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It doesn’t take much to sent me off on a tangent. Usually all 1 has to do is mention motion controls, and I could rant against them for days on end. Another topic that can set me off like a firecracker is illegal file sharing. Believe it or not, there was actually a time when torrent sites could thrill me in ways that previously only salami and cheese on a cracker could. Those were the innocent days of the internet, and to a lesser extent: deli meats. Back then I thought torrent sites could be a great way for the indie developers of music, movies, games, and more to get their ideas out in a cost effect way. Thus, allowing and encouraging the creation of more indie content. However, over the years the name torrent has become synonymous with pirating, and for good reason.

1 of those reasons would be this article that TorrentFreak.com wrote. In it they claim that (through “information collected from all public BitTorrent trackers”) Modern Warfare 2 was pirated more than any other game in 2009. They suspect that there are at least 4.1 million illegal copies of that game for the PC alone. This torrent news site also said that by tracking these same sources, they’ve determined around 970,000 copies of the Xbox360 version were stolen.

And in a strange turn of events, the sales figures for Call of Duty Modern Warfare 2 end up being the mirror image of the stolen copies. According to the latest NDP Group sales figures for Call of Duty Modern Warfare 2:

• 4.6 million retail units were sold for the Xbox360
• 1.87 million retail units were sold on the PlayStation 3
• nearly 170,000 retail units sold for Windows PC

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Which brings me to the point were I really want to smack someone; because, I know that some place there is a boy, girl, man, or woman who would say, ’so what?’ They would use the defense that game piracy is a victimless crime, because they’re only taking a copy of something intangible; and I wonder if they see the truly sad part about that argument. I wonder if they realizing that they are only victimizing themselves. Do you think that they realize that they’re slowly killing PC gaming?

The true death of PC gaming will not be because there are not enough gamers to support it. The death of PC gaming will not be caused by the invention of easy to use console technology like project Natal. It won’t even be the trend of bad PC sales that we’ve seen over the past few years, because you can always find a company to support a niche market if there is profit to be had. No the true executioner of PC gaming will be piracy, because as with anything in gaming, it always comes down to money; and no publisher is going to want to put out a PC title when they know that millions of PC pirates are just going to take their hard work and profit.

However, making money is not the only reason (it is the main reason, but not the only one) for the current console domination. Another biggy is the fact that consoles are seen as a safer choice by many publishers, because they are a closed system. This allows the console creators to make the rules and actively enforce them on the console gamers; which would be impossible for the internet based PC developers to do to PC gamers. They would never be able to equal the show of force put forth by Microsoft this year when 1 million XBL users were banned for modding their consoles to play pirated games. Another reason for the current console domination is the fact that anyone can pick up and play a console. The PC is a very hardcore system used by a very hardcore gamer type. The Wii on the other hand is something that anyone can easily understand in 5 minutes. This puts the PC at a serious disadvantage as far an install bases goes; and obvious logic says that the more gamers in your install base, the more games you can sell, and the more money you make. Therefore, I have to wonder how much longer can developers be expected to treat the disadvantage PC as a serious money making platform, especially in the face of so much piracy?

In the end, I expect some backlash for my comments here today. If doing Got Game every week has taught me anything, it has taught me that PC gaming is a sensitive subject for many people. However, avoiding the truth will not help anyone. The good ship PC Gaming is sinking, and sinking fast. I give it a good chance of lasting long enough for me to play the upcoming Mechwarrior game by Smith & Tinker on a PC, but probably not much longer than that. And that is so sad, because PC gaming doesn’t have to end this way. But its salvation rests with answering 1 seemingly unsolvable riddle: how do you convince millions of PC gamers that their rampant piracy is destroying PC gaming? I don’t have an answer for that riddle, and in a society that turns a blind eye to digital piracy, I doubt anyone ever will.

Hey Got Gamers,

It’s the end of the year here at the FAN590, and that means that our Year in Review special is dominating the airwaves; so much so that Got Game was not even scheduled to air this weekend.

However, it didn’t seem right to leave you guys hanging for 2 weeks, so the Got Game crew came into the FAN590 studios during the holidays and made this internet only podcast version of Got Game that we hope you’ll enjoy.

And no matter what you’re celebrating during this holiday season, the Got Game crew wants to wish you all the best and a happy new year.

We’ll catch everyone again on January 2nd when the show is back on the air at 10:00 am.

Hey Got Gamers,

It’s the holiday season and you may not know what to get your favorite gamer, so we’re here to help! However, this is one of those feeding a man versus teaching him how to fish situations. In order to get our help you have to take the first step. The first step is to listen to the Got Game Podcast for Sunday, December 20, 2009 and as always you can hear it below this sentence.

On this week’s Got Game:

• We start off the show by recapping some awards and trailers from last week’s VGAs.
• Then we open up our year end buyers guide for every major platform.
• And before we go, we’ll review Rogue Warrior and PixelJunk Shooter.

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All that and more on this edition of Got Game!

So the day after I finished playing Assassin’s Creed 2, I knew there had to be something else I should sink my teeth into.  With no “big” games on the immediate horizon other than The Saboteur (which Momin covered on last week’s show) and James Cameron’s Avatar: The Game (pass) I figured now was my chance to catch up on something I had previously passed over.

I was teetering with Metal Gear Solid 4, but after looking ahead to early 2010 and seeing some upcoming releases (and they’ll be coming at us quickly), I figured I’d gather some “background info” on a sequel that is soon to be upon us.

…and so I  set my sights on Mass Effect; a 360 exclusive from BioWare that garnered quite the fan-fare.

Looked to me like Fallout 3 in space.

Now, I’m not so big on the realm of Sci-Fi, so I understood that it wouldn’t hit me as quickly as I would hope… so I’m staying patient, and the story’s starting to unfold.

Interest is slowly building.

Then I see this:

…and I remind myself that I need to play through Mass Effect… and that I will eventually love this game.

So far it feels kind of stiff.  The “shooter” elements are relatively weak, but the role-playing aspects are solid.  The dialogue (and the voice-work that goes with it) is phenomenal and, as it should be in any RPG, the choices you make have consequences.

Have you played Mass Effect?  What were your thoughts? …and how friggin’ sweet does that trailer look??

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Mass Effect 2 arrives on Xbox 360 and PC on January 26th.

Hey Got Gamers!

Welcome to another edition of Got Game. This week’s show was taped live from a mall in Markham… well that’s partly true. Momin had some trouble getting into work this week and ended up broadcasting from a mall; but I won’t ruin that story for you. If you listen to this week’s show you can hear the details from Momin himself. All this and more can be found in the audio file below this sentence; which also happens to be the Got Game Podcast for December 13th, 2009.

On this week’s Got Game:

• Metacritic named the PS3 “the best console of 2009″ based solely on their game line up. In this world of consoles that double as home entertainment systems, we ask if game titles are still enough to make the PS3 the top dog?
• Sony patents a number of possible attachments for their new unnamed motion controller. We pick through the list to see what would be useful and what is useless.
• EA Sports says they’ll be announcing a new game soon. What could it be? We speculate.
• We also have our reviews of James Cameron’s Avatar: The Game (which is based on James Cameron’s Avatar: The Movie) and the black and white world of the Saboteur.

That and more on this edition of Got Game!

Whats not on Got Game, but may also be worth your time, is the fan made GOT GAME fan page! It’s a Got Game Facebook page for Fans of Got Game, by Fans Got Game.

So tomorrow night we’ll be seeing the trailer for the new installment in THQ’s super-successful UFC series.

Here’s the teaser:

There’s also EA’s attempt to tackle the sport… with MMA.

Here’s a brief snippet of what they’re bringing to the octagon.

So it’s about that time.

Holiday time.

You should be looking for gifts to buy loved ones.  Yet somehow, you’re thinking about yourself.

Don’t feel guilty.  Listen to the voice inside.  You’ve worked hard.  You deserve to treat yourself.

But the question is:  How?

Or maybe more so:  With what?

I’ve  got the answer for you.

Assassin’s Creed 2

Set some 300 years  after the original, Ubisoft takes us to Italy this time around.

Have you been to the beautiful boot?  Think it’s gorgeous?  Yeah, you should see it during the Renaissance.

Walking, awkwardly jogging, climbing or leaping from towers as Desmond Miles - err, Ezio Auditore - you can.

You must.

We’ve all played games that have kept us glued to our controllers. This is more than just another one, though.

Those who picked up the first Assassin’s Creed know that the original was like Paris Hilton 5 years back.  Sure, she looked good… but there was just no substance.   And it got kind of annoying.  Quickly.  This sequel is like the timeless Angelina Jolie.  Without the crazy.

But it is crazy-good.

There’s simply so much to unfold.

We’ll start with “the truth”  - an optional 20 piece puzzle which, upon completion, unlocks an eye-opening video (which will not be spoiled here, but is assuredly incredible).  Each segment is found as encrypted data in “glyphs” (which are strewn across Florence, Sam Gimignano, Forli, and Rome) and can be unlocked in various ways.  They start out as simple challenges before eventually turning into frustrating head-scratchers - which makes the video that much more fulfilling when the truth is pieced together.

The quest for “Altair’s Armour” has you scouring the maps for Assassin’s Tombs, in which you’ll take part in gameplay elements similar to that of Ubisoft’s Prince of Persia.  These dungeons work as make-shift mazes.  You’ll get a quick fly-by to show you the elaborate path, but getting to the end in the allotted time is both difficult and completely gratifying.

The hunt for 100 feathers can be a bit mundane (although Achievement/Trophy-hounds might say it’s all in a day’s work) - but if you can find half of them, you’ll get a special treat.  50 was fine for me.

There are also codex pages which you bring to Leonardo Da Vinci for decoding, which allows you to upgrade certain weapons, boost your health bar, and eventually unlock the final “memory” (chapter).

While the main storyline unravels at the perfect pace, and with key subjects and events drawing from actual Italian history, enjoyable side missions include: Assassination Contracts, Beat ‘Em Ups  (see: rough up some lady’s cheating husband), and Timed Races.

They’re fun… and there’s just enough of them to keep you entertained and wanting more.

In AC2’s early-goings you also get the task of upstarting and managing a Villa, where paying for renovations (and collecting art, weapons and armour) increases the city’s value and brings in cash for you to spend freely.  This aspect doesn’t quite get fleshed out as much as it perhaps should… but we’ll just say that it’s something to look forward to in the series’ third installment.

The combat can feel stiff at times, but with multiple finishing animations for each of the 22 weapons there’s plenty of joy to be had in impaling your targets with every one of them.

The climbing mechanics are so polished and pure, and the graphics are so crisp, that even when you’re not collecting, chasing, or assassinating, it’s honestly fun to just roam around and explore.

…and while the controls can sometimes leave you fighting the urge to heave your joystick (I know we don’t call them that anymore), there’s just so much to this game, it’ll have you salivating for more when you can’t play… and hypnotized when you can.

Let’s face it:  A lot of games can be fully appreciated in one rental period.  This, on the other hand, is more than just a game you pop into your platform of choice.  It is an experience.  It needs to be truly appreciated.  It needs to be owned.

By you.

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For those of you interested (like myself):

The voice-acting happens to be top-notch with Nolan North (Uncharted 1 + 2, Shadow Complex, Dragon Age: Origins, Madworld, ++), Kristen Bell (yup), Roger Craig Smith (Metal Gear Solid 4, Metal Gear Solid: Portable Ops, Madworld, Resident Evil 5, Tekken VI ++), and Eliza Schneider (Dragon Age: Origins, Pirates of the Caribbean Online, South Park, King of the Hill ++) all lending their vocals to help paint a beautiful picture.

SAN DIEGO, CA—While most American students have an intuitive grasp of popular music, professional sports, and consumer electronics, they lack a basic understanding of cell biology. The Federation of American Scientists (FAS) developed the video game Immune Attack to plunge 7^th – 12^th graders into the microscopic world of immune system proteins and cells. Immune Attack is a three-dimensional video game that provides a place to gain an understanding of cellular biology and molecular science, according to an FAS expert who will be discussing the game evaluation during the 2009 ASCB Annual Meeting, taking place December 5 – 9, 2009 in San Diego, California.

The mission in Immune Attack is to save a patient suffering from a bacterial infection. In the game environment, proteins, molecules and cells behave as they do in nature, as well as the actions such as the capture of white blood cells by proteins on blood vessel walls. Melanie Ann Stegman, PhD, a program manager at FAS will discuss the results from the ongoing evaluation of Immune Attack.

Stegman will discuss her collaboration with teachers to conduct controlled evaluations. The evaluation tests students’ knowledge of biology and immunology, their comprehension of game dynamics, and their confidence in the material. For example, results find that students who play the game show significant gains in confidence with the molecular science-related material and gains in their knowledge of cell biology and molecular science.

“Our most exciting results demonstrate that Immune Attack players appear more confident in their abilities to understand a diagram about white blood cells than students who did not play Immune Attack, said Stegman.” 

Stegman will present her latest findings during a poster session (Program 2356, Board B733) on pre-college and college science education on Tuesday, December 8, 2009, from 11:00 am – 12:30 pm PST in Exhibit Halls D-H of the San Diego Convention Center. A reporter roundtable related to the poster session is set for 10:00 a.m. PST on the same day.

“The amount of detail about proteins, chemical signals and gene regulation that these 15-year-olds were devouring was amazing.  Their questions were insightful.  I felt like I was having a discussion with scientist colleagues,” said Stegman.

Stegman also uses Immune Attack to inspire high school computer programming classes to create videos games.

“Basically, Immune Attack is cool.  After playing the game, or even after just watching the trailer, high school programmers are extremely motivated to create video games of their own based on the premise of a cell-sized submarine called a Microbot,” said Stegman. “This motivation kept McKinley Technology High School students asking intense questions while they developed 2-dimensional Microbot games using Game Maker.  The desire to create a realistic game made these kids active and engaged students of molecular biology.”

Hello Got Gamers,

Better late than never is not the way that I ever wanted to start off a Got Game show blog, because it leaves me uncomfortabley open for being hit with a “that’s what she said!” However, I am going for it anyhow, because I know that right after that, she would tell you that the Got Game Show Blog For December 6th can be found below this sentence.

On this week’s edition of Got Game we:

• Discuss the idea of another major developer opening a studio in Canada
• Ponder the possibility of digital downloads finally beating out brick and mortar stores with sales by 2010
• and we have an interview from the creators of the Sabotuer for you

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After that we give you our thoughts on the stunningly beautiful multiplayer beta for Battlefield Bad Company 2. I don’t think our words did it justice, so I found 3 minutes of multiplayer footage from the wonderful people at GameShark.

And then you can hear our thoughts on what we’ve seen of January 2010’s release, Bayoneta, so far. However, this trailer I found on Youtube doesn’t make the game seem that interesting. So, is there more to this game then meets the eye?

Find out that and more on this edition of Got Game!