Kathunter's Personal Space

"Representatives from Sony and second party developer Polyphony Digital have announced at a press conference in Tokyo that Gran Turismo 4 will be released in Japan on 3rd December and the U.S. and Europe on 14th December, allaying fears that the game would be delayed into next year.

However, the company also announced that the much-anticipated online mode for the game has been removed from this iteration of the title. This is something of a shock to many, considering the online mode was one of the most important unique selling points for the game compared to Gran Turismo 3."

[via Gamasutra - News]
Ok, so we have all heard by now that the Gran Turismo series will not offer an online title until next year. Here is my question. Should they have delayed the game until they were able to offer the online portion? Will you buy it anyway?

I hated these questions, but none the less, here is the xbox.com interview.

"The Frag Dolls are Ubisoft's posse of seven gamer chicks that are currently touring around, playing games, and whoppin' some major ass."

[via Xbox.com]

"At first blush, Lumines looks a lot like it should have a name like 'space Tetris,' since it features a playfield with dropping blocks that you can shift as they fall. The demo on display at TGS showed two basic colors for the boxes, orange and gray. You use the PSP's face buttons to manipulate the assorted boxes to arrange their like-colored sides in blocks of four that are then removed when a spaceship of some kind flies across the screen, dragging a spotlight behind it. By carefully stacking your boxes, it's possible to create 'chain' combinations wherein waves of bricks get removed at once. However, what puts a different spin on the action is game's use of modern music that appears to be reactive and change based on your performance. "

[via GameSpot]

Cranky: so are you always up working?
Cranky: ...at this hour?
kat: I am actually watching rvb for the first time
Cranky: lol
Cranky: season 1?
Cranky: gus still needs to send me season 2
kat: yeah. I have never seen it, so tonight I am catching up
Cranky: rock
Cranky: for some reason i enjoyed season 1 better downloaded and serially than on a dvd
Cranky: still great stuff though...highest production value of any machinima out there
kat: i am crackin up over here
kat: season 2 episode 22 !!
Cranky: funny talking to gus about all this other stuff they did before rvb caught on and they became (internet) famous
kat: i did not know he was famous
kat: someone had to tell me
kat: i am that uncool
Cranky: all the rvb guys are sorta
kat: so I hear
Cranky: what? you didn't get a cool people list when you became one?
kat: i guess the list got lost in my free efax account

Time is not something we have.
Time is a place we live.

Happy Jewish New Year.

In case you did not notice, Hotmail FINALLY upped out free limit to 250MB. There is simple no way I could keep all my crap HTML newsletters AND spam in 2MB. This has made my life so much easier. Even if you are a the "email man on the side" I still need you to put out when I need it. Thank you hotmail for finally being the mail I always needed you to be.

Is there anyone left out there who still needs a gmail account? Email kat.hunter at gmail dot com, and put "Me! Me!" in the subject line.

OK, so Cranky and I have been talking about this via email, so I thought I would put a disclaimer on this site. I just finished an article on "The Pocket Kingdom" which is being called the first mobile/global MMORPG. I will agree it is simply an MMO on a mobile phone, but that has not been done before in this way. There have been cooler mobile MMOs that used GPS and location to actually offer new gameplay, however, this is the first game of its specific kind.

I used the phrase in my Nokia write up that it wthey were "changing mobile gaming" rather than simply making miniature console gaming. Well, considering they are modeled after XBox Live, I will have to take part of that back. I was referring to all the direct ports or part ports you see on handheld games, but I do feel N-Gage Arena took XBox live a step further than even Microsoft did.

But to me, introducing one of the most popular genres to one of the most common platforms is exciting for me, but I will agree it does not really innovate anything, unless you place an importance on the technology and the fact these phones are always connected.

Loose part of your day. Thanks Steven!

Apparently we are playing the EGM crew Thursday night on Splinter Cell and RS3BA with a little Halo thrown in. I never actually played Halo; I hated shooters when the game came out, so I have called in a ringer coach to bring me up to speed. Can I pull it off in two days?

More reason why I want to go to Montreal very soon: Anime mural in Montreal

I have been traveling so much, I have not had a chance to play another other than HH games, so today I bought a copy of Burnout 3, Call of Duty EP and Fable. I am not expecting much from Fable from the few hours I have played of it at E3 and PAX, but we will see.

For everyone who thought the Bloodrayne nude Playboy story in "Women of Gaming" would not be of interest to most men.... It is actually the only active search phrase that people are finding this site by. Who would have thunk it. I guess there is a lot more interest in the bare vixen than any of us put stock in.

I have to post a link to this Frag Dolls story because it has the funniest photo of me gazing lovingly into the eyes of this dude who is working on Jak III. I am so excited to get my hands on the game. Too bad the cameras were not rolling when I was playing Ghost Recon 2 with the lead animator from Halo 2. I get a little stupid when it comes to game geeks. [via Xequted]

I flew in last night, and was so wiped I slept through a press event (enough with the voice mails people), but woke up this morning feeling refreshed and ready to write about N-Gage. Here is my brief take on where Nokia is in the market.

Nokia is one of the top 10 brands or something ridiculous like that, and they know what they are doing in the cell phone market. This is not another 3DO situation folks; this is an established cell phone company prepared to react quickly to market demands. With the phone finally reasonably priced ($99 verses the $300 launch price), there really is a decent reason a gamer would buy this phone rather than another phone. Ergonomically, I do not enjoy talking on it, but I can get past that in order to have a copy of "Worms World Party" or Civilization with me at anytime.

Nokia is XBoxing it. Throw money at the problem until it goes away. I can almost see in their eyes, the waiting. They know the cell market will turn the way Europe and Asia have, and if they have a foot in the door, they will be the one to pull up ahead. The question is: will they retain developer support while the wait is on?

Due to the limited contraints of the platform, Nokia is signing up several titles exclusive to the N-Gage platform. I have to admit, there seems to be more original IPs being launched with the N-Gage, percentage wise, than any platform I see right now. This is what we have been asking for right? How many of you complained about the number of sequels at E32K4? They call it "building to the strengths of the platform". I call it, "how do we make this damn game fit on a vertical screen?". Regardless, they have signed "The Pocket Kingdom", the first globally connected mobile MMO; "Rifts", the first video game based on Kevin Siembieda's popular role-playing license, and "Pathway to Glory", an original WWII strategy game that makes the most of N-Gage Arena.

Which brings me to the next point. As a gaming platform, in my opinion, the N-Gage does not stand up to the handheld competition, mainly for the size aspect ratio, but also the low frame rate. However, it is a mobile device and they are quick to separate themselves from the handheld pack. One way they do this with amazing foresight is N-gage Arena. Think XBox Live on your cell phone connected all the time. With the addition of boards, IM, shadow racing, they have taken the concept of mobile online community gaming to the next level. If anything keeps them in the race, I feel it will be this. They do what we have been waiting for - turn mobile gaming into something original, not miniature console gaming.

Lastly (thank goodness for all y'all), they proclaim they will be the device you "will go back home to get if you forget it". It is your cell phone, right? Will N-Gage be the personal device you never leave home without? I feel the PSP has a better chance here. People already have proven they will carry a cell phone and a PDA (unless you are cool like me and have a Treo). If the PSP can fill the PDA segment of the market for younger gamers, N-Gage may be out of luck, because who wants another platform to buy games for (not to mention the differences in gameplay).

As sure as the Lord made green apples, Nokia is waiting in the wings to knock our socks off, with something; in the meantime, I doubt the press will relax enough to give the QD a chance. It should be an interesting race.

"Although Sony is keeping quiet, video game analysts and retailers expect the market-leading console manufacturer to ship a new unit to mark the fourth anniversary of Sony's best-selling video game system Oct. 26. The PStwo, as the console will be called, is physically 30% smaller than its popular PlayStation 2 sibling and is expected to cost $149."
[via GameDAILY BIZ]

I am sitting here watching the Oprah show, and up on stage walks my friend Candice from Greenville! We did "Tales from the Heart" together back in my old theatre days. Apparently, her letter to Oprah was the final straw for bringing Barry Manilow on her show. How freaking funny. By the way, she is the one responsible for giving me my oversized motorcycle jacket you all hate. She said it made her look like a lesbian. I have been wearing it ever since.

GuyIknow: I'm going paintballing with the PR people tomorrow.
miss eniac: is that tomorrow?
miss eniac: i thought it was this weekend.
miss eniac: CDV
miss eniac: right?
miss eniac: panzier?
GuyIknow: No, it's all day tomorrow.
GuyIknow: I'm totally excited.
GuyIknow: There's a beer filled party bus heading out in the morning.
GuyIknow: Then we're shooting each other until we're multi-colored welt monsters.
miss eniac: right, but CDV?
miss eniac: codename panzier
GuyIknow: What's that?
miss eniac: the damn game you are invited for
GuyIknow: Oh yeah.
miss eniac: you have no idea do you
GuyIknow: Nope.
miss eniac: WW2 RTS
GuyIknow: I'll try to play like I know tomorrow while I'm shooting everyone.
GuyIknow: "I enjoy your RTS based on BAM SUCK IT MOTHERFUCKER!!!"
miss eniac: good move

And they win the world cup... It is going to be a great night out on the town tonight.

"Tetsuya Mizuguchi, the producer of Rez and Space Channel 5, has been keeping quiet about any new projects since he left Sega last year. He established his own studio, Q Entertainment, in March, but details on what he's been doing have been scarce"
[via GameSpot]

I am up in Vancouver for the N-Gage event seeing the new line up of titles for the end of the year... let me check the embargo dates, and I will post more soon. So far the most exciting thing I am seeing is the first Mobile/Global MMO. I may never stop gaming again.

Anyone who knows me, knows (to me) one of the most important things I will ever accomplish in my life is being a mother. I think children are much cooler than adults, and I know the happiest day of my life will be when I change from being just "Kat" to being a part of a family. While the idea terrifies me (I live with a 1 year old. trust me I am not disillusioned), it is really the only thing I know beyond a shadow of a doubt that I want in my life. Well that and a Ducati.

That was why this recent entry on Penny-Arcade totally got to me. After spending so much time with the guys from PAX (as did the other 3000 attendees), I feel as if they are a friend. I would like to take this chance to congratulate Gabe on his new son. A clip from the article....

I showed up at the waiting room with an Xbox and a PS2, just to be certain. Everyone has seen the ridiculous movies and television programs where harried, powerless men rush madly about, and I determined that this was precisely the type of bullshit that wasn't going down on my watch. We played Burnout 3 from eleven in the afternoon until nine o'clock at night, intermittently comforting Gabe and being horrified at the workings of feminine machinery. Pork, Brad, and I set our minds on the acquisition of tremendous destruction bonuses in the crash mode, believing that if we could only amass fifty million dollars and gain access to the Semi, we would have done our part in the day's long exertions. Friends, it was not easy. but I am proud to say that we succeeded.
...
the significance of an event isn't necessarily diluted by its frequency. Consider that we might live absolutely encompassed by marvels and wonders. I am suggesting that we are up to our asses in signs and portents that we are quick to omit or can't interpret.

And on that same note. Yesterday, my sister and one of my best friends called to tell me they were pregnant. I am going to be an aunt again! At the end of the day, the world is still a pretty good place to be. I would like to personally welcome all our new inhabitants.

I went to the Austin Game Conference and the Women's Gaming Conference today, and was not wowed, but there were a few interesting things. Due to the Dev community in Austin, most of the conferences focused on MMOs, which tickled my fancy bone. I was able to catch the tail end of one concerning "data mining in MMOs" to discover more about the community. Here the speaker admitted he mines chat logs. In his own words... "If you are having cyber sex with someone from Florida, I am reading that. And by the way, learn how to spell!"

I only saw two panels from the WGC, one on content in gaming and one on women and journalism. I was disappointed with the journalism panel. I respect all of the women speaking, but I would like to see more constructive ways to come up with stories that appeal to fanboys, yet at the same time reflect the growing trends of women in gaming. More on that later.

The highlight of Austin was going out last night with Gus who I recently met in Seattle at PAX with Cranky. He drives a really cool truck, and that alone makes you a hero in my book. By the way, I think I could live in Austin very easily.

Well I may be too scared to drive a car in the city, but I sure had a hell of time driving a tank in the middle of Texas! We had a three man squad: one driver, one GPS navigator, and one commander. We were taken on both co-op and competative missions like capture the flag and clearing mine fields. My entire body is sore, but it will be a while before I stop smiling.


kat behind the wheel


that's me waving the victory flag after we sneaked past the other team


how cute am I am camo???

So I got the call last night that I was going to Dallas today for a press event for Codename: Panzers. It is the typical event that Justin complains about, but I have no trouble with (rabid journal entry on that has been in progress for a while, and I will post it soon). Tomorrow we get to put on military gear, floppy camo hats, and drive big fat tanks. It is totally built to seduce game journalist, but hey, if they want to give me a chance to drive a tank, then that is just fine by me. I trust I can write an appropriate article even if I do get to take the really cool pants home.
I will post photos soon.

- I don't feel that old.
- Burning Man was great but learned two things:
--it is better shared with a sig other
--you can't do it in 3 days
- I smell very bad after 4 days of no showers
- I bought Pikmin 2 today!!
- Also finally bought my own copies of MonkeyBall 1&2. (I know everyone else has it, but I am a little slow sometimes)

Also, seeing as how I bought Pikmin today, I don't see how I can go to the Games Conference in Austin this week, but we will see. I also have to get up to speed on Splinter Cell fast, so if anyone wants to play with me, add your tags to these comments. I am looking for some neck snapping help.

OK, I am taking 4 days vacation and catching the tail end of Burning Man. In the meantime, I have to post a couple things...
1) Sorry Activision, I really enjoyed working with you
2) Wish me a happy 30th. You got it. Today, I am 30.

See you all when I get back.