Roger, Wilco

This article gets at the next wave of console gaming -- user created content. There are a couple of areas where user created content should be king.

First, and most obviously, all music games should support user mods. Karaoke, Guitar Hero and rhythm games are missing the boat by not making it easy for game players to add their own tunes to the games. Clearly, there are some copyright issues that demand a certain amount of gate-keeping. I'm sure it's difficult enough to get the rights to a Led Zepplin song without having to assure the copyright holders that you'll let some kid upload Houses of the Holy with his own chord mapping.

Frets on Fire already supports user-generated content and provides basic tools for creating new songs. Frets on Fire is fun, but does not compare to Guitar Hero. If Frets on Fire had the installed base of Guitar Hero, however, you would see local bands using the game to promote their music. Even national bands with an appreciation for alternate forms of distribution -- like Wilco for example -- would hop on board.

The guys and gals at home busting their asses on their 4 track recorders would be all over the opportunity to be a featured download with their latest tune. They would probably pay a small fee just to have access to tools that make creating content a little easier.

User created content should also be expanded for party games. Whether mini-games in a Mario Party title, Ray-man, or Super Monkey Ball or micro-games in Wario Ware, publishers should be investing in home studios that make it possible for players to build and play their own games. Imagine how the playability of Mario Party 8 could be expanded if you could mix in a few user created games onto the board. Maybe even a special space that would launch a user created game.

Players crave variety. User created content allows endless variety. Players have different ideas about what makes a good game. User created content lets those who are most passionate about a game idea bring that idea to life. The best part for publishers is that people are willing to design music charts, mini-games, or new levels for free -- so long as they get a bit of recognition for their skills and effort.

Fiirst Madden 08 Video

I gotta admit, this looks good.

Big Blizzard Announcement Starcraft 2

You can read about it at Kotaku.

Also at the game's site.

I don't know how much time I have spent with OG starcraft, but it must have been in the 100s of hours playing online with Stex and Foxflight and Peeforia. I hope this is good.

Here is a gameplay video.

Mario Strikers Charged Video

This comes out july 2. The first real online game for the wii.

New Riddick game?

Joystiq wrote this morning that there is a new Riddick game being developed. That is good news, the other Riddick games have been good ones.

I don't know about you guys, but I am a sucker for the director's commentary on DVD. I hope putting producers commentary on a game is more than just a gimmick. I hope it becomes a trend.

Pro-G reports that the game is currently titled The Chronicles of Riddick: Assault on Dark Athena and is headed to Xbox 360 and PS3. It's also apparently got online multiplayer and a "developer's commentary mode" which has us praying that Vin Diesel has time to make a special guest appearance. (Spoiler alert: He does.) Vivendi apparently wouldn't confirm the story to Pro-G, but said that an announcement would be coming soon: We're already turning off all the lights and drinking protein shakes in anticipation.

Halo 3 Beta: First Impressions

After downloading the Beta, I was ready to send Crackdown back to Gameznflix and I realized I couldn't. The beta requires the player to launch from Crackdown. Dumb. Anyway...


The limited time I spent with the beta was fun. I tried out the noob combo, and that didn't work as well as it did in halo2, but it did work sort of. The map I played on was High Ground. It consisted of a valley with enclosures on each side for easy ambushes.

The control was great, the responsiveness was awesome, but the only thing I didn't like about it was the jumping. Everyone, when they had a 1 on 1 would jump up and down while shooting at you. I am not used to this, I am used to just circle strafing my way to victory. In the Halo universe, everyone is a high jumping Olympian, you can jump like 10 feet into the air.

All in all a fun time. I can't wait til we get to try out the party system.

Aegis Wing: The free XBL arcade game

Newbcakes, Ruud, Prometheus and I were playing Aegis Wing last night. It is a side scrolling shooter reminiscent of R-Type or Gradius with some humping elements. In order to get super huge weapons, one has to press the X button to essentially hump your teammates. Once you do, your missiles are more plentiful, your lasers are wider, your EMP blasts cover the whole screen. Everything is super sweet until the driver realizes he can't maneuver as fast as he needs to in order to avoid the plethora of bullets and indestructible spheres in his way.

Also, if you have a douchebag like Prometheus playing with you, it makes it super hard to do anything. Assclowns like Prometheus will run you into obstacles and kill your fragile little space ship. It is so sad, and so funny at the same time.

More games need to be like this. Great Co Op and just plain fun. And free

I give it 7/10