Kotaku: good news

Insomniac's PS3 Visuals Are Just Getting Started

Mark Wilson — Thu, 15 Nov 2007 10:40:38 MST

Every once in a while, during the lightning-paced, dog-eat-dog world of blogging, we read something that puts the stride back in our step and allows us to finish the day without falling back on chemical enhancements. This earnest report from Insomniac on their work with the PS3 did just that. From Chief Creative Officer Brian Hastings:

The amount of action we're able to put on the screen at 60 frames per second really dwarfs what we were able to do a year ago at 30 frames per second...I think we'll see just as big a leap from our second generation engine to our third as we did from the first to second.

...we're listening.

I think we're going to continue seeing major leaps each year in what people are able to do with the machine for at least three or four more years.

When reports like this come from any developer, we listen. But when that developer has wielded the PS3's graphical capabilities to levels we'd only hoped for so soon since its release, we experience a warming flutter of tachycardia. Major leaps in PS3 visuals for at least four more years [via threespeech]

Valve Promises TF2 Patch Is Done, Coming Soon

Mark Wilson — Tue, 16 Oct 2007 11:40:05 MDT

Apparently Team Fortress 2 is lagging pretty badly on Xbox LIVE, and players in larger matches often fall victim to dropping out of games entirely. (We wouldn't know, since we've been training rigorously to pwn Gizmodo later this week in some Halo 3 multiplayer). But the good news is that Valve is aware of the problem, admitting they're aware of the problem and on the road to actually fixing the problem.

In fact, the patch is out Valve's door and just has to pass Microsoft certification before getting distributed to LIVE players. Nice turnaround, Valve.

Valve Aware of TF2's Xbox Live Lag [via gamelife]

Newer Xboxes are Clearly Labeled Not to Suck

Mark Wilson — Fri, 10 Aug 2007 11:40:22 MDT

Good news, brick and mortar store shoppers! Because as we broke earlier, the new HDMI-equipped Xbox 360 Premiums are clearly marked for your consumer discretion. And one photobucket philanthropist has posted exactly what these markings look like. As you can see in this side by side, the Premium's list is WAY longer than the Core's with the addition of HDMI.

Also, when the current "Zephyr" chips are replaced with new, smaller, cooler "Falcon" technology, that will be right on the box as well:

Shop smart. Don't do drugs. Yadda yadda yadda.

Wonderkins Photobucket shots [via joystiq]

PS3 Fever Hits Prague (No, Really!)

Brian Ashcraft — Fri, 23 Mar 2007 07:00:58 MDT

With all the cold shoulders the PLAYSTATION 3 has been getting in PAL regions, we have been looking for good news. Sadly, we haven't found any. But, Kotakuite Petr from the Czech Republic sends this:

It was for the first time that something like this has happened here. Never before were there official console launches in CR. Anyway, the whole event was held in a specialized Sony Store named Elvia-Pro in the centre of Prague. It was advertised in print and online media for a good half of March. In spite of this, my expectations regarding number of people willing to stand in line for several hours for PS3 weren't overly high. So, I was surprised to find out, that thirty minutes before midnight, the line was 15 - 20 meters long. According to Sony Czech, there were at least 130 people waiting for PS3 including some minor celebrities. After several hours, PS3 was sold out (there were only about 1000 PS3 for CR launch), which is true for all the Czech Republic. In the end, PS3 launch in CR was by my opinion fairly successful.

Whew! And we were getting worried. Brian Ashcraft

Gallery: PS3 Folding@Home

Brian Crecente — Thu, 15 Mar 2007 13:40:45 MDT

Gizmodo editor surpemeo was on hand to check out the new Playstation 3 Folding@home at Stanford University today and sent us a barrel-full of pictures to peruse. Sexy! Brian Crecente

Nebraska Stores Pass On PS3 Sales, Donate Instead

Michael McWhertor — Thu, 16 Nov 2006 18:00:19 MST

With shootings, brawls, stampedes, sickening displays of human greed and other depressing reports coming in from the PlayStation 3 launch front, at least one tiny shred of decency is up for grabs. Nebraska Furniture Mart (wait, who?) has opted not to sell any PlayStation 3's to their customers. Citing a lack of supply, they decided to act charitably and give away their stock.

The manufacturer of PlayStation 3 is unable to supply adequate quantities to the market. In the best interest of our customers, we are NOT offering PS3 for sale until the manufacturer can guarantee us an adequate supply.
We have donated a handful of units that we received to local charities to help them with their Christmas fundraising.

Thank you for your understanding. When we have adequate numbers of PS3, we will advertise it to the public.

Let's hope those charities scalp 'em for big bucks. Thanks for the news, J. Michael McWhertor

Nebraska Furniture Mart