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Culture
One Man’s Artistic Journey From Ubisoft To Pacific Rim
Henry Fong is a former senior character designer at Ubisoft who, after leaving the publisher a few years back, has been working in the motion picture business on projects like Pacific Rim and the upcoming Spider-Man sequel. Fong actually enjoyed two stints at Ubisoft; his first saw him working on series like Assassin’s Creed, Prince…
By Luke Plunkett Published January 10, 2013 -
The 13 Movies That Inspired Vice City’s Perfect 1980s
Rockstar’s 2002 classic Vice City remains so popular today as much for its bottling of mid-80s culture and excess as it does the actual game The game’s soundtrack rightly gets a lot of credit for this, as does the colour palette, but have you ever wondered which movies served as the inspiration for the neon-infused…
By Luke Plunkett Published January 10, 2013 -
Monopoly Thinks It’s A Comic Book, Wants To Kill A Game Piece
Hasbro, perhaps after a sharp blow to the head, have decided a good way to get people interested in Monopoly again is to launch a campaign where one of the game’s iconic pieces is killed off. Not only are they messing with a tradition that didn’t need to be messed with, they’re handling it in…
By Luke Plunkett Published January 10, 2013 -
A Real Photo That Makes Manhattan Look Like SimCity
Photographer Sergey Semonov is responsible for the above image that makes the heart of New York City look like a spline that’s just been reticulated. It’s not technically a single photo; instead, it’s a composite of a number of photos taken during a helicopter ride. Sergey presents it as a stunning interactive panorama on his…
By Luke Plunkett Published January 9, 2013 -
German Scientists Have Built A Real, Functional Laser Turret
You say the words “laser turret”, and you think strategy games. Maybe shooters. They’re as clichéd a defensive tool that science fiction stories can get, but now, thanks to German scientists, they’re real. While ground-to-laser technology has existed for a while now, this pair of weapons is really something else, boasting a twin-barrel casing that…
By Luke Plunkett Published January 9, 2013 -
You Haven’t Seen Rapture Until You’ve Seen It Recreated With Blocks
Kevin, Jake and Stewie of website Hungercraft are to thank for this incredible recreation of BioShock’s Rapture in Minecraft, captured perfectly not just in block form, but in a fantastic trailer as well. If you’re over Minecraft recreations, imagine it’s LEGO BioShock. That’ll get you there. The map recreating the underwater metropolis will be released…
By Luke Plunkett Published January 9, 2013 -
EA Is Being Sued Over A… Tattoo. From 2004.
Tattoo artist Stephen Allen is responsible for at least some of the artwork adorning the arms of former NFL running back Ricky Williams. That same tattoo has appeared on the cover of a video game, leading Allen to sue both Williams and the publisher. The game in question is NFL Street, a console game released…
By Luke Plunkett Published January 9, 2013 -
The Biggest, And Most Badass Video Game Toy Of All Time Is Finished
If it feels like we’ve been writing about ThreeA’s Metal Gear Rex figure for years, that’s because we have been Over three years later and the thing is finally shipping to customers who paid around $500 for the pleasure. It’s also shown up on toy site Rad Toy Review, whose pictures make it look like…
By Luke Plunkett Published January 9, 2013 -
Mario’s Piranha Plant Becomes Something A Little More Recreational
“This item is intended for use with legal tobacco products only.” Hah. Of course it is. This glass piranha plant pipe sells for $85, and is made by Etsy seller Hedcraft, a purveyor of “High Quality Custom Glass Smokeware”. Glass Pipe – Monster Plant- MADE TO ORDER- Hedcraft Glassworks [etsy, via topless robot]
By Luke Plunkett Published January 9, 2013 -
Windows 8 Was A “Giant Sadness”, Says Valve Boss Gabe Newell
He’s rarely had kind words to say about Microsoft’s latest operating system, but in the same interview with The Verge in which he spoke at length about his company’s plans for a “Steam Box” PC, Valve boss Gabe Newell also talks about Windows 8. Mainly, how it’s a “giant sadness”. And how he finds the…
By Luke Plunkett Published January 9, 2013 -
The Hidden Inspiration (OK, Not Really) Behind The New Pokémon Starters
You may not think animated series Bob’s Burgers and the just-announced Pokémon X/Y have much in common, but they do. And once it’s seen, it cannot be unseen. Guys, I noticed something about the new starters [Nick DeWitt]
By Luke Plunkett Published January 9, 2013 -
The Great Wii U Robbers Might Actually Get Away With It
Last month, thieves made off with 7000 Wii U consoles in a brazen robbery near Seattle’s SeaTac airport. They stole some trucks, drove right up to a warehouse, got out, used forklifts to remove the consoles, then just drove off. If the cops were hoping they’d catch the thieves red-handed, they’d be pretty disappointed by…
By Luke Plunkett Published January 9, 2013 -
Culture
Robot Angels, Dragons, Starships & Bikes
This is the work of Taiwanese artist Evan Lee. Having worked on local MMO Gladius Regalis Online and mobile game Galaxy Saga, he’s also released several art books, and also finds the time to teach. You can check out more of Evan’s work on his personal site and CGHub page To see the larger pics…
By Luke Plunkett Published January 9, 2013 -
Why The First Truly “New” Pokémon Game In Ages Is On 3DS, And Not Wii U
A Pokémon game that looks new? Amazing. If you’re wondering why the company chose to release a 3D Pokémon adventure on a handheld, though, and not the Wii U, there’s a simple answer. Well, a simple answer that’s different from “because we’ve only ever released main Pokémon games on a handheld”. In an interview with…
By Luke Plunkett Published January 9, 2013 -
Sony And Microsoft Should Be Worried About The Steam Box. Very Worried.
The future of home gaming. The next generation. For years now, the anticipation and excitement over what’s to come has been dominated by speculation over what would come next from Microsoft and Sony. In one day, Valve has changed all of that It’s been hard to get excited about PC gaming in the way you…
By Luke Plunkett Published January 9, 2013 -
Vote For Your Favourite Fighting Game, Donate Money To Cancer Research. Easy.
Seven of the eight games that’ll make up this year’s EVO fighting game tournament in Las Vegas have been announced by the show’s organisers. Those seven are: Ultimate Marvel vs. Capcom 3 Super Street Fighter IV: Arcade Edition Tekken Tag Tournament 2 Mortal Kombat 9 Street Fighter X Tekken 2013 King of Fighters XIII Persona…
By Luke Plunkett Published January 8, 2013 -
What Half-Life Looked Like In 1997, One Year Before It Came Out [Update]
This footage is taken from something called Half-Life Alpha, a demo of Valve’s classic shooter playable in 1997, a year before the game would eventually be released. As you’ll quickly see, most of this is actually a tech demo. Which might explain why there’s a Macross Pod hiding in a stairwell. Update – Ah, the…
By Luke Plunkett Published January 8, 2013 -
VP Joe Biden Wants To Meet With Video Game Reps Over Gun Control
Later this week, Vice President Joe Biden will be hosting a panel looking at ways to reduce the level of gun violence in the United States. According to a report on Bloomberg, he’s invited the NRA, along with “gun-control advocates, victims of shootings and representatives of the movie and video game industry”. Note this isn’t…
By Luke Plunkett Published January 8, 2013 -
It’s Official: Gabe Newell Shares Details About Valve’s Steam Box
With the first of many “Steam Box” computers making its debut at CES, Valve boss Gabe Newell has really opened up to The Verge about his company’s hardware plans, revealing that the range of gaming PCs might be even more ambitious than we would have imagined. Some of the main things he touches on: •…
By Luke Plunkett Published January 8, 2013
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