things i know | thingsiknow.net http://thingsiknow.net/ Writer. Gamer. Designer. Relaunched and ready to roll. en Copyright 2009 Mon, 31 Aug 2009 22:01:20 -0500 http://www.sixapart.com/movabletype/ http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss GameDaily Bylines, End of August A Feature... Ten More Uses for the Tony Hawk: Ride Skateboard It may only be compatible with one video game, but look at all the other things the $120 peripheral can do! A Preview... The Beatles: Rock Band Story Mode Unlocks Rare Beatles Photos, Clips Candid shots of the Fab Four will include anecdotes and trivia fact-checked by Paul McCartney himself. A Post... Professor Layton and the Diabolical Box, Un-Boxed! We unboxed our most puzzling box yet!]]> http://thingsiknow.net/2009/08/gamedaily-bylines-end-of-augus.html http://thingsiknow.net/2009/08/gamedaily-bylines-end-of-augus.html Bylines Mon, 31 Aug 2009 22:01:20 -0500 GameDaily Bylines, July-August PREVIEWS Guitar Hero 5 Compatible with World Tour DLC and On-Disc Tracks
Backwards song compatibility and interface improvements are great, yet we can't help but think... didn't Rock Band 2 do this last year? Five Things You Need to Know About Avatar for Wii
The game debuts alongside James Cameron's return to feature films this December - here's what you need to know about the Wii version. Booyah Society Gives You Real-Life Achievements
It's like being back in kindergarten and getting gold stars for doing chores. FEATURES Meet the New Games, Same as the Old Games
Originality? What's that? A look back at the games you were playing last year and their 2009 counterparts. Ten Video Game Summer Flings
Our video game picks will keep you entertained for a few months without demanding a serious commitment. Celebs and Tourists Mingle at Wii Sports Resort Showcase
Nintendo pulled out all the stops by bringing Wuhu Island to the middle of New York City's Times Square. REVIEWS Battlefield 1943 Review
A solid WWII downloadable shooter keeps us entertained while we wait for fall's big releases. POSTS Stylish New Borderlands Trailer Touts '87 Bazillion Guns' Wii MotionPlus How-To Video Seems Slightly Pervy Sony's EyePet and Microsoft's Milo -- Separated at Birth? First Modern Warfare 2 MP Footage Shows off AC130 Killstreak Reward An Inside Look at The Beatles: Rock Band]]> http://thingsiknow.net/2009/08/gamedaily-bylines-julyaugust.html http://thingsiknow.net/2009/08/gamedaily-bylines-julyaugust.html Bylines Mon, 10 Aug 2009 22:34:44 -0500 GameDaily Bylines, June-July REVIEWS DroplitZ Review The Pipe Mania-like puzzle game is psychedelic, seriously addictive (like any good casual game) and beats a "won't go away" soundtrack into your head. Grand Theft Auto: Chinatown Wars Review The surprise M-rated title on Nintendo's household-friendly handheld becomes one of our favorite portable games of the year. FEATURES Fifteen New Beatles: Rock Band Tracks Revealed! Plus, scope the new cinematic trailer, and find out how the game's new Vocal Training mode works. Confirmed! Fourteen Games You'll See on Shelves in 2009 We get on-the-record confirmations for 14 games that you'll be able to play by year's end. 20 Totally Overused Words in Game Names Did you play Super Age of War: Eternal Legend? We hear it's the best! 10 Coolest Moments in Halo & Bungie History In celebration of Bungie Day, we reminisce on the times that made us Halo fans go nuts. Video Game Yearbook Awards At the end of another great year of getting schooled in video games, we name the most athletic, flirtatious, most likely to be president and more. Ripped from the Tabloids: Celebs in Sims 3 Sims 3 fans have been busy crafting celebrity characters, downloadable to your game for free. See our must-have list. POSTS Why Three Upcoming Video Game Movies Will Tank Mini Coopers Get Pimped Out with Pac-Man, Space Invaders Graphics Michael Jackson: A Video Game Retrospective Could Classic Adventure Game Grim Fandango Get Remade? Gaming's Greatest Freakouts: Fake or Real? Devoted Nintendo Fan Gets NES Controller Etched Into His Skin Sims 3 Mania Takes Hold, Shattering EA Sales Records NEWS Bungie Day Brings Exclusive Recon Armor to Halo 3 Valve Working on Cross-Game Play Between Left 4 Dead 1 and 2 Gears of War 2 Gets Updates, EXP for Horde Mode Confirmed: Left 4 Dead 2 Multiplayer Demo Coming More Left 4 Dead Content to be Announced by End of Summer New Mass Effect DLC Details Coming This Week BioShock/Oblivion Bundle Arrives July 7 for $29.99 on the PC, $39.99 on the Xbox 360 'Halo 3 Killer' Gets 23 Years to Life in Prison Epic Denies Plans for Gears of War 2 on PC]]> http://thingsiknow.net/2009/07/gamedaily-junejuly-bylines.html http://thingsiknow.net/2009/07/gamedaily-junejuly-bylines.html Bylines Tue, 21 Jul 2009 21:30:18 -0500 E3 2009 Articles Hands-On: The Legend of Zelda: Spirit Tracks A new Phantom companion freshens up the dungeons in the DS's second Zelda game, even if we're still unsatisfied with the controls. Hands-On: Joker Challenges Maps in Batman: Arkham Asylum We got our hands on the PS3-exclusive Challenge Maps for the game featuring one of Arkham's crazier residents, the Joker. We Play New Super Mario Bros. on Wii We had so much fun with this game they had to pry the controller from our hands. Impressions: Bioshock 2 Multiplayer The series' long awaited multiplayer mode puts us smack in the middle of the civil war that destroyed Rapture before the events of the original Bioshock. Feet-On: Tony Hawk Ride We get our skate on with Activision's new motion-sensing controller (and manage not to fall off!) Impressions: Guitar Hero 5 Activision's second entry in the full band music game shows promise and growth in the series. Hands and Feet-On: Wii Fit Plus We checked out three minigames designed to test our coordination and balance in Nintendo's fitness sequel. Rock-On: LEGO Rock Band The family-friendly LEGO series brings bricks and humor to the familiar beat-matching music series.]]> http://thingsiknow.net/2009/06/e3-articles.html http://thingsiknow.net/2009/06/e3-articles.html Bylines Sat, 06 Jun 2009 01:45:06 -0500 GameDaily Bylines, May Lord of the Rings MMO for 360 to Potentially Debut at $12.99/month An online survey reveals subscription fees, downloadable content and features for the upcoming (still unconfirmed) game. Jay-Z and Eminem to Collaborate on DJ Hero Songs from both artists will be featured in the game as well as a special edition bundle. Video Games Rating PSA Creeps Us Out Boston's mayor spearheads a new ratings education campaign. BioShock Movie: Not Dead Yet! 'Prison Break' star Wentworth Miller hints at involvement in the movie. How-To: Speed Up Loading Times on the Wii A step-by-step guide to backing up your (legally purchased!) games to an external USB hard drive. Microsoft Zune HD: the iPhone Killer? Microsoft announces Zune HD, Xbox Live Integration and hints that more's coming soon Guitar Hero 5 Rocks Out on September 1 New modes, songs and bands mean music fans will be rocking hard come this fall. Watch Now: Full 2-Minute Modern Warfare 2 Trailer Helis, stabbing, explosives and an evil European mastermind? This certainly ain't your father's Call of Duty. Batman: Arkham Asylum Free-Flow Combat Mode Detailed The dark knight doing what he does best: close-quarters combat against nameless thugs! See BioShock 2's Big (and Little!) Sister in Action Book our return tickets back to Rapture, please. UFC 2009 Undisputed Recreates Classic Fights UFC matchmaker Joe Silva teams up with publisher THQ to bring fan-favorite fights to the new mixed martial arts game. More Pearl Jam Coming to Rock Band With Fan Favorites Live tracks from the band's discography will be featured in a new project with Harmonix and MTV Games. More Modern Warfare 2 Footage Surfaces A short 15-second clip reveals helis, jets, subs and snowmobiles -- looks like Infinity Ward's anticipated shooter will be attacking on all fronts. Peach, Chun-Li and Friends Get Naughty Los Angeles burlesque show hosts Video Game Girls night. Barely safe for work photos follow!]]> http://thingsiknow.net/2009/06/gamedaily-bylines-may.html http://thingsiknow.net/2009/06/gamedaily-bylines-may.html Bylines Fri, 05 Jun 2009 01:54:14 -0500 GameDaily Bylines, April - May Preview: Rock Band Unplugged Can Harmonix's peripheral-less portable game live up to the popularity of its console brothers? Pokemon Gold/Silver Remakes Confirmed Expect to catch them all over again on the DS in North America soon. Gears of War Movie "Looking Incredibly Good" A new interview with the film's screenwriter confirms Marcus and Dom's big-screen debut is definitely still in the works. Guess Which '30 Rock' Character Plays the Sims? NBC's hit sitcom name-dropped EA's bestselling life simulation game during last night's episode. Who's the mystery gamer? Rumor: Pokemon Gold/Silver REmake Coming to DS A Japanese variety show hints at the announcement of new Pokemon games next week. TIME Honors Rockstar's Houser Brothers for GTA Annual TIME 100 lists the VPs as two of the world's most influential people. Dead Rising Trailer Introduce New Hero, Chuck Greene Unsurprisingly, the trailer also introduces a wealth of zombies. Marvel vs. Capcom 2 Hits XBLA, PSN This Summer PlayStation 3 owners get an exclusive demo of the fighting game starting tomorrow. Sims Creator Will Wright and Mr. T Fight Nazis A new adventure game pits the mohawked celeb and the well-known game designer against Nazis. Playable Joker Villain Gives PS3 Gamers Something to Smile About Batman's maniacal archnemesis will be available as a free download for owners of the PlayStation 3 version of Arkham Asylum. Get Featured in the Sims 3 Follow Ashton Kutcher's Twitter for a place in The Sims 3 and a copy of every game EA makes in 2009. Bane Gets Juiced Up in New Batman: Arkham Asylum Trailer Gotham's resident roid-head joins the cast of classic villains lining up to take a shot at the Dark Knight. Six Sims Games We Don't Want (and Six We Do) Because some expansion packs just hit way too close to home. Batman Collector's Edition Includes Real Batarang Plus, see how the enemies in Arkham Asylum don't stand a chance against the stealth-tastic Batman.]]> http://thingsiknow.net/2009/05/gamedaily-bylines-april-may.html http://thingsiknow.net/2009/05/gamedaily-bylines-april-may.html Bylines Fri, 08 May 2009 22:35:10 -0500 GameDaily Bylines, Jan - April Halo Encyclopedia to Hit Stores in Nov. 2009 The 352-page full color book will detail the Halo universe's characters, vehicles, locations and more. Rock Band Joins PSP Setlist on June 9, 2009 New trailer for Rock Band's handheld debut shows off the game's instrument-less controls. Quiz Time! Which Game is This Box Quote From? Video game boxes are supposed to convince us that THIS is the game we want to buy, but we couldn't help feeling that these descriptions over-represent the game inside the box. Rant: What's In a Game Name? BioShock and Call of Duty lead the hubbub over official titles. We say: who cares? Fake Headlines: 10 We Wish Were True & 10 That Actually Came True It's April Fool's day, so yes, we're know you're already skeptical of every headline on the internet. Husband Kills Wife Over Grand Theft Auto In an ironic twist, the man stabbed his game-playing wife, who was obsessed with GTA. Report: Violent Games Improve Your Eyes Kids, print this one out for your parents: a new study suggests playing violent games can improve your eyesight. Totally Twisted Pokemon These bizarre Pokemon drawings had us LOLing all day long. Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 Confirmed Fresh out of last night's Game Developer Choice Awards, a new teaser trailer for Infinity Ward's highly anticipated sequel. Behind the Scenes Video: Beyonce Talks Rhythm Heaven and the New DSi Super Mario player, Wii lover and R&B popstar kicks off the Nintendo DSi ad campaign with the quirky musical game. [Update] Fallout 3 DLC Now Fixed, Ready to Download Bethesda pulls downloadable episode, The Pitt, just hours after its release. GTA Cover Gets Nintendo Power Banned from School Wait, we're not allowed to read about video games either? Gotta Catch 'Em All: Pokemon Cosplay at Pokemon Platinum Launch GameDaily ventured out into chilly New York last Saturday for the launch of Pokemon Platinum for the DS. Nintendo brought music, carnival games and even a prize-filled ball pit -- fans brought their best costumes. Big Sister Comes Out to Play in BioShock 2 Rapture's little sisters have all grown up - see the first image of BioShock 2's sleek antagonist. New Tomb Raider: Underworld Download Hits Xbox 360 Play as Lara's evil twin in the new Xbox 360-exclusive add-on, Lara's Shadow, available now for 10 bucks. Exclusive: New Godfather II Trailer We get an early look at the new Godfather II trailer. Spoiler: the game will feature guns and explosions. Probably a lot of them. Pre-Order GTA: Chinatown Wars, Get Exclusive Content Unlock a souped-up sports car if you pre-order the upcoming DS game through Amazon. Spore Wants You to Create Its Best App Heads up, aspiring developers! Maxis is challenging you to create the coolest Spore app ever. First Footage: Spore Galactic Adventures EA's god simulator gets its second expansion pack this spring. Check out the first footage of its new features! Street Fighter IV Launch Party Brings Out Hollywood's Stars Fans of the fighting series brushed elbows with the LA elite at the Museum of Contemporary Art. Madden NFL 09 Predicts Super Bowl XLIII's Champions! EA's annual football video game calls the Steelers victory over a week before the big matchup. Second Gears of War 2 Title Update ReleasedExtensive fixes include patched exploits, improved balancing and seven new achievements. More Steve Miller, Godsmack and Mute Math Come to Rock Band Celebrate inauguration week with "The Joker," "Space Cowboy" and more. Halo Wars Soundtrack Hits February 17 Ensemble Studios' Halo RTS gets a two-disc score treatment. Resident Evil 5 Xbox Live Demo arrives Jan. 26 Resident Evil 5 demo premieres exclusively on the Xbox Live; PlayStation 3 demo to follow. Preview: Patapon 2 All the good parts of the original Patapon remain, but some of the bad parts tagged along too.]]> http://thingsiknow.net/2009/04/recent-gamedaily-bylines.html http://thingsiknow.net/2009/04/recent-gamedaily-bylines.html Bylines Wed, 08 Apr 2009 21:00:06 -0500 Recent Activity Appearances AOL PlaySavvy Video Game Boot Camp for Moms NY1: Moms Head to Video Game Boot Camp NY Daily News: Moms Become Pro Gamers Game Informer's GI Spy Features Impressions: Spore Galactic Adventures Fire Emblem for DS Goes Mainstream: an Interview with the Developers Star Wars: Battlefront III Footage Makes Us Drool Compilation: GameDaily HUD 2008 Season Finale]]> http://thingsiknow.net/2009/02/recent-activity.html http://thingsiknow.net/2009/02/recent-activity.html Bylines Sun, 15 Feb 2009 09:56:06 -0500 E3 Says it Loves Us But Our Therapist Thinks It's an Abusive Relationship This was originally going to be a Best/Worst of E3 2008 post, but I ended up contributing to the GameDaily one anyway, so that went out the window. I'm responsible for these Bests: Resident Evil 5, Mirror's Edge, Dead Space, and Worsts: You're in the Movies, Wii MotionPlus. Instead, here's a gem of a quote from Chris Grant from when I was driving him and the Joystiqs around LA last week.
"Bungie and Microsoft are like the couple that always argues, and everyone knows it. But then one day he slaps her, in public, and everyone is like, 'Whoa, did that really just happen?'" - Joystiq Editor-in-Chief Chris Grant, on the Bungie snub during Microsoft's E3 2008 Conference.
]]> http://thingsiknow.net/2008/07/e3-says-it-loves-us-but-our-th.html http://thingsiknow.net/2008/07/e3-says-it-loves-us-but-our-th.html Bylines Tue, 22 Jul 2008 19:03:53 -0500 Post-E3 Link Roundup

Features

Hands-On: Flower: The follow-up to 2007's flOw makes interesting strides, but we're still waiting for something more.
Eyes-On: inFamous: Sucker Punch's new action adventure is more impressive than screenshots and trailers can show.
Hands-On: Rock Band II: Rock Band's second tour is one we can't wait for.
Hands-On: Flock: We don't know what, exactly, makes assorted spherical farm animals so gosh darn cute. Whatever it is, we like it.
Hands-On: Mirror's Edge: DICE's sleek new first person adventure game turns heads... and corners.
Hands-On: LEGO Batman: The Dark Knight snaps into his LEGO debut.

Twitterati

Crashed a Gears of War 2 party with @batgirl. Played Rock Band 2 for hours with @nickchester. Ran into @russ_fischer like, everywhere. Brief encounter pre-concert with @majornelson. Finally met @gamingangel, even though she was lame and totally ditched the party. Drove @chrisgrant and his band of jolly Joystiq-ers around. Was about to open for The Who with @tiffchow but everyone rushed to get good seats. High-fived @HarmonixSean more times than I can recall. Caught @ncroal with phones in both hands on multiple occasions (see proof below).

Photos

N'Gai on the phone while everyone else was partying. N'Gai on the phone AT THE WHO CONCERT. Geoff Keighley looks on. GameDaily takes over Microsoft Press Conference. Robin and Libe at El Compadre (with Rockstar Games' Steve Hahnel and Bruce Dugan hanging out in the background). Harmonix CEO Alex Rigopulos chugging a Heineken while still managing to get 100% on his expert guitar solo. THE WHO. THE FRIGGIN WHO. Duffy performs at Microsoft Presser. Robin performs headbang at Rock Band suite party, or is the girl from The Grudge.]]> http://thingsiknow.net/2008/07/poste3-link-roundup.html http://thingsiknow.net/2008/07/poste3-link-roundup.html Bylines Fri, 18 Jul 2008 15:59:56 -0500 [GameDaily] Steal That Style: Niko Bellic We like to mix things up. Here's a recent feature that I put together detailing the style behind main Grand Theft Auto IV character Niko Bellic's badassery. The idea came from men's site Asylum.com's 'Steal That Style' series, where they dissect clothing choices of celebrity men. [Link] Steal That Style: GTA IV's Niko Bellic]]> http://thingsiknow.net/2008/05/gamedaily-steal-that-style-nik.html http://thingsiknow.net/2008/05/gamedaily-steal-that-style-nik.html Bylines Feature Thu, 08 May 2008 10:20:58 -0500 Interview with Jason Priestly Stopped by the Mario Kart launch party at Rockefeller Plaza today and snagged an interview with 90210's Jason Priestly!
Are there red and blue shells in real race car driving?
[Laughs] Uh, not really. Not so much. There's not a real comparison between the two, but Mario Kart is a lot of fun and that's really what it's for. The whole point of video games is to have fun, it's about having fun with your friends. And the Wii, I've found, is more fun for a lot of people than any other gaming platform.
[Link] Interview: Jason Priestly on Mario Kart Wii [Link] Flickr: Mario Kart Wii Launch Party (with Chace Crawford, too!)]]> http://thingsiknow.net/2008/04/interview-with-jason-priestly.html http://thingsiknow.net/2008/04/interview-with-jason-priestly.html Bylines Interview Writing Sat, 26 Apr 2008 23:49:50 -0500