Owner: Gamerpunch URL:http://www.gamerpunch.com Join Date: Sun, 01 Jul 2007 00:26:40 -0500 Rating:0 Site Description: Gamerpunch: hack your gamer brain. Tips, hacks, how tos, tools, free stuff, innovation and the news you need to know. Useful stuff for gamers. Site statistics:Click here
CLICK: GeeVee 2007-06-30 20:13:00 GeeVee is a new service which provides free hosting and viewing of gameplay videos. A YouTube for gameplay, in other words, but it seems to have a few advantages over its mega-popular counterpart: videos are larger and higher-res, video comments aren't full of spam and there's a digg-style ratings system (cool / lame) which adds an extra element of democracy to whether a video gets popular or not.If you're looking for a place to host your gameplay videos with a bigger display and higher resolution than YouTube, GeeVee might be worth a look.[GeeVee]
GET: Free Eternal Sonata faceplate with pre-order 2007-06-30 19:13:00 The official EternalSonata
website is live and bearing good news: the game is available for pre-order at EB Games/GameStop. The 'good' bit is that you receive one of the above Eternal Sonata faceplates with your pre-order. Not sure if you get to choose, but either way, that's a pretty neat bonus.[via Kotaku]
CLICK: BethBlog 2007-06-29 19:42:00 It's almost as if the people at Bethesda Game Studios just want to be liked. Their efforts began on the Fallout 3 forums, and they've now colonized a little speck of the blogsphere. I predict we'll be hitting up Todd Howard's MySpace in a week or two.Pete Hines is apparently responsible for the newest iteration of Bethesda's quest to be loved by all. Not that he'd admit it:This (blog) is something I’ve wanted to do for a while now, but I didn’t have the time to do it on my own with everything else going on (that “Oblivion” thing, for one).Yeah, now you've only got that "Fallout 3" thing going, so you have a lot more free time? Way to win over the skeptics, Pete!Let's face it: Todd Howard and co. are treating disgruntled fans like the new kid at school who just wants to be your friend. I think it's sweet. I don't think it's going to work. I think a lot of fans will be saying that time spent making affable blog posts could be better spent, ahem, elsewhere.[Bethesda Blo
EDIT: How to install Ubuntu on the PS3 2007-06-29 19:39:00 What is Ubuntu
and why should I install
it? The PS3 allows you to install alternative operating systems (once you have partitioned the hard drive). A neat candidate would be Ubuntu, which is free, Linux-based, and regularly updated. The OS comes in several different flavors, including Ubuntu, Kubuntu, Xubuntu, and Edubuntu. They're each slightly different -- Google 'em.Are there any limitations? You can still watch Blu-ray DVDs and use Ubuntu, but not at the same time.Where do I start? There are detailed instructions at the Community Ubuntu Documentation project. It actually doesn't look too tricky, so let us know if you get it working![Playstation 3 Ubuntu documentation via Lifehacker]
EDIT: Ergonomic DS Lite stylus 2007-06-28 21:33:00 Ergonomic in the sense that it totally maximizes productivity while reducing operator fatigue and discomfort, etc. And it's free. As opposed to the other styli* out there, which cost money. And let's face it - nobody wants to pay money for a slip of plastic. It just feels wrong.Sal Cangeloso, unhappy with the ergonomicality (-ness? Yes, I am making up words) of the stock stylus decided a little DIY was in order, pictured above.My version is actually a stock DS Lite stylus cut down to the right size and placed in a Pilot Hi-Tec-C Coleto pen. I also put in a little bit of rubber from the grip from an old pen so that the stylus tip has a little bit of give. It ended up taking about 5 minutes to put together and it was free, which is always nice. I used an old stylus which, as any DS Lite user knows, starts to fall out of the holder when the little stopper ridge wears out. The extra size makes the stylus a lot more comfortable and the added width helps as well. I should be easy enough to Read more:Ergonomic
MAKE: Notebook photo frame 2007-06-28 21:22:00 Alright, so it's not quite game related, but it could be. Whack a photo of Mario in there and we can call that problem solved.So, what is it? A notebook re-assembled inside plexiglass with the LCD screen facing outwards. Turn it on and it displays an image via the LCD screen, like some sort of crazy science-fiction photoframe. Because that's what it is. Crazy.Steve at Skivinator has done a write-up of the process with some accompanying visuals. Unless you're a genius at taking apart and re-assembling notebooks you should probably keep the screwdrivers in the drawer for this one.[Wicked Awesome PhotoFrame at Skivinator] Read more:Notebook
TECH: Official PS3 SIXAXIS Rumble details 2007-06-28 20:53:00 PSM France has a whole heap of details
on the upcoming controller. Read the entire summary at Maxconsole, or get straight to the core of the analysis:One of the interesting revelations is that the controller may contain 'touch sense' which will mean the vibrations do not emanate solely from the handles but various places of the lever and developers should be able to create a multitude of effects. I am not going to make any dodgy jokes about how the technology looks like it will 'increase pleasure when gaming'. Swear.[PSM France reveals new info on PS3 Sixaxis Rumble at Maxconsole] Read more:Official
, SIXAXIS
EDIT: PS3 1.82 firmware arrives 2007-06-28 20:35:00 The update will allow you to play HD content via H.264/MPEG-4 files. Here are some instructions on how to update with a PC if you haven't done it before.
TECH: WiiWare content coming early 2008 2007-06-27 22:12:00 Nintendo announced WiiWare today - a 'game-creation' service which will allow indie developers to create and sell Wii games via the Shop Channel. No word on what this 'game-creation' service actually is, but if it's as flexible as we all hope, it's possible that we might see a whole lot of cheap and innovative content coming to the Wii in early 2008.UPDATE: Level Up has some more details on WiiWare. Nintendo will retain control over pricing of titles created with the tool, and while titles will not be 'vetted' by Nintendo they will be checked for bugs and rated for compatability with its games range (in other words, no AO titles).[Read the press release via Joystiq]
TECH: SplitFish FragFX PS3 controller reviewed 2007-06-27 21:53:00 IGN has reviewed the SplitFish FragFX PS3 controller
(try saying that three times over), a device aimed at providing PC-like control for shooters on the PS3. Here's a general summary of what they had to say:The controller was tested with Resistance: Fall of Man and improved both precision and accuracy.The reviewers believed it gave them an advantage in gameplay.Despite a few minor niggles it's the best alternative controller IGN have tested for the PS3.The controller ships this month in both wired ($59.99) and Bluetooth ($69.99) versions.[IGN: SplitFish FragFX PS3 Review via Engadget]
PLAY: Cursor Invisible 2007-06-27 21:19:00 The aim of this little Flash game is to shoot the plates which appear on screen. In the first few seconds of the game your cursor, initially visible, will fade from view, leaving you to rely on twitch instincts alone. It seems as if there's no point where you 'win' or level up, but you can try for a better score each time you play.Who knows, it might just be a way to improve your twitch instincts for mouse-based shooters. Let us know if you start climbing up the Deathmatch rankings after this one, eh?[Cursor
Invisible]
CULTURE: Nicole Kidman, playin' ur DS 2007-06-27 10:11:00 That's Nicole Kidman
fronting the latest DS ad campaign. I'm not sure which message Nintendo is trying to convey more: 'beautiful Hollywood actresses play DS so you should too', or 'Yes Nintendo makes that kind of money.' Read more:Nicole Kidman
MAKE: Plush Embroidered NES 2007-06-27 09:25:00 blueblythe at the Craftster forums took two weeks to create this plush NES set. Not content to stop at just the system itself, the set includes Super Mario 3 and Duck Hunt cartridges, a controller, gun and embroidered 'screenshots' of both games which are fastened to the TV with velcro.No instructions on how to make your own, but they would only make us cry anyway. Hit the link below for close-up pics of each element.[EmbroideredPlush
Nintendo System at Craftster]
HACK: How gamers can get the most out of del.icio.us 2007-06-27 01:57:00 This little hack will help you get the best video gaming content on del.icio.us piped to your feed reader.What you needA free account at del.icio.usA feed reader (I use Google Reader)What to doThis is a pretty simple process. Visit the del.icio.us 'popular' page for the tag you want to pipe to your reader, scroll down to the bottom of the page and right-click on the 'RSS feed for this page' button. Save the URL and add it to your feed reader. I keep my del.icio.us tag feeds organized in a 'del.icio.us gaming' folder within my feed reader.Example kitsGeneral gaming kit (add to your feed reader)http://del.icio.us/rss/popular/videogameshttp://del.icio.us/rss/popular/gameshttp://del.icio.us/rss/popular/gamingXbox 360 gamer kit (add to your feed reader)http://del.icio.us/rss/popular/xbox360http://del.icio.us/rss/popular/xboxPS3 gamer kit (add to your feed reader)http://del.icio.us/rss/popular/ps3http://del.icio.us/rss/popular/sonyNintendo gamer kit (add to your feed reader)http://del.
PLAY: Katamari Damacy mini-game 2007-06-27 01:03:00 Beautiful Katamari is set to roll on to your Xbox 360 this October, but that doesn't mean you have to wait until then to start rolling people and objects into huge balls. Via Jay is Games comes this Katamari Damacy mini-game hosted on Namco's Damacy Japanese website.The game itself is quick and simple: use the King head to lead your little character around the field, adding smaller objects to your ball until you can pick up bigger objects, eventually becoming so big that the grass itself becomes part of your ball and reveals a secret image. You'll probably only play it once, but that's not the point: it's cute and free and Katamari.[Click the below image to play]
MAKE: Color-in keyboard 2007-06-26 23:47:00 Liven up that plain ol' keyboard
of yours with some color.What you need: Flat screwdriver or flat metal object, screwdriver for unscrewing back plate, plastic spray paint.Serving suggestions: match the keyboard to the color of your custom case / combine two colors / if you're the artistic type, get a little more creative.[Instructions at 88bytes] Read more:Color
MAKE: Frequently used CD wall-rack 2007-06-26 23:08:00 My most frequently used CDs are generally scattered around the desk in paper packets or lying without cases on top of my computer tower. Several lost/scratched discs later, I'm thinking there might be a better way to do things.Lifehacker has instructions on how to make a frequently used CD wall-rack using the backs of CD cases, double-sided tape and some plexiglass (the result is pictured above).One commenter thought they had already come up with a better solution:Another good option for frequently-used disc storage is pinning a few sheets out of a large 4-per-page CD binder to the wall with thumbtacks. It's easy to move discs in and out, and doesn't require a complicated sticky tape and plexiglass method.If you want something with the same functionality but without the DIY there's a swanky product available to do the job. If you're into that kind of thing.[Frequently used CD wall-rack at Lifehacker]
HACK: Overcome gamer frustration 2007-07-04 03:24:00 It happens to the best of us. A race, a boss, a level, a puzzle, a mission or a quest that seems impossible to beat. We try a dozen times in one sitting, swear at the screen, pull the plug and go do something else while we cool off.This feeling can severly impede our enjoyment of a game, and it's most of the reason why walkthroughs and FAQs get written. Below are a number of tips to help get over the feeling and conquer the obstacle giving you trouble.1. Recognize the signsHow do you know you're suffering from gamer frustration? Symptoms may include: yelling, swearing at inanimate objects (electronic devices, the game itself), incoherent screaming, muttering, throwing of controller, mashing keyboard, hitting of monitor or TV screen, throwing of mouse. If you start pulling out your hair, seek immediate medical attention.2. Immediate responsePause or open the main menu. This will give you a chance to gather your thoughts, calm down, and decide what to do next.3. AnalyzeFrustration is t
USE: Replacementdocs, for pdf. game manuals 2007-07-04 03:07:00 Most gamers have lost a game manual (or two) at some point, but you might just have hope of finding it yet - albiet with a bit of a format change. Replacementdocs has thousands of full-color game manuals in .pdf format for download. If you own the game the manual comes with then I'm pretty sure the service is legal, too.The site could also be useful if you buy the bargain-bin editions of certain games, which often don't come with a manual. I bought Deus Ex for $9.99 at my local gaming store. The only downside? It didn't come with a manual. Just under two megabytes later and the problem is solved.[replacementdocs]
BUZZ: Racism is everywhere. Even Forza 2. 2007-07-03 22:47:00 This 1957 Mercedes 300SL is just one of several vehicles emblazoned with user-designed hate speech available for purchase through Forza
2's online auction mode.The debate around an appropriate reaction is pretty evenly split between three points of view:This kind of stuff shouldn't make it to auction and the user responsible should be banned.Yeah it's offensive but the user is entitled to their opinion. If you don't like it, don't buy it.Who cares? I'm not pro-Nazi but that's a nice paint-job.I've been arguing the first case and I'd like to paraphrase some of my comments over at Joystiq to explain why.Put yourself in the shoes of a Jewish person who's ancestors have been executed during the holocaust. The car would make you feel physically sick with disgust and outrage. Why should such people have to experience that just so some idiot with nothing to contribute to the world can voice his valueless hate speech?Others have argued that the car should remain on auction because it Read more:Racism
, everywhere
PLAY: 700 free indie games 2007-07-03 21:55:00 While not every single game available at the Independent Gaming Review Archives is full-version, most are, and best of all, they're all free. Games can be sorted by genre or alphabetical order and most are small downloads. Those who enjoy casual games should find a lot to like here.With the release of WiiWare in 2008 we might just see a few of these indie titles make it big. If you have a play through some of the games, let us know which ones you think could work on the Wii.[Independent Gaming Freeware Database]
GET: E3 at home via Xbox LIVE 2007-07-03 21:28:00 Via Gamerscore comes this list of Microsoft's E3 coverage over Xbox
LIVE:Microsoft’s E3 2007 press conference — beginning at 8:30 p.m. PDT on Tuesday, July 10 — will be available on Xbox LIVE Marketplace in high definition later in the week Video updates direct from the show A selection of game trailers, themes, gamer pictures and demos will be available from the hottest E3 titles such as these: Ace Combat 6: Fires of Liberation (NAMCO BANDAI Games America Inc.) Assassin’s Creed (Ubisoft) BioShock (2K) Blue Dragon (Microsoft Game Studios) Burnout Paradise (Electronic Arts Inc.) CALL OF DUTY 4: MODERN WARFARE (Activision) FIFA Soccer 08 (Electronic Arts) Guitar Hero III (Activision/RedOctane) Lost Odyssey (Microsoft Game Studios) Madden NFL 08 (Electronic Arts) NCAA Football 08 (Electronic Arts) Need for Speed: ProStreet (Electronic Arts) Project Gotham Racing 4 (Microsoft Game Studios) The Simpsons Game (Electronic Arts) Tiger Woods PGA Tour 0
HACK: 6 ways to keep your electronics cool this summer 2007-07-02 19:45:00 You could rig up something like the above - sure - but you could also follow a few basic steps listed below. Steps that don't require a degree in mechatronic engineering.The list is a summary of an article over at Of Zen and Computing, with headings as follows:Don't stack electronics
Is your Xbox sitting on top of your DVD player? Stacked electronics means heat is shared between devices, rather than disappating away.Keep vents clearIs air-flow to and from your electronic devices blocked in any way? Give them some space to breathe.Position electronics away from heatTreat your electronics like vampires and don't let them sit in the sun. Keep them near a fan or air-conditioner if possible.It's never too late for spring cleaningClean dust from the interior and exterior of your PC or consoles with canned air, available at any good office supply store.In case of emergency, shut downIf you think one of your devices might be over-heating, turn it off and disconnect the power supply. Leave i
MAKE: Wiimote USB stick 2007-07-02 19:33:00 Engadget reader Ryan Kruska created this Wii USB stick using a toy Wiimote
from Wendy's, a stanley knife, a USB thumb drive and a little bit of paper.The best bit? His creation comes complete with step-by-step instructional photos. Sure, the photography may not be great - but we still love your work, Ryan.[How to: make a toy wiimote USB drive via Engadget]
GET: Oh Canada, Oh Canada 2007-07-02 19:19:00 If you're a Canadian resident and hooked into Xbox Live treat yourself to some free gamer pics and a theme to celebrate Canada
Day. And yes, I don't think the bat and squirrel gamer pics are part of the Canada Day bonus. Unless... Microsoft, what are you trying to say about Canadians, exactly?The freebies are only available for a limited time so get your patriotic self into it. And yes, the first one is clearly the best.[Canada Day 2007 Themes and Gamerpics via Opposable Thumbs]
MAKE: Noir 360 wireless controller 2007-07-01 23:39:00 From the short-lived Alcaron's Projects comes this moment of brilliance: detailed instructions on how to make your own dark controller
for the Xbox 360.What you need: Xbox 360 controller (wired or wireless), screwdriver (phillips head for a wired controller, or a security torx for a wireless controller), vinyl dye and latex gloves.Cost: $5Difficulty: You can probably imagine.[Noir 360 - wireless controller instructions at Alcaron's Projects]
CLICK: Blogging Zelda 2007-07-01 23:08:00 Following in the footsteps of Blogging
Ultima and Blogging Dragon Quest comes Blogging Zelda
, a journal dedicated to sharing one gamer's experiences playing through the entire Zelda series. The blog, written by Grownup Gamer, is some of the way through Zelda II. Plenty of games and lots of Zelda goodness to go.Here's a hot tip: start Blogging Final Fantasy before someone else does. Go on. Get cracking.[Blogging Zelda]
CLICK: GeeVee 2007-06-30 20:13:00 GeeVee is a new service which provides free hosting and viewing of gameplay videos. A YouTube for gameplay, in other words, but it seems to have a few advantages over its mega-popular counterpart: videos are larger and higher-res, video comments aren't full of spam and there's a digg-style ratings system (cool / lame) which adds an extra element of democracy to whether a video gets popular or not.If you're looking for a place to host your gameplay videos with a bigger display and higher resolution than YouTube, GeeVee might be worth a look.[GeeVee]
GET: Free Eternal Sonata faceplate with pre-order 2007-06-30 19:13:00 The official EternalSonata
website is live and bearing good news: the game is available for pre-order at EB Games/GameStop. The 'good' bit is that you receive one of the above Eternal Sonata faceplates with your pre-order. Not sure if you get to choose, but either way, that's a pretty neat bonus.[via Kotaku]
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