Dark Diamond

USB Breast Warmers Are An Affront To Capitalism

Ivan 'Nahu' Lozano — Sat, 07 Nov 2009 06:59:52 +0000

Finally a solution to a problem we could have easily solved by now if it weren’t for society’s double standards and ridiculous rules like decency and respect. No I’m not talking about solving unemployment through slavery, I’m talking about cold boobs.

The Japanese have taken it upon themselves to create the Bust Beauty Pad, a USB-powered bust warmer. Just plug it in to a USB port and insert the warming pads under your bra and soon the twins will be all cozied up. It probably also works on man-boobs too but… let’s not go there. Talk about trying to invent a better mousetrap, though! Last time I checked us men still had hands! And maybe you don’t know it Japan, but here in the western world some men are even willing to pay good money to solve this problem with this hands-on approach.

There’s supply, there’s demand. I don’t know, it seems like the free market could have solved this problem ages ago. Perhaps a cop and trade system is in order, see what I did there? Yeah I’m witty like that.

[Bust Beauty Pad / Via Tokyomango]

© Nahu for Dark Diamond, 2009. | Permalink | No comment | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: Boobs , Gadgets , Japan , USB , WTF

Boobs, Gadgets, Japan, USB, WTF

Videogames Squared: Classic Videogames In 15 Pixels

Ivan 'Nahu' Lozano — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 07:49:42 +0000

With every gaming generation that passes we continue to strive for better and better graphics, photorealism isn’t that far away from us, so perhaps it’s only natural that retro graphics are making a comeback. The folks at design group Alaskan Military School took it to the extreme though. They set out to represent classic games with just a 15 pixel grid. As ridiculous as it may seem, they achieved amazing results with a few, such as the video above which, if you haven’t deciphered it yet, is Street Fighter’s Ken Masters v. Blanka. Check out their website for the complete collection.

[Alaskan Military School / Via Boing Boing]

© Nahu for Dark Diamond, 2009. | Permalink | 3 comments | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: Art , Fighter , Retro , Videogames

Art, Fighter, Retro, Videogames

Wii 2 for 2010!?

Random J — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 04:09:49 +0000

According to a Nintendo marketing employee, Wii is set to have a successor as soon as next year! Some info on the system are as follows…

Wii 2 will feature a blu-Ray disc drive in a bid to prevent piracy.
Support for 1080p resolution for both blu-ray movies and games.
Due to release in the third quarter of 2010, in a worldwide same day release.
Trade-in scheme for existing Wii owners to receive a discount on the new hardware.
An announcement would come a month before release date, riding on the back of viral marketing to build hype.

If Wii 2 had the same specs as a GameCube or a Wii (they’re both the damn same anyway) then blu-ray space would be wasted. It could be telling that there is nothing what-so-ever in these key Wii 2 details regarding the systems’ graphical capabilities. Could you imagine if the Wii 2 was exactly the same as the original Wii, but with a blu-ray drive, HD support and nothing else!? That sounds like some shit that could actually fly at Nintendo. Just look at the evolutionary steps from the DS, to DSi, to the the DSi LL. Nintendo aren’t ones to fully embrace current technology. They always prefer to creep 5 years behind everybody else.

And as for the trade-in scheme? I cannot see Nintendo going for that. They made no effort to offer such a scheme for DS lite owners who would like to upgrade to a DSi, so I can’t see them doing it for their consoles. Nintendo are all about printing their own money. Not helping others save it.

A new Nintendo system with a blu-ray drive would be really cool. Even though Nintendo probably wouldn’t allow it to play blu-ray movies without a 16-digit blu-ray movie code.

It’s all speculation, but it’s rather exciting. A new Nintendo console with full HD output and a blu-ray drive would certainly make sense given the current games-scape – which is why I’m inclined to not believe it could happen. Because it sounds like way too much sense for Nintendo to actually go along with. I hope I’m wrong.

[Max console]

© Random J for Dark Diamond, 2009. | Permalink | 14 comments | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: Consoles , News , Nintendo , Video-Games , Wii , WTF

Consoles, News, Nintendo, Video-Games, Wii, WTF

Random J in Japan: In old town

Random J — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 00:00:45 +0000

Our first night in Asakusa was pretty disheartening. Filled with the pains of leaving ‘our home’ and then wandering around for hours lost in the rain looking for our place of stay – it’s safe to say Asakusa wasn’t winning us over much. Thoughts that tended to fill our minds consisted of “This is shit”, “It’s raining”, “I wanna go back to Osaka” and “This is it?!”. But our first day in Asakusa was a turn around a corner for us all. The sky was clear, it was a damn nice day and the niceness of the locals shone through every person we came across. Asakusa is a pretty old town. Much like the kind of place where you might want to retire to, or a place you’d like to vacate to when you’re in your 60’s. Lots of convenience stores, cheap 99 yen stores, markets, Onsen’s, cheap restaurants, temples and no chronic hustle and bustle.

It’s easy to see the attraction to Asakusa when you truly open your eyes and look beneath the lack of neon signs, girls in knee high socks, arcades and electronics stores. There’s something really nice and warm about Asakusa that feels inviting, non-threatening and homely. The only problem with Asakusa, is that at times it can feel so warm and sedate that you tend to get complacent and forget you’re on a holiday, and that you’re in Tokyo at all!

(...)
Read the rest of Random J in Japan: In old town (380 words)

© Random J for Dark Diamond, 2009. | Permalink | 2 comments | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: 2008 , Holiday , Japan , Journals , Personal

2008, Holiday, Japan, Journals, Personal

Miss Yun Fang & her big bad Bahamut

Random J — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 23:32:36 +0000

D’ya know that Australian sounding chick in the last epic to the eye balls trailer of Final Fantasy XIII? Well, she goes by the name of Oerba Yun Fang. And as you can see, Oerba is a bit of a looker. Sexy in a mysteriously exotic kinda way. But the name is a weird one. It sounds like a Korean delicacy! I honestly would’ve preferred her name to have been Oerba Kimchee (seeing as I touched on the subject of Korean delicacies and all). Her name certainly gives licence for Final Fantasy XIII’s black dude Sazh to drop a corny line like “So, your name’s Oerba Yun Fang? Woooo, you a young thang!” and then give a reassuring look to himself like he just dropped the funniest and slickest line ever. I actually wouldn’t mind that…

(...)
Read the rest of Miss Yun Fang & her big bad Bahamut (241 words)

© Random J for Dark Diamond, 2009. | Permalink | 3 comments | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: Final-Fantasy , Final-Fantasy-XIII , PS3 , Video-Games , Xbox-360

Final-Fantasy, Final-Fantasy-XIII, PS3, Video-Games, Xbox-360

Boxee to Partner with Crunchyroll: Anime On your big screen

Sol — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 20:03:30 +0000

In the never ending attempt to cut down cable costs I found a nice, and free, app called Boxee. It essentially aggregates all the video feeds (Netflix, Hulu, friends’ personal feeds) I’d typically watch in my browser and provide a platform to nicely display them on my TV.

A while back we broke news of Crunchyroll beginning to stream English subtitled anime shortly after airing in Japan. Now with an ever expanding lineup, Crunchyroll will be partnering with Boxee providing their feeds in the software. If you really like it, you can signup ($5/month) for the premium capability which will give you access to streams up to 720p with no advertisements. Try the 2 week trial.

Through Crunchyroll you are also able to access all the live action drama. I’ll also add you can save your favorite channels. So if one is, say in the mood for yaoi, you can get your fill with HD quality streams.

[Crunchyroll via Mashable]

*Little know fact, Boxee is the offspring of the XBMC project.

© Sol d-_-b for Dark Diamond, 2009. | Permalink | No comment | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: Anime , Digital Distribution , Education , money , PSA

Anime, Digital Distribution, Education, money, PSA

Miyamoto Confirms MotionPlus For More Accurate Waggling In Next Zelda Game

Ivan 'Nahu' Lozano — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 08:07:01 +0000

Back in 2006 Miyamoto let lose a few comments about how the next Zelda game after Twilight Princess would be completely different from any previous Zelda game. Allegedly they were aiming for some sort of first person Zelda game, which we kinda saw with that crossbow training minigame.

Now though, Miyamoto is saying the next Zelda will use the MotionPlus Wiimote accessory to “make you feel much more like you’re actually fighting while holding a sword in your hand”. Now at first this makes me think this might mean the next Zelda game will not be as different as previous ones since in the same Q&A session Miyamoto implied similarities in the game mechanics. However, as much as it’s been tried, even with Red Steel 2 using the MotionPlus, there’s yet to be a game that can adequately capture the act of waving a sword around in-game.

Also, knowing Nintendo, the MotionPlus will be a requirement for this next Zelda game, so you better get your hands on one as soon as you’re able, lest you be left swatting flies. Get it? Swatting flies? A reference to waggling the wiimote in games? Mario Paint? Ok, that was bad, I’m sorry.

[GameLife / Via Joystiq]

Videogames, Wii, Zelda

Mecha Race: Japan Unveils The DAPAR, It’s Latest Power Suit

Ivan 'Nahu' Lozano — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 06:46:51 +0000

Japan is at it again, trying its best to have mecha out as soon as possible. This time they are not going the giant robot route, a la Gundam, but are once again pursuing the power suit, a la Patlabor. Engineers at Kyoto’s Activelink Co. have developed this little beauty you see above, called the Dual-Arm Power Amplification Robot, or DAPAR for short. Sure it needs a better name but it’s nearly fully movable and amplifies both arm and leg movement, enabling you to lift over 90 kg without a hitch.

Yeah, it cant hurl armored vehicles like pillows just yet but they are aiming to make it fully mobile and have it in practical use by 2015. Add a couple of extra years and they’ll have the DAPAR swinging an oversized sword and firing an enormous sub-machine gun.

[Boing Boing]

Japan, Mecha, video

Soapbox Saturday – Halloween Anime Cosplay Party

Abraham 'Velcor' Duarte — Sun, 01 Nov 2009 22:44:00 +0000

(Please excuse the one-day-later post but this couldn’t wait another whole week). *Ahem*. . . Hello there, fellow Dark Diamond readers and friends, and welcome back to another one of my very well-received coverages about events that gather our one similar trait; that what makes us wake up early on a cloudy Saturday to be ready just in time to assist the one event you’ve been waiting all year long: The -anime- Halloween Party (because most of the other parties . . .just don’t cut it).

(...)
Read the rest of Soapbox Saturday – Halloween Anime Cosplay Party (930 words)

© Velcor for Dark Diamond, 2009. | Permalink | 16 comments | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: Anime , Cosplay , Soapbox , Videogames

Anime, Cosplay, Soapbox, Videogames

In Case You Missed It: The Month In Review – October

Sol — Sun, 01 Nov 2009 07:59:52 +0000

As we wrap-up another hectic month, in true Halloween fashion, we had a scare of our own. Nahu and Velcor were down with a sickness by the H1N1 bug. Thankfully it was only temporary, but while they celebrate dia de los muertos, the rest of us get to don our favorite costume idea, eating candy and watching horror movies. What did you do for Halloween?

The posts this month seem be all across the board, but here’s what got you talking the most:

Modern Warfare 2: The Elusive Banned Video
When you’re guaranteed to sell a bagillion copies of a videogame, you have to up the ante. When does it go too far? rbk3ai tells it to us straight: can i say you all are a bunch of P***YS its a game.

Windows 7-tan: The Whole Nanami Madobe Voice Clips
Nahu provides us with with his take on the Nanami Madobe Window 7 theme: it turns errors into features and nerd rage into a moe-induced trance.

Kirsten Dunst’s Cosplay Was For A Movie: Akihabara Majokko Princes
While snaggletooth Dunst was playing dress-up for a music video, it seems part of a larger project highlighting the Akihabara culture. Thankfully the film is in the hands of Takashi Murakami. I’m sure we won’t be let down.

Did You Know: There’s A Triforce In The Dollar Bill
You know where you hear stories about the founding father’s being part of a secret society? You can find traces of the Illuminati in the pyramid, the seemingly insignificant spider in the corner, and now the Triforce hidden in the “e” of the $1 bill. Sleuthing fenixdown110 says: There’s Hyrulians among us and high up enough in the government to influence the printing of money. Conspiracy!!!

Movie Night: “The Dumbass Who Stumbled Through Time” Edition
The movie night for this month involved pudding, and lots of it. Pudding so good one would travel back to the moment after they ate it, just to eat some more…this was certainly a love story… Angelywind cries: OMG I can’t cry more TT.TT… oh wait… yes I can T^T so sad and so fun, that I love it.

Well, there you have it. We are looking ahead for what November will bring. You guys have any suggestions? After all we are here to serve the DDN community.

Monthly-Review, Wrap-up

Sound test Saturday: Tekken 6 – Fallen colony

Random J — Sun, 01 Nov 2009 05:40:10 +0000

Tekken 6 isn’t the series’ best soundtrack. I don’t think Namco are ever going to touch the awesomness that was Tekken 3’s soundtrack. But 6 is certainly the most varied of the bunch sonically. Each piece is completely different in style and tone to the last. Many of them you wouldn’t associate with a Tekken game at all.

Amongst the various styles that the Namco sound team play with, “Fallen colony” is my pick of the bunch. It’s just a bad ass piece of music. Distinctly Japanesey, yet with many musical styles thrown into the mix. Live drums, kickin’ guitar solos, strings, chants, trumpets, percussions, drum ‘n bass, synths and several bars of awesome.

Dishing out cans of whoop ass to this song feels incredibly gratifying. More so if you manage to smash your sucker of a victim through the glass floor of the stage this music features on, and then juggle their arse up off the floor. Good times…good times.

For the mp3 players: Fallen colony

© Random J for Dark Diamond, 2009. | Permalink | One comment | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: Beat-em-up , Music , Namco , PS3 , Sound test Saturday , Tekken , VGM , Xbox-360

Beat-em-up, Music, Namco, PS3, Sound test Saturday, Tekken, VGM, Xbox-360

Rack up a Zombie Headshot Combo in Pro Zombie Soccer

David 'KidKobun' Bruno — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 20:18:05 +0000

What better day to unveil a zombie-filled game trailer than on All Hallows’ Eve. Developed by Super Awesome Hyper Dimensional Mega Team, a motley crew of industry professionals from around the globe, Pro Zombie Soccer will be the dev dream team’s flagship title and is set to infect the iPhone later this year. From the looks of the trailer the game looks surprisingly good with a clean design, bright colors, crisp edges and smooth animation. But I think one of the best things about the game can be summed up in three words: Zombie Headshot Combo!

If you have been holding out on buying an iPhone or iPod Touch, Pro Zombie Soccer might just provide you with reason enough to join the ranks.

No tags for this post.

Now 40% Larger! Nintendo DSi LL Japanese Release in November

Sol — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 16:02:40 +0000

While Japanese handhelds tend to focus on small design, the new DSi LL (and DSi XL in Europe) will contain large 4” screens and a new stylus with substantial girth. The street date of the DSi LL is November 21st, potential Q1 for Europe, and “further details” for a North American release.

The question to ask is why make it larger? I don’t have much space to spare in my pants and my DS conveniently fits inside my pocket. The DSi LL appears inconveniently larger which one would assume reduces portability. However with a larger screen and pre-loaded software such as Easy Meikyo Kokugo Dictionary, Brain Age Express: Arts & Letters and Brain Age Express: Math it seems the target audience may not be gamers.

[Joystiq]

DSi, Gadgets, Nintendo-DS

Modern Warfare 2: The Elusive Banned Video

Sol — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 16:49:15 +0000

I first got news of ”shocking” footage from GamePolitics and felt the muted CNN iReport to be nothing more than people up in arms. Watching animated videogame footage of people being mowed down, even if they are unarmed civilians is, what some might say sadly, not new to me.

We’ve seen controversy play out like in Six Days of Fallujah; the player needing to make a moral decision on the battlefield with the media and non-gamers (and some gamers) saying games about terrorism in ultra-high-def-realism is too soon. So going back to COD: MW2 found by way of TheEscapist I saw the actual gameplay, with sound.

That’s where my attitude changes; maybe I’m getting grandpa old because once I heard what was going on in the background it became much harder to keep my belief people just need to get a grip. I hope I don’t now fall in that crazy crowd. I’m not going to say this goes too far, but I think it certainly comes close to the line.

You guys know I’m all against censorship, especially in games so you tell me what you think…

[RuTube]

UPDATE:

Activision responds:

From GamePolitics

Players have the option of skipping over the scene. At the beginning of the game, there are two ‘checkpoints’ where the player is advised that some people may find an upcoming segment disturbing. These checkpoints can’t be disabled.

Modern Warfare 2 is a fantasy action game designed for intense, realistic game play that mirrors real life conflicts, much like epic, action movies. It is appropriately rated 18 for violent scenes, which means it is intended for those who are 18 and older.

About the events taking place in the scene itself, Activision explained:

The scene establishes the depth of evil and the cold bloodedness of a rogue Russian villain and his unit. By establishing that evil, it adds to the urgency of the player’s mission to stop them.

© Sol d-_-b for Dark Diamond, 2009. | Permalink | 11 comments | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: Leaks , Modern Warfare , PSA , terrorism , Videogames , WTF

Leaks, Modern Warfare, PSA, terrorism, Videogames, WTF

Princess Robot Bubblegum: Grand Theft Auto Episodes from Liberty City

Sol — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 15:23:30 +0000

I’m not sure what I just watched, but Liberty City just got a new show. Found in your safehouse on cleverly named CNT, Princess Robot Bubblegum show be available at the end of this month. In this series you’ll be sure to get all the wonderful stereotypes we’ve grown to love about anime.

© Sol d-_-b for Dark Diamond, 2009. | Permalink | 3 comments | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: Anime , DLC , Video-Game , WTF

Anime, DLC, Video-Game, WTF