Wednesday, May 29, 2013

Xbox One on Competition with Apple TV and Google TV

Due to Xbox One's entertainment system abilities in doing what no console has ever done before, it not only is competing with Wii U, Playstation 4, and Steambox but also Apple and Google TV on another scale for TV. Xbox One has it's flaws such as blocking used games, requiring internet connection every 24 hours, and failing to have a plan for what if servers go down. Microsoft will hopefully fix these. What Apple and Google could do is make their TVs more competitive with Xbox One.

For this post, I will talk primarily about gaming since Xbox One is primarily a gaming console as well as a TV post. Current Apple TV gaming abilities include AirPlay which allows you to play iOS games on the system but problems include lack of power able to play hardcore games such as Call of Duty Ghosts and no set controller to come with it. There are many app controllers made by third parties but it would be a good idea for Apple to make one themselves so gamers don't deal with the frustration of not having convenient buttons to know where their fingers press. If Apple can't be as competitive in gaming, it will lose foresight to Xbox One. Apple can become more convenient by being an all in one entertainment system by not only having TV, but also a Blu-Ray player to play DVDs and Blu-Ray discs. The key here is to make Apple as competitive as Xbox One with the latter's numerous conveniences. If Apple is to have gaming console abilities, it will need to have more core processors with the Wii U having 2GB RAM and PS4 and Xbox One both having 8GB RAM. What would also be a plus is for Apple to have a controller like the Wii U Gamepad so as to cut the costs of having a tablet controller. What makes Nintendo Wii U great and unique in tablet gaming is the convenience and seemingly low cost of having a tablet controller designed specifically for the console itself. Wii U also uses other peripherals such as Wii Remotes and Wii U Pro Controller.

Google also has android games for it's own system but difference here is unlike Apple, android systems are manufactured by other companies. Google TV is manufactured by Intel, Sony, and Logitech. This presents some more challenges for making Google TV a gaming console as who will be manufacturing this. Logitech has made many peripherals for other systems and PCs so it only makes sense for them to be Google's braun in console gaming while Google does software. Google Play is already something that could be made to be as competitive as Wii U, PS4, and Xbox One. It will need more core processors to play Call of Duty Ghosts though and it should include a blu-ray disc drive to play blu-rays and dvds. What Google TV needs to be as competitive as Xbox One is more core processors and larger graphics memory to make awesome games. Controllers can be made by Logitech.

Xbox One is considered to be the very first all in one entertainment system, making it not only good for playing games and movies but also for working like Smart TV. The first smart console. Apple and Google TV could become Apple One and Google Two. Of course, it might be digital download only like apps but at least Apple and Google will get with the program as Microsoft is getting better at having Xbox One be an all in one entertainment system than Apple is at having Apple TV have game console abilities. Hopefully the success of the Xbox One will give Apple and Google runs for their money.

Wednesday, May 22, 2013

Xbox One is born

It's a cloud based blu-ray drive x86 console and it's surprisingly called Xbox One. One? Why One? It seems kind of chronologically off but the first Xbox was just called Xbox and it's successor was called Xbox 360. Nintendo and Sega named their consoles by random names not of chronological significance. Nintendo started naming it's consoles similarly with the Wii U, succeeding the dying Wii.

Here's the first words for you: It's an all in one entertainment system which is why it was named Xbox One since it is all in One, get it? Be amazed with simple, instant, and complete controls as this console recognizes who you are instantly, scrapping the old sign ins of yesteryear and immersing you in photo realistic games with TV, movies, music, internet, and Skype. Get connected thanks to the 8 cores of this bad baby Xbox One and talk to your friend through Skype while watching a movie or playing a game. I can tell Xbox One not only deserves it's name but will also be an even better seller than the Wii ever was. Xbox 360 may already be more primative than Wii U, but Xbox One takes the houseboat!

What It Is. It has 8 cores of x86 to let you switch between entertainment valves instantly, connect cable or satellite box straight to the Xbox One console so all you'll need is one HDMI port and cable and you have it all in one fellas! Memory includes 8GB RAM and 500GB Hard Drive for all those games, movies, music, apps, and more with no loading times, and a blu-ray player to bring media forward with HD, even better than PlayStation 3.

A One of a Kind Architecture as it is built to perfection with a combination of Windows OS so you can open up several other things without compromising performance. This Xbox One is ready when you are and cloud computing makes it possible as you are in tuned on instantly and you can split your screen to do more than Windows 8 can.

Peak performance in in combining the power to make loading as instantaneous as an app for the best resolutions they eye can see

Xbox Live will have over 300,000 servers, change without you playing them, have life like artificial intelligence, and be part of the game.

Kinect is new and improved making the previous Kinect for Xbox 360 a prototype. How is that so? Xbox One Kinect is native and will instantly recognize every inch of movement and you, have a 1080p camera, and be the smartest camera you've ever seen. It makes the previous Kinect a mere prototype. Kinect with Xbox One has evolved from looking like a prototype of non controller gaming to an integrated and vital part of the console itself. Real Vision. Real Real Motion. Real Voice.

While the Xbox One controller looks very similar to it's predecessor, it definitely has new features to it such as increased battery life, slicker design for d-pad and analog sticks, Kinect knowledge of players, increased detail in vibrations, and quicker gameplay responses.

I though SmartGlass was just a farce compared to the Wii U Gamepad but now it's come to my attention the Microsoft decided not to make a Wii U Gamepad style controller and decided to retain the SmartGlass program that started with Xbox 360 last year. SmartGlass allows you to have a second screen by use of an app(tablet or smartphone). I should invent a stand that manages to stick to your controller and by you putting your app on the stand so it can play and feel like Project Shield.

What It Does: just say Xbox On and your Xbox One will start instantly. It will also turn on your TV dog! This goodie can do everything in one like you never seen it before. Just days before, people never thought of such features could be literally all in one. It's all for one and one for all! All the entertainment with voice commands in a split second. What a sight for sore eyes. Games will be able to be made in ways not possible before in pushing boundaries of realism.

Games will be spectacular with realistic gaming and newer achievements plus ability to easily record your game and find perfect matches for other gamers on Xbox Live. Major games include Forza Motorsport 5, Quantem Break, and Call of Duty Ghosts. Other games include Assassins Creed IV, Battlefield 4, Destiny, FIFA 14, Madden NFL 25, NBA Live 2014, Ryse, Thief, UFC, Watch Dogs, and many more to come. Wait till June 11-13 at E3 for more games and you'll be surprised.

One of the most surprising systems of all time and it is much more like the Playstation 2 and Xbox of 2013 combined. Wii U is like Sega Dreamcast and Nintendo GameCube of 2012 and PlayStation 4 is much like Xbox more than PS2 of 2013.

Tuesday, May 21, 2013

Barnyard Game reivew

Released in 2006 for PC, PS2, GameCube, and Wii. This game is based off of the movie of the same name. This game isn't bad but just isn't good enough to be considered positive.

Gameplay involves numerous mini-games, story quests of minor latitude, exploring the barnyard and unlocking new locations, finding farm stuff and coins, and some occasional combat. Games controls can be hard to understand at first which really contributes to a lower rating. It maybe hard for you to understand what to do at times but gameplay overall isn't too bad. There are some other interesting mini-games such as driving vehicles and free roaming around. The fact you can roam around after you finish the game is great. You play as a newcomer who you can customize as a boy or girl and choose their race(of cow of course) and you play as that character. You receive missions on your cell phone from other characters.

Graphics aren't too impressive and voice acting is rare despite it having some great ones. This game looks a lot like a sixth generation game with it having four console ports and one handheld one(GBA). This game's overall display isn't terrible but has some lagging in graphics and even sound.

This game's rating is 71/100

Call of Duty 3 review

A 2006 game released for Xbox, PlayStation 2, Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, and Wii that takes place during World War II involving Allied resistance in 1944 France.

This game feels amazing as it includes the historical accuracy of climbing down the tip of the iceberg that is World War II when Axis powers were going to be defeated the next year. Gameplay is a first person shooter that involves many WWII era weapons. Controls work well with graphics being just fine. This game had positive reviews and in my view contributes to inspiration in moving forward with Call of Duty games. Call of Duty 3 at it's time was the most detailed Call of Duty to it's date. While it did feel linear, it felt like a bolt of action during World War II. There are several different campaigns including American, British/French, Canadian, and Polish campaigns. It appears to me that the Xbox 360 version was the best since not only is Xbox series best suited for Call of Duty games but it also had better hardware and graphics which made pictures more clear.

Call of Duty started as a World War II game and evolved into other events such as Black Ops series taking place during Bay of Pigs and Cuban Missile Crisis of the early 1960's. What Call of Duty 3 had going for it was how war games could be expanded in ways people would have never imagined shortly before. The latest Call of Duty game will be Call of Duty: Ghosts, which sounds like a stealth version of Black Ops to me.

Monday, May 20, 2013

Playstation 3 vs. Xbox 360 and Wii

Playstation 3 doesn't seem to be on it's way to retirement just yet but just at the tip of the iceberg. Nintendo Wii was a smashing success but it began it's decline in 2011-13 with the November 2012 release of the Wii U, which included more bad ass graphics and hardware plus more gaming abilities. Wii U even outmatched Xbox 360 in graphics. The Xbox 360 may not be on it's way to retirement but it sure is aging without a successor in sight. Wait a minute, May 21 will mark the reveal of Xbox 720. PlayStation 4 was revealed February 20.

But what makes PlayStation 3 feel timeless and legendary? It's hardware outmatches that of Xbox 360 and Wii combined. When PS3 came out, it was $500-$600. It has a blu-ray player and can hold the most memory. Developers are still pushing what it's capable of on PS3 and it looks like it won't be fading anytime soon, though it is difficult to develop for.

How will PlayStation 3 be affected by the release of Playstation 4. Not very much since PS4 will not be able to play PS3 discs. PS3 will still be needed for those playing PS3 games. The Wii U definitely plays ALL Wii Games thanks to the seperate Wii menu wheres the Xbox 720/Infinity has yet to be revealed and the possibility of backwards compatibility is indefinite. Xbox 360 consoles are getting old and with Xbox 720/Infinity, the Xbox 360 next year or year after could be as recognized as the Wii is today. Playstation 3 however will still have recognition years after Playstation 4 is released.

A recent $299 PS3 bundle featuring not only the super slim PS3 console but Gran Turismo 5 and Infamous Son was recently released. How have Wii and Xbox 360 been doing? There haven't been as many Wii games released in 2013 compared to say 2011. When Wii U hit shelves, the Wii became obsolete and to this day it still hasn't dissolved. Wii peripherals such as Wii remotes, nunchuks, classic controllers, balance boards, and some others have been recycled to compatibility with the Wii U, which is a smart idea but more Wii peripherals should still be in production after the Wii's retirement. PS Move controllers will be recycled for Playstation 4 which will include a new Move camera.

I'm now starting to assume Xbox 720 will be now called Xbox Infinity. Depending on it's features, Infinity could be an awesome name. Wonder what awesome features will be included. I do assume however that the Next Generation Xbox will emulate the Playstation 4 but the latter will still have some more advanced shading and teraflops. Whatever name this next Xbox gets, it better be a slam dunk of a console. Augmented reality, Kinect 2.0, and illumiroom for examples could make Xbox Infinity the longest lasting console of it's competitors.

Sony Computer Entertainment may not have the highest selling console for PS3 like they did for PS1-2, but surely they will have the record here for the longest running and surviving console of it's generation. Should the Wii be discontinued before PS3, it won't set off PS3 record but the PS3 must survive for one year after Xbox 360 is discontinued, PS3 won't be discontinued anytime soon since it seems to be the only 7th generation console to not feel like a predecessor one. Xbox 360 already feels like it has met it's predecessor days.

In the end, Playstation 3 will be around for several years after Wii's de facto retirement. PlayStation 3 was unusually expensive at $500-$600 at launch and quite heavier than it's competitors. As time past by, it became cheaper and lighter, even more so than Xbox 360 at it's 2005 launch. Playstation 3 has more superior hardware as it had some more RAM, more storage, a blu-ray player, and a fresher look to it. Xbox 360 uses a DVD system.

The Wii U cost $299-$349 at it's launch last year, which was around the same cost as a 2005 Xbox 360 price of $299-$399 and just $50 over the 2006 Wii launch. PlayStation 4 is expected to cost between the launch prices of Wii U and PlayStation 3.

What's also being said now is the lineup of launch titles will be the most spectacular launch in Video Game history with PlayStation 4 receiving those honors. It's hardware would exceed most gaming PCs.

PlayStation 2 lasted 12 years while PlayStation 3 could last even more. Who knows, people hadn't been expecting PlayStation 3 to rise from being in last place to eventually exceeding Xbox 360 sales. Who knows, PS3 could exceed the sales of the dying Wii.

Pinball Hall of Fame The Gottlieb Collection

Pinball is the most common arcade game in history with so many tables your head will spin. The Gottlieb collection comprises of many classic tables such as Genie for example. Each pinball table has a different story to it such as year and art to it. The menu resembles a classic arcade in a contemporary world. That's what this game needs since it's centered around an arcade game of pinball and brings feeling to it. Art Deco is the real deal.

Gameplay plays like any pinball machine only it's digital and it's a traditional video game format. You actually feel like you're playing pinball only this game you press buttons to move the ball just like a real pinball machine. Scores are recorded and you can collect credits for use of other pinball machines that require a certain amount. Each pinball machine feels, looks, and even plays different which is beneficial to variety in any game. A game like this could easily be made for iOS and Android apps.

Graphics usually are average for this game given the programmers do the best they can with visual presentation. I played the Wii version of this game and what I can say is the best they could do for this game's graphics.

What this game has going for is pinball culture and revival of art deco pinball feeling. Should this game be given a 83/100.

Friday, May 17, 2013

The Art Institute of California-Orange County, my university

I figured out what to do with me life. It includes being a gameplay designer. I must admit my flaws and talents and I for one suck as being a visual artist. I'm geared towards gameplay design and script making. Basically, video games kind of descend from movies. Movies have scripts where actors do things and in video games interactions are governed by scripts as well as having blueprint for gameplay.

I want to say that the four prime categories include design, media arts, fashion, and culinary. But the one I'm going to go to is Media Arts since game design is one that fits in that category. I will say here that while tuition is high, I can probably do some drug trafficking for hundreds of thousands of dollars or gun running for the same thing. How I earn the money is not important for now as the main focus is describing how this university is great.

Did you know that two of Bioshock Infinite's programmers Mike Snight and Charles Bradbury were Alumni of Art Institute schools. I learned of that on The Art Institute of California Orange County front website. Bioshock Infinite is one of the most hard worked on games in history as it was first revealed in August of 2010 and not released until March 26, 2013 after two delays in release dates. Look at how the final version of the game looks compared to it's first gameplay demo of September 2010. A big leap in video game generations as Bioshock Infinite looks best on the PC. It should have 8th generation console versions(Wii U, PlayStation 4, Xbox 720). Note: these two didn't attend the Orange County campus but in counties neighboring Orange County(Los Angeles and San Diego).

Let's quote these two gentlemen:

“I work alongside the best of the best in the industry. We didn’t stop until everything was perfect.”-Mike Snight
“I enjoy creating a space that is totally imaginary and making it feel alive and meaningful.”-Charles Bradbury
There you have it. I also want to point out that I can also test video games for cash and even earn more than the average worker in North America if you work long and hard enough.

Plus, this university has a restaurant Fifty Forks which culinary students make food and others on campus can eat it. The university also helps students with student affairs and can make tuition costs go down and give students a plan for success. The Art Institute has a low default rate on loans and finding housing isn't that hard.

Such a beautiful place and I choose Orange County since it has class and isn't run by doo-doo liberal communists like those in Sacramento. I can also start a Democratic Revolution in changing election laws to be that of Switzerland and New Zealand.

There are also many student activities but the one I would eyeball is video game tournaments, Pizza, drive-in theatre, off-campus field trips, and casino night for examples of my preference. What an awesome experience I would have.

The Art Institute of California Orange County is amazing and if I were to work for EA Games, I would want to have gone to a college with a culture of arts and video gaming. Electronic Arts is legendary but has flaws which can be fixed. Plus, Electronic Arts has employments opportunities in the Californias. I consider California to be rightfully divided North and South just like North and South Vietnam were.

Well anyway, I hope to establish a new life there and use student housing before going to find a house or apartment outside.