Jul 23, 2011

Ultimate Marvel vs. Capcom 3 Features More Alternate Costumes, Midair X-Factor and, Yes, Some New Characters You May Have Heard About

Kotaku

Leaning into the microphone, Ryota Niitsuma led his remarks on Ultimate Marvel vs. Capcom 3 with not so much a piece of news as it was a reminder.

"There will be 12 new characters in the game," the game's producer said (through an interpreter) "though I'm sure you already know all the information about that."

Wednesday's leak of all new characters for Ultimate Marvel vs. Capcom 3 stole much of the game's promotional thunder, but it still had news to reveal during a panel at Comic-Con 2011.

Regarding the leak, Capcom felt it best to acknowledge the elephant in the room, and then refuse to talk about it.

"Because we're all adults here, you all know there are only four characters announced so far," Niitsuma said, to laughter.

The new news: There will be more alternate costumes for each character, Niitsuma said, representing the designers' desire to deliver more than a color swap, said Marvel's Chris Baker. Phoenix was used as an example, showing a wardrobe of six costumes, showing the base white/yellow and blue/gold combinations found in the standard Marvel vs. Capcom 3, adding suits found in her appearances in New X-Men, X-Factor from the 1980s, and Age of Apocalypse (in which her hair is not short, but she still features the Phoenix symbol over her eye.)

Further, "evil versions" of characters, inspired by the 1990s Super Nintendo game War of the Gems will make their way into Ultimate Marvel vs. Capcom 3. Evil Hawkeye, Iron Man and Wolverine were shown.

Finally, pre-order downloadable content bonuses were announced, all being four-packs of variant costumes. GameStop preorders get Storm, X-23, Chun Li, and a Morrigan referred to as "Casual Friday Morrigan" in-house, said Capcom's Seth Killian.

Best Buy preorders get C. Viper, Wesker, Super Skrull and what can only be called "Elvis MODOK," although as Killian put it, "Please, call him Graceland Modok, or we'll have to pay a lot of money."

Amazon pre-orders get a traditional-looking Sentinel, Doom Wars Doctor Doom, NES-inspired Strider, and "Cyber-Akuma".

As they did last year at Comic-Con, Marvel and Capcom battled it out at the end of the panel, each side choosing a gamer from the crowd to represent them. Baker picked Dios -X-, whom Killian recognized as a top-flight MvC competitor, accusing Baker of planting a ringer in the crowd. Indeed, Dios (a San Diegan) prevailed with a lineup of Doctor Doom, Storm and the Sentinel, finishing with Doom K.O.ing Hsien-Ko.

"The new tweaks they've put in, they've done things they really need to do with the game," Dios said later. He specifically cited the ability to use X-factor while midair, not just on the ground.

The expansion of that capability "adds a new dimension to chaining combinations," Niitsuma told the audience. "You will have to revamp your fighting strategy."

Jul 23, 2011

Well, That's One Way to Combat Misogyny in Gaming

Kotaku

Well, That's One Way to Combat Misogyny in Gaming Enthusiasts of military-style first-person shooters are not well known for their progressive thoughts on the matter of gender. The organizers of a large LAN party in Texas, scheduled to celebrate the launch of Battlefield 3, have decided the best way to deal with any slurs hurled at female gamers is to simply forbid them from attending.

"Nothing ruins a good LAN party like uncomfortable guests or lots of tension, both of which can result from mixing immature, misogynistic male-gamers with female counterparts," the organizers originally wrote in an event FAQ. "Though we've done our best to avoid these situations in years past, we've certainly had our share of problems. As a result, we no longer allow women to attend this event.

This paragraph has since been removed, as the stink over the exclusion went viral, and replaced with: "This event is a 'gentlemen's retreat'; as such we do not allow women to attend."

Later, they clarified that with:

"We actively discourage gamers from being the kind of mysogynistic jackwagons seen in the Reddit post, and such behavior should not be tolerated. Frankly, we don't like that kind of player either. So far as this event goes, it is an special event designed specifically for male gamers. Further, it is meant as a getaway designed to help said male contingent become better men both for themselves and for those who love us."

This is a large, private event and its organizers certainly have the right to associate with whomever they please. But given what I usually hear over my headset in military shooters like Battlefield, I wonder if this party would so outwardly ban any black gamers from registering. Because it would be so, you know, uncomfortable to hear them being insulted.

Or maybe the answer here is to forbid that kind of obnoxious behavior, and kick out anyone who breaks the rule, $49 registration be damned. Or maybe this event is more about the comfort of the organizers than the participants.

Battlefied 3 Launch Party Information [PowersGaming, h/t Some Random Female Gamer]

Jul 23, 2011

See The Walking Dead Video Game's Superb Comic Book Look

Kotaku

Telltale Games, the creators of the episodic video game series based on Robert Kirkman's comic book The Walking Dead, have but one screen shot to spare of their upcoming PC and console title. But one screen shot will do perfectly fine.

The folks at Telltale are bringing an ink and watercolor aesthetic to the The Walking Dead game that they say strives to match the visual style of comic artist Charlie Adlard. The 3D adventure game will feature a distinctively loose concept art approach, with textures designed with ink lines and watercolor streaks in mind.

The above screen from The Walking Dead gives us a peek at the game's main character, Lee, an Atlanta man who is en route to a Georgia prison when the zombie apocalypse begins to spread. Things obviously don't go as planned during his prison transport and eventually he teams up with a young girl who has lost her family to the undead.

Telltale says The Walking Dead episodic game series will be unlike most zombie video game fare, a game that is a more personal story built on narrative, but not moral, choices. They talked about an adventure game stuffed with moment-to-moment micro-choices, a game more experiential than your typical horror game.

Players will be forced to make hard decisions over the course of the game, whether to save the life of one person over that of another's, for example, but that The Walking Dead may be the "easiest" zombie game you've ever played. (Telltale still stressed that the game would require some thought and skill, but that the game's slow-moving zombies wouldn't require expert virtual marksmanship and undead survival skills to complete.)

Telltale Games expects to have more to show of The Walking Dead by this year's New York Comic Con.

Jul 23, 2011

The Best Videos of the Week

Kotaku

The Best Videos of the Week Maybe you skipped town this past week to avoid the heat and you missed your favorite Gawker Media sites. Or maybe you just installed a shiny new A/C unit and you're ready for a distraction. Well, whatever the case, we've got you covered. Here are some of the most amusing and entertaining videos we watched during the hot-as-hell week that was.

Watching Fish Eating at 1,000 Frames-per-second Makes Me Hungry

I just want to eat sushi at the same speed as these fish other smaller fish. Which, mind you, it's not far from my usual speed. View »

The top ten viral car videos

Some YouTube videos are too cool to keep to yourself. When they get sent to all corners of the globe, they're viral, and when they're car related, they're even better. Yesterday we asked for viral car videos, and here are the top ten. View »

NYC Subway Passenger Beats the Heat by Getting Naked

Today, one young woman decided to beat the record-setting New York City heat by riding a Manhattan-bound D train completely naked from the waist down. No, it's not the most polite thing to do on the subway. But on a sweltering day like today, can you really blame her? View »

Freddy Krueger Coming to Mortal Kombat

The next downloadable character for Mortal Kombat is Freddy Krueger, the dude with the knives on his fingers from A Nightmare on Elm Street. Where's Jason? View »

Why It's Important For 9-Year-Old Girls To Be 'Sexy'

On last night's episode of Dance Moms, studio owner Abby Lee decided that in order to win competitions, her 8- and 9-year-old students needed to wear "skimpier" outfits and do a more "scandalous dance." View »

If This Doesn't Warm Your Heart, You're Awful

This video from last night's Diamondbacks game melts even our permafrost countenances. Nicholas, as a young boy, is allowed to be upset about not getting the ball tossed into the stands by Rickie Weeks. But Ian's a kid too, and no one would have ever begrudged his taking the ball back to his seat and guarding it like a jealous lover. But the moment he notices Nicholas crying, and without the prompting of a parent, Ian walks down and hands him the ball. View »

Child Bride Courtney Stodden and Creepy Old Husband Give Weirdest Interview Yet

Every time we try to look away from 51-year-old Lost actor Doug Hutchison and 16-year-old country singer Courtney Stodden, their freakshow antics suck us back in. In a new E! interview, they pass a Yorkie back and forth, rubbing noses and giggling about Courtney losing her virginity. View »

A parallel parking job you have to see to believe

This accidental parking job has to be seen to be believed. Watch as the driver manages to flip and roll his Porsche into a series of open spots to create his very own parallel spot. It's just a shame he was actually trying to keep it on the road. View »

Baby Monkey Playing With an iPhone Is the Cutest Video You'll See Today

I love monkeys and I love this cute video of Nala, a baby Capuchin who seems to be fascinated by a game called Lucky Coins on an iPhone. View »

Try As She Might, Paris Hilton Can't Kick Her 'Baby Voice' Habit

Recently, Paris Hilton took a moment to speak about the voices she has in her repertoire. Paris says her "Baby Voice" was something she developed for the Fox reality series The Simple Life, saying she "had to do" to please the network's desire for her to play an "airhead." Eight years later, she's still doing it. View »

Here's the Outrageous Suicide Attempt Scene from ABC Family's Cyberbully

Tonight, ABC Family premiered Cyberbully (sorry, Cyberbu//y), a TV movie it hyped as a call to "delete digital drama." Which is funny, because Cyberbully itself was so hyperbolic and drama-filled that you'd think there wouldn't be any of it left lying around to get rid of, anyway. Case in point: the melodramatic suicide attempt scene. View »

Alberto Contador Punches A Heckler, Tour De France Remains Awesome

The carnage at DeathFrance 3000 is not contained to the riders. Today a spectator dressed as a doctor and carrying a blood bag (A reference to his positive drug test at last year's Tour) joined others in running alongside Contador as he tried to make a last-ditch move on the last day in the Alps. Contador took a whack at the guy, and we can't really say we blame him. View »

20 Years of Sonic the Hedgehog All At Once, All For You

Celebrating the 20th anniversary of its spiky blue mascot and the upcoming double-stuffed Sonic Generations, Sega show us how far Sonic has come, how far he's gone off course, and how Sonic the Werehog gameplay never really counted. View »

These Australian Waterfalls Are Running Upwards

Winds are now so strong on the southern coast of Australia—74.5mph (120km/h)—that waterfalls are running upwards. The water is just being blown up from the bottom. The situation's crazy, especially for those commuters in their ferries. View »

Rebecca Black's New Single Is Here

Here it is, Rebecca Black's new single: "My Moment." That she released it on a Monday says a lot about how ready she is to move past "Friday." Good luck with that! View »

The ten most awesome wheelies ever

Four wheels good, two wheels bad. Unless two of the four wheels are in the air. Wheelies are awesome, and here are the ten best, as suggested by Jalopnik readers. View »

Mother Too Busy Fighting A Stranger To Notice Her Child Rolled Out Of Subway Car

A mother let her child's stroller — with the child still inside — roll off of the L train in Brooklyn so she could fight another woman for what this video claims was a dispute over a seat. Fortunately, several bystanders made sure the baby was okay. Also, wow. View »

A Peek Inside Catherine's Deluxe Love is Over Box

No doubt taunting me for not preordering the special edition of the game, here's Atlus' Aram Jabbari sticking his hands inside Catherine's box. To think I once let him buy me pizza. View »

Bill Maher Targets Michele Bachmann, Sarah Palin in On-Air Tirade

While two Real Time with Bill Maher panel guests got flak today for making sexually charged jokes about Michele Bachmann and Rick Santorum on last night's show, it seems nobody batted an eye at the anti-Bachmann, anti-Sarah Palin rant with which Maher ended the broadcast. Until now, at least. View »

Watching a Guinness World Record Blob Jump Is Soaring Flying Fun

Ah, the blob jump. It's the timeless practice of using people to launch people. Trust me, you'll know what it is when you see it. This video shows a blob jump that sent someone 55 feet in the air, a Guinness world record. View »

Stephen Drew's Ankle Did A Thing Human Ankles Shouldn't Do

Oof. That ankle's at the wrong o'clock. But perhaps even worse is when he snaps it back into place. (If you're squeamish, you may not want to watch the super slo-mo at 0:51, right after the announcer "hopes it's not a possible break.") It is, and Drew's obviously done for the season. View »

Watch a sheet of steel transform into a new BMW

The modern assembly process involves a symphony of robotics, a waltz of forklifts, and a few colorful somersaults into pools of acid. Watch this video beautifully capture the soup-to-nuts build of a BMW 3-series at the company's Munich plant. View »

Rupert Murdoch Attacked at Hearing

Someone just accosted Rupert Murdoch during his testimony before Parliament, apparently in an attempt to throw a pie in his face. He doesn't appear to have been injured. His wife Wendi played bodyguard, catapulting herself toward the attacker with arms and nails flailing. His son James just stood there. View »

Courtesy Of The French, The Weirdest Video You'll See Today

We're pretty sure the point behind animated spot for French awareness group AIDES is that you can do lots of sexy, freaky things with your fingertips, including getting tested for AIDS. But with all of these sexually-explicit, cartoony images in our faces, all we can think is "You crazy, France." (Video NSFW.) View »

One Year of the New York Times As Told By 12,000 Screenshots

Phillip Mendonça-Vieira made a mistake, a wonderful mistake. For over a year, he accidentally ran a cron task that captured a screenshot of the NY Times' front page twice an hour, 24 hours a day. He compiled these 12,000 images into a five-minute video essay that details the major events of the last year. View »

Battlefield 3's Operation Metro Delivers Multiplayer Mayhem

We had a chance to check out the Playstation 3 version of Battlefield 3 earlier this week. We also spent more time playing through the game's Operation Metro mulitplayer map. Here's a quick run through of a single, segmented-map in the game's multiplayer. View »

Stephen Colbert Gives a Crash Course in Gay History

Last week, California Gov. Jerry Brown signed into law a bill requiring public schools to include contributions from gay people in its history textbooks. On tonight's Report, Stephen Colbert reviewed the negative reaction of conservatives (and Fox News) to the bill's passing before attempting his own take on the subject with a 60-second gay history crash course. View »

Jul 23, 2011

Heisman Poise

Kotaku

Taking inspiration from a Stick Jockey column a few weeks ago, encouraging sports gamers to take overcome their on-field setbacks without quitting or reloading from a previous save, as the game will ultimately deliver a reward. One reader's pursuit of comprehensive greatness fell short, but embodied the lesson.

Following a superb freshman campaign in NCAA Football 12's "Road to Glory" mode, in which he tallied 1,747 yards rushing despite not starting until week 7, Drgnmstr366 became determined to capture the NCAA's all-time rushing record, and the Heisman Trophy. Statistically, he appeared to have little problem, rushing for 250 yards against Notre Dame, then two straight 300-yard games, then a record-busting 423 yards against a Division I-AA opponent.

And yet none of these redounded to a quality team victory, so crucial in the voting for the Heisman. Indeed, at the end of his sophomore year, despite 2,983 yards rushing and 39 touchdowns, the Heisman went to a running back from Iowa, with 1,374 yards and 19 touchdowns. Worse, Drgnmster366 only got 16 first place votes.

Blaming traditional voting biases against West Coast players and underclassmen, he returned for his junior year convinced that, with Stanford as a preseason No. 1, he would be a lock for the Heisman. Indeed, he starred in an undefeated season whose closest victory was by 10. And yet still no Heisman.

"I honestly don't remember who won because when I saw the screen pop up and it didn't say my name, I raged through the menu and shut the game off and didn't play the BCS Championship game until the next day," he writes. "I won."

Playing out the string in his senior year, Stanford loses a close game to Oregon State primarily because Drgnmster366 is phoning it in. The team reaches No. 2 in the BCS by the end of the year. Convinced he'll be screwed by the game again, Drgnmster366 advances the week and, through the notoriously long loading time, goes to the kitchen to reheat some dinner. "I hear the ‘bleep bloop' of an achievement unlocking and turn around and ... Oh my God, I just won the Heisman Trophy!"

Here's the proof:

Remember, all you have to do to get yourself featured in Box Scores' Game of the Week is take a picture of whatever sports video game been playing - crappy cell picture will do - write up a couple sentences about why it was so compelling, and email it to me, owenATkotakuDOTcom, with "Box Scores" in the subject header. Be sure to include include your commenter page URL so I can properly credit the entry.

Now the Kotaku Sports open thread commences with the sports TV highlights for today and tomorrow. All times are U.S. Eastern.

Baseball

We're in the doldrums of the sports calendar, so there's little on the tube this weekend. MLB's games are the Braves at Reds, Padres at Phillies, or Tigers at Twins, on Fox at 4 p.m., check local listings. WGN has the White Sox at Cleveland at 7. Tomorrow, TBS has Seattle at Boston at 1:30; WGN features the Astros at Cubs, 2:10, and ESPN's game of the week is the Braves at Reds, 8 p.m.

Other Stuff

The WNBA's All-Star Game is Saturday at 3:30, ABC. The Tour de France's Final Stage is live on Versus at 8 a.m. Sunday, on tape-dealy on CBS at 2. Soccer's World Football Challenge sees Manchester United at the Chicago Fire, ESPN2 at 5 p.m. Saturday; Manchester City faces Los Angeles on ESPN at 4, Sunday.

Remember, you may send your sports Game of the Week nominations to owenATkotakuDOTcom, and flag it "Box Scores" in the subject header. Please include your commenter handle for proper credit.

(Top photo by Getty)

Jul 23, 2011

Online Gaming Friends of Oslo Suspect Say He Couldn't "Harm a Fly"

Kotaku

The 32-year-old man suspected of detonating a bomb in Norway's capital and going on a shooting spree in police garb, killing at least 87, was many things: He was a self-identified conservative Christian, farmer, body builder, hunter, freemason and gamer.

Listed among a slew of personal interests, favorite books, sports teams and philosophies on Anders Behring Breivik's (now removed) Facebook page was an interest in eSports, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 and World of Warcraft.

On the European World of Warcraft forums, players came together to discuss the shooting and try to make sense of Breivik's alleged involvement. Among the group is at least two who say they believe they knew the man and said he was down-to-earth and friendly.

In World of Warcraft, it appears that Breivik played as two characters: A high-level human mage and a low-level "Forsaken" mage, both under the alias "Conservatism".

"This is just not happening," a player who goes by the name Piltavla wrote. "This guy Anders been a great great friend of me, for three to four years now..."

He went on to say he recognized the suspect's picture on a Swedish news site.

"People can hide their dark sides..." wrote Piltavla. "You had this image of him never being able to harm a fly... he was a very calm and down to earth person," he wrote. "I spent many nights speaking with him... It's unbelievable that he's done this. I feel sick that I ever knew him (to be honest)!"

"You had this image of him never being able to harm a fly... he was a very calm and down to earth person."

Another player also described the suspect as an "overall nice guy."

"The person (the suspect), playing on Silvermoon, was a nice guy," Braxynglet wrote. "Nothing he's done in this game or with people from this game can explain what was done yesterday."

Players in the guild that Breivik is thought to have played in say that he hadn't been online, playing the game or posting on the forums, for nearly half a year. They added that some people had started harassing other guildmembers.

A majority of players talking on the forums had no connection with the suspect, but instead used the online gathering place as a way to talk through the tragedy and deal with the loss of life.

"I am deeply sorry for anyone hurt or killed in any attacks and any person who would openly end another person's life for enjoyment/religious means is no longer human," one player wrote. "I have two friends in Norway one that lives in Olso I hope they are both OK and they are not hurt my deepest thoughts for the people of Norway."

Oslo Terrorist Used Modern Warfare 2 as "Training-Simulation", World of Warcraft as Cover

The accused shooter in yesterday's massacre in Norway has been linked to 1,500 page manifesto that recommends using Call of Duty to train combat skills for an upcoming war with Islam.
Anders Behring Breivik also suggests that an obsession with massively-multiplayer role playing game World of... More »