Matt Gerlach : Xbox360 Software

What is with the lack of updates?

gerlach — Tue, 17 Mar 2009 16:55:00 GMT

For my class, IST500, we have to write a posting atleast once a week, and I have been laking. It is not because I am lazy. I have published multiple posts here at this blog for a couple of years, with the high end being near 2-3 a day. I haven't been writing, because I haven't felt there is anything to add.

To me, having a blog is a great way to get information out, but it should be something that is either good for the community or stirs some sort of conversation. And, frankly, I feel like I have failed that here. I have published opinion pieces telling large companies how they can do better (Microsoft and F1), I have given a sort of exclusive with some games (playing gears early and creating a rough [very rough] layout schema for a map that no one else saw, three months before the game came out). Ive written how community members can get some hardware to transfer content from one HDD to another.

I can make lists for a while. But, in reality, there has not been much that I can add. You can get more exclusive info quicker via Larry Hyrb and his blog (majornelson.com), as well as Joystiq and Xbox.Joystiq.com.

Maybe its time to change content. Because...ill be posting more.

Twitter: twitter.com/matt_gerlach

Xbox Live: Mastaglach820

Me, My Blog, Why I haven't Blogged, and Rock Band

gerlach — Tue, 05 Feb 2008 03:04:53 GMT

Wow...it has been a WHILE since I have blogged. There are multiple reasons why:

School just takes up time
I don't want to blog unless I contribute at least an opinion, or if I give a heads up that not many will see. I am NOT here to post press releases. To me...that is pointless, I'll just head to the gamerscore blog for that.
I kinda got tired of it. I was at the point where I felt the NEED to blog. It got to the point where I didn't want to. So I didn't.
Swimming. I swim here at Syracuse. Coming back from practice all tired and such, and then having to do work was...too much.

Do I want to contribute more? Absolutely. Do I hope people at least kept me near the feed list? Yea, I hope they did. So here goes. This is something that has been on my mind since I read about it last week.

Rock Band and Nine Inch Nails: More Content to Come

Be Aware that the videos embedded below may contain profanity. I am 99% sure the profanity will not be in Rock Band.

First off I am a pretty big Nine Inch Nails fan. I own all (need to check that) 5 major releases from 1989's Pretty Hate Machine to 2007's Year Zero (with songs from Broken, The Downward Spiral (full), The Fragile (full), and With Teeth (full)). So to hear that February's OXM has news about a new Nine Inch Nails track pack I was extremely happy. That is probably going to be the first pack for Rock Band that I will purchase. But...I still have issue with the song choice. Note: It is guarenteed that I am buying these tracks the minute they release.

March of the Pigs: There will need to be alot of vocal editing for this song. Will they utilize a radio-friendly version that may be in existance? I would hope because in the explicit album version there are many foul words. Also, there aren't always heavy instrumentals. Yea, near the end there is but...the song seems a little unbalanced.
The Collector: This song will probably be good for the average person to like. It has more of a mainstream sound...but isn't that pre-fab Fallout Boy material. My issue is that it kinda lacks guitar. It has a nice base and drum track but the guitar seems stale. It may be different when playing but I feel there are better songs. More on that later. The video will showcase how the song is going to be played. You get a clear view of the drummer (Jerome Dillion) as well as Trent singing and playing guitar, with Aaron North also playing. Playing Bass is Jeordie White (aka Twiggy Ramirez with Marilyn Manson).
Perfect Drug: This song, I feel, may be the hardest for people to get used to. It has a unique sound, which I like. The song is catchy, im just not sure how it is going to play. It will be a little weird. Take a look at the video to get an understanding.

What I think Should have been included:

Getting Smaller (With Teeth, 2005) - It is a face paced song with a good balance of guitar, bass and drumming. A good amount of vocals as well. The unofficial video (Fight Club dubbed with "Getting Smaller") can give you an idea as to what the song sounds like).
Last (Broken, 1992). Overall a good rock song. Again, a good balance of the 4 parts. Video again is unofficial with the song dubbed over. Quality of the video is...meh.
Head Like a Hole (Pretty Hate Machine, 1989). The Live version would be even better, since the original has a bunch of synths but still a great rock song.

These are just a couple of ideas for me. Hopefully, ill be posting a bit more.

Initial Forza 2 Impressions

gerlach — Mon, 28 May 2007 21:48:19 GMT

Many of you can tell by my gamercard on the left side, that I have been playing Forza 2 (quite a bit) and racking up some achievements. To keep my feelings simple...it ROCKS! You may have heard of "horrible jaggies", but that is not the case. Yea, it comes and goes, but to tell you the truth, you don't notice it really. When you are driving at over 100mph, you just try to look to make sure you setup correctly for that next turn.

As for the career, you may feel like you are "flying through it" quick to begin with, but once you start hitting the longer races, and the AI gets harder...your advancing slows a bit. But man, does it ever get any more fun than that?!? No.

I plan on rolling out some posts (if I can ever get my hands off the game) over this week, talking about sweet parts of the game, from the career, to arcade (oh, I am ranked #2 in exhibition mode, in class R1 on mugello...I LOVE Mugello), to the "paint shop" and much more!

Some little tidbits about the new dash.

gerlach — Wed, 09 May 2007 13:30:00 GMT

If you are on my messenger list, you have have seen me on messenger on my 360. A couple of things I've learned:

How do I sign in?

Click the "Chat and IM" button on the Live blade, or hit the guide, and press the "Chat or IM button":

For first timers, it will list the associated Live ID that you have, and will ask for your password. Follow directions to sign in.
For people beyond their first time, if you save your password you can just click the "Sign in button".

How do I prevent the Auto Sign in?

The option is placed in the same location as the auto sign in with your Xbox Live account. Click on your gamertag, then proceed to "Disable Auto Sign in". There you will see two options, one being for the 360 and one being for your Live ID/Messenger account.

How do I show all my contacts?

Proceed to your friends list and press Y. That will show all of your contacts, Xbox Live and Messenger.
When Contacts are hidden: it will only show your Xbox Live Friends. If your Xbox Live friend has a messenger account, it will show their gamertag and their status (if only on the PC Messenger) as being "On Messenger". Their status (busy, away, online) will be shown next to where it says "On Messenger".
When contacts are Shown: Contacts and XBL Friends will be shown in an alphabetical order. Online friends/contact will be alphabetical on top, with offline friends/contacts assigned alphabetically below the online friends/contacts. A persson that is not on your XBL friends list (or has a different Live ID with their gamertag), will have their Messenger message where it says their status, with a picture of a PC on the right side.

How do I start a new conversation?

Click "Chat and IM" on either the Live blade or the Guide.
Go to the right tab, labeled "Messenger".
Click "New Conversation"
Select the contact you will like to talk to.

How do I get that cool overlay that I saw with Major Nelson talking to Trixie (as seen below)?

Since the Text Input Device has not been released as of the release of the dashboard, you are required to use the keyboard. Any USB keyboard will work with the 360.

You need to start a conversation with a contact.
Then press "[Windows Key] + M". That will create the new overlay.
If you have multiple coversations (can have up to 6), "Ctrl + right" will cycle through the conversations.
You can close the conversations with the ESC button, the Windows Key [acts as the guide button], and "[Windows Key + M"], via the keyboard.

Does "[Windows Key] + M" do anything else?

Yes, actually it does. If you do not have any current conversations, "[Windows Key] + M" will get you straight to the messenger area of the 360.

Thats a good amount of info to get you started with the new Xbox 360-Messenger integration. If you would like some more info, please do not hesitate to contact me, send me a live message, or leave a comment.

You guys and girls, will be enjoying the new dash. I am.

Wednesday's new live arcade title, Scamble, has been delayed! Official!

gerlach — Tue, 05 Sep 2006 23:40:00 GMT

Just got word from Microsoft that Scramble, the Xbox Live arcade title that was supposed to be released tomorrow is actually going to be delayed. Here is the official statement:

As part of our Xbox Live Arcade Wednesday’s program, “Scramble,” the classic arcade side-scrolling, space shooter from Konami, was slated to go live tomorrow, Wednesday, September 6. However, during the final testing and certification of the title, we discovered some minor issues that should be addressed. Therefore, we are going to take an extra week and fix these items to ensure a high quality game experience for all when the title does launch on its new date of Wednesday, September 13. Until then, we have a new bonus release going live tomorrow - the new Project Gotham Racing 3 theme deck for UNO will making its debut.

I understand that the PGR3 deck for Uno isnt as good, but just take this time to realize that they are making an effort to:

1) Make sure quality goes out.
2) Give the community something.

Ill see what the pricing will be for the PGR3 Uno Deck

So, I have just moved into my new apartment for school.

gerlach — Fri, 25 Aug 2006 20:52:00 GMT

I moved in yesterday into my (on campus) apartment here at Syracuse University. It is a 2 floor, 2 bedroom, 1 bathroom apartment with the kitchen and living room on the first floor. It is a sweet deal.

Anyways, I set my 360 up last night, and put in the request for it to have access to the internet. It was OK'd today. The only real problem is the broadband. It is weak, and apparently I drop. I hope this changes as everyone is moved in and not always on.

So...the cool deal right now, is that I am using the school's network to share my media to my 360 via Windows Media Connect 2.0. It is so sweet, that I decided to write about it.

Also, welcome to those who read gamertagblog.com/97. That is my blog over at gamertagblog.com, that was set up by the one, and only StonyArc. Stonyarc is part of the XUG team, and is a mastermind at coding. He is also part of XCDP and it doing amazing things within that program.

Xbox Live Arcade Unplugged Volume 1 releases on September 5!

gerlach — Fri, 25 Aug 2006 13:07:00 GMT

Just got this from Microsoft:

Microsoft announces the global retail launch of new Xbox Live Arcade compilation for Xbox 360 gamers

Microsoft today announced the worldwide launch of Xbox Live Arcade Unplugged Volume 1, a new disc compilation of hit Xbox Live Arcade games plus a free 1 month Xbox Live Gold subscription and downloadable Xbox Live Arcade demos. Priced at $39.99 Xbox Live Arcade Unplugged Volume 1 arrives in stores worldwide on September 5, 2006.

Xbox Live Arcade Unplugged provides a taste of the Xbox Live Arcade experience for gamers everywhere, with a great collection of new and original casual games that are fun, engaging and easy to learn and pick up and play.

Xbox Live Arcade Unplugged Volume 1 includes:

· 6 Xbox Live Arcade hit titles:

1. Geometry Wars® Retro Evolved

· One of the most popular games on Xbox Live Arcade, Geometry Wars Retro Evolved is a space shooter with a frenetic, high-definition twist

2. Wik: Fable of Souls™

· Wik’s beautifully mysterious world of fairytale charm unfolds as you swing by your tongue through 120+ single player levels and 7 modes of play, including same-console multiplayer!

3. Outpost Kaloki X™

· Solve challenges, entertain visiting aliens, and rake in the money in Outpost Kaloki X, the light-hearted space station tycoon game

4. Bejeweled® 2 Deluxe

· With awe-inspiring planetary backdrops, explosive new gems and dazzling special effects, Bejeweled 2 is more wildly addictive than ever before!

5. Hardwood Backgammon

· Play a game of classic Backgammon against the computer, against a friend on a single console, or against on online opponent over Xbox Live

6. Texas Hold ‘em

· This poker title simulates the tournament setting right in your home, and with Xbox Live Vision, you’ll feel like you are in Las Vegas

· Free 1 month Xbox Live Gold subscription

· 3 downloadable Xbox Live Arcade demos:

o UNO ®

o Marble Blast® Ultra

o Feeding Frenzy™

With the accompanying free 1 month Xbox Live Gold subscription Xbox Live Unplugged gamers can sample all of the benefits the world’s largest online gaming and entertainment network has to offer. Connect to Xbox Live and join more than 3 million gamers across 24 countries across the globe; enjoy free game demos, movie trailers and music vides and get together with friends to play in fun, new ways.

Check out Xbox Live and Xbox.com for continuing updates on exciting new Xbox Live Arcade content available to Xbox 360 gamers.

Xbox360 news straight out of Germany.

gerlach — Wed, 23 Aug 2006 18:15:00 GMT

Was reading Trixie's post about the news out of Germany regarding the Xbox360 and Games for Windows.

Microsoft announced that they will be expanding into Eastern Europe adding 4 countries (Hungary, the Czech Republic, Slovakia and Poland) this Autumn.

Microsoft also announced pricing and availability of some accessories for your Xbox360 console. Taken from the Press Release:

Xbox Live Vision camera for the Xbox 360 system
Chat via video, send photo messages, put your own face in a game, and customize your gamertag on the Xbox Live network. The camera will be available in the U.S. on Sept 19 and in Europe on Oct 6 in two packages:

Xbox Live Vision: This package includes Xbox Live Vision camera, one-month Xbox Live Gold Membership, Xbox 360 Headset, and free* downloads of two full-version Xbox Live Arcade games: the popular UNO® card game and TotemBall, the new 3-D platform game from Freeverse and Strange Flavour Ltd. that is a mixture of platform skills and puzzles (estimated retail price (ERP) $39.99 U.S.).
Xbox Live Video Chat Gold Kit: This package includes the Xbox Live Vision camera, a 12-month Xbox Live Gold Membership, an Xbox 360 Headset, free downloads of three full-version Xbox Live Arcade games—the popular UNO card game, TotemBall and the classicRobotron 2084 action shooter—and 200 Microsoft Points (ERP $79.99 U.S.).

Xbox 360 Wireless Racing Wheel
For true racing enthusiasts who demand unparalleled driving realism at home, this innovatively designed wheel combines form and function with the latest technology in wireless and force feedback. Purchase the wheel and get a limited-edition force feedback version of Project Gotham Racing® 3 while supplies last (ERP $149.99 U.S., available in November).

Xbox 360 Wireless Headset
Providing the ultimate wireless experience, this headset integrates seamlessly with the Xbox 360 console to provide wireless voice chat capabilities, stylish design and superior voice quality over the Xbox Live network (ERP$59.99 U.S.**, available in November).

Xbox 360 Wireless Gaming Receiver for Windows
By plugging the compact receiver into a Universal Serial Bus (USB) 2.0 port on a PC, use Xbox 360 wireless accessories on your Windows-based computer (ERP $19.99 U.S.**, available in late December).

Xbox 360 Faceplates
Customize your consoles with one of three new special-edition faceplates featuring images from your favorite games, including the Halo® franchise,Viva Piñata™, and Forza Motorsport™ 2 (ERP $19.99 U.S.**, available in early November).

Remember to download Texas Hold Em.

gerlach — Wed, 23 Aug 2006 05:20:00 GMT

Download Texas Hold 'Em for the Xbox360 for a limited time. The download is free for the first 48 hrs, so act fast!...(read more)

My 2 Hour Session with Gears of War (Part 2) - Mansion

gerlach — Sun, 06 Aug 2006 02:06:00 GMT

In this part, I've decided to take you into the multiplayer map we played. We played what the team called "Mansion". First off, this was a new level that was not played at E3.

The basis of Mansion, is that you are playing on a mansion. Simple. Yes, I know. The mansion appears to have been invaded and parts of the structure have been destroyed and demolished.

The level is very symetrical. Each team has an entrance to the Mansion. It will be on the right or left, depending on which of the 2 starting points you are at. Each team also has an entrance to the courtyard. The courtyard (after going up a flight of stairs) also has an entrance to the Mansion. This is the main entrance, and as you look in, you see the upstairs and the set of staircases leading up there.

The courtyard is filled with places to take cover. I have provided a rough, read rough, skematic for what the level looked like. Each top corner (top right and top left) were starting points, in which you alternated in the first to 5 sessions.

My Two Hour Session with Gears of War.

gerlach — Sat, 05 Aug 2006 02:02:00 GMT

CliffyB was there at the NYC session and that can only mean one thing. Gears of War. I was introduced to CliffyB by Godfree (Gamertagradio.com). We talked with Clif, who is an amazingly down to earth guy, for a couple of mins. He asked if we would like to see the E3 demo that he played. I, obviously, obliged and we sat while he played through the game showcasing alot of the features.

Disclaimer: Couple of things. I work outside alot, so I was fairly tan from that. Couple that with the immense heat inside the studio, and me being irish, I showed up very red. Also, do not take the graphics on the TV as the game, because cameras never do justice.

Now on to the Multiplayer:

Wow. It was that simple. That is the way I felt after I completed the 2 hour session (got about a good 90 minutes of playing in).

To be straight out of the gate, it was only multiplayer (system link) on 1 level. But damn, this level was BEAUTIFUL. I believe they called it Mansion. We had a 4v4 session of the multiplayer game from 4pm-6pm.

Ok, not to the actual gameplay. It freakin ROCKED. Heres a little list:

You can easily cycle your weapons with the D-Pad. We had a pistol (down), the assault rifle/chainsaw (right), smoke grenade (up) and the shotgun (left).
Get close to a wall and press A You will slam into coverage.
The Roddy Run Rocks! You can hold down A, you guy crouches and begins to run. The camera changes to a different view, regarded to by CliffyB as "the CNN Camera view". It really does look like a journalist running behind your character, as it is off center (to the right) and shakes as you run.
If you run towards a wall during your Roddy Run, keep holding A, and you will slam into coverage.
While in coverage:
- If you hold the right trigger to shoot your weapon you will shoot while staying in coverage. It lacks accuracy, but you can control the direction they spray.
- If you hold down the left trigger, you will go into a zoomed 3rd persion view. It gives you the accuracy, but takes away from your coverage.
- If you are at a corner, you can lean your guy. Again, just pressing the right trigger shoots, but holding the left will give you the accuracy.
You can revive your teammates. If your teammate goes down (and are still on their knees), and are not officially dead, you will see a red circle with a way point. It will direct you in the direction of your teammate. If the circle becomes 100% filled with red, your teammate dies. This could be from you taking too long, or the enemies finishing them off. If you are to get there in time, just run up and press "X" and you will revive them. My team was pretty good at that.

We were setup to play 4v4 matches. I forgot the game type, but everyone had 1 life, and the remaining team one. It was up to 9 rounds, with it going to the first to 5. After struggling at first, my side made a run and won a couple of games. We went into a funk again, until later in the session. I moved over to a different 360. Godfree and S4Lee joined my team, and we went on a run of atleast 4 consecutive wins. We were so good, that at points, the other team didn't even kill us.

One of the rounds that we won 5-0, the other team had 2 total kills. It was great. In the game, CliffyB decided to join for 2 of the rounds. On the first round, I was shooting a man atop the staircase (actually situated in the center oval, between the 2 staircases), and I heard CliffyB yelling for help. I was poking out of coverage and shooting him. It gave me the kill, and I then turned and looked, and CliffyB has just died. I killed the man at his own game. It was the highlight of my session.

Overall, this game will be amazing. It will have a big battle to fight, not just again the locust, but agaist the PS3 this coming November 12th.

CliffyB is into posing for images now. We all said "OK".

Xbox360's Holiday 06 Unwrapped

gerlach — Sat, 05 Aug 2006 01:58:00 GMT

Microsoft held an event here in NYC the past 2 days (August 2nd and 3rd). It was a showcase for the games that will be selling before or during the holiday season.

I took the railroad into the City and headed over to the place where the event was held. It was held in a studio in Manhatten. I got up there and met my MVP and Xbox's Online PR Community Manager, Tony Hynes (aka Bastelyon). He gave Godfree, DirtyDiva, S4Lee and I the rundown of the event. They were going to showcase some Games for Windows, and Xbox360 games. For the Xbox360 games (Sorry if I missed one), they had:

Test Drive Unlimited (There should be a 2nd demo)
Tony Hawk's Project 8
World Series Poker: Tournament of Champions
Crackdown
Dead Rising
Saint's Row
Splinter Cell: Double Agent
Madden NFL 2007
NBA 2k7
Smackdown vs Raw
Gears of War

Test Drive Unlimited

I am pretty excited about this game. I love racers, and what they are offering is pretty amazing. I was told that the game (with in game and post release download content) will feature 45 different manufactuers totalling 150 cars and bikes. With that you have the seamless play from Single player to Multiplayer. Ooo, take a left there and go to MP rounds, or take a right and continue with single player. It is definetly an awesome system they have with "M.O.O.R" (Massive Open Online Racer). I was talking to the game representative there, and talked about how sweet MOOR is. He then instructed me to drive through these different paths just to see how stunning the environment is. Yes, it is stunning.

Tony Hawk's Project 8

We all know the Tony Hawk series, and we are now on the 8th iteration of the game (I didnt even realise). What initially caught my eye was just how good this game looked. So, I sat down and decided to see whats up. After the rep gave me a run through with the game, showcasing the cool new features, I gave it a little try. Simply, it plays just as well as any Tony hawk game has ever played. A is your Olly, B is your grab tricks, X are your flip tricks and Y is for your grinds. A new feature (if I remember correct), was called "Hit the Trick". As you Olly, you click one or both of the tricks (sorry cant remember), and it goes into a zoomed mode of your board, where you control your right and left left with the joysticks, respectivly. It is a little difficult at first, but when you get it, it is definetly something cool. You can also go into "focus" mode, at any time in the game, when you click the right joystick. It slows the game down for you to nail everything.

Now for terms of story. There was always "do this trick" and "do that trick". But, now they all have levels. Lets give an example. You have to grind this rail to complete the objective. BUT, there are now 3 levels, Amateur (ama), Professional (pro) and sick. To achieve th ama status you have to grind 25 feet, the pro you have to grind 50 and the sick level, you have to grind 100 feet. It is definetly a cool system, and he said that for "sick", they wanted to make it hard so it lived up to its name. This new system is definetly cool and a great addition to one of the top 5 best selling franchises of all time.

World Series Poker: Tournament of Champions (Xbox360

I am not going to lie, I am not an avid poker player. I play with buddies, and in a friendly tournament every once in a while, but I am in no way close to my brother. He plays multiple times a week with his friends and if he isnt playing with them, he is on FullTilt Poker. But, to play poker online (for fun), this game is going to be good. It uses the Xbox360's Live Vision camera to mask your face onto your character. Seeing the examples they did in front of us, with the right lighting, it looks pretty freakin close. Couple that with the fact that the camera shows you decided what to do with your cards on your turn, makes it very very fun.

Crackdown

This is a fun third person shooter. I spent about 5-10 minutes with the game (finished off the level), to get a feel for it. They are encorporating the cell-shading type graphics. I was talking with the Project Manager for the game, and I was discussing how this was just a fun shooter. It was a very run and gun shooter. If you are looking for a pretty fun game, make sure to check out crackdown.

Dead Rising

Fun. Its a simple as that. It is fun and funny. The concept is that you are in a mall and have 72 hrs to complete the objectives, which relates to about 12 hrs in real time. But, this game is a game, like GTA, where you can play just to kill the zombies. You can pick up many objects that can become your weapons, like bowling balls, sickles, dumbells, and much much more. The games finish is depended on what you can complete. You can pick up the demo now on the Xbox Live Marketplace.

Saint's Row

I did not play this game at the event because I have been playing the demo that has been available on the Xbox Live Marketplace since earlier this week. The game is similar to Grand Theft Auto, but has its own signiture feel. I haven't played it enough to make a decision on it though, but make sure you download the demo to get your own impression.

Splinter Cell Double Agent

You are still Sam Fisher...but a different Sam Fisher. You are now a rogue agent. The gameplay was very similar to the 3 previous Splinter Cell games, and that is good. The gameplay has been really great across the whole series. The one big different with this game is that there is barely a HUD. It is good, like Fight Night Round 3. It lets you see more of the environment, and just has that "cool" feel about it.

Madden NFL 2007

This is another version in the most popular sports franchise to ever hit the gaming world. It has distintive features for the 360 include the mini camp, where you can train your athletes. Check for it in stores soon.

NBA 2k7 and Smackdown Vs Raw

These are two games I did not get to sit down and play. NBA 2k7 (watching and listening to others) was another great iteration in the series. The graphics look a bit more realistic, and the gameplay is still good. The wresting game, looked very well, but not being a wrestling fan, it did not truly interest me. Again, basing it off what I have heard it is a pretty good game.

Gears of War

Finally, you read all that. Wow. What I saw/played was that. You can find my impressions inthis post.

Edit: Fixed some grammar.

Edit 2: Swapped "HUD" in for UI in the description of Splinter Cell Double Agent.

Xbox Live Wednesday rolls on with Cloning Clyde

gerlach — Wed, 19 Jul 2006 11:27:00 GMT

Today at 12:01pst, Cloning Clyde was released:

Xbox Live Arcade Wednesdays continue with the launch of ‘Cloning Clyde’ the wacky action adventure / puzzle game. Created by Wahoo Studios / NinjaBee, developer of the popular ‘Outpost Kaloki X’ for Xbox Live Arcade, Cloning Clyde puts the ‘z’ in zany in this classic-animation style world.

GAME FOCUS: Clyde is a cloning experiment gone awry, and now it’s up to you to help him escape from Dupliclone, Inc.’s building filled with mazes, hazards and platforms. Play as Clyde or one of his many mutant clones – a chicken, a monkey, a sheep, even a frog – as you fight, fly and bomb your way to freedom.

GAME FEATURES: With local and online multiplayer via Xbox Live, co-op mode, vs. mode, achievements and an assortment of wacky characters, ‘Cloning Clyde’ provides hours of fun in a visually stunning cartoon world filled with hilarious action and crazy adventure.

‘Cloning Clyde’ boasts:

Create your own Clyde clones! Play as Clyde or other wacky mutant characters
4 person online multiplayer play through Xbox Live
Toggle between the different Clyde-clones to attack security systems, escape through ventilation shafts, collect Killer Kenn action figures, and solve challenging puzzles.
Combine your DNA with other critters’ to gain special attack powers
More than 45 unique single player and co-op levels for hours and hours of fun
High definition graphics
Exciting and addictive puzzles, mazes and platform-based action
Enjoy Leaderboards, Achievements, gamer pictures, and other Xbox Live exclusive features
Play ALL of the levels in the game in multiplayer mode – either local split-screen or online!
6 additional Vs. Mode levels where players can duke it out
Wacky Clyde antics and hilarious messages from other Clyde clones
Custom soundtrack

WHEN CAN I GET IT: Download ‘Cloning Clyde’ tomorrow, Wednesday, July 19, at 1am PST on Xbox Live Arcade. Are you ready to get cloned?!

Cloning Clyde (Wahoo Studios/NinjaBee): 800 Microsoft Points

For more information please visit Xbox.com

Want to take part in a Battle for Middle Earth 2 Tournament?

gerlach — Mon, 26 Jun 2006 02:42:00 GMT

Over at the Xbox.com forums, I posed the question to my community. "Do you want to do a tourney?".

With the overwhelming response from many, the answer is yes.

Here are the basic details (few basic details):

There will be a tourney
I kinda want to keep it to forums.xbox.com people. That is where I will most likely set it up. So if you are not really a member of the community yet...what are you waiting for?!?
I am leaning more towards a free for all tournament. But will see whats up. The initial rounds will be 1v1v1v1. Then the later rounds will probably be 1v1.
There is no prize slated for this tourney. It is really about bringing the community together.
I will decide more details about levels, starting money, and everything else once the game has released. I have a general idea, based on what we did at the community summit, but just want to play around a little more.
Depending on the release date, the tourney would be about a month after the release of the game. Depending on when that occurs, depends when the tourney will go on.

Ill be leaving for Syracuse University, for my sophmore year, in late August. If the game was to release at the end of July, then the tourney may be pushed to the first week of September.

I have a little poll going on here, so vote like you want. Please post in that thread if you have voted. Thanks, and hopefully this can be a great tourney that brings the community together.

Backward compatibility update...Come on (and) down(load)!

gerlach — Tue, 13 Jun 2006 16:35:00 GMT

*Cue Price is Right Music*

The Backwards compatibility update includes not 1...but 21 titles that everyone will see. But wait...theres more! For those gamers in Japan, there is an extra bonus of 6 extra games!

*End Price is Right Music*

Peter Moore promised it, and here it is.

June 2006 Back Compat titles added:

1.   4x4 EVO 2
2.   Amped® 2
3.   Bad Boys 2
4.   Big Mutha Truckers
5.   DOOM 3®
6.   Dreamfall: The Longest Journey
7.   Fatal Frame™
8.   FlatOut™
9.   Grabbed by the Ghoulies™
10. Intellivision Lives
11. LEGO® Star Wars®
12. Minority Report
13. MLB SlugFest 20-04
14. The Punisher™
15. RalliSport Challenge
16. Silent Hill® 4: The Room
17. Spawn® Armageddon
18. Spider-Man
19. Star Wars Battlefront™
20. State of Emergency
21. Zapper™

Additional Japanese-only titles:

Bistro Cupid 1
Flight Academy
Othello Seminar
Igo Seminar
Shogi Seminar
Mahjong Seminar

Thanks you to Major Nelson for the list. You can find his full post here.

Wait...was that another Xbox360 Dashboard Update?

gerlach — Tue, 13 Jun 2006 13:55:00 GMT

Yes, yes it was. No features have been added, just a little problem with the localized chinese language.

Official Statement:

"This small update improves character recognition for those users that are using the localized Chinese language version of the dashboard on their Xbox 360. This update is being delivered as a free update to all users worldwide"

Major's "Minor Update" Post

Did you hear about the new Ghost Recon: AW Content?

gerlach — Tue, 13 Jun 2006 03:37:00 GMT

I have been reading about this new content. Let me tell you, as of right now, it could be the best content released on the 360 via the marketplace. Possibly even the best via XBL ever.

- Continuation of Co-op Campaign with 4 All New Missions in Chapter 2:
Coffee Plantation (Day) Obviously, this takes place on a coffee plantation embedded deep in Nicaragua. The map is littered with good cover options that appear in the form of a centrally located plantation house, coffee processing
equipment, growing coffee plants, and stacked bags of coffee beans ready for transport. The Ghosts overall goal of this mission is to eliminate the arms
dealer and shut down his operations.

Shipping Port (Evening) The next mission takes place at a shipping port and the Ghosts objective is to stop the enemy from smuggling weapons into the
country. The player will interact with rebel troops through warehouses, decks of ships, and on massive shipping cranes. This night mission provides an eerie
backdrop for Ghosts to move in take out the weapon shipments and ensure that the illegal smuggling of arms will stop.

River Depot (Dawn) This map puts the Ghosts in a jungle area that the Rebel forces have infiltrated and are using for storing and shipping out illegal
weapons. The goal of the Ghosts is to secure the warehouse facility that holds crucial information concerning the placement and shipment of weapons. As the
player weaves through the jungle and eliminates the patrols of enemies, they must also destroy all the weapon shipments and keep the Rebels from extracting
from the area. Massive trees, loads of weapon shipments, and enemy transports are unique characteristics of this mission.

Jungle Mine (Day) The last mission in this co-op campaign chapter takes place in a mine that is vital to the Rebel forces regime and the Ghosts are
tasked with securing the area, destroying the weapons, and eliminating the Rebel leader. The central location on this map is the mine itself and it provides a
place for multi-tiered gameplay surrounded by good cover. This mission provides a new gameplay experience for Ghost Recon fans and it will surely be one of the
more memorable missions in GR history.

8 Revisited; Relit MP Adversarial Maps: 8 of GRAWs favorite MP maps are revisited and relit for a new gameplay experience.
Fishing Village (Dusk)
Wharf (Late day)
Old Town (Morning)
Nowhere (Evening)
Coffee Plantation (Evening)
Shipping Port (Sunset)
River Depot (Day)
Jungle Mines (Evening)

2 New Game Types with 1 Game Mode - Team Battle: 2 all new game types add upon GRAWs long list of available game types.
Team Blind Siege
Team Battle

2 New Camouflage Patterns: 2 all new camo patterns give new selections to further customize your character.
Canadian CADPAT
British DPM

4 New Character Customization Faces: 4 all new character faces with new camo patterns give new selections to further customize your character.
4 new faces with new camo

5 New Weapons: 5 new weapons give you even further selection on how to take out your foes.
SR-25 SD (Marksman)
Description - "7.62x51mmSS - Combining the power of the SR-25 rifle with a suppressor, the SR-25 SD Sniper rifle is lethal, accurate, and quiet."
Game Info - Silenced, 20 rounds per mag, 10 mags (increased for marksmen), Single Shot, 8x and 16x Zoom

M468 (Rifleman)
Description - "6.8x43mm - This updated version of the standard US carbine uses a larger round to provide greater lethality against both armored and unarmored
targets."
Game Info - 28 rounds per mag, 10 mags (increased for grenadiers), Single Shot and Full Auto, 3x Zoom

M468/M320 (Grenadier)
Description - "6.8x43mm/40mm - The standard M468 with attached M320 grenade launcher provides a versatile dual-purpose firing platform."
Game Info - 28 rounds per mag, 10 mags (increased for grenadiers), Single Shot and Full Auto, 3x Zoom

AK-47 LMG (Gunner)
Description - "7.62x39mm - Modified from the classic AK-47 the AK-47 LMG includes a 75 round drum magazine, and shares most of the characteristics of the
AK-47."
Game Info - 75 rounds per magazine, 6 mags (increased for gunners). Fully Auto Only, no zoom

SCAR-H SV (Rifleman)
Description - "7.62x51mm - This version of the SCAR-H rifle comes with a standard barrel and improved optics, making it better for long-range shooting."
Game Info - 20 rounds per mag, 10 mags (increased for riflemen), Single Shot, 2x and 4x Zoom

Thanks to Xbox365.com for the information. You can read their full article here.

New Elle and Xbox.com articles.

gerlach — Tue, 13 Jun 2006 03:27:00 GMT

Got word from Elle, about a week ago (sorry for the delay) about some new articles that went up at Xbox.com.

First, we have Elle's "Spring Foward" article, on the "Spring" Update to the Xbox360 console. You can find the article here, and in the Elle Archive.

Elle also gave us a heads up about some other articles:

Hopefully, everyone is enjoying the new update.

Xbox news for the Month of May.

gerlach — Tue, 13 Jun 2006 03:20:00 GMT

******************************************************************************

Less than a month after E3, the buzz about Microsoft gaming continues to gain momentum. While others in the industry are clearly focused on launching computers, we are squarely focused on delivering next-generation games and entertainment. And with a growing list of games awards, coupled with our recent Xbox Live spring platform features update, the Microsoft gaming story is top of minds this summer and beyond.

Awards: Recognizing Gaming Excellence

Not only will Xbox 360 feature 160 games by the end of the year, those games– and their counterparts on Games for Windows – represent the finest gaming experiences available on any platform. Windows Vista and many of the showcase titles from first- and third-party publishers had an incredible showing, garnering a flood of awards and nominations.

For the full list of the awards and accolades received at E3, please check out. http://gamerscoreblog.com/team/archive/2006/06/09/535618.aspx.

Windows Vista Beta 2 Release and Spec Information

On May 23 at WinHEC, Microsoft took one step closer to final Windows Vista code with the release of Windows Vista Beta 2 for IT professionals and developers with MSDN and TechNet subscriptions. Windows Vista Beta 2 is a significant milestone for Microsoft and gamers, as the new operating system will offer innovative gaming features and an incredibly immersive entertainment experience for everyone from casual gamers to hardcore enthusiasts.

Microsoft also recently announced Windows Vista’s hardware specifications so that consumers can prepare for the launch of the celebrated operating system. "Vista-capable" machines must have at least an 800MHz processor, 512 MB of RAM and a graphics card that can run DirectX 9. "Premium Ready" machines will need a 1GHz processor, 1GB of RAM and a graphics card that supports the new Windows Display Driver Model in order to run Windows Vista’s high-end features such as Aero-glass.

Spring Platform Features Update Brings New Features and Fixes

Earlier this week, Microsoft deployed its Spring Platform Features Update, a massive overhaul of Xbox Live features and other Xbox tools. While a complete list of updates is online at xbox.com, a small sample of the most popular features includes:

New background download manager gives gamers the ability to queue up and download six high definition items at a time including playable game demos, Xbox Live Arcade games, music videos and movie trailers while actively playing games or browsing the dashboard. As an added benefit, if gamers engage in multiplayer gameplay while downloads are in process, the new background download manager will automatically pause the download queue until the multiplayer session is complete ensuring a continuously optimal gameplay experience.
Custom background music now continues to play without interruption during game loads and when transitioning from game to game or disc content.
During music play, the music playback screen now showcase the artist, song title and time remaining on the song along with a visualizer showing which song on the playlist or album is currently playing.
DVD movie bookmarking now allows gamers to pause a movie at any point, put in a game for gameplay and return to the movie at the exact point it left off.
Improved DVD movie playback for a smoother, higher quality viewing experience, including additional VGA support.

Xbox Live Marketplace Updates: From Cards to Pirate Ships

During E3, "UNO" (MGS) hit Xbox Live Marketplace, and has since become the single-most successfully-demoed game on the service. Its demo-to-purchase rate is between 40-45% (depending on the day), beating "Geometry Wars'" (MGS) previous record of 39%.

Two major game updates hit Marketplace in late May. Racing enthusiasts can now download a free "Project Gotham Racing 3" (MGS) expansion that adds several Cadillacs from the popular V-series to their racing stable, including the CTS-V, the XLR-V, and the STS-V. Meanwhile Bethesda added the Thieves Den content to their "Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion" offerings, allowing stealth-based characters to take over and command a pirate ship and crew!

Hot Summer Games

Gamers know a good thing when they see it, and they are turning out in droves to get their hands on the latest high definition games on Xbox 360. The top five selling Xbox 360 games sold in the United States in May were:

Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion (Take 2)
Ghost Recon: Advanced Warfighter (Ubisoft)
Fight Night Round 3 (EA)
Battlefield 2: Modern Kombat (EA)
Major League Baseball 2K6 (Take 2)

The overall software attach rate for Xbox 360 is still a record-breaking 4.5 titles per console in the United States, and accessory attach rate remains at a record-breaking 2.9 units per console as well. As we head into the summer months, Xbox 360 gamers can’t wait to get their hands on upcoming favorites like "Lord of the Rings: Battle for Middle Earth 2" (Electronic Arts), "NCAA Football 2007” (Electronic Arts), the Xbox 360 exclusive "Chromehounds" (SEGA), the Xbox 360 exclusive "Dead Rising" (Capcom), "Madden NFL 2007" (Electronic Arts), and the Xbox 360 exclusive "Ninety Nine Nights" (MGS).

Additionally, the NPD Group released the findings of their PC Game Revenue survey which revealed that total U.S. consumer spending on Games for Windows Games reached $1.4 billion in 2005. Online subscriptions to specific Windows titles, such as "World of Warcraft" (Blizzard), and gaming web sites accounted for $344 million of the total. NPD's Anita Frazier stated, "The big message from this study is that as many have suspected, the decline of retail sales of PC Games does not fully reflect what is going on in that segment of the games industry. The total PC games market is approximately one-third larger than what pure retail sales have suggested."

As we head into summer and holiday, it is clear that the Microsoft gaming story has become the measuring stick for the gaming industry – and it's only getting better.

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Special Thanks to Tony Hynes. Happy (late) Birthday again Tony!

Microsoft's E3 Keynote!!!!!

gerlach — Tue, 09 May 2006 20:03:00 GMT

Just too much to handle. Check out Joystiq.

http://www.joystiq.com/2006/05/09/engadget-and-joystiqs-live-coverage-of-microsofts-xbox-360-e3-ev/