Entries tagged with xbox - Channel 10

Guitar Hero: World Tour up close and personal-like

MaxPowerhouse7 — Fri, 10 Oct 2008 20:32:00 GMT

I’ve been sitting on this one for a little bit until closer to launch… that’s right, it’s almost Guitar Hero: World Tour time (October 26th to be exact).

“But Max, I already have Rock Band… what’s the big deal with this?!?” I don’t know which one is better yet, but based on what Brandon told me about the track editor where you can make your own instrument tracks for your own songs and share them online, this might be the killer “must have” feature of the video-console-rockin’-out-style-games. I also really liked the symbol additions to the drums, the pressure sensitivity, and not mentioned is the ability to use the drum header to plug in a real electronic drum set to rock out in some real style………… ohhh man I must do that!

So here’s the question ladies and lads: are the new features of Guitar Hero: World Tour compelling enough to get you Rock Band owners to buy another set, or did you all just wait for this game anyway??

Halo 3 Recon Announced

sarahintampa — Thu, 09 Oct 2008 17:28:00 GMT

At the Tokyo Game Show, a new release of an Xbox 360 exclusive, Halo 3 Recon, was announced. The Recon game is a standalone expansion that extends “Halo 3” with several hours of a new campaign and multiplayer gameplay. Although Recon is being released after Halo 3, it’s really a prequel that predates the events in Halo 3 while giving you a look at the Halo universe through the eyes of a new hero, a special forces ODST (Obital Drop Shock Tropper).

ODSTs are known for their courage, valor and, at times, insanity, and are among the fiercest UNSC soldiers, priding themselves on being the first unit deployed into hostile situations. While not as large or supernaturally gifted as their Spartan comrades, these “Hell Jumpers” more than compensate with their ferocious attitudes and unwavering nerve.

The new chapter will have the feel of Halo 3, but players will need to employ more stealth and cunning than before. The game is slated for a 2009 release. Go here to watch trailers.

New Xbox Experience Arrives November 19th

sarahintampa — Thu, 09 Oct 2008 17:28:00 GMT

You’ve probably heard about the new Xbox Experience, the major user interface makeover that’s coming to the Xbox 360. But now we have a firm date as to when: November 19th. if you haven’t been paying close attention to the news, here’s what you can expect when the new UI goes live:

1) Gamercard Changes: When you click on your Gamercard in the New Xbox Experience, you’ll be able to read messages, edit your profile, update your avatar, manage your account, switch profiles, and change the theme. You’ll also be able to see every game you’ve ever played on your Xbox 360.

Oh, does any of that sound familiar? Well, check out what it looks like!

On the first card, you’ll have your overall Gamerscore and to the right you’ll have every game you’ve ever played on another card. Each game has its own card that fans out to the side to show you what achievements you’ve unlocked per game.

2) Avatars! Forget little icons, the New Xbox Experience offers real, full-bodied, customizble avatars.

3) New Games Store: In the new Games Store, you’ll be able to check out screenshots of the game, watch trailers and read the back-of-the-box description like you are shopping at a retail store. The Games Store will also show you every available download for the game you searched for including reviews, trailers, gamerpics, themes, game add ons, game images.

4) Themes: These are no ordinary backgrounds, the new themes are even more detailed and dynamic. They’ll be present in every channel where they’ll present in cool and unique ways. Check out Major Nelson’s flickr stream for more pics.

5) Friends: You can join a LIVE party with up to 8 people (you + 7 friends) and roam from game to game, voice chat, and share photos.

6) Video Markeplace: Get access to high-def movies, TV, and other video content from Warner Bros, Constantin, USA Network, MGM, SciFi Channel, NBC Universal, Universal Studios, and more. Over 10,000 films and shows! And, of course, Netflix. With the launch of the New Xbox Experience, Netflix subscribers will also be able to instantly stream movies and TV episodes from their 360.

8) Community Games: Games created by students and hobbyists form around the world will be available in the Community Games Channel.

9) My Xbox: Get easy access to your games, videos, music, and pictures from the “My Xbox” menu. You’ll also be able to access system settings and view your Media Center content from here, too.

6) And more…

The new guide loads faster and smoother.
Your old stuff (gamerpics, themes) still work.
“Inside Xbox” available from the Marketplace will offer tips from Major Nelson, reviews, and other tips which are refreshed weekly.

The Xbox and Politics

sarahintampa — Thu, 02 Oct 2008 17:59:00 GMT

According to a recent article in the Seattle Times, a poll of Xbox Live users showed that gamers prefer Obama. The presidential poll, a part of Rock the Vote’s new partnership with Microsoft, returned results showing that 43% of gamers would vote Obama, 31% would vote McCain, 13% were undecided, and another 13% were “Other.” Perhaps they support Master Chief?

No matter what your political preference, you have to applaud the effort of the joint Microsoft/Rock the Vote campaign and how they’re using the Xbox platform as way to reach out to young voters.

Through Xbox Live, gamers can download Obama or McCain Gamerpics and add them to their Xbox Live profile. There are also voter registration forms and info and Rock the Vote videos. Gamers don’t have to hunt through the various blades within Xbox to find the content, either. Thanks to banner ads right on the dashboard, the content is only a click…errr…a button press…away.

To date, more than 55,000 voter registration forms have been downloaded through the service. That’s a pretty impressive number given the typically apathetic nature of young voters. It’s a testament to not only the efforts of the Rock the Vote campaign, but also those of the newest generation of young voters.

Generation Y, the first generation of “digital natives” is finally old enough to vote so Rock the Vote is trying to reach them on the platforms where they’re known to congregate: on blogs, on YouTube, on Facebook, on MySpace, on flickr, and on the Xbox, too.

There has been much said about this generation; their use of technology, their unique work ethic, their lack of brand loyalty, and their commitment to social change are a few of the hottest Gen Y topics. When it comes to social change, the U.S. election will be the first real test of whether this generation is paying more than lip service to their ideals. Will they actually go out there and vote? We’ll just have to wait and see. But if Rock the Vote can get tens of thousands of new voters engaged enough with the political process when they were just planning on chilling out with an Xbox game, then they are doing something right.

A New Themed Zune: Gears of War 2

sarahintampa — Thu, 02 Oct 2008 01:48:00 GMT

If the Joy Division Zune wasn’t quite your speed, then you might be interested in the next themed Zune instead: the Gears of War 2 edition. This Special Edition 120 GB Zune will go on sale in the U.S. at Amazon.com and Walmart.com and in Canada at Amazon.ca, BestBuy.ca, FutureShop.ca and TheSource.ca for the estimated price of $279.99 starting November 7th. However, you can pre-order it now (just click those links).

The Zune will feature a laser-etched Crimson Omen on the back of its black casing, collectible “Gears of War” themed packaging, and, perhaps most importantly, 244 pieces of “Gears of War” media. That media will include the original soundtrack, behind-the-scenes videos, and concept art and galleries.

The Zune is set to go on sale November 7th because that’s also the launch date for the new Gears of War game, a highly anticipated sequel that continues the saga of Marcus Fenix and Delta Squad as they fight to save humanity from the overwhelming onslaught of the Locust Horde.

You can keep tabs on the latest Gears of War news from the game’s homepage available here: http://www.gearsofwar.com.

Just In Time For The Holidays: A Red Xbox Controller

sarahintampa — Thu, 02 Oct 2008 01:47:00 GMT

Now available for a limited time only, Xbox 360 controllers are going to come in red, too…and just in time for the holidays! The red controllers with black accents will be available in U.S., Canada, Latin America, Australia, New Zealand and Asia for $64.99. They will be sold together in a bundle with the Play & Charge Kit and red rechargeable battery which lets you wirelessly game from up to 30 feet away and for up to 25 hours of gameplay on one charge. Pretty cool, but I have to admit, I like Engadget’s suggestion: sell the green one, too!

Nintendo Champ, John Mulhausen, Joins Xbox Team

sarahintampa — Mon, 22 Sep 2008 16:00:00 GMT

If you’re a gaming geek, then you may have heard of John Mulhausen. In 1990, when he was only 11 years old, he made a name for himself as a Nintendo champion. That year, Nintendo had announced they were having a world championship and John decided to go to the nearest competition to him which was in Dallas. The challenge involved playing 7 minutes of Super Mario and getting 50 coins, playing Red Racer and finishing the first track, and then playing Tetris. “It was like the triathlon of Nintendo gaming,” he says. He made the semi-finals and finished up as third in his age group. He even got to shake hands with the president of Nintendo. To this day, he still has in his possession the cool Nintendo t-shirt which the winners received.

Recently, John joined the Xbox team at Microsoft as a SDET (Software Design Engineer in Test) where he gets to work with Xbox developers supporting every studio that Microsoft publishes. He calls it his “dream job.” The Microspotting blog has a great interview up with John where he talks about both the job and the Nintendo championship in more detail.

Now, who says playing video games can’t lead to productive careers?

How Avatars Work on Xbox 360

Larry — Fri, 19 Sep 2008 19:19:00 GMT

Larry "Major Nelson" Hryb posted a video showing how you'll be able to pick and customize your avatar in the new Xbox 360 Dashboard update. Keep in mind that this is an early build, so some things may change before you see it on your Xbox. There are plenty of customizations, facial hair, hats, jewelry, shoes. You can make your avatar taller/shorter, skinny/fatter. I like what I've seen so far. What do you think?

Microsoft's Holiday Preview - Xbox 360

Tina — Thu, 11 Sep 2008 13:56:00 GMT

Happy Holiday's Gamers! Yes, don't let the 80 degrees and sunny skies throw you off. Jen Puzio and I talk about what you can look forward to this holiday season from the Xbox team. Including the Xbox Experience with Avatars, downloading movies from NetFlix, Lips and You're in the movies. And check back tomorrow where Microsoft's Holiday Preview gives you a sneak peek into what you can expect from Window's Mobile!

GC08 - Gespräch mit Boris Schneider-Johne

lorigros — Mon, 08 Sep 2008 09:06:00 GMT

Boris Schneider-Johne ist Produkt Manager für die Xbox Plattform bei Microsoft Deutschland. Er ist verantwortlich für die Xbox Konsole selbst und auch für die Zusammenarbeitet mit 3rd-Party Spiel-Publisher. Boris ist sehr bekannt in Deutschland als Pionier auf dem Gebiet der Spiele-Übersetzungen und auch für sein Blog dreisechzig.net, wo er viel über Videospiele und Software schreibt.

Ich habe mit Boris auf der http://www.dreisechzig.net/

Rock the Vote From Your Xbox

sarahintampa — Wed, 27 Aug 2008 15:39:00 GMT

Xbox and Rock the Vote have partnered up in order to reach out to young voters through the Xbox community. Starting August 25th – the same day as the first day of the Democratic National Convention - Xbox 360 owners will be able to register to vote, participate in presidential polls, and voice their opinions to the presidential candidates through Xbox LIVE, a community whose members reach 12 million. Said Heather Smith, executive director, Rock the Vote: “To realize our goal of registering 2 million young Americans by this fall, we need to go where young Americans are, and there’s no doubt in our minds that many are on Xbox 360 and Xbox LIVE.”

I remember in the past Rock the Vote was involved with MTV, but I don’t ever remember seeing them actually go seek out young voters through a gaming platform before – that is definitely a first. And how creative! I went and checked out the Rock the Vote homepage to see where else they were besides Xbox, and it turns out that they’re on YouTube, facebook, and flickr, too. (Hmm, someone should tell them about Twitter.)

Xbox 360 + XNA is a Win-Win

Larry — Mon, 18 Aug 2008 17:23:00 GMT

Recently the game Braid was released on Xbox Live Marketplace. In the first week, this side scroller brought in nearly a million dollars in revenue. What sets this game apart from others is that it wasn't developed by one of the big game companies, but rather by Jonathan Blow with graphics help from David Hellman.

Turning console game development into a cottage industry is new, and it's a win-win for all of us. For Jonathan, he can now make developing games a full-time career. For us, it means we can anticipate more lower-cost games (Braid is $15). We can also expect some interesting twists from non-establishment game developers. For instance, Braid is a side scroller, but it is different from other Mario-type games in that you get a single life and the ability to reverse time (more on that from 1up.com).

I'm interested in hearing what downloadable games you like, and what you would like to see in marketplace games. Leave us a comment and let us know.

It's Official: Get Netflix on your Xbox 360

Larry — Mon, 14 Jul 2008 18:19:00 GMT

This morning we announced support for Netflix service as being built-in in an upcoming software update to 360 service. As C|Net points out, there have been some workarounds for this in the meantime, but this solution will allow you to stream natively and without a dedicated Media Center PC.

Also announced is a shared movie experience that will let you watch a movie at distance with up to 7 friends at once. Major Nelson promises more details on this later today.

Use Any Object as a Controller With Cam-Trax

sarahintampa — Fri, 13 Jun 2008 19:39:00 GMT

Cam-Trax lets you play any PC game you want using almost any object you can find as a game controller - you just need to have a PC and a webcam to do so. The software uses the webcam to scan the object you’re holding and then the object can be used to control your game! (See it in action here). Crazy! What’s even crazier is that I just discovered that the Xbox 360 can do this, too, but not many people know about it. The Xbox can be paired with a camera and through XNA, casual game designers can experiment with their ideas. In fact, here are a couple of videos of people doing the machine vision thing with their Xbox: video 1, video 2. Want to give that a try yourself, this guy documented some of the techie details on how to access the elusive camera frame buffer. The documentation is available as a download here. Now, who’s got a machine vision system that works with XNA?

Tweet Your Xbox Live Status

sarahintampa — Sun, 25 May 2008 17:26:00 GMT

Are you a Twitter user and an Xbox Live fan? Then you'll love this new Twitter app called Twee60. The app lets your Twitter followers receive your Xbox Live status updates via Twitter. To use the service, you must first register for an account at Twee60. Then, it's as simple as entering in your Twitter credentials and your Xbox Live gamertag. After that, no more configuration is required - the service runs 24/7 to keep you friends informed as to when you are online and ready to play.

fmx - XNA und Serious Games

lorigros — Thu, 22 May 2008 17:16:00 GMT

In zahlreichen Sessions auf der fmx erläuterten Microsoft-Sprecher aus Deutschland und den USA wichtige Technologien, wie beispielsweise den Einsatz von XNA Studio zur Spieleentwicklung unter Windows und auf der Xbox. Vor Ort habe ich mit Dirk Primbs, Microsoft Developer Evangelist, über fmx und XNA gesprochen. Auch dabei auf dem Microsoft-Stand war Kreativpartner Pixelpark Agentur. Sie habe ein Showcase zum Thema „Xbox Business Applications“, ein Szenario, bei dem die Xbox-Konsole für Simulationen und E-Learning-Applikationen („Edutainment“) präsentiert. Ich habe mit Dirk Krause von Pixelpark darüber geredet.

Read RSS Feeds on Your Media Center TV

sarahintampa — Wed, 21 May 2008 14:40:00 GMT

The Media Center RSS Reader application lets you read RSS news items on your Media Center TV as well as watch and/or listen to podcasts and watch video blogs. Originally developed for XP Media Center, there is now also a version for Vista Ultimate. The application adds a new option to Media Center's Start page called "Accessories." From there, you'll have access to a section called "RSS News & Casts" where you'll be able to view your feeds. If you run into any formatting issues or unsupported codecs, the site suggests you try downloading the content to your PC instead via IE's built-in RSS reader, instead. Since I use my Xbox 360 to watch Media Center content on my living room TV, I'm excited to have a way to access not just feeds, but podcasts too, without the addition of another set-top box to do so. (thanks to scribkin for the tip!)

Hear the Lions Roar on Xbox 360

Laura — Wed, 07 May 2008 14:30:00 GMT

I did this interview last year but JUST NOW is it allowed to go public...
A new program aims to make hospitals more fun for kids through technology. That’s the mission of a whole host of organizations nationwide like the Companions in Courage Foundation. Founded by pro hockey Hall of Famer Pat LaFontaine, the organization sets up what it calls Lion's Dens – rooms like one just opened at the Morgan Stanley Children's Hospital.

"We can create an atmosphere and environment where kids can escape to and be a safe haven where they can play games and videos and create art and create music and video conference with friends, their heroes, their grandparents, and just be, with technology, connected to the outside world," LaFontaine said. "We really have four primary components: video game, so Xbox 360; we have the PCs, so kids can go in and instant message and email, they can get homework assignments," Jim Johnson of the Companions in Courage Foundation said. "We also have a big screen television; and then we have the video conference pod, which is a live video conference that allows them to connect to relatives that may be out of town or celebrities."

Download Iron Man Demo for Free

sarahintampa — Fri, 25 Apr 2008 21:44:00 GMT

If you're like a bunch of people I know, you're pretty darned excited for the upcoming Iron Man movie. As you may know, there will also be an accompanying Iron Man video game for Xbox. Both game and movie will arrive on May 2nd, but you can sample the game now, for free, via the demo available on the Xbox Live Marketplace. According to the description on Major Nelson's site, the game lets you: "Immerse yourself in hardcore shooting action and explosive combat from the film as well as exclusive content created just for the game. Customize your Iron Man suit and battle against armies of fighter jets, tanks, armored Super Villains and more. You are a One Man Army. " (via Xbox 360 Fanboy)

Add an Xbox Gamercard to Your Site

sarahintampa — Wed, 09 Apr 2008 15:39:00 GMT

Adam Kinney just posted on his blog that he created a way for you to add an Xbox Gamercard to your web site. The gamercard uses both Silverlight for its interactivity, data set stack, and portability and the Xbox Gamertag Data Service. To add it to your web site, you only need to enter your gamertag in the form on this site and then copy-and-paste the resulting code to your site.

There's also a "Friends Watch" Vista Sidebar Gadget available from Adam, found here, which lets you track when your friends are online and what they've been playing.

Halo 3 Downloadable Content Arrives April 15th

sarahintampa — Thu, 27 Mar 2008 13:07:00 GMT

Microsoft and Bungie just announced that April 15th is the release date for the next wave of downloadable content for Halo 3. The new content, entitled the Legendary Map Pack, will include three new maps: Ghost Town, Avalanche, and one other map, yet to be revealed. Additionally, there will be some new Forge options which will let fans create and share their custom Halo 3 content. The Legendary Map Pack will be made available on the Xbox Live Marketplace for 800 Microsoft Points.

GameStop Launches Mobile Text-to-Win Contest for Grand Theft Auto IV

Laura — Wed, 26 Mar 2008 15:27:00 GMT

GameStop announced today that it will launch a national text-to-win contest in anticipation of the Grand Theft Auto IV release by Rockstar Games, available April 29, 2008. The contest will end with a launch event in "Liberty City" (a.k.a. New York City) on April 28, where national winners will meet regional winners and compete for $30,000 in prizes. Check back here for event highlights.

From Monday, March 24 through Tuesday, April 15, 2008, players can click here to get the contest question and sign up for exclusive insider information about Grand Theft Auto IV leading up to its release. Playing for a chance to win up to $10,000 and a trip to "Liberty City" for the launch event, participants are required to text-in one of five possible answers using their mobile phones. Players will have a second opportunity to enter at www.gamestop.com.

A total of four (4) national winners will be selected at random from all correct mobile and online entries, and will each be awarded:

· Roundtrip airfare and ground transportation to "Liberty City" for themselves and a guest

· One hotel room for two nights

· Two gift bags courtesy of GameStop and Grand Theft Auto IV

· Two hundred and fifty dollars ($250) in spending money

· One key to open a lock box at the April 28^th launch event

On April 28, 2008, the national winners will meet the regional winners in "Liberty City" to see if their key opens Niko's Lock Box. Niko's Lock Box contains 38 unmarked envelopes containing awards from $100 to$10,000. The event will take place GameStop's flagship store at 1282 Broadway (at 33^rd Street).

For additional details and to obtain a list of official rules, visit a local GameStop retail location or www.gamestop.com/GTAIV.

Regional "Lost Keys" Promotion in "Liberty City"

In addition to the national contest, GameStop will drop red key chains in select stores in "Liberty City" from April 1-27, 2008. The unmarked red key chains will direct players to call a local telephone number for further instruction on how to gain access to GameStop's Grand Theft Auto IV launch event in "Liberty City" on April 28, 2008.

XNA Game Studio - Your world, your game.

Laura — Wed, 26 Mar 2008 02:29:00 GMT

XNA Game Studio really does give you all you need. Not only do they give you the tools to make the games that you want, but they also give you the training and tutorials to give you the skills to do it. I ran across one of their many game design challenges to see exactly how it happens, who can enter- and of course, where you can find out when one is coming near you. Take a peek here at the latest event in San Francisco, and then I hope to see you at the next one!

Halo 3 Heroic Maps Free Today

sarahintampa — Tue, 25 Mar 2008 15:26:00 GMT

Happy Halo Map Pack Day! As of today, Halo 3's formerly $10 set of maps, the Heroic Map Pack, is now free. This add-on lets you add new battle zones to the Halo 3 game. The pack consists of the Rat's Nest, Standoff, and Foundry maps, where players are provided with things like labyrinthine mazes (Rat's Nest) and editable objects that can be used to create a custom battlefield (Foundry). The next series of maps, the Legendary Map Pack, will be available on April 15th for 800 Microsoft Points.

Wanna work for Xbox?

Laura — Mon, 24 Mar 2008 20:46:00 GMT

People are always approaching me and asking how they can get their foot in the gaming industry door. What a dream come true it would be to be a lifelong gamer and then actually get paid to be a part of what you love? Well, the truth is there are alot more opportunities than you might think. Xbox and Microsoft are constantly on the hunt for fresh new talent- and sometimes they even recruit it! I came across an Xbox recruiting booth and decided to get you guys all the info on nabbing that dream job. Enjoy.