Geek Republic

Xbox 360 Setting Pal-50 For HDMI

Matt — Fri, 18 May 2012 14:14:59 +0000

Some of our friends across the pond may have bought Hitman: Blood Money on Xbox Live’s direct download. However, there is a problem if you are trying to play it on HDMI. The problem is the same problem that existed back in 2009. Players will have their 360 setup with a HDMI cable to their TV. They will go to play the game but be told that the game does not support PAL-60 and to change it in their settings. Problem is that, when they go to the display settings, a setting for PAL is not found. One lucky YouTuber fixed their problem way back in 2009. The solution is fairly simple, but requires that you have composite cables and the ability to plug them in your TV. It looks like he leaves the HDMI plugged in as well and switches over to the composite video channel on the TV. From there, the PAL setting is now available in the menu. He switches it to PAL-50, exits out and switches the TV back over to HDMI. Suddenly he is able to play Hitman: Blood Money. Success! I hope this helps anybody that was recently enticed to buy this game or has this issue with other games. See the video below if you need more info.

Ghost SEED – Location Based Android Game

Matt — Fri, 06 Apr 2012 14:28:33 +0000

A new interesting game has popped up on Google Play. Ghost SEED is a location based game that divides players amongst 3 different corporations. Your phone becomes a device capable of sensing quantum events and placing quantum Selective Entropy Emitting Dualities (SEED). Players will defend the fort seeds with defensive seeds and attack enemy seeds with axe seeds. The area that you can effect is limited, which encourages movement to gain strategic positioning. To gain more money to buy more seeds, players must traverse across the map looking for boson bursts. The particles are collected and sold to the marketplace. Now, due to quantum laws, you won’t see other players on the maps, just their seeds. Currently, as the game is not wide spread yet, the forts I placed give control of a 2.5km area to my corporation which gives an added bonus to particles collected.

I think the game is a great idea. The only thing I wish is some ability to communicate with fellow players. Or perhaps seeing players that are only close to me. Either way, I’m trying to get it spread across the workplace to create, well, a war. Give it a try for yourself, after all it is free. https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.ctenophore.gsoclient

Deadlight – First Gameplay Trailer

Matt — Thu, 05 Apr 2012 13:45:22 +0000

Who doesn’t love the zombies over at Microsoft? Whoa I think you got the wrong idea, I totally meant the new zombie action game coming out of their publishing studio. Yeah, that’s it, I was talking about Deadlight. Luckily enough for gamers, developer Tequila Works is behind this new platformer. If you watch the trailer below, you’ll notice 3 things. Puzzles, Art, and Zombies! So just watch already and get yourself ready for more zombies because there can never, ever, be enough zombies in the world. (Until the zombie apocalypse happens and then I want ZERO zombies.)

Deadlight is a cinematic action-platformer with action-based puzzles. The player takes the role of Randall Wayne, survivor of an apocalyptic world set in an alternate 1980s. Taking advantage of Randall’s agility, the player will overcome obstacles, dodge enemies, and set diversions.

Robofish – Review

Matt — Thu, 29 Mar 2012 14:00:24 +0000

I almost overlooked this game when delving through the ever flowing cascade of press releases. It wasn’t until I saw that the nice people from Sparkrift were giving away a few copies to their fellow Redditors, that I realized how awesome of a game it could turn out to be. You see, Robofish makes itself distinct from other shoot ‘em up games by giving the player a chance at uniqueness. The player has to upgrade and create the weapons used on the fish. A varied amount of options are available including choosing what type of effect the ammo has.

The staggering amount of choices I have almost leave me confused and the only option is to test them out in the heat of battle to determine effectiveness. Luckily, after shooting down enemies and collecting the pearls they leave behind, I am able to upgrade my choices, perhaps providing better options. I love the art of the game, it slightly resembles other shumps (shoot ‘em ups) like Geometry Wars, if only for the neon glow. Other than that, Robofish is its own unique creation. After all, it is a fish with robotics attached to it shooting everything in it’s path; which is awesome! Unlike Geometry Wars, I find that Robofish has the enemies falling from the top, or from the front if you think of it as looking down on a fish. In that case, these streams of enemies are easier to handle until they do envelop you. None the less, I prefer this method of being attacked.

As far as configurations go, I prefer to set mine up in a directional control method so that I can completely control where my shots go. I chose to put a slight curve on them and to have to keep the accuracy down so that a general area is being covered. This way I can keep from having to have absolute precise control. Of course, you can choose to have it completely wavy, crisscrossed, or in multiple directions.

If you keep up the good work of dodging incoming attacks and keep on shooting everything down, you’ll be able to earn multipliers for different levels of enemies killed in a row. There are even some bonus moves such as a repairing yourself or firing a homing missile. The missile is best saved for bigger enemies as it does seem to take to long to recharge. In fact, I often forget to use it. My main concern is shooting things and collecting pearls for upgrades.

All in all, you have three things here. A beautifully designed game, an excellent shoot ‘em up, and an addictive indie game found for a reasonable price on XBLIG. If you’re interested, you can find it for yourself at Xbox.com.

Brand – Review

Matt — Wed, 21 Mar 2012 05:00:35 +0000

To quote a famous movie, “Oh, everyone likes their own brand, don’t they?” Of course, Fat Bastard wasn’t exactly referring to the Nine Dots Studio Xbox Live Indie Game Brand, but I’d like to think that the quote applies to it quite nicely. You see, the name revolves around a sword you are given. The player will use the sword to complete objectives which allow the sword to be upgraded over and over again whichever way you chose until you have something you can call your own. Brand is a 2d side scrolling game with beautiful three dimensional graphics to expand the depth of the playing field. The way that Brand works, is that you’ll take a mission from one of three people in order to upgrade your sword.

They’ll send you either into a the Necropolis, the Castle, or the Mines. As you explore the areas, you’ll be able to exit them via a portal when you are safe. All the areas’s switches will remain unlocked if you exit via this method, but if you die you get nothing. Once the sword has been upgraded 15 times, you will be sent to the arena to see how many levels you can clear and the sword will be put into the king’s armory for you to go back and try to clear more levels later on. I spent about 5 hours just to get to this stage. Honestly, unless you are focusing in one particular skill, I think most people will try to upgrade the sword evenly across the board. Then, if you continue to upgrade and finish them off, you’ll have the same sword as everyone else. This is something that the game is partially hypocritical about. The fact is that there are not enough upgrades to truly make a unique sword. However, the skill of the player still remains in question. Whether or not the player is able to use the slashes, dashes and heavy attacks to their fullest is in question here. The added bonus of this game allows you to use your avatar for the killing of all the evil creatures. I personally like looking like a bad-ass; killing creatures, and eventually naming my sword after a demon. This was a great game and hopefully earns itself a place at the top for Xbox Live Indie Games.

P.S. Stay away from manticores and check out the trailer below.

Skyrim 1.5 Update Video – Kill Cams and Moves

Matt — Fri, 16 Mar 2012 13:25:31 +0000

A Skyrim 1.5 update is available now on Steam as a beta update and will soon be available for consoles as well. Of course, Since I play some of my single player games on an Xbox without internet, I’ll have to wait until somebody puts it on the internet and I’ll have to smush it on my usb memory stick. Here, check out the Youtube video of some kill cams and new kill moves (from Gamespot to bypass the age gate.)

Game Of Thrones: Combat-System Trailer

Matt — Thu, 15 Mar 2012 14:36:29 +0000

Today the official website for the Game Of Thrones video game kicked off by providing a new trailer demonstrating the style of combat the game utilizes. One of the main features is the ability to slow down time while you reselect your combat options or use other skills your character possess. Also shown was part of the skill tree and which characters can select which class and how to dual-class certain areas. Watch the video below and you’ll see what I mean.

Xbox 360 Deal of the Week 3/14/2012

Matt — Wed, 14 Mar 2012 21:12:39 +0000

Each week, Xbox Live offers and exclusive piece of content to Xbox Live Gold members. This week’s “Exclusive Gold Only Discout” item is Dungeons & Dragons Daggerdale

Dungeons & Dragons: Daggerdale, a hack and slash action role playing game set in the deep mythology of the Forgotten Realms, is the first Dungeons & Dragons video game for connected consoles. Players are summoned by a mysterious mage and given the duty of defending their homeland as Rezlus, an evil Zhentarim Cleric looks to bring the power of the Black Lord Bane to Daggerdale. Restore order to the Dalelands by unlocking the secrets of the Mines of Tethyamar, defeating the evil within the treacherous Tower of the Void, leading to the final confrontation with Rezlus himself.

Players can take on the role of the melee expert Human Fighter, the quick and nimble Elven Rogue, the master of the arcane arts Halfling Wizard, and the powerful divine Dwarven Cleric. Gamers use intuitive pick-up-and-play combat combined with a wide assortment of weapons, feats and powers to defeat a wide range of deadly enemies. Players can level their character, unlocking three tiers of powers, and an extensive list of feats to create a truly unique character. As the player levels, they can add additional attribute points to their ability scores, further enhancing the performance of the character. The action-packed RPG gameplay allows for solo and co-op play for up to four players.

Price: 1200 MSP / Gold Only Exclusive 600MSP

Pritect – A Probably Useless Kinect Cover

Matt — Wed, 14 Mar 2012 17:09:00 +0000

At first I thought the press release was a joke, but then I sadly discovered that it was not. A company has made a cover for your Kinect to block the cameras so it does not spy on you. Apparently it has been out since January and posted by a few big name websites and finally it has a press release. Their reasoning behind it? The fact that Microsoft themselves has stated how the device could be used to target advertising during a sporting event by determining which jersey you are wearing. Would Microsoft do this without your permission? Hell No! Would there be an update to Xbox Live’s Terms of Usage allowing them to do so? Maybe… Does this mean we need to go around covering our Kinects in case of an impossible hacker intrusion? No! It seems like snake oil to me, focusing on privacy concerns without really having anything other than pretentious hype to back it. Will it protect it from dust as the company Catalyst Components claims? Yes, but so would any type of cover and how do we protect our covers from dust? In fact, how do I play with the cover on? Oh yeah, I have to remove it and that is a physical action which could be the same as simply unplugging the Kinect if you have yours plugged in the front like mine.

Lets go over the specs here with my notes highlighted in red.
·        Provides and added layer of in-home security For a problem that doesn’t exist. Would you like my tiger deterring rock?
·        Designed specifically for Xbox 360 Kinect and Kinect for Windows Is there another type of Kinect?
·        Designed to obstruct Kinect’s camera view when not in use Technically if it is “not in use” then it isn’t on.
·        Ensures privacy and security against potential prying eyes For Xbox, Who? For Windows, treat it like a webcam. (Coming soon, webcam cover.)
·        Blocks LED and infrared light for home theater environments The green dot may be annoying, but I hate seeing INFRARED LIGHT.
·        Protects optical lenses from dust and debris So far the only plus.
·        Does NOT interfere with voice command or calibration I’m assuming it can’t interfere with calibration when I take it off for calibration.
·        Easily slips on and off Kinect Ok, you got me here.
·        Conforms to Kinect’s sleek black aesthetic And here.
·        Available at Best Buy, Microcenter, Target and Amazon.com Here too.
·        Suggested Retail Price: $9.99 Price drop from $15, wonder if it isn’t selling well…
·        Made in the USA Ok, now I want to buy it.

Save On Beer With SaveOnBrew.com And Other St. Patty’s Tips

Matt — Wed, 14 Mar 2012 16:05:27 +0000

This website that I’ve never seen before, SaveOnBrew.com offers up advice on how to save money whilst drinking during this highly important national holiday known as Saint Patrick’s Day. Why do we celebrate with booze? Mike suggests that it is just an excuse to drink. He’s right, but it is also an excuse to get all stereotypical without being called a racist. That’s because Saint Patrick famously rid Ireland of snakes and the Irish like to drink, so on Saint Patty’s day we drink to celebrate snake beatings. This is also a good time to drunkenly ask women if they’d like to beat your snake in honor of the day.

Here are Jennifer Davidson of SaveOnBrew.com’s tips:

1. Look for cheaper brands. “Imports by nature are not terribly cheap, but one can find a 6-pack of Great Lakes Conway’s Irish Aleor Killian’s Irish Red Ale for about $7, or Sam Adam’s Irish Ale and McSorley’s Irish Pale Ale for $8,” Davidson explains. “On the other end of the spectrum, premium beers like Guinness, Harp, Murphy’s and Smithwick’s are going to be priced several dollars higher.”

2. Another way to find the cheapest beer is to try one’s luck at getting into the spirit of the day. “Let’s face it: anyone who dresses like a leprechaun, a Notre Dame Fighting Irish, or a shamrock is going to have random strangers buying him or her beer all night long wherever he or she goes,” says Davidson. “The louder, friendlier and Irish-looking a drinker is, the better. Most importantly, do not pose for any free pictures. If they want a leprechaun on their Facebook page, they’ve got to pay up.”

3. Stay at home. “Yeah, I know I’m going to catch some flak for that, but it’s MUCH cheaper. Take the money you save, grab a keg of Guinness, invite your best friends and some random hotties, and make a night of it. Pro-tip: go heavy on the Irish car bombs – you know, Guinness with a shot of Jameson – because passing out is a great way to save money and avoid having to stumble to the store to resupply,” Davidson laughs.

Of course, I think the underlying message is that Davidson wants you to use SaveOnBrew.com to find cheap deals on beer in your area. So I took a little look and apparently I can get Hamm’s at a local store for $0.54 each aka $12.99 for a 12-pack. Hrmm, not a bad deal, except this is only an advertised price. SaveOnBrew.com has no way of knowing unadvertised prices and my friend tells me that he gets the 30-packs of a lesser quality brand for $13.99. Still, Hamm’s is not a bad option and neither is SaveOnBrew.com, except if you live in Minnesota like I do. You see, we have these weird liquor laws that prohibit grocery stores and gas stations from selling higher abv booze. So when SaveOnBrew.com shows my favorite beer Killian’s advertised ad my local Cub grocery store as a 12-pack for $9.99, I need to keep in mind that it is only going to be the 3.2% abv stuff. All in all, it is nice to have a way to see advertised prices. By the way, my tip for using it is to keep withing the 5 mile range, other wise your might eat your beer savings up with gas.