Demo Blog

Garry’s Mod sells one million copies

by Michael Arsenault on Thursday, July 28, 2011 , under


Back in 2004, Garry’s Mod turned Valve’s Source Engine into a toybox. Its intuitive UI, straightforward controls and building tools removed the programming barriers needed to be creative with Source. Since then, hundreds of thousands of people have used the mod to attach rockets to the G-Man’s head, build a giant robots or mess around with the physics system. The community has created hundreds of new game modes, mods and machinima using the tools.
Today, developer Garry Newman posts on his his site to announce that Garry’s Mod has now sold more than a million copies since its launch on Steam in 2007.

“This is a pretty big deal for me considering this all started off as a tiny tiny modification about 6 years ago,” writes Garry. “This is more than I could have ever expected or wished for!”
“Even though my name is on the Mod there are a lot of people that have helped out over the years – and GMod wouldn’t be where it is now without them. Particularly Valve & Steam – which made Garry’s Mod technically feasible”
Garry’s Mod is available to buy on Steam now for £6 / $10. Garry’s Mod 9, an older version with less features, can be downloaded from Steam for free.
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Cowboys and Pokemon spoof trailer

by Michael Arsenault on Saturday, July 23, 2011 , under

So I came across this video on my Saturday morning and I thought this was hilarious!  Coming from one of my favorite shows xplay, it's always a good laugh, Enjoy!
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EA CEO: Consoles now just '40% of the games industry

by Michael Arsenault on Thursday, July 21, 2011 , under

Consoles don't dominate the games industry as they once did and their standing continues to decline as new platforms steal market share.
Click to view larger image
That's the opinion of EA top dog John Riccitiello, who told IndustryGamers: "Consoles used to be 80 percent of the industry as recently as 2000. Consoles today are 40 percent of the game industry, so what do we really have?

"We have a new hardware platform and we're putting out software every 90 days. Our fastest growing platform is the iPad right now and that didn't exist 18 months ago."

Riccitiello also said the notion of five-year platform cycles is completely outdated and that future hardware is likely to be driven by social experiences and cross-platform play rather than supercharged graphics.

"I would argue that one of the least interesting things about the games industry was that every five years you'd see a new console or platform from everybody at about the same time with about the same or similar upgrades or services... But it's not a particularly smart way to run an industry... bulges in technology investment followed by harvest."

He said of Wii U: "Nintendo is bringing out a new platform that brings together some of what we're learning from new media and new platforms like the iPad and then integrating that with a console. It's the perfect time for that in the industry."

Riccitiello added: "I would argue that there's more to be provided in terms of value for the consumer in micro-transactions and social experiences and driving those better in cross-platform gameplay between a console and a PC and a handheld device and a social network than there is supercharging graphics... I always liked the power, but I don't know if it's the story 
anymore."
http://www.computerandvideogames.com/312269/ea-ceo-consoles-now-just-40-of-the-games-industry/
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Explosive Half-Life 2 fan-film emerges

by Michael Arsenault on Friday, July 15, 2011 , under


In the fast-paced world of PC gaming, Half-Life 2 may be considered ‘getting on a bit’, but its fan base still stands strong. No better evidence could be found than this great fan-film, telling the story of a resistance fighter opposing the rule of the Combine.
Found by the guys over at RPS, Singularity Collapse features some spectacular looking props and costumes that perfectly capture the atmosphere of Valve’s iconic shooter, as well as some great CGI work using assets from the game itself. Gunfights and aesthetics aside though, it’s really the gunship vs buggy chase that makes this a must-see.
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And in other PC gaming news…

by Michael Arsenault on Thursday, July 14, 2011 , under

Tim Schafer has pitched to a lot of executives in his time, but this one looks like a really tough cookie. He’s dealt with Activision and EA, but now he’s in the big leagues, meeting with the Cookie Monster. “Zombies kinda 2007?” Hasn’t Mr Monster seen Dead Island? Still, Tim comes out on top in the end with a characteristically unusual idea. He works hard too, he’s already got a tech demo running.
http://www.pcgamer.com/2011/07/13/and-in-other-pc-gaming-news-115/
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Battlefield 3 not coming to Steam?

by Michael Arsenault on Tuesday, July 12, 2011 , under

EA has reportedly published a list of digital retailers expected to distribute Battlefield 3 - with Valve's Steam platform a notable absentee.

Click to view larger image
The list, which EA has now pulled from the internet and replaced with a fetching all white 404 error page, is said to have included the likes of Direct2Drive and GamersGate with EA's own Origin topping the list.

There has been some perceived conflict between the well established Steam platform and EA's new kid on the block, since Crysis 2 was removed from Valve's digital distributor last month.

EA's David DeMartini clarified the position saying that it was Steam's decision to remove Crysis 2 from its library, not EA's.

He also said that there had been some jarring between the two companies but dismissed it by saying that was normal in any relationship and EA intended to make its games available on as many platforms as possible.

It's not clear whether that approach will apply to Battlefield 3.
http://www.computerandvideogames.com/311095/news/battlefield-3-not-coming-to-steam/


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Female developers need to 'put themselves out there

by Michael Arsenault on Sunday, July 10, 2011 , under

An independent female developer has argued the way to tackle gender imbalance in the games industry is to change perceptions in school.
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In an interview with Develop, iPhone game developer Quinn Dunki claimed peer pressure at a young age is steering talented females away from jobs which are typically thought of as male roles.

"The only difference between me and my maths-inclined, game-loving friend - who does advanced needlepoint instead of engineering - is that she succumbed to the peer pressure," Dunki told Develop.

She argued that gender imbalance is a problem that is too big for the industry to solve all by itself: "The outreach needs to go down to the [early] school levels. That's where the research shows girls stop studying maths and science due to pressures from peers and other sources."

Develop reports that 42 percent of all game players are women, according to recent ESA data, but it's believed that only one tenth of game developers are female. 

If efforts are made in schools now, Dunki thinks we will see results in the industry in a couple of generations. "In the meantime, the best thing we can do is provide role models. If you're a female engineer or scientist, put yourself out there," she added.

Dunki's words echo those of LucasArts' creative director Chris Hocking, who said on Wednesday that the industry needs to attract more women and become a little less obsessed with fart jokes.


http://www.computerandvideogames.com/310898/news/female-developers-need-to-put-themselves-out-there/
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On a personal note...

by Michael Arsenault on Friday, July 08, 2011 , under

So it seems that something rather unfortunate has come up.  During a casual game of Team Fortress 2 my computer suddenly froze up and then all of a sudden my power supply exploded.  It seems the PSU couldn't take on the intensity of TF2.  Smoke filled my computer and left several burn marks all over, thus ending the life cycle of my power supply which was said to last me 7 years rather lasting me 2 years.  Anyways this kind of sucks, it will probably be about $100 for a new one.  Anyway just thought I'd share another one my downfalls, this also brings up something I should mention, when it comes to purchasing hardware it's probably best to check which company your buying from.  Some companies receive a lot of positive feedback and others don't.  Oh well story of my life.
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Gamers will spend $74 billion this year

by Michael Arsenault on Wednesday, July 06, 2011 , under

Consumers will spend $74 billion on games worldwide this year, a figure expected to rise to $112 billion by 2015, according to technology analyst firm Gartner.


If you have a hard time putting that kind of figure in to context, think of 74 billion one dollar notes piled high. There you go.


Software sales are forecast to account for $44.7 billion of 2011's total spend, hardware for $17.8 billion and online gaming for $11.9 billion.

In 2015, software will account for $56.5 billion of the $112 billion total, hardware for $27.4 billion, and online gaming - the fastest growing sector - for $28.3 billion.

Gartner research director Brian Blau said: "We find that subscription fees are giving way to 'freemium' models, in which the game is provided for free to gamers but is monetised through advertising (both in-game advertising and display advertising) and in-game microtransactions, such as the sale of value-added services or virtual-good purchases.

"This trend is prevailing given the rise of social gaming, in which online gaming is connected to social networking sites and social networking platforms."


http://www.computerandvideogames.com/310549/news/gamers-will-spend-74-billion-this-year-report/
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PlayStation 4 will feature Kinect-style controls, out 2012 - report

by Michael Arsenault on Monday, July 04, 2011 , under

Sony is planning to start manufacturing the PlayStation 4 at the end of this year, for a planned release in 2012.
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That's according to a new Digi Times Report, which even more surprisingly claims Sony's to have Taiwan-based partners begin production of PS4 complete with body movement-based controls, similar to Microsoft's Kinect.

Taiwan-based component manufacturers Foxconn and Pegatron Technology, assemblers of PS3, will undertake assembly of PS4, according to the site's sources.

The planned shipment volume of PS4 in 2012 is at least 20 million units, they indicated.

The report follows another from reliable US news site IndustryGamers, which claimed last month that it's heard from "industry sources at a top developer" that the Playstation 4 will become a real thing in the next 18 months.

Prior to that, a similar story pointed to an Xbox 720 reveal next year, with developer Crytek cited as the source of the rumour.

The PS4 2012 claim, which is looking more and more likely as the rumour reports pile up, would be quite a surprise considering only a few weeks ago Sony reaffirmed it's 10-year cycle strategy for the PlayStation 3.

Newly-promoted CEO of PlayStation worldwide, Andrew House told CVG at E3 he "still characterised this as the early period" for PS3, and noted that Sony had "only really just begun to explore what the potential is for 3D".

But it's the first we've heard of Sony jumping on the motion-sensing camera bandwagon. Are Sony and Microsoft about to go head-to-head in the 'no controller' stakes? Will the PlayStation firm do a better job? What does it mean for Move? 

It looks like we're in for an exciting 12 months. We'll be the first to remind you of the old phrase, 'There's no smoke without fire.'


http://www.computerandvideogames.com/310125/playstation-4-release-date-2012/
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Seriously, Microsoft? GFW Marketplace moving to Xbox.com

by Michael Arsenault on Friday, July 01, 2011 , under


Remember not too long ago when Microsoft claimed there’d be a new push into PC gaming by the software giant? Well, they’re kicking that bold initiative off by relocating the freshly relaunched (and actually respectable) Games for Windows Marketplace. PC game store to…wait for it…Xbox.com. Because when you think of PC gaming, the first place you look is Xbox.com. That’s quite a slap in the face – how much more out-of-touch with PC gamers could they get? Was the crushing cost of maintaining the domain registration of www.gamesforwindows.com really dragging down Microsoft’s bottom line?
The details on the merge listed on the site read as follows:
“Games for Windows Marketplace will fully transition over to Xbox.com. Now you can get all of your gaming needs in one place. It’s convenient, it’s concentrated, and it’s a whole lot of great games.”
There are so many things wrong with that statement it’s hard to know where to begin. We’ve reached out to MS for comment.
Update: Microsoft responds with a predictably uninteresting statement. Hit Read More to be underwhelmed. We’re pushing further, but 4th of July festivities mean we probably won’t hear back until next week.
Statement from Microsoft:
“On July 11, GamesForWindows.com will merge with Xbox.com to create a single destination for LIVE gaming experiences across Windows and Xbox 360. The decision was made to create a single destination for LIVE gaming experiences across Windows and Xbox 360, and with the recent release of “Fable III” for PC, and the upcoming launch of “Age of Empires Online,” we are dedicated to delivering a great Windows PC gaming experience. Members of our passionate communities across Xbox 360 and Games for Windows can now purchase and get details on their favorite games, all in one place. All user account information will remain the same and community members can still take advantage of their Xbox LIVE profile in their Windows games and stay connected to friends who are playing on the PC.”
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