Watch Dogs - - Everything We Know

You are Aiden Pierce, genius, badass computer hacker.

Although first shown at E3 2012, Ubisoft's next-generation title Watch Dogs still remains hidden behind a veil of secrecy.  While many gameplay details have been released, much of the game's more intricate storyline are unknown.  For good reason, Ubisoft has kept this information under wraps in order to hype up, what appears to be, one of the more original video game storylines to date.  Let's go over some of the details of this computer hacking, open-world game coming out for Xbox One, PS4, 360 and PS3 this Fall.

Taking place in an open world environment of Chicago, you play as computer hacker extraordinaire Aiden Pierce.  Aiden can hack into anything.  This ranges from computers to phones to streetlights to anything he deems useful as he struggles against the police and the criminal underworld of Chicago.  You might ask, how on earth could an ordinary man hack into anything within a city? The answer lies in the fact that the city of Chicago operates from one central computer system entitled (cleverly) The Central Operating System.  Everything within the city relies on this system functioning and running day to day operations.  The ability to hack into a vast network such as the CtOS could provide a person within an incredible amount of dangerous information.

While hacking into a city's network sounds fun, the true genius of the system can be seen within the gameplay of Watch Dogs.  Using your elite hacking skills, Aiden Pierce can manipulate the environment around him to aid him in his quest to take down (or support) criminals in Chicago.  Are you surrounded by bad guys or the police and need a getaway? Don't worry.  By hacking into the street lights around you, Aiden can provide himself with the cover of darkness to escape.  In addition, in many missions/quests, Aiden will be forced to move environmental objects around in order to complete the appropriate task.  Most of the hacking while on the run is done through Aiden's high tech cell phone.  This is perfectly illustrated in the gameplay featured at this year's E3 below.

As you can see, the game plays like a mix between Grand Theft Auto and Assassin's Creed (I suspect the AC engine was used in development of the game).  The open world environment is extremely realistic, even down to the police blotter as they call out APB's and search parties for our hero.  Details from developers reveal that in order to access parts of the city's vast network, you are required to hack into CtOS terminals which enable to hack systems within a certain area.  To get a better framework of this, think of the viewpoint towers in Assassin's Creed.  Climbing a tower and then diving into a bail of hay (Someone please explain to me how that's possible??) reveals the area within the city around you, opening quests, stores and more.  The CtOS hubs will work very similarly and will enable Aiden to up his computer hacking arsenal around the city.

An interesting and unique feature of Watch Dogs is how the multiplayer component of the game is fused together with the single player storyline.  Station 1621 discussed in detail about the multiplayer driven campaign of Respawn Entertainment's Titanfall.  Watch Dogs, on the other hand, takes a different direction with their vision of multiplayer interactions.  As my Aiden Pierce progresses through his single player game, player's will, if they are connected to online, be able to enter my game with their Aiden Pierce.  They will appear, in my game, as a random looking ordinary person and not Aiden Pierce.  From this point, the player will be able to choose to either help or hinder my progression in the single player experience.  You see in the video above, a person on a tablet hacking into the lights to help the player escape sight from the light of a helicopter.  This would obviously be a circumstance where another player helps your Aiden Pierce in his vigilante actions.  On the other hand, developers have stated that a player entering my game certainly has the ability to set off alarms and trigger events that could get my player captured by the police.  This sounds like it could end in disaster as kids all over the world enter my single player story and troll me incredibly hard by hacking into systems to expose my plans.  While most of this information is still under wraps, it is an interesting feature that will need to be watched as the game inches closer and closer to release.

More fun features provided by the game include an array of mini games that can be played by hacking into people's cell phones.  Gameplay videos have revealed that NPC's (non-player controlled units) will be emphatically glued to their cell phone as they walk down the street to indicate that they are playing a game.  While details are sketchy, one mini game that is confirmed is an alien invasion game type that let's you shoot incoming aliens.  These types of games are a great way to spend time if you don't want to complete quests at the moment.  Its also worth touching on the companion app that was seen above in the gameplay video.  Tablet and phone interaction with the game your playing is a key part of the next-gen experience and it appears Watch Dogs is taking full advantage.  Mobile players being able to interact within the multiplayer component of the game is really cool (but also possibly terrible as players can troll me anywhere they go!).

Overall, Watch Dogs is still being tightly kept under wraps by Ubisoft.  This is most of the new information Station 1621 could scrap up about the game.  This open world, computer hacking game is on the horizon and represents one of the first few next-gen titles that will be available at release for both the Xbox One and the PS4.  When or if more details come available, Station 1621 will certainly post them to keep you updated!

One last thought... As I think about the devastating impact other players could have on my single player story, my mind drifts to thoughts of my friends' and their single player games.  I could single handily ensure that they never complete the game or at least make it ten times more difficult.  *Evil thoughts*

"With great power comes great responsibility."

And with providing you with your quote of the day, this is station operator Boneill1621 signing off.  Check out the Twitch Channel as live streams will be happening tonight.

See you starside.

-1621

Titanfall - - Everything We Know

The Pilot and his Titan

Coming out "exclusively" for the Xbox One, Xbox 360 and Windows 8 in Spring 2014, Titanfall is a first person shooter, mech battling, multiplayer game.  Created by the masterminds behind the original Call of Duty Modern Warfare, the guys at Respawn Entertainment (former employees of Infinity Ward) are changing their focus from a realistic shooter to creating an entirely new futuristic universe.  With Titanfall taking center stage at Microsoft's E3 showcase, there is plenty of information, gameplay footage and more to examine as we try to sieve through the details about the game.

When trying to describe Respawn Entertainment's Titanfall, executive producer Drew McCoy states that the main focus of the game will blur the lines between single and multiplayer gaming: "taking the hand-crafted cinematic nature of a single player game and wrapping it up in super-fast, smooth, awesome multiplayer game."  From the gameplay and cinematic shots shown at E3, Titanfall boasts that the traditional campaign experience will entirely rely on multiplayer battles.  While this sounds intriguing, I can hear the collective groan from the many gamers who value the solo-campaign experience.  Respawn Entertainment's answer to why they decided to blur the single and multiplayer experience is explained as such: "People spend hundreds of hours in the multiplayer experience versus ‘as little time as possible rushing to the end’ [in single-player]. So why do all the resources go there? To us it made sense to put it here. Now everybody sees all those resources, and multiplayer is better. For us it made sense.”  The resources the quote refers to are how the studio would allocate resources between a single player campaign and online multiplayer system.  The argument here is that by devoting all resources into a multiplayer-campaign experience, those playing the game will have a more polished and better overall experience.  If you think of a game such as Mass Effect 3 (while I find the multiplayer incredibly fun) it definitely is not as well done as the single player game itself.  This is clearly because the single-player campaign received a vast amount of resources while the multiplayer was a mere extension of the campaign itself. With Respawn Entertainment's multiplayer-campaign, gamers will be able to see a story unfold through competitive online multiplayer, something very new in the first person shooter world.

The gameplay for Titanfall was, in my opinion, one of the more eye catching videos at all of E3.  Check out the video to see the game in action as displayed at Microsoft's E3 conference.  Its interesting to watch the fighting dynamics between the titan mechs and the pilots themselves.  The pilot appears to play much like a Call of Duty soldier with a jet pack and extreme parkour abilities.  Using your jet/thruster pack to traverse buildings and running alongside walls looks rather seamless and reminds me of all the crazy acrobatics you can do in the Assassin's Creed games.  The titans appear like your standard mech, much like what was seen in James Cameron's Avatar and the Lost Planet games.  The sequence where the pilot jettisons from his titan and falls directly onto an enemy titan is a cool gameplay dynamic.  Respawn Entertainment states that the pilot vs. mech combat is balanced so that players can choose between two distinct fighting styles.  Basically it comes down to the speed and agility of the pilots versus the brute force abilities of the titans, which hopefully will provide endless different scenarios and encounters in the multiplayer-campaign experience.

The gameplay shown appears filled with visually stunning environments as ships overhead go in and out of hyperspace/warp/slipspace.  The building texture and appearance looks well done and presents forth a war torn setting as you traverse the streets and buildings.  From the gameplay above, you also get a sense of the multiplayer-campaign playing out as its your objective to take and hold locations for your faction within the war.  I still don't get a sense of how this progresses the main story but I know those details will become available soon.  I will say I was disappointed with how some of the characters looked for a supposed next-gen game.  Granted, with a Spring 2014 release, I'm sure graphical enhancements will be made.  I'm also not positive if this was being shown on the Xbox One or 360.  I assume the Xbox One but you never know.

Pilot free-running across a wall with jet-pack

Speaking of next-gen, Respawn Entertainment has stated that Titanfall will take advantage of many of the next-gen features incorporated within the Xbox One.  Most notably is that the game will utilize cloud computing for the game's environments and will have dedicated servers.  It appears to me that every next-gen game will have dedicated servers which puts a huge smile on my face (for those who read this and don't know, dedicated servers mean there won't be any lag while playing the game).  With processing power placed in the cloud and dedicated servers, hopefully Respawn can turn up the appearance of the game even more.

While details are scarce, I can't say for how you outfit your pilot/titan but its safe to say it will mirror the typical FPS experience.  Hopefully you will be able to change the look of your pilot or titan to make the game more unique and colorful to the specific player.  Also, with a Spring 2014 release date, Respawn Entertainment is shying away from going head to head with Battlefield 4 and Call of Duty: Ghosts.  It will be interesting to see when the next Halo installment will be released and if it will be anywhere near the release date for Titanfall.  I'd say not considering they both are Xbox exclusives.

Overall, Station 1621 is incredibly excited for Titanfall.  With the masterminds behind the first Modern Warfare at the helm, the station recommends that you not worry about their newest installment being a bust.  Its sad that Playstation players won't get to experience, what it appears to be, a fun and fresh first person shooter.  If anymore details drop about Titanfall, Station 1621 will keep you up to date with all the information.  Next time we will be profiling Ubisoft's Watch-Dogs so keep checking back.  Events will be streaming this weekend over at the Twitch channel so check it out as well.

See you starside,

-1621

Post E3 Thoughts - - The Console War and More

E3 has come and gone.  The console war is now upon us again.  The future landscape of the video game industry has been in constant flux the past couple weeks and its worth recaping some important information on where each console stands and what its offering the consumer.

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The Playstation 4, the prohibitive internet console favorite so far, comes with $399 price tag and no digital rights management concerns.  The next-gen Playstation represents a conservative approach to the future of console gaming as the features offered differ very little from the Playstation 3.  The Playstation network now requires a subscription fee that promises to give gamers access to exclusive content such as game DLC's, indie games and more.  Also on the horizon is a streaming service from Sony Pictures that will provide another alternative to Netflix.  The Playstation 4 does not require an internet connection and can play used games.

The Xbox One, on the other hand, presents a radical approach to the future of console gaming. With a day one price of $499, the Xbox One is a bit pricier than the PS4 but includes the Kinect device in all console packages.  Microsoft is banking on the fact that console gamers want an all-in-one entertainment device as opposed to just a device to play video games on.  This is evidenced by the HDMI port to connect your Xbox One to your cable or satellite box to enhance your TV viewing experience.  More so than the PS4, Microsoft is stressing the future of cloud computing and how it will change the way games are developed and played.  Continuing its Xbox Live subscription service in conjunction with Windows 8 compatibility, Microsoft hopes to fuse the experience between its gaming console and operating system even more.

Update: Microsoft has decided to lift the DRM and online requirement policies of the Xbox One through a day-one patch.  This changes the landscape of the console war as most of the qualms over the Xbox One stemmed from the consumer dissatisfaction of digital rights management and the online connection.  Gamers have complained and Microsoft has responded.  Microsoft, however, will not adjust their $499 price tag.

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With this quick overview, let's discuss the implications of the most recent updates on each console.  The Playstation 4 is steaming along, riding a huge way of public positivity in which the company has handled well.  After their vicious corporate throwdown against Microsoft at E3, Sony has profited greatly from Microsoft's misstep in having DRM and online requirements for the Xbox One.  Several separate PS4 package bundles are leading Amazon's best selling devices list.  We will wait and see if Sony can continue this profitable surge.  History has shown Sony to be prone to making mistakes regarding their console.  One worry I have is that the PS4 is too conservative in its approach.  While it no doubt will be profitable now, will PS4 feel a down surge two years from now? It remains to be seen.

The Xbox One has had a horrendous start, at least on the internet.  Microsoft has been the constant punchline for many jokes and, for a moment, it seemed the Xbox One would be left behind in the console war.  That has changed since Microsoft's reversal of the Xbox One's DRM and online requirement policies.  These changes come at a cost of losing some features like being able to access your digital game library anywhere and being able to share it with up to ten friends.  The removal of the online requirement has made some Xbox fans question whether games will be able to take advantage of  cloud computing if developers have to account for offline players.  IAs of now, the Day One edition of the Xbox One is the highest selling device on Amazon.  Pretty impressive turn around in just a matter of days for Microsoft.  We will continue to monitor pre-order sales of each console to give you up to date information on how consumers are responding to news about each console.

Overall, I am glad the consoles are placed on a more even playing field.  While I understand (and even accepted) Microsoft's DRM and online requirements, I am glad I won't have to lose gaming friends over differing policies on each console.  I really hope these changes don't affect such things like buying games directly from Xbox Live, cloud computing in games and other such features.  The Playstation multiplayer subscription fee was entirely necessary and people who complain about it need to understand that Sony can no longer offer similar services to Microsoft without charging a price to play games online.  As of today, I would say the Playstation 4 is leading the console war; however, Microsoft's reversal of hindering policies pushes the Xbox One closer to the Playstation 4.  Two weeks from now the landscape could be entirely different and Station 1621 will be right their giving you up to date information on each console.

Station 1621 would also like to announce that, starting tomorrow, we will be profiling all the big games displayed at E3 this year.  The first game the station will give a rundown on is Respawn Entertainment's Titanfall.  So staty tuned as system operations turn a focus to the exclusive games each console will be offering.  As always check out our Twitch Channel for live streaming events.

See you starside.

-1621

Happy Father's Day!

Happy Father's Day to all my readers! Thanks for supporting Station 1621 thus far.  I've been quite busy the past couple days spending time with my dad which is why there has been a lack of posts.  I promise, now that E3 has come and gone, a couple posts regarding the console war, next generation games and more are coming.  So please check back each day for more news.

With that said, Station 1621 will be living streaming Mass Effect today at around 2 o'clock eastern.  My father might make a special appearance and commentate gameplay.  That could only lead to internet gold so please check it out.  In addition, at 5 eastern, I will be live streaming Forerunner Conflict custom games on Halo 4.  These games are in celebration of the community's 7th birthday and therefore should be fun and even more entertaining to watch, so stick around and check those out as well.

As always, here is a link to Station 1621's Twitch live stream.

See you starside.

-1621

E3 Day Two, Wrap Ups and More

Bungie's Destiny worldwide gameplay reveal

E3 Day Two has been underway and more exciting details have been released about many of the games we heard about during the kickoff press conferences on Monday and Tuesday.  Most notably was the worldwide gameplay reveal of Bungie's console-mmo Destiny.  While I knew Bungie was talented and ambitious enough to pull it off, I was still impressed by the detailed environment and play style inherent in their newest title.  If I had to put words to how the game looks and feels, I'd say its a combination of Mass Effect, Halo and Borderlands with a Fallout type artistry touch.  Very cool game that I look forward to playing in the future.

Also newsworthy was Sqaure Enix's announcement that both Kingdom Hearts 3 and Final Fantasy XV will be available on Xbox One.  If you scroll down through my notes on Sony's press conference, they highlighted the fact that these titles would be exclusively on the PlayStation 4.  This apparently is not so and was announced during Square Enix's press conference yesterday.  After discussing with my friend (who is a diehard Kingdom Hearts fan) this decision changes his entire outlook on which console to buy in the Fall.  He originally was sold on the newest PlayStation just because of these two blockbuster titles.  He is currently re-evaluating his decision.

Speaking of the newest console war, the internet has been a battleground the past few days.  PlayStation and Xbox fans alike have been trading back and forth blows with one another in some sort of feeble game to determine which console is better.  While Station 1621 doesn't condone flame wars, operating systems here have been firing at maximum capacity the past couple days trying to bring some civility to the gaming forums on the internet.  This battle has been determined to be quite an inefficient use of system operations.  In all seriousness, a post is coming about who stands on top after E3  between Microsoft and Sony (sorry Nintendo, I just couldn't make it through the Nintendo Direct conference when the system lagged like crazy trying to run games).  My interpretation will be based on the sentiments from each console community and how they feel their respective console fared during their E3 conference.  Hopefully we can avoid a flame war here!

Station 1621 will be continue its Mass Effect playthrough tonight.  I'll put a post up with the link later today.

See you starside.

-1621

E3 Running Live Diary (Sony Press Conference)

Finally the long wait for Playstation fans everywhere ends.  The PS4 will be revealed tonight along with over forty games.  This will be our first chance to openly compare the Xbox One and the PS4.  The next few days will determine the first days of the console war.  Keep refreshing the page to get up to date information on the conference.

• Clear jab at Microsoft to begin the conference.  Gaming consoles are made for gamers and are not suppose to be just entertainment devices.
• It appears as if Sony is late or Microsoft hacked into all of Sony's video feeds.
• Conference final begins at 9:17!
• Intro video was very impressive.  Showed the biggest titles in Playstation history.
• New things coming to Playstation Vita this year.
• "Vita is just beginning its life cycle."
• 85 new Vita titles this year, including Batman Arkham Origins, Counter Spy, Killzone Mercenary and more.
• Remastering old Playstation games for the Vita.
• New Vita coming this summer with Walking Dead bundle.
• Sony is now showing a "Last of Us" trailer.  This game is already out so I'm not including it in the new games list.
• Playstation 3 Titles (we'll just put the PS4 one's in a different column).
• Game #1: Rain, Fall 2013. Trailer played, no details yet.
• Game #2: Beyond, another trailer, main character is voiced by Ellen Page.  Presumably for 2013.  Didn't see.
• Game #3: Gran Turismo 6, new features, similar graphics.
• Game #4: Batman Arkham Origins, coming back to the Playstation with a new partnership with Werner Bros.
• New Playstation 3 bundle with Grand Theft Auto Five.  Includes a really nice GTAV headset.
• Playstation 4 Reveal
• "Console of unparalleled power."
• The console is a half gloss, half matte coloring that is slightly angled backwards.  Picture will be posted when available.
• Honestly, looks pretty similar to the Xbox One in terms of looks and exterior design.
• Michael Lynton on stage to discuss the new features.  Head of Sony Pictures, the guys who make good movies.
• States that Sony Pictures will be developing new programming with their brand.  Not good for other streaming services like Netflix.
• Video Unlimited service allows you to rent and own Sony's movies.
• Music Unlimited service allows you to stream, buy and share music worldwide.
• Introduces some new apps to the Playstation Network, none of them will be exclusives but its still very nice that they are included on the app market.
• Sony's Head of Game Studios is now on stage discussing the increased effort to bring forth new , exclusive titles.
• GAMES for Playstation 4 - - - - -
• Game #1: Exclusive title for the Playstation 4 entitled The Order - 1856. The game seemingly takes place in the 1800's as they are being drawn by a horse and buggy (also note the title).  However, characters depicted in the game have advanced weaponry and communication devices.  The horse carriage stops and the characters step out and begin firing at figures in the dark.  Kind of looked like zombies but I'm not sure.
• Game #2: Killzone for the Playstation 4.  Looked very nice.  I notice they added a feature that allowed you to see enemies behind walls like in Halo 4.  Made me laugh.
• Game #3: Drive Club, new racing title coming to the Playstation 4.
• Game #4: inFamous Second Son looks good.  Nice gameplay integration with the many powers.  No actual gameplay was seen though, just a video so I can't be sure.
• All these titles above will be released at the launch of the Playstation 4.
• Actual in game video of The Dark Sorcerer as seen on the new Playstation 4.  Pretty hilarious video as I totally bought into it being a game.  "It's amazing and funny."  Will be played at the booth and on the web to give users a view into the capabilities of the Playstation 4.  Check it out on Youtube and on their website.
• Game #5: Transistor, from Supergiant Games (creators of Bastion), seems like a type of platforming game.  Probably won't check it out myself but looks intriguing.
• Independent Game Development - Tons of new independent games in the new indie game section on the Playstation Network.  Sony is displaying multiple indie titles.  Too fast to cover any here but it goes to show Sony's commitment to the independent game community.  Many of these games were available on other platforms.
• Game #6: Diablo 3 will be getting special Playstation specific rewards/DLC's.  Obviously not an exclusive title.
• Game #7: From Square Enix studios, Final Fantasy XV was entirely in Japanese and looked absurd, like more absurd than the previous installments.  Gameplay was frantic involving magic, swords, guns and more.  Time slowed down and sped  up.  The playable character's agility was encompassed by bursts of light when he moved really fast.  Didn't seem slow which was a complaint in the last installment.  Looked as beautiful as ever though.
• Game #8: Kingdom Hearts 3. I honestly never got into these games and the clip they showed was short.  Graphics didn't seem to be too different.  But glad they continued the franchise.  Big score for Disney.
• Game #9: Assassin's Creed: Black Flag is being presented again with some specific gameplay scenes.  Don't take my wrong, I love the series but they are playing up this pirates theme way too much.  Its like the main story of the game doesn't matter anymore.  During the gameplay, whoever was playing clearly failed to assassinate an enemy and it made me laugh.  More ship driving for AC fans who clamored for that!  And oh my... Assassin's Creed just froze on stage.... That is not what you want to see from a game demonstration.
• Game #10: Watch-Dogs. I'm glad they are giving this game more spot light.  Ubisoft didn't show anything earlier.  It appears as if were about to get some gameplay.  And we are! Let's hope it doesn't freeze like Black Flag.  Watch-Dogs has some nice driving mechanics with a GTA type mini-map in the bottom right.  As you walk around, you can see people using their electronic devices.  In addition, you can hack into other devices and use them to communicate and more.  Specifically showed gameplay where you use electronics to deceive and allure enemies away from one of your comrades.  Pretty cool, not as life changing as the earlier video but a neat idea.  Tablet integration! Watch-Dogs displays the mini-map on your tablet so you can see enemies.  Your cell phone works like the Mass Effect hud allowing you to use abilities such as Blackout which disables all lighting in the area.  Playstation owners will receive an additional hour of gameplay.
• Game #11: NBA 2k14 begins its presentation with LeBron talking to his digital self and asking him whether he can ball like, well, himself? This will go head to head with EA's NBA Live (and probably will win due to the NBA market being Playstation owneres).  Its apparent no one in the audience really likes Lebron as the presentation leader makes a joke about how LeBron will need those skills in the game tomorrow night.
• Game #12: Elders Scrolls Online is coming to the Playstation 4 in 2014.  They will have an exclusive BETA for Playstation 4.  I'm pumped.  Looks great if they can pull of that kind of environment on a console.  An MMORPG like this has never been attempted on a console before (sort of).  Definitely will discuss this in more depth later.
• Game #13: Mad Max will be available on Playstation with an exclusive survival kit.  Don't know much about it.  They just played a short video with no gameplay.
• Playstation 4 supports used games. Your move Microsoft.
• Playstation 4 utilizes disc based games. 
• Playstation 4 disc based games don't need to be connected online to play or require any time of communication. President of Playstation even stated that you don't need to be connected every 24 hours.  What a big screw you to Microsoft.
• Less than $5 per month, Playstation Plus members can access betas, exclusive content, videos and more.  Applies to all Playstation products.  Subscription fees are new to Playstation.  It will be interesting to see what happens with this.
• Game 14: DESTINY Live Gameplay Reveal.
• Exploring the frontier in what remains of Russia.
• Fallout type of artistry touch and graphics.  Very rustic and more.  Not ready to say the graphics aren't next-gen cause their good, just not what I expected.  
• Guns are equipped with modern type sights.
• Warlock class has a "Ghost." Allows to illuminate dark areas and speaks like an AI.
• Gameplay combines gunfire with magic abilities for the Warlock.  Seems very fun.
• Loot is distributed in little yellow balls after you kill a boss type enemy.
• Guns that were received for loot mirror weapons in Borderlands 1 and 2.  One is a sniper rifle and the other a machine gun with electricity surging through it.
• Titan class joins the Warlock and Hunter.  
• The group encounters a "Public Event." Enemies are dropping from a large ship as many teams of men and women attempt to kill giant monster type creatures.  Feels like a public event in an MMO, think world events in World of Warcraft.
• Long term partnership with Bungie to provide exclusive content (possibly).
• To be released in 2014 for both PS4 and Xbox One.
• Playstation Cloud Service provides PS3 games to be streamed onto your Playstation.  If this works it'd be very cool.  I worry about lag issues and more so they will need a ton of servers.
• Playstation 4 will be available for $399.

E3 Running Live Diary (Ubisoft Press Conference)

The Ubisoft conference is underway! I was eating a quick dinner so I will spare the intro for the company.  Keep refreshing.

• Game #1: Splinter Cell Blacklist, I missed it so I'll get back to you.  Word on the street is they didn't show much anyway.  Very typical.
• Game #2: Rayman Legends is the new adaptation of the classic series.  Similar antics and graphics with what appears to be possible tablet integration.  Wouldn't be surprised to see a mobile version.
• Game #3: The Mighty Quest for Epic Loot is a new game in beta right now.  This is a build a castle, protect your loot game.  They're now showing a character from the game in a video montage describing the game.  It looks like a terrible Dreamworks cartoon film, even down to the terrible writing.  That said, I'm sure it will be a highly addictive children's looking game that you will be embarrassed to tell you friends you play.  As soon as I say that, the main character begins to cuss up a storm, bleeped out for affect.  Maybe this game will be more humorous than I thought?
• Game #4: Speaking of highly inappropriate cartoons, the new game South Park: Stick of Truth is ridiculous as it sounds.  They showed a montage of Stan's dad fighting a little kid.  For the record, these titles are for current generation consoles.  Were now moving into next-gen titles.
• Quick moment away from games, they have a girl narrating the conference.  She is attractive enough but she is trying incredibly hard to be a stereotypical "gamer girl." Her scripted stuff isn't as bad as some of Microsoft's or EA's but its still deplorable at times.
• Game #5: Kicking off their next-gen titles, Ubisoft is previewing a racing game, that, by the looks of it, won't be able to compete with Forza or even Need for Speed.  Graphics are decent, don't get me wrong, but the world can handle only so many racing titles.  The name of the game is entitled The Crew and looks to emphasize the people/group you race with.  Describing the game, a developer states that their mission was to "change the face/status quo of racing games."  How will they do this? The biggest multiplayer driving experience ever created.  The entire game is played online (there is a single player but definitely is not being emphasized) and used actual roads used across the United States.  So while someone could be racing in say New York, they depict an off-road vehicle near Mount Vernon and then a road race in Nevada.  There are missions/quests to complete with your vehicle.  There is no multiplayer "lobby," all single player missions are done within the framework of the multiplayer game. Customization is stressed to help cater your car to your style.  This whole multiplayer environment feels like All Points Bulletin which was released for the PC a couple of years ago.  A cool idea if supported by the proper hardware.  Now watching some real gameplay.  I swear I saw a car glitch across a screen.... The graphics are NOT next-gen, no matter which way you spin it.  Let's hope Ubisoft picks it up.
• The girl in charge used a tablet to customize her vehicle and then described it as "rad." Please..
• Game #5: Watch-Dogs, the crown jewel for Ubisoft's next-gen titles, takes the stage next.  After a brief description, we now move into a CGI-filled video about the game.  Essentially, you are a vigilante that utilizes hacking on his cell phone to fight enemies.  The clip shows our hero/villain uses his phone to activate a fire sprinkler system to aid our character in a firefight.  Not too many more details were released and since the video they played leaked last night, pretty disappointing for a game that is highly anticipated.
• Game #6: Just Dance 2014, the girl presenting the game even laughed when she said it... Not sure she even takes the game seriously.  But it looks more of the same if you enjoy those type of games.  No mentioning how it will work with any of the new motion sensor next-gen devices. 
• Game #7: Rabbids Invasion and the Interactive TV Show - A game for kids, this actually marks an interesting shift in children's entertainment.  Kids depict how the show will work my interacting with the Xbox One's Kinect device (no mention of PS4).  Children can play a series of games that correspond to events in the show.  It will be interesting to see if that game/show works within the confines of the family living room.  Side note: This developer who presented this game wore the most ridiculous shirt I've ever seen.  It was a button up with flowers sprouting from the tails of the shirt.  Incredibly hideous.  A member of Forerunner Conflict (Blackhawk) makes the excellent point of how on earth someone could spend months preparing for a conference and then wear a shirt as hideous as it was.  Hopefully I can post a picture later.

The Shirt in all its glory.  Thanks to Silko for the screen grab.

• Game #8: Assassin's Creed: Black Flag - PIRATES!!!  This game has been covered by many different outlets so I'll only mention any new details.   Gameplay will be on display throughout E3.  The developer gives us a sneak peak at what those at the conference will get to see.  Typical, Assassin's Creed fighting mechanics as your character explores sea ports and more.  Before the film/gameplay they stated this was the most ambitious open world game ever created.  It will be interesting to see how much exploration you actually can conduct within the game.  This series seems to have taken a step back though.  Templars were not even mentioned in the conference.  This will be a major topic we'll discuss more of later.
• Game #9: The next-gen game before there was next-gen is Trials: Fusion.  This game is for next-gen consoles and current generation consoles.  Ubisoft also announces Trials: Frontier, a mobile/tablet game based off the ever popular game.  These will be major money makers.  Look forward to see Trials in the mobile gaming market as well.
• Game #10: Ubisoft ends the conference with a depressing video of how easily our society can be corrupted and destroyed. Hopefully the terrorists aren't watching.  Utilizing Black Friday and money to transmit a viral infection, the game is set within a post-apocalyptic type universe.  This game, created by Massive Entertainment, is entitled Tom Clancy's The Division (I did not see a Clancy game coming until the title was announced at the end).  Massive developers are now showing gameplay of someone walking through what remains of the crisis-filled world.  The plot of the game focuses on the government agents within the United States who's goal is to respond to a worldwide pandemic and crisis.  The game plays like a third-person shooter and has skills and upgrades available to your character.  Currently, they are displaying a firefight in New York City.  The integrated HUD is one of the more cool things I've seen from a shooter.  Very modern and sleek.  The game appears to have a survival element as well.  Utilizing what is left in the war torn, panic filled streets to your advantage, you must make your way through an open world environment..  As the video ends, we see our players fighting another group of player controlled units.  Very crazy.  This might be the new crown jewel for Ubisoft after Watch-Dogs didn't step up during its time on stage.
• Overall, this conference was very disappointing.  Definitely the worst of the day.  Watch-Dogs, thought to be the next big game, didn't provide any new information.  The Crew left me unimpressed as did Assassin's Creed.  The kids games are what they are and it'll be interesting to see if interactive TV catches on.  The girl who ran the conference was pretty terrible to cap off everything.  The Division presented the only new and interesting information and might be the next, new creative game from Ubisoft.

E3 Running Live Diary (Electronic Arts Press Conference)

After Xbox revealed over twenty new games and more console details, Electronic Arts steps into the light at E3.  Expect tons of sports games and hopefully a few surprises.  Maybe some news from Lucas Arts? or from Bioware?  Cross your fingers.  Keep refreshing!

• Conference called "The Download."  Eleven new games will be profiled for the PS4 and Xbox One.  Here is your link.
• Game #1: Plants vs Zombies: Garden Warefare created by Popcap.  Newer version of a mobile game that is coming first to Xbox One and then PS4.  Developers start off by showing us the new survival mode.  Game developers are controlling plants and shooting zombies.  This is as silly as it sounds.  The Catcus character is the sniper who shoots needles.  The first "boss" zombie they face is a disco zombie who repeatably dances and spins as he attacks.  Next "boss" we have is a giant zombie and then one that looks like Frankenstein.  They also announced Peggle 2. Pretty cool how they have classes depicted by different plants.  Close quarters, sniper, assault and more.
• Game #2: Titanfall by Respawn Entertainment.  As profiled at the Xbox One press conference, we are now receiving a more in depth look at the game.  Developers are speaking directly about their experience of making the game and providing an explanation to the game's universe.  Mech's are extension of your character.  "Titan vs Titan (Mech vs Mech) could be its own game while so could the wall running, pilot vs pilot combat."  Multiplayer driven story campaign.
• Descriptions of the newest programs and technologies utilized by EA.  EA's IGNITE engine as well as DICE's FROSTBITE 3.  Lots of money poured into these engines.
• Game #11 (apparently): Star Wars: Battlefront just made a cameo on screen using the Frostbite engine.  Yes.  No gameplay shown... Just a short cutscene with what appeared to be the Battle of Hoth.  Here is the video.
• Game #3: Need for Speed: Rivals is the ultimate rivalry between racers and police.  Graphics look good but no where near those of Forza.  Different audience I suppose.  Tablet integration allows a heads up display of the track and environment ahead, kind of like a GPS.  Multiplayer allows racers to go head to head with police in the ultimate showdown.  Need for Speed, the movie is now being shown.  The drug dealer guy from Breaking Bad stars in the movie.  Sorry, I forgot his name, good actor though.  Hopefully this movie doesn't ruin his career.  Judging by the comments on our live stream, no one cares and everyone wants to see Battlefront.
• Game #4: Dragon Age: Inquisition by Bioware. "The Next Generation of RPGs." The clip, entitled "Fires Above," is being shown now.  Graphics are pretty good.  Looks like a new direction and feeling for Dragon Age, just my opinion though.
• Head of EA Sports is now taking the stage.  All games powered by EA IGNITE engine.  AI's will have human like intelligence, arenas will be more real
• Game #5: NBA Live 14 finally makes a comeback.  After years of being terrible and overshadowed by 2k Sports NBA franchise.  They will have a time competing with them.  Kyrie Irving is now on stage after a short poem by a very electric speaker.  Tell us Kyrie, "why is dribbling so important to your game?"  Jesus EA, please... That's something that will be mocked immediately and for years to come.  Speaking about dribbling, the BounceTek technology incorporated in NBA Live.  Couldn't exactly tell you what it does.  Has to do with stylize play more to how each NBA player actually plays.  NBA Live will be a new experience every time you pick up the controller with constant updates on player status and more.
• Game #6: Madden 14 - 25th anniversary.  More technology such as Player Sense that enables quicker reactions that make gameplay more realistic.  "War in the Trenches" represents a new dedication to linemen in the new Madden.  Unit coordination and more realistic blitz packages.  Just showed a visor on Marshawn Lynch's helmet (BEAST MODE) that looked very cool.  Adrian Peterson is your cover guy.  Let's hope he doesn't have a terrible year.  Not going to lie, it still doesn't look much different than years past.
• Game #7: FIFA 14 continues the biggest blockbuster in the EA Sports empire.  Barcelona players are discussing their passion for the game.  Impressive list.  For some reason, Drake is now on stage.  I'm certainly confused.  He's talking about his passion for soccer and FIFA.  I'm glad we get to know Drake's thoughts on the EA development team and how hard they work.  "Living Stadiums" feature will enable players to feel how stadiums affect gameplay.  Better precision movement features, more realistic technique from AI's and more.  Looks just as good.  Living stadium feature could be a game changer when I choose my team.  Fully playable version at E3 this week.  That's a nice touch.
• Game #8: UFC announcer on stage with Jon Paul Jones, Benson Henderson and Dana White.  EA announcing partnership with "fastest growing sport in the world" and their new game UFC. Realistic fighting techniques and more.  Now playing a trailer to promote the game praising fighting as the first real sport.  Releasing in Spring 2014, it will be interesting to see how the game will incorporate the Kinect.  That would be pretty hilarious if you had teenagers vigorously air punching their TV while rolling on the floor.
• Game #9:  Battlefield 4 is back after its introduction at the Xbox One press conference.  Let's reiterate, 64 player battles on consoles.  No longer will PC gamers hold that over console gamers' heads.  Multiplayer demo being shown on the map entitled "Shanghai."  Map appears to actually be the city of Shanghai as players fly in on a helicopter between buildings.  Commander feature allows you to broadcast to all players on your team.  Tablet integration enables you to give orders and see the enemy kind of like a UAV.  Vehicular combat looks smooth.  The guy playing on the tablet just launched artillery on the enemy.  This could add an entirely new dimension to my workdays.  The squad playing, who was in a large skyscraper, had to jump out as it collapsed.  Skyscrapers are apparently collapse-able.  Couple that with blowing up roads to stop tanks and more.  Destructible environments seem to have taken a step forward.
• Game #10: Mirrors Edge 2 coming from the DICE team.  Short gameplay clip shown as Faith runs around and kicks ass.
• They said eleven games so I will just include Battlefront in that list.  Overall, lots of gameplay shown which I am happy about.  Sports games look more of the same but Titanfall, Battlefield 4 and a short clip from Battlefront stole the show.  Battlefront is trending on Twitter ahead of all these other games they actually showed.  The crowd went ballistic for the video which is linked above.  Battlefront being displayed alone made EA's conference a success in my eyes.  More later when Station 1621 presents its wrap up post.  Sony and other conferences are still to come so check back to the station often.

E3 Running Live Diary (Xbox Press Conference)

The Electronic Entertainment Expo is finally here.  Sit back and watch the future unfold.  Station 1621 will be  giving a live recap of events and announcements as they unfold.  The Xbox team is set to begin their press conference soon.  HERE WE GO.

• Xbox One is set to release in November this year.  (Statement from Rare team)
• New Kinect Sports and Kinect Sports Rivals announced.  Jet ski racing!! Soccer!! and tons of more activities utilizing the new Kinect.
• Xbox One press conference is beginning now: watch here.
• Microsoft opens by showing Metal Gear Solid V by Kojima.  Looks pretty good.  Interesting choice to start the show. First time Metal Gear will be on Xbox.
• NEW XBOX 360 THAT LOOKS SIMILAR TO THE XBOX ONE. Available now.
• Xbox Live Gold Members, new and old, will receive 2 free games each month up until the release of the Xbox One.  First two free games include Assassin's Creed II and Halo 3.  They have doubled the offer made by Playstation.  This is why the competitive market works. Fable 3 can be downloaded for free as of now.
• Gold Account sharing.  You can share services on your Gold account such as multiplayer with other friends and accounts.
• World of Tanks for Xbox 360.  Actually looks fun.  This is the type of indie games Xbox's marketplace needs to separate itself from the competition.
• Max game by Press Play entertainment.  Can't really tell you more.. It's a kids game.
• Dark Souls II announced for Xbox 360.  Doesn't seem to offer much.
• All Xbox One games from here on out.
• Ryse: Son of Rome.  Pitched as a new franchise for Xbox. Gameplay looks like Assassin's Creed.  Just showed your character instructing a Phalanx formation.  Pretty cool.  Not sure if this makes sense but it feels like a Call of Duty game.  AC mechanics with Call of Duty feel.  Very interesting.  Made by Crytek.  Available at Xbox One release.
• Killer Instinct is back! Available only for Xbox One.
• Sunset Overdrive. Made by Insomniac. A stylized open world shooter. Will post link on it later.  Worth discussing.
• Forza 5.  They have a real prototype Mclaren on stage right now.  Someone please jump in it and try to drive off....  Focusing on how Forza will utilize the cloud.  They call a new program that tracks your driving style a "Drivatar."  Recreates your driving style in all aspects.  How you draft, where you usually are on the track, speed, pretty much everything.  Uses your Drivatar to make AI's in the game more realistic.  The game, per usual, looks amazing.
• Quick poll on FC_Wars shows that gamers have been slightly impressed so far.  (Small sample).
• Minecraft sighting!
• Quantum Break by Remedy.  More on this later.  Utilized freezing time, physics, err whatever, as a concept.
• Project Spark is Microsoft's independent game development program.  It is not complicated at all.  May require Smartglass... Uncertain though.  They are presenting a program that can be utilized by everyone.  Games can be created for Xbox Marketplace.  More on this later for sure.  The possibilities seem endless.  Very creative app. 
• Now speaking about how Smartglass aids in your game playing experience.  Using Ryse as an example.  Smartglass shows you recommended tips, leaderboards, and helps you match up into games.
• Upload Studio.  Xbox uploads videos into the cloud to share with all your friends.  You also can stream directly to Twitch.  Essentially my capture card is now worthless.  Awesome.  But seriously, I find this to be a game changer personally.  Twitch just scored huge with this.  People will be streaming their games across the world more frequently and in greater numbers.
• NO MORE MICROSOFT POINTS!
• Crimson Dragon.  New game where you appear to take flight with your own dragon.
• Dead Rising 3. Open world zombie game.  Good series to continue on the Xbox One.
• Witcher 3: Wild Hunt continues on the Xbox One as well.
• Smartglass is really being pushed with all these games.  Managing inventories, calling in airstrikes for single player games and more.  Tablets are becoming more and more incorporated.
• Battlefield 4 and their Frostbite 3 engine have taken the stage.  Showing gameplay at 60 FPS.   No sound though so they started the video over.  Is Sony sabotaging Microsoft's show? Sound has returned.  Showing a scene where missiles are destroying an aircraft carrier with you inside.  Firefights ensuing everywhere on board as planes are dropping into the ocean.  Very visually striking.  Map Pack is an Xbox One exclusive.
• Below, a new game that reminds me of Zelda.  Interesting.
• Microsoft is investing in five new game studios to produce AAA titles.
• They just showed Master Chief walking across the desert in a robe, cloth thing.  He was holding Cortana's chip like a DOG tag necklace. Here is the video.
• Now showing Halo on Xbox One. Dedicated servers.
• Titanfall from Respawn Entertainment.  Mech battle game with some good on foot FPS.  Really cool movement with crazy jet packing free running.  I actually really enjoyed the art style and visuals but some I watched the reveal with stated it look too much like a combination of Halo and COD.  Not enough differentiation.
• Xbox One will be $499.
• New reputation and rating system for players on the new Xbox Live (source).  Hopes to actually be effectively against trouble makers and cheaters.  The one that exists now doesn't work at all.
• That's it for the Xbox One reveal at E3.  Stay tuned later for more including Sony's reveal!  Station 1621 will be doing write ups for the big games coming out as more information comes available.

Station 1621's E3 Coverage

Christmas is almost here folks.  Starting tomorrow, Station 1621 will have a live running diary of all the events and information you need about E3.  Keep the refresh button at the ready for information will be dropping fast and often.  You can also follow me on Twitter @Boneill1621 for even more up to date information.  Let's hope the next week or so gives a clearer picture about where the video game industry is heading.  See you soon.

-1621

P.S.

Live streaming Sedulous Squad's Halo 4 matches tonight at 6 PM eastern over at the Twitch channel.  Come check it out!

Xbox One, the Future of Gaming or Just Another Console? (Part Three)

The Xbox One Reveal

This is the final installment of a three part series following Microsoft's transition from the original Xbox, to the 360 and now the Xbox One.  Knowing Microsoft's past, can we predict the future success or failure of the Xbox One?  And how will Microsoft's past experiences play a role in the business and technological decisions behind the Xbox One?  These are the questions that we seek to understand as we piece together Microsoft's past consoles with the first few weeks of news about the Xbox One.  **Station 1621... reporting in...** 

On May 21st, 2013, Microsoft took the first big step in showing the public the future of the Xbox brand.  Their new console, the Xbox One, was revealed to anxious consumers across the globe in an informational but lackluster live reveal.  Putting to rest the countless internet rumors, the name "Xbox One" was chosen to express the device's "all-in-one" home entertainment capability.  Marc Whitten, a Microsoft executive, stated that the latest installment of the Xbox will "change everything."  While we can safely say, as seen in parts one and two of Station 1621's review of Microsoft's past consoles, the Xbox and Xbox 360 effectively pushed the video game industry forward in many ways no one could expect.  From just the sampling of information we have from the Xbox One reveal, is this a valid claim for Microsoft to be making? Or is Microsoft's future within the console industry at jeopardy?  These are the questions we must excavate out of the information presented forward by Microsoft at this time.

As we here at Station 1621 have expressed multiple times, the confusion surrounding the Xbox One is vast.  The live reveal on May 21st focused mainly on the newest capabilities of the console and left many questions about always online requirements, developer programming, used games and the new games coming to the system unanswered.  The technical specifications match those of Xbox One's competition, the Playstation 4, and can be found in the Station 1621 archive here.  The Xbox One's ground breaking new entertainment advancements include:

• Blu-Ray Player (Finally!)
• HDMI-In Port - Enables users to integrate the Xbox One with their TV watching experience.  For example, a person could bring up their fantasy football team while watching the Bengals play the Steelers on live TV.
• New controller with over 40 new design innovations including "impulse triggers" which give vibrating feedback into your figure tips.
• A completely redesigned Kinect with infra-red technology that can sense players in the dark and even check their pulse.
• Cloud system to store games, videos, music, pictures and more.  This is very interesting as many games will in part run on the console and within the cloud.  This will free up space for you to be playing a game and surfing the internet at the same time.
• Updated UI, reminiscent of Windows 8.
• 300,000 dedicated servers for Xbox Live (that is a ton for those who don't know) 

Xbox One's integrated TV guide

While these new features seem very cool, the Xbox One reveal fell short when conveying the types of games that will be played on the new console.  Questions about whether used games will be playable and possible new gaming titles fell wayside to a conference strictly about new entertainment features.  The content of the Xbox One reveal contrasts greatly to the PS4 reveal which, as you could guess, focused strictly on new games and how they will look on the new console.  While many questions will be answered at E3 (Electronic Entertainment Expo) on June 11th-13th, gamers are left to speculate at the vagueness of the Xbox One's gaming capabilities.  The online backlash of the Xbox One reveal was immediate with many hardcore gamers arguing that the Xbox One's focus on entertainment features reveals Microsoft's greater plan to no longer cater to the hardcore gamer.  Google any major gaming website's forums and you will see an unbelievable amount of vitriol spitted at Microsoft's new gaming console.  While some of the criticism is fair since Microsoft has been so confusing on many points about the Xbox One, much of the criticism stems directly from the fear that the dedicated console gamer is being forgotten in Microsoft's new system.

While many have tried to persuade me that this is the case, I tend to take a different approach when trying to uncover Microsoft's true intentions behind the Xbox One.  When comparing both the Xbox One reveal and the PS4 reveal, it is clear the Xbox is focusing on an all encompassing entertainment system while the PS4 focuses on a fully capably next-gen gaming console.  Please note the italics because its imperative that you understand the differences between these entities.  The Xbox One, from its first reveal, presents itself as a PC that you plug into your TV.  Running three different operating systems including an Xbox OS, a Windows 8 type OS and an OS that communicates between both, the Xbox One thinks and acts like a computer.  Like the original Xbox and the Xbox 360, the Xbox One was designed to allow developers to more easily cross-platform their games and apps from the PC to the Xbox.  In the past, this ease in development allowed the Xbox to separate itself from the Playstation 4; however, in the case of the Xbox One, I see this as a move to not only compete with Sony's PS4 but to take on both Apple and Google's stranglehold on the tablet and mobile markets.

The Xbox One and the Xbox brand, represent Microsoft's only product that is currently dominating a market share.  As Microsoft's tablets, app store and mobile phones flounder at the hands of Apple's iOS and Google's Android, Microsoft is coming to realize that they can't mirror the business moves made by Apple and Google and expect to obtain a share of the growing tablet/mobile market.  There are a myriad of reasons for why Windows based tablets and phones aren't taking off but it is clear that consumers require a thriving app market from their mobile devices.  While the Windows Store hit over 50,000 apps for tablets a couple of months ago, any realistic person knows that apps are first developed for Apple and Google products before Windows.  This fact alone places Windows at a disadvantage and makes it impossible for them to make up any ground within the tablet and phone world.  Without any of their other products catching on, the Xbox brand represents Microsoft's one shining accomplishment outside of the personal computer and operating system world.  Microsoft is using their latest console system to pave a path of potential growth into  a different market untouched (yet!!) by the likes of Apple and Google.

What does the iPod have to do with the Xbox One?

Let my try to explain this potential growth path by citing an example more familiar with consumers around the world: the iPod.  Released in 2001, the iPod marked Apple's first step into the downloadable music age that they dominate today.  Coming from a personal computer background, Apple took a huge risk in creating the iPod.  This risk lead the company to seize control of developing technology and utilize it to give people their music library in the palm of their hand (pretty crazy in 2001).  As the popularity of the iPod grew, so too did Apple's ambitions.  Apple stepped their foot into the mobile phone market with the iPhone and recreated a line of laptops with their newly designed Macbooks.  As more and more success came to Apple, they pushed the technological envelope and ultimately revolutionized the tablet market we know today.  The iPad would not have been possible without Apple taking a leap of faith with the iPod over twelve years ago.  The iPod paved a path for an unprecedented amount of growth for Apple and lead to many of the devices, both iOS products and others, we use today.

The Xbox is, or has to be, Microsoft's iPod.  Over the past ten years, Microsoft has controlled the console gaming industry while losing ground in other areas of entertainment.  While profitable, Microsoft must now take risks with their Xbox brand in order to seize any market shares in the mobile platform and home entertainment fields.  The Xbox One can help Microsoft better themselves in the tablet and phone market as it is has a large population using it each day.  Because of this (as they do now), game developers will create a flurry of new games and apps for the Xbox Live marketplace.  The Xbox One is set up so that these new games and apps will then be able to be cross-platformed into the Windows app store.  This will generate the much need app market support that defines whether or not an OS is successful in the tablets and phones people use every day.  With tablet integration a high priority for the Xbox One, this will hopefully at least spark people's interest in owning a Windows tablet or phone as the app store because more and more filled.   This of course all hinges on the fact of whether or not Microsoft can market this plan well enough.  If looking at the past history of the Xbox reveals anything, its that Microsoft isn't afraid to pour money into something that produces very little return.  The Xbox One being a viable means to help push Microsoft's tablet market is just one of the many markets it seeks to explore.

In addition to supporting Microsoft's tablet market, the Xbox One will place Microsoft in direct competition with TV devices such as Apple and Google TV.  These devices seek to enhance the home entertainment/television experience by coupling TV viewing with other Apple and Google devices.  These type of devices explain why the Xbox One reveal spent a ton of time explaining how the new Xbox can be connected to a cable or satellite box.  Microsoft is forging a new path into how TV and other entertainment is suppose to be viewed within the family living room.  The Xbox One's TV function is a statement, not just to gamers, but to the entire consumer electronic world that they are here to push the technological envelope themselves on a standard that hasn't been changed in some time.

The Xbox One isn't simply a gaming console but more of an entertainment system a person should compliment their TV and living room experience with.  This doesn't take away from the fact that the new Xbox will undoubtedly be amazing for playing games on.  It will mirror the experience players will have on the Playstation 4, if not surpass it, because of the possibilities presented by the new Kinect system and the added integration to all Windows based devices.  If Microsoft simply created a gaming console, they would be under utilizing many of the products they have already produced.  In fact, if they had created a system that only plays games, I do not believe the Xbox brand would survive.  The console video game business model, in its current state, is broken.  AAA games (big budget, big development team etc.) are becoming less and less frequent due to the little returns game studios are seeing from their products.  The most profitable realm of gaming right now is low budget games created for mobile devices.  Knowing this, why would any company base an entire console system on something that may or may not make money?  It's foolish.

The Xbox One is Microsoft's attempt to bridge the gap between a game console and a PC that you use with your TV.  With added functionality for cloud computing, tablets and more, the Xbox One presents Microsoft's best shot at bettering themselves within the other core electronic device areas.  While it is a giant risk to abandon a business model that works such as the Xbox 360, like Apple's iPod, it is a necessary decision in order to push the medium of console video gaming forward.  Within the next ten years, game consoles may even become obsolete as all of their functions will be stored within the cloud.  The Xbox One is the first step towards a future where the lines, once forged between your electronic devices, are blurred.  This console isn't just the future of gaming but represents the inevitable future for all electronic devices.

I know many of my friends are upset at all the added functions the Xbox One has presented.  They feel Microsoft has abandoned the console gamer and only cares about the pockets of those who have never even played a video game.  I understand, I do, but I take comfort in one fact: the Xbox One is Microsoft's only growth path available to them right now and they will pour a tremendous amount of resources into the system to make it work.  The company can't afford to neglect the strongest support base of their most popular device.  The Xbox One will be a great device to play games on and will serve as an entertainment hub for TV, music, online streaming and more.  As E3 approaches, we will get a better idea about how the games will look on the Xbox One and much of the information we don't know now should be filled in.  Keep checking back to Station 1621 as we will be reporting in all of the data relevant for you.

Station 1621's Mass Effect playthrough will continue this afternoon at 1 PM after a slight hiatus.  Check it out here.

As always, see you starside.

-1621

**Transmission terminated**

Halo 4 Title Update Released Today

As of this morning, 343 has released a huge title update for Halo 4 that will effect multiplayer gameplay at every level.  These changes mostly stem from community demands to make gameplay more balanced.  The changes are listed here as provided by The Halo Council.

Battle Rifle

• The Battle Rifle damage has been increased. The Battle Rifle is now capable of killing in four bursts. 
• The Battle Rifle rate of fire has been slightly decreased. 
• The Battle Rifle red reticle range (range at which auto-aim benefits kick in) has been decreased. 
• Two bursts from a Battle Rifle followed by a melee will now kill an opponent (2-shot melee).

Covenant Carbine

• The Carbine damage has been increased. The Carbine is now capable of killing in seven rounds. 
• The Carbine accuracy has been increased (projectile spread decrease). 
• The Carbine red reticle range has been decreased. 

LightRifle

• The LightRifle zoomed rate of fire has been increased. 
• The LightRifle un-zoomed rate of fire has been slightly decreased. 
• The LightRifle red reticle range has been increased to match the updated DMR range. 

DMR

• The DMR red reticle range has been slightly decreased. 

Assault Rifle

• The Assault Rifle damage has been slightly increased. The Assault Rifle now kills in three less rounds. 
• The Assault Rifle auto-aim angle has been reduced. 
• The Assault Rifle projectile spread has been decreased. 

Storm Rifle

• The Storm Rifle damage has been increased. The Storm Rifle now kills in three less rounds. 
• The Storm Rifle auto-aim angle has been reduced. 
• The Storm Rifle projectile spread has been decreased. 

Suppressor

• The Suppressor damage has been increased. The Suppressor now kills in three less rounds. 
• The Suppressor auto-aim angle has been reduced. 
• The Suppressor projectile spread has been decreased. 

SAW

• The SAW’s damage has been increased to maintain double the damage-per-second of the Assault Rifle. 

Magnum

• The damage has been slightly increased. The Magnum is still capable of killing in six rounds. 

Warthog & Mantis

• The damage has been increased on both the Mantis and Warthog Chain Gun. 

Movement Speed

• Movement speed has been increased from 100% to 110% – this change will NOT apply to Lightning Flag in Action Sack. 

Overshield

• The Overshield is now has a double layer by default rather than a single layer. 

As you can see, the changes are extensive.  After playing several Infinity Slayer matches, the BR has become the weapon to use on smaller maps (at least for now).  The light rifle outmatches the DMR at extreme distances while the DMR is still pretty useful in every scenario.  It will be interesting to see a couple weeks from now the number of people using the different weapons.  Will everyone return to the DMR in order to utilize its versatility? Or will there be true balance between all the weapons? In my opinion, the game seems much more balanced now that 343 has released this update.  It has a Halo 3 feel and combat definitely moves a ton faster. I think this was a good move by 343 and I must give them credit for finally listening to the community and providing us with a more balanced game.

See you on the virtual battlefield.

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