While you’ll have to wait til November 19th, 2013 for the game’s release, this new batch of screenshots should help to satiate your anticipation for the next few months. What are your impressions? I’m pretty fond of Clara’s tattoos I must say.

While typically functioning as a vehicle of entertainment, Microsoft’s Kinect has proven to be a useful tool in the arena of medicine. Rather than solely relying upon the observations of psychologists to determine whether or not an individual is suffering from depression, an automated system called SimSensei is adding to the processes’ accuracy and reliability.

Functioning as a digital avatar, SimSensei uses the Kinect’s face recognition and depth-sensing cameras to interpret subject body language during an interview. Developed by Stefan Scherer of the University of Southern California, the system is sensitive enough to detect voice hesitation, gaze aversion, and subtle movements that even a trained specialist might overlook. Impressively, in a study conducted by the team, SimSensei was able to correctly identify those with severe depression 90% of the time.

And you thought the Kinect was only useful for dancing around in your underwear.

Digital shrinks find depressed faces and body language [New Scientist] [Image source]

Article was originally published on Destructoid.

The next stage of videogame evolution might take place where you least expect it: within your body. A team of German researchers have deviated from the traditional rumble-controller formula, instead embracing an entirely new way for players to feel the action present on the screen, reports New Scientist.

Rather than positioning tiny vibrating motors within a phone or game controller to produce that familiar rumbling sensation, Pedro Lopes and the group at the Hasso Plattner Institute in Potsdam, Germany have used small electrodes placed on the forearm to electrically stimulate nerves, making the muscles contract. No pain, no gain — right?

In reality, the process is entirely pain-free and allows the hands to automatically grip and tilt the controller based on stimulation delivered by the gaming scenario. The EMS or electrical muscle stimulation is currently used in the medical field for patients of paralysis but it could soon enter the gaming arena as a more effective way to deliver the feeling of touch.
As Lopes describes, “It creates a strong, painless contraction – in your palm flexor muscle – that makes you fight your phone.”

To test the effectiveness of EMS within a videogame setting, a study was conducted in which participants were tasked with controlling an aircraft while flying against a strong wind. All of the partakers preferred the re-imagined ‘zap’ method over traditional rumble feedback. As another bonus, the lack of motors in the new system means that it will be easy to downsize to fit within handheld consoles, smartphones, or tablets in the future.

Clearly hands-on gaming could have a whole new meaning in the years to come. Assuming that an electric shock wouldn’t cause a dramatic mid-game seizure, how would you feel about being zapped during an average play session?

Muscle-zapper forces gamers’ own hands against them [New Scientist] [Image source]

Article originally published on Destructoid.

From a crouched position you move toward a jungle clearing. Left foot, then right foot; each step demonstrates restraint in the highest degree. A breeze travels through the overgrown leaves, causing the foliage to dance all around you. Tensions rise, anticipation builds. In a moment the wind stops, but the rustling continues. You are not alone. Your heartbeat elevates, its rhythmic drum becomes almost deafening against the natural tones of the jungle. Peeking through a gap between the branches, you spot a deer grazing in a lush glade.

The scene is picturesque, but fragile. You lower your torso to the dry earth with the grace of a swan. Noise is an unavoidable nemesis, but with a great deal of caution you successfully retrieve the bow from its position secured on your back. The deer’s ears perk in response the quiet commotion.

In a last-ditch effort to collect your prize, you draw back the bow string and hold your breath. Three, two, one; in the blink of an eye, the suspense ends. The arrow slices through the air, entering the target. The buck lie motionless and a mix of triumph and sorrow paint the scene. Shattering the atmosphere, a familiar sound emanates from the screen. Up pops a 20-point achievement rewarding you for successfully hunting your prey.

From Oregon Trails and Duck Hunt to Red Dead Redemption and Far Cry 3, hunting clearly has a dynamic presence within the videogame landscape. Despite controversy associated with the sport, hunting in gaming has continued to play a role within many AAA titles, arguably with increased frequency over the past few years.

Mentioning an internet fascination with cute cat videos and a cultural push toward animal protection nationwide, one would think that hunting would be falling out of favor in real life and in our virtual playgrounds. Yet the prevalence of hunting in newer titles such as Tomb Raider and Assassin’s Creed III suggests otherwise.

This invites an in interesting dilemma: How can so many of us claim badges of animal allegiance in our everyday lives, yet still find great joy hunting in videogames? Obviously the act is not real, but people have a way of getting butt hurt regardless of fact or fiction. I personally have noticed that my heartwarming affection toward animals is easily shattered in the realm of gaming.

Titles such as the ones mentioned above have been successful at awakening a primal beast within my core, one that finds absolute delight in the thrill of the hunt. As an avid animal lover, hunting cynic, and gaming enthusiast, I’ve decided to explore this conundrum. Why do I find hunting in games so damn addictive if I condemn the activity in real life?

Duh, hunting is fun.

Hunting in videogames is undoubtedly fun. With many games favoring over-the-top gore, action, or gunplay as a primary theme, it’s no wonder that many players, myself included, often gravitate toward more understated gaming feats when they’re available. Hunting is one such example that can provide a break in the monotony of shooting, slicing, and indiscriminate killing. Incapacitating bad guys in gaming is almost always a requirement, a necessity to get from point A to point B, but hunting requires a whole different skill set.

Hunting is arguably an art form. It requires a deft hand and a subtle approach that is often uncommon amongst the run-and-gun mechanics that dominate the game market. Charge a prowling tiger in Far Cry 3 and you’ll most likely end up as kitty chow, approach a bear in Assassin’s Creed III head-on and expect a Mortal Kombat-like fatality. Stalking potential prey welcomes an opportunity to adopt stealth, shoot for silent kills, and utilize tools that might seem outdated in a combat scenario like a bow and arrow.

Hunting necessitates a sense of resourcefulness, granting merit to instinct over reason. The act of taking a life, albeit a fake one, is only a small part of the process, one that can consist of spotting the prey, finding a hidden vantage point, luring the target into the open, and delivering one hit, one kill. I’m getting energized just talking about it.

Adding to the experience is the voluntary nature of the activity. Regular enemies occupy an environment for the sole purpose of breathing life and hostility into the world. How entertaining would crossing a battle-torn landscape be without any adversaries?

Animals and wild game on the other hand serve a unique purpose when compared to the average killable NPC, not only to fill the setting with opposition for the player, but to enrich the gaming experience by enhancing the atmosphere and welcoming variation in gameplay. Hunting is often an optional pursuit, and thus, it can be far more rewarding when successfully completed. I didn’t have to slay the legendary super wolf in Red Dead Redemption, but taking on the challenge is that much more gratifying when completed.

Beyond the satisfaction of clashing with nature’s most powerful beasts or the appreciation of a different style of gameplay, hunting has its perks. Depending on the game, chasing down wild creatures can provide the player with valuable in-game rewards. From equipment upgrades, additional experience, and sellable loot, hunting in videogames is a practical pursuit. If the act isn’t enticing enough on its own, the upgrades certainly do help to blur the boundary between voluntary and obligatory, elevating hunting to essential status.

Whether we’re talking about big game from reality standards or far more menacing foes conjured up within the imaginations of game developers, hunting in games is more thrilling than it could ever be in real life. Overcoming a rabbit is fine and a deer is better, but any woodland creature pales in comparison to gaming’s toughest animals. Fighting against any dinosaur in the Monster Hunter series should lead to a swift and certain death for the player, but the allure of attempting to defeat something larger and more powerful is an enticing proposition. A straightforward approach might be unsuccessful against the king of mountain lions or a fire-breathing dragon, but under the right conditions it’s possible to taste victory.

Crisis of conscience: What about my furry friends?

Including hunting within the context of games can be a rewarding experience on multiple levels, but it does elicit a clash of conscience. While I pursue virtual animals under the guise of an acceptable thrill, my cat often stretches out on my lap in feline delight. I wonder how she would feel about me attacking virtual versions of her tiger, jaguar, and bobcat ancestors?

Good thing she doesn’t seem to pay attention. Personally I would never dream of harming an animal in real life, yet interestingly enough, I feel no qualms about doing so in a gaming capacity. Of course, a cat or dog is miles apart from a komodo dragon or while boar, but I’d still like to think that my individual kill switch is constant regardless of wild or domestic status.

Upon pondering the reasons why it’s so easy to cut moral or emotional ties when taking an animal’s life in a game, the answer can be a bit complicated. The easy rationale that was touched on in the very beginning is that the animal is not real. There is no real consequence for hunting a non-living creature so there’s nothing to feel bad about.

Shooting an innocent bunny rabbit in a game is totally fun, but I can’t say the same for targeting the little guys frolicking in my front yard. The separation between reality and make-believe is certainly one reason why I don’t cry myself to sleep at night after killing tons of virtual critters, but fictional events have the power to rouse feelings of guilt or sadness, too.

I’ve had several moments in my gaming history that elicited genuine emotional responses despite the fact that it wasn’t real, some even pertaining to animals. In Shadow of the Colossus, when it appeared as if the protagonist’s horse Agro fell off the cliff to his death, I was pretty bummed out. Not to mention the end of Fable 2 when the hero’s dog sacrificed himself to save the player. How we view the subject, pet versus prey, is a huge factor. This mental distinction can portray any animal large and small as off limits or hunt-worthy which may have more to do with moral reservations than the realness of the target.

Games often use another tactic to soften the blow of hunting animals, the necessity of survival. By transporting players into the shoes of a desperate character, one who is suffering from the pangs of starvation or danger, it becomes much easier to do the deed. Tomb Raider capitalized on this theme, forcing Lara Croft to commit atrocities in order to survive. Shooting a deer was easy because she was starving, slaying oncoming wolves was simple as defense. Justifying hunting is uncomplicated and guilt-free in a life or death scenario.

Regardless of rationale, we as gamers should be able to immerse ourselves in the lives, actions, and worlds of games without personal conflict. Hell, just about everything we do in gaming would be a moral barricade to cross in reality, with hunting being an ethical cake walk. Sure the methodology we use to accept committing questionable acts within a virtual landscape reflects a mix of confounding logic and confusing sentiments, but it’s probably safe to say that there is no real harm done.

The targets that we pursue within the gaming realm are nothing more than a collection of pixels and polygons. There is no pressing consequence for hunting a cougar with an Xbox 360 controller minus a disapproving pet cat. The average stable individual can draw the line between hunting a buffalo in Oregon Trails and chasing down the neighbor’s dog.

While I may be an ASPCA supporter by day, when transported into nature’s digital backyard I become a fully-fledged huntsman. I for one have no ill feelings about being both an animal lover and virtual hunter because the two labels are separated by a massive physical and psychological divide. Entertainment and instinctive expression are good enough reasons to shrug off conflicting identities and hypocritical sentiments in my book.

What are your thoughts about hunting in videogames, have you ever felt bad about killing a virtual animal? Even though gaming often pits players against other people, do you think there is more moral and emotional baggage associated with violence against animals in a gaming context?

Article originally published on Destructoid. Image Sources: [1][2][3]

Crazy alert: radical TV preacher Pat Robertson is at it again. In a new video aimed at warning the world of hidden evils, Robertson asserts that Dungeons & Dragons is a “demonic” videogame. In previous discussions throughout his career, the outspoken Southern Baptist minister has passed severe moral judgment on what many would consider to be normal, secular items and activities from karate to secondhand sweaters.

Robertson asserts that demonic spirits reside within games like Dungeons & Dragons and that they are part of the “occult.” He goes on to urge viewers to “flee from evil” while asserting that Dungeons & Dragons “literally destroyed people’s lives.”

Article originally published on Destructoid. [Image source]

A new study conducted by researchers at Ohio State University explores the relationship between criminality, frustration, and violent videogames, reports Science Daily. Based on a series of experiments, Brad Bushman and his collegiate team have found that people who are denied the chance to cheat, steal, or commit other socially forbidden behaviors, are more likely to be attracted to violent games. To come to this conclusion, an experiment was devised under the guise of a simple scholastic test.

Sampling over 100 male college students, the participants were tasked with taking a thirty-minute multiple-choice history exam. Each test taker received their exam in an envelope, but not all of the distributed materials were the same. Some participants were given a standard history assessment with all of the answers left blank, and the other half received a completed exam with a score of 100% gracing the top of the sheet, granting them the ability to claim the A+ as their own.

Five minutes into the test, the experimenter interrupted the students stating that he had given out the wrong copy of the test. The participants were each given another envelope, again some received the regular blank exam and others were given the completed version. Of those who initially were given the opportunity to cheat on the exam, half still had the chance while the chance was removed from the others.

After the testing was completed, the students were given a questionnaire about videogames to complete while they waited for the results. This survey consisted of descriptions for eight fictional videogames, four violent and four nonviolent; the students were charged with rating how much they wanted to play each game on a scale of 1-10.

Out of the three groups: those who never had the opportunity to cheat, those who lost the chance to cheat, and those who had the chance to cheat the entire time, the students who had the chance taken away were far more attracted to violent games than the other two groups. This suggestive link between frustration and preference toward violence is continued in a second experiment involving stealing. The results reflect the same in trend in that experiment as well, those denied the chance to cheat or steal favored the violent videogames.

“Our results help us understand why people are attracted to violent entertainment in the first place — they feel they can take out their frustration virtually,” Bushman states. He goes on to say, “The prevention of taboo behaviors like stealing produces frustration, just as does the prevention of more desirable goals. This is a new finding that adds to our understanding of what causes frustration and aggression.”

I can attest to the cathartic feeling of going on bloody rampages in Grand Theft Auto after a long, stressful day at work so it’s no shock in my mind that those plagued with frustration turn to violent videogames for solace. What is important, is that those sentiments stay in the world of San Andreas and not craziness in the real-world. What are your impressions of the results?

Denied the Chance to Cheat or Steal, People Turn to Violent Videogames [Science Daily]

Article originally published on Destructoid. Image Sources: [1][2][3]

The room is dark, cold, and unusually calm. The once bare walkways are now riddled with blood and severed limbs. In the distance, a faint hum can be heard echoing throughout the metal encampment. Its repetition is a solid reminder that you are alone. A solitary light flickers in the corner, and shadows crisscross the floor. You take a step forward. Then pause. After a brief intermission your pace continues. With another wary stride you’ve nearly traversed the makeshift graveyard. As tensions begin to lift, the door beckons you to embrace its promise of safety.

Apprehension shifts to resolution, and you make a quick dash for the exit. In a split second, the uneasy stillness is transformed into utter chaos. Mangled bodies emerge from the vents above and behind, cutting off your escape. You are surrounded and a flurry of trigger-pulls will not save you. Just as all is lost, as waves of red pulse around the corners of the screen, your friend who has been too busy texting the whole time, picks up the controller and easily trumps the creatures encroaching on your position. Phew, lucky there were two of us.

With the admittance of co-op functionality within the horror genre, it begs the question, is it possible to produce an authentic fear-driven experience while playing a game with two players? How scary can a dark room, narrow hallway, or eerie mansion be when you’ve got a geared-up teammate watching your back?

Many of the recent horror titles such as Resident Evil 6, Aliens: Colonial Marines, and Dead Space 3 have embraced the action-driven narrative, but adding co-op might just tip the scale in determining whether we’re left with a true horror game or just another third-person-shooter. Let’s take a trip down memory lane to explore how the videogames of old, the grandmasters of horror, were able to convey terror in the simplest of ways.

The titles that put the horror genre on the map, Resident Evil and Silent Hill just to name a few, carved a unique space within the videogame gamut. Without the use of high-def visuals or stellar controls, the early horror installments were able to successfully embody the atmosphere of trepidation. Fear was derived from the fact that the odds were not often in your favor. Fighting a deformed nightmare monster with a baseball bat almost always ended in getting your ass kicked. Run out of bullets? Kiss your sweet life goodbye.

Survival was the overarching sentiment, not guns-a-blazing battle. With a combination of fixed camera angles, few health packs, invulnerable enemies and ineffective weaponry, terror tactics of the past were brought to fruition by making the player as vulnerable as possible. It wasn’t about how many necromorphs or zombies you could kill, rather, how you could get from point A to point B without running into a giant monster that would instantly reduce you to a bloody pile of mush. Nowadays, it seems like people just like to shoot stuff.

Gears of War creator Cliff Bleszinski shared similar concerns about the fate of the horror genre in his blog. Within the current gaming market, Bleszinski predicts that horror games will be unable to flourish; instead, he points to indie and PC titles as the next step for the genre. He states, “When we’re fully digital we’ll see more true horror games coming back. Look at Amnesia and Slendermanon PC.”

Action is one potential strike against the effectiveness of in-game apprehension, strike two and possibly the icing on the cake, is co-op. Gun battles and explosions are welcomed inclusions to any shooter, but it’s arguably difficult to maintain the same level of nail-biting suspense or edge-of-your-seat anxiety when you’re equipped with weapons galore and a buddy who is ready to lay any ferocious creatures to waste.

Dead Space 3 is the most recent title to deviate from its single-player, nightmare entrenched roots. With a friend, players are able to explore the frozen wasteland of Tau Volantis and the decrepit remnants of derelict space vessels together. While two heads are definitely better than one, two guns make all the difference.

Taking on a horde of necromorphs with an added set of autonomous weaponry highlights each room as a tactician’s dream. Quelling waves of resistance is as easy as positioning your character relative to your squad mate to cover all avenues of attack. If an enemy unsuspectingly emerges from an overhead air duct, my partner has my back. While tag team monster annihilation is amazingly entertaining, the last thing I would describe the experience as, is frightful.

The shift within the genre from perseverance to action, from defense to offense, was one that reflected the popularization of shooters within the gaming landscape. Horror developers are forced to adapt, and what we are left with, is an attempt to maintain the same level of suspense captured during the golden age of scary gaming, while providing room for the mechanics that represent the current trends within the mainstream industry. The reality is, the vision of crafting an insanely scary experience is often lost when combined with multiplayer features, over-the-top action,and shooting elements.

The good news is, Dead Space 3 allows players to complete the campaign alone OR with a friend, so thrill-seekers have the option of pursuing the story in the scariest way possible. Unfortunately, minus a few jumps here and there, I haven’t found the two-player gameplay to be the least bit intimidating on a horror level. The co-op functionality enhances the playability of the game by welcoming a shared experience between two players, yet it adds nothing to make the title more suspenseful or daring besides adding a bit of character back story via co-op side missions.

This is not a discussion about whether Dead Space 3 is a good or bad game, even though I quite enjoyed it personally. It’s not a debate about which genre is better, action or horror. This article serves to ask a simple question, does combining action with the comforting appeal of 2-player support create an authentic horror experience?

What is your impression of the complicated relationship between co-op and horror? If you played Dead Space 3 with a friend, did you find the game to be as nerve-wracking as the previous installments? Sound off in the comments below.

Article orginally published on: Destructoid

1. Angry Birds Star Wars

Rovio Entertainment Ltd struck gold when it released Angry Birds and it soon became one of the most phenomenal mobile gaming sensations of the decade. Angry Birds Star Wars has remained true to the successful formula of the game but adds an intergalactic dimension complete with light sabers, the force and, of course, sand pigs. For the first time in Rovio’s history they have integrated a popular franchise with their own brand of entertainment and the combination is completely addictive.

2. Bejeweled 2

Fans of puzzle games like Tetris witnessed a new era of interactive puzzle based gaming with the release of Bejeweled 2. Bejeweled 2 is a higher quality recreation of the classic computer game that proved to be impossible to put down. The simple premise, bright colours and intensive thought processes needed to increase your score is a winning combination.  Controlled by your smart phone or tablets touch screen this game has become everyone’s favourite Tetris-style entertainment for the new decade.

3. Words with Friends

Zynga has become an Android social gaming powerhouse and Words with Friends is amongst the most popular mobile games around. The cross device compatibility means that even if your friends are not on Android they can still play, expanding the global audience dramatically. Words with Friends is a scrabble type game that appeals to players who want to indulge in some competitive word play with people around the world.

There are so many other games available at the moment so I may have to extend this list very soon, but try out these top 3 and see what gets you hooked.

Make a statement in the absolute best way possible with a shirt that features exactly what you want in exactly the way you want.  It’s as easy as uploading the image of your choice, and Tshirtprinting.org takes care of the rest. The shirt fits like a dream, and I’m so proud to be able to showcase my site’s logo wherever I go. Whether your planning on showing off a company logo or a making a gaming inspired outfit come to life in preparation for E3, it’s as easy as visiting their site and taking the next step.

Connect with my friends at Tshirtprinting.org, and see what awesome creations they can make for you. What do you think of their handiwork, nice right?

This cd key is an activation code to use on Steam. You will be able to download the game and play instantly.

The contest will run from Saturday, February 23 to Sunday, March 03. That is just 7 days to enter to win a free copy of DmC: Devil May Cry.

In order to enter, visit the following link and follow the instructions. Good luck!

Enter to Win DmC: Devil May Cry Here