According to Gameplayer, each user will have a limited allotment of server space for their LBP creations. But there's kind of a neat catch that helps demonstrate that Media Molecule is taking their role as user-generated-content-messiah seriously:

Writes Gameplayer:

If their scheme works, users who upload the most popular levels will be rewarded with more space. It’s common sense, really — when lurking on YouTube, do you look for the videos with five stars, or with one?

On the other hand, if you wanted to play Devil’s Advocate, you could accuse Sony of some subtle social engineering here. After all, server space is so cheap these days that it’s effectively free. Just think of GMail, and Flikr, and all those sites that let you upload files that are hundreds of megabytes in size — for free.

So it’s not an issue of cost — it’s an issue of quality.

Sony wants to create a sense of value for those who’ve bought their game. By rewarding the best LittleBigPlanet players with more online space — and by restricting those who, well, suck — they can make this dream a reality. Or at least, that’s the plan.

A system that depends on community content, one could argue, ends up subject to quality issues; Microsoft has attracted criticism to that effect regarding its community games (and responded to it). But a system that holistically encourages and rewards quality creations has a good shot, right?

Server space in LittleBigPlanet to be limited [Gameplayer]

However, a Microsoft representative was quick to respond to Weller's concern that the company has a quality control problem, highlighting a few key ways that it plans to ensure its users get the best experience.

"First, there will be free trials of every community game available on Xbox LIVE as well as a detailed description, because it is really important to us that consumers know what they are paying for," said the rep in a statement. "Second, we will have a thriving Xbox LIVE Community Games storefront for the top-rated games, highest sellers and most downloaded titles of the moment."

Current CTO for Microsoft's interactive entertainment biz Chris Satchell also discussed the storefront with us during our recent interview with him. But with large volumes of content, it all comes down to the search interface:

"Consumers will be able to visit Xbox.com to view all of the games available on the service, easily search and sort titles by user-ratings, content and genre, rate games and even download them directly to their Xbox 360," the rep told us.

When we talked to Satchell, he mentioned the potential for real viral appeal that he felt Community Games had, and the focus on the web as central hub for these titles makes sense when you think of people IMing or emailing links to each other, or posting them on their blogs. The rep also said that this web-central methodology will help users separate the wheat from the chaff.

"You’ll even be able copy a game’s direct Xbox.com URL and post it on your Facebook page, or send in e-mail to all of your friends," said the statement. "If you want to search through hundreds of games, you can, but we’ll also be providing easy ways to find the freshest, most fun content on the console.”

Being an ex-XNA member, I can still say, without a shadow of doubt, that Microsoft is offering a groundbreaking game channel, and that some people stand a chance to make great money from the system. It's an exciting opportunity, but the danger for consumers lies in Microsoft's deliberate steps to avoid discussions regarding game quality, even during peer review.

It's similar, actually, to quality concerns about Xbox Live Arcade that ultimately led to Microsoft's announcement that underperforming titles would be delisted from the service.

Is it as big an issue on the separate community games channel? Said Weller:

I firmly believe that avoiding commentary/ratings on game quality will result in frustrated consumers, who will have no way to discern the quality of a game among (ultimately) thousands. Of course, the game creator has the option of offering a trial game, but it will be interesting to see how many developers take advantage of that path, as it is not required [Edit: Peter Hatch points to a Wired article where Chris Satchell states that a timed trial will be enabled by default, but my concern about te lck of quality indicators still stands]. I doubt consumers will get a refund for buying a sucky game either.

Microsoft's position has always been that the community is self-policing; current XNA manager Chris Satchell told GamesIndustry that, "When you look at strong communities there is always a core that will work really hard to make sure community standards are maintained... a lot of submitted games do get rejected at first, due to either bugs or rating descriptors being inaccurate."

Making money from your XNA game: The good and not-so-good [Let'sKillDave! via GamesIndustry]

The first big announcement of the press conference had to be exclusive downloadable content for the Xbox 360 and PC for Bethesda's Fallout 3. As a gamer with all three of the title's launch platforms in my home, that was exactly the sort of news that sealed the deal for me, and certainly a bit of a downer for the PlayStation 3 crowd, but that's not what this press conference was all about, was it?

They followed up the Fallout 3 scoop with a gaggle of sequel release dates. Resident Evil 5 in February of next year, with Fable II coming in October and Gears of War 2 slated for a November release. This was Microsoft's way of assuring 360 owners that they'd have plenty of games to look forward to over the holiday season and beyond.

Then came the first real bomb - the reinvention of Xbox Live. Support for custom avatars caught many a gamers' eye, though of course plenty of folks out there saw the new feature as an aping of Nintendo. Me? The move was definitely inspired by Nintendo, but custom avatars seem a natural addition to a console so heavily invested in community.

Along with the newly revamped Xbox Live experience came Live Party, a way for online friends to basically for a gaming group, staying together from game to game, sharing pictures, music, and even videos while never losing touch with one another.

They'll even be able to watch Netflix movies together, with MS announcing a partnership between the two companies that will allow 360 owners to download movies and watch them directly from their console, much like PC owners can do right now.

Further banking on the system's online capabilities, Microsoft also announced Xbox PrimeTime, a game show channel for the Xbox 360 where players around the world could participate in titles like Uno Rush and 1 Vs. 100, based on the hit television show.

Other revelations included news on Guitar Hero DLC from Van Halen and Metallica, a sequel to the classic Galaga coming to Xbox Live Arcade, and some pretty new controller colors.

Just when we though the show was over for Microsoft, ending with Square Enix's Yoichi Wada showing off Infinite Undiscovery, Star Ocean, and The Last Remnant, after which Sony's Don Mattrick came back on stage to sum things up. Some interesting games were shown, and the Xbox Live updates were intriguing, but that was it? Seemed a bit lackluster to me.

Then Yoichi Wada came back on stage and did this. Final Fantasy XIII, the game that launched a million PlayStation 3 systems, was no longer a PS3 exclusive. Up in the press room, Leigh and I actually whooped, scaring those nearby. Sony fanboys were outraged. Every day that I wake up and there isn't a parody of the song American Pie (Bye, bye FF X-I-I-I) in my inbox I am slightly crushed.

That last announcement carries a lot of importance for Microsoft. That a company as well respected as Square Enix deem them worthy of receiving the first multi-platform Final Fantasy title ever (XI still doesn't count) is a tremendous nod to Microsoft's success with the system as well as the perceived potential of the 360 with publishers across the industry.

All in all I'd say that Microsoft took several steps in the right direction this E3. They've taken steps towards further defining their vision of an online gaming community, revealed some extremely lucrative deals both game and movie-wise, and they've shown the sort of extra value that the Xbox 360 has to offer in a world where exclusives are becoming a very rare animal indeed.

Now, just about anyone can be a game developer — and get paid for it, too. At its Gamefest 2008 event today, Microsoft announced that community games made using its XNA tools will be downloadable via either PC or Xbox 360, and that the creators will get 70 percent of the revenues, as we reported earlier today.

We spoke to game developers' group general manager Chris Satchell about the new community initiative. "We realized there was so much creativity out there in the community," he said. "So many people had great ideas, so we needed to give them a toolset to express themselves… and then we had to give them that worldwide stage where they could show it. And then the final step is, why not let them benefit from it?"

Microsoft saw, Satchell said, that incredible innovation came from viral communities of indie game designers across the web, and hoped to capture some of that community for its users. Satchell hopes that community games will become viral in the same way:

"You'll be able to take the url from the Community Games page and forward to a friend… for the same viral effect you get on the internet and in general, as with movies and music, but with gaming through the service," he said.

So, like YouTube, only where people can be paid for the creations they upload? "Well, I think YouTube... and other film services are all very viral, and sometimes you do searches, but often it’s your friend just sends you a link. Also, what we realize is a lot of people just want to sit down at their computer, and browse and see what's cool and new."

You'll be able to browse community games by genre, and creators can price their work at 200, 400 or 800 Microsoft Points. Additionally, there'll be a front-of-store section that will feature popular or promoted titles, though being front and center comes at a cost — Microsoft will take a marketing fee of anywhere from 10-30 percent for the duration that a title is so visible, but the creator's take goes back up to 70 percent once it's out of the highlight section.

Community games will have a separate storefront from Xbox Live Arcade, but will still be available to the audience of 12 million Xbox Live users. "That's tens of thousands creating games for millions to download," Satchell said. "In some ways, a good way to think about it is using a baseball analogy. Think about the community games... it's really like the minor leagues. Cool new talent, new ideas... and Xbox Live Arcade is the major leagues."

In baseball, often a star minor leaguer catches the eye of a big-league team, and gets plucked out of the minors to bat for the majors. Does Satchell see the potential for standout innovation in community games to catch the eye of big publishers?

"I think that will absolutely happen," he said. "We sort of do that with Dream-Build-Play… but I think that other publishers will obviously be looking. Games that come up will be brilliant... but maybe not fully fleshed out yet, needing more hours of content and more features, but [publishers will say], 'why don’t we go and work with this person or indie studio and help blow it out to a major release,' and so I absolutely think that will happen."

The community games storefront will launch this holiday season, Satchell says, though an official date has yet to be announced. A thriving homebrew scene on a thriving console can only be a good thing for the industry, as high risk and rising budgets limit innovation somewhat among the major publishers, and we look to talented indies for brand-new aesthetics and game mechanics. Bored with this year's E3 slate? Go make your own.

Microsoft Transforms Community Game Developers Into Entrepreneurs

Xbox 360 creates marketplace for user-generated content with Xbox LIVE Community Games.

SEATTLE — July 22, 2008 — During the keynote address today at the Gamefest 2008 Microsoft Game Technology Conference, Microsoft Corp. revealed that it will allow anyone to turn the hobby of game-making into a full-fledged career. Through what is now officially called “Xbox LIVE Community Games,” Microsoft makes its marketplace of millions available to members of the XNA Creators Club to create, sell and share in the profits generated by their unique creations.

Microsoft has already opened up game development to the masses by offering the easy-to-use, affordable XNA Game Studio toolset. With this newly announced business model, Microsoft will have truly democratized game distribution by enabling XNA Creators Club members to participate in the multibillion-dollar-a-year console gaming industry.

Newly appointed to his role as Chief Technology Officer of Microsoft’s Interactive Entertainment Business Group Chris Satchell said the business model was designed to create the best possible experience for both consumers and developers. Community games that have been submitted by XNA Creators Club Premium members and have successfully passed a rigorous peer-review system will be added to the Xbox LIVE Marketplace catalog for sale to consumers. Creators will be able to choose from three suggested preset retail price points varying from 200 to 800 Microsoft Points to sell their creations and will receive up to 70 percent of the total revenue generated by their game.

“Not only are we democratizing game development with Xbox LIVE Community Games later this year, but we’re creating an opportunity for aspiring developers to start their careers on the world stage,” Satchell said. “It is really a win for both developers and consumers because this will no doubt act as an incentive for game creators to continue to develop the best, most innovative games for Xbox 360.”

A host of new and creative ideas are already appearing on the Xbox LIVE Community Games beta. When the service launches for consumers this fall, community-created games on Xbox LIVE are expected to double the size of the Xbox 360 video game library, offering some of the most inventive, quirky and unexpected games ever seen on consoles. By the end of 2008, Xbox 360 owners are expected to have access to the largest, most creatively diverse game library across all next-generation platforms, with more than 1,000 titles spanning Community Games, Xbox LIVE Arcade and retail blockbuster titles.

When the bold new Xbox experience, a re-launch of the largest online social network on TV that is fun and approachable, is released late this fall, the Community Games storefront will be an easy-to-use addition to the existing marketplace on Xbox LIVE. The new Community Games channel is currently scheduled to launch in the United States, Canada and select European markets later this year. Other regions will be added over the course of 2009 and beyond. Consumers will also be able to view and rate community games on Xbox.com, watch trailers, and even play a trial of each game before buying it.

“Since first launching XNA Game Studio in 2006, we have been working hard on improving the toolset and building resources for the community, and the response has been amazing. To date, we’ve had more than 1 million downloads of XNA Game Studio and adoption in more than 700 universities,” said Boyd Multerer, general manager of XNA. “For some perspective, the incredible creative community we’ve unleashed worldwide is more than 25 times the number of professional developers in the industry.”

Microsoft also is giving aspiring developers a hand with the second annual Dream-Build-Play game development contest based on XNA Game Studio projects. The competition will yield prizes in excess of $70,000 and an opportunity for one of the winners to sign an Xbox LIVE Arcade publishing contract. Three of last year’s top performers and winners, “The Dishwasher: Dead Samurai,” “Blazing Birds” and “Yo Ho Kablammo!” from the United States, Canada, Sweden and United Kingdom, respectively, are all slated for release on Xbox LIVE Arcade in the near future. For more details and Dream-Build-Play Official Rules, see http://www.dreambuildplay.com/main/Rules.aspx. For more information on XNA Game Studio, head over to http://creators.xna.com.

Prices will be set at 200 MS points for games 50MB and under, with larger games priced at 400 or 800 MS points. Creators will receive 70% of the revenue generated mailed to them via check on a quarterly basis, though Microsoft will be randomly promoting XNA games, for which they will take an extra 10-20% based on traffic generated.

An interesting fact that is pointed out in the FAQ (linked below) is that even big name publishers can submit their games via the Creators Club, meaning a game that might not pass muster with Xbox proper could theoretically make it into the community section. Hit the link below for the full details!

Introducing Xbox LIVE Community Games [XNA Creators Club Online - Thanks Epsicode!]

The site also supports stat tracking, though currently the only game that supports the feature is DDR Universe 2 for the Xbox 360, which I own and have played exactly three times in the past three months, displaying my powerful commitment to personal fitness. Hit the link to set up your own online DDR presence, or jump right over it for a press release guaranteed to make your body move, probably.

DDR Online Community Site [Konami]

KONAMI HELPS CELEBRATE 10TH ANNIVERSARY OF DANCEDANCEREVOLUTION BY LAUNCHING OFFICIAL DANCEDANCEREVOLUTION BRAND AND COMMUNITY PORTAL

Fans Of Best-Selling Dance Franchise Can Come Together At DDROnlineCommunity.com To Create Personal Profiles, Videos, & Blogs, Chat With Friends, Learn About Upcoming DDR Releases/Events, And More

EL SEGUNDO, Calif. - June 17, 2008 - As part of the year-long celebration of the 10th anniversary of its best-selling DanceDanceRevolution® franchise, Konami Digital Entertainment, Inc., today announced the launch of the official DanceDanceRevolution brand and community portal. Fans of DanceDanceRevolution can now go to www.ddronlinecommunity.com to join other DanceDanceRevolution enthusiasts as they enjoy a host of exciting features related to the DanceDanceRevolution craze. Included among the many features offered such as blog updates direct from the development team, the site offers opportunities for fans to create their own personal profiles, post videos, and write their own blogs. Additionally, they can chat with other DanceDanceRevolution fans around the globe and join special forums. Those who think they are among the DanceDanceRevolution elite will enjoy the live stats tracking feature that can be linked to profiles and scoreboards for DanceDanceRevolution Universe 2 for the Xbox 360® video game and entertainment system from Microsoft with a future iteration planned as well. Through the site, Konami will also keep fans updated on all DanceDanceRevolution related news including upcoming product releases, local and national events, and more.

"For 10 years, DanceDanceRevolution has evolved from a video game into a pop culture icon. Millions of versions of the game have been sold, fan clubs have been formed, and the people who count themselves as members of the DanceDanceRevolution community continue to grow exponentially each year," said Anthony Crouts, Vice President of Marketing at Konami Digital Entertainment, Inc "As we celebrate this special anniversary, the time was right to provide a fun place online where our fans can share their love for the DanceDanceRevolution brand and also enjoy a host of special features, promotions, and activities that are certain to add to the allure of this special franchise."

Originally debuting in arcades in 1998, DanceDanceRevolution has been available on most consoles including Xbox® video game and entertainment system from Microsoft, PlayStation®2 computer entertainment system, and Wii™. Revolutionizing the get-up-and move concept for video games, DanceDanceRevolution combines high energy music with fun-filled gameplay. The game has swept into the pop culture psyche as it has had its own television program on CBS, is regularly featured on primetime television, music videos and feature films, has its own fan club and fan sites, is part of the physical education program in many school districts, and is a featured workout in fitness clubs across the United States.

OK, second, he actually recently posted about how he stalks his friends on Xbox Live, using the service to see what people are playing and when they play it.

Here's his bit about me:

On Sunday morning, for example, I noticed that one friend was online but “away.” I checked his most recent Achievements and saw he had won some from “Ninja Gaiden II” but had done so seven hours earlier. I concluded that he had been playing the game late Saturday night and had let the game idle overnight, I presumed because he hadn’t found a save point yet wanted to retain his progress. I shot him a message proposing my theory. He didn’t respond. So my new theory is that I creeped him out.

For the record, the reason I left the game on overnight is because I am exceptionally impatient and knew that I would be playing it more in the morning and didn't want to wait for the 360 to boot up and then load the game and my save.

Do you ever stalk your cyber buddies? I typically keep an eye on what my brother is up to... and Fahey, I keep a VERY close eye on Fahey's gaming shenanigans.

How I Haunt My Friends On The Xbox 360 [Multiplayer]

While it's always nice to see your website featured in an advertisement, I couldn't for the life of me figure out who we had writing for us that called themselves Axel. Then it dawned on me...this was a quote taken out of our comments section. Congratulations Axel! You have now embarked on a shining new career in product endorsement. People really do win when they comment on Kotaku!

You can visit the newly updated site at http://www.fracturegame.com, and be sure to tune into GameTrailers TV tonight on Spike for the premier of the new Fracture trailer. Hype machine away!

LucasArts Launches Newly Updated Fracture™ Website; Prepares Fall Release

“Groundbreaking” Action Game Web Site Features Development Blog, Community Forums, Gameplay Videos, Screenshots and Much More

Fracture Exclusive Trailer Premiers on Gametrailers TV Friday, May 30th at 10:00pm PT/1:00am ET

LucasArts and development partner Day 1 Studios today announced the redesign and relaunch of the Fracture™ Web site. The newly enhanced site will allow fans of LucasArts’ newest franchise to explore, interact and immerse themselves in the world of Fracture like never before. Development blogs, podcasts, contests as well as a plethora of videos, screenshots, story details and other background information are now just a click away at http://www.fracturegame.com. Fracture is slated for release in October 2008.

To complement the newly updated Fracture website, LucasArts will also offer gamers the opportunity to immerse themselves in a special community-oriented Wiki site. The site will give gamers the chance to interact with other fans of Fracture, watch exclusive videos, and gain access to in-depth information about the exciting features to be found in the game. Discuss Fracture and interact with other fans at http://community.fracturegame.com.

Fracture takes place in the year 2161. A series of ecological and seismological disasters have radically altered the planet’s landscape, and a classic ideological clash between the genetically altered Pacificans and the cybernetically enhanced Atlantic Alliance has brought the world to the brink of war. Players find themselves right in the middle of the genetic vs. cybernetic conflict as Jet Brody, a highly trained weapons expert fighting for the Alliance.

Fracture features truly next-generation gameplay with the use of “groundbreaking” terrain deformation engine technology. Players are able to literally reshape the battlefield as they see fit using advanced, futuristic weaponry that provides unprecedented power, freedom and control. Use Tectonic Grenades to jolt the ground skywards to access otherwise unreachable areas; take out hidden enemies with strategic use of the Torpedo Gun; or, blast out a crater to provide cover with the Entrencher during particularly intense encounters.

Fracture will be available October 2008 for Xbox 360™ and PLAYSTATION®3. More information about the game can be found at the official Fracture site, www.fracturegame.com.

"DGamer was built around the vision to connect Disney video game fans in a secure, fun environment and it is truly the first integrated online community of its kind to do so on multiple platforms," said Graham Hopper, executive vice president and general manager for Disney Interactive Studios. "We recognize the importance of delivering unique experiences to our consumers and how crucial it is for parents to feel confident that the community is secure for their kids."

Disney Interactive Studios Launches DGamer Community With Disney/Walden Media's The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian on Nintendo DS™ Brand New Online Network Enables Disney Gamers and Narnia Fans to Communicate via Nintendo DS and Online

Prince Caspian Game to Be Available on Multiple Video Game Platforms

BURBANK, Calif.—(BUSINESS WIRE)—Disney Interactive Studios today announced the availability of DGamer in North America for Nintendo DS™ users in conjunction with the launch of the Nintendo DS version of Disney/Walden Media's The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian. DGamer from Disney is the first-of-its-kind online community developed exclusively for Disney video gamers. Players can now use their Nintendo DS handhelds to interact with each other while on the go via the Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection and online through the DGamer Web site (www.DGamer.com). The integrated service is scheduled to be included at no additional cost on subsequent Nintendo DS titles from Disney. DGamer is also scheduled to be available in other international regions by 2009.

"DGamer was built around the vision to connect Disney video game fans in a secure, fun environment and it is truly the first integrated online community of its kind to do so on multiple platforms," said Graham Hopper, executive vice president and general manager for Disney Interactive Studios. "We recognize the importance of delivering unique experiences to our consumers and how crucial it is for parents to feel confident that the community is secure for their kids."

DGamer, which leverages the community technology of Disney.com, allows players to log into their DS and online accounts to create and customize a unique 3-D avatar and persistent profile. A wide variety of outfits, hats, eyewear and accessories are available to choose from, including special Disney-themed costumes, such as Buzz Lightyear, Tinker Bell and familiar Disney theme park mouse ears. Kids can chat, view user profiles of their DGamer friends, and post high scores to leaderboards. In addition, players earn "honors" which represent what players have been rewarded when completing in-game missions. Honors can also trigger unlockables such as special gear for player's avatars, all of which transfer automatically between the DGamer Web site and the DGamer feature in DS games from Disney when users log in. For example, when playing The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian, players can unlock Prince Caspian character costumes that can be worn by their DGamer avatar. Certain "honors" also unlock exclusive content in Nintendo DS games from Disney and within the DGamer channel online.

Parents are also encouraged to play an active role in the DGamer community. By accessing parental controls at www.dgamer.com, they can specify the level of interactivity that kids have online and feel confident that their child's experience is age appropriate. For example, parents can choose between three chat levels for their kids' use by utilizing the familiar security features and infrastructure at Disney.com, which hosts the DGamer site. Kids can either communicate using a predetermined list of words and phrases called "Speed Chat," through modified free-form typing that blocks inappropriate language or suggestive phrases called "Speed Chat Plus," or via "Open Chat" which requires an exchange of a True Friend Code outside of the DGamer system. Disney.com employs several safety features to ensure all chat communication is moderated for safety.

Fall Line Studio, the Nintendo platform-dedicated development studio of Disney Interactive Studios, developed both DGamer and The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian for Nintendo DS. The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian is an action/role-playing adventure game that takes players through Narnia and beyond the events of the much-anticipated second film, which is set to open in theaters across North America tomorrow.

"The Chronicles of Narnia franchise has such a massive following that it made this the perfect game to launch DGamer on because it keeps fans connected like never before," said Hopper. "Through the DGamer functionality, fans can chat, share honors, and engage in a truly unique and different experience that immerses them in the world of Narnia in only a way that Disney can deliver."

In addition to Nintendo DS, The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian video game will be available for the Xbox 360® video game and entertainment system from Microsoft, the PLAYSTATION®3 computer entertainment system, the Wii™ home video game console, the PlayStation®2 computer entertainment system and Windows-based PC. The console and Windows-based PC versions of the game were developed by Traveller's Tales and take players on a fast-paced action/adventure that features 20 playable characters and combat, exploration and puzzle solving that extends beyond the film. The console versions also include two live action scenes that were created exclusively for the video game and accompany 16 scenes taken from the film.

The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian for Nintendo DS has an Entertainment Software Rating Board (ESRB) rating of E10+ for Everyone 10 years and older and is now available for $29.99. The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian for consoles and Windows-based PC is rated T for Teen and will be available for Xbox 360, the PLAYSTATION 3 system and Wii for $49.99; and the PLAYSTATION 2 system and Windows-based PC for $29.99.

For more information about DGamer, log on to www.dgamer.com. For more information about The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian video game, log on to www.princecaspianthegame.com.

Street Fighter IV Figurines: Vote for your Favorites! [Capcom Unity Blog]

Here's an excerpt:

Ironically, the medium we love that provides us with so much joy has also developed a fanbase with a reputation for anti-social, intolerant behavior in both Australia and the United States where we live. We know it's a gross and unfair mischaracterization, but the broad set of cultural assumptions about games and gamers is largely negative, and we too often affirm those assumptions by our own behavior.

It's a topic I've also written quite a lot about. Like Michael and Angela, I've no designs on lumping everyone together under some big gruesome umbrella, or at tossing stones from my glass house. But as the essayists point out, negative gamer behavior on the internet and in online play has ramifications for all of us:

We're not interested in being scolds or behavior police, but we face an uphill climb convincing a parent or new gamer whom has visited a tirade-filled forum, or whom has been repeatedly attacked on Xbox Live as a "faggot," that video games are good for our souls, as James Paul Gee suggests.

Food for thought.

Questions for the Community [The Brainy Gamer]

Cartoon Network Launches New Build-Your-Own Ben 10: Alien Force Game on CartoonNetwork.com

New Ben 10: Alien Force Game Creator and Current Record-Holding Ben 10 Digital Offerings Build Excitement for Newly Revamped Series of Hit Animated Show

ATLANTA—(BUSINESS WIRE)—Cartoon Network New Media today launched Ben 10 Alien Force: Game Creator, a new, free online game that merges the popular animated action franchise with user-generated content, marking the first game of its kind.

Beginning today, fans can access the tools and animations they need to build their own action-adventure game featuring the new series Ben 10: Alien Force, which premiered with record-breaking ratings April 18 on Cartoon Network. The game is based on the new Ben 10 series, which advances the plot five years into the future. The Ben 10: Alien Force Game Creator lets users easily build their own online games and share them with fans everywhere. Players choose their own hero from four of Ben's new aliens — Swampfire, Humongousaur, Jetray and Spidermonkey — each of which has unique powers and abilities that impact game play. Completed games can be shared with friends and sent to CartoonNetwork.com's game gallery for other fans to play and rate.

Ben 10 games are consistently among the most popular of the 190+ free games at CartoonNetwork.com. Most recently, the first game based on the new series, Ben 10 Alien Force: Forever Defense, smashed records on the site, scoring more than five million game plays in its debut week of March 10 - 16, 2008. The previous game-play record-holder for the site was also from Ben 10 with Ben 10: Savage Pursuit, which grabbed more than four million game plays its first week online in October of 2007.

"This year we will launch thousands of new games — or, rather, our audience will," said Paul Condolora, senior vice president, Digital for Turner's Animation, Young Adults and Kids Media Group. "Ben 10: Alien Force Game Creator gives kids the power and creative freedom to build and publish their own games and is a first step in our ambition to become the number one online destination where kids go to create, play and share games."

Ben 10 games currently dominate the top 10 most popular games at CartoonNetwork.com, holding five of the top ten spots, including Ben 10: Alien Force Forever Defense at No. 2; Ben 10: Alien Force Action Packs at No. 3; Ben 10: Battle Ready at No. 4 and Ben 10: Cannonbolt Pinball at No. 5.

Ben 10 characters are also part of Cartoon Network New Media's upcoming foray into the massively multiplayer online gaming market with Cartoon Network Universe: FusionFall. In addition, Ben 10 has invaded the mobile space with its title on Cartoon Network's games channel on Smashing Games for Verizon subscribers. Ring tones and wallpapers for mobile devices also are available at CartoonNetwork.com.

Ben 10 premiered on Cartoon Network in January 2006 and has consistently been the network's #1 show on Saturday mornings. Along with the new series, Ben 10 has also spawned a tremendously successful toy and video game line as well as two hit television movies. The live-action movie Ben 10: Race Against Time set record ratings for the network when over 13 million viewers watched during its 2007 Thanksgiving weekend premiere.

The newest Ben 10 series, Ben 10: Alien Force, premiered Friday, April 18, 2008 at 8 p.m. (ET, PT), and was the most-watched original series premiere in Cartoon Network history. The new series began the next chapter in the Ben 10 saga five years later, when 15-year-old Ben Tennyson chooses to once again put on the OMNITRIX. He discovers that it has reconfigured his DNA and can now transform him into 10 brand new aliens. Joined by his super-powered cousin Gwen Tennyson and his equally powerful former enemy Kevin Levin, Ben is on a mission to find his missing Grandpa Max. In order to save his Grandpa, Ben must defeat the evil DNAliens, a powerful alien race intent on destroying the galaxy, starting with planet Earth. Ben joins forces with other young heroes to save the galaxy and his Grandpa Max, while passing along his knowledge to a whole new generation.

Similar in concept to our character creator, it allows you, the players, to create missions and story arcs for your characters and others to participate in. You'll be able to pick the map, villain group, and objectives, as well as write the dialog and any clues needed for the missions. When you are satisfied with it, you can upload it and have other players across all servers play it and rate it. Fame will come to the players whose stories rate the best overall.

What Positron so nonchalantly tosses out in a forum post could be one of the most significant advances in the history of the MMO. While games like Asheron's Call 2 toyed around with giving players some degree of control over the game, full-on user-generated content is completely new to the genre. Back at GDC 2007 when Phil Harrison talked about Gaming 3.0, where the experience was driven by user-created content and community interaction, I never thought I would see the concept applied to a game like City of Heroes. I don't like to bandy about the term 'revolutionary', but damn if it doesn't apply here. As Leigh put it, this could very well be the beginning of MMO 2.0.

A Message From Positron - 4 Year Anniversary! [City of Heroes Forums via Eurogamer]

All guns are available to everyone. However, we want to give some exclusivity to those who buy the Gold Edition. They will get the five Gold Edition weapons from Day One when they put the disc in. People that don't buy the Gold Edition can get the five additional weapons by getting to the final rank in the game.

As for the remaining five weapons, those will be available to everyone free of charge via various marketing promotions run by EA, along the lines of 'Fill out this survey, get your gun code'. The fact that they were originally listed as purchasable via Xbox Live, according to Troedsson, was a simple miscommunication.

All of you noisy bastards who complained vehemently from day one should give yourselves a big pat on the back, as community voices were the reason the change was made.

It's really important for us to get across that we do listen to what people say out there. We don't have time to run around and comment on everything but we do listen to what people say out in the community. It's really important feedback and that's why we make changes like this.

We Want Free Weapons! [IGN.com - Thanks Dave!]

[Thanks, Epsicode]

Xbox Live Director Larry "Major Nelson" Hyrb points out on his blog that the voting for the Xbox 2007 Community Choice Awards is winding down. You only have a few days left to make your picks in a rather long list of 360-centric game categories. To vote just hop over to the link on the jump, select the game you like in each category and then go to the forums to vote. Only people with Gamertags can vote in these awards, which should cut down on the cross-platform hatorade.

Hit the jump for the full list of categories and don't forget we've got our own list of finalists up for Game of the Year too now.

Community Choice Awards

Best Game
Best Game Add-on
Best New IP
Best Role-Playing Game
Best Racing Game
Best Family Game
Best Arcade Game
Best Sports Game
Best Co-op Game
Best Weapon
Best Vehicle
Best Xbox LIVE Event
Toughest Achievement
Coolest Xbox 360 Accessory
Best Sequel
Best Movie Download
Best TV Download
Best Game You May Have Missed

Community Choice Awards [Xbox]

While we can't be sure yet that the planned RockBand.com is scheduled to have every community aspect promised by the press release, we've included the feature set after the jump for a refresher. Pray for a speedy recovery so Harmonix and crew can have a proper home to place their barbs against Activision.

* Personal & Band Pages: ROCKBAND.com will automatically load your in-game characters and game stats from an online database so your personal profile page will always be up to date. Choose from four genres in the game to customize your profile pages with cool background skins that reflect your rock tastes.

* Band Classifieds: Find and create your own band through the ROCKBAND.com Band Classifieds page. Here you can advertise your own rocker skills or search through dozens of rocker profiles to choose band mates who share similar music tastes.

* Rock Band Leaderboards: Climb to the top of the charts as a solo artist or band! From band rankings to solo scores, the ROCKBAND.com leaderboards will earn you fame and fortune as you progress on your journey to Rock Band stardom.

* Rocker Blogs: Find out what's happening behind the scenes with your favorite bands through their blogs. Use your blog to communicate with band mates about practice times, meet others with similar musical interests and keep your groupies in the loop with the website's unique blogs.

* Rock Band Forums: Interact with other rockers and music lovers about anything and everything rock!

* Photo Creator: (Coming Soon!) Take the ultimate promo band or solo shot with the website's Photo Creator. Pick a location, the right lighting, and a coordinated (or not!) pose for your band. Take it over the top cheesy or seriously intense. It's all about your band's total image.

Official Site [Rock Band]

This column does not assert that games themselves are - or are not - the cause of this apparent escalation in hostile, unstable behavior in our community. And it is an overall behavioral trend; two extreme incidents are are demonstrated here as examples, but take a glance at review archives alone and there's almost guaranteed to be, in the comment threads, a reaction to a reviewer's opinion that seems unnecessarily venomous, excessively upset. And nor does this column levy accusations against all of us as a whole; it's most likely that this encroaching trend of apparent hardening, of an increase in cruelty in our audience, is attributable to a vocal minority .... It's also important to note the positives that have come out of gaming communities online - friends supporting each other through difficult times, game-inspired charity organizations and events.

And yet. I once made the rather unpopular assertion that we must examine game violence and resolve our relationship with it in order to be justified in defending ourselves against the knee-jerk, sensationalized accusations of the mainstream media, politicians and TV psychologists using us to get attention. Unpopular though it may be, I offer that perhaps we ought to examine ourselves some more. What are we learning from games, from our anonymous online communities, and from our relationships with one another?

Regardless of whether you agree or (vociferously) disagree with either piece, they're food for thought. I really do think some amount of nasty arguments are simply unavoidable - but I guess the main difference between the gaming community and, say, the academic communities I'm familiar with is that the academics manage to be a little more mature while advancing their personal opinions, no matter how much they (actually, in real life) hate the person they're attacking. Then again ... it's the internet. And the most innocuous of topics can turn into a firestorm given the right prevailing winds.

'The Aberrant Gamer': Are The Kids Alright? [GameSetWatch] and Good games, bad games, ugly games [Tale of Tales]

As the games industry takes innovative steps to communicate with and involve the wider public in their process, there is a lot that can be learnt from the films industry. It is clear that, just as with films, it is essential that it enables its audiences to feel a sense of ownership of the media they purchase. We can achieve this with transparent and honest communication — be it a blog, podcast or video.

It's nice that people like Joss Wheedon and the actors involved in Firefly were all about 'going to the people,' but writing a book - or making a movie - or designing a game are creative processes that belong to someone else. 'Lack of ownership' has never bothered me when it comes to the media I consume - just because I like it a lot doesn't mean I have any role in it than ponying up cash (and I'm OK with that). Lack of transparent process hasn't stopped a frighteningly rabid fan base from springing up around Square Enix or a million other examples that are probably more representative than Firefly. So, dear Kotaku readers, what do you think? Does transparency in process make any difference to you? Or were those of you who were combing Bungie forums for Halo 3 news going to buy the damn game anyways?

Shaping Your Community: What Films Did, Games Must Do

"We are designing ROCKBAND.com as an online home for your band, and as a creative platform for living out your rock and roll fantasy", said Pete Caban, partner at SF-based digital studio Mekanism. "The bands and rockers that you can create in Rock Band are insanely unique, and it's going to be fascinating to watch this community come to life."

For me, the website is almost more interesting than the game itself. Players will be able to join together and essentially role play their lives as rock stars, with all of the personality clashing, band hopping, and other intrigue involved with being music superstars. Right now Rockband.com brings you to the basic game page, but come November 20th it will be transforming into something with fascinating possibilities.

Harmonix, MTV Games And Electronic Arts Blend Rock Fantasy And Reality With ROCKBAND.com

Social Website Allows Rock BandTM Community to Create Custom Band Homepages and Network via "Musicians Meeting Musicians" Classified Section

Cambridge, Massachusetts - October 25, 2007 - Harmonix, the leading developer of music-based games, and MTV Games, a division of MTV Networks which is a division of Viacom (NYSE: VIA, VIA.B), along with distribution partner Electronic Arts (NASDAQ: ERTS), revealed today details for the ROCKBAND.com social community website. The site will launch on November 20, alongside the North American release of Rock Band for the PLAYSTATION®3 computer entertainment system and Xbox 360 ™ video game entertainment system from Microsoft®. A PlayStation 2 version of the game will also ship on December 18.

The ROCKBAND.com Web site will include in-depth Rock Band™ leaderboards, personal and band home pages, and a "Musicians Meeting Musicians" classified section to help form bands online. The site will also give fans the opportunity to create their own Rocker Profile pages and communicate wit h other Community members, blogging about their musical tastes and meeting others with similar interests.

"ROCKBAND.com blurs the lines between fantasy and reality, " said Melissa Macaulay, Producer of ROCKBAND.com, Harmonix. "The site allows you to hype your in-game band's accomplishments, while providing a forum to meet other real-life people and potential band mates who share your musical tastes."

ROCKBAND.com Features:

* Personal & Band Pages: ROCKBAND.com will automatically load your in-game characters and game stats from an online database so your personal profile page will always be up to date. Choose from four genres in the game to customize your profile pages with cool background skins that reflect your rock tastes.
* Band Classifieds: Find and create your own band through the ROCKBAND.com Band Classifieds page. Here you can advertise your own rocker skills or search through dozens of rocker profiles to choose band mates who share similar music tastes.
* Rock Band Leaderboards: Climb to the top of the charts as a solo artist or band! From band rankings to solo scores, the ROCKBAND.com leaderboards will earn you fame and fortune as you progress on your journey to Rock Band stardom.
* Rocker Blogs: Find out what's happening behind the scenes with your favorite bands through their blogs. Use your blog to communicate with band mates about practice times, meet others with similar musical interests and keep your groupies in the loop with the website's unique blogs.
* Rock Band Forums: Interact with other rockers and music lovers about anything and everything rock!
* Photo Creator: (Coming Soon!) Take the ultimate promo band or solo shot with the website's Photo Creator. Pick a location, the right lighting, and a coordinated (or not!) pose for your band. Take it over the top cheesy or seriously intense. It's all about your band's total image.

"We see ROCKBAND.com as a true extension of the Rock Band world. It will be an awesome way to meet new people who have similar musical tastes," said Josh Randall, Creative Director for Harmonix. "With ROCKBAND.com players will be able to come together and express themselves in a collaborative manner, which is what playing music is all about."

Harmonix has partnered with the San Francisco creative powerhouse Mekanism to build the social networking site.

"We are designing ROCKBAND.com as an online home for your band, and as a creative platform for living out your rock and roll fantasy", said Pete Caban, partner at SF-based di gital studio Mekanism. "The bands and rockers that you can create in Rock Band are insanely unique, and it's going to be fascinating to watch this community come to life."

Rock Band is slated is also slated for release in Europe in Q1 2008. The game is rated T for Teen by the ESRB. For more information on Rock Band and Harmonix Music Systems please visit www.ROCKBAND.com and www.harmonixmusic.com.

Activision is launching a new community site for Guitar Hero that will let you earn groupies, find friends and enter tournaments.

After the game launches on Oct. 28, player will be able to create or join a group on the site to compare scores along with tracking and finding friends. The press release isn't exactly crystal clear, but it sounds like the site might be a bit like Bungie's Halo 3 site, meaning that it could track scores, which is a fantastic idea for Guitar Hero 3.

ACTIVISION OFFERS FANS BACKSTAGE PASS TO NEW OFFICIAL GUITAR HERO® COMMUNITY WEBSITE

Fans Register Stage Names and Receive Exclusive Info, Assets, Integrated Online Player Stats, and Sneak Peak at Guitar Hero® III: Legends of Rock

Sunnyvale, CA - October 11, 2007 - Activision, Inc. (Nasdaq: ATVI), in partnership with Agora Games, a leading provider of online community development and in-game data collection, announced today that a new dedicated Guitar Hero community teaser website has launched, and fans can now visit www.GuitarHero.com to get a Backstage Pass to obtain insider information, news announcements, exclusive behind the scenes footage of Slash and other in-game talent, gameplay videos, and screenshots. Aspiring axe-shredders will also have the ability to pre-order and hear snippets from the set list of the highly anticipated title, Guitar Hero® III: Legends of Rock.

Fans who are first to sign up will have the exciting opportunity to create their own account and claim their stage name, which will be their unique identity on the official Guitar Hero community site, scoreboards, and forums. After the game launches on October 28, 2007, players will be able to go "on tour" by creating or joining a group to compare scores, and compete online in global head to head tournaments with other tour groups, along with the opportunity to establish new friendships and connect with other passionate Guitar Hero fans from around the world. They can also build a "rock radius" to opt-in and see friends, tour group members and players to connect with online through a global map.

To complete the rock star experience, fans can obtain groupies on the road to stardom while earning the title of Indie to Rock Star to Guitar Hero and shredding their way into the Hall of Fame. Groupies will determine a player's popularity around the Backstage Pass, as well as on the full community site. For a limited time, players can now earn groupies by telling friends about their band and getting them to register on the site to join their tour group.

Community FAQ - 20 questions [Bethesda]
[Thanks, Patrick]

Get out and play - with N-Gage games in your Nokia device

Nokia reveals N-Gage games service with new publishers and game titles

London, UK - Life just got more entertaining with the new N-Gage mobile gaming service. The service allows you try all N-Gage games for free from any one of the tens of millions of compatible Nokia devices in the market. Once hooked, you can conveniently download and buy a game on your device or PC and continue the fun. You can also share the fun by connecting instantly with friends, challenging players around the world, and participating in community activities in the N-Gage Arena.

"As we expand our focus from a dedicated game phone to a gaming service, we are making getting and playing games even easier," said Jaakko Kaidesoja, head of the games business at Nokia. "The N-Gage service combined with powerful devices, world class titles and brands, and interactive social networking features, takes the mobile gaming experience beyond traditional boundaries."

The N-Gage service will be available globally in November 2007. At that time, the free N-Gage application can be downloaded from http://www.n-gage.com (PC or mobile) and installed in compatible devices. Later, the N-Gage application will be embedded in a wide range of Nokia devices, including the new Nokia N81 and Nokia N95 8GB, so consumers can play straight out of the box.

Furthermore, support for N-Gage continues to grow with EA SPORTS™ FIFA 08, The Sims™ 2 Pets, Tetris®, and Tiger Woods PGA TOUR® being developed for the platform as well as new publishers Capcom and Vivendi, and its famed Crash Bandicoot®, on board. Nokia Publishing also announced new titles: Snakes Subsonic and Bounce Boing Voyage.

"With the new N-Gage experience, fans of some of our most popular franchises like FIFA or The Sims can play and stay connected with other fans. With millions of compatible Nokia devices already in the marketplace, we're very excited to help bring quality mobile gaming expriences to the fingertips of a global audience," said Barry Cottle, Senior Vice President and General Manager, EA Mobile.

The indicative pricing for N-Gage games sold through the N-Gage store will range between six and 10 euros excluding local taxes and can be bought with a credit card or charged through operator billing where available. Operator billing is supported in over 20 countries and credit card billing is available globally. Daily and weekly game licenses are also available at lower prices and all games are free to try before purchase. Moreover, whether you choose to get games over the air or over the internet, managing your games catalog is a breeze with simple store and sync to your PC.

NEW ETERNAL SONATA COMMUNITY SITE STEPS UP TO THE PODIUM

Eternal Sonata fans rejoice as NAMCO BANDAI Games has dimmed the house lights and drawn back the curtains on Endless Nocturne, a new interactive community site for their upcoming RPG title, Eternal Sonata for the Xbox 360. Aspiring maestros around the world are invited to create their magnum opus for fellow composers, and receive musical "Notes" for their submissions of fan art, contributions to the community forums, and participation in polls, quizzes, surveys, and other Eternal Sonata-inspired assignments and creative opportunities. Accomplished artistes can then exchange their Notes in the Endless Nocturne shop for Eternal Sonata posters, custom signed artwork, soundtracks, copies of the game, or even the ultimate musical prize — an iPod or Zune MP3 player. Artisans and aficionados alike can join the Eternal Sonata community now at www.endlessnocturne.com.

Eternal Sonata is the RPG to own this Fall as its intuitive and strategic combat system, featuring a blend of real-time and turn-based battle, keeps the action flowing and takes into account elements such as light and darkness. Boasting an intriguing story told through real-time cut-scenes, an unforgettable cast of characters, and incredibly detailed environments to explore, Eternal Sonata is set to deliver one of the most engrossing RPG experiences of the year for the Xbox 360.

For more information on Eternal Sonata, please visit http://eternalsonata.namcobandaigames.com

There are some great games available, including one of my favorite indies of all time, Gish, Marble Blast Gold, or stylistic black and white adventure game Vigil: Blood Bitterness, who's name I've been trying to remember for months now.

The worst that could happen is you spend five minutes filling out a form and get a free game out of it. At best - perhaps a Great Games Experiment love connection?

Perhaps not. Either way, everyone wins. Well, except those that listened to me the first time around. Foolish mortals. Michael Fahey

The Great Games Experiment

The Great Game Giveaway
GreatGamesExperiment.com is Giving Away a Free Game to Each New User

Eugene, OR, June 5, 2007 - GreatGamesExperiment.com (GGE) will be giving 1 free game to each new user that creates an account between June 7-14. The week-long giveaway will allow users to choose from 48 games* in the GarageGames.com Game Store.

Games participating in the Great Games Giveaway include award-winners such as Marble Blast Gold, ThinkTanks, Minigolf Mania, and Jets 'n' Guns Gold. All games are available for Windows, an additional 18 are also available for Macintosh users, and 11 can be downloaded for Linux.

Upon creating an account, users will be sent a message through their GGE account informing them of the Giveaway, and linking to the GarageGames.com Game Store where they can select their free game. Creating an account at GreatGamesExperiment.com is entirely free, and requires no obligation beyond a valid email address to become a member. The contest will begin at midnight on June 7, and end at midnight on June 14.

*Wildlife Tycoon: Venture Africa, Fizzball, and Fastcrawl are not participating in this promotion, and will be sold at full price during the week of June 7-14.

What is The Great Games Experiment?
The Great Games Experiment is a community in which gamers, developers, and publishers can connect through the games they have created and enjoy playing. GGE has been created with both gamers and game developers in mind. Visitors to the site can participate in the discovery of new games, make friends with other gamers, and even promote their own creations. To date, almost 4,000 games and over 10,000 gamers have combined to create the ultimate online gaming experience. The Great Games Experiment is one of the web's foremost destinations for gamers and developers alike.

GarageGames: GarageGames, the company behind GreatGamesExperiment.com, is located in Eugene, Oregon and on the web at www.garagegames.com. As the makers of Torque Game Builder, Torque Game Engine, and Torque Game Engine Advanced, they have been providing game development tools and technology at an affordable price since 2000. The Torque Game Engine was the original technology behind the Tribes series of games, and has been used since to develop countless games on Windows, Mac, Linux, and Xbox 360, notable among which is GarageGames' own Marble Blast series of games.

Itadaki Street new characters, screens [Go Nintendo]

Pretty much 1up, only 5400 miles to the upper right.

The site will support skins, such as the GRAW2 skin already available for users to decorate their customizable home page. They are also seeking to work with developers to integrate info from MMOs and other online games into the site.

Eurogamer has a handy getting started guide for Eurogamers here, which walks you through the process of adding to your game collection, adding friends, etc.

I'd sign up and poke about, but unfortunately I am not in Europe, and they're quite picky over there I hear. It's all up to you now, Kim Phu. You're our only hope. Michael Fahey

Eurogamers
Eurogamer Network launches new community website [GamesIndustry.biz]

GGE is currently in the beta testing stages, slowly inviting more and more gamers to come connect, create, and maybe even win some cool beta contest swag. They've now officially extended the invitation to Kotaku readers, apparently having run out of civilized, well-behaved candidates. If you hit the link below you'll hit the home page with referral code kotakugg already filled in. Sign up and start building your presence. I just hope they are prepared for you people. Oh, and be sure to add KotakuFahey to your friend list, or I will be very sad. Michael Fahey

The Great Games Experiment Kotaku Sign-Up

The Cult of Rapture, a new community site for 2k Games' Bioshock, has landed on the tubes. There's quite a bit there, although a lot of it is the same stuff you can find on the game's official website; screenshots, trailers and a description of the game's plot.

What this site does have, however, is a Q&A with an Irrational Games representative and questions gathered from game sites and forums from around the web. One big question addressed on the site is whether Bioshock will have any sort of multiplayer or online gaming action. The mysterious unnamed rep had this to say...

There will be no multiplayer (hold on before you complain!!!!) but for a very specific reason. BioShock features a compelling storyline that revolves around the experiences of one man as he enters the decaying world of Rapture. Having a multiplayer component would have compromised the story we were trying to tell so we made the decision to keep this game as a single player experience. There will be an online component, however, where new content can be downloaded.

Personally, I am more than willing to give up multiplayer for a really good, solid storyline. And judging from everything I've seen of this game, I'm certainly not going to miss it much.

There are nine or ten other questions in the Q&A covering different topics such as whether or not there will be a playable demo and my personal favorite "Can you hype Ken Levine more like CliffyB?" Flynn De Marco

The Cult of Rapture [2k Games]
[via Blue's News]

Now that the Wii is out of the box I think it would be nice to share the Wii and MII.

If you're interested post your Wii Friend Code here, but keep in mind you need to both add the code and be added for it to work because Nintendo hates the Internet.

I'll post mine in a bit, once I get home. Brian Crecente

By: Wagner James Au

Second Life's embedded journalist reports from SL's annual real world convention

The first time I met Nethermind Bliss, she was a woman with fire engine red hair, WWI flying ace goggles, and Wolverine wrist claws. The next time I met her was last weekend at the Second Life Community Convention in San Francisco, so this time, the meeting was in-person, and she was more or less the same, just flesh-based. (Though she still had the goggles and claws.) And even though I could have asked her real name, I still called her Nethermind Bliss. Which seemed to be the standard way of addressing people at SLCC. When meeting in person, SL residents— even staff members with Linden Lab (the world's owner)— call each other by their avatar names. That's whether they look like a version of their alter egos, or come without the fur, devil horns, alien skin, robot gear, and other enhancements you've come to identify them by in-world. What's amazing is how natural this feels, and how familiar you can quickly get with hundreds of people you've only known through 3D graphics.

It was two and a half days of fascinating SL-to-RL encounters (much of it alcohol-fueled), Silicon Valley utopianism, and perhaps causing the most audience glee, a demonstration of what appears to be the first MMO-based sex toy. These highlights and more after the break.

When Baccara Met Nick
Clockwise from left, here's Nick Rhodes, DJ Nexeus Fatale, architect/fashion designer Asri Falcone, your reporter, and Baccara Rhodes. This is the first time Nick and Baccara have met in person; in real life, Nick is a photographer from Paris, and Baccara is a retired wedding and bar mitzvah planner from New Jersey. In Second Life, Nick is known for his glamour screenshots of women avatars, while Baccara is famed for, well, being Baccara— the high-born lady in a Versace evening gown whose SL weddings and spectacular events have put her, in my estimation, among Second Life's power elite. For awhile there, Nick and Baccara shared an adoring relationship in-world, and hosted intellectual salons in Nick's art gallery. Until, that is, Nick's wandering ways became too much for Baccara ("I'm not gonna sit around here like Rapunzel!", as she recalls thinking) and she piled up their keepsakes and mementos and turned them into a giant bonfire. He took her punishment in good spirits— which is a relief, because Nick flew from France for SLCC, and to meet her. So that's where they sat together for the first time, idly chatting like old friends reunited (which they are), the handsome Parisian and the Jersey spitfire. "He's a very sweet man," Baccara told me indulgently.

Down to Business

In the premiere SLCC last year, the world had a spare 60,000 or so registered users; now it's approaching some 250,000 active users, and has become a darling of next generation Internet commerce. So the Convention is no longer just a fan con, but a business expo, too, with several metaverse development companies that create experiences and branded items in Second Life for major corporations, educators, and government contractors— including products from Addidas and Toyota both of which were announced at SLCC 06.

Sexual Rezzing

SLCC probably has the unique distinction of being the only mainstream MMO convention sponsored in part by a sex shop. Then again, Strokerz Toyz is a homegrown success story, a hardcore Macy's of animations, working organs, and play equipment for the discerning avatar. During the "Sex and Relationships in Second Life" panel, CEO Stroker Serpentine (bald shaven, dark glasses, Southern drawl) regaled the audience about becoming a successful simulated sex entrepreneur, which involves getting technical support questions via Instant Messages like, "How do I attach my penis?" and, "My vagina won't shut up!"

Stroker was followed by mad scientist inventor qDot Bunnyhug, who proceeded to demonstrate a mini-revolution in peripheral hacks for the horny. Inspired by Jane Pinckard, who famously used the Trance Vibrator from the PS2 music game Rez as a, well, actual vibrator