphics and music. There are 15 levels total in this game (we took out the old 10 for this build, they will return). We also renamed the folders so you can have both builds on the same memory card. For Version 2 expect around 50 levels!!!! So I hope you enjoy this game and Happy Holidays from all of us here at Xp Max =)

Whats New:
- Super Mini Halo Christmas Edition (Version 1.50)
- 15 New Levels (old ones taken out, will return for Version 2.00)
- Christmas Graphics (characters, backgrounds, etc)
- Christmas Music (for that warm fuzzy feeling inside)
- Folder name changed to 'MCH' So can be played with SMH on the same memory stick

Note: Pease read the readme.txt file for instructions on how to instal and play it.
I also want to thank:
- Levels and graphics by Xp Max Productions Devlopment Team
- JpX (aka Bob151jr aka JpDeathBlade)
- X God 0
- Q & 1/2
- Mwr247
- OarsmanofStyx (aka Styx)
- AntiFlagis 2
- XVampireHeart91X
- Red_Name
- FierBoy789
- Double A Ron
- SprintMaster
- RunePownage
- Pikita
- User
- Eviline
- Garaa
- Special Thanks to:
- Bungie for Halo
- Sony for their PSP
- Nintendo for Mario
- PSPSMM.tk for SMM version 3
- Banditmax.com for paying the bills (visit them today, support SMH)
- DcEmu for hosting the game
- Invisionfree for out fourms ( http://xpmax.cjb.net )
- Any SMH fans out there for downloading and playing the game.
We are also working on a donation link (thanks to BanditMax.com) so that will be up in a few days as well... Happy Holidays

Download: http://www.megaupload.com/?d=L74MX8IA and from DcEmu (link below)

-- .rar only this time -- Via [http://xpmax.cjb.net] If you post this on your site plz post this link as well...

download and give feedback via comment ...

news via cepro

The PlayStation 3 didn't come out of Sony's integration group, ya know. There isn't an IR receiver on the unit, and naturally you can't control it through RS-232.

So here you have a very fine Blu-ray Disc player that you cannot readily integrate with an HDTV set or surround sound. Sadly, the PS3 and its companion remote communicate via Bluetooth, and there aren't a lot of TVs and sound systems, let alone universal remote controls, that employ this protocol.

We thought, perhaps, there would be some promising news when Sony showed the STR-DA5200ES A/V receiver a few months ago. There was so much buzz about the user interface mimicking the Cross Media Bar GUI of the PS3, we thought maybe the two devices could communicate with each other. But there was nothing there. You'd think Sony would at least find a way to integrate the PS3 with its own receivers.

Indeed, you can incorporate the PS3 and its Blu-ray Disc player into your home theater environment. Daniel Tonks at RemoteCentral.com proves it in his elegant review, "How to Add Infrared Remote Control Capabilities to the PS3."

At one point, Tonks reminds us, Sony talked about incorporating consumer IR (CIR) into its PlayStation Portable (PSP), which might have been useful for something, but alas it was not to be.

What You Need

- Sony PS3 system
- PSX/PS2 Controller to USB adapter
- Original DVD remote control for the PS2 with external IR receiver

Good luck trying to find the required PS2 remote. Look for one that says "with IR receiver unit."

The remote will give you these functions on the PS3: Up, down, left, right, options menu, quit player, Blu-ray menu, enter, previous chapter, scan+, scan-, next chapter, display, pause.

Note the mapping of the PS2 buttons to the PS3 command set is not intuitive--the PS2's START button, for example, activates the PAUSE command on the PS3--but Tonks provides the details.

The rest is easy, just learn those buttons into a universal remote, and you have a modicum of integration between the PS3 and your other entertainment devices.

Tonks says:

Using a universal remote control this way works fairly well, although the PS3 is a little less quick to respond to repeated commands from the adapter, so you can’t press "up-up-up" as rapidly as with the Bluetooth controller. The 35 other commands on the Sony PS2 DVD remote control? They don’t do anything. There’s also no way to power on the unit using infrared nor navigate the Cross Media Bar, although this isn’t as inconvenient as it sounds since the PS3 will turn on and automatically play a movie when one is inserted.

For all the caveats and the hookup details read Tonks' complete review.

For every IR code for every IR device on the planet (it seems), go to the RemoteCentral.com File Area.
Any Hope for PS3 & SideShow Remotes?

Here's a thought: The first batch of universal remotes with Microsoft's SideShow technology communicate via Bluetooth with Vista PCs. The remotes that we've seen so far, including Interlink's reference design and SideShow remotes from Ricavision and Philips, also include IR for controlling A/V and other IR devices.

Has Sony enabled third parties to develop Bluetooth remotes for the PS3? If so, wouldn't it be nice to have a SideShow remote that controls the PS3 and all your A/V gear? ...

news via igniq

Tis the season for giveaway downloads. First it was Bethesda with its free Oblivion add on pack, and now Sony has stepped up to the plate to provide a free glimpse at Gran Turismo’s future for PlayStation 3 owners.

Of course the number of people who can take advantage of the free download is limited, but it sounds like one that’s worth snatching up.

Gran Turismo HD Concept will be available as a free download on the PS3’s PlayStation Network starting on Christmas Eve, according to Gamasutra.

The concept was originally planned to be a full release that would actually ship without cars or tracks in hopes gamers would buy them through mini-transactions, but that craziness was given up on earlier this month.

According to Gran Turismo creator Kazunori Yamauchi, the free download will give gamers a very good idea of what the game’s future holds. “With the power of the PS3 technology, the world of Gran Turismo is refined by its full HD visual presentation and unique interactive experience, resulting in an even more realistic and true driving simulator.”

I can’t wait to check this one out and get a better idea of the PS3's full power! Resistance Fall of Man looks awesome, but Marvel Ultimate Alliance holds a lot to be desired thus far. ...

news via punchjump

Wii owners on Fri. began to receive e-mail confirmations that wrist strap replacement orders for Nintendo Co.'s Wii console are being processed.

Last week, the Kyoto, Tokyo-based company issued a recall on 3.2 million wrist straps for the Wii's remote controller after reports of damage and / or injury.

In select cases, exuberant players experienced flying remotes that damaged their television screens or injury to another player.

Nintendo offered to replace current wrist straps with a thicker version at no cost to help prevent the occurence.

The recall is a blemish on the successful track reocrd of the Wii at worldwide retail.

In the U.S. the innovative video game machine has sold more than 600,000 units. In Japan, it sold 400,000 units in two days and in Europe the Wii amassed sales of 325,000 units.

The new complexity of video game machines have forced manufacturers to provide enhanced repair services to customers.

This week Microsoft announced that it would extend the warrant of its Xbox 360 to one year from a previous 90-day warranty after reports of console malfunction. ...

news via punchjump

Wii owners on Fri. began to receive e-mail confirmations that wrist strap replacement orders for Nintendo Co.'s Wii console are being processed.

Last week, the Kyoto, Tokyo-based company issued a recall on 3.2 million wrist straps for the Wii's remote controller after reports of damage and / or injury.

In select cases, exuberant players experienced flying remotes that damaged their television screens or injury to another player.

Nintendo offered to replace current wrist straps with a thicker version at no cost to help prevent the occurence.

The recall is a blemish on the successful track reocrd of the Wii at worldwide retail.

In the U.S. the innovative video game machine has sold more than 600,000 units. In Japan, it sold 400,000 units in two days and in Europe the Wii amassed sales of 325,000 units.

The new complexity of video game machines have forced manufacturers to provide enhanced repair services to customers.

This week Microsoft announced that it would extend the warrant of its Xbox 360 to one year from a previous 90-day warranty after reports of console malfunction. ...

news via jakartapost

The time has come to choose a new video game console for households and video game kiosks. Console producers, especially Wii (pronounced wee) from Nintendo Co., have targeted their systems to appeal to both young and old alike.

The question now is which console will rule the Indonesian market. Will it be Wii, PlayStation 3 (PS3) from Sony or XBOX 360 from Microsoft?

It is easy to tell who will not rule. XBOX 360 has already been out for a year without a game title that people really want to play.

Nintendo's Wii, with its innovative remote sensing controller, beats the PS3 in several aspects. Wii is the cheapest among the three consoles. With a retail price of US$249 (Rp 2.2 million), a gamer can go home with a full set, including a multi-sport game and a controller. The PS3, on the other hand, retails for $500 or and $600, with the difference depending on hard disk space.

The relatively affordable price makes the Wii more attractive for people who only want to play games. Sony, with its price, has a double objective. Its system is actually a subsidized Blu-ray player, the next wave in home video systems. If Blu-ray sells well, then High Definition Video spearheaded by other companies will have to dim its lights. Sony, however, failed to dominate its own Betamax to VHS two decades ago in the world market.

Nintendo, well known for its mustachioed plumber Mario series, is more player-oriented than PS3 in terms of innovation and playability.

Shigeru Miyamoto, creator of Super Mario Bros and the Legend of Zelda, says high-tech or realistic graphics are not their main concern. "I stood behind the gamers to study how to make the experience of gaming more fun to everybody," Shigeru said as quoted by CNN.

Nintendo has invented a new controller, a remote control-like device that people use as a magic wand or sword in fantasy games, a racket in tennis games or a gun in shooting games.

The drawback so far is that the strap, which is used to hold the controller close to the wrist, can break and fly off in the excitement of the moment. A change to a stronger strap, however, is on the way.

PS3 duplicatedcontroller concept to some extent in that it also uses motion sensor. However, their wireless controller still looks like a conventional controller which is held with both hands.

Nintendo has created pixelized characters that old school gamers have fallen in love with. Link, an elf-like hero from Legend of Zelda, and Samus Aran, probably the first superstar female to fight aliens in a game called Metroid, have ongoing series.

Not only are these characters marketable, their gameplay has been highly fluid, exact and responsive to players, compared to other video games.

The success of the current Nintendo console will depend on how many third-party game producers will support the console with their titles. Nintendo has been known to exclude many third-party releases, and this has made it suffer in the past as gamers bought other systems.

Wii's predecessor, the Nintendo 64, was left behind when the original PlayStation came out. Customers had a chance to play more games with PS than with the Nintendo 64.

Nintendo's strategy, which was to play it safe and not cater to games with violent content, has deterred mature players from buying the console.

PS2, the best-selling console of all time with over 100 million units sold, has been successful because of the multitude of titles available under its belt and moderate retail price. From role playing, shoot-em-ups to silly puzzle games, they have them all. PS3, with all its might, will have a hard time replacing PS2 in most local video game kiosks if it remains so expensive.

For Nintendo, the number of consoles sold correlates to third-party software. Could the big guys at Nintendo tolerate games such as the popular Grand Theft Auto franchise? If they can, then PS3 will be in for a much harder race.

Satoru Iwata, president of Nintendo, says that Wii should attract both avid gamers and non-gamers alike. Simple and easy to learn games could have the whole family enjoying playing video games together. In this sense, graphic details and computing power, which is the strength of PS3, is not a concern for Wii.

PS3, which created hysteria during its launch day, turns out to be a complicated machine. Gamers have to deal with its hard-to-understand operating interface to be able to enjoy its capabilities.

Iwata says that Wii has adapted to the increasingly busy lives of people, so a small learning curve is paramount. A person should be able to pick up the controller and learn to play a game within minutes.

Nintendo DS, a handheld released in 2004, has been ...