Controversy

Gears of War 3 Beta - Detailed Thoughts & Impressions Epic Needs to Review

Gears of War 3 is a beta that I really enjoy playing a lot, especially with my excellent home theater setup that actually influences game play. You often know when someone is coming up behind you because of which surround or stereo speaker you hear the sound of footsteps coming from. The graphics are absolutely amazing – far better than any other Gears of War game. The color palette has been enhanced, there are far more customized items, and the draw-distance allows you to see further than in previous Gears of War games. Even the weather has an impact on both graphics and game play in Gears of War 3.

At this point I’d like to share my thoughts with Epic. During the course of a beta, the developers of a game are supposed to be listening to what gamers have to say in order to fix problems that exist. I am now going to explain some of the situations I have experienced with both glitches and game play. I will also be pointing out some issues that I am impressed with that Epic needs to keep in Gears of War 3.

* The first thing I noticed about Gears of War 3 is the fact that you now need to hold down the X button for a half second in order to pick up a new weapon or extra ammunition. This is a wonderful addition to game play because it completely solves the problem of accidentally picking up the wrong item unless you are in the perfect spot. Now, a visual X shows up on the screen and a white arrow moves around it in a clockwise rotation so that you see exactly what it is you are picking up. If you don’t want it, just let go of the X button. This is a great addition to game play!

* Spots! The ability to pull the Left Trigger and then press in on the Left Thumbstick in order to put a "Spot" on an enemy that you have seen adds a tremendous amount of teamwork to Gears of War 3! This type of ability to put a mark on an enemy that is hiding out makes it so your entire team can work together to track down an enemy that is hiding. This is a form of game play that did not exist in previous Gears of War games.

Previously, if an enemy was hiding out at the end of a match, it was annoying that your team could not work together to find the enemy and isolate the enemy. If there was one enemy left and three people on your team, you just needed to grab your shotgun and hope that one of you would be able to kill the enemy since the odds favored your team. Thankfully, Gears of War 3 adds teamwork!

Now, if you or one of your team members spots the enemy, you can put a mark on the enemy. This will allow each of you to go after the enemy from a different direction. Or you can use machine guns to pin him down from a greater distance than the shotguns would allow. This is a great part of Gears of War 3 that truly does add awesome team-based game play! Epic did a great job adding this feature!

* The next thing I should mention is that I once experienced a glitch with respawning. My character spawned in the traditional spot, but I was not able to move. I was frozen in the same spot and I could see all around me, but I was unable to fire weapons or move. Apparently the only way this was able to come to an end was when someone killed my character. And the strange thing is that I believe it was one of my teammates that needed to come in and shoot me with a shotgun. This only happened once, but I sure hope Epic makes sure this doesn’t happen again.

* I’m not sure if it was a glitch, but it is very annoying the way the Gears of War 3 beta sometimes works when you try to shoot an enemy while using a heavy weapon near a ledge. Several times, I was using a heavy weapon while balancing it on a ledge when I saw someone trying to sneak up behind me. Instead of letting me shoot in the direction I wanted, the ledge behaved like a magnet and forced my heavy weapon onto it. This was not fair and it caused my character to die.

For example, when I saw someone trying to get behind me,  I pulled the large weapon off of the wall and faced the enemy that had gotten close to me. I tried shooting the enemy that was close to me (now with my back to the wall that I was previously using as a type of tripod rest for the heavy weapon). But rather than letting me shoot in front of me like I wanted, the Gears of War 3 beta instead forced my weapon back onto the ledge so that I was literally shooting 180 degrees in the wrong direction. The enemy just walked up to me and shot me in the back because there was nothing I could do. This problem definitely needs to be fixed by Epic.

* There are several close spots on a couple of maps. These close spots can cause problems because the Gears of War 3 beta currently does not always recognize what it is you want to do. In the old town and on the map where there is a loud horn, I was trying to take cover. I wanted to run forward by holding A. Instead, the game made me move over to the next side of the wall, as if I tapped the A button in order to try and seek cover there. I think Epic might want to make it so there are very few “tight spots” like that in Gears of War 3.

Whenever a map gives gamers the “opportunity” for something to go wrong, it significantly increases the odds that gamers will be complaining that something went wrong – especially when millions of matches will be played. The solution is to get rid of that part of the environment.

* Hammerburst is a weapon I enjoyed using in Gears of War 2. The Hammerburst is a weapon that I absolutely HATE using in Gears of War 3. In Gears of War 3, the Hammerburst is the weakest weapon I have ever seen in a videogame. I have literally lost count of the number of full clips I unloaded into enemies running right at me, and it didn’t kill them!

What is worse is that after I started shooting the Hammerburst, hitting the enemy the whole time, they just start running directly at me! The people being hit with the Hammerburst have the intention of taking all those shots until they get close enough to fire off ONE round with the Sawed-Off Shotgun, Gnasher Shotgun, Chainsawing you with the Lancer, or stabbing you with the Retro-Lancer. The single round from the very powerful Sawed-Off Shotgun instantly kills. I’m not saying the strength of the Sawed-Off Shotgun is a bad thing, since that weapon has a very long reload time and is risky to use. What I am saying is that when you spend five seconds unloading a full clip into someone, they should easily die! … Epic, please take the time to fix the Hammerburst weapon by making it more powerful.

To be honest, Epic really should have spotted this problem already. When you choose your default weapons, you are allowed to choose the Lancer, the Retro Lancer, or the Hammerburst in one arm. And you can place the Sawed-Off Shotgun or the Gnasher Shotgun on your back. The two shotguns make a great choice – you can’t go wrong either way. Some people will like the extra close-range power of the Sawed-Off Shotgun, while other people will like the extra range of the Gnasher Shotgun.

But the Hammerburst is a weapon that is immediately identified as an inferior weapon. The Lancer and the Retro Lancer vary in power and range, so some people might like one and other people might like the other. But the way Epic currently has the Gears of War 3 beta, only an idiot would want the Hammerburst. The menu shows a range and power rating that visually makes it 100% clear the Hammerburst is inferior to the Lancer weapons. Epic should have noticed this and done something to make it so the Hammerburst is mower powerful. Seriously, it is a shame that the Hammerburst is so weak that you can unload a whole clip into a character and they will still live!

* Sawed-Off Shotgun is a weapon that I really like. It is incredibly powerful – it easily kills in one shot at close range. In fact, there have been two times when I witnessed the Sawed-Off Shotgun simultaneously kill two characters! If someone is hiding around a corner and waiting for you, it means the instant you turn that corner you are going to get blown to pieces by that powerful weapon! I’ve found it helps to run around corners the long way in order to get a better point of view of what might be hiding, sort of like taking the outside track in a racing game.

The Sawed-Off Shotgun has awful range, though; it is not the sort of weapon that you can use in an open environment against people with long-range weapons. The Sawed-Off Shotgun takes a very long time to reload, too. But in all honesty I think this is a good thing for game play in order to make things fair. The Sawed-Off Shotgun is so powerful that if it reloaded quickly it would mean someone using it would be invincible. The way things are now, if you risk using the Sawed-Off Shotgun but miss, you better start running away immediately in order to have some time to reload the thing. Epic has things very close to perfect with the Sawed-Off Shotgun, so I recommend keeping things as they are.

* Mortar is a heavy weapon that seems to function perfectly right now. The range, power, and reload time are excellent. I recommend Epic keep things exactly as they are with this heavy duty weapon. It can take out an entire group of enemies, but you need to aim it perfectly and it usually has only about three rounds of ammo. You are also 100% vulnerable while using the Mortar, which is fair, since the Mortar is so powerful. This adds strategy to the game, too. Don’t use the Mortar to fire those heavy-duty shells unless you have someone there to cover your back.

* Retro Lancer is a weapon that adds a new element of team game play to Gears of War. The accuracy and precision is not as good as the traditional Lancer, but the Retro Lancer has extra power and kickback. You can literally feel the controller of the Xbox 360 vibrating BIGTIME with the Retro Lancer, which is awesome! Epic has done a nice job in this area and should keep things the way they are.

The Retro Lancer has a very unique form of Melee Attack, which Epic should keep the same. In the same way that holding the A button causes you to run, holding the B button will cause you to run while holding the Retro Lancer. This does a great job of simulating what it would be like to Charge against the enemy. The part of game play that is interesting is the way you need to hold down the B button for a long enough time period in order for the bar in the upper-right side of the screen to turn red. Once this happens, it means you will slaughter the enemy.

This Retro Lancer is also a great form of team combat. I’ve seen several intelligent groups of online gamers stick together while each of them held the Retro Lancer. Each of them would start holding the B button at the same time, while charging at the same enemy. This meant there wasn’t much the person being charged at could do, since three people were simultaneously charging right at him! One of the three Charging Retro Lancers almost always got him.

I like what Epic has done a lot with the Retro Lancer. The one and only area Epic might want to change is making the Retro Lancer be a little bit more mobile. If you are running with the Retro Lancer, it is common to accidentally charge into a wall. But, if Epic did make the Retro Lancer more flexible it might make the Retro Lancer too powerful. Epic needs to take this one into consideration and evaluate what people say – maybe I just needed some more practice.

* Lancer is the traditional chainsaw-equipped automatic weapon we all know and love in Gears of War. In Gears of War 3, the Lancer still has excellent range. The strength of the Lancer seems to have been slightly toned down, though. The Lancer is one of the weapons where it is not entirely uncommon to empty an entire clip into an enemy running at you, with a reward of being killed in one shot with some form of Shotgun. I believe if you empty a full clip into someone, they should die. With that in mind, I am asking Epic to please increase the power of the Lancer.

The chainsaw element of the Lancer still kills the enemy effortlessly. The chainsaw duels also have the same type of game play we saw before. The one part of the chainsaw that seems to be different is that if you decide to use the chainsaw by pressing the B button, it takes a very slight amount of time longer to start it. This means that if you are holding a Lancer waiting to peak around the corner and use the chainsaw, but your enemy is holding a pistol, you will lose the battle more often because it takes longer to start the chainsaw. This seems fair to me because the chainsaw always results in a death when you use it.

* Digger Launcher is a new weapon that many people believe is their favorite new weapon. The Digger Launcher is incredibly powerful; it can kill off an entire group of enemies at the same time. The Digger Launcher is fired in a direction where it causes what appears to be a type of earthquake that you can see coming at you. The first time you see this, you will be saying “What is that?” and then you will die. But, once you realize what the Digger Launcher attack looks like, you will realize the way to counter it is by tapping the A button to roll out of the way. Just make sure you get the heck out of the way of someone using the Digger Launcher and you should be alright. I really like what Epic has done with the Digger Launcher.

* Boltok is a pistol that definitely needs to be modified by Epic. This weapon is incredibly weak and it takes too long to reload. If a weapon like this is going to take that long to reload, it should at least be powerful enough to take out an enemy with a headshot at relatively close range. It was very disappointing the way I would hit enemies three times with the Boltok, including two headshots, and the enemies would just keep running at me. Epic, please change some things with the Boltok; it needs a faster reload time and/or more powerful ammunition.

* Gorgon is a pistol that fires multiple eight-shot rounds. This weapon can be very powerful if you fire it at close range. In Gears of War 2 this weapon seemed like if you hit the enemy with all, or at least the majority, of the rounds, you would put the enemy down or set him up to be taken out with the next shot. In Gears of War 3 it doesn’t seem to be like that. The Gorgon appears to have lost some strength, which is annoying.

The simple fact is that most gamers come from the camp of “If you empty an entire clip of ammo into an enemy while he is running at you, it means that enemy should die.” The Gorgon no longer functions in that way. You can keep shooting an enemy repeatedly while he runs at you, but the enemy will not die! Most of those rounds will miss. As soon as the enemy is close enough to you (after running at you while you were shooting them with the Gorgon), it means they will shoot you and kill you with one shot of the Sawed-Off Shotgun or the Gnasher Shotgun. This is simply NOT FAIR!

Epic, make some changes in terms of power with the Gorgon. Nobody has a problem with dying when they are hit that much! If an entire clip of ammo is emptied into your character, people expect to die! Even people that live say things like “Man that wasn’t fair to the guy shooting me all that time.”

I’d like to make something clear to Epic that they really need to focus on. On one map I grabbed the Gorgon, and then I ran behind an enemy that was scoping enemies and firing. I walked directly behind the enemy at close range – the point that I was almost touching the enemy. I shot the Gorgon, and all of the shots hit the enemy. I then shot again, and all shots appeared to hit. But the enemy did not die! Instead, the enemy switched weapons and hit me one time – killing me instantly! This is NOT FAIR! Epic, please upgrade the power to the Gorgon!

* Epic Forums: If you have suggestions that you want to make for improvements, visit the Epic website here: http://forums.epicgames.com/forumdisplay.php?f=400 

* If you don’t feel like taking the time to create a screen name for the Epic website, you can post your comments here and I will gladly share your thoughts on the Epic forum.

I will be writing an update within the next several days about the Grenades and some of the other weapons in the Gears of War 3 beta. It is difficult to find out what using the new grenades is like because people are always in such a rush to grab them on the maps. I will write an update within the next few days so that we can share thoughts with each other.

Note: I am currently unemployed and seeking work. If Epic or anyone else would like to hire me as a writer, business manager or in areas of marketing, I possess the qualifications to be hired in these areas of work.

The Third Xbox is in Development!

Microsoft has recently started posting job offers to engineers. The way the job descriptions describe the situation, it appears obvious the jobs will be focused on the design of the successor to the Xbox 360. But several analysts have pointed out that since Microsoft hasn’t even determined which parts will be used in the third Xbox, it means the Xbox 360 has a lot of life ahead of it.

This seems particularly true when you consider Nintendo will be releasing the Wii 2 console in 2012 to be a direct competitor of the Xbox 360 and PS3 consoles. Obviously, Nintendo would not want to release a Wii 2 console that would see vastly superior competition just a short time after its release. Let’s assemble the facts so that we can try and come up with a fact-based theory.

Here is a list of facts we know so far:

* Nintendo recently announced the Wii 2 will be released in 2012. The Wii 2 will not be a direct competitor of the PS4 or the third Xbox. The Wii 2 will be the direct competitor of the Xbox 360 and PS3. I wrote an article about this here, and another article with additional information here.

* The hardware specifications of the Wii 2 show it will offer performance similar to what is used by the Xbox 360, PS3, and PCs of today. Wii 2 uses 512MB of RAM, just like Xbox 360 and PS3. Wii 2 uses a GPU that is nearly identical to the one in the Xbox 360. The same can be said about the 3.0Ghz tri-core CPU used by the Wii 2 compared to the 3.2Ghz tri-core CPU used by the Xbox 360.

* The third Xbox currently rumored to be in the very early stages of development will obviously not be competing directly against the Wii 2, since that would mean it is competing directly against the Xbox 360.

* Nintendo feels confident enough to release the Wii 2 in 2012 because they believe the eighth generation of videogames represented by the Xbox 360, PS3, Wii, and Wii 2 still has a lot of life in it.

* Sony said the PS3 will have a 10-year life expectancy. If this is true, the PS3 is on schedule to be released in 2016 – ten years after the release of the PS3.

Now that these facts have been gathered, we can try to form some theories and hypotheses. If the PS3 had a 10-year life expectancy, it seems reasonable that the Xbox 360 would also have a life expectancy of 10 years. In this scenario, the third Xbox would be released worldwide in late 2015 – 10 years after the release of the Xbox 360. This seems like a logical theory based on the facts available and the success that Microsoft has enjoyed by beating Sony to market by one year.

From this point of view, it isn't a surprise or a concern that Microsoft is waiting on assembling engineers for development of the next Xbox. Even PCs at their highest and most expensive points right now do not offer a significant improvement over what is seen in the graphics offered by Xbox 360 and PS3. This is important because history has always shown that whenever a new generation of consoles has been released, there is a brief period where the consoles have the hardware advantage over PCs.

For example, when Xbox 360 launched in late 2005, it did so with a revolutionary ATI GPU based on Unified Shader technology, which PC graphics cards didn't see until 2007. The same thing can be said about the eDRAM technology used in the Xbox 360. And in 2005 when Xbox 360 launched with a tri-core CPU, PCs were only using dual-core CPU processors.

We haven't seen technology evolve enough for a new generation of consoles to replace Xbox 360, PS3, and Wii 2. Remember, based on the specifications known so far, the Wii 2 is evolutionary – intended to compete directly with the Xbox 360 and PS3 in a high-definition online environment. This is an online environment where the Wii 2 is at a big disadvantage compared to Xbox Live.

The third Xbox will be revolutionary due to the fact that it will be made up of customized technology that PCs eventually become based on in order to make multiplatform programming easier for developers. Over the course of time, PCs will eventually catch up and overtake the consoles again. This is a cycle that has continuously repeated itself throughout videogame history. PC technology is the one form of technology that we can look at and use as a constant measuring stick to estimate when we might see new consoles overtake high-end computers.

I believe consoles will not be able to make a significant improvement over PCs until at least 2014 or 2015. This is when rumors indicate new forms of technology will be available for use at a price the public would see as reasonable. But just because technology is available doesn’t necessarily mean companies will want to rush something to market.

From a business perspective, the Xbox 360 and PS3 are only now starting to reach their peak. Xbox 360 is now the top-selling console every month in North America and other English-speaking parts of the world. And only recently has the PS3 started consistently earning net profits each financial quarter.

With that in mind, Microsoft and Sony probably aren’t in any rush to kill off the Xbox 360 and PS3, even if the technology was available. Microsoft recently released the Kinect, which immediately became the fastest-selling electronic item in history. By selling ten million units within a 60-day time period, Kinect is now in the Guiness Book of World Records. It would be foolish to put an end to the life of an Xbox 360 performing that well!

Sony’s initial investments in the launch of the PS3 caused a net loss of nearly $4 billion. After the disappointing launch of the PS3, Sony continuously saw net losses of hundreds-of-millions of dollars each financial quarter afterwards. From a financial point of view, it seems reasonable to presume that Sony wants the PS3 to last until 2016, if possible. This would be the only way for the PS3 to have any chance of earning an overall net profit during the course of its life on the market.

At this point in time I really doubt we will see a new Xbox console by 2014. But, we do know that Microsoft wants to expand the Halo series and Gears of War series. One hypothesis of mine is that a new series known as Pendulum Wars (a prequel to Gears of War) would be released with the third Xbox. If Epic spent three years developing this game, it would be ready by the end of 2014.

The question is if the technology available by 2014 would offer revolutionary advancements that a competitor like Sony would not be able to eclipse two years later. To be honest, I think Microsoft probably could have a big game from Epic, such as The Pendulum Wars, released by late 2014. But, it might be better for Microsoft to take their time getting everything right and putting all the icing on the cake. This would probably make 2015 a better release date, especially since Microsoft would continue earning money from the Xbox 360 the whole time.

Who is Your Favorite Gears of War Character?

Who is your favorite Gears of War charater?

This is the question many people have been asking recently. What I would like to know is who your favorite Gears of War character is and why.

Just write a brief statement like the one I write here:

Clayton Carmine once told his two younger brothers something they remembered for the rest of their lives: "Failure is a Badge of Honor."

Clayton Carmine used to live his life as a successful businessman. Clayton told his younger brothers that one of the classes they needed to take at the academy was called “Every Business is Built to Fail,” because you learn a lot from making mistakes in life. But the locusts killed his younger brothers, so now it’s personal!

In Gears of War 3, Clayton Carmine becomes an entrepreneur as a Locust Headhunter – a market he will dominate at the expense of the Locusts!

As long as the Locusts have manpower, Clayton Carmine Exterimation will remain in business with one very enthusiastic boss!

UPDATE: Wii 2 - Additional Info

UPDATE to my previous article here.

Over the course of the day, several new pieces of information have been revealed about the Wii 2.

First, it appears Nintendo will not be concentrating on 3D HDTV sets with the Wii 2. This is not a surprise, considering less than 1% of HDTV sets offer compatibility with 3D technology. Nintendo didn’t focus on HDTV sets with the Wii and they are not focusing on 3D HDTV sets with the Wii 2. Plus, using 3D technology has a negative impact on graphics, since it requires additional processing.

Second, the controller of the Wii 2 will apparently be some form of tablet technology. In other words, it will be similar to an iPad, but it will have buttons on it. This is going to be one of the big surprises that will be unveiled at E3. I know I'm already looking forward to seeing this!

Finally, the Wii 2 appears to offer hardware performance very similar to what is currently seen in the Xbox 360. The Xbox 360 uses a 3.2Ghz triple-core CPU along with a custom GPU from ATI. The Xbox 360 GPU shares many similarities with the R500 and R600 series of PC graphics cards from ATI. The R600 series assimilated many of the custom Xbox 360 technologies such as eDRAM technology and the Unified Shader architecture. This shows how far ahead of its time the Xbox 360 GPU was, since PC graphics cards didn’t see those features until 2007. The Xbox 360 hardware includes 512MB of Unified RAM and 10MB of eDRAM.

According to reliable sources, the Wii 2 will be based on a custom triple-core PowerPC processor from IBM. The Wii 2 will also probably be using an AMD graphics processor offering performance similar to an ATI 700 series graphics card. The Wii 2 will also include 512MB of RAM. This means the Wii 2 hardware will be virtually identical to the Xbox 360, which will make ports to and from the PC and Xbox 360 very easy and very inexpensive. It appears the Wii 2 will probably have the hardware edge over the Xbox 360, but it seems as though the high-end PC will remain king of graphics.

Compared to the PS3, the Wii 2 is very different. The PS3 uses 512MB of Non-Unified RAM, and is based on an outdated Non-Unified architecture. The overall design of the PS3 shares nothing in common with the Wii 2. The PS3 hardware has a reputation for being difficult, time-consuming, and expensive to program, since it is not based on standard PC technology that developers are familiar with. Ports to and from PC and Xbox 360 games often result in the PS3 version having graphics that aren’t as good as their counterparts. The same can be said about multiplatform games released simultaneously for PC, Xbox 360, and PS3.

This trend looks to continue for the PS3. In fact, it appears there is a risk that the situation will become even worse for the PS3, since the balance beam will be tipping even further away from the PS3. The Wii 2 will carry a lot of weight with third-party publishers looking to reduce development costs. Multiplatform games will be virtually identical on the PC, Wii 2, and Xbox 360, while the PS3 versions will probably offer a lower level of performance than ever. Developers aren’t going to want to hold themselves back from doing the best things possible on PC, Xbox 360, and Wii 2, just to keep the PS3 happy. The main areas that will be affected in multiplatform releases are resolution and frame rate.

Nintendo appears to have done an excellent job in the design and concept of the Wii 2. The hardware and features included in the Wii 2 have already generated a lot of hype due to the fact that they will be optimized to work with HDTV sets and home theater surround sound. This year’s E3 really will be one of the most exciting in a long time. I believe it will be particularly interesting to see how Microsoft and Sony respond to this announcement from Nintendo. Personally, I predict a price drop of at least $50 from both of them.

Wii 2 – New HD Console Being Unveiled by Nintendo at E3

The Electronic Entertainment Expo, usually referred to as the E3, is going to be particularly interesting this summer! Nintendo has recently let it slip (probably for publicity purposes) that they will be unveiling a new console based on high-definition technology. Reliable sources have claimed that the Wii 2 will be launched worldwide at the end of 2012.

This new Wii 2 console will be fully backwards-compatible with the existing Wii console. Backward compatibility is a feature gamers of the 21st century truly appreciate. It’s very common to hear Wii owners talk about how they love it how their Wii is backwards compatible with Nintendo’s Gamecube console. Presumably, the Wii 2 will also be backwards compatible with the Gamecube technology in the same way that the Wii is.

The Wii 2 is apparently the most powerful HD console ever created, with a design very similar to the Xbox 360. Currently the Xbox 360 has the most powerful GPU (Graphics Processing Unit) and has the ability to display more polygons than any other console –500,000,000 polygons per second. The Playstation 3 console can display up to 275,000,000 polygons per second. This is the reason why Xbox 360 versions of multiplatform software released by third-party game developers often have smoother frame rates and higher resolution than their counterparts on the PS3.

Apparently, the Wii 2 will be capable of displaying games in 1920x1080p resolution on a regular basis. The Xbox 360 and PS3 already have games that run in this 1080p resolution, but they represent only a small percentage of games. In reality, it would make more sense for the Wii 2 games to be based on a native resolution of 1280x720p, which would allow a smoother frame rate and a greater amount of lighting and shading techniques to be used.

Multiplatform games released for all the consoles may see the Wii 2 versions of games use the higher native resolution of 1920x1080p. The PS3 and Xbox 360 versions would be based on native resolutions of only 1280x720p. We have already seen quite a few Xbox 360 games run at resolutions of up to 40% higher than their PS3 counterparts.

For example, Soul Calibur 4 on the PS3 runs at a native resolution of 1280x720p. However, the developers realized the Xbox 360 had quite a bit of power remaining. This motivated the developers at Namco to increase the resolution of the Xbox 360 version by 40% so that it ran at a native resolution of 1365x960p. This is the type of environment we might expect the Wii 2 version to run at a native resolution of 1920x1080p.

Publishers that have seen this new console have claimed that Nintendo has already revealed to them that the Wii 2 will use a new form of controller, rather than an update to the existing Wii controller. Obviously the motion-control technology must still exist, since the Wii 2 keeps the name of Wii and is fully compatible with Wii software. This makes people wonder if Nintendo will be trying to use something similar to the very successful Kinect controller used with the Xbox 360.

What’s really interesting is that the Wii 2 controller is said to have a screen on it. This is something that hasn’t happened since Sega tried it in 1999 with the Dreamcast console. The Wii 2 takes this a step further by making it so the screen is touch-sensitive! The Wii 2 controller is also said to have some other surprises that Nintendo will show to us at this years E3. The first thought that springs into my mind is some form of 3D compatibility with the new 3DS handheld product from Nintendo.

I believe Nintendo is in an excellent position to continue their domination of the global videogame market. In 2005 Nintendo realized that only a small percentage of the market owned an HDTV, which is why Nintendo stayed away from that market. The Wii was less powerful than the Xbox 360 or the PS3, but the Wii sold far more units worldwide due to the fact that the Wii cost less money. Most people didn’t even consider the Wii as a direct competitor of the PS3 and Xbox 360.

Now, in 2011, the HD market has significantly grown, and will continue to grow by the time the Wii 2 launches in late 2012. Nintendo has always done their best to launch a console at the price of no more than $249. With that in mind, the Wii 2 will instantly be priced to compete with the various packages of Xbox 360 and PS3 when it launches in 2012. Considering that the Wii 2 will offer better graphics for a similar price, it seems reasonable that the Wii 2 really will allow Nintendo to remain leader of the videogame industry.

The Xbox 360 console currently can be purchased for as little as $199 for a new unit, but this does not include a hard drive. We do not yet know if the Wii 2 will include any form of hard drive. The Xbox 360 unit with a hard drive costs $299. You can also purchase an Xbox 360 without a hard drive with a Kinect packed in for $299. For $399 you can purchase an Xbox 360 with a 250GB hard drive and a Kinect packed in.

Playstation 3 sells for as little as $299 with a 160GB hard drive. For $349 you can buy the PS3 with a 320GB hard drive with the Move controller packed in. The Move is a motion-sensitive controller similar to what is used in the Wii. The Move has not been nearly as successful as the Kinect, so it remains to see what form of motion technology the Wii 2 is based on.

The Kinect technology is revolutionary and has very little in common with what is used in the Wii. Kinect launched during the fall of 2010 and quickly sold 10 Million units. Kinect is currently in the Guinness Book of World Records as the fastest-selling item in electronics history. There is no doubt that Kinect technology will be a part of Microsoft’s plans for a long time to come in areas of gaming, computers, home entertainment, and many other areas of living.

At this point in time it really did make sense for Nintendo to release a new console. Over the last year, the Wii has been declining in sales – each month being outsold by the Xbox 360. Right now, the Wii is often the odd-man-out when multiplatform games are released by third-party game companies. For example, games will be released for PC, Xbox 360, and PS3, but not for the Wii.

Even when games are released for the Wii, gamers often stay away from the Wii version because the Wii version has graphics that are far less impressive than what is seen on the PC, Xbox 360, or PS3. But with the Wii 2, gamers will want to buy the Wii 2 versions of games since they will be the best-looking console versions available. Only expensive high-end PCs will have graphics as good as the Wii 2.

This places some stress on Microsoft and Sony. Both companies are now being pressured into released consoles sooner than they wanted. Sony said from the beginning that they thought the PS3 would have a 10-year life expectancy. Microsoft never said how long they felt the Xbox 360 would be on the market, but they did say they believed this generation would last longer than any other previous generation – which it already has done.

Microsoft referred to the Kinect as a new launch for the Xbox 360. There is no doubt that the successor of the Xbox 360 will remain fully compatible with the Kinect. But we don’t know when Microsoft’s next console will arrive. Xbox 360 is selling better now than it ever has. Microsoft continues to earn net profit with the Xbox 360 and the Xbox Live gaming service.

Sony has a tough decision to make. Unless the PS3 can last 10 years, it is very likely that the PS3 will result in an overall financial net loss for Sony. It cost Sony billions of dollars to launch the PS3, and Sony continued to lose hundreds-of-millions of dollars each quarter afterward. The amount of net profit Sony has only recently started earning is very small; it won’t put a dent in the billions of dollars of loss the PS3 has cost Sony. This is why Sony needs to ask themselves if it would be better to forget about this generation in order to get an early start on the next generation or if it would be better to try and get as much as possible out of the PS3.

From a graphic point of view, it doesn’t make sense for Microsoft or Sony to launch a new console by 2012. The balance between graphic quality and the price of a console – directly related to the cost of launching that console – clearly shows that Microsoft and Sony would be better off living in a world where the Wii 2 has better graphics until about 2014. The Xbox 360 will continue to sell well and generate profit thanks to Kinect and Xbox Live. Net profit is the name of the game in business and Microsoft has achieved this goal with Xbox 360.

With that in mind, I think the soonest we will see a console from Microsoft is 2013 or 2014. Only then will graphics technology have reached far enough beyond the Xbox 360 that it makes sense for Microsoft to start a new hardware generation. Remember, the Wii 2 is a direct competitor of the Xbox 360 and the PS3; the Wii 2 does not start a “new” graphics generation the way the next Xbox would. The simple fact is, that type of graphics technology will not be available for a while.

Sony is a different story due to the lack of financial success associated with the Playstation 3. The PS3 is the least successful Playstation console that Sony has ever released. It was very arrogant of Sony to launch a console for $600. Sony had an amazing amount of momentum heading into this hardware generation. Yet all of that momentum attained from the success of the PS1 and PS2 was lost because they stumbled over their own arrogance.

This arrogance was directly related to Sony’s desire to try and turn the blu-ray disc into the format that replaced DVD. We do not know what format the Wii 2 will use. At this point in time it seems reasonable that Nintendo could include some form of blu-ray technology into the Wii 2 for a low price. However, it wouldn’t be a complete surprise to see Nintendo develop a proprietary disc format of their own. I doubt this will happen though, since many people believe the market failure of the Gamecube was caused by Nintendo’s decision to avoid the DVD format.

My prediction is that Nintendo will play it safe and use blu-ray technology for now. After all, Nintendo is designing the Wii 2 to be direct competitors with the Xbox 360 and the PS3, not their successors. I do believe that once Microsoft and Sony eventually release their next consoles, we will see that blu-ray becomes an outdated format. Developers in this generation have already said that blu-ray discs do not offer enough storage space.

Once the Wii 2 is released, we will see that Nintendo is once again included in the lives of console gamers that want the best graphics. Games will be released for PC, Xbox 360, PS3, Wii, and Wii 2. Console gamers that want the best graphics will be purchasing the game for Wii 2.

It also will be interesting to see what type of online services Nintendo will be offering for the Wii 2. Currently in the videogame industry, it is generally agreed upon that the Xbox Live service of the Xbox 360 is a full generation ahead of what is offered by Nintendo and Sony for the Wii and PS3, respectively. But the Wii 2 isn’t meant to put Nintendo into the“next” generation. The Wii 2 is merely meant to pull Nintendo into the current high-definition generation in a way that competes directly with the Xbox 360 and PS3 on a technological level. I believe the Wii 2 will probably use the same form of online service as the Wii.

This year’s Electronic Entertainment Expo will certainly be a very interesting event that all of us are looking forward to!

UPDATE: You can read more about the Wii 2 here.

Stock Market Proves Trade Success, Indicating Economic Recovery

I believe the stock market is a way to reliably estimate what lies ahead for a nation's economy. The stock market is a very basic way to measure the success of large-scale trading in an economy. Generally speaking, the stock market of an individual nation reveals what lies ahead for the economy of that particular nation and its citizens since an economy is based on trade.

Economics is a very complex subject taught in colleges by highly educated professors using well-written textbooks. Economics can be a subject that helps form a plan toward the recovery of a nation if executed properly. But we also need to remember that these complex economic lessons based on intricate mathematics are what helped put our nation in debt. Economics is a subject very vulnerable to random variables such as natural disasters and selfish spending.

I believe we need to look to something far more basic to examine whether or not our economy is on the way to recovery. Mathematics, logic, and science are good subjects to compare to economics. But I believe that making comparison in basic real-world ways is better than making comparisons in theoretical ways that few of us ever experience in the real world.

For example, if you want to do things in a complex way, you can easily show that 2+2=0. All you need to do is show two pieces of matter being added to two pieces of antimatter and you end up with nothing. But in the real world of everyday living, the 300 Million citizens of America don’t face that situation.

The world we live in is based on very basic principles each day. If you catch four fish, you have four fish to either eat, store, or trade for something else. That form of logic really is what the concept of trade, and therefore economics, is based on.

When President Obama took office, the Dow stock market was only at 7,000. Now the Dow stock market is over 12,000. If it wasn't for the fact that the nation of Greece experienced an economic bankruptcy that affected world economy, our Dow stock market probably would be over 13,000 right now.

This means the American economy has definitely come out of its recession and is well on its way to prosperity again. Proof of this is the fact that the number of jobs in America is rising. It is only a matter of time until this initial seed of prosperity grows and starts producing financial fruit that all American citizens will enjoy the taste of.

Even states hurt the worst by the recession, such as Michigan, are now reporting a huge growth in jobs. I was watching TV a couple weeks ago and I saw that analysts had predicted only 6,000 new jobs were going to come to Michigan during that particular time period. Instead, 60,000 new jobs came to Michigan – literally ten times what was predicted!

The only thing that isn’t great in this scenario is that these jobs aren't high-paying jobs. Obviously, having some form of job is better than no job at all. Unfortunately, most of these new jobs aren't the types of jobs that you can raise a family on while living the quality middle class life we have grown to desire in America.

This new wave of jobs tends to be based on low-paying work done by unskilled employees in entry-level positions. These types of jobs are appreciated by college students and adults looking to make extra money on weekends. The good news about these entry-level positions is that there is room for advancement as time goes on and experience is gained. This type of career advancement usually results in an increase in pay, which hard-working employees always value.

These types of entry-level jobs do play a role in the economy; they actually represent what economies are based on. With a larger number of jobs of any kind, a larger sum of money will be circulating in the economy. More people will be purchasing products and services, which will result in a need to hire more employees. This creates an economic cycle that, in theory, should gradually continue to improve the economy.

As a larger number of employees are hired to satisfy production needs and service needs, it will be necessary to hire skilled employees that earn higher wages. Employees will be hired as well-educated supervisors and well-trained managers – roles that usually pay a higher salary. This is when the economy really starts to take off and an even larger number of jobs are created. The only bad thing about this scenario is that it won’t last forever.

Currently, the flood of jobs is helping college students and adults work and spend money on hobbies and food. Things like videogames, electronics, clothes, movies, jewelry, and other items. But these jobs are planting the financial seeds needed to produce a financial harvest in the economy. In other words, these jobs help circulate money around us in our own nation – a crucial factor to achieving a strong national economy in world trade.

Now, rather than watching our government pay unemployment to Americans living in an economy with no jobs, we see that more Americans have the ability to work on their own and make their lives better. We just need to make sure that we continue trading with each other as often as possible; that way, our money remains circulating in our own economy. This is particularly true in the automotive industry.

President Obama literally saved both General Motors and Chrysler from going out of business. Ford would have survived, even without the bailout of President Obama; however, it is obvious that Chrysler and GM would have gone out of business. Companies like Ford and Toyota would not have been able to simply “Eat their share of the market.” The inefficient share of the market held by GM and Chrysler would have been poisonous to Ford and Toyota.

If GM and Chrysler would have gone bankrupt, as they inevitably would have, it would have instantly put hundreds of thousands of workers out of work. But most people fail to realize this negative impact would have continued to affect millions of others. Companies that supply parts to GM and Chrysler have millions of workers all over the country that would have been put out of work.

I believe this economic impact would have produced a domino affect so huge that it proved something for the second time in history. This domino effect would have demonstrated that the concept of exclusive capitalism is always destined to kill itself, just like we saw during the Great Depression. Thankfully, our economy isn’t entirely based on capitalism at this point in time. Our government now runs a slightly modified form of capitalism that has the ability to help companies like Chrysler and GM, which are crucial to the economy.

Now that President Obama has given GM and Chrysler the ability to restore themselves, it is amazing how these two companies have been restored to net profitability so quickly. In fact, these auto companies have already started issuing large profit-sharing checks to entry-level factory workers on production lines! This is something I hadn’t seen in a very long time. Thanks to the auto bailout, it is obvious that the American auto industry appears to be on a long road of success. ;)

It's only a matter of time until we feel this economic recovery in other industries, as well. Quite a few of the industries in America were never affected at all by the recession. I’ve seen quite a few statistics that prove the industries of electronics and videogames have always remained very strong.

For example, Kinect is a product recently released for the Xbox 360. This revolutionary motion-controller device has already sold over 10 Million units. Kinect is now in the Guinness Book of World Records as the fastest selling item in electronics history! This seems to be a great example of how several industries were not affected at all by any form of recession.

I am 100% convinced the economy is well on its way to a recovery. The only question is “when” everyone will feel the blessings of this recovery. This prosperity package has already been ordered, it’s just a matter of time until it arrives. Please share your thoughts by writing a Comment.

Xbox 360: Great Discounts and Free Deals!

Microsoft has announced that from April 12-18 you will be able to purchase five Xbox Live Arcade games for 50% off. These really are some great games from Capcom that can be purchased for some great prices!

Here is a list of these Xbox 360 games and their prices:

* Final Fight: Double Impact (400 Points)
* Marvel vs Capcom 2 (600 Points)
* Mega Man 10 (400 Points)
* Bionic Commando: Rearmed (400 Points)
* Super Street Fighter 2 Turbo HD Remix (600 Points)
Note: 400 Points is equal to about $5 while 600 Points is equal to about $7.50

Epic has recently announced that they are releasing the soundtrack of their videogame called Bulletstorm to the public for free. All you need to do is visit their website and download the file here: http://epicgames.com/community/2011/04/fan-freebies-get-the-bulletstorm-soundtrack/

If you enjoy that type of videogame music, you will probably be glad you were able to get that type of soundtrack for free.

Once you have downloaded this file, just right-click on the file and click Unzip or Extract, depending on what operating system you are running.

Gears of War 3 is King of Graphics and Co-Op Gameplay!

Gears of War is generally considered the greatest Third-Person Shooter game series ever released. This has been proven time after time by incredibly high reviews from professional sources and incredibly high ratings from all the reliable fans in the world. Gears of War is the games series that has spent more time on top of the graphics throne than any other videogame series this generation. 

Recently a new game called Crysis 2 was released for the Xbox 360. The Xbox 360 version of Crysis 2 has been called “The most graphically impressive game ever released for any console.” But Gears of War 3 definitely proves that Gears of War 3 is the new champion waiting to be crowned when it launches this September. 

One of the main reasons why Crysis 2 looks so great is because you can see so far into the distance – far further than a game like Killzone 3 on the PS3. The campaign of Crysis 2 is amazing in that aspect. The outdoor environments are filled with realistic types of lighting, shading, reflections, and lens flare that most First-Person Shooter games don’t focus much attention on. Cyrsis 2 obviously uses the newest technology available to developers in modern-day graphics engines. 

Gears of War 3 uses graphics technology based on the newest version of Epic’s Unreal Graphics Engine – the most popular graphics engine this generation. Developers programming Gears of War 3 now have access to all sorts of graphics techniques that were not previously available in videogames. Gears of War 3 is a showpiece designed to illustrate all of the amazing graphic and gaming features developers will now have access to if they use the new Unreal graphics engine technology that Epic has created. 

This is the reason why Gears of War 3 has such an incredibly high development budget and developers are taking their time to make sure everything about the game is nearly perfect. Normally, shooting games such as Call of Duty, Halo, and Gears of War are limited to two years of development time. But Gears of War 3 has been given three years of development time so developers know how to use all that new graphics technology. The thought of the skilled developers at Epic having that much time to work on Gears of War 3 really puts a smile on my face. 

Gears of War 2 used the same graphics engine as the first Gears of War game. Only minor adjustments were made to improve graphics. The reason for this is because the first game was created in about two years, while the second game was actually released with less than two years time of development. Gears of War 3 is the first Gears of War sequel that will be using technology that has been significantly updated.

Gears of War 3 almost looks like a "next-gen" type of game because it is so far ahead of Gears 1 and Gears 2 in so many ways. Gears of War 3 has an incredibly far-reaching line of sight, similar to Crysis 2. When you are playing in an environment where it is possible to see small details from a far distance, you see all of those details in Gears of War 3. 

What’s even more amazing is that weather has an affect on virtually everything. The lighting, shading, reflections and lens flare are just as good as Crysis 2, if not better. But Gears of War 3 takes this a step further by adding storms, lightning, rain, and other environmental affects that are each influenced by moving objects and weather. The reason for this is because the new Unreal Engine has so many graphics modifications and improvements, it is absolutely incredible! 

I studied the new Unreal Engine and everything new to Gears of War 3. Like I said, there are all sorts of weather tricks and graphic techniques to make fire, smoke, wind, lighting, shading, and reflections react perfectly in relation to everything else. For example, now we see Cole's Thrashball helmet has high-gloss reflections and lighting, just like a real football helmet. 

Another example would be how the women in Gears of War 3 have faces and hair with so many polygons it looks vastly superior to other games. For example, I was watching how a new female villain character in Uncharted 3 has an area of the face around the jaw area that is made up of straight lines instead of curves. Having a face that isn’t curved shows there’s not enough polygons available for the character in that graphics engine. It isn’t like that in Gears of War 3 where the female characters have nicely curved faces. 

This can also be applied to hair seen on characters, which is why it is much more noticeable when looking at a female. In Uncharted 3 the female villain looks like she has about four or five patches of texture-mapped polygon hair, similar to a low-polygon PS2 game. These patches of hair are clumped together in a triangular way that doesn’t look realistic compared to the men in Uncharted. In Gears of War 3 the females have nicely designed hair that curves and runs smoothly, even blowing in the wind while fighting during thunderstorms! 

One look at Gears of War 3 and you will see the new Unreal Engine is absolutely phenomenal. This is particularly true when used with the high-power GPU (Graphics Processing Unit) of the Xbox 360. The Xbox 360 GPU is the most powerful GPU ever in a gaming console. 

The way Epic has it set up so you can customize and unlock your weapons in Gears of War 3 is awesome. The thought of having a pink lancer or an orange shotgun really brings a smile to my face for one simple reason: it is fun! This is the Gears of War equivalent to having a Star Wars collection of light sabers with various colors. 

The way Gears of War 3 has 4-player Co-Op in the Campaign mode is fantastic! There are parts of the Gears of War 3 Campaign where you will be fighting alongside all four of your teammates. There will be other times where two of you split down one road and two of you split down another road, and then meet up somewhere. And there will even be certain spots where all four of you split up on your own! 

During these co-op moments, all of you will still be talking with each other on your Xbox Live headset microphone. Even when you are split apart from your teammates, you will be telling your friends what or whom you are fighting against. Just hearing about what your friends are going through, hearing them say things like “Whoa!” and “Man that hurt!” and “I finally got that guy!” is going to add to the fun of Gears of War 3! 

Gamestop is the best place to preorder Gears of War 3. You get the ability to play a beta test of Gears 3 later this month. You will be helping to improve the game! Plus, you will also be able to earn custom forms of weapons, armor, helmets, and other stuff that can be used in the final version of the game when it is released in September! With your input and suggestions, virtually every aspect of Gears of War 3 is going to be nearly perfect! 

And just so you know, those custom forms of weapons, armor, helmets, shields, and other items are actually valuable in the real world! Believe it or not, custom items like those sell for quite a bit of money online! Gears of War 2 launched with a special Golden Lancer if you preordered the game. I’ve seen the token code that allows you to get that Golden Lancer being sold for hundreds of dollars online! 

Gears of War 3 is definitely ahead of the pack! It will definitely be the king of graphics when this year comes to an end, and it will have the best Co-Op Campaign mode any Gears of War game has ever seen. There is even a new mode where we get to play “as” the Locusts and beat up on the COG soldiers such as Marcus Fenix, Dom, Cole, Anya, and the oldest brother in the family, Clayton Carmine (seeking revenge for the death of his younger brothers). 

Gears of War 3 is definitely a winner, so preorder now while you still can! … And let’s hope the character named Clayton Carmine lives! 

Here is a video for you to see for yourself:

 

More Gears of War 3 Videos

Here is a great new video called the Horde 2.0 Briefing. The graphics are unbelievably impressive -- far beyond anything seen on a console so far. The new game play modes add unlimited replay value and significantly increase the strategy level used in the game.

More Gears of War 3 Videos

Are Free-to-Play Games Really Free?

Xbox 360 will be receiving quite a few games that are free to play later this year. But the question is, “Are they really free to play?” Let’s examine some of the facts in order to find the answer to that question.

The free-to-play games are based on a business model that allows the game to be played for free by anyone. All you need to do is download the game for free, and then play with others online. Xbox Live Silver members can download the games for free and play them offline at any time. But in order to play online against other players you will need to subscribe to Xbox Live Gold.

Xbox Live Gold is by far the greatest online gaming service ever created – a full generation ahead of any other online gaming service. But Xbox Live Gold is not a free service, since you do need a subscription to use it. Xbox Live Gold subscriptions can be purchased anytime for a price of $50 per year, but you can usually find better deals. For example, I recently saw a deal where for $40 you could subscribe for 12+1 (13) months. This means that for only $3 per month (or about one dime per day) you can play the greatest online gaming service ever.

Most gamers with an Xbox 360 already subscribe to Xbox Live Gold. From the point of view of these gamers, the free-to-play games are available for free since they do not require any type of additional purchase to download and play. Besides, even if you don’t subscribe to Xbox Live Gold you still could play the games offline for free with Xbox Live Silver. This means that up to this point the free-to-play games are in fact “free.”

But we all know that nothing is free. If something sounds too good to be true, it probably is. So, what is the catch with these free-to-play games; how do they make their money? Games that are free-to-play make their money by giving you the option to purchase low-priced downloadable expansions.

For example, fully-customized items such as weapons, armor, shields, vehicles, and helmets are all available for a price. Gamers that downloaded the game for free will all have the same basic outfit or drive the same basic vehicle. But the developers and producers of the game will make a lot of money when gamers want to customize those outfits, vehicles, bases, stadiums, helmets, and other items. Many of these expansions will be available only for a limited time. This will create a fully-customized videogame world that gamers really feel a part of.

The free-to-play games are excellent because they allow you to try a game for free to see if you like it. You really can play it with all of your friends for free if you want to. You won’t have the customized stuff that they do, but at least you will still be a part of the fun. Thus, the conclusion is that free-to-play games are in fact free if you choose not to play online with other gamers or do any customization. But if you want to play with other gamers across the world and customize your gaming world, it will cost you a little bit of money.

I hope you enjoyed reading this!

Sincerely,

Michael Zoran

[email protected]

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