XBone 180

Microsoft have done a 180 on there always online DRM:

    So, today I am announcing the following changes to Xbox One and how you can play, share, lend, and resell your games exactly as you do today on Xbox 360. Here is what that means:

        An internet connection will not be required to play offline Xbox One games – After a one-time system set-up with a new Xbox One, you can play any disc based game without ever connecting online again. There is no 24 hour connection requirement and you can take your Xbox One anywhere you want and play your games, just like on Xbox 360.
        Trade-in, lend, resell, gift, and rent disc based games just like you do today – There will be no limitations to using and sharing games, it will work just as it does today on Xbox 360.

    In addition to buying a disc from a retailer, you can also download games from Xbox Live on day of release. If you choose to download your games, you will be able to play them offline just like you do today. Xbox One games will be playable on any Xbox One console -- there will be no regional restrictions.

    These changes will impact some of the scenarios we previously announced for Xbox One. The sharing of games will work as it does today, you will simply share the disc. Downloaded titles cannot be shared or resold. Also, similar to today, playing disc based games will require that the disc be in the tray.

This is a good thing for XBone users but its something that shouldn't be celebrated because it shouldn't have happened in the first place. Like govements, Microsoft tried to sneak this under a 'cloud' of hype but most people saw though it.

What I really don't get is those people who are now disappointed about the dropping of features when dropping DRM. You people need to get YOUR HEAD CHECKED. Stop bending over for these corporate entities, you are the reasion horse armor DLC & online check DRM even exisits. Microsoft is still looking for for the publishers and not the consumers and they are going to screw you over in some other way with DRM.

Xbone end of life

People are asking, what will happen to our games when the Xbtwo comes out. Major Nelson, that guy who was in the army or something had this to say:

I'll just say this: We haven't even started this generation, so it's kind of early to talk about the end of the generation. That's certainly something we would not do. That's not the way the system is designed. It's designed for flexibility. But let's get the system out there first.

That's not a very clear answer. I had the same concerns for steam nearly 10 years ago, what will happen if steam goes bust ?

It took a very long time until I finally brought something on steam but now days its local retail shops I worry about not Steam or online digital shops.

Microsoft would be left with two options, ether keep the service running so people can play their old games, or release a patch which removes the online requirement. At this point most of the multiplayer titles would have shut down. Its just another thing to think about and while they saying its something they would not do, I also get the impression its something they aren't even thinking about. As its a consumer concern not a corporate concern.

Saints Row 3 / 4 To get modding support

This will be very interesting, maybe they looked at Skyrim.

To me, modding is a lost source of income, it is a gamble and it depends on your community if its going to work but games like Skyrim sales life has been extended due to the modding community.

Publishers don't see this, they think modding steal sales from DLC. Adding mod support makes you honest. Because you can't just release the same game with 12 new levels and slap 2014 on the end because the mod makers will do a better job with the original release. Same goes for DLC, you crap out horse armor and your community will mock you.

Publishers instead have to put out a reason for people to buy the DLC. The easiest way to do that is to make it extend the engine in some way for modders to use.

I can only imagine how popular Battlefield 3 would have been if it had a map editor, user run servers and mod support. I know one thing, I would have played it longer than 30 mins that's for sure.

New Ghost in the Shell looks: Terriable

Japan seems to be doing terriable animation these days.
I should be excited, but I am not.

Cutting though the BullCrap: Xbone cloud

Cloud Computing ?

Microsoft is now claiming they will be using cloud computing to:

Game developers can now create persistent worlds that encompass tens or hundreds of thousands of players without taxing any individual console, and those worlds that they built can be lusher and more vibrant than ever before because the cloud persists and is always there, always computing.

Have Microsoft created quantum graphics rendering ? because no amount of ' cloud ' will be able to load assets fast enough unless you start doing some sort of On Live style rendering. Which would also be a waste of time.

What I think they are trying to say is the Xbone can do MMO's

Those worlds can live on in between game sessions

Yes, we call those MMO's or persistent worlds. Also in the past dedicated servers on the PC when there was no such thing as a 'host player' just a server that keeped running 24 hours a day. Usually run by fans of the game, not the money hungry gaming company's.

If one player drops out, that world will continue on and can experience the effects of time, like wear from weather damage, so that when a player comes back into the universe it's actually a slightly evolved place in the same way that our real world evolves a little bit from the time we go to sleep to the time we wake up. Game developers have given us incredibly positive feedback on the crazy different ways that they can use this incredible new cloud power resource.

 This can be done already, in fact it was done decades  ago in Ultima Online but the question is, is this what you want in a single player game ?

This ' cloud ' doesn't justify having the console always connected. Its a load of hype from some suit who has ideas but no clue.

Planetary Annihilation Alpha out today ...... but

They want $89 USD for it, and its a Alpha !

They have got to be utter loonies.

Lets look at the Arma 3 alpha. You buy it for the normal price the game will be relesaed at. This pre-order gives you access to the Alpha and now upcoming Beta then finally the full game on release. Effectively you are testing the game for the devoplers.

Planetary Annihilation has you paying for the right to test, by the sounds of it you are paying more to test it than someone will at release. This is utterly insane. Minecraft was the reverse, it was released cheaper to begin with and as more features were added it went up in price until version 1.0

There excuse is kickstarter, I paid even less to get Star Citizen alpha. beta access !

So yeah, while I was interested in this game, I can wait to see what the final costing is, but I am going to keep a eye on it. If they are going to sell it at AAA prices they better have a AAA currently they have cartoon version of Superme Commander.

Cutting though the BullCrap: Virtual Realms

Blizzard announced Virtal Realms today:

Virtual Realms are sets of realms that are fused together, and will behave exactly as if they were one cohesive realm. Players on the same Virtual Realm will be able to join guilds, access a single Auction House, join arena teams and raids, as well run dungeons or group up to complete quests.

Sounds like a fancy way of saying, Merging servers with out the word merge.