Coming soon

A couple of significant releases in the next week:

Aion: September 21

Fallen Earth: September 22

Order of War: September 22

IN ADDITION: Take 2 has announced that BioShock 2 will be released on February 9, 2010.

Millions of guns

ArsTechnica has a preview of Borderlands. Moneyquote:

The guns pack a punch, and everyone will find something to like. Knowing how hard you're hitting your targets means you can easily see how powerful each gun is in practice and allows you to perfect your arsenal, and the game earns its M-rating with some delightful ultra-violence.

"It's like having a buddy you can actually count on"

...though you might not actually recognize him:

Robert Bowling interview on MW2 multiplayer.

Kangaroo court rules against L4D2

A lament for Joe, from Gamasutra:

'The interactive nature of the game increases the overall impact of the frequent and intense depictions of violence,' wrote the Board in its full report (link will launch .pdf file). 'This, coupled with the graphic depictions of blood and gore, combine to create a playing impact which is high.'

Also in the report:

These close in attacks cause copious amounts of blood spray and splatter, decapitations and limb dismemberment as well as locational damage where contact is made to the enemy which may reveal skeletal bits and gore.

Which means Left 4 Dead 2 will not be available in Australia, absent some heavy duty visual nerfing. Probably not going to happen.

Three weeks from today

This is Operation Flashpoint 2: Dragon Rising.

So dumb, you can't look away

You have to be a little bit strange to spend hundreds of hours making a mod. I should know. But Jesus, this guy is a complete lunatic (in a good way ... I think).

Play your console games on your PC

Note: you must first own a console.

After that, $230 and a really fast broadband connection (particularly if you want to play in HD) will allow you to play your console games on your PC rig. It's called the Spawn HD-720.

Monday Music VII - a trio of great drummers

People post a lot of videos with shit audio on Youtube. I would have preferred to post live performance footage, or at least the damned MTV clips, but you'll have to settle for the best audio quality I could find. Actual performances optional.

Queensryche - Operation: Mindcrime (drummer: Scott Rockenfield)



Dave Matthews Band - #41 (drummer: Carter Beauford) ... better audio quality here



Jane's Addiction - Been Caught Stealin' (drummer: Stephen Perkins)

"The Dread Slide" insta-kill

These smoker pulls have to be set up perfectly. In one scenario, the smoker pulls the survivor over the backs of a couple of hunters, so the survivor falls to his/her death instead of hanging from the edge of a wall. In another scenario, the smoker pulls a survivor over a hunter's back, so the survivor ends up on top of the smoker's head. Then, the hunter pounces the survivor off a cliff (again, the survivor is too far above the edge to catch the wall).

This video shows how it's done:

It's official: Gabe and Erik are going to Brisbane

On Fly Gabe Newell, Joe posted the following email:

The English language lacks the words to express the level of excitement Erik and I feel that you and your friends have pulled this off. Give us some time to organize our affairs, as we are trying to ship a product, and then we’ll let you know the time and date of our arrival. Give our best to Robin’s mother, as she is apparently a neighbor of yours.

Gabe & Erik

Congrats, Joe.