This week in the Mailbag, we\'ve got all kinds of media-centric inquiries, ranging from the Xbox 360\'s media features to getting media onto the PSP and a few more tips to help you find an HDTV that will be compatible with the PlayStation 3. As usual, Matt James has put all of the best letters of the week together for your reading pleasure.
12/03/05 |
XB360 | Aaron Stanton
The Xbox 360 has been disappearing off store shelves, both in reality and online where the shelves are much less tangible. In in article we posted last week, we pointed out that eBay\'s Xbox 360 listings have dropped nearly 3,000 units a day, and we predicted that - if trends continued - eBay would be sold out by December 1st. Well, it\'s now December 3rd, and the question is... did they? Are prices on the rise again? Will Microsoft\'s claim of impending shipments manage to help reduce the online price gouging we\'re experiencing moving into Christmas?
It\'s easy to want the Xbox 360; Microsoft has managed to put out a very sleek machine. However, what exactly are you getting when you put your money on the counter and head home with a new 360 in hand; better graphics? Better physics? We take versions of King Kong for the Xbox and play them side by side, scene for scene with that of the Xbox 360 version. Then we took pictures and sat them down for your enjoyment. See how well the ending generations of Xbox games compares up to the first generation of 360 titles.
11/24/05 |
XB360 | Shawn Rider
The Xbox 360 brings a lot to the table: Fancy new graphics. Fancy new games. Fancy new controller. But we already had pretty nice graphics. And we\'ve always had fun games. Controllers come and go, plus we can usually find third-party controllers that will work, too. So what\'s next-gen about the Xbox 360? It\'s the meta-gaming experience. It\'s not that the 360 really changes the game (although it does that, too). What\'s really cool about the 360 is that it changes how we PLAY the game. And that\'s an exciting thing.
11/21/05 |
XB360 | Aaron Stanton
Tomorrow. If you\'re up on the game industry, you\'ll know what we\'re talking about. Tomorrow. Midnight. The Xbox 360 hits retail outlets. If you don\'t know what that means, then this article isn\'t for you; the chances of you getting a unit on launch day without a preorder are almost non-existent. The chances of getting your order on launch day, even if you did preorder, might be questionable. Regardless, tomorrow morning, meaning 12:01, thousands of lucky gamers are going to be buying their Xbox 360. This article is Part II of our look at what games you\'ll want to pick up at the same time.
11/21/05 | | Matt James
This week in the Mailbag it\'s clear what\'s on gamer\'s minds: Xbox 360. With questions rolling in daily about the hard drive, backwards compatibility, and media features on the Xbox, we\'re doing our best to keep up. Check out this week\'s roundup of letters to GF! wherein you will witness not only answers to burning Xbox questions, but also the true power Matt wields to bestoweth the highly sought after \"shout out.\"
11/19/05 | | Jeremy Kauffman
The Xbox 360 and PS3 will both use HD as the standard for all games on those systems. So, what do gamers need to know as they consider upgrading from the old antenae and tin foil combo to High Definition Television? Jeremy gives you the lowdown right here: From the basics of HDTV television and numbers to choosing an aspect ratio, display technology, and even what cords to use. Some call it in-depth. Others stand speechless in awe.
11/14/05 |
PC | Shawn Rider
Last week we published the first part of Shawn\'s in-depth look at the twisted world of Sociolotron. Billed as the ultimate adult MMORPG, Sociolotron features unprecedented levels of player freedom and sexual gameplay. But Shawn found that, much like novels by the Marquis de Sade, the bizarro sex quickly becomes banal and the real meat of the game lies in the ways players build their characters and live out alternative lives within the game. In Part Two of his feature, Shawn talks to senior citizen male prostitutes, lesbian lovers, and a wheelchair-bound mafioso who commands four in-game sex slaves. He also talks to Patrick Lagny, who has created Sociolotron almost single-handedly, about what motivates him to make such a game.
Needless to say, this article features explicit language and frank descriptions of adult and sexual themes. Reader discretion is advised.
11/12/05 | | Matt James
Matt\'s back with another bag full of the good stuff. This time through the Mailbag we\'ve got some more comments about the revolution controller (they just don\'t stop), a bit of \"debate\" about the veracity of the Giantology.net website, and once again GamesFirst! exhibits deft diplomatic skillZ and averts yet another potential international conflict. No thanks necessary. That\'s what we\'re here for.
11/07/05 |
PC | Shawn Rider
We published Shawn\'s preview of Sociolotron a year ago. Sociolotron is an adults-only RPG that plunges players into an anything-goes world of post-apocalyptic London. Sex, drugs, and occult rituals play prominent roles in the world, as does free agency, community service, and player-based self-governance. A year ago the game was in beta testing, and since coming out in a final version a few months ago Sociolotron has seen some refinement and enhancements, but remained essentially the same game, heavy on role-playing of all sorts. Rather than a review of Sociolotron, Shawn revisited the game and its players to take a closer look at the phenomenon that is Sociolotron in a two part series. This week we present the first portion, and next Monday we\'ll post the conclusion.
Please note: This article is not for the feint of heart or impressionable youths. Remember, Sociolotron is rigorously policed and not available for underage players.
The cake is a lie.