Tech Vidiot

Project Natal to Be Treated as a New Console Launch

2009-06-12T11:46:00.011-04:00

Unless you really have been living under a rock, you have all heard about Microsoft's answer to the Nintendo Wii. Project Natal is a motion/camera sensing device that allows you to control games with just your body. Unlike the Wii, no controller is necessary. The demonstration at E3 was more of a tech demo, but still showed off the power of Natal, not only with new software, but with existing games as well. Coming out of E3, we are now hearing that Natal is going to be just as big as a new console launch, showing that Microsoft is serious about the technology.

This would make sense for the gaming giant, as treating Natal like a new system launch, would add at least another 5 years to the systems life span. Since the beginning, Microsoft has stood strongly behind having the 360 have a much longer life span than previous generation systems. Some reports have mentioned the likes of 15 years. That's older than dogs live!

Whatever the case, I am thoroughly excited about the Natal, and can't wait to get my hands on it, hopefully by the end of next year. I think the big "make or break" for it will be the cost. If people have to basically make another game system purchase on top of buying a 360 (basically buying a $600 system) the Natal will never succeed. The Wii was so successful because it allowed the majority of consumers to purchase the system, and enjoy the hands on technology of motion sensor controls. We will have to wait and see.

For fun, below you will find a short clip of Jimmy Fallon messing with the Natal on his late night show earlier this week:

1ST IMPRESSIONS: Tiger 10 for Nintendo Wii

2009-06-11T23:59:00.015-04:00

Ever since the Wii MotionPlus was announced for the Nintendo Wii, I was interested to see if the device would be another Nintendo gimmick (Powerglove, that Robot thing,Vitality Sensor) or if it would actually add the next level of immersion that the Wii had lacked since launch. I made the plunge and picked up Tiger Woods 10 this week with the bundled Wii MotionPlus. Suffice to say, with only testing it out with the game for an hour or so, I am pretty impressed with the piece of technology.

To start, the bundle was a great deal. For $60, you get the full game, the WiiMotion Plus, an elongated WiiMote case and some decals (now in the garbage). Installing the device was simple, as it snaps neatly onto the bottom of your existing Wiimote. Once the game is loaded, it is automatically detected and your ready to play the most realistic game of golf inside the comfort of your own home.

I will have a full review of the game up in the next couple of days, but I wanted to share my first thoughts on mostly the WiiMotion Plus. To sum it up: It is pretty accurate. The 1:1 swing ratio is spot on. Bringing your club halfway back, will bring your virtual club halfway back. Swinging at a slow rate will yield a less than powerful shot, while really going at it will send the ball flying down the fairway.

In addition, you can also easily add a fade and draw to your swing by twisting your wrist through your swing. Past Tiger games for the Wii allowed you to do this, but never has it felt so natural. I actually found myself utilizing this during my first couple of holes, sweeping shots around banks of trees right onto the green.

Putting was another story. A review I read over at IGN.com, mentioned that putting was so accurate, that you didn't even need the help devices on-screen. "you can use shot indicators and graph the terrain on the easier control difficulties, but I've found it easier just to eye the course, get a feel for it and putt away. It works like a charm". Ehhhhhh...we will see about that. I still need to put much more time into this aspect of the game, but so far, I find my shots either shooting way past the hole, or barely getting there.

Overall, I am very impressed with the technology, as well as the game. Stay tuned for a full review, as well as my thoughts on my favorite mini-game ever....Disc Golf

Volkswagen Polo Challenge

2009-03-17T11:02:00.013-04:00

Every couple of days, I jump into the iTunes app store to check out any breaking apps that catch my attention. These range from a financial utility app such as Mint.com (a must have!) or an intriguing game that looks like it may offer something new and refreshing (please no more color match games!). Today I found a free app that has been branded by the car manufacturer Volkswagen. Coming from the branded casual games industry, I was immediately interested in downloading.

Created by Fish Labs, "Volkswagen Polo Challenge" is a free download promoting the new Polo vehicle from the car manufacturer. It is a very straightforward game and doesn't do anything revolutionary, however it does everything right for a free branded app.

Shipping with 8 levels, you must navigate to the end of each level in a set amount of time. The game looks great and controls fairly well. It doesn't utilize the accelerometer but defaults to touching the left/right sides of the screen to steer.

There are no other vehicles to race against and it would have been great to upload your fastest times to a leader board, but this app is world's ahead of Audi's attempt at a similar app a couple months back. It takes a quality racing engine and integrates the brand in an unobtrusive manner.

It is great to see quality games with the brand in mind. In too many instances, the time and money fails to be invested in innovative products such as video games to see results. We then are presented with a crap game and the brand deems the venture a failure. I think the minds behind this app put the right foot forward and I can't wait to see how developers start to push the envelope even further with the release of the new iPhone 3.0 OS.

Quake for Free!

2009-02-23T22:29:00.007-05:00

***UPDATE: Turns out that Quake Live is currently only available for Windows XP and Vista users. The site FAQ sheet states that they are working on a version to play on Mac but does not give any timing***

The long delayed Quake Live is finally opening up its doors to an open Beta. For those of you who don't know about the long-awaited game, Quake Live is a free, yes FREE, browser based game. Running within your web browser of choice (Firefox) you will be able to frag all day long without spending a dime. This is all possible due to "unobtrusive" ads spread throughout the game.

From what I have read about the closed beta, the game plays fairly smoothly and matches are just as fast and furious as they were when the game came on a disc. There will be 30 arenas, with more planned for the future. Leader boards and tournaments are also planned, but I highly doubt they will be available during tomorrows launch.

My only question is whether this will be PC only or if it will work across various platforms. If anybody knows if us Mac users will be able to enjoy this tomorrow, please let me know!

Click HERE for a link to the official countdown site.

Twitter? Yeah I Use it.

2009-02-17T21:49:00.022-05:00

Two months ago, I did not have a clue what Twitter was . I had definitely heard about the micro-blogging service, the fact that it had yet to figure out a viable business model, or the fact that Shaquille O'Neal used it, but I still could not tell you exactly what it was. Fast forward to today and I have Twitter on my Blackberry, a Firefox plug-in and visit the site more often then Facebook. This simple yet powerful web service drew me in like a bad drug, and I think many more will be jumping on the bandwagon sooner then you think.

Twitter is a new breed of the web 2.0 era called micro-blogging. It allows its users to upload quick bits of information to their profile page. These "tweets" are limited to only 140 characters. The reasoning behind this is due to Twitter's ability to work on multiple platforms, more specifically, mobile phones. Since SMS text messages are limited to 140 characters, so are your "tweets". This allows you to update your twitter page anytime, anywhere. Take a interesting picture with you Blackberry and instantly share it on Twitter.

This sounds very similar to updating your Facebook status. Well, it is, but on steroids. What is great about Twitter is that you can follow as many people as you want and they don't have to accept anything. It is much more public then Facebook, but doesn't go into all of the personal relationship crap. People you may follow range from your best friend, Lance Armstrong, your favorite blog (TechCrunch) or a blue chip brand like Coca-Cola. Once you begin adding people to your following list, Twitter starts to truly show its magic. Late breaking news, sports scores, interesting links, and pictures, all catered to your liking. If someone you are following starts to bore you with their tweets, simply stop following. Not nearly as personal as "defriending" someone on Facebook.

This aggregated list of status updates can then be accessed through your web browser, desktop widget or your mobile phone, all being constantly updated. Twitter is a nice blend of blogging, RSS feeds, and social networking all working in real-time.

Yea this all sounds well and good, but does what I just explain really warrant the massive amount of hype that Twitter is getting? Maybe. But there are many other reasons why Twitter is getting the attention that it is:

- Customer Service: Many companies are offering direct customer service to its followers. Post a question or issue to hear from a direct representative from brands like Dell or HP. You will also discover that the Twitter community itself is very helpful and posting a question as your status will bring in multiple responses from your fellow followers.

- Traffic Driver: If you run either your own blog or website, Twitter is a great tool to let your readers know that you published a new post, or added some new feature to your site. It is a quick way to ping people with a quick update.

- Provides Inspiration: After adding a handful of Twitter users to your follow list, your profile will be filled with interesting stories, pictures, and links that will show you new corners of the world wide web that you never knew existed.

- Promote Product/Brand: Similar to the customer service offered by HP and Dell, other brands can use Twitter to connect on a personal level with people who show interest in their company.

- Job Networking: Use Twitter to connect with other individuals in your industry, find out who is looking to fill jobs, or to let everyone know you need one!

- Simplicity and Entertainment: It's fun! And it only takes a couple seconds to see if anything is of interest on your Twitter profile.

So there you have it! Twitter in a nutshell. If you haven't signed up yet, click HERE to join the huge population of people tweeting away. Or, if you have been a user for some time, let me know your thoughts, things you would like to see in the future, or anything else about this growing network of social bloggers.

You can also follow me on Twitter by clicking on the link found on the sidebar of this blog.

Color Changing Showerhead

2009-02-10T10:51:00.005-05:00

Ever wanted to make your morning rinse a little more enlightening, literally? The people over at "The Glow Company" (ingenious name, since all the products they sell "glow") have created a fairly inexpensive shower head that changes color based on the temperature of the water.

Using the power of the water pressure only, this unit requires no batteries or other source of energy. Spanning four colors (red, green, blue and purple) it now should be very easy to tell when your shower is the perfect temperature, without even entering the tub.

I know that this product is absolutely worthless, but it would definitely be a conversation starter when having guests over.

Check out "The Glow Company's" full site HERE.

REVIEW: WordsWorth for iPhone/iTouch

2009-02-08T17:39:00.009-05:00

WordsWorth, a game powered by 99 games, is a simple, yet addicting game that keeps you coming back for more. The gameplay is straight forward and the graphics do the job, but does it deserve a purchase of $1.99?

The game mechanic itself is nothing revolutionary. You are presented with a grid of letters in a honeycomb shape. Your task is to find words within the scrambled letters by combining those that are next to one another. The longer the word, the more points you earn. You also can shake the device and scramble the letters up, but these are limited in their availability.

There are two modes of play in the game. The first is timed where your racing the clock to create a set number of words. Classic gives you unlimited time while you try to avoid the bombs squares from exploding. You can also choose a minimum word size ranging between 3-5, increasing the level of difficulty significantly.

I am not sure I am a fan of the Sherlock Holmes type graphics that the developers have selected. I guess it makes sense as it seems to take place in a library, however, I think the game could have more appeal with a more up-to-date look to it. But for a game of this nature, it really isn't about the presentation. Also would have been nice for a landscape mode to allow for easier play with two fingers.

Again, the game is very simple, but is straightforward enough that anyone can enjoy. You will slowly find yourself trying to beat your high score over and over. If you are more into games that require some actual thought and intelligence, this may be just what your looking for to get your morning started before getting to your real job.

Overall Score: 7.9/10

Old School Space Invaders....for Free!!

2009-02-08T17:03:00.008-05:00

Found this site over the weekend and thought I should share. If you like your old school games, this will definitely take some time up of your day. Played it once and only got 14,970. Don't know how the high score is 764,960. Someone has way too much time on their hands. Also wondering what kind of traffic a site like this gets. The site is nothing more than the game and some history on the game.

Let me know what score you were able to get. Last I check you need at least 18,000 to get in the top 500.

Click HERE for free Space Invaders.

Burnout Paradise Party

2009-02-06T09:54:00.008-05:00

Criterion Games is definitely pushing the boundaries with their latest installment of the Burnout series, Burnout Paradise. Releasing over a year ago, they are consistently releasing fresh new DLC, giving the game a set of new legs. First it was the addition of motorcycles...then day to night transitions...then new achievements. The list goes on. That list continues today with the release of Burnout Paradise: Party.

Releasing today, February 6th, on the PSN and Xbox Live Marketplace for $9.99, players will be introduced to an all new offline party mode. When Burnout Paradise was first released, it was known for its open-world, online multiplayer, where players could roam freely about the city, challenging others at their leisure. However, the game always lacked an offline multiplayer mode.

This is a great addition, as I am finding a lot of new games are lacking any sort of offline multiplayer modes. There have been multiple instances where I have had a bunch of friends over and we are eager to all play a game, only to find that the only modes of play are over XBL or the PSN.

With Burnout Paradise: Party, players can pass the controller around, trying to beat each others longest jumps, fastest times, or greatest crashes. Seems like the perfect mode for a game like Burnout.

I will be downloading it today for the weekend and will post my thoughts on Sunday. If you get the opportunity to mess around with it prior to that, let us know what you think of the mode and if it is worth the $9.99 purchase price.

Casual Gaming with Google

2009-02-05T23:48:00.008-05:00

As some of you may know, I currently work for a branded entertainment company specializing in the creation of original casual games. Being a hybrid of a ad agency and a game developer, we make games for brands. Its a unique position to have in the industry, especially with the sudden increase of gamers across all demographics. People of all ages are now highly engaged with casual games, allowing brands to fully interact with their consumers. Since beginning to work here, I have begun to have a new appreciation for the "casual gamer", being a more "hardcore" player myself. That is why games such as Real World Racer from Tom Scott really intrigued me.

Tom has managed to create an original racing game that utilizes the Google earth technology. You begin by selecting a pre-set route from all over the world, ranging from racing around the rock at Gibraltar, or racing through the windy streets of Ireland. Or you can create your own route around your neighborhood. Or race in some far off land like Egypt. Once selected, Google earth creates a unique route based on nearby streets. Through a series of checkpoints, you race AI controlled opponents to the finish.

There are some limitations to the program of course. There are no real boundaries, allowing you to simply fly right off the track. However, the checkpoints are very close together, so in doing so, you will most definitely lose the race. Another downfall is the slight delay when the screen needs to switch to a new image when your car reaches one extreme of your browser window.

However, what really perked my interest in this game were the limitless possibilities a game developer could discover using the power of Google. I have already begun to see some location based games using Google maps and the recent popularity of the iPhone. Most of the stuff on the iPhone is limited to social apps, such as Loopt, but there are only a handle of games that use this same technology.

However, I have yet to really find a truly engaging game that really brings the power of Google to a casual game, but this racing game is pretty innovative. Have you found any other games that are either harnessing the power of Google maps or some other location aware software? Let me know!

Click HERE to play Real World Racer.

Mirror's Edge 2D Beta

2009-02-05T17:52:00.005-05:00

I never got around to playing the full retail release of Electronic Arts Mirror's Edge for either the PS3 or the Xbox 360. When first viewing the previews for the game, I was intrigued by its unique gameplay. However, I was very underwhelmed with the demo and decided to pass on the $60 purchase. Instead, I got hooked on a free, 2D version of the game.

The game is being developed by Bourne Games, an independent game developer blessed by EA to use the Mirror's Edge name and character universe.

Although the game is only in beta form, it plays extremely well. Currently it is only one large level, with multiple items to collect. There is also a sneak peak at a boss level where you have to use some stealth mechanics to steal a briefcase without being shot.

What is great about this game is that it stays true to the parkour gameplay that made the original so popular. If you are not familiar, parkour is an extreme style of free form walking that involves some unbelievable skill and balls. Even though this game is a 2D platformer, you can still climb up walls, jump over large gaps and repel down zip line.

I would like to provide an official review for the game, but it has been sitting in its beta form for some time now. Once it becomes a full release, you can be sure that I will be sitting down with it for a substantial amount of time. Here's to hoping they can build the game out to feature multiple levels in the near future and still keep it free to play!

Click HERE to play the game!

Have a Classy Valentines Day

2009-01-29T21:09:00.008-05:00

I know what your probably thinking. TechVidiot is supposed to share news and reviews about technology and video games. However, sometimes I come across certain things that I feel need to be shared with everybody that is out of the range of these two industries. Plus, its a pretty unique use of the internet and some unique marketing tactics.

Over the past couple of years, the burger chain White Castle has run a promotion where you can actually make dinner reservations at the fast food restaurant. Once the reservation is made, the employees will place a table cloth over your table to make the dinner really special. In previous years, the staff would take pictures of your lovely meal and upload them to their website (this year you have to bring your own camera).

I thought that this was an interesting tactic by White Castle, as no one would ever think to go to White Castle for Valentines day. But why not run a promotion like this to get some additional traffic from people who just want to have a little fun on this made up holiday.

Plus, what could beat traveling to Yonkers with your loved one on February 14th for a briefcase of burgers. You can smell class all over that one!

Check out the official site here

Goldeneye Retro Cover Art

2009-01-28T08:19:00.008-05:00

GoldenEye - 18 / 01 / 09, originally uploaded by Olly Moss.

Nowadays, videogame cover art is a mixed bag of over the top visuals mixed complicated design , usually resulting in nothing that groundbreaking.

Olly Moss has created a series of retro box art designs for some games, including the one above for Goldeneye for N64 (Wish I could say for XBL as well). The art takes on a similar look to a classic book cover, something I believe artists should experiment with to mix up the look of new videogame titles.

Check out two other classic box art on his Flickr account here.

REVIEW: Dropship for iPhone/iTouch

2009-01-27T23:22:00.020-05:00

The iPhone/iTouch phenomenon has been an interesting one that has been fueled by the app store and its plethora of developers trying to utilize the true power of the device. My own opinion on this is that most are trying to hard to take advantage of such things as the accelerometer and in essence making cheap, gimmicky games that have the entertainment value of 2 minutes. A developer named ngmoco :) has changed my viewpoint of this with a game entitled Dropship.

The game takes place on futuristic planets made up of simplistic neon lines creating vase caverns for you to navigate down into. Your mission is to guide your aircraft through the various levels (18 in total plus some downloadable bonus levels) to collect your "package" and rescue its contents. On your way through each level, you will encounter various enemies that can be destroyed to replenish any damage you have taken.

Story wise...there really isn't any. But do I really need an engaging story for the 25 minute train ride to work in the morning? Absolutely not! Its a simple game, with a simple play mechanic. Place your left thumb on the left side of the screen to take control of your aircraft and you can maneuver in all directions. Place your right thumb on the right side of the screen and shoot in any direction. That's it. Tiny members of your team are also spread out through each level and can be collected at your leisure to power up your weapon. Collect enough in a given level to earn the ultimate "Hyper Laser" and really blast through the level.

This game really is mindless, but is perfect for a quick pick-up and play any time of the day. It may take a little getting used to with some sensitive touch controls, but soon you will be weaving throughout the various cavernous levels found within Dropship. For only $1.99 in the App store, you really shouldn't pass this one up.

Overall Score: 9.1/10

First Impressions of Wipeout HD for PS3

2008-09-26T09:07:00.007-04:00

After a long day of work, I was eager to get home and boot up the PSN to see if Wipeout HD had landed on the PSN. The original Wipeout for the Playstation was the first game I had ever purchased for the system and the last Wipeout I had played. This peaked my curiosity for the game, wanting to see how the game had evolved from so many years ago. The download came in at around 1GB, which is not so bad, considering this is a complete game.

My time with the game was cut short due to the fact that I am still in the process of setting up my new apartment, but from what I saw of the first couple of levels, I was more than impressed. Displaying on my Sharp Aqous 42", the 1080p graphics were smooth, fast and oh so nice to look at. Coupled with pounding electronic/techno music, the game sucks you in. You really can't take your eyes off the screen as you hover through the courses at breakneck speeds.

The game hasn't changed much from what I remember, but the learning curve is somewhat steep. It doesn't handle like your typical racer, as your vehicle is floating over the course. After a couple of races however, you find your self handling the sliping and sliding into perfect cornering.

I tried to jump online for a quik game, but the lobby I joined failed to start the race after waiting around for about 10 minutes. That's when I called it a night and decided that I would invest more time this upcoming weekend. Check back soon for my full review on this gorgeous, beast of a game.

Burnout Paradise Coming to PSN!!

2008-09-22T15:52:00.004-04:00

This coming Thursday, September 25th, you will be able to download Burnout Paradise from the PSN for the low low cost of $29.99. This download will include the original game, plus all of the free patches and extra content that has been released since the game launched. I never got around to playing the original so I think this will definitely be downloaded come Thursday.

We also have Wipeout HD arriving on the PSN on the same day, so its looking like a lot of cheap gaming to be had this weekend!