Busy Gamer News

To go with the release of its first serialized expansion Half-Life 2: Episode One, Valve upgraded its Steam game service with Friends list instant messaging, automatic game file defragmentation and a built-in video driver check-up to ensure your system is up-to-date. It's those little extras that make all the difference. Next thing you know, they'll figure out a way to put a mint on your pillow after a long night of gaming...

The upcoming Dashboard update will make the vast Xbox 360 Marketplace content easier to browse and queue. But for now Microsoft keeps piling on the downloads:

• Perfect Dark Zero demo (free)
  
• F.E.A.R. theme ($1.88) and picture pack ($0.75)
  
• Four new Ghost Recon Advanced Warfighter themes ($1.88 each)
  
• Three Hitman: Blood Money picture packs ($0.25 to $1.25) and a trailer (free)
  
• Lord of the Rings: The Battle for Middle-earth II theme ($1.88) and picture pack ($2)
  
• Top Spin 2 themes ($1.88 each) and picture packs ($0.75 each)
  
• 39 FIFA 06: World Cup themes and picture packs ($0.25 to $6.25)
  
• A Class of 2006 graduates theme and a Father�s Day theme ($1.88 each)
  
• Music video by Matisyahu
  
• An Entourage TV show trailer, theme and picture pack (free)

Before there was World of Warcraft, or even Zork, there were Choose Your Own Adventures. These popular works of interactive fiction, originally published in the '70s, have been revamped with modern touches and rereleased for a new generation to enjoy. Can they compete with the Nintendo DS for today's youth? We can only hope kids today will find the same joy as we did making choices and flipping pages.

The updated stories include:

• The Abominable Snowman
  
• Journey Under the Sea
  
• Return to Atlantis
  
• Space and Beyond
  
• The Lost Jewels of Nabooti
  
• Mystery of the Maya
  
• House of Danger
  
• Race Forever
  
• Escape
  
• Beyond Escape
  
• Secret of the Ninja
  
• Lost on the Amazon
  
• Prisoner of the Ant People
  
• Trouble on Planet Earth
  
• War With the Evil Power Master
  
• The Mystery of Ura Senke
  
• The Case of the Silk King
  
• The Brilliant Dr. Wogan

By the time you read this, Microsoft will be shipping its spring dashboard update - the first of two major Xbox 360 software upgrades expected this year. It's practically a whole-new console with 125 new features and improvements. The patch includes the already ballyhooed background downloads, boot to dashboard and many more tweaks, fixing so many bugs and clear oversights:

• The music player now remembers your settings, including Shuffle and Repeat, and even continues after booting in or out of a game or the console itself
  
• If an in-game cinematic overrides your custom soundtrack, it pauses and resumes as soon as the scene ends
  
• Downloaded videos have fast-forward and rewind controls
  
• The DVD player offers bookmarking and many other improvements, including better playback, picture quality and fast-forward/rewind smoothness
  
• Dashboard sound effects can be turned off
  
• Marketplace downloads are faster
  
• Personal gamer pictures can be added, but they'll only be seen by members of your friends list - everyone else will see only "approved" gamer pictures
  
• After downloading a new theme, you'll be given the choice to display it immediately; themes can also be selected from the System blade
  
• Memory units are identified on screen by the slot they're in (A or B)
  
• Memory card access is faster and has fewer steps to manage
  
• After a few minutes of inactivity, when your screen dims you'll automatically be marked as Away in Xbox Live
  
• Improved music player performance, music data, organization, controls and error messages
  
• A slideshow can be started from any photo
  
• Better handling of Friends requests when a Gamertag changes
  
• Improved voice quality when using a headset with a wired controller
  
• Upsell information for Gold membership whenever free Silver members are invited or try to join an online match
  
• A better initial setup experience, particularly for users with only a memory card instead of a hard drive
  
• Improved USB keyboard support
  
• Countless glitches, UI tweaks and usability improvements

• Better support for Xbox 360 disc recognition (huh?)
  
• Downloaded videos now appear in the Video section of the Media blade  (duh)
  
• Wireless controllers stay on after a system-initiated restart (gee, thanks)
  
• Selecting an Achievement now shows specific Achievement details (what else would it do?)
  
• You're no longer asked to "Exit to Dash?" when switching between Dashboard areas (I'm there, dude!)
  
• After a backward compatibility update, the system reboots to the Xbox game instead of the Dashboard (cha)
  
• The system won't wait forever when trying to use Windows Media Connect (we're not getting any younger)

As expected, Bethesda SoftWorks shipped a major patch for The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion, and a similar Xbox 360 update is expected to follow any day now. This v1,1 patch closes some Make Money Fast exploits like the ol' "take infinite money from a dead man" trick or the "sell the same item over and over again while sitting on a horse" grift. You'll also be able to catch vampirism no matter how healthy you are and run the game on low-end FX graphics cards using the brand new Very Low Quality setting - sweet! Many crashing bugs, quest glitches and other problems are repaired as well...

If your membership in City of Heroes or City of Villains has lapsed and you can tear yourself away from World of Warcraft for a few minutes, you'll find that your account has been re-activated for a free pass - though only through Sunday, June 11. It's all a ploy by NCSoft to see whether you'll re-subscribe after trying out all of the new features and content in the recent Issue 7 update...

News of forthcoming Xbox Live Arcade and other game content downloads for the 360 has leaked out, along with prices and estimated release dates:

• The oft-delayed Street Fighter 2 is expected next for $5 (June)
  
• A Project Gotham Racing 3 package with 5 new cars and new cat-and-mouse and "proximity-based" racing modes for $6.25 (July)
  
• Another $6.25 map pack for Perfect Dark Zero, this time with large maps (July)
  
• Ghost Recon Advanced Warfighter gets new maps and a co-op play scenario - no price yet (July)
  
• Cloning Clyde, a 3D adventure and puzzle game, for $10 (July)
  
• Call of Duty 2 gets five new maps for $11.25 (July)
  
• A $6.25 Kameo update with higher difficulty for both single-player and co-op play, plus leaderboards, skins and a new co-op game type with competitive elements (July)
  
• Frogger for $5 (Aug/Sept)
  
• Lumines Live for $15 (Aug/Sept)
  
• Roboblitz for $10 (Aug/Sept)
  
• Pac-Man for $5 (Aug/Sept)

• Perfect Dark Zero Map Pack One with the new multiplayer maps Plaza, Rooftops, Trench, and GasPlant for $6.25
  
• Several new Kameo videos
  
• A free Ninety-Nine Nights trailer
  
• Another $1.88 Dead Rising theme
  
• Another Lord of the Rings: The Battle for Middle-earth II $1.88 theme and $2 picture pack

It's just not looking good for Sony. First, Microsoft connives to launch at least a full year before Sony's next-gen console, ensuring the PS3 will hit the street with a multi-million installed-based deficit to make up. Then there was the pitiful E3 showing, punctuated by an unrealistic price point for a mainstream gaming system. Now comes news that Sony's standalone Blu-Ray player - expected to hit in June - has slipped to mid-August, giving HD-DVD a four-month headstart. Not to mention Sony's track record for introducing failed formats: Betamax, ATRAC, and the recent UMD fiasco. Even if you're a Sony fan, you have to wonder if both the console and format wars haven't already been decided...

Microsoft VP Peter Moore ate crow this week, apologizing for comments that he claims were quoted out of context about Xbox 360 backward compatibility. Moore's original statement sure seemed to suggest that Microsoft was backing away from its original compatibility goals, implying that its 207 supported Xvox titles (padded with easy-to-emulate junk like Kabuki Warriors and Barbie Horse Adventures) was more than adequate: "Nobody is concerned anymore about backwards compatibility. We underpromised and overdelivered on that." One might interpret Moore's comment as a trial balloon, especially since the backlash was answered immediately with news of another imminent backward compatability update. Moore apologized this weekend for any "trauma" he caused gamers and vowed to "get darn close to that stated goal of every title done." Moore even revealed that next update will include support for 20+ games including Doom 3 and Lego Star Wars. We'll talk when that list contains Jet Set Radio Future, Morrowind, the Midnight Club series, Chronicles of Riddick, SSX Tricky and Dead or Alive Xtreme Beach Volleyball, to name a few. And, oh yeah, a way to recover our original Xbox save games.

UPDATE: Microsoft released backward compatibility for 21 more games today:

• 4x4 EVO 2
  
• Amped 2
  
• Bad Boys 2
  
• Big Mutha Truckers
  
• Doom 3
  
• Dreamfall: The Longest Journey
  
• Fatal Frame
  
• FlatOut
  
• Grabbed by the Ghoulies
  
• Intellivision Lives
  
• Lego Star Wars
  
• Minority Report
  
• MLB SlugFest 20-04
  
• The Punisher
  
• RalliSport Challenge
  
• Silent Hill 4: The Room
  
• Spawn Armageddon
  
• Spider-Man
  
• Star Wars Battlefront
  
• State of Emergency
  
• Zapper

World of Warcraft bans continued this week with another 30.000 subscribers punted for goldfarming - that is, using automation software to accumulate in-game wealth that can be traded for real-world cash. In addition, some 30 million in ill-gotten gold has been removed from the game's economy. Response from members has been largely positive, and Blizzard has positioned itself as a leader in aggressively enforcing its terms of service...

It's now possible to transfer your original Xbox save games to the Xbox 360 hard drive, but it will take some effort and cost you about $80. First you'll need an Xbox Action Replay ($30) or a modded Xbox. Once your saves are on your PC, you can use the new Datel XSATA Adapter ($50) to connect your 360 hard drive to your PC while it's still attached to your console. Unless you break the law, this will only work for Xbox games that don't have their saves locked by the publisher (partial list). Also, it's not exactly a user-friendly process. Fortunately there's a video tutorial...

Another week, more cool Xbox Live Marketplace content:

• An exclusive Red vs. Blue episode called Out of Mind Part One (free)
  
• Mehrunes Razor, an expansive add-on dungeon quest for The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion featuring a new storyline, magic items, books and a powerful, deadly artifact ($3.13)
  
• Three picture packs ($1.25 each) and a theme ($1.88) for Street Fighter II: Hyper Fighting - can the game itself be far behind?
  
• A MotoGP '06 picture pack ($2.13)

Finally, a PSP game that might be worth playing! Fans of quirky, romance-tinged survival horror will be thrilled to know that Silent Hill: Origins is due this holiday. And it promises to finally reveal some dish on what really happened to that zombie-infested tourist trap, though the developers promise to hold back just enough mystique so it it stays creepy. Even cooler: They promise an over-the-shoulder camera, tight controls and a new combat system. We can only hope they've been studying Resident Evil 4 very closely. In the meantime, there's The Silent Hill Experience - released to tie-in with the recent movie adaptation but packed with comics, music and videos. For hard-core devotees only, it blends movie promotion with fan service. At least it's only $20...

Fans of '80s adventure games must download the new King's Quest III remake by Infamous Adventures. Updated graphics, new music and a point-and-click interface take the 1986 story-centric classic to new heights. The system requirements are a reasonable Pentium II with Windows 95 or better, and that's for optimal performance. High demand for this download means you might need to try a mirror if the main site is still overwhelmed...

Just when you thought Sony might catch a break, the United Kingdom Court of Appeals ruled that the PlayStation 3 is not a computer (as Sony has claimed its consoles are since first offering Linux for the PS2). This means the PS3 will be subject to pricy European import taxes, which will drive up the cost of the already spendy system in an expensive market. On the heels of this blow comes the rumor that Microsoft may be plotting a huge Xbox 360 pricecut this fall, maybe dropping it as low as $100! Now Microsoft didn't fare too well with its plans to aggressively drive down the cost of the original Xbox, but maybe it's learned from past mistakes. It does seem far-fetched that they could cut the price by two-thirds in a year, but any drop could hurt the PS3 if it maintains its $500-600 price point...

Word has leaked that Blizzard is about to offer World of Warcraft character transfers. You'll be able to move your character to another realm as long as:

• You're Level 10 or above and not an active guild leader
  
• Your mailbox is empty
  
• No auctions are in progress
  
• The realm you're on and the realm you want are both on "the list" (which will change over time)
  
• You haven't transferred the character in the last six months
  
• You don't have too much gold on you (5000 limit for high-level characters, 300 on the low end)

If you've become bored with Ghost Recon Advanced Warfighter, there's a new content pack to the rescue. Only thing is, it will cost you a stiff $15. GRAW Chapter 2 includes four new co-operative campaigns, relit versions of eight existing multiplayer maps, two new game types (Team Blind Siege and Team Battle), two new camouflage patterns, four new character faces and five new weapons, including a silenced sniper rifle and a modified AK-47. Other new 360 downloads include:

• Hitman: Blood Money picture packs ($1.25 each) and theme ($1.88)
  
• A buttload of Superman Returns movie promotional videos (free)

Sony's Blu-Ray player may have been delayed, but the format has officially hit store shelves for those who can swallow the price of a $1000 Samsung player and an arguably weaker launch lineup (where's Serenity?!):

• 50 First Dates
  
• The Fifth Element
  
• Hitch
  
• House of Flying Daggers
  
• The Terminator
  
• Ultraviolet
  
• Underworld Evolution
  
• XXX

If you've ever felt lonely exploring The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion by yourself, surrounded only by enemies and scripted non-player characters, you're not alone. Well, actually you are alone, but not for long. MultiTES4 is a mod that permits two real PC players to explore Cyrodiil together. Actually, you can't do much yet - the mod is an early alpha state - but future plans include 8-player support with deathmatches and maybe even capture the flag...

A Half-Life mod-maker has fallen on hard times and is asking fans of the Natural Selection mod to buy his new casual game, Zen of Sudoku. Charlie Cleveland's popular mod blended shooting and strategy on an alien vs. human battleground. If successful, the $13 puzzle game will support the the porting of Natural Selection to the Source engine...

Final Fantasy XII, which set Japanese PS2s on fire with its Western-style combat system, releases in the U.S. on Oct. 31 for $50. EB/Gamestop will offer a collector's edition with bonus DVD for those fans willing to part with an extra $10...

Still no new Xbox Live Arcade games this week, but several updates and downloads were released on Xbox Live Marketplace:

• Invasion pack for Call of Duty 2 with five new multiplayer maps ($10)
  
• A patch for The Outfit that improves matchmaking, multiplayer vehicles and balance including reduction of anti-aircraft benefits (free)
  
• More picture packs and themes for Moto GP '06 and Hitman: Blood Money (various prices)
  
• A Top Spin 2 Wimbledon demo (free)
  
• Picture packs and themes for World Cup teams (various prices)
  
• Movie trailer for Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest (free)