Friday, 11 July 2008
Thursday, 10 July 2008
The king of the FPS genre!
Right... anyone who's anyone who claims to be a gamer WILL still have their copy of goldeneye! Post your pic with the cart!!!!! Whoever has the most pristine box will get a prize
(offer subject to availability of some old piece of crap i can find under my desk)
(offer subject to availability of some old piece of crap i can find under my desk)
Will the multiplayer be as good as Goldeneye on N64...
...Well considering COD4 doesn't even quite match the absolute delight that was 4 player Goldeneye, we can only hope and dream. Have a look at the vid, the game is based on the COD4 engine, which sounds promising.
Tuesday, 8 July 2008
Girl clan members MUST wear uniform!
Very sexist, I know, but what the hey.... anyone else think that we need girl members with uniforms?
Brilliant and Horrible!
BRILLIANT: Downloaded Boston: More than a feeling for Rock Band last night, really really really good track for the guitar section, not tried the drums yet....
HORRIBLE: Downloaded the free Guitar Hero 3 track they were dishing out for Independence Day.... The theme from Top Gun.....Fuck me what a fucking horrid nightmare, those bastards tempted me with free stuff, only to feel shit about the fact there's 5 minutes of my life I'll never get back again....
Don't waste good bandwidth on digital turds!
and.....rant over.
HORRIBLE: Downloaded the free Guitar Hero 3 track they were dishing out for Independence Day.... The theme from Top Gun.....Fuck me what a fucking horrid nightmare, those bastards tempted me with free stuff, only to feel shit about the fact there's 5 minutes of my life I'll never get back again....
Don't waste good bandwidth on digital turds!
and.....rant over.
Monday, 7 July 2008
Call of Duty: World at War (thanks ben at oxm)
This is a scarier Call of Duty than we've ever seen," announces the head of Treyarch, Mark Lamir. "The direction for the team was to make the best game they could, and as they were doing this they created a grittiness that quite frankly made some people very uncomfortable.
"The developer behind Call of Duty 3 intends to explore some of the darkest corners of WWII with the fifth game in the series.
According to creative lead Rich Farrelly, taking the series to the terrifying battle for the Pacific gives the game more in common with the survival horror genre than traditional war movie influences.
Infinity Ward's COD4 brought the series into the modern age and saw phenomenal success, shifting over eight million copies. Now, by tackling darker themes and pitting you against a new, seemingly alien fighting force, Treyarch hopes to defy suggestions that the WWII genre has had its day. "We've had some great success working on WWII, but we knew there had been a lot and people didn't want to play the same game again," says Lamir. "We've been making these games for a long time now, but the team is going to settle for nothing less than creating the best work of our lives".
One of the biggest cards in its favour is a two-year development cycle, in contrast to COD3, which was completed in just 11 months. At that point in time, Treyarch also felt the burden of having to not only port the game for Wii, but also create an entirely separate version, COD: Big Red One for Xbox and PS2.
Realising that was too much to repeat, the developer now has separate teams for every port, with the Xbox 360 version acting as lead. Lamir also talks of the benefits and graphical fidelity offered to them by working with the COD4 engine.
The game certainly has a sharper look and visceral edge than any WWII game to date. As one of the few areas of the war not previously covered in a COD title, the Pacific conflict might seem an obvious choice, but there was more to the decision than just different looking environments.
"We figured out early that the Imperial Japanese fought in a different way that was full of suspense," says Farrelly. "From that point we started to skew the game in that direction, in every detail from the music to the way we set up encounters.
"Our first demo of the game, a level titled 'Maken Raid' spells this out with a bullet. The scenario begins with the particularly brutal torture and execution of a US POW by a Japanese officer. We're not spared any of the horrors of war as the man has his throat slashed with a katana blade as the player is tied up and powerless to help his friend.
It's shocking stuff, and immediately shatters our expectations of the relatively gore-free series. Moments before the player shares a similar fate, a squad of US Marines intervenes on a secret rescue mission. The squad known as Carlson's Raiders cuts the player free before going on a vengeful rampage through the Japanese camp.
There are some similarities with the first mission of Modern Combat (the cargo ship) not least because both take place under cover of darkness and both explode from near silence into all-out carnage in an instant. As the Raiders launch their attack, a couple of the game's new features are brought to the forefront.
First, the game expands on the concept of being able to shoot through cover by forming visible holes in the bamboo huts. With enough bullets, the player causes enough damage to one of the walls to create a hole big enough to walk through. This pales in comparison though, compared to another of the game's most notable new features - flamethrowers with propogating fire. As the marines torch the village, you can see scenery crumbling and an impressive lighting model, which almost makes the devastation look beautiful.
You'd be forgiven for thinking that once the raid was over and the bodies lying cold on the ground, the tension would free up a little. It doesn't. The survivors are forced to beat a path through the dense tropical undergrowth. The player seems to become enveloped by his surroundings, thanks to some incredibly detailed graphics and close to 96 channels of audio, many of which are ambient jungle noises. The sensation is geniunely frightening because you're never sure where the enemy could appear from.
According to the game's military advisor Frank Kearsey, a Gulf War Veteran and advisor at West Point, the Japanese were masters of guerrilla warfare. Although they started the campaign using volatile tactics like the Banzai charge, huge losses made them swing dramatically toward the element of surprise. "The Imperial Japanese were unlike any fighting force in modern times. You had to completely throw out the old rule book," says Lamir. "The traditional combat seen in Europe did not apply here."
As Carlson's Raiders break out into an open area, the grass is already strewn with corpses, although that's at least the way it seems. It was a common tactic for the Japanese to play dead and lie in wait for unsuspecting marines. "This scene was actually inspired by the movie Aliens. We wanted to make you feel completely surrounded," reveals Farrelly.
While marines were taught to deal with surprises, nothing could prepare them for the heavy psychological toll levied by their enemy. "Their bizarre bushido code, which was honour to them, stopped them from surrendering," says Kearsey with a heavy voice. "They had a tenacity, a viciousness... there's never been a sense of reconciliation with the veterans we spoke to.
Blow 'n' screw
One of the most fascinating revelations is that many first-time players have been seen adopting the real-life tactic of 'blowtorch and corkscrew' without realising this was common practice with real US Marines. This technique involves setting fire to undergrowth and grenading foxholes to eliminate hidden foes.
Although the life expectancy of a flamethrower operator was shockingly brief, it's a weapon you won't want to be without in this game. It's based on the flamethrower design and handling from Return to Castle Wolfenstein, a game on which Farrelly was lead level designer. As previously mentioned, the weapon is excellent for toasting the scenery, but it works even better against enemy infantry.
In another demo level, Treyarch demonstrates its power by torching a field full of camouflaged soldiers. The cacophony of screams that follows is truly horrible, and this scene is made more shocking as you watch the enemies' skin melt off. "The only thing you don't get is the smell of burning flesh," says Kearsey.
Depicting this level of violence couldn't have been an easy choice to make. Lamir responds: "The team felt from a game perspective they needed to approach these themes and they didn't shy away. Activision has supported us. It's scary for everybody to do something different, but that's what we're doing. Redefining it.
"We are very mindful of being respectful when it comes to portraying that," adds Farrelly. "It's not just gore and violence for its own sake, but reflects what veterans have told us and the actual history.
Squad tactics
This game is full of surprises. We already knew that multiplayer would be a big factor, but Treyarch is also adding a four player co-op mode. This can be played using four consoles over Xbox Live, or two consoles each with split-screen.
"Co-op is something people have wanted in Call of Duty for a long time," says Farrelly. "We've been waiting for the technology to be able to handle that. It's just a natural fit to have three guys alongside you playing as a squad.
" The co-op campaign looks to be identical to the single-player game, although will include a similar scoring system to the Modern Combat metagame. This means that you'll be constantly earning points which can be used to unlock special co-op perks. Alternatively, you can transfer the points over to multiplayer and unlock perks and weaponry there instead.
Of course, classic tactics such as distraction and flanking work brilliantly too.
In the demo level we see one player attracting the attention of a tank while the other player climbs on top and throws a grenade down the hatch. Frag grenades and incendiaries have a different damage effect on vehicles like this. Much like COD3, vehicles do play a big part in both campaign and multiplayer, although it's much more focused. In multiplayer, there are vehicle-specific levels and game modes, meaning that you can opt out of them altogether if you prefer to keep your boots on the ground. In the campaign, certain vehicles have entire levels dedicated to them, most notably the PBY Catalina search and rescue plane and a dramatic aerial raid on some Japanese aircraft carriers.
Enter the Russians
The battle for the Pacific wasn't the only defining moment of the end of WWII. The invasion of Germany by the Soviet Army was of equal importance, and Farrelly tells us that this will also be a major chapter in World at War. "The themes of brutality in the Russian campaign hit on how war brings out the darker side in people, the good guys or the bad," he says. "We show what that deep sense of revenge and hatred motivates them to get to Berlin.
"While we played as the Red Army before in COD2, this time the Nazis are on the back foot and fighting with more ferocity. They're desperate to defend their final strongholds like Seelow and Berlin at all costs. This could mark the first time in the series characters are fighting for bloody vengeance rather than honour.
With two extraordinarily hard-fought campaigns in the mix, World at War easily has the potential to be the most devastating Call of Duty yet. It's certainly the most shocking and suspenseful, which is no small achievement. For Treyarch, it's foremost about making a great game, but in doing so they're learning that WWII still has tons of potential, and some of the most brutal and intense battles of all time. In Lamir's words: "That was actually the kind of scary shit they encountered."
"The developer behind Call of Duty 3 intends to explore some of the darkest corners of WWII with the fifth game in the series.
According to creative lead Rich Farrelly, taking the series to the terrifying battle for the Pacific gives the game more in common with the survival horror genre than traditional war movie influences.
Infinity Ward's COD4 brought the series into the modern age and saw phenomenal success, shifting over eight million copies. Now, by tackling darker themes and pitting you against a new, seemingly alien fighting force, Treyarch hopes to defy suggestions that the WWII genre has had its day. "We've had some great success working on WWII, but we knew there had been a lot and people didn't want to play the same game again," says Lamir. "We've been making these games for a long time now, but the team is going to settle for nothing less than creating the best work of our lives".
One of the biggest cards in its favour is a two-year development cycle, in contrast to COD3, which was completed in just 11 months. At that point in time, Treyarch also felt the burden of having to not only port the game for Wii, but also create an entirely separate version, COD: Big Red One for Xbox and PS2.
Realising that was too much to repeat, the developer now has separate teams for every port, with the Xbox 360 version acting as lead. Lamir also talks of the benefits and graphical fidelity offered to them by working with the COD4 engine.
The game certainly has a sharper look and visceral edge than any WWII game to date. As one of the few areas of the war not previously covered in a COD title, the Pacific conflict might seem an obvious choice, but there was more to the decision than just different looking environments.
"We figured out early that the Imperial Japanese fought in a different way that was full of suspense," says Farrelly. "From that point we started to skew the game in that direction, in every detail from the music to the way we set up encounters.
"Our first demo of the game, a level titled 'Maken Raid' spells this out with a bullet. The scenario begins with the particularly brutal torture and execution of a US POW by a Japanese officer. We're not spared any of the horrors of war as the man has his throat slashed with a katana blade as the player is tied up and powerless to help his friend.
It's shocking stuff, and immediately shatters our expectations of the relatively gore-free series. Moments before the player shares a similar fate, a squad of US Marines intervenes on a secret rescue mission. The squad known as Carlson's Raiders cuts the player free before going on a vengeful rampage through the Japanese camp.
There are some similarities with the first mission of Modern Combat (the cargo ship) not least because both take place under cover of darkness and both explode from near silence into all-out carnage in an instant. As the Raiders launch their attack, a couple of the game's new features are brought to the forefront.
First, the game expands on the concept of being able to shoot through cover by forming visible holes in the bamboo huts. With enough bullets, the player causes enough damage to one of the walls to create a hole big enough to walk through. This pales in comparison though, compared to another of the game's most notable new features - flamethrowers with propogating fire. As the marines torch the village, you can see scenery crumbling and an impressive lighting model, which almost makes the devastation look beautiful.
You'd be forgiven for thinking that once the raid was over and the bodies lying cold on the ground, the tension would free up a little. It doesn't. The survivors are forced to beat a path through the dense tropical undergrowth. The player seems to become enveloped by his surroundings, thanks to some incredibly detailed graphics and close to 96 channels of audio, many of which are ambient jungle noises. The sensation is geniunely frightening because you're never sure where the enemy could appear from.
According to the game's military advisor Frank Kearsey, a Gulf War Veteran and advisor at West Point, the Japanese were masters of guerrilla warfare. Although they started the campaign using volatile tactics like the Banzai charge, huge losses made them swing dramatically toward the element of surprise. "The Imperial Japanese were unlike any fighting force in modern times. You had to completely throw out the old rule book," says Lamir. "The traditional combat seen in Europe did not apply here."
As Carlson's Raiders break out into an open area, the grass is already strewn with corpses, although that's at least the way it seems. It was a common tactic for the Japanese to play dead and lie in wait for unsuspecting marines. "This scene was actually inspired by the movie Aliens. We wanted to make you feel completely surrounded," reveals Farrelly.
While marines were taught to deal with surprises, nothing could prepare them for the heavy psychological toll levied by their enemy. "Their bizarre bushido code, which was honour to them, stopped them from surrendering," says Kearsey with a heavy voice. "They had a tenacity, a viciousness... there's never been a sense of reconciliation with the veterans we spoke to.
Blow 'n' screw
One of the most fascinating revelations is that many first-time players have been seen adopting the real-life tactic of 'blowtorch and corkscrew' without realising this was common practice with real US Marines. This technique involves setting fire to undergrowth and grenading foxholes to eliminate hidden foes.
Although the life expectancy of a flamethrower operator was shockingly brief, it's a weapon you won't want to be without in this game. It's based on the flamethrower design and handling from Return to Castle Wolfenstein, a game on which Farrelly was lead level designer. As previously mentioned, the weapon is excellent for toasting the scenery, but it works even better against enemy infantry.
In another demo level, Treyarch demonstrates its power by torching a field full of camouflaged soldiers. The cacophony of screams that follows is truly horrible, and this scene is made more shocking as you watch the enemies' skin melt off. "The only thing you don't get is the smell of burning flesh," says Kearsey.
Depicting this level of violence couldn't have been an easy choice to make. Lamir responds: "The team felt from a game perspective they needed to approach these themes and they didn't shy away. Activision has supported us. It's scary for everybody to do something different, but that's what we're doing. Redefining it.
"We are very mindful of being respectful when it comes to portraying that," adds Farrelly. "It's not just gore and violence for its own sake, but reflects what veterans have told us and the actual history.
Squad tactics
This game is full of surprises. We already knew that multiplayer would be a big factor, but Treyarch is also adding a four player co-op mode. This can be played using four consoles over Xbox Live, or two consoles each with split-screen.
"Co-op is something people have wanted in Call of Duty for a long time," says Farrelly. "We've been waiting for the technology to be able to handle that. It's just a natural fit to have three guys alongside you playing as a squad.
" The co-op campaign looks to be identical to the single-player game, although will include a similar scoring system to the Modern Combat metagame. This means that you'll be constantly earning points which can be used to unlock special co-op perks. Alternatively, you can transfer the points over to multiplayer and unlock perks and weaponry there instead.
Of course, classic tactics such as distraction and flanking work brilliantly too.
In the demo level we see one player attracting the attention of a tank while the other player climbs on top and throws a grenade down the hatch. Frag grenades and incendiaries have a different damage effect on vehicles like this. Much like COD3, vehicles do play a big part in both campaign and multiplayer, although it's much more focused. In multiplayer, there are vehicle-specific levels and game modes, meaning that you can opt out of them altogether if you prefer to keep your boots on the ground. In the campaign, certain vehicles have entire levels dedicated to them, most notably the PBY Catalina search and rescue plane and a dramatic aerial raid on some Japanese aircraft carriers.
Enter the Russians
The battle for the Pacific wasn't the only defining moment of the end of WWII. The invasion of Germany by the Soviet Army was of equal importance, and Farrelly tells us that this will also be a major chapter in World at War. "The themes of brutality in the Russian campaign hit on how war brings out the darker side in people, the good guys or the bad," he says. "We show what that deep sense of revenge and hatred motivates them to get to Berlin.
"While we played as the Red Army before in COD2, this time the Nazis are on the back foot and fighting with more ferocity. They're desperate to defend their final strongholds like Seelow and Berlin at all costs. This could mark the first time in the series characters are fighting for bloody vengeance rather than honour.
With two extraordinarily hard-fought campaigns in the mix, World at War easily has the potential to be the most devastating Call of Duty yet. It's certainly the most shocking and suspenseful, which is no small achievement. For Treyarch, it's foremost about making a great game, but in doing so they're learning that WWII still has tons of potential, and some of the most brutal and intense battles of all time. In Lamir's words: "That was actually the kind of scary shit they encountered."
Wednesday, 2 July 2008
MGB DUDE gets a new motor!
Check the road legal Porsche race car!!!!!! Alarmingly fast and dangerous.... brilliant!
Tuesday, 1 July 2008
Monday, 30 June 2008
Rock that mother!
Getting better at the drums on Rock Band! 87% on Expert!!!
Also that's my mate - Claire - Rocking out to Radiohead!
Cheers to OXM Monobrow for the little two player rock-off on Sunday, top stuff mate!
Also that's my mate - Claire - Rocking out to Radiohead!
Cheers to OXM Monobrow for the little two player rock-off on Sunday, top stuff mate!
Thursday, 26 June 2008
Wednesday, 25 June 2008
Thursday, 19 June 2008
Happy F*****G Birthday indeed!
Well thanks to the lovely guys I work with, I have got a rockin' birthday gift! and a gamertag inspired cake!
Check out our undeniable brilliance at www.thumped.co.uk
Cheers
The Dude
Tuesday, 17 June 2008
About time!
See the vid below for QUEENS OF THE STONE AGE frontman, actually doing something about those stupid 'fans' who decide to throw things at performers on stage!
Monday, 16 June 2008
300th Post, and a big thanks!
Pawny, Guys...
Thanks for the great weekend, I properly enjoyed it, and cannot wait for another!
I have put the photo that pawny sent round onto the groups facebook page... hope no-one objects.
Thanks for the great weekend, I properly enjoyed it, and cannot wait for another!
I have put the photo that pawny sent round onto the groups facebook page... hope no-one objects.
THANKS!!!!!!!
Well the war day for 2008 has been and gone, and i would like to say a big "THANK YOU" to all who came and all (you know who you are) who helped but were unable to come.
I think i enjoyed the day as much if not more than last year, we had good weather and good company.
So again lads thanks from the bottom of the K1NGs heart.
can i have a HOOOOO RAAAAAA
I think i enjoyed the day as much if not more than last year, we had good weather and good company.
So again lads thanks from the bottom of the K1NGs heart.
can i have a HOOOOO RAAAAAA
Friday, 13 June 2008
CODDAY big weekend is here!
Hi All, hope you all have / have had a great day at warfighters. See ya on LIVE when you get back!
The Dude
The Dude
Tuesday, 10 June 2008
All you need to know about Call of Duty 5!
It is being developed by Treyarch -
Confirmation that it will, in fact, be Treyarch handling it as most expected.
It will be set in World War II -
Following Call of Duty 4, the series will be returning to World War II and in particular, the battle of the Pacific between America and Japan. European assaults will also feature, such as the Russians advancing on Berlin.
It will be called Call of Duty: World at War -
Note that it will NOT be known as Call of Duty 5, as the series is now doing away with numbers, a la Tony Hawk.
It will be on a two-year cycle -
This means Treyarch has had more time to develop Call of Duty: World at War. This was a problem that blighted Call of Duty 3, which was completed in 11 months while the team was also trying to create a separate Call of Duty game for last-gen consoles.
Multiplayer is left intact -
Treyarch will be adding to Call of Duty 4's popular multiplayer rather than taking away, with the main addition being new vehicles. Perks will still be there along with a new 'leader' system, that gives you extra perks when sticking close to the team's leader.
It will use the Call of Duty 4 engine -
Good news for those who loved Call of Duty 4's fluid shooting action is that by using the same engine, this should feel largely the same. The biggest difference between the two are the environments are now more destructible.
Japanese tactics! -
The main new gameplay advance for the series is the unusually aggressive tactics of the Japanese as they set ambushes, hide in trees, flank fearlessly, hide in the ground... creative director Rich Farrelly says World at War has more in common with survival horror than war movies.
Four player co-op -
Call of Duty: World at War will have split screen for two players, online co-op for four players!
New weapons -
The main new addition being the flamethrower, allowing you to set fire to grass and trees, flushing out Japanese soldiers waiting to ambush you.
Which new feature are you most excited about in Call of Duty: World at War?
Confirmation that it will, in fact, be Treyarch handling it as most expected.
It will be set in World War II -
Following Call of Duty 4, the series will be returning to World War II and in particular, the battle of the Pacific between America and Japan. European assaults will also feature, such as the Russians advancing on Berlin.
It will be called Call of Duty: World at War -
Note that it will NOT be known as Call of Duty 5, as the series is now doing away with numbers, a la Tony Hawk.
It will be on a two-year cycle -
This means Treyarch has had more time to develop Call of Duty: World at War. This was a problem that blighted Call of Duty 3, which was completed in 11 months while the team was also trying to create a separate Call of Duty game for last-gen consoles.
Multiplayer is left intact -
Treyarch will be adding to Call of Duty 4's popular multiplayer rather than taking away, with the main addition being new vehicles. Perks will still be there along with a new 'leader' system, that gives you extra perks when sticking close to the team's leader.
It will use the Call of Duty 4 engine -
Good news for those who loved Call of Duty 4's fluid shooting action is that by using the same engine, this should feel largely the same. The biggest difference between the two are the environments are now more destructible.
Japanese tactics! -
The main new gameplay advance for the series is the unusually aggressive tactics of the Japanese as they set ambushes, hide in trees, flank fearlessly, hide in the ground... creative director Rich Farrelly says World at War has more in common with survival horror than war movies.
Four player co-op -
Call of Duty: World at War will have split screen for two players, online co-op for four players!
New weapons -
The main new addition being the flamethrower, allowing you to set fire to grass and trees, flushing out Japanese soldiers waiting to ambush you.
Which new feature are you most excited about in Call of Duty: World at War?
Friday, 6 June 2008
Thursday, 5 June 2008
COD4 Clan Bash! Sat Night 8pm
Hi its double points weekend! so anyone fancy meeting up sat night for a good all session before the Codday meet up!
Be on from about 8pm onwards.
See ya there!
Wednesday, 4 June 2008
Fingers Crossed Everyone!!
Our old chum PAWNK1NG has been nominated for best actor for the panto again!
I'm sure I speak for everyone in the clan....Good luck mate! Anyone with inflatable boobs the size of yours deserves a prize!
Tuesday, 3 June 2008
NEW DEMO'S ON LIVE THIS WEEK
Demo: Ninja Gaiden II
Playable Demo
Price: Free
Availability: Not available in Canada, Germany and the U.S.
BLOOD AND GORE,INTENSE VIOLENCE,PARTIAL NUDITY,SUGGESTIVE THEMES]
The wait is over… Play as Ryu Hayabusa and experience the frenetic combat of Ninja Gaiden II. NGII launches the first week in June worldwide! Select English or Japanese voice with subtitles in English, French, German, Italian, Spanish, Russian, Polish, Korean, Japanese, or Trad. Chinese.
Playable Demo
Price: Free
Availability: Not available in Canada, Germany and the U.S.
BLOOD AND GORE,INTENSE VIOLENCE,PARTIAL NUDITY,SUGGESTIVE THEMES]
The wait is over… Play as Ryu Hayabusa and experience the frenetic combat of Ninja Gaiden II. NGII launches the first week in June worldwide! Select English or Japanese voice with subtitles in English, French, German, Italian, Spanish, Russian, Polish, Korean, Japanese, or Trad. Chinese.
Monday, 2 June 2008
Winner Stays on!!!
Some lucky friends have a pool table outside in their garden, great way to wile away a summer afternoon!!! I won BTW!
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