Game Characters Picture Quiz

Can you name the following gaming characters? Post your answers in Comments and I will get back to you with how well you did and post those who got 100% for all to see.

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10.

Answers will be posted this evening.

Happy Gaming

Xbox One Price - Why Zavvi's £399 ($600) would be a bad idea for release

For those of us wondering what we will be asked to part with if we want the new Xbox One for Christmas, Zavvi seems to offer the best idea with their pre-order price of £399. Microsoft seem to be following a similar pattern for this new release as they did with its predecessor and so I believe we should expect more revelations at E3, a Marketing Campaign beginning September, Viral and Competition Promotion in October and release in time for Christmas Shopping in November.

When the 360 was released we saw a price of £279 ($399) for the Premium Edition. With the Xbox One said to be released with all the 'bells and whistles' in one package its unlikely that we will see a stripped down version this time. A look at the reveal shows us that the device offers roughly the same services as the 360 now but with a few more tricks thrown in as well. The 360 did not have anywhere near that level of functionality at its launch.

A lot has changed since then, Economically, and the main markets for this device have still not fully recovered. The UK, for example, has around about the same Consumer Spending figures as it did eight years ago. So would a price that is 30% higher be wise? Economically no; Consumers have been through the ringer and Confidence is only just starting to pick up. Because of this it could be argued that they will perceive a higher risk involved with purchasing High Ticket items such as this. 

Its likely that with Confidence subdued; Christmas Budgets will also be restricted, however, to assess this we need more information. The Average UK Gross Monthly Salary is forecast to be around £2210 ($3337) up 16% from 2005 and in the US £2527 ($3816) up 19%. The lack of an increase in Spending, despite increasing Salaries, is reportedly due to rising costs - especially in energy. 

Pricing the Xbox One 30% higher than its predecessor would be unwise. With Consumer Spending being the main indicator of Consumer Demand levels it would seem prudent to price the new device at a similar level than its predecessor. Thankfully reports are emerging that this may be the case. Gamespot UK believe that the device may be priced lower. The Guardian hints on rumours of a £265 price tag. Whatever it may be, it seems logical to assume that the £399 price on Zavvi would seem pricey and potentially exists only to draw Early Adopters into placing orders pre-release.

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360 to One - How Big is the Leap Forward from Xbox

21/05/13, 10am, PDT and Microsoft deliver a reveal presentation for the new addition to the Xbox legacy. How was it? Well IGN report their poll shows that, out of 76000 people asked, 75% were disappointed.  So why were we not blown away after finally seeing a move forward after eight years? Well I believe it may have something to do with the delivery.

It started well, it must be said, and continued to do so through the first three speakers with the star of the show, for me, being Yusuf Mehdi. However, I feel, that the section revealing the Hardware needed to be longer and more content rich. Following this the reveal completely lost its way and included some guests, who it could be argued, left us unsure of what was being promoted here.

The first guest was Executive Vice President of EA, Andrew Wilson who predictably started flying the flag for EA. Xbox 360 sales are reported to be around 76 million units and of that number, 4.65 million (6.1%) Fifa 13 owners, 2.55 million (3.4%) Madden NFL 13 owners and 2.47 million (3.2%) NBA 2K12 owners. So with the vast majority of Xbox 360 owners not buying into these franchises a simple question is raised; why were they here? It could be argued that, by having this contribution from EA, the Xbox community could be given valuable insight on the graphical abilities of the new console. However, this wasn't forthcoming. And for those who like these franchises, the section from EA didn't show us that we were actually seeing something new and will possibly end up paying for the same experience with a different number after its name!



We were also treated to a rather invaluable insert for the new title 'Quantum Break' which left us none-the-wiser about what that title actually was and why it was significant for the new hardware. As well as this we were shown another guest from Activision and Infinity Ward announcing the new COD title 'Ghosts'. 14.93 million Xbox sales of their last title show us that 19.6%, at least, of all Xbox owners would be interested in this title. It could be argued that this section actually had a place in the reveal and this is supported by the fact that a possible example of the consoles graphical abilities was given with the company showing actual in-game graphics.

There was also a section in the reveal that I personally found interesting and that was the inclusion of the HALO TV series with the involvement of Steven Spielberg. But would this appeal to all of the audience? Well with 8.24 million players of the latest title 'Halo 4' representing 10.1% of Xbox 360 owners it could be argued that this section was, like EA's, speaking out to the minority of users. However, there is nothing to suggest that non-Halo players won't be interested in the series and the inclusion of Spielberg should help to promote this to a wider market than the players themselves.



Personally, I believe that there were sections of this reveal that were very well done. However, there were sections that had no place there and this brought the whole event down. This is why IGN's poll showed 75%  negativity. I also feel that the event missed out on an opportunity to further sell the new console by only briefly brushing over how much more capable this machine is over its predecessor. And so i have decided to take it upon myself to do this for them.

Xbox 360 - Xbox One Comparison

The Xbox 360 has a Triple Core CPU with each core running symmetrically at 3.2ghz. The Xbox One has an Octa Core CPU with each core estimated to run at 1.6ghz each with 4x the L2 Shared Cache. However, its hard to compare the CPU's of the two devices without looking at how they are used with the GPU to improve graphics. The Shader Throughput is increased from 0.24 Teraflops to approximately 1.23 Teraflops. In other words 5x the graphics performance. This is also supported by a massive improvement in RAM from 512mb GDDR3 @1400mhz to 8gb DDR3 @ 2133mhz. The inclusion of a Blu Ray drive also improves the storage capacity on the disc with up to 100gb of storage on triple layer discs.

Talking plainly the Xbox One will process actions a lot quicker and will be able to multi-task much better. This can be plainly seen in the section of the reveal by Yusuf Mehdi with the Xbox One performing actions at lightening quick speeds and showing off split-screen functionality. Gaming wise we have 5x the visual performance with larger capacity disks which will definitely mean better visuals and richer content. The Architecture of the hardware could also mean greater efficiency in processing visuals. Microsoft claim that it is 8x more powerful. I would say that 6x is more likely.

So in conclusion, Microsoft's frustrating presentation didn't do this new device justice. This offers serious improvements from its predecessor and will probably be well worth the estimated £400 price tag. Hopefully the content shown at E3 in a few weeks will improve our perceptions of the Xbox One.

Any comments or questions are welcome. Please feel free to leave me a comment or e-mail me at stephen.grix@gmail.com.



 

Week 2 - Don't Let Them Get the Jump On You!!!

Grey Crown: 'Ego says more of them are coming get ready'
Oreo Chat: 'No problem chief..... its cool, its only several Mutant Riflemen'
Grey Crown: 'Whats that blue stuff on their uniforms?'
The Ark Hunters come under fire. However, they feel at ease, they have done this hundreds of times, until............
Grey Crown: 'My HUD has disappeared and I can't aim down the sights; what the f***?'
Oreo Chat: 'Mine too what is that? Gotta get clear of these chief!'
Grey Crown: 'My HUD is back....... s*** I'm down. Can you revive me buddy?'
Oreo Chat: ' Just revived myself; on my way.......... oh you have got to be joking........ them big blue f***ers have just turned up'
Grey Crown: 'Leave em mate and come and get me'
Oreo Chat: 'No can do mate!'
Grey Crown: 'You down as well?'

So, its day 2 of week 2 in the 'Playing Defiance' Blog and this entry would like to look at the various enemies you will encounter in the bay area. It becomes apparent a little way into the game that it isn't just Mutants and Large Angry Insects that are a problem and there are tougher, meaner variations of the 'Bad Guys' constantly popping up as I play. What I want to explore in this piece is how much is the game improved by the Ark Hunters targets?

Mutants

Mutants are one of the various humanoid enemies you will come across and seem to have the usual weaknesses to exploit. They come with a varied arsenal to challenge the Ark Hunter's with and some of them, such as the 'Cleavers', can really cause you problems.

The shoulder strap was really chafing him...

The game hints that these mutants were part of a Military Coalition and their campaign didn't go well for them. It could be argued that some of them take an unrealistic amount of damage. Most of us would be surprised, after unloading a full clip into an unarmoured enemy, to see him still standing. However, who knows what abilities the mutations have given these chaps and I like the way they can just jump out on you.

 Hellbugs

These Insect nasties can be found all over the Bay Area and in particular at Ark falls. They seem to follow a Hive type social structure and hierarchy and the larger ones can take some serious punishment. The small drone types are called Skitterlings and are not much of a threat unless there is a swarm of them. I love the way they pop when you kill them its rather satisfying but other then that they are a nuisance trying to distract you whilst the bigger ones lay down the hurt.

What a lovely smile you have....

I like how the Hellbugs work. The larger ones can take some serious damage and can dish it out nicely. A group of these can turn you over easily if you get caught in the middle of them. However, these strengths are balanced out with some serious weak points and they are also rather predictable in nature. You have to figure out how to fight these Angry Smiling Insects in order to efficiently dispatch them. I'm not going to spoil it for you though, ill let you get there on your own.

Raiders

The Raiders are bunches of criminals bent on hampering your progress through the Bay Area. They put me in mind of the Smokers from 'Waterworld' by the way they behave. They present you with new challenges through their unique combat behaviours and load-outs.

Barry's friend often wonders if he is compensating for something...

These guys have been fun to take on. They like to rush you in groups whilst their comrades fire rockets at you from elevated positions; its pretty high octane battling. I also love the challenge the big ones present. They have some serious firepower and only one weakness you can exploit. 

There are also more enemies that I haven't been exposed to enough yet such as Dark Matter agents, Ninety-Niners and Scrappers. I will review these other types when I can spend enough time fighting them and for that i can't wait. However, for now the game is providing more than enough Baddie variety to keep me happily unloading the contents of my clips.

Next Entry: Looking at Cooperative Multiplayer Maps.

Week 2 - Hey Up Mate..... Hop In

Grey Crown: 'Ill stay in the car if you wanna finish it off'

Oreo Chat: 'OK ill sort it'

Oreo gets out of the vehicle and walks over to the lock box to deliver the item and finish the mission. After some interaction with the lock box he gets back in the Orange Dodge Challenger.

Oreo Chat: 'Right, done'

Grey Crown: 'OK whats next?'

Okay so its the start of Week 2 and me and my best friend have been playing Defiance Cooperatively. I have secured a Dodge Challenger and we have been cruising around the Bay Area running over anything that steps in the way and completing missions. It must be said that playing the title in this way offers more reward.  Mission running is more fluid and there is a new element of Cooperative tactics. Also, and more importantly, the game is much more fun when playing with friends.

Sweet Rides

The game offers players the chance to explore the Bay Area in a variety of vehicles such as Quad Bikes, Off Road Buggies, 4X4's and good old American Muscle. These are available from a variety of sources such as In-Game Vendors and the Defiance Store. The Challenger I'm driving feels very 'Mad Max' but I feel I must point out that the driving physics are not as good as they could be. I think its the Camera Perspective and Movement that is to blame. Most of the time it feels like you are moving through the environment nicely but when turning hard it feels like the vehicle is rotating on a fixed point while the back and foreground are moving through you. However, the driving and exploration element of Defiance is still a lot of fun with some decent off-road action and a sweet satisfying 'Thump' as you mow the humanoid enemies down and a nice 'Crunch' as you put some Hell Bug under the rubber.

 

Racing Challenges

As mentioned in the first post in this blog; Defiance offers players Competitive Challenges that are dotted around the landscape and this seems to be aimed at players who would like a little scoreboard pride. A portion of these challenges involve Time-Trial gate racing on a variety of vehicles.

These Challenges require the player to run through a circuit via a series of gates whilst managing speed boosting. There are Bronze, Silver and Gold trophies for beating certain times as well as leader boards for those of us who are of a Competitive persuasion. The vehicle is always the same to promote a level playing field. However, there are certain bonuses applied to your driving abilities as you thrash around the landscape and it could be that these give those with higher skills an advantage. 

I'm still loving this game and am finding more excuses to continue playing. I hope those of you who own Defiance feel the same and for those of you who don't have this title; give it a shot, it is well worth the £25 you pay on Amazon.

Next Post: Looking at Defiance's enemies

Week 1 - Becoming an Ark Hunter

So I'm sat on my sofa with my wife looking at the TV but not necessarily taking any of it in; I am bored.com. Its an AD break and me and the Mrs are chatting when a track on an advertisement grabs me. However, by the time I manage to look back at the TV its gone. What was that track?

A day or so passes and I find myself in a similar situation; I hear the same track and this particular Advertisement has managed to wade through the Maelstrom of Marketing Communications I am bombarded with on a daily basis and actually grab my attention again. Well done Mr Marketer! The track is "Radioactive" by Imagine Dragons and it is helping to promote a game called "Defiance". I look at my Mrs and remark that it looks interesting!

The next day I fire up the Laptop and do the usual 'Should I or Shouldn't I' routine which generally consists of looking at the Website for the Title, checking out a few reviews and watching game play footage on YouTube. I am intrigued by the fact that the Title is coupled with a Series on Syfy of the same name and that the two focus on the same story but in different parts of the Post Apocalyptic USA setting. I check stocking with my nearest retailer and flutter my eyelids at my keeper who agrees to a trip out to acquire a copy for the Xbox 360 platform. After paying the attractive £25 price tag and going through the fairly straightforward Installation and Patching process I'm ready to become an Ark Hunter and dive straight in head first.

First Impressions

The game feels like Gears of War and Fallout's lovechild. The Post Apocalyptic San Francisco setting is littered with Mutants and large angry Insects who take an obscenely large amount of ammo from my Avatar's Assault Rifle before they die. After completing the initial in-game introduction I find myself at a Temporary Military Installation and Fast-Travel safe point. From here I have a series of choices including a Storyline Mission, Side Mission and Competitive Challenges. I go for the Storyline Mission.

Storyline and Characters

The Story and Setting of Defiance is, in some respects, similar to other Post Apocalyptic titles available on the platform. The 'Ruined Urban Environment' you initially find yourself in is nothing new. Neither are the initial enemies you are confronted with. As mentioned earlier, the environment and its denizens remind me of Fallout and Gears of War combination. However, there are elements that don't ring a bell such as the 'Arkfall' concept of High-Tec Space Debris falling out of orbit to Earth. The background and purpose of the Story and its characters revolves around this concept and it provides an interesting foundation for other areas explored in the Storyline. The Characters in the Story provide cheesy but entertaining dialogue during play and Video Sequences but their background and motives seem largely hidden which helps keep them interesting. I find the Alien versions of Anglo-American swearwords corny but at least I can play it around my three year old without worrying about him surprising his Grandparents with colourful additions to his vocabulary. To sum up, the Storyline leaves me with the inclination to check out the TV series which I am sure it is designed to do.

Gameplay

The perspective and controls for the Avatar remind me of my time with Commander Shepherd on the Mass Effect Titles. I am also reminded of 'Crackdown'. After going on a roam in the environment surrounding the initial Safe Point I find myself immersed in an action-packed and persistent game-play experience which gives me the same 'getting it from all sides' feeling. This perception is reinforced by the Avatars ability to jump higher and fall further than the average Shoot-em-up soldier. The action feels a little dated and sometimes the frame rate gets a little sluggish but I think its important to point out that you will be hard pushed to find many MMO's that offer the same level of action. This for me is a massive plus. It could be argued that its difficult to compare this title to other established MMO's because it feels very different in play. It would also seem that I support this argument if you consider the titles I am reminded of whilst playing Defiance. However, I think this game combines the benefits of Social Multiplayer gaming with decent Shooter action which I really like and have not experienced before.

Early Feelings

After playing Defiance every day this week I feel inspired to immerse myself more. I plan to check out the Syfy series and to convince a few friends to join me for Cooperative and Competitive play. This will be the subject of my next Post on this game. I am concerned with initial reports on the web that the number of active players is low. I think this is a shame as I have enjoyed my first week of Defiance. Initially it seems to have a great deal to offer a wide audience and, more importantly, its fun!