Playing to the Crowd

I've added a new section on Homebrew stuff on my blog's navigation pane (just below the collectibles section), so it wouldn't be a pain (pun not intended) to look for homebrew articles on this blog. At the moment, this humble section contains only 3 articles:

• R4DS Review
• Quake DS
• Running Homebrew On A Nintendo DS using A R4DS

On to other things; Play-Asia's Crazy Week ends this Thursday. Since one of the more exasperating questions that I have encountered from other Nintendo DS users is "How do I get connected to Nintendo's WFC without a WiFi router/Access Point?", my suggestion would be to get any of the USB WiFi Adaptors on sale (20% off the normal price) at Play-Asia now!

The list includes a bunch of products from Datel, but all of them should work with a Nintendo DS; anything else would probably be a reason for raising the price. Personally, I'm using a Mayflash WiFi Link, and there are no problems so far.

• Datel Wifi Max (Nintendo DS, DSL, Wii) (here)
• Datel Wifi Max (Nintendo DS) (here)
• Datel Wifi Max (Nintendo DS, DSL, Wii, PS3, PSP) (here)
• Mayflash Wifi Link (Nintendo DS, DSL, PSP) (here)
• Nintendo Wi-Fi USB Connector (here)
  

Video Games in Mainstream News

How often do you see news articles regarding the video games industry in mainstream news? Most of the time, you'll see them when:

a. There's a new video game console launch, heralding the next generation in graphics, gameplay, bla bla bla
b. The fiscal year just ended and video game companies would like to show off their earnings (or be a little discreet about their losses, less someone else reports on them)
c. Another massacre just happened like the one in Columbine and there's no better excuse than to blame the video game industry.

So what recent mainstream news article caught your eye lately (in relation to the video games industry)? There's only one that I can think of:

• Games 'make drivers go faster' (BBC News)(Original article: here)
  

Everybody Loves That Robot Cat

Aside from Transformers and Robotech, the other TV programme that took up a chunk of my childhood television viewing time was Doraemon. I'm willing to bet that people loved that ear-less robot cat at some point of their lives. Even now, I find reading Doraemon comics while sitting on the "throne" to be an excellent way of passing motion..I mean time.

Doraemon has found it's way to the Nintendo DS (again), in the form of a new game by Sega, titled Doraemon: Nobita no Shin Makai Daibouken DS. It wasn't the game that suprised me (it was a given, considering the popularity of both the DS and Doraemon in Japan) but the Doraemon-themed accessories that were launched around the same time as the game.

First up is the Dorameon Compact Pouch DS Lite. Honestly, I don't want to be caught dead walking down the street with this thing. The same goes for the Doraemon Pouch DS Lite. I once saw someone straping something similar (but of a Mario theme) to his bag pack and nothing feeds the stereotype of "gamers being overweight OTAKUs with poor fashion sense" better than that.

The Doraemon Starter Kit for the DS Lite doesn't seem half as bad as the two previous accessories. Consisting of stickers, screen protectors and perhaps some other stuff that I couldn't make out from the screenshot, it's probably the a stepping stone to "pimping your NDSL".

I wouldn't recommend these stuff, but the game is a minor curiousity, considering that it has support for the WFC service. Purchase information and product details can be obtain at Play-Asia by clicking on the links above.

A History of Electronic Arts

If you ever played video games on your PC or on a console (both previous and current generation ones), chances are you might have played games published by Electronic Arts. This behemoth of the video games industry is pretty hard to miss, delivering hits after hits on multiple platforms, but have you ever wondered about the history behind the company?

If you do, then I have nothing but good news for you. Gamasutra has an online article detailing the history of Electronic Arts and it makes for an interesting read covering areas such as its conception, the evolution of its games and the way EA does business. To read the article, click here.

Nintendo DS. Last Bastion for Old School PC Gaming?

My reply in a forum regarding Lunar Knights, an action RPG for the Nintendo DS had me reminiscing about old school 2D isometric PC games such as Crusader: No Regret (and No Remorse) and Diablo. Does anyone in the PC games industry plan to release a game along the lines of such classics anymore? These games have gone the way of the dodo, just like what adventure games are facing now on the PC platform.

The Nintendo DS would make a happy home for 2D isometric games, given that its hardware doesn't churn out really great 3D graphics but still is pretty good for anything else. It doesn't hurt as well that the stylus/touch screen combination makes for an excellent replacement for a mouse.


Since such staples such as Simcity and Theme Park are coming to this platform (I love these games as well), I have hope for more old school PC titles to be ported over to the DS. What PC games would I like to see on the DS? Well, here are several that I can think of:

• Crusader: No Regret/Crusader: No Remorse
• Civilization
• Diablo

On a side note, Sim City DS will be released on the 22nd of February for the Japanese-languaged version. Click here for purchase details.

Theme Park DS will be released on the 15th of March for the same region. Click here for purchase details.

The Next Best Thing

Supposedly Chinese New Year just ended and you have collected a nifty sum of around RM500, which you, having not owned a video game console before, intend on using to enter a whole new world filled with surreal sights and sounds. But lets face it, RM 500 is chump change for upgrading your PC and it only covers a fraction of the price tag for any of the current generation consoles: the PS3, Xbox 360 and the Wii.

So, what does an aspiring but broke (despite having RM 500) video gamer do? Well, for starters, do yourself a favour and get a PS2. Why a PS2 you ask? Here are the reasons:

• It's a video games console just past its peak (not that outdated)
• It has a huge library of games and plenty of AAA titles, some of which still look very pretty by today's standards. The PS2 is also the bastion of Final Fantasy games and if you are a fan, you should really be looking into getting this console.
• Great 1st and 3rd party hardware support. Steering wheels, gamepads (wired or wireless, have your pick), dance mats, and the Eye toy are just some of the peripherals that you can connect with a PS2
• Parts and expertise are easily found should the need arise.
• Original games are selling for cheap, get them brand new at online retailers like Play-Asia or at your local brick and mortar store. You can also get them secondhand on eBay.
  
• You can get a 2nd-hand PS2 for around RM 400 and you'll have spare change for games!
  

Fancy Hot Coffee on Your Lap?

Video game violence and U.S politicians have been pretty cosy bedfellows for quite sometime. It is not uncommon to hear politicians condemn video game violence (and sex); they have been doing this since the 90s when the first wave of violent-themed games arrived, led by id Software's Wolfenstein 3D and Doom.

The backlash from the politicians was even stronger in the days after the Columbine massacre and things came to a boil when Rockstar Games shot themselves in the foot with the Hot Coffee scandal.

Just yesterday, the Pope decided to lend his weight into this issue of video game violence, stating that "Any trend to produce programs and products -- including animated films and video games -- which in the name of entertainment exalt violence and portray anti-social behavior or the trivialization of human sexuality is a perversion" and that it is repulsive when these "programs" are directed at children.

I tend to agree with his statement and despite having made a mockery of ERSB ratings quite some time ago, I believe that the ratings when combined with parental supervision (and awareness when purchasing games) would actually make a difference on how children are exposed to video games in the area highlighted by the pontiff.

However, video gaming is largely perceived as a community and children, easily impressionable, would like to do things adults do (or play) and thus would naturally want in. Hop in to any cybercafe and you'll see my point; primary school children who are as good or even better in Counterstrike then you and me both and probably are engaging in far worse smack-talk then we had in our day.

The day would come when video game violence will lead to something that would eclipse every single scandal/controversy. Detractors may say that video games are after all video games, but doesn't that also nullify the good points of games (better hand-eye coordination, problem solving)? I would not be suprised at all.

Edit: I found the transcript of the Pope's message yesterday at work (break time surfing) but I couldn't find it last night when I was updating this blog at home. So here you go (link).