Monthly Archives: February 2010

EA Packaging Free Maps with Bad Company 2

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Electronic Arts and DICE either have a great opportunity or a great disadvantage right now with the Modern Warfare 2 juggernaut and all of its weight. Considering that Modern Warfare 2 has a spot in nearly every Xbox 360 and Playstation 3 owner’s game collection, Bad Company 2 will have to prove that it is the FPS to own as much as MW2. However, given the recent of amount glitches with Modern Warfare 2 (although it seems most have been fixed), a sizable chunk of FPS gamers may be looking for greener grass.

Seeing all of this, Electronic Arts and DICE are wanting to come out of the gate with all guns blazing. For starters, upon the game’s launch in North America (March 2nd), two massive multiplayer maps will unlocked and downloadable. These are the Laguna Alta map playable in Conquest mode and the Nelson Bay map playable in Rush mode, which raises the game’s multiplayer map library to 10. Later in March though, DICE will be releasing a free map pack which includes the Arica Harbor map for Conquest mode and the Laguna Presa map for Rush mode. Codes for this map pack will be in the game’s launch case.

“Battlefield: Bad Company 2 will redefine online modern warfare on March 2. We are deeply committed to the FPS community and Battlefield fans worldwide,” said Patrick Bach, Senior Producer for Battlefield: Bad Company 2. “These first two map packs are just the beginning. We’re planning ongoing support for the community by always keeping the experience fresh and ensuring the best possible gameplay experience.”

Hmm, I don’t think it is any coincidence that they mentioned ‘modern warfare’. Anyways, Battlefield Bad Company 2 will be in stores March 2nd in North America and on March 4th for Europe on Xbox 360, Playstation 3, and PC. As an added bonus, those that reserve the game will get a free upgrade to the Limited Edition of the game (while supplies last).

For more information on Battlefield: Bad Company 2, visit http://www.badcompany2.ea.com.

Science: Headless Chicken Strategy Ineffective Against Nation’s Sniper Problem

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Scientists at Iowa State University have shown that the “Headless Chicken” strategy in video games is not effective in combating The Sniper Problem.

What is The Sniper Problem? In multiplayer first-person shooter games, a few gamers are good at sniping. These snipers tend to move very little, preferring to stay in one area. These snipers frequently kill other gamers who are unskilled with the sniper rifle. These other gamers, who tend to use shotguns and submachine guns, become deeply distressed as the result of having their heads popped off repeatedly by these snipers. Gamers often confuse the behavior of the sniper with what is called “camping.” In our settled opinion at PWNorDIE.com, only gamers using a non-sniping weapon can be guilty of camping–hiding in one spot and waiting for an opponent to run by for an easy kill.

Iowa State researchers have shown that many gamers try to combat sniping using the “chicken-with-its-head-cut-off” gambit. The basic idea involves repeatedly running back to the suspected general area of the sniper, drawing as much attention as possible to oneself by shooting wildly and throwing grenades. Iowa State researchers spent countless hours observing this behavior and have concluded that the Headless Chicken strategy is only 1% effective, resulting in the death of the sniper only once out of 100 times.

Although the researchers are unsure about the following hypothesis, the gamer who employs the Headless Chicken strategy seems to be more interested in making the postgame accusation of “camping” than actually winning the game through an alternative approach to dealing with the nation’s sniper problem. The researchers speculate that the player thinks that he is more justified in his claim about camping, the greater the number of times he dies at the hands of the sniper.

XBL Arcade Block Party perks

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Microsoft released details about perks that you’ll get when you purchase the House Party titles, discussed here: Prices and Dates for XBLA Block Party

  • Thank You Gift: Xbox LIVE would like to say thank you for coming to our party! Buy all three House Party titles and download the free “Game Room” app and receive 400 Microsoft Points back to your account**! And for Xbox LIVE Gold members, the deal gets even sweeter, by purchasing all three House Party titles and downloading the “Game Room” app for free, you will not only be credited with 400 Microsoft Points, but you’ll also get an extra month of Gold membership absolutely free**!
  • Extra Tickets: We don’t want anyone to miss out on the great multiplayer action House Party will bring you and your friends! From 1700 GMT March 26 – 1700 GMT March 29, House Party is making it easy for you to play together with a special Xbox LIVE House Party Multiplayer Unlock weekend! For this weekend only, we’re unlocking the online multiplayer features of all House Party titles for Xbox LIVE Silver Members to play for free.
  • Attire for your Avatar: Starting on March 3rd, stop by Xbox LIVE Avatar Marketplace to ensure your avatar is decked out in the best House Party attire! From cola hat dispensers and plaid shorts, to plastic jelly shoes, your Avatar will party in style this March. You can even pick-up a BBQ grill so your Avatar won’t go hungry over the course of the month-long party.
  • Guests of Honour: Most parties only have one star of the show, but Xbox LIVE Arcade House Party has four blockbuster guests we’re celebrating them in style!

Uh, so who are the Guests of Honour? Don’t know. I hear Betty White is a hot item these days.Maybe she will be there.

Oh, wow. Silver members got invited to something!

Activision Radios in Guitar Hero March DLC Lineup

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March is gonna be another bang-up month for wielders of plastic guitars made by Activision. What could I possibly mean? Well Guitar Hero owners are in for a treat next month as far as more songs to play is concerned. There will be Mötley Crüe, The Go-Go’s, Night Ranger, OK Go, Blink-182 and Flogging Molly.

Starting on March 4th, the Blink-182 tracks “First Date,” “All the Small Things,” and “Adam’s Song” will be the available. For the next week on March 11th, the Grammy-award clenching alternative rock group OK Go is delivering “Here it Goes Again,” “Do What You Want,” and “Get Over It.” Next are the tunes of the Irish group Flogging Molly, giving us “Requiem for A Dying Song,” “(No More) Paddy’s Lament,” and “The Seven Deadly Sins” which will be delivered on the 18th.

The 80′s will be returning on the March 25th for one week and only for Guitar Hero. There will be plenty of neon purple and pink with “Girls, Girls, Girls” from Mötley Crüe, “We Got the Beat” from the Go-Go’s, and “Sister Christian” from Night Ranger. Wow. Scenes from Paul Thomas Anderson’s movie Magnolia are flashing through my head this very instance.

The Blink-182, OK Go, Flogging Molly, and 80′s track pack will be 440 MS Points ($5.50) on Xbox 360, for Playstation 3 users the price will be $5.49, and Wii owners will be paying 550 Wii Points. The individual tracks will be 160 MS Points ($2.00) for Xbox 360, $1.99 on Playstation 3 and 200 Wii Points on the Wii. In addition to the in-game music store and the Xbox Live Marketplace for Xbox 360, Xbox 360 owners can expand their Guitar Hero music library using the Guitar Hero VIP Pass Music Store, available exclusively on Xbox LIVE online entertainment network.

More information about Guitar Hero 5 and Band Hero can be found at http://www.guitarhero.com.

And without further ado, Night Ranger’s Sister Christian!!

Guitar Hero Gets a Third Eye Blind

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How is it that Third Eye Blind has not been in Guitar Hero yet? I mean, come on- the pulsating rhythms, crisp guitars and penetrating melodies from earlier in their career are sonic bliss. You would think right? Hmm…

Um, so the Third Eye Blind Track Pack features “Losing A Whole Year,” “Never Let You Go,” and “Can You Take Me,” with the last being from their newest album. Don’t you want to play songs with those names? As with anything full of beauty, it’ll cost ya. Xbox 360 users will have to dole out 440 MS Points ($5.50), Playstation 3 users will need to unload $5.49, and pricing for the Wii Shop Channel is 550 Wii Points. Individual songs are priced at 160 MS Points on Xbox 360, $1.99 on Playstation 3, and 200 Wii Points on Wii.

This pack is out right now and is playable on Band Hero as well. And if you are anything like me, chances are that you are not even reading this blog anymore and you’re downloading that pack as we speak. And don’t call me Shirley.