Playdate: Going back to school with ‘No Pineapple Left Behind’
Back to school. Those three words can strike fear in even the hardiest of kids. We’re celebrating the beginning of the semester a little differently, because, well, that’s what we do on Playdate. Rather than spend the afternoon quoting Billy Madison, we’re going to be playing through No PIneapple Left Behind, a game that skewers the politics of the American education system. And who better to talk about it than Seth Alter, the former teacher who developed the game? No one, that’s who. So join us here at 6 pm ET / 3 pm PT as Sean Buckley and myself walk through these pineapple-filled halls for two hours on Twitch. You can tune in here on this post, Twitch.tv/joystiq or even the Engadget Gaming homepage. And no, there’s no need to bring an apple for us — just being a good sport in chat is reward enough.
http://www.twitch.tv/joystiq/embedWatch live video from Joystiq on www.twitch.tv
http://www.twitch.tv/joystiq/chat?popout=
[We’re streaming No Pineapple Left Behind at 720p through OBS, so rest assured this game will look dramatically better on your computer at home.]
Filed under:
Gaming, Home Entertainment, HD
Tags: education, hdpostcross, NoChildLeftBehind, nopineappleleftbehind, pc, PcGaming, playdate, politics, sethalter, streaming, subalterngames, twitch
Watch the trailer for the BBC’s GTA drama ‘The Gamechangers’
Today we got our first glimpse of the BBC’s upcoming Grand Theft Auto docudrama, which examines the game’s development and public scrutiny in 2002. The Gamechangers, starring Daniel Radcliffe as Rockstar president Sam Houser, covers the franchise’s growth in the PlayStation 2 era and the criticism that followed regarding its portrayal of violence. Bill Paxton is playing Jack Thompson, a former attorney that famously campaigned against the series, and based on this new trailer it’s clear their thorny relationship is the centerpiece of the show. In May, Rockstar said it would be filing a lawsuit against the BBC over trademark infringement — the developer said it’s had “no involvement” with the project and seemingly disapproves of it altogether. The broadcaster appears unfazed by the legal action though, as it’s scheduled to air on September 15th, at 9pm on BBC Two in the UK. If you live elsewhere, however, there’s no word just yet on an international release.
Filed under:
Gaming
Source:
YouTube
Tags: BBC, danielradcliffe, docudrama, documentary, grandtheftauto, gta, rockstar, thegamechangers
PlayStation 3’s free-to-play ‘Soul Calibur’ shuts down in November
There was a brief period when Bandai Namco was trying a free-to-play model for its bigger franchises like the venerable Soul Calibur fighting series and its arcadey Ridge Racer. The latter shut down in 2014, and the former will suffer a similar fate pretty soon. Come November 30th, the PlayStation 3 exclusive Soul Calibur Lost Swords closes its virtual doors while sales of in-game items stop about a month prior on October 27th, according to GamesIndustry.biz. From September 16th to September 30th though, Bandai Namco is hosting some commemorative “ranking quests” to mark the occasion. Are you among the game’s over two million players and are already mourning its passing? Let us know in the comments. And hey, who knows, this could point toward a Soul Calibur hitting modern consoles sometime soon — possible silver lining and all that.
Filed under:
Gaming, Home Entertainment, HD
Source:
Bandai Namco (YouTube)
Tags: bandainamco, freetoplay, hdpostcross, online, playstation, playstation3, psn, shutdown, soulcalibur, soulcaliburlostsword, video
Valve’s testing a new look for Steam on TVs
The November release Valve’s fancy Steam Controller is right around the corner, and the company seems to be getting the rest of its platform ready for launch day. Specifically, Valve is giving Steam’s Big Picture Mode a visual overhaul, redesigning UI navigation in the TV-interface’s game library with a more dynamic layout, making tweaks to game-specific pages within that library and updating the look of user profile pages. Valve is also adding FLAC, OGG, Vorbis and M4A support to its music player, as well as experimental Streaming-host support for Macs. Curious? Try it out for yourself by opting into the Steam beta client in your settings menu, or simply check out the gallery below.
Slideshow-316951
Filed under:
Gaming
Source:
Valve
Tags: beta, gaming, pcgaming, steam, steambigpicture, SteamBigPictureMode, valve, videogames
Experience bullet time in Epic’s crazy VR demo
Game-tech powerhouse Epic Games and its Unreal Engine are capable of some seriously impressive stuff, and now the North Carolina-based outfit wants you to experience what it’s capable of in the virtual reality space. “Showdown” is the demo that the outfit’s been showing off at industry events for the past year or so (I got to try it at CES back in January) and it’s by far the most bad-ass bullet-time walk toward a hulking, missile-happy, bipedal robot I’ve ever experienced. The path is predetermined, sure, but as the street explodes into chaos around you, it’s entirely possible to duck down or peer around objects like pop cans or even cars as they hurtle toward you in slow motion.
Epic says that the “project and all its assets” are available for immediate download and it’s compatible with the Oculus Rift Dev Kit 2 and beyond as well as Sony’s Project Morpheus, and the HTC Vive Steam VR setup. Oh, and it’s free.
Filed under:
Gaming, Home Entertainment, Software, HD
Source:
Unreal Engine
Tags: bullettime, demo, epicgames, free, gaming, hd, hdpostcross, oculus, oculusrift, showdown, unreal, video, vr
Machinima settles FTC charges over paid Xbox One ‘reviews’
Ever watch a YouTube review of a game or console and worry that the reviewer was a little too enthusiastic? You’re not alone. Machinima has agreed to settle Federal Trade Commission charges that it mislead gamers by failing to disclose that Xbox One reviews from YouTube “influencers” (read: popular channels) were really paid promos. Under the terms of the deal, Machinima has to make sure that any promos are clearly disclosed, refuse to pay for those that aren’t, and check in on campaigns to make sure that the disclosures haven’t vanished. And in case you’re wondering: while the FTC has determined that Microsoft and its ad agency were partly responsible, it believes these promos were “isolated incidents” that didn’t reflect those two companies’ policies.
The settlement represents one of the first big steps to acknowledge the widespread problems with paid gaming endorsements in online videos. It’s no secret that console makers and game studios have spent years courting YouTube and Twitch stars, taking advantage of the absence of editorial safeguards (many streamers have to handle marketing requests themselves) and financial vulnerability. Some of those who agree to promos are up front about the payments, but others either downplay the disclosures or don’t include them at all. An FTC crackdown will hopefully push both companies and video hosts to say exactly what’s going on, letting you know right away whether or not that “let’s play” clip is a thinly-veiled sales pitch.
Filed under:
Gaming, Internet, Microsoft
Tags: ads, advertising, endorsements, ftc, gaming, internet, machinima, microsoft, payola, regulation, videogames, xboxone, youtube
Grab Tom Clancy’s best games for a $10 donation to charity
Tom Clancy is gone, but Ubisoft definitely hasn’t forgotten the military-centric author or his legacy of branded video games. Neither have the folks at Humble Bundle for that matter. Pledging at least $1 will get you Rainbow Six, Rainbow Six 3 Gold, Rainbow Six: Vegas, access to the Rainbow Six Siege multiplayer beta, the original Ghost Recon and Splinter Cell: Chaos Theory on PC. Drop more than the average price (currently $7.99) and you’ll pick up Rainbow Six Vegas 2, the first Splinter Cell and the one that changed things up considerably, Splinter Cell: Conviction. But wait, there’s even more: A $10 donation adds the latest Sam Fisher adventure, Splinter Cell: Blacklist, and Ghost Recon: Future Soldier to the mix.
Lastly, $75 nets you a pre-order for Siege, a T-shirt and 66 percent off any three Ubisoft games in Humble’s web store. The outfit says the grand total is $179 in games and you can get all but one of them for $10. Need something to listen to while downloading? Give the song below from the incredible Chaos Theory soundtrack a spin.
Filed under:
Gaming, Home Entertainment, HD
Via:
Ubi Blog
Source:
Humble Bundle
Tags: gaming, ghostrecon, hd, hdpostcross, humble, humblebundle, rainbowsix, rainbowsixsiege, splintercell, tomclancy, ubisoft
Acer’s Predator 8 gaming tablet will officially be available in November for $299
Acer’s anticipated Predator 8 gaming tablet finally has an official release date and pricing, and it’s pretty reasonable for something that’s designed primarily to play games.
The Predator 8 sports an 8-inch 1080p display with an Intel Atom CPU and 2 GB of RAM, plus options for 32 or 64 GB of internal storage and a microSD card slot. The screen is touted as being incredibly precise with a 100% NTSC color gamut rating, too. Acer has included four front-facing speakers on the aluminum frame of the device, plus enhanced tactile feedback for gaming.
The Predator 8 will go on sale on November 6th in the US for $299, with Newegg carrying it exclusively for the first two weeks. Other countries will get a head start on purchasing the device, as it’ll be on sale in Europe and China for €349 and ¥2499, respectively, in October.
Thinking about picking one of these up over an NVIDIA Shield or something else?
Be sure to keep up with the rest of our IFA 2015 coverage.
Acer Introduces its First Dedicated Gaming Tablet with the Powerful Predator 8
- Game play comes to life with Predator Quadio, a combination of four front- facing speakers and virtual surround sound, while tactile feedback is delivered through Predator TacSense
- Exceptionally realistic visuals are delivered on the 8-inch FHD display (1920 x 1200) featuring Predator ColorBlast technology.
- Immersive and graphically rich gaming is powered by the Intel® AtomTM x7 processor, Android 5.1, and 2×2 MIMO wireless technology for blazing-fast Internet connections
- Extremely thin and lightweight, the dark grey brushed aluminum design is just 8.7mm thin and 350 grams light
BERLIN, GERMANY (September 2, 2015) Today Acer announced its new Predator 8 GT-810 gaming tablet, one of several new gaming devices in Acer’s high-octane Predator gaming series. The sleek brushed aluminum GT-810 is powered by the Intel® AtomTM x7 processor, Android 5.1 and the latest 2×2 MIMO wireless technology, taking portable gaming to a new level of fun and immersion.
Making games, movies and videos thrilling and immersive, the Predator 8 includes a high- quality FHD display (1920 x 1200) for crystal clear viewing and incredible graphics, while Predator Quadio, four array front-facing speakers with virtual surround sound and red stainless steel mesh, deliver exceptionally realistic stereo audio. In addition, Predator TacSense makes gaming more enjoyable and memorable, enhancing game play with tactile feedback.
Thin and lightweight, the Predator 8 is just 8.7mm thin (11⁄32 inches) and weighs only 350 grams (12.35 ounces), making it highly portable and easy to hold with either one or two hands. In addition, soft texturized panels on the back make it comfortable to hold and carry.
High-Octane Performance Keeps it Real
Gamers will appreciate the raw power found on the Predator 8. The newest generation Intel® AtomTM x7 Processor with Intel HD Graphics (Gen 8 –LP) deliver extraordinary graphics and performance, while 802.11a/b/g/n wireless with 2×2 MIMO supports fast connection speeds, processing data at up to twice the speed2 of traditional 1×1 solutions. Predator TacSense provides tactile feedback which makes the gaming experience more engaging and enjoyable with a real sense of vibration. And with up to 64GB of on-board storage and expansion capabilities via a microSD card of up to 128GB, gamers have room to take their games, videos and music with them wherever they go.
Designed For Gaming
Acer has collaborated with Gameloft since the design stage of the Predator 8 to fine-tune the gaming experience. As a result, Gameloft’s Asphalt 8 racing game works seamlessly with Predator TacSense to bring a realistic and immersive experience for gamers. The Predator 8 GT 810 will be preloaded3 with Asphalt 8 and 320,000 game credits (approximately US$50 value).
Top-Notch Visuals and Audio Engage the Senses
In addition to the tablet’s 8-inch full high-definition display (1920 x 1200), it uses Zero Air Gap and IPS technology to deliver superior color saturation, making details easily seen from all angles, and movies crisp and clear. Taking the visuals up a notch even further, Predator ColorBlast technology brings high-quality color from professional monitors to the tablet, supporting 100% of the NTSC color gamut.
Extraordinarily powerful sound is delivered via Predator Quadio — four front-facing speakers that deliver virtual surround sound and amazingly realistic and dynamic audio and accurate tones that are never distorted. Quadio’s special algorithm distributes sound intelligently between each of the speakers for maximum clarity and volume, resulting in an audio experience that’s perfect for personal enjoyment or can easily fill a room for larger gatherings or social events. In addition, Dolby® AudioTM greatly enhances the overall sound quality by intelligently optimizing the audio for various situations — streaming a movie or playing music, connected to external speakers or listening through headphones, it delivers clear dialogue, clean highs, solid midrange tones and powerful bass.
Lastly, Predator MediaMaster is a unique Acer application that allows the audio and video set up to be customized for standard, album, movie and game use. For example, in game mode the radius of the surround sound, color saturation, and global contrast are increased, while in movie mode the bass is set to median level and the dark levels of the display are enhanced for more detail.
Highly Precise Touchscreen plays well with Fingertip, Pencil or Stylus
Providing one of the best touch experiences available, the Predator 8 features Predator Precision Plus technology, which incorporates touch sensors that are smaller and more densely arranged than the industry standard. With a higher density of touch sensors, greater control accuracy can be achieved, which is especially beneficial in FPS games. Also ideal for sketching or writing, the tablet can be used with any 2mm fine tip writing implement such as a graphite pencil or an optional Acer Accurate Stylus.
Accessories
Acer will offer a number of optional accessories for its Predator 8 gaming tablet, including covers, carrying cases, a stylus, travel adapter, SlimPort adapter dongle and gaming headset.
Pricing and Availability
The Acer Predator 8 GT-810 will be available in North America for $299.99 exclusively at Newegg for 2 weeks beginning on Nov. 6. After that it will be available at other retailers nationwide. It will be available in EMEA in October with prices starting at €349, and in China with prices starting at ¥2499. Exact specifications, prices, and availability will vary by region. To find out about availability, product specifications and prices in specific markets, please contact your nearest Acer office or retailer via http://www.acer.com.
The new products were unveiled today at the next@acer press event at IFA Berlin in Germany, where the company announced its latest devices and solutions for gamers and consumers for the holiday season. Visit Acer’s booth at IFA 2015 in Messe Berlin (Hall 12/101) or learn about the new product range on acer.com/predator.
Come comment on this article: Acer’s Predator 8 gaming tablet will officially be available in November for $299
The latest ROG laptop comes with a giant water cooler
ASUS is one a rare few companies that’s both a mainstream PC manufacturer and a respected name among the gaming community. Its ROG (Republic Of Gamers) line is a favorite, with giant laptops like the G751 earning top marks from gamers and reviewers alike. We’re looking forward to its replacement, the ROG G752, but first let’s talk about the GX700 in the image above. ASUS is only teasing this laptop, but it’s going to have an overclockable Intel K-series Skylake processor, the latest graphics from Nvidia, and, a 17-inch 4K display. Oh… and that giant thing you see next to it? That’s apparently a water-cooling system. Details are scant, but an educated guess would suggest you’ll only be able to overclock the GX700’s processor and graphics when you’re docked to it. I don’t know whether to laugh or take out my wallet.
On to the thing you’re more likely to buy some time soon: the ROG G752. It takes the basic premise behind the G751 — throw every spec you can into a giant laptop — and updates it for 2015. It’s got a far sleeker profile than last year’s model — it’s still chunky of course, but this looks much more like a laptop and much less like a riot shield.
You’ll be able to kit it out with your choice of SSDs and HDDs, sixth-generation Core i7 processors (up to i7-6820HK), Nvidia GPUs (up to GTX 980M 8GB), and (up to) a 17.3-inch 4K display (that supports G-Sync). Other specs include Thunderbolt 3.0 and a revamped keyboard with much deeper keys. Expect to hear more on the G752 before it launches this winter from $1,499. ASUS says the GX700 could appear before the year’s out also, but is making no promises.
Check out all the news from Berlin at our IFA 2015 hub.
Tags: asus, G572, G751, GX700, ifa, ifa2015, RepublicOfGamers, ROG
Live from Sony’s 2015 event at IFA!
Sony’s press events at IFA are the very model of efficiency, with nearly every division of the company announcing some new product in just under an hour. The highlight of the show is likely to be the the Xperia Z5, a premium device that was unfortunately leaked last week. Still, while the headline act may not be a surprise, there should still be plenty of exciting things for the company to whip out on stage. If that sounds like fun, then come back to this page at 4:00pm CEST / 3:00pm GMT / 10:00am ET / 7:00am PT for the madness to begin.
[Image Credit: AP Photo/Steffi Loos]
Filed under:
Cellphones, Cameras, Gaming, Tablets, Sony
Tags: 2015, Event, IFA, IFA2015, liveblog, sony
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