In Other News...March 5

[DoctorFinger]

- To console them over the imminent server closings, Microsoft is offering "avid" players of Halo 2 some goodies (http://kotaku.com/5485819/microsoft-offers-halo-reach-beta-free-ms-points-to-loyal-halo-players). 400 MSP, 3 months of Gold membership and the opportunity to participate in the Halo: Reach beta.

- Bethesda and id have announced that this year's Quakecon (http://www.quakecon.org/) will take play from August 12-15 at the Hilton Anatole Hotel in Dallas, Texas. Entry to the event is free, but space in the Bring Your Own Computer is filling up quickly, so reserve your spot now.

- Sony has filed a patent for what they call degradable demos (http://www.siliconera.com/2010/03/04/sony-patents-degradable-video-game-demos/). Basically a demo which would initially include essentially the whole game, but would then automatically disables features after a set threshold of plays or time played is reached.

- The developers of Crysis 2 are claiming that not only will their game have lower system requirements than the original (http://www.colonyofgamers.com/cogforums/showthread.php?t=16083), it will look even better.

- Square Enix will be releasing a Batman: Arkham Asylum Game of the Year edition in Europe which will include all six downloadable challenge maps and be 3D-enabled (http://www.computerandvideogames.com/article.php?id=237670). No plans to release the game in North America at the moment.

- Good news everyone! Fox has announced that the rebirth of the late, lamented Futurama will happen on June 24 (http://geeksofdoom.com/2010/03/05/new-futurama-set-to-officially-debut-on-comedy-central-in-june/). Watch. Hypnotoad commands it!

[Iron Past]

Sony has filed a patent for what they call degradable demos. Basically a demo which would initially include essentially the whole game, but would then automatically disables features after a set threshold of plays or time played is reached.

I am increasingly confused what people are allowed to patent, especially when it's something so broad and that already exists.

[frederec]

All hail the hypnotoad!

This may be the first time in the past two years I'll really wish I had cable again. More Futurama is good, though it would be better if the quality was more like the regular show, and less like the movies (which were okay, but not great).

[Wilkz07]

finally some good Futurama instead of the crappy movies. (bender's big score was good but the others weren't)

[Wraith]

Also, worth mentioning, Amazon has a new Xbox 360 Elite bundle (http://kotaku.com/5487017/xbox-360-elite-bundle-packs-in-forza-iii-halo-3-odst) coming. Elite + Halo ODST + Forza 3 for $300 (http://www.amazon.com/Xbox-360-Elite-Spring-Forza-Bundle/dp/B002I0J8ZS/), starting March 9.

[Kelegacy]

Good news everyone!

I can hear that voice in my head now. Too many nights falling asleep in front of the tube with Adult Swim playing.

[Deimos]

I think I'm really going to try and make it QuakeCon this year. It's sad to know I live so close to it and have not ever made it out there.

Also I can't wait for new Futurama. I'm confident it will be better than the movies. The trouble with the movies is they were just too long. 30 minute episodes suited their stories much better.

[Xerxes]

Also, worth mentioning, Amazon has a new Xbox 360 Elite bundle (http://kotaku.com/5487017/xbox-360-elite-bundle-packs-in-forza-iii-halo-3-odst) coming. Elite + Halo ODST + Forza 3 for $300 (http://www.amazon.com/Xbox-360-Elite-Spring-Forza-Bundle/dp/B002I0J8ZS/), starting March 9.

Fuck them. That box should have a 250GB. They should stop dicking people around. LMAO.

[Hawkzombie]

They're coming out with a FF13 250gb bundle.

[shodan2020]

Degradable demos? I think it would be better to give things than take things away to get people to subscribe to your online service. Degradable demos is a stick and not a carrot.

[Hawkzombie]

Degradable demos? I think it would be better to give things than take things away to get people to subscribe to your online service. Degradable demos is a stick and not a carrot.

Depends. Say you get the game (100%) and every time you load it up you lose more and more until it's just a regular demo. If you're savvy, you could beat it on a single play through. If not, and you really enjoyed the game, you'd buy it to continue playing.

[menage]

Depends. Say you get the game (100%) and every time you load it up you lose more and more until it's just a regular demo. If you're savvy, you could beat it on a single play through. If not, and you really enjoyed the game, you'd buy it to continue playing.

I doubt they would let you continue on with the whole game no matter how good you are.

I see no good idea there btw, what the fuck is the point. It only gives peope the worst possible experience with the game right at the end. Ending with a negative, yeah that will sell. And the full experience right when people are getting to learn the game, so they're swamped with shit in the begginning and left with a carcas at the end? That would be the reverse of what gamers usually want in an experience. And it will come across like one as well.

And I also don't see how you can copyright it either. Let alone downloading full games just for the demo.

[shodan2020]

Depends. Say you get the game (100%) and every time you load it up you lose more and more until it's just a regular demo. If you're savvy, you could beat it on a single play through. If not, and you really enjoyed the game, you'd buy it to continue playing.

Why would they give you free games? The point of a business is to sell items, not give them away for free.

[Hawkzombie]

Why would they give you free games? The point of a business is to sell items, not give them away for free.

A man can dream :p

[MagGnome]

Maybe the re-release of Batman: AA will include some actual physics for non-Nvidia users. That would be nice.

Other than that it's an awesome game.

[Wackman3000]

finally some good Futurama instead of the crappy movies. (bender's big score was good but the others weren't)

I heard a rumor somewhere that apparently Billy West didn't sign on for the new show because of contract disputes (ie wanting more money).

I hope that's not the case, because otherwise the show will be horrible, since he does the voices of every good character.

[DoctorFinger]

I heard a rumor somewhere that apparently Billy West didn't sign on for the new show because of contract disputes (ie wanting more money).

I hope that's not the case, because otherwise the show will be horrible, since he does the voices of every good character.Nit true. He Katey Sagal and John DiMaggio were in a contract dispute, but it was resolved. All of the voice cast is back for the new eps.

[frederec]

Nit true. He Katey Sagal and John DiMaggio were in a contract dispute, but it was resolved. All of the voice cast is back for the new eps.

I believe there was this brief time when Fox said that they'd fired the entire voice cast, but then they switched it back.

[Wackman3000]

Nit true. He Katey Sagal and John DiMaggio were in a contract dispute, but it was resolved. All of the voice cast is back for the new eps.

GOOD NEWS EVERYONE! Billy West is IN!

:)

[Hawkzombie]

Yeah, it was around Comicon of last year that whole thing happened. Everyone pretty much figured it was FOX trying to get some viral advertising going for the new eps, since the 'dispute' lasted all of 2 weeks, and was dealt (from most points of view) really harshly on FOX's end of things (replacing the ENTIRE cast and putting out a free casting call online)

[Darkmatter]

I assume this is going to be PS3 only because sending out a full PC game as a demo (for any length of time) = cracked full game. I don't own or even pay attention to the PS3, is it cracked/moddable now? If it is, they'll love this.

[frederec]

I assume this is going to be PS3 only because sending out a full PC game as a demo (for any length of time) = cracked full game. I don't own or even pay attention to the PS3, is it cracked/moddable now? If it is, they'll love this.

Not yet. There were rumors a little while back of someone finding a way in through software, but I don't think it's materialized into anything usable yet.

[LongStepMantis]

- Sony has filed a patent for what they call degradable demos (http://www.siliconera.com/2010/03/04/sony-patents-degradable-video-game-demos/). Basically a demo which would initially include essentially the whole game, but would then automatically disables features after a set threshold of plays or time played is reached.

Here's a really wild idea for demos, just hear me out. You take a small portion of the full game, say the first level/mission or two, and give the player the full assets of the game up to that point. This would allow you to sample the game, and would mean the download sizes would be far smaller.

Oh, you mean that's how most demos already worked? Then why the fuck would someone bother inventing a system that is less efficient at enticing a potential buyer and requires them to download a much larger file (possibly the entire game) for the same effect and adds in a nice "we're taking our ball and going home now" approach? "Timed level downs"? are they retarded?