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This looks like it could be a good Sci-Fi MMO. From the videos I saw it looked really cool. I'm in the process of downloading it now to test it out. But its free so why not give it a try?

*EDIT* This looks like its for our European users only.

See them all here

Check them out. Sorry about the lack of updates the last two days, between work and a 2 day Kayak trip, I haven't had the time to update my blog. I'll be making up for it and posting some good news items today.

The flat text database was nice and easy to add to the site, but I'm starting to experience more and more issues with it. I'm looking into better options to migrate this to a more robust database system. Stay tuned as hopefully with that update will come even better things on the site. ;-)

THQ announced today its popular Warhammer 40,000 RTS franchise will be coming to the PSP and Nintendo DS this fall in the form of Warhammer 40,000: Squad Command. Turn-based strategy appears to be on the menu, with 13 single-player missions that pit the Imperium Space Marines against the Forces of Chaos. More than 20 familiar weapons will be included, such as the Bolter, Chainsword, Plasma Gun, and Power Fist. The PSP screens above and below offer a first look at the games fully destructible 3D environments.

A robust multiplayer mode may be the most compelling reason to check out Squad Command, as both versions will feature nine multiplayer maps with support for up to eight players. More notably, both versions will allow for "Global" play to let gamers duke it out with "other gamers worldwide." The mock-up cover for the DS version features the Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection logo, so don't be surprised if the PSP iteration also features Infrastructure support. Just don't expect cross-platform play.

Source with more pics

Now I'm a big fan of the WH40K universe. I'll be buying this game along with the 40K MMO they announced. I'm guessing from these screens they are taken from the PSP version and not the DS. But I'm still looking forward to it.

Shack: Do you forsee continuing on with GameTap after Season 1?

Dan Connors: I see it as very possible. They've been very positive so far. If it looks like it will stay a win-win deal, we'll stay with them. Now, there are other people out there who are interesting too, and the value of that exclusivity is something we'll be discussing with everybody.

Shack: Regardless of partner, are you expecting a Season 2?

Dan Connors: Yeah. I don't think we'd miss out on that opportunity. We'll be able to make that happen for sure.

Full Interview Here

YES! We're getting a second season! I am so happy about this. I am hoping still that Season 1 comes out on the Wii, as that would be a reason in and of itself for me to buy a Wii.

New Rock Band details: instruments explained, first four songs announced

By Frank Caron | Published: June 15, 2007 - 09:48AM CT

Years of observation at the Japanese arcade on campus of the finger-gymnastics necessary to play Guitar Freaks and Beatmania have left me fearing the adored music games of today, but for whatever reason Harmonix's Rock Band seems to get more and more attractive with each additional development. The latest news on the title comes by way of a big preview in the latest GameInformer issue, which provides crucial details on the mechanics of each of the instruments and some other information about the game's "campaign."

Players will be able to play through the main mode with any of the four instruments alone, or with three others in a massive symphony of co-op. The first batch of "original master tracks" for the game's campaign and free-play were noted in the article. Here's some of what you'll be rocking out to when the game ships:GuitarDrums

* Weezer — "Say It Ain't So"
* Black Sabbath — "Paranoid"
* The Who — "Won't Get Fooled Again"
* Nirvana — "In Bloom"

Though the game's guitar and bass are similar to the ones found in Guitar Hero, there are some new functions that will fundamentally change what axe-masters are capable of. First and foremost, the guitar and bass will both have double the frets; a whopping ten buttons will be on each of the instruments which are apparently for the new "solo sections." In addition, a five way switch will enable the application of various effects, like Flange, Wah, Echo and so forth that can be purchased via the in-game store and the whammy bar and tilt-sensing return.

The microphone, too, is a bit of an evolution from the current models available with the likes of SingStar. You won't be able to cheat your way through the game by humming. Rather, the game has a "phoneme detector" that targets phonemes produced during human speech. As an added bonus, the microphone will also double as a tambourine for certain songs.

Lastly, the four-piece drum set will include four pads with stands and a kick pedal. One pad represents the snare while the rest represent song-dependent toms and cymbals. Included will be a set of wooden Rock Band drum sticks.

Also mentioned in the update was a character creation system, which will allow players to unlock new gear and customize their rocker. With some great tunes, and some great controllers, Rock Band is shaping up to be quite the rhythm game indeed. Rock on.

Source

I don't know about anyone else, but I'd rather learn a real guitar then try to play a fake one with 10 buttons. This sounds damn stupid IMHO if the drums are only going to have 4 and a foot pedal.

Despite photographic evidence of added heatsinks to repaired Xbox 360 units in Europe, Microsoft has refused to issue a statement, choosing instead to make claims that such hardware upgrades are "commonplace within the industry".

By Eugene Huang

Attention was focused once again on the reliability of Microsoft's Xbox 360 hardware when it became apparent that the company was installing heatsinks to combat the dreaded "red ring of death". As GamePro reported just yesterday, a number of European 360 owners opened up their recently repaired units to find a brand new heatsink installed as an extra effort to cool down the system's problematic Xenos GPU.

When confronted by these allegations, Microsoft refused to make a statement explaining the company's repair process, according to a report today from GamesIndustry.biz.

"We do not provide details on these updates," a company spokesperson stated.

However, the spokesperson did make a comment regarding the industry as a whole:

"Regularly updating console components is commonplace within the industry and is a standard aspect of the business for a variety of reasons including cost reduction, improved manufacturability and improved performance," the spokesperson added.

It is still unknown at this point as to whether these alleged second heatsinks are being implemented in newly constructed Xbox 360 systems, nor is it known whether American Xbox 360 units are undergoing similar repair methods in cases of the "red ring of death".

All I can say is that with my 360 on its way back to Microsoft it had better be getting one of these upgrades as well. I don't want to have to turn around and send in my 360 for a 3rd time. If I do, VT has a "Lemon Law" that states I have to be compensated for a crappy product. Well it only applies to cars, but it would be nice if I could apply it to other items as well.