News links; Back to the doc...

I go back to my GP this afternoon to get the final OK to go back to work. Whatever the pain I have whilst working, at least I'm pretty sure I'm not going to have a blood clot go to my lungs or brain. That's a plus, since my brain is my second favorite organ. I've got plans laid on: pill organizers, folding bed, etc. all just waiting to be loaded into the Jeep. I'm heading out early to avoid the worst of the heat, leaving Reibo in charge of the HQ. Posting may be spotty, as I've warned before, as I'm not sure what condition I'm going to be in... Bear with me.

The post in yesterday's vent was mostly about Activision CEO Bobby Kotick's desire to get a cut of the online gaming action, money-wise. The story was echoed in a bazillion online gaming news sites. Still think it's a dumbass idea. If I understand the concept, Kotick is talking to major PC makers Dell and Gateway about making 'HDTV ready' PCs. The concept is that, if a PC were readily available that could plug into your HDTV, Kotick could then launch a PC based gaming service with the PC acting as a console. Problem is, there's this little thing called Xbox Live. Oh, yeah, and PSNet. As pointed out in the BASHandSlash link in the main blog, most FPS players who play on PC aren't going to give up the precision of keyboard and mouse for the ten-thumbed awkwardness of an analog controller. Maybe that will change when the current generation of dinosaurs from the pre-console days dies off, but it ain't happening now.

Anyway, a lot of PCs come with HDMI outputs already. My humble $500 notebook has an HDMI-out. The real question is: Will any COD-obsessed gamer pay for a monthly service to game on a PC device when he already gets all that and more free on the PC and PSNet and for a nominal fee on Xbox Live? Unless the CoD game in question is one that beams 3D strippers into my living room, the answer is a flat no. (In fact, to paraphrase my Vent from yesterday, it's a hearty 'Fuck, no!' to the question.) Moving on...

Uploaded 5 July 2010 by IIJERiiCHOII

 

• Call of Duty: Black Ops screenies.
• Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 'Resurgence' map pack due for release today on PS3.
• The PC: Gaming's Savior? Nope. Bobby Kotick looking to create an independent gaming service for Call of Duty?
• Kotick wants to decrease Xbox Live and PSN dominance.

• Crackdown 2 reviews: Joystiq; WorthPlaying; GamePro; Ars Technica.
• Team Fortress 2's engineer now dispensing frontier justice with new Old West style shotgun.
• Rage 25,600x16000 rez screenshots. Seriously.
• NASA's Moonbase Alpha MMO launches.
• Combat Arms launches 'Supersoldier' mode, mini-missions, more.
• Blizzard fanfic writing contest. Write fiction set in the Diablo, StarCraft, or WarCraft universe and profit! Contest FAQ.
• The iPhone 4: Largest 'console' launch ever? Destructoid thinks so.
• Survey: 64% of gamers prefer physical media over downloads.

• Ars Technica reviews Android 2.2 on the Nexus One. Also, Samsung and LG plan Android-based tablets.
• Apple iPhone 4 having proximity sensor problems.
• How Apple really feels about its customers revealed.
• Photo kiosks infecting users USB devices?
• Microsoft changes its name in Japan.
• IGN reviews Inception.
• Ultrasonic blast puts the lead back in your pencil.
• Porn pranksters afflict YouTube; fix issued.