“Proud Princeton dropout” Seth Priebatsch runs SCVNGR, a mobile start-up trying to build the game layer on top of the world.
Archive for category Gaming
This is for users that are starting to get bored of just “Checking-in” on foursquare and could care less about in-store promotions. Mayor War, is a new social gaming app for foursquare that allows you to build an army and attack other venues. The game logic is dead-simple and easy to follow. First you choose your home base, then target a venue, and then select a method of attack. As you earn experience points and gold bonuses, you can then buy more weapons to help your chances of winning and killing off your targets.
Cool Hunting has a slick new iPad App to easily read stories and videos by simply scrolling and swiping through all of their stories or by filtering by category. One of the main reasons that I love this app is that they’ve taken the time to create a user experience that is optimized for the iPad as opposed to trying to simply porting over their web site experience. Kudos to Josh and crew.
Download it here.
http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/cool-hunting/id363585832?mt=8
Monopoly City Streets Demo
Sep 17
1.7m players tried out Monopoly City Streets, the MMO adaptation of the classic board game last week and crashed the system. Hasbro witnessed such a huge level of demand for Monopoly City Streets that the service crashed. The crash was so bad that Hasbro was quoted as saying that it ‘compromised data’ on its servers and that a total reset of its servers was necessary. Looks like everyone will have start building their empires from scratch again.
Parallel Kingdom
May 16
Parallel Kingdom is one of the first Mobile Multiplayer Trans-Reality Game (MMTRG) for the cell phone. Parallel Kingdom brings new meaning to role playing games by using GPS to place the virtual world on top of the real world. By using any iPhone or Android based device, users can attack, dance, hug or team up with anyone around them. Set up trade routes, craft items or even create their own kingdom.
[via IntoMobile]
France-based mobile game developer Int13 started porting their Crazy Kart 2 game over to the iPhone. As far as we know, users should expect 320×320 pixels playing area, on-screen virtual steering wheel, 3 vehicle classes (karts, motorbikes, hovercrafts), 6 characters with different vehicles, downloadable content (new vehicles and tracks), and WiFi online multiplayer mode with match making and up to four simultaneous players!
According to Int13, the game which was originally created for Windows Mobile and Symbian platforms, was not too hard to adapt for the Apple iPhone, though they are still evaluating alternatives like tilt control and landscape display support.
Finally, the Int13 folks are already planning a sequel with a full 3D accelerated engine that will be specially designed for Apple’s handset. In the meantime, stay tuned for July when CrazyKart 2 is scheduled to be released… A demo video follows after the jump.
It looks like Samsung and Adidas couldn’t just stand idly-by as Nike & Apple scooped up all of the consumers within the fitness meets gadgets meets training landscape. The new Samsung Adidas F110 is a quad-band GSM slider handset pre-loaded with fitness oriented features. The phone is capable of serving up heart rate, distance run, calories burned and running time data as long as the pedometer and heart-rate monitor are connected. In addition to the phone, pedometer, and heart-rate monitor is a workout-application website called miCoach which offers up to 220 different training programs that are downloadable.
Dave, Unit, and Sir-G, the realist gamers on the planet, get it together to bring you tips, skits and tricks from the hottest new titles in gaming, including …
* A preview of graphics and weapons (including the The Groovitron!) from Ratchet & Clank Future: Tools of Destruction, a beautiful game for the PlayStation3
* In the Boss Beatdowns segment, learn how to take down the Boss Roach in Heavenly Sword
* Quick Fix covers Warhawk (PS3), a fresh re-make of the original PlayStation game
Chevron leverages the online gaming space to explore thorny isssues surrounding energy use in industrialized cities. With the help of The Economist Group and data from various intelligence sources, Chevron worked with their Agency partners Wunderman and Y&R to launch “Energyville.” Engeryville is set in an animated environment with an overflow of facts that are meant to inform and educate users about how to control the economic and environmental destinies of their city of choice. Users can choose up to eight energy sources to power their city up until 2015 and 10 different sources up until 2030.
[via Creativity]
Saatchi joins the videogame party debuting a Yaris game on XBOX Live Arcade. Designed in concert with Backbone Entertainment, a division of Foundation 9 Entertainment, who handled production, “Yaris” is the first free downloadable brand-sponsored title to reach XBOX Live Arcade audience, which has more than 7 million subscribers. The drive’n’shoot stars a customizable Yaris and works with the Live Arcade features like multiplayer, leaderboards and achievements.
Augmented reality gaming has yet to fully take-off as a viable alternative to console gaming or even mobile gaming. However, as the technologies necessary to support this type of gameplay inch closer to reality we just might see more and more game heads indulging in games similar in the one showcased in this HP Demo.
Today, Nintendo announced a new Wii Peripheral, which resembles a step-pad type device. The step-pad device allows you to do sit-ups, push-ups, jump rope, and other aerobic exercises if you own the Wii Fit game. Amazingly, the game will monitor your health rating and provide mini-games to get slimmed down and toned. The device can even calculate your weight or body mass index. Dope stuff indeed.
NIKE+ Fueling Strong Sales
Dec 22
Nike just announced a 10% increase in sales for its second quarter to $3.8 billion and a 8% increase in net income to $325.6 million. Much of that increase is being fueled by Nike+. In a company conference call, one Nike executive mentioned that “Nike+ is turning out to be huge. In less than 6 months, Nike+ users have logged more than 3 million miles and there are over 3 million Plus-ready shoes in the global marketplace and Nike expects that number to double by year end.”
The consumer uptake to the concept of Nike+ has been extremely positive. Blogger, Cabel Maxfield Sasser, recently blogged about Nike+ as the “Multiplayer Game of the Year”. For those that are new to the Nike+ concept, you should read Cabel’s posting. It articulately deconstructs all of the key features of Nike+ and how the product is ultimately redefining consumer’s relationships with the sport of running.
Read How Nike’s iPod Connection paid off.
Read Cabel’s Blog.
TrueGameHeadz
Sep 4
Everyone should go check out TrueGameHeadz, a new blog created with the help of my friend and fellow Bronx native, David Ross. The site has only been up for a few weeks and there are already over 100 postings.
To understand where these guys are coming from, here’s a quote from their website, “We have been playing games since the old age of Atari 2600 and have gathered every system and worthwhile game since! This site was actually formed based on the stress of reviewers not giving the consumers the “real” on games. A lot of reporters in the industry have either become jaded or too friendly with the developers to give a real account of games. We feel that this may have helped stunt the industry as innovation and good gameplay has been tossed to the side in lieu of sequels and exciting Hollywood or Comic book crossovers.”
LOS ANGELES (Reuters) – Microsoft Corp. on Monday will announce the availability of software tools aimed at encouraging independent and hobbyist video game makers to create titles for its new Xbox 360 console.
The move from Microsoft, which kicks off its two-day Gamefest video game development conference in Seattle on Monday, comes as the popularity of user-created content on the Internet grows and as the software giant builds a large audience for its Web-connected Xbox Live online service.
Microsoft said its tool kit, called XNA Game Studio Express, will make it easier for enthusiasts to create games to run on Microsoft’s next-generation Xbox 360 console or personal computers running its Windows operating system.
A test version of the tool kit will be out by August 30. The final product will be available this holiday season for an annual subscription of $99 (52 1/2 pounds) per year for Xbox 360 game development. The software will be free to people making games to run on Windows
Read more.
My Cheats
Aug 16
Welcome to the Beta of MyCheats.com, the brand new next-generation game help site from the 1UP Network. Since they’re still in Beta, they’re still in the process of finishing some site features, adding content, and getting out the kink. Send them feeback if you like.
Psycho Crusher, FTW!
Jun 28
NES Super Mario Bros. – Using M.Bison’s ultimate Psycho Crusher, for the ultimate win!
As they do every year, tens of thousands have converged on Los Angeles for the biggest video game conference in the world: the Electronic Entertainment Expo, commonly known as E3.
The crowd is mostly developers, hardcore gamers and press, all clamoring for a taste of the next generation of consoles and titles. But largely unobserved on the show floor is a new and growing contingent that’s not interested in buying or reviewing games, but rather wants to climb right through the screen and become a part of the action.
Brands and their agencies are all over E3 this year, and they’ve booked wall-to-wall meetings with ad sales execs at the game studios and with the in-game ad firms that represent their games.
“I’ve got meetings every hour, which is great,” said Brandon Berger, OgilvyOne’s senior strategist for digital innovation. “We’re starting the process now, because 2007 is right around the corner. I need to be aware of all the hot titles that are coming out and where studios are putting their money so I can know where we need to be.”
