Kotaku: Hotness

VRX MACH 4 Brings 4 Screens 2 Forza 2 4 U

Mark Wilson — Fri, 04 Jan 2008 12:20:28 MST

The VRX MACH 4 is the only way we'll ever play Forza 2 again, since just looking at the setup has made us snobs. Four Xbox 360s run four copies of Forza 2 driving, you guessed it, four LCD displays (three front, one rearview). Bose and Harmon Kardon team up on the surround sound, and if all that audio doesn't shake you enough, there's a 1500 Watt Tactile Vibration Feedback System with 1900 Watt amp.

Chrome trim, LED lighting, cup holder...I need to stop writing about this thing...I'm in public. The full specs are after the jump—and who knows, maybe McWhertor will be lucky enough to spot these guys at CES for a bit of vicarious...drooling. We don't know the price, but then again, we kind of don't want to.

Specifications:
· 4 Microsoft Xbox 360's
· 4 Copy's Forza Motorsport 2
· Xbox 360 Wireless Networking Adapter
· Microsoft Force Feedback Steering wheel
· 3 Sharp Aquos 37" LC-D62U 1080p HD LCD displays
· Adjustable rear view Power Acoustik (PTM 750) 7" LCD display
· Bose Acoustimass 10 series surround sound system with subwoofer
· Harmon Kardon AVR-144 Surround Sound receiver
· 1500 Watt Tactile Vibration Feedback System
· 1900 Watt Tactile Power Amplifier
· Virtual Wind System powered by 2 dual Honeywell fans with chrome shroud
· 1" CNC machined polished aluminum foot assembly that connects to the front of the VRX
· Universal triple screen aluminum mounting bracket that accepts LCD displays from 20" to 40"
· Adjustable aluminum and tinted acrylic component shelves
· On board power bar and unique wire way system conceals cables
· Polished chrome chassis with powder coated wheel mount and pedal mount
· CNC billet aluminum Speaker Mounts and Seat Wing
· Front and rear non-slip aluminum vibration dampeners
· 3M automotive chrome trim concealed edges
· Italian Sparco Monza racing seat (choice of Red/Black or Black/Silver)
· Sparco automotive seat slider
· Suspension seat base
· 3/D epoxy coated graphics
· Velcro and machined rubber grip blocks "prevents wheel and pedal movement"
· 10" diagonal and 8" horizontal wheel adjustments
· Polished Aluminum Speaker Mounts
· LED Lighting effects
· Beverage Containment System

The VRX MACH 4 [via maxconsole]

House of Dead 2 & 3 Return Bundle Going Japanside

Mark Wilson — Fri, 28 Dec 2007 12:40:11 MST

Despite beating both games countless times in arcades, this The House of the Dead 2 and 3 Return bundle may be reason enough to pick up a Wii Zapper. Featuring two of Sega's famous shooters, the newly announced pack will include the already announced games along with Nintendo's newest Zapper casing for about $44 when it's released this March in Japan. Here's hoping the bundle makes its way stateside, since the game alone is currently priced at about $40. For $4, the Wii Zapper doesn't look all that bad (or difficult to stuff into my entertainment center).

HotD 2 & 3 Zapper bundle coming to Japan [via gonintendo]

Team Fortress 2 Art Direction, Justified

Mark Wilson — Wed, 03 Oct 2007 12:40:34 MDT

Of all the things we would never make a developer Justify in fifteen seconds, it would be Valve's art direction for Team Fortress 2. The retro, phong shaded design is quirky and fun, and not to mention gorgeous to the eyes. But developer Robin Walker's explanation of the art style is interesting nonetheless, especially since the look is so disparate from what was originally imagined.

The earliest version of TF2 that you guys never got to play was this ultra-realistic... it looked a lot like Counter-Strike to a large degree. We wanted to do all these things, but realism fought us every step of the way. In a realistic game it's hard to justify why everything isn't just a bullet or an explosive, because at the end of the day, that's what kills people in the real world...

So the point I was trying to make was that we spent some time squirming under this art direction that we'd chosen too early. Later, when we started thinking about humour, we had a lot of fun with being free. We realised we could do that thing that we'd joked it would be fun to do. Well guess what? Now we can do it. Let's do it!Let's see, art direction that provides genuinely funny humor that supports gameplay? Yes! Let's do it!

We're off to slip on a banana peel and dream about TF2.

RPS Team Fortress 2 Interview - Part 2 [rock, paper, shotgun]

Geeks Get Their Own Pin-Up Girl

Kim Phu — Mon, 02 Apr 2007 09:40:00 MDT

If the Goths get Dita Von Teese, then it's only fair that we get Mary Lynn Rajskub who plays 24's code-cracking, network re-routing, information technologist, Chloe O'Brien (she's one of those characters who would be just gorgeous if she just took off her glasses and let her ponytail down). In Geek Monthly's third issue, Rajskub gets tested on her tech skills (as compared to the character she plays on TV) and cosplays her way through a pretty unforgettable photo shoot. Kim Phu

24's Mary Lynn Rajskub Gets Sexy For Geek Monthly [Geek Sugar via Best Week Ever]

PS3 Contest Just Got Sexier

Brian Crecente — Mon, 19 Mar 2007 14:00:13 MDT

Bethesda Softworks Veep and Kotaku reader Pete Hines noticed that our Playstation 3 contest had plenty of sexy console in it but that the games were a tad dated. So he emailed to ask if we'd like a copy of Oblivion to throw into the mix.

Damn straight we would. Right after I said yes, I got to looking a gift horse in the mouth and emailed Pete back to see if some of the development team would sign the game before shipping it out to us for the contest. Yes, yes they will be. Hotness.

So now you'll be trying to win not only that amazing laser-etched PS3, but copies of Fight Night, Madden, Call of Duty, Ridge Racer and a copy of Oblivion signed by some of the dev team. And let me tell, all you really need is Oblivion, the game will suck up every free second you have until you beat it.

Viva la Kotaku Readers! Brian Crecente

New God of War II Trailer

Brian Crecente — Mon, 25 Sep 2006 18:00:28 MDT

God of War II is one of the last few current gen games I'm eagerly, EAGERLY anticipating. So I was very excited when Sony shot me this new trailer showing some new areas of the game. Can't wait. I think I'm going to have to go home and replay through the demo a fourth time. Brian Crecente

MGS4 Gameplay Scans

Brian Crecente — Wed, 20 Sep 2006 17:30:34 MDT

Destructoid, our favorite robot-themed video game blog with the word destruct in it, snagged some blurry shots of a Japanese magazine showing actual Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patroits gamplay graphics. I know it's a post of a photo of a magazine picture, but those graphics look amazing. Maybe the cut-scenes really are what the rest of the game will look like. The pictures seem to show that the game will be played in an over-the-shoulder view, though one scan does show gameplay in first-person. Brian Crecente

Metal Gear Solid 4 Scans [Chaos Realm via Destructoid]

Rachel Hunter's a Gamer

Brian Crecente — Wed, 04 Jan 2006 05:00:57 MST

This is a bit old, but I completly forgot to post about it. Apparently Rachel Hunter, soon to be the ex Mrs. Rod Stewart, is a gamer. In a recent interview with Night and Day Magazine she said she likes to spend time with her 11-year-old son and 13-year-old daughter playing video games. She even told the mag that the thing they were looking forward to over the holidays was playing with their new Xbox 360.

Rachel Hunter and gaming, yum.