1P Start

There’s a rumor going around that in the next South Park DVD release (volume 11) will feature some downloadable songs for Rock Band. This rumor came about from some retailers who received advanced notice of the possibility.

So far there’s no word on which version of Rock Band the songs would work on (please be all versions so it’s no useless to PS3 owners or vice versa). There’s also no word on what the songs could possibly be. While most of the songs featured on the show are okay to air on television, Rock Band is a family game so that would probably leave out 90% of Chef’s songs at least. If I’d had to guess, I’d think they could be stuff like Taco Flavored kisses or Cartman’s big Christian Rock song.

This is of course not the first time that South Park and Harmonix have teamed up. Timmy and the Lords of the Underworld are an unlockable song on the release disc, so that would should be out on principle.

Singstar for the PS3 was supposed to be the future of the franchise, with one game released, and then downloadable content released online to increase the game’s longevity for the life of the console itself.

When we wrote about the release of the game way back in April 2007, we revealed how the game would come with 30 licensed tracks on the disc, and then have new songs released every month from June onwards. The first part came true, but the second part still has yet to happen.

The lack of new content available for download from the SingStore has lead to thousands of Singstar fans (mainly girls, and Celine Dion fans) complaining to Sony, and the game’s developer Singstar Studios.

The level of consternation even lead to an online petition being drawn up and signed by many disgruntled fans, which was then delivered to Sony.

Singstar Studios are still silent on the issue, further annoying those gamers who have made the company millions of dollars over the course of the PS2 and PS3’s life.

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Xbox Live users were pissed off in droves over the holiday season by the random, and inexplicable outages which hit the service for over a week.

Microsoft realised the levels of anger were going to hit them badly, so announced the give away of a free game to compensate everyone affected by the downtime.

Today, they revealed the game which all Xbox Live users will be able to download for free as a sweetener. The game is Undertow, an aquatic based shooter, which normally costs 800 Microsoft points.

It will be available to download completely free from Wednesday 23rd January 2008 until Sunday 28th January 2008. I can see that 5 day period crashing the servers yet again, but fingers crossed.

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Ladies and Gents it pains me to say my farewells to 1PStart. I’ve been here only a short time, though I’ve been at Xbox 360 Rally (another 451 site) for just under a year. I will miss you guys, though you’re probably throwing a party, chanting “he’s leaving! Huzzah! Huzzah!”. If you do miss me, though, you can find me at my new home BingeGamer.net.

It’s been fun, and I hope to see y’all around.

P.S.: Qbix — E-mail me, dude. I’m still gonna get your GTA IV to ya.

It seems the newest issue of Playboy (featuring some cover girl named Kim Kardashian, whoever that is), has a feature on video game girls. Specifically, and in order of the pictures below, are:

Keaira - Age of Conan: Hyborian Adventures
Yoko Retomoto - Kane & Lynch
Church and Black - Clive Barker’s Jericho
Moreen - The Witcher
A’Kanna - Conan
Sarah Morrison - Richard Garriott’s Tabula Rosa

With each very respectable artful pose of the characters is a little background on the characters. Remember people, before viewing the pictures, I am warning they are NOT SAFE FOR WORK. These are not porn pictures, they are video game girls so no fapping please kids. This is Playboys fourth year in doing this (first I’ve heard), either way, enjoy::
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Not long ago Sony launched the PSP store on the PC. Through your USB cords and a program you had to download, you could download games straight to your PSP. While this feature was certainly cool, and a big ol’ boost for PSP owners, one question would constantly arise:

When the hell will we get this on our actual PSPs?!

Well, if you ask Eric Lempel, Playstation Network Operations Director, the PSP store is “definitely something we’re thinking about.” Gee, I would hope so considering it’s the freaking PSP store.

The reasons for the delay in the PSP launch and the launching of the service via PC first was so they could work out any security kinks and whatnot.

[PSPSPS]

Sony, PSP, PSP Store

That new Dashboard Update that Microsoft released today, that’s supposed to be the epitome of all things awesome in the world? Yeeeeaaaaah, they made a bit of a booboo. See, when you go to change the e-mail address associated with your Gamertag, all your Xbox.com activity is erased, and every forum post you ever made (all of two for good ol’ MaximusPaynicus here) will be listed as “anonymous”.

Now thankfully Microsoft has warned gamers of this problem, and they’re currently working on a patch to fix this problem which should be available in a few days. In the meantime, however… stick with the g-mail account your name is registered to, K? K.

[Gaming Today]

Microsoft, Xbox 360, Dashboard Update

The PSP, which will soon be getting a new battery that will improve its battery life by some 80% in newer models, is getting another little upgrade in the form of the 3.73 Firmware update.This newest update addresses some random occurences of the PSP failing to load data from the UMD. If you’ve never had this problem, then don’t sweat it.

To apply the update, simply go to your Network Update option in your Settings menu. If you’re not able to get online with your PSP (then odds are you aren’t reading this) simply go to the PSP System Update page and download the firmware update to your PC, and transfer to your PSP via the handy dandy USB cord.

Sony, PSP

If you own Assassin’s Creed on the PlayStation 3, you may have noticed some rather odd glitches. As I don’t own a PS3 yet, I can’t really tell you from first hand experience about these glitches, but some of them include game freezes and random lock-ups after downloading the 2.0 firmware update.

“Following our recent statement regarding the freeze issues that some consumers are facing with Assassin’s Creed on PlayStation 3, we can confirm that we are actively working on a game update,” said Ubisoft Community Manager, the ever-mysterios UbiRazz, “This update will help improve the stability of the game and will be released as soon as possible. In the meantime thank you for your ongoing feedback and patience.”

Keep in mind that Assassin’s Creed is one of Ubisoft’s biggest games for 2007. Unlike most developers who turn a blind eye to the community when they complain, Ubisoft realizes what’s at stake here and has assured us that they are working on a patch to fix these issues.

[Ubisoft Forums]

Ubisoft, Assassin’s Creed, PlayStation 3

PlayStation 3 owners, rejoice! (all three of you) Sony has announced that the newest PS3 Firmware Update 2.01 is now available for your downloading pleasure.

If you aren unaware as to what 2.01 will do for you, it’s basically just a typical “here, let us help you” fix. It will improve stability with some PS3 formatted softwarte, such as the info board and browser, and helps the stability of the PlayStation 2 games… depending on which model you own.

So, there you go. Stop reading this blog, download it, and play some PS3 games so I can go play Mass Effect on my 360.

[US PlayStation Blog]

PlayStation 3, Firmware Update

Following up on a guarantee made a couple of months ago, Bungie has announced today that three new maps will be made available for Halo 3 via the “Heroic Map” pack. The three maps featured in the map pack are…

Foundry

Rat’s Nest

Standoff

The map pack will be available for download on December 11th, and will cost you 800 Microsoft Points. Yes, that’s right — 800 MS Points for three maps. You know, considering that Bungie made somewhere between one and twelve bajillion kazillion dollars on Halo 3, the fact that they’re charging $10 for three maps is a joke.

A freaking joke.

[Bungie]

Bungie, Halo 3, Heroic Map Pack

LucasArts and Sony Online Entertainment have announced “Chapter 7: A Collection of Heroes” for their continuing MMORPG Star Wars Galaxies. The new content, which will be free for all current and new Star Wars Galaxies subscribers, includes encounters with C-3P0 and bounty hunter IG-88 as well as new content for those of you who have managed to level your character up.

Star Wars Galaxies was released on June 26th, 2003 to much fanfare. Since thats time it has seen three expansion packs (Jump to Lightspeed, Rage of the Wookies, and Trials of Obi-Wan) and its popularity dwindle to the point where there as less than 20,000 active players. Why SOE continues to support this game is beyond me. At least Microsoft had the foresight to see that their MMO, and killed Asheron’s Call 2 in 2005.

However, if you are one of those few who still find fun in the galaxy far, far away, I’m sure you’ll be excited. As for me… well, I haven’t played this game since 2004.

[Game Informer]

Star Wars, Star Wars Galaxies, MMORPG, epic fail

At the top of this week should be noted that PS3 finally has what some may consider a “system seller” title with Ratchet & Clank. Platformers are not everyones cup of tea, however you have to admit the game is rated ‘E for Everyone’ and can help the PS3 make sure it has some consoles sold this holiday season (that and the now “Affordable Edition” of the PS3).

I am not sure what is worse with Nintendo, the Dancing with the Stars (also on PS2) or the game that gives me nightmares of the Noid (NES) and Cool Spot (SNES) games, M&M Kart Racing!!! Seriously, what in the hell. Anyways, for the rest of the systems, there seems to be quite a bit of ’something for everyone’ .. Ace Combat (360), a new Phoenix Wright (DS), Assault Heroes (PC), and… well, just check the list after the break:

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It seems something I have ranted about in the past has reared its ugly head again. If you may or may not recall, NFL 2K8 had a “downloadable feature” that was something actually included on the disc, a “Reel Maker” which I have been told is in the newer 2KSports games for free, however I have not been able to confirm this anywhere and have no desire to rent the games.

Either way, today I am not here to bash the ‘still better than EA‘ 2KSports, but to move onto Namco Bandai and the wonderfully weird Beautiful Katamari. A game I was so close to buying before reading on Major Nelson the dlc that is being offered for the game no less than a week after its release, for shame.

The downloads run at 384kb each, meaning this is smelling very much like the 108kb dlc offered in some other games. The next part that is possibly worse than the fact that the stuff you are downloading might already be on the disc you bought, is as I stated before, it is coming in no less than a week after its release! Knowing Microsoft’s certification process takes a while, this content had to have been set up for approval well before the game’s release, just adding to the fact that it should have been accessible from the disc itself right off the bat.

To conclude all this nonsense, this travesty hasn’t even been brought to America yet, it is only available in Japan/Asia for now, is the good ol’ USA not good enough to get ripped off?! This is serious business though, it won’t be long before this will hit us, if you have bought the game, do not purchase this content, if you haven’t bought the game, stay the course.

[This is being covered at DESTRUCTOID and Xbox360Fanboy as well]
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Namco Bandai, DLC, Xbox Live Marketplace, Beautiful Katamari

Bethesda has announced the final piece of downloadable content for The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion, entitled ‘Fighter’s Stronghold’, which along with Vile Lair, Thieves Den and Wizard’s Tower, comprise the four themed domiciles for Oblivion.

While it’s a shame to finally see the Oblivion support come to an end, Bethesda is giving us a little going away treat by allowing we, the people, to download Fighter’s Stronghold for FREE for the first week it’s available.

From the Bethesda blog:

Fighter’s Stronghold provides the last of four themed domiciles (along with Vile Lair, Thieves Den, and Wizard’s Tower) for the adventurer on-the-go. You inherit the rights to Battlehorn Castle, located on a lovely stretch of the Colovian Highlands, west of Chorrol. Dining Hall, barracks, wine cellar, training room, and your own private Shrine of Julianos. Update your castle furnishings, perhaps even a Dwemer Forge for the aspiring Armorer? Hire a taxidermist to tastfully decorate your new abode with trophies from your adventuring.

Now, now, PS3 owners — you’re not being left out in the cold. Also announced on Bethesda’s blog is the impending arrival of The Shivering Isles expansion pack on the PlayStation 3. While they can’t definitively say when, or whether it will be on disc or downloadable, they’ve promised that The Shivering Isles will be coming. Soon.

Finally, in addition to the Game of the Year version of Oblivion making its way to the PS3, we’re reminded that the boxed version of The Elder Scrolls IV: The Shivering Isles will be making its way to the Xbox 360. So, all in all, a good week for Oblivion fans. It’s just a shame that this is the last of the Oblivion content.

[Bethesda Blog]
[Fighter's Stronghold]

Bethesda, The Elder Scrolls, Oblivion, The Shivering Isles, Fighter’s Stronghold, PC, Microsoft, Xbox 360, Sony, PlayStation 3