Today's Games

How to Get Windows 8 Right Now!

2012-02-29T18:20:00.000-08:00

The beautiful Windows 8 Consumer Preview is upon is, and although it's not the final version, it's getting close. This isn't just for developers—it's for you. So get downloading and start using Microsoft's amazing new beginning.

Are you already a Windows diehard? Or an Apple user, looking to see how the other half lives? Either way, we've got you covered like a thick flannel blanket. Made out of preview software.

First things first: download Windows 8

You can do that by clicking right here

Then you need to put that file on something you can install it with. That means either burning the ISO disc image to a DVD or copying it to a USB flash drive. A little annoying, but that comes with the territory when installing a separate operating system.

Whether you're using Windows or OS X, this feature is built right in.

Now let's install that sucker. (If you're prompted for an activation key, use this: DNJXJ-7XBW8-2378T-X22TX-BKG7J)

Are you on a PC?

Once you've got the Windows 8 file, you'll want to install it alongside the current version you're using—this will allow you to dip your toes in without committing, but requires some minor hard drive futzing.

If you want to run Windows 8 on its own slice of hard drive real estate, you'll need to create a disk partition—clearing out a blank space on your computer for Windows 8 to settle into. This is easy! Our pals at Lifehacker have a full guide if you need it, but you really only need to follow this:

Open the Start Menu and right click on the "Computer" option. Click "Manage", and in the window that appears, click on "Disk Management" in the left sidebar.
Find your system hard disk in the graphical list that appears in the bottom pane. Right-click on it and then click "Shrink Volume". Shrink it down so you have at least 20GB of space left on the end of the drive, and click OK. Then, click on the "Unallocated" block of that drive that appears and click "New Simple Volume". Click Next on the next few windows until you get to the "Format Partition" window. Here, give it a volume label you'll recognize (like "Windows 8") and click Next. It should format the drive for you. Now you're all set to install Windows 8.

Simple, right?

Your PC will now boot into Windows 8 by default, but if you want your previous version to auto-start, go to "Change Defaults or Choose Other Options" from the Windows 8 boot menu.

You've now got a two-headed computer.

Are you on a Mac?

Taking your Apple down the Windows trail is a little bit more complex, but not enough to keep you from going nuts. Apple has a special tool to get Windows running on your computer—Boot Camp. Guess what! It's already on your computer: Applications > Utilities > Boot Camp.

NOTE: We're encountering some problems at the office trying to get Boot Camp to create a Windows 8 installation flash drive via MacBook Air. It's possible the method that worked for the Developer build won't work for the Consumer Preview. We'll keep you updated.

Pop that open, click Continue, and select "I have already downloaded the Windows support software," create a partition for Win 8 (Boot Camp will divvy off a chunk of your hard drive for you), and then Boot Camp will walk you through the rest like installing anything else (watch this video from 3:00 onward if you need visual guidance). We promise it's an easy step. You'll automatically boot into Windows, but hold down the option key on your next restart to switch operating systems.

You're now using Windows 8. Tell us what you think.

But remember: not only is this a beta product several months away from release, it's also dramatically different from any operating system you've used before. So proceed with the knowledge that you'll volunteering to be Microsoft's guinea pig.

Glossy white Xbox 360 Kinect bundle announced

2012-02-28T19:37:00.002-08:00

If you have been wondering when or if you can get a white version of the new Xbox 360 console design, your wait has now ended. Microsoft has announced via the Major Nelson web site that it has starred shipping a new Xbox 360 Kinect Bundle package to stores in the US and other parts of the world that features a glossy white 4 GB Xbox 360 console. The console comes with a Kinect motion sensor and an Xbox 360 controller, both with the glossy white finish. The bundle also comes with two free games (Kinect Sports and Kinect Adventures) along with a card good for three months on the Xbox Live Gold service. The bundle is priced at $299.99 in the US. Europe and Brazil will be able to receive the bundle in a few months. Users can also purchase a glossy white Xbox 360 controller separately from the bundle for $49.99 starting today. There's no word if the glossy white Xbox 360 console or the Kinect sensor will be sold separately from the bundle at this point. Of course, the original design for the Xbox 360 console in 2005 had a white finish but that was ditched when Microsoft redesigned the console and made it black when it relaunched in 2010.

Source: http://www.neowin.net/news/glossy-white-xbox-360-kinect-bundle-announced

PSN maintenance starts on March 1 at 11am ET

2012-02-27T21:49:00.005-08:00

Expect some PSN downtime starting on March 1, from 11am ET until 2am ET the next day. The PlayStation Store on both the PC and consoles will be unavailable, as will account management and PlayStation Home. If you're signed in when maintenance starts, you'll be signed out automatically.

Source: http://www.joystiq.com/2012/02/24/psn-maintenance-starts-on-march-1-at-11am-et/#comments

Medal of Honor: Warfighter to feature co-op support, one shot kill mode

2012-02-27T14:18:00.001-08:00

Medal of Honor: Warfighter will keep its authentic roots in check, according to OXM, with the shooter to come with co-op and a one shot kill mode.The mag (via CVG) says the game’s story will be based on actual events from soldiers, with stories written by Tier 1 operators during mission downtime. Operators are rep’ed on an international basis this time round, featuring SAS, the German KSK, the Polish Grom and the Australian SASR. Preacher, Voodoo and Mother are some of the characters that return in the game, with one location mentioned that players will visit including a flooded Isabela City in the Philippines.

Source: http://www.vg247.com/2012/02/27/medal-of-honor-warfighter-to-feature-co-op-support-one-shot-kill-mode/

The Best Videos of the Week

2012-02-26T13:53:00.003-08:00

Have you heard that video is a big thing over at Gawker Media? It's true, we watch and post a lot of videos each week. Here are some of the best videos of week, culled from an array of Gawker Media sites.

VA Lawmaker Can't Get Laid Because of Transvaginal Ultrasound Bill

Virginia Del. Dave Albo brought down the state house floor with this prepared monologue today. View »

The Best And Very, Very Worst Of JaVale McGee: A Video Tribute

JaVale McGee is an elite athlete who does things that most people could never even dream of. That's what makes it all the better when JaVale decides his talents are best spent doing things like goaltending a shot into the fifth row and running back on defense while his team still has the ball. View »

Finnish President's Husband Caught Staring at Princess' Boobs

Scandinavian* Scandal: Pentti Arajarvi, the husband of Finland's president, has been caught ogling the Danish princess' tits at a royal dinner in Copenhagen. The Sun provides video of the naughty Nordic spouse staring at Princess Mary's northern exposure, then averting his eyes and pretending to stare at the ceiling when Mary turns to face him. View »

You Actually Can Put A Gun Rack In A Chevy Volt, Newt Gingrich

One gun-totin' Chevy Volt owner responded to Newt Gingrich's claim that "you can't put a gun rack in a Volt" in the best way possible. He built a gun rack and put it in his own Volt, just to prove Gingrich wrong. View »

Mass Effect 3 "Take Back the Earth" Trailer Extended Cut Doubles the Excitement

First there was the teaser. Then the full trailer. Now BioWare has unleashed an even longer version of the excellent Mass Effect 3 "Take Back the Earth" video, with nearly 90 seconds of additional footage. View »

OMG, It's a Baby Fennec Fox

It just wants to get up on the bed. HELP IT GET UP ON THE FREAKING BED. View »

Unreleased Pre-Fame Nicki Minaj Video: No Stupid Faces

Here's Nicki Minaj, pre-Young Money signing, pre-"Super Bass," pre-pink hair, pre-Super bowl, pre-nonstop mugging, pre-stupid voices, walking through Queens and rapping over a Terror Squad beat. Pretty fun. View »

Someone Cut Off Adele's BRIT Awards Speech, So Adele Flipped Everyone Off

When your country's national musical treasure returns home to London after winning six Grammys and endearing herself to millions of bitter, cynical Americans with a single snort, it is probably in best practice to allow said treasure a fair number of seconds to bask in the moment of winning Album of the Year at her homeland's biggest music awards show. If you don't, said treasure can always flip everyone off on national television. View »

The Scale of the Universe 2 Will Blow Your Mind Once Again

Like the Godfather, the second part of the interactive Scale of the Universe by Cary Huang is even better than the first one. Prettier, with more information, and smoother. You can click here to enjoy being reminded of your mortality and insignificance. View »

Your Skinny Jeans Are Most Definitely Killing You

Bad news, friends. Your skinny jeans are slowly sapping the life out of you - that is if they haven't killed you already. You could be dead right now and not even know it, like something out of a M. Night Shyamalan movie. In fact, let's just assume that you are dead and I am addressing a bunch of ghosts. View »

And now, 15 minutes of Worf's ideas getting shot down by everyone on The Next Generation

This is easily the most depressing supercut I've seen in a while. Why the hell did the Enterprise crew keep the son of Mogh around if they were just going to crap all over his suggestions time and time again? That killjoy Riker, preventing our disenfranchised Klingon buddy from rending esophagi and whatnot. View »

HOLY SHIT DISINTEGRATING HELICOPTER

In Brazil, helicopters are apparently built with the same structural frequency as the rotors' mechanical resonance. Or something, since I just made that up View »

Occupy Wall Street Videographer Films His Own Baby's Birth In Back of NYC Taxi

Occupy Wall Street welcomed its newest supporter yesterday (?) when this Occupy Wall Street videographer's wife had their baby in the back of a livery cab in New York. He filmed it, of course.View »

Russian Billionaire Rapping on Russian TV Show is Actually A Lot Like an SNL Sketch

SNL's on a rerun week, so the writers have plenty of time to prepare for the return of LiLo on March 3. But here's a quick sketch pitch: Replace Russian oligarch and presidential candidate Mikhail Prokhorov with Fred Armisen and run this actual segment from an actual Russian comedy show word-for-word. Do not change the set. Do not change the words. Do not change the way they all bob their heads to the beat. Do nothing. In fact, maybe just get the rights and lift the entire thing. This is perfect as it is. View »

Holy crap, does this worm-like amphibian lay terrifying eggs

In the soils of northeastern India, researchers from Delhi University have uncovered an entirely new family of amphibians. Meet the Chikilidae, which belong to an earthworm-like order of amphibians known as caecilians. Seven new species of Chikilidae were uncovered by the team, who recently published their findings in The Proceedings of The Royal Society B. View »

Video: 8-Year-Old Boy Shot in a Bronx Bodega

Armando Bigo, a second grader, was struck by a stray bullet while in Papa Yali's Deli last night. The footage shows Armando browsing the chips selection when he was hit in the upper chest/shoulder area. According to his mother, who was in the store as well, he is recovering at Jacobi Medical Center, where doctors are treating him for a punctur lung, a fractured rib, and an injured spinal cord. No one else was injured in the shooting. View »

‘Why Is No One Stopping This Murder?' Asks Marie Colvin In Her Brutal Last Report From Syria

Not for the faint of heart, Marie Colvin's last report from Homs, Syria shows the slow death of a baby boy. The city has been under siege for 18 days, resulting in thousands of casualties. Colvin was killed earlier this morning in the home where she was staying.View »

Stephen Colbert Explains His Absence

Stephen Colbert used the opening of tonight's Colbert Report to explain the sudden two day absence of his show last week. It seems clear now that all the crazy rumors were, in fact, crazy, and that Stephen went home to attend to his 91 year old mother. And it also seems she's ok, which is great news for all the members of Colbert Nation. View »

Amazon France Outs 10th Anniversary Xbox 360 Bundle with Three Digital Downloads

2012-02-26T13:51:00.002-08:00

France's Amazon.com marketplace is listing a 10th Anniversary Bundle for the Xbox 360, commemorating (by a few months late) the 10th anniversary of the original system's launch. It runs €280 and includes digital versions of three full games.

So, don't worry, this configuration also comes equipped with the 250 GB hard drive to store Gears of War 2, Fable 3 and Halo: Reach. A disc copy of Halo: Anniversaryalso is included, as is a three-month Gold subscription to Xbox Live and two wireless controllers.

If that bundle releases in the U.S. you could expect it to be between $350 and $370. Amazon France gives March 9 as the upcoming date of release over there.

New "10th Xbox Anniversary" system bundle revealed for Xbox 360 [Examiner]

Want to Play the New Counter-Strike? Answer Some Questions.

2012-02-24T15:55:00.003-08:00

Valve is ramping up participation in theCounter-Stike: Global Offensive beta, promising a whole round of keys will be handed out to people who complete a survey on the game.

All you've got to do is head here and answer some questions, and "over the coming months [Valve] will make selections from the survey participants".

In good news for the curious, unlike the company's DOTA 2 beta, new players will be welcomed as part of the intake.

Survey [Valve]

EA Sports Confirms the Return of NBA Live

2012-02-24T15:52:00.001-08:00

Kyrie Irving, the NBA's No. 1 overall draft pick for 2011, appears to have outed EA Sports' intention to return to the NBA Livename when it publishes a simulation basketball title this fall for the first time in three years.

"In Orlando for #AllStar checking out the #FutureOfBasketball with @EASPORTSNBA. Get to see the new #NBALIVE13!" Irving tweeted about 90 minutes ago. EA Sports' official account then retweeted that picture above of Irving playing the game.

Reached by Kotaku, EA Sports confirmed both the name and the game's release later this fall. "This fall we'll launch an all-new experience that captures the future of basketball with NBA Live 13," a spokesman said. "More to come soon."

A subsequent tweet from Irving said more details will be coming from EA Sports' NBA Facebook page on Monday.

NBA Live was rebranded as NBA Elite for its 2009 edition, which ended disastrously when the title was scrapped with one week left before release. EA Sports had attempted to reinvent its basketball simulation, which had lagged behind 2K Sports' NBA 2K series, particularly on this console generation, but instead delivered a glitch-filled effort.

EA Sports then chose not to publish in 2011, citing the need to shore up the project, which was moved from EA Sports Canada to its Tiburon studio in Florida. An NBA lockout that wiped out the first month of the season also likely influenced the decision.

The embarrassment associated with 2009's aborted launch may be why the series is moving away from the NBA Elite label. Also, today "Elite" may also be more associated, in gamers' minds, with Activision's Call of Duty service, too.

source: http://kotaku.com/5887735/ea-sports-confirms-the-return-of-nba-live

Take-Two trademarks 'GTA TV' and 'Rockstar TV'

2012-02-22T13:48:00.001-08:00

Rockstar parent Take-Two has trademarked 'GTA TV' and 'Rockstar TV', possibly hinting at extensive trans-media promotion for Grand Theft Auto V. Could we see some GTA-themed TV programming released leading up to and around the game's launch? Some sort of promotional web series? Your guess is as good as ours. The trademarks (via OXM) cover a wide range of possibilities, with listings mentioning "computer game programs and software; animated motion picture films featuring entertainment, namely, action, adventure, dramatic, comedic, children's and documentary themes; pre-recorded video discs and other pre-recorded digital and electronic media in the field of live action programs, motion pictures, or animation featuring entertainment, namely, action, adventure, dramatic, comedic, children's and documentary themes." Earlier this month Take-Two said that GTA V is "making great progress" and that we can expect to hear more about the game in the coming months.

Source: http://www.computerandvideogames.com/336659/take-two-trademarks-gta-tv-and-rockstar-tv/

Xbox 720 Will Be Six Times as Powerful as Current Gen

2012-01-24T19:50:00.000-08:00

The next Xbox will ship to retailers in late October or early November of next year with six times the processing power of the Xbox 360, sources close to the project have told IGN.

Following initial reports from tech blogs Fudzilla and SemiAccurate, our sources have confirmed that mass production of the system's GPU will indeed begin by the end of 2012 but will not, however, be based on AMD's 7000 series Southern Islands GPU. Instead, the processor will be derived from the 6000 series, which was introduced last year. More specifically, it will be akin to the Radeon HD 6670, which offers support for DirectX11, multidisplay output, 3D and 1080p HD output. The chip currently has a market price of upwards of $79.99.

In real terms, the Xbox 720's raw graphics processing power is expected to be six times that of the Xbox 360 and will yield 20-percent greater performance than Nintendo's forthcoming console, the Wii U.

Developers are likely to receive development kits based on the system's final configuration in August. Projected pricing for the console was not provided.

>>>>> The Fudzilla report, meanwhile, reckons the new Xbox's chip is called "Odan", and that IBM and Global Foundries began manufacturing it in December 2011.

Next week? Who knows! The Wall Street Journal might say the next Xbox can bake cookies, and will be built entirely out of balsa wood at a factory in Belgium.

http://www.fudzilla.com/processors/item/25619-oban-initial-product-run-is-real

Source: http://au.ign.com/articles/2012/01/24/xbox-720-will-be-six-times-as-powerful-as-current-gen

UFC RIO free for limited time

2012-01-12T18:38:00.001-08:00

Free tickets for UFC RIO are now available for a limited time. Go to the UFC app on Xbox LIVE and press A on the main tile!

How to Access UFC RIO on Xbox LIVE
• Navigate to the UFC on Xbox LIVE app through the Apps Hub or Video Hub in the Xbox LIVE Dashboard. Select the UFC app tile and press A.
• From the app main page, select the UFC RIO: Aldo vs. Mendes event tile. It is the large, upper-leftmost tile. Press A. Note: It is designated as “Not available for purchase,” but this will not apply to those previewing the event by invitation.
• Select HD or SD viewing option and press A. If HD is selected, a speed test will run and confirm your option.
• Following HD/SD selection, the purchase confirmation blade will appear. The event price will display as $0.00. Select “Confirm Purchase” and press A.
• An option to share your participation in UFC RIO: Aldo vs. Mendes on Xbox LIVE with your Facebook friends will be displayed. Select “Share” or “Skip and press A.
• To watch the event, select the UFC RIO: Aldo vs. Mendes event tile from the main page. You may watch the event live beginning at 10pm EST on January 14th, 2012, and it will also be available for unlimited replay 24 hours after the start time. If purchasing the event after the official start time of 10pm EST, you will still have 24 hours in which to utilize unlimited replay.

UFC RIO special offer is a limited time offer good only to the first 10,000 Xbox LIVE members (Free (Silver) or Gold) in the United States and Canada age 18+ to order the UFC RIO Pay-Per-View event on Xbox LIVE. Valid credit card required for order. Limit one offer per account. Offer ends at 9:59pm PST on January 14, 2012, or while supplies last. This offer is not transferable, not redeemable for cash, and not combinable with any other offers. Microsoft will not be responsible for any late, lost, misrouted, or non-delivered e-mails—or any other network, Internet, or other computer- or communications-related failures—caused by events beyond the reasonable control of Microsoft. Sponsor: Microsoft Corporation, One Microsoft Way, Redmond, WA 98052.

Source- UFC facebook page [Vhttp://www.facebook.com/UFConXbox]

College Student Bought an Xbox 360 with Fake Money. He Got Arrested.

2011-12-27T22:25:00.001-08:00

Twenty-one year-old Christopher Moore swung by his local Game Stop in Norfolk, Virginia. He paid cash for an Xbox 360. The store manager, however, thought something was odd about the hundred dollar bills. They looked funny.

According to The Virginian-Pilot, the manager turned the bills over to the police, who then gave them to the Secret Service. The bills, said the Secret Service, were fake.

The following day, Moore returned to the Game Stop, attempting to return his Xbox 360. The manager phoned the cops, and the police arrested him. More fake hundred dollar bills were confiscated.

Moore, a student at Virginia Wesleyan College, goes before the district court later next month.
Wesleyan student arrested on counterfeit-money charges [HamptonRoads]

Forza 4 January Jalopnik DLC Pack: This Is It

2011-12-27T22:11:00.000-08:00

Yes friends, Forzalopnik is back! We're pleased to announce that the next car pack for Forza Motorsport 4 will be the January Jalopnik Pack, available for purchase and download on Xbox LIVE starting Tuesday, January 3rd. Here's are the ten cars and all the details.

"Forzalopnik" was the name we gave to our tie-up on two downloadable content (DLC) packs with the folks at Turn 10 Studios, the makers of the Forza Motorsport franchise. The second of the two — developed with input from Jalopnik's enthusiast community — was an industry-first.

Now we're happy as a clam to announce a new Jalopnik-branded car pack for Forza Motorsport 4. It's called the January Jalopnik pack (yeah, we're totally clever with the naming schema, right?) and it'll include

some very Jalopnik vehicles — like, for example, a Dodge that'll "Go Like Hell," a Ford that very well may be unsafe at any speed — especially if it's rammed from behind — and a "hero" car that's as unpronounceable as it is hard to spell.

The January Jalopnik pack will be available for purchase and download on Xbox LIVE on Tuesday, January 3 and will cost 560 MS Points (that's seven bucks in real dollars). But for those who have already purchased the Forza Motorsport 4 Season Pass, the pack will be free.

Click through the gallery on the left for the full rundown of all ten cars available in the Forza Motorsport 4 January Jalopnik Pack.

FULL DISCLOSURE: Jalopnik and Gawker Media receive no money for sales of this car pack, nor was there any kind of quid-pro-quo for advertising. This is an editorial tie-up alone. That said, we thought it best to be upfront and transparent about that — just like we are with everything.

Forza Motorsport 4: January Jalopnik Car Pack DLC

First Person Shooters of 2012

2011-12-26T19:45:00.003-08:00

It’s safe to say 2011 was a decent year for gamers. Especially these last few months with the release of Gears of War 3, Modern Warfare 3, Battlefield 3, and Skyrim to name a few. So, now that Christmas has come and gone, and the new year is right around the corner, what do we have to look forward to for 2012?

Let’s start with Halo 4, set to hit shelves in December 2012. Being that Halo: Combat Evolved is one of my all time favorite first person shooters, I’m especially looking forward to this. The teasers they’ve released so far might not show much, but it’s enough to make any Halo fan squeal with anticipation. While Halo: Reach was a decent game, it definitely didn’t live up to be everything we Halo lovers were looking forward to. Mostly because we want master chief back! It was a good enough game to tide us over until Halo 4, though.

Another game to look forward to will be Bioshock Infinite. I personally enjoy the Bioshock games, so I was excited to learn there would be a new edition in 2012. However, this will also be released in December along with Halo 4, meaning we still have to wait an entire year to get our hands on it. Boo at that!

Also set to release in 2012 are Borderlands 2, Tribes Ascend, and XCOM. Borderlands gained quite a bit of popularity among the gaming community shortly after it’s release. I think it’s safe to assume there are a lot of people who are ecstatic that a second edition to the game is coming out.

As for Tribes Ascend this game is currently available to play but only as a closed beta, and it’s not yet been said whether or not this game will be available on the PS3, or Xbox 360. However, there are new game types they’re trying out within the beta to see whether or not they’ll go over well. XCOM is basically just a reboot of the game X-COM, it’s a strategic first person shooter. It will have an all new setting, but most of the concepts are the same as the original. It will be released for PC, Xbox 360, and PS3 and is set to hit shelves in early march of 2012.

While most people have been saying 2012 will be a bad year for gamers, I think we’ll be just fine with the options listed above. What games are you looking forward to in the new year? Let us know!

Source: http://fpswin.com/news/person-shooters-2012/

First Person Shooters of 2012

2011-12-26T19:45:00.001-08:00

Intel Locations - Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3

2011-12-26T11:18:00.000-08:00

Black Tuesday (5 Intel)

After entering the first building and walking up some stairs, you will walk past a helicopter that has crashed into the building. The Intel is in the second bedroom on the right.
After walking past a semi-opened bank vault door, you will walk down some stairs. The intel is directly under the top of the stairs.
As you enter the NYSE building, the intel is along the left wall, by the ammo crates.
On the NYSE floor (the large room with TONS of TVs and computer monitors), the intel is located on the kiosk closest to the back stairs.
Before you destroy the jammer, the intel is on a table before the final set of short stairs.

Hunter Killer (2 Intel)

Shortly after you enter the submarine, you will be in a room with a few bunk beds. This intel is in the back corner on the last bunk bed.
In the room filled with enemies that all have laser pointers on their guns, go up the metal stairs, turn around and follow the scaffolding to above where you entered the room originally.

Persona Non Grata (4 Intel)

After exiting the building at the start of the level, the intel is in a small room on the right side of the courtyard.
After entering the streets, there's a house on the right of the street you can enter. The intel is on the second floor in a bedroom.
This intel is in the weapon cache where you take control of the UGV, behind Price.
After using the UGV, run outside, and the intel is the on the top of the slide.

Turbulence (2 Intel)

After walking down the first set of stairs, keep going straight, and the intel is on the right.
After the plane crash, you will be dazed for a bit, then run outside past some survivors. There's a large tree in your path that you have to jump over, and the intel is to the right immediately after you jump over.

Back on the Grid (3 Intel)

After covering Price and Soap from the sniper tower, jump out and run straight up the street. The intel is in the house.
From the previous intel, continue down the street. Stay on the lower level, and the intel is in a house on the left side of the street.
After using the mortar, you will eventually fight your way through a market and into a church. The intel is straight ahead when you walk through the front door.

Mind the Gap (3 Intel)

Early on, 2 bends down the street, the intel is in a building on the left. This is before the first set of stairs you walk up.
Before opening the doors to the truck, look directly above the truck and you will see a walkway leading to a well lit room. To the right of the truck is the base of the stairs to the walkway. Follow the walkway and in that room is the intel.
After running up the first set of escalators and avoiding the rolling grenades, look behind the counter of the kiosk on the right wall.

Goalpost (3 Intel)

After getting off the beach, make your way to the right, and you will see a crashed plane. In the nose of the plane is the first intel.
After you make your way to the top of the street, keep running forward, and underneath a tall white building across the street is the second intel.
After your tank crashes through the garage, you will make your way down another long street. When you're forced to go back into a new building, look in the cubicles on the right for the third intel. This is immediately before the breaching section.

Return to Sender (3 Intel)

After leaving the docs area, stay on the main road and keep going straight into the blue building ahead. On the second floor is the first intel.
The second intel is in the room where you breach the door and capture the HVT.
After the countdown clock has started, follow the road, and the final intel is in a small hut on the right.

Bag and Drag (4 Intel)

On the top floor of the bookstore, on a windowsill.
After running through the bookstore then through the kitchen with the ammo crate, you will come to a courtyard. In the back of the second store across the courtyard is the intel.
The intel is in the room where you get flashbanged and the HVT runs away.
As you chase Volk, you will climb up a ladder and run up a few short sets of stairs. The intel is immediately before you run out the final door to the outside to chase Volk in his car.

Iron Lady (2 Intel)

After sniping out the mounted gun, jump down and head left through the glass building for this intel.
After using the AC-130 for the second time, destroy the tank in front of you, then look in the back of the bus on the left of the bridge.

Eye of the Storm (2 Intel)

After taking out the 2 snipers on the rooftops, then the 2 patrols on the street, the intel is in a bar you duck into to avoid another sniper on the rooftops.
The second intel is in the courtyard where dozens of your teammates appear on a rooftop and take out the large enemy force. It's on a cafe table to the left.

Blood Brothers (1 Intel)

After setting Price down, the intel is in the next room in the right corner near the windows towards the exit.

Stronghold (2 Intel)

After falling down the shaft, and after getting flashbanged, you will walk up some stairs into a control room with a few TVs hanging around the room. The intel is in the back left corner of the room.
Shortly after the previous intel, you will walk outside into a large courtyard. Do not follow Price into the lower courtyard, but stay right and follow the catwalk around the edge of the castle and you will find the second intel.

Scorched Earth (5 Intel)

In the first building you walk into, the intel is in a cubicle directly in front of you as you enter the office.
When you get to the roof, the intel is behind a fence on the northeast side, by a short set of stairs.
After rappelling down the building, run straight ahead into the bookstore, and the intel is by the registers.
After destroying the tank with an RPG, you will go onto a large street with a few German tanks. In the Teknik Deutsch building across the street is the intel.
After exiting the destroyed building, you will fight through a bar, and the intel is under the stairs after running past the tank.

Down the Rabbit Hole (2 Intel)

After exiting the elevator, you will enter a large cavernous area. The intel is on top of some filing cabinets in a control room on the left of the cavern.
After breaching the floor and rescuing the president, turn around and in a small room is the second intel.

Dust to Dust (3 Intel)

Turn around 180° after walking up the right escalator and you will see the intel on a bar.
After leaving the elevator, hug the left wall and enter the first door. The intel will be on a poker table.
After the elevator ride, make your way around the central lobby area, then hug the right wall and look on the bars. If you get hit by the rockets, you've gone too far.

Possible Half-Life 3 website unearthed

2011-12-26T11:16:00.001-08:00

A possible website relating to Half-Life 3 has been unearthed.

www.black-aperture.com features a Half-Life 3 logo, as well as the official related trademark such as developer Valve.

Valve has already stated that series' protagonist Gordon Freeman is not dead.

Why you'll remain loyal to either Sony or Microsoft next gen

2011-12-26T11:13:00.001-08:00

Over time when hardware lowers in price it becomes more feasible for consumers to purchase a second console. At launch however when prices are at their highest, most core gamers are likely to stick with what they know, possibly ignoring the specs of their respected console of choice, and being more swayed by how the games look and play. That said, with the hardware of either the PS4 and Xbox next possibly being close in terms of performance, there are other reasons why gamers are likely to stay with the same console manufacturer as their current generation machine.

Brand recognition.

With many gamers spending years (6 years now for some) using their current console of choice, there's likely to be certain expectations from any new hardware based on past experiences. Whilst many will cite more practical preferences as to why they are firmly rooted in either Microsoft or Sony's camp, brand recognition does have an influencing role in purchasing decisions. Sony in particular has a distinct edge in terms of being in the business longer than Microsoft, and therefore it's safe to assume that many will have simply invested in a name they are familiar with regardless of any other more tangible points of interest - like pricing. With Microsoft making ground this generation and Xbox on par with Playstation in terms of brand recognition, it's highly likely that what will be offered via new consoles is well in tune with consumer expectation and means that most will be content with sticking with what they know or feel affiliated with via association of product.

Appealing features.

The features are as important as the games themselves, and with added and perhaps familiar options that come as part of the package, makes sticking with the same console manufacturer more likely. A lot of buzz is generated beyond the games, and when the next Xbox or Playstation is able to cook breakfast and do the washing up afterwards, the decision to remain loyal is very much reinforced. Xbox has a solid online service and as we've now seen a ton of integrated media features, PS3 had Blu Ray which was an important aspect for consumers at the time. Extras which build on the strengths of the current consoles is very much an influencing factor for many consumers - especially during the first year of new hardware when software is lacking. The Wii U for example will have compatibility with the Wii controllers which certainly is a positive way Nintendo can tap into the vast number of Wii owners.

Future exclusives.

Console launches usually have at least one game that is recognizable or exclusive in the works, and so the prospect of playing Halo 5 or Uncharted 4 in the future very much influences consumer decision. A lot of the possibilities are showcased and is a cleverly woven marketing tactic used by Microsoft and Sony, to keep gamers hooked. If gamers can continue to play updated versions of familiar franchises, then most of marketing battle is won. Mutiplatform games undoubtedly contribute to driving sales, but when versions on different platforms bear little differences this places more importance on the exclusives. Coming from one camp or another, gamers will have preconceived ideas about the franchises they would like to play, and therefore this is an important factor in sticking with a manufacturer providing expected experiences.

Enticing Pricing.

The price has to be right, and at the start of a new consoles life-cycle the prices do tend to be very high, making the desirability more prominent. Early adopters, whilst fleeced on the pricing, have the privilege of early and exclusive ownership and that in itself is a driving force behind early sales. The PS3 arrived at a high price, but was touted as being worth every penny at the time making the console appear to be a high quality product commanding of such high pricing. That said, if ones console of choice is out of reach in terms of price, then the fine balance of waiting and sticking with the cheaper last gen console rather than selling ones kidneys is the most likely course of action. Consoles do drop in price, some sooner than others, so it becomes a waiting game where being content with the previous generation console is feasible especially as they usually remain well supported in the face of new arrivals. Pricing is probably the most effective way a rival can snag consumers from one camp to another, but when all is considered, price often reflects quality and when Xbox first launched, it was a cheap mess compared to the more affluent looking PS3.

Backwards compatibility.

A consoles backwards compatibility is perhaps the most influential force when determining buying a new console. At launch there are usually few games, and it's highly probable that not all of the launch games will appeal. Therefore if the PS4 or new Xbox allows you to continue playing the last gen games in your collection - possibly with a slight upgrade in resolution - then this means that sticking with the same console manufacturer is feasible. There will be some who switch sides, or even trade in all their old games, but the issue of having multiple systems in the playing space is eliminated if the new can accommodate the old. Obviously over time when more software is released, backwards compatibility becomes less important, but at the very beginnings is a crucial facet in keeping the potential user base happy.

Source: http://www.msxbox-world.com/features/article/925/why-youll-remain-loyal-to-either-sony-or-microsoft-next-gen.html

Here’s a Christmas Classic Because Hey, Why Not

2011-12-26T10:59:00.001-08:00

Man and Niece Killed for a PS3 and a Tattoo, Prosecutors Say

2011-12-25T23:56:00.000-08:00

The brutal murders of a 7-year-old girl and her uncle were apparently spurred by a tattoo-loving gunman and a plot to pay off his next bit of ink with game consoles, according to Indianapolis prosecutors.

Jeremy Crane, 21, and his niece Kyleigh Crane were shot as they lay on the ground during a robbery turned violent, according to the formal filing of murder charges, the Indianapolis Star reports.

Prosecutors say that Michael Bell Jr, 22, offered to give tattoo artist Jeremy Priel, 25, a Playstation 3 in exchange for tattoo work. Bell told police that he and Priel went to the home of Crane, a former co-worker, and asked to use the bathroom. As planned, Priel pulled a gun on Crane and his niece ordering them and Bell to the ground, according to his statement.

Bell told police that Priel then shot Crane twice, first wounding him and then killing him with a shot to the head. Bell said he then stepped over the bodies to grab a PlayStation 3 and an Xbox. He said he ran out of the house with the consoles before the girl was shot.

Priel says it was Bell who killed the two, later giving him the consoles, which he then sold for cash and drugs. Both men were arrested on Sunday after the person who bought the consoles become suspicious of the deal when they spotted blood on the PS3. The prosecutor says he is considering the death penalty in the case.

Source. kotaku.com/5870418/the-love-of-t...e-homicide

A Live-Action Battlefield 4, Through the Eyes of YouTube’s FreddieW

2011-12-25T23:35:00.000-08:00

After teaming up with EA to produce aBattlefield 3 commercial, Internet sensation Freddie Wong—best known for geeky, homemade film shorts that riff on Splinter Cell, Halo and Portal—stayed on set to create the video seen above. This one imagines what asynchronous co-op play might look like for that game's inevitable sequel. "Battlefield 4" does an ingenious job of visualizing how communication and co-ordination might look like across the huge levels that DICE's series is known for. It's also nice to see what FreddieW and crew can do with a bigger budget.

Top 5 reasons why Xbox killed it in 2011

2011-12-25T23:18:00.001-08:00

Xbox has pushed itself into the hearts and minds of gamers across the globe, more so in the last twelve months. Here's five top reasons why Xbox has proven itself this year and continues to gain momentum as we enter a new year. Microsoft has really shown that they have the right stuff when it comes to planning and deployment of a high-end gaming console.

Xbox Went casual

Although Kinect released at the end of 2010, there are now some 10 million plus Kinects out there. That's approximately one fifth of Xbox consumers. With a sprawling library of games catering to a wide number of casual audiences, Microsoft has to be applauded for its reinvention of the original Xbox 360 console.

Xbox became mainstream entertainment

Xbox was already partnered with various movie and TV providers such as Sky etc. But with its latest update has integrated more TV options making the Xbox 360 an excellent entertainment hub within the home. Even if the Xbox doesn't take centre stage in the home, the added channels afforded to the console make it so mainstream it's hard to imagine how basic its humble beginnings were.

That deal with Youtube

Whilst many core gamers might scoff at the added extras the Xbox 360 now employs, probably the most notable addition has been its partnership with Youtube. PS3 has had access to the global movie sharing databased via its web browser, but the integration on Xbox is second to none. This is a 'big deal' and means that gamers now have easy access to a load of gaming and non gaming related content from within the singular console.

Home of the multi-platform

Forget exclusives for a moment and look at the multi=platform releases. They mostly sell more on Xbox despite comparable hardware totals. This is simply very encouraging for publishers and means that Xbox is the platform of choice for many gamers. Perhaps it's Xbox Live's superiority despite the costs which has helped pull in online gamers into its fold. The numbers speak for themselves that despite fewer console exclusives, multi-platform games simply thrive.

It entered from behind

The year head start was a well documented tactical move by Microsoft, and although Playstation 3 has now closed that gap, one has to consider that last gen, Xbox original was the new kid on the block and operated at a loss. It simply couldn't compete in terms of numbers with the Playstation's well deserved grip on the market. From mainstream media, to pop culture, "Playstation" was the word used to describe gaming console. Now however, you have artists like Ce Lo Green talking Xbox. Microsoft has done extremely well building from its foundations, making the risk well worth it now as it sits comfortably as a force to be reckoned with across global markets.

Source: http://www.msxbox-world.com/features/article/924/top-5-reasons-why-xbox-killed-it-in-2011.html

5 Video Games With the Worst Bugs of 2011

2011-12-25T23:16:00.001-08:00

It's not easy to make a video game, and it's certainly not easy to make a game that is free from bugs. Developers only have a limited amount of time to exterminate any game bugs and glitches before it's forced to be released to the world, and oftentimes, there will be a few they'll slip out unnoticed until it's too late. Sometimes these bugs are hilarious. Sometimes they're just downright strange. And unfortunately, they can often ruin an entire gameplay experience.

With video games becoming more complicated to develop over time, the bugs that accompany these games will become more apparent....or hilarious. The following is a look at five of the most notable video game bugs and glitches of 2011.

5. Dark Souls (PlayStation 3)
"Invisible Environment" Bug

Dark Souls is tough. Now, imagine playing the game without any visible environments. A certain glitch in this game will make just about everything invisible to the player. The sky, certain items, sections of buildings and other random frames will appear on screen, but that's about all you have to navigate through this game. Imagine--a single false move will cause you to fall off a ledge that you did not know was there. Surely, someone will enjoy this kind of punishment.

4. The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim (XBOX 360, PS3, PC)
"PS3 System Crash Bug"

As amazing as Skyrim is, the game's pretty buggy, especially on the PS3. In the game, using the "waiting" feature and accessing the PS console menu are among the two most common ways to crash your game. Oftentimes, the game will immediately crash after loading up a saved game. After restarting, however, some unlucky players will get a notification that their hard disc is corrupted, which can take a few minutes-hours to restore.

Repeatedly getting this error message will ultimately result in the corruption of the PS3 system start up files and other important software, basically killing your PS3. Once the crashes start happening, it's probably a good idea to uninstall the patch and start a new, patch-free game. Sure, you've probably wasted dozens of hours game time, but how bad can it be? You have to play more Skyrim. Boo-hoo.

Note: This is a very rare bug, likely caused by a corrupted download of patch 1.02.

3. Dead Island (XBOX 360, PS3, PC)
"Inability to Load Save Files" Bug

Players can do so much in the world of Dead Island. Tackle objectives in any order, loot, kill, and talk to anyone are what defines sandbox games such as this. Considering how much stuff you can do in Dead Island, it's a wonder why developer Techland imposed an appalling save size limit of 10,260 bytes. This will cause the game to immediate crash when loading a saved game, rendering your saved game useless.

Another bug heard around the community includes losing save progress, in which players will reload their save file, only to find themselves at an earlier point in the game with a lower level, wasting previous man-hours of game time.

2. Battlefield 3 (XBOX 360, PS3, PC)
"Too Many to Name" Bug

It seems Battlefield 3 shipped a bit prematurely, considering the game was infested with so many bugs that it rendered the game practically unplayable at certain points. From game-halting glitches to graphical issues, developer DICE's forums were clogged with complaining fans. Here are a few of the known glitches that plagued Battlefield 3 during the game's launch:

game-halting glitch that occurs during the game's final mission that involves a broken quicktime event that renders the game unfinishable
bodies hilariously flying across the map
If you die with the pause menu open the screen will retain its blurred/blue tint until you re-pause the game.
servers have been down on Xbox 360
the promised bonus for PS3 owners, Battlefield 1943, was not included with the game
random colored flashes that occur during turning or sprinting
bullet paths floating in the air
audio levels going wrong (often mutes everything but voices, guns, and explosions)
clipping issues (getting stuck under the ground)
reload animations not working
sprinting does not work unless players stand still beforehand
inability to aim down sights unless players switch out guns first
killcam displays a section under the map
gun attachments appearing a few inches away from the gun
player dies and their gun is pointed up still firing invisible bullets (hilarious)
characters will have arms and legs that "spaz out"
characters slide around instead of crouch walking
unable to quit a match without turning off system
quitting game leads to never-ending load screen
...and many more!

1. The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword (Wii)
"Song of the Hero" Game-Killing Bug

Strike three, Nintendo. This is the third game on the Wii with a game-killing glitch. If you are unfortunate enough to stumble into this glitch, you're either going to have to start your game over, send your save file on an SD card to Nintendo to fix the problem, or modify the save file on your computer to remedy the problem. In an age where bugs can quickly be fixed through a patch, it's ridiculous that players have to go through loops and hurdles just to get their game back on track. After similar game-killing bugs found in Twilight Princess and Metroid: Other M, you'd think that Nintendo can get their shit together. Hopefully, the Wii U will be technologically advanced enough to support patches.

Considering that several other games on this list also have game-halting glitches, Skyward Sword's takes the top spot simply because of the poor method in order to fix it. The game-killing bug here occurs when you complete tasks in a certain order during the "Song of the Hero" quest. If you save the game after the bug is in effect, then prepare to start the game over.

If you complete the desert section of the quest first and talk to the Goron twice, the game locks out completion of the other two portions, halting all progress of the game. How do you avoid this? Just talk to the Goron guy once. Alternatively, don't do the desert section of the quest first.

Nintendo is currently working on a program that will be distributed in order to repair the save data. Details of when this program will be released in the future. You can also call Nintendo's hotline at 1-800-255-3700 and talk to one of their ridiculously friendly service reps, and they'll provide players with instructions on how to send in your save file for repairs.

Source: http://blogs.ocweekly.com/heardmentality/2011/12/5_worst_video_game_glitchesbug.php

XBLIG Review - Homeless

2011-12-25T23:15:00.001-08:00

When I was a journalism student at Columbia, there was a guy on 112th Street and Broadway, the most unobtrusive homeless person I've ever encountered in New York. He had no sign and I don't ever recall him verbally soliciting passersby. He just sat there, obviously homeless, with a strangely placid expression. One day I finally gave him 75 cents.

"You good? I'll take you over there and buy you a coffee if you want," I said, probably sounding insensitive and patronizing.

"No, no, I don't need coffee," he said. "I'm saving up. They sell Whoppers at the Burger King on 110th for a dollar on Tuesday." It was Monday. I gave him another two dollars, and thanked him for the tip.

There's a knee-jerk, maudlin quality to exhorting people to listen to the problems of homeless people, and it also ignores the fact that sometimes you learn something useful. I got that feeling again from Homeless, an Xbox Live Indie Game that VentureBeat's Dan Crawley uncovered this past week, and wrote about yesterday. It's made by Jon Flook of Silver Dollar Games in Toronto, which has been responsible for much lighter fare in the past (including Don't Be Nervous Talking to Girls and the hilarious Try Not to Fart) Homeless is 80 Microsoft points.

In Homeless, you're a panhandler and you have only one button to press, the A button. When passersby are in range and you press it, you get whatever they can spare, which is an amount represented over their heads. Some have only two cents, other times its a quarter or even 30 cents. Each press of A, or beg as I called the action, depletes your energy. The round is over when you run out of energy or time. If the round ends with you falling short of your target, the game is over.

The strategy is to press A when lots of passersby are clustered around, or when large amounts are in range. A bonus mechanic that I haven't quite figured out sends even larger money amounts scrolling by overhead, but whatever you collect seems not to be cumulative. In other words, bagging a $1.24 bonus is great, but if a 30-cent bonus is overhead when you hit A, you'll trade the larger pot for the smaller.

In my time with the game, I lasted six days (not realizing that, it appears, you only collect the bonus if you finish the day out of energy. I would have made it the full week otherwise.) The real strength of Homeless is in the uncommonly strong voice acting. As you progress, you learn more about this character. He's been jailed three times. He's a crackhead, apparently recovering, but the memory of his first high with the drug still has a powerful hold on him. There's a hot dog vendor who cuts him a deal, and he's eaten other people's leftovers. He knows that he stinks to high heaven; his only shower is whatever comes off the downspouts of the bridge under which he lives.

It's not to say Homeless is an emotional experience. There's a drippy soundtrack and, visually, the game is rather barebones, keyed toward you lining up the most opportune amounts of money passing by and then pressing A. There's no real rejection mechanic in this, although a series of dialogue boxes would be about as boring as could be imagined. Empathy or sympathy is extremely difficult to create in any video game, much less a $1 downloadable indie title.

But it is a thoughtfully designed experience. Gamers who figure out the system and how to exploit it will, in succeeding at it, be served with an increasingly deep story of a typical homeless person, who knows he is responsible for his failures yet still needs immediate help getting through the day. We've all heard the stories of homeless people before; for some, this may be the first time they actually listen.

Source: http://kotaku.com/5871006/make-it-through-another-day-and-xbox-lives-homeless-will-share-its-story

The New Xbox Dashboard is Stopping Some users From Getting Online

2011-12-25T23:14:00.003-08:00

Ever since the release of Microsoft's new dashboard the other week, some unlucky users have been unable to get their consoles back online, something the company is promising to "resolve ... as soon as possible".

"We have recently identified an Xbox Live profile data error that results in Error Code '801540B7' for a small number of Xbox Live members", an Xbox representative told Joystiq. "The error instructs users to attempt to re-download their Xbox Live profile and directs them to customer service support for further assistance. We apologize for the inconvenience this has caused to our loyal Xbox Live members and are working to resolve the issue as soon as possible."

The consoles are being kept offline by an inability to sign their profiles into Xbox Live, which means they're not just being kept out of multiplayer games, they're being locked out of some purchased content as well.

It's not the first problem to pop up with the new dashboard; people who watch a lot of video content have found that the console's capabilities in that regard have gone downhill as well.

Source: http://kotaku.com/5870692/the-new-xbox-dashboard-is-stopping-some-users-from-getting-online