Artless Gamer

ZOMG. So much memory.

As many have already heard, Microsoft is going to ban the use of unauthorized memory cards with the release of the upcoming Dashboard update. This update will introduce some features such as Twitter, Facebook and LastFM support amongst some other useless addons that will keep me from playing games and instead lurking on Twitter.

I can understand the general panic about this change as even myself have had some issues with save game backups and the lack of readily available official memory units. I have opted not to use any unauthorized hardware and have simply abandoned my old save games that were on my RRoDed Xbox 360.

I can deal with it. At least it gives me a good reason to play all these wonderful games again. What worried me most, though was whether I would be able to still plug in a regular HDD to watch movies.

Good news, then. People in the update preview program have already reported that hacked USB HDDs are still working after the update. To me this means that regular USB drives are still accepted by the Xbox and I can still watch my movies. I hate streaming.

TLDR?

USB HDDs still work after the new XBL update that will ban all unauthorized storage devices.

Popularity: 52% [?]

Big Daddy or VR

Looks like gaming is taking a step further towards proper virtual reality. The BBC featured this article about an all new form of real time gaming. I am not sure that this can be called virtual reality, though. It’d be more like transposed reality.

To summarize the article, laser sensors and cameras will be used to map out the entire area of a racing track which will be made available for download to gamers. After download of the track, gamers can use the recorded copy of the track to race along with the real racers – at the same time.

What catches my interest is the future use of this technology. In the article they are talking about using this on different sports such as skiing and sailing. I suppose on the internet we can be a little more frank with our anticipations. I want Call of Duty Modern Warfare 3 to be making use of this technology. Demolition Derby would be Streifenhecht’s first choice. Personally, I’d rather run the “real” streets of New Mombasa and hunt down some “real” Brutes.

Just imagine Leroy Jenkins in one of these.

They claim this tech will be ready in 2010. I am not so sure that our processing power will be ready for it, though. Or is it our wallets that won’t be ready? I am not so sure. If it’s going to be out there next year, though, I hope consoles will be the first ones to test drive this. I don’t want to buy yet another new graphics card.

Another concern would be the distinct lack of video game feeling. We play video games with high expectations in graphic design and performance. But nobody really expects 1:1 likeness to real life. I wonder if this technology could take away some of the “wonder” of video gaming.

We’ll see, I guess.

Popularity: 41% [?]

We’re live and soon you’ll find all the little useful things you won’t find on the manufacturer’s pages.

Popularity: 66% [?]