Hollywood Rumours: Keanu to Play Spike Spiegel!?

I had to post this because it took my attention away from mocking the latest reviews for the "Mummy 3" on Rotten Tomatoes:

Rumor: Keanu Reeves as Spike in Cowboy Bebop Movie?!

July 30, 2008
by Alex Billington

Just last week IF Magazine discovered that Fox is developing a live-action Cowboy Bebop movie based on the popular anime series. Remarkably, the project still isn't officially announced and Fox is still keeping it under wraps. However, a good friend inside the industry who is a very reliable source wrote in to tell me that the film is being fast tracked inside the studio and will most likely be out by 2010. He also revealed that Keanu Reeves has been attached as the lead character Spike for over eight months now and is still set for the role. Unfortunately there isn't a writer or director attached yet, but with some new forward momentum coming from last week's announcement, I don't think it will take too long.

Yep, you heard that right, the same guy who played Neo will be taking on the role of Spike Spiegel, a former member of the Red Dragon Crime Syndicate who is haunted by the memory of his time in the organization. As we mentioned previously, the show first aired in Japan in early 1998 and was brought over to America in 2001 on Adult Swim. The series follows the adventures of a group of bounty hunters traveling on their spaceship, the Bebop, in the year 2071. If you're looking for more details regarding this live-action Cowboy Bebop movie, here's yet another juicy tidbit. With Keanu Reeves involved, it's obvious this is no small project. My source also told me that if everything stays the same, the budget on this will be insane.

Whether or not you believe it, the new trend in Hollywood is Asian culture. The first three big films that will open the door for more to come are Dragonball, Street Fighter, and Tekken. And we already announced live-action adaptations of Akira and Ghost in the Shell as well, so why not throw Cowboy Bebop into the mix as well? By 2012 we'll probably see all kinds of anime and manga adapted from Berserk to Hellsing and more. Jumping back to Cowboy Bebop, I have a feeling the initial reaction to Keanu is going to be negative, but just look at Day the Earth Stood Still. After seeing some additional footage, Keanu looks like the perfect fit for Klaatu and I can't wait to see that. Can we give him a chance in Cowboy Bebop?

What do you guys think? Spike...is one of the coolest anime characters from one of the sweetest animes. Keanu Reeves is just...whoa. Then again, I ate my words about Robert Downey Jr, didn't I?

Guess we have no choice but to see. Who would be your Ed?

BF2142: The Star Wars First Strike Mod

Since I've been busy busy the past few weeks with house buying and a few other things, I decided to pick a more casual game to try in addition to COD4.

And then, like an idiot, I noticed the Star Wars mod for Battlefield 2142, First Strike:

http://fsmod.com


Anyhow, it sent my geek blood into hyper drive (OMG, I am a loser!) so currently, I'm redownloading everything to pway!

It looks like it might be some fun...so long as you can find folks to play with!

STO: Boldly Going Forward...Again!

According to this message from Jack Emmert from MMORPG.COM, Star Trek is back in development! Next thing you know, they'll be bringing "Gods and Heroes" back. *giggles*

Will it be cheesey? Cartoony? Curiouser and curiouser.

Star Trek Online - Message from Jack Emmert

Today we learned that Cryptic Studios, the company behind the original City of Heroes and now Champions Online is the studio now behind the development of Star Trek Online. In this feature, we bring you a letter to the community from Jack Emmert as well as a promotional list that is meant to give players an idea of Cryptic's vision for the game.

Engage!

A letter from Jack Emmert

Star Trek® has been a part of my entire life. Few other of my geeky obsessions can make that claim.

I started watching the original Star Trek when it reached syndication and cult status. I can remember even more vividly where I was for the premiere of every subsequent Star Trek series. For Star Trek: The Next Generation, I watched "Encounter at Farpoint" lying on the floor of my childhood apartment. When Star Trek: Deep Space Nine rolled around, I was a graduate student at the University of Chicago. I watched the first episode in the basement of my dorm with a dozen other students. A few years later, I was at Ohio State and saw Voyager travel to the Delta Quadrant while sitting on a friend's couch in Columbus, Ohio. And I was thrilled to see the beginnings of Starfleet in Star Trek: Enterprise. At the time, I was just starting out as a game designer, with little to no idea that I'd be jumping into that very universe within several years.

When the opportunity came for Cryptic to obtain the license for Star Trek, we were absolutely thrilled. I realized how many people at Cryptic loved the IP when the possibility of us getting the rights leaked out to the rest of the company. I had more Trekkies in my office asking to work on the project than I ever imagined.

Cryptic would now be given the task of bringing to life this entire universe that has been so brilliantly conceived and executed over years of TV, movies, books and comics. There are few other fictional backgrounds that fit the MMORPG medium so well. After all, Star Trek was never about a single character, ship or even planet; Star Trek was always about an entire universe. And MMORPGs are uniquely suited to create such a thing and allow players to explore every inch.

Admittedly, Star Trek has its challenges. We want to make a game that best captures the real essence of Star Trek. We see Star Trek as much about exploration as combat. As much about the variety of alien civilizations as it is about the core Vulcans, Klingons, Humans, etc. It's going to be an exciting ride over the coming months as we begin to unveil STO. I can't wait.

Cryptic's "About Star Trek Online"

Become part of Star Trek®: The Star Trek universe will appear for the first time in a massively multiplayer online game. Everything from the elegant domes of Starfleet Academy to the ancient temples of Vulcan, from the towers of Qo’noS to the Fire Caves of Bajor, from the mysterious Mutara Nebula to the unexplored voids of deep space, all will be represented in stunning 3-D graphics. Immerse yourself in the future of the Trek universe as it moves into the 25th century: a time of shifting alliances and new discoveries.

Adventure in the Final Frontier: Explore strange new worlds, seek out new life and new civilizations in an expanding vast universe. Make contact with alien races, discover resources and uncover mysteries that will change the future of the Star Trek universe.

You Are the Captain: Command your own starship as a Federation Captain or a Klingon Warrior. Outfit it with the systems that you need to make your mark in the galaxy. Customize your ship as you see fit. Recruit, train and mold your crew into an elite force for exploration and combat.

Surface, Shipboard and Deep Space Adventures: Command your vessel in thrilling space battles, or beam down to planets with your away team for face-to-face confrontations. Missions will take you and your friends into space, planetside and even inside starships!

Powered by the Cryptic Engine, Star Trek® Online will be developed for both console and PC formats. With customizable ships and characters from the Klingon Empire and United Federation of Planets, ground, space and shipboard gameplay and unique options for player-generated content set in the Star Trek universe, Star Trek Online is the MMOG that allows you to boldly go where no one has gone before!

Star Wars: Return of the Huttlet

I wasn't that interested in the upcoming "Clone Wars" movie (due out August 15th, 2008), until I watched the trailer a few days ago and noticed a familiarly sexy face!

That playboy Jabba...has a son!?

So hot.

I can't wait for my order to go through. I'm such a sucker for Hutts.

Perfect World International: Closed Beta Begins August 19th, 2008

Here's your chance to play "Perfect World" without rubber banding every which way but the way you want to be heading!

Free closed beta keys are available from MMORPG here:

http://www.mmorpg.com/betas/perfectworld_beta.cfm

But make sure to check out the official International website below for more chances to win closed beta keys:

http://www.perfectworld.com/

WTF!? Mortal Kombat vs the DC Universe

At first, I thought I was tired from eating too much pizza, but apparently, it's real:

EA to Play in Knights of the Old Republic

The rumour mills have been going on about this for some time now, but now finally, some confirmation about the KOTOR MMO!

According to Portfolio.com:

But, the phrase that bothers me is:

"...it will most certainly have a massively multiplayer online component to it."

As in, what? You can duel other players and that's it? Need more information!! I don't need an MMOG. Bring me a MMORPG!

Jul 17 2008 12:44PM EDT

EA to Play in Knights of the Old Republic

N. Evan Van Zelfden in Los Angeles warns, watch out World of Warcraft. In an interview at E3 this week, Electronic Arts chief executive John Riccitiello said that EA is working on the next version of Star Wars game Knights of the Old Republic, and it will most certainly have a massively multiplayer online component to it.

"We've got two of the most compelling MMOs in the industry in development," said Riccitiello. The first title, based on the Warhammer property, will launch soon. "And the one that people are dying for us to talk to them about -- in partnership with Lucas, coming out of BioWare, which is, I think, quite possibly the most anticipated game, full stop, for the industry at the point when we get closer to telling you about it."

Does Riccitiello mean the oft rumored Knights of the Old Republic Online? "Yes," he said.

Moving into MMOs is an essential component for any gaming company, and it's a big part of the reason Vivendi merged with Activision, for that company's World of Warcraft MMO.

Riccitiello told Portfolio.com that he was interested in owning World of Warcraft, and that he did discuss it, but it wasn't in the cards. "Because [Vivendi] couldn't afford control of EA, and I wasn't giving it up."

But EA is firmly on that path now, with a KOTOR MMO, which would sidestep the consoles owned by Sony, Microsoft, and Nintendo. "Increasingly, people are going to be talking about direct-to-customer in our business," said Riccitiello. "I think we'll be talking about it louder than most."

Today, two-thirds of the game industry is console systems and dedicated handhelds. "We expect in 2011 for it to be fifty-percent," Riccitiello said.

MMOs will also be useful as a way to expand into foreign territories.

"China's a growth market for us," he said. "We're launching some mid-session games on a micro-transaction model." In May of last year, the company announced an equity investment in a leading Chinese online game operator, The9, Ltd. "And there's a bunch more coming that we haven't announced. "

The company has stated that M&A is part of the strategy, and EA is looking for core game companies "only when they bring great [intellectual property] and great teams," he said. The company is also interested in businesses that "help us build our platform in the area of Asia, online, and direct-to-consumer."

"One is strategic and new, one is core and profitable -- and we're looking at both," explained Riccitiello.

Future games aside, Riccitiello is most proud of EA's revenues, its console-business growth, and what's currently on display to the army of reviewers and game journalists in Los Angeles this week.

"We added almost a billion dollars to the revenue last year," he notes. "This year, we've told the street that we're going to add a billion to a billion-three."

And console games are a market that's doing well. "It's grown 30 percent year-to-date," says Riccitiello. "All three of the consoles are way up. The PC business in terms of it's aggregate of subscriptions/micro-transactions is also way up. "

But at the end of the day, it's about the games themselves.

"I think, hands down, there's not a publisher or a platform that's got what we've got," he says. In his own life, he sees how EA's games are making an impact: "I've got twenty-two nephews and nieces. A couple years there, I couldn't buy everything I wanted for them at the holidays. I can do the entire holiday -- and capture my mother for the first time -- at the EA store. That's never been the case before."

Diablo 3: Gameplay Video from the Paris World Wide Invitational

My friends said they would disown me if I didn't post this video. Stupid "Diablo 3". Why do you mock me with stupid fat, super cute mobs to blow up?

Fallout 3: Brand New Sizzling Trailer

HoooOOoTTTT!

But you know what? Around the same time, guess what else comes out!

Rainbow Six Vegas 2: 1.03 Patch Released

You can downroaaad it from FilePlanet or your fave downloader:

FilePlanet

And the patch notes:

================================================================================

Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six® Vegas 2 v1.03 Patch Contents

================================================================================


Features:

* Added (1)new gameplay features
* Added (2)UPnP support
* Added HostName and Ping sort for Match selection

Bugs fixed:

* Fixed Some (3)Ping issues
* Fixed Terrorist hunt Spawning
* Fixed automatic weapons shoot without holding the trigger
* Fixed spawn with leader in Streets map
* Fixed Custom search issues


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
(1)New Gameplay features
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

* New Ranks
Many additional ranks have been added for you to unlock past the rank of Elite. XP you’ve already accumulated as Elite will be applied towards the new ranks.

* New A.C.E.S.
The A.C.E.S. now go up to 100 for each of the three categories: Marksman, CQB and Assault. Each A.C.E.S. level earned contains a substantial XP reward. Points you’ve already accumulated in each of the categories will be applied towards the new levels.

* Grenade Indicator
When inside the damage radius of a Frag or Incendiary Grenade, a grenade indicator Icon is displayed on the screen.

* High Stakes
- Experience the game modes in a more tactical way using the High Stakes setting.
- Limited HUD
- No Radar
- Enemies not visible on Tactical Map
- Grenade Indicator is disabled
- Health System
- Health Regeneration is disabled
- Changed the post-process effects of being in a Critical health state
- Take Cover
- Camera view has changed so that you must expose yourself to see around the side of a corner.
- Weapons & Gadgets
- Auto-aim is completely disabled
- Bullet spread is increased when not zoomed in. To be precise with your weapon, zoom in.
- Less ammunition.
- Kill Camera is always disabled
- Friendly Fire is always enabled

* Weapons & Gadgets Balancing
- Explosion delay of the incendiary grenade has been increased.
- Detonation speed of the C4 has been slightly increased.
- Increased the damage of Sniper Rifles at long range.
- Increased the base accuracy of the Light Machine Guns.
- Adjusted the Rate of Fire for some of the Assault Rifles, Shotguns and an SMG.
- Speed up the time it takes to zoom in & out with weapons to make it more responsive.

* Respawns in Team Deathmatch
Hosts can choose whether or not their match uses random respawns in Team Deathmatch.

* Voice Chat
Hosts can choose to enable voice chat between living and dead players of the same team so that when you die you can keep talking with your teammates. Player Match and System Link only.

* Score in Deathmatch
Your score, along with the top opponent, is displayed on your HUD in Deathmatch.

* Team Leader changes
Respawn next to your leader by default, unless you specifically choose to spawn back at your base.

* Show Dead Players in Lobby
Players that have no lives remaining will have a skull icon displayed next to their name in the lobby screen so that you can easily tell who’s still alive and who’s been eliminated.



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
(2)UPnP Support Notes
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Universal Plug and Play allows players behind a UPnP capable router to fully enjoy the online experience of Rainbow Six Vegas 2.

Network will be automatically configured to allow voice chat, custom head and ping features to work seamlessly behind a router.

You can enable/disable UPnP in the multiplayer tab in the options page.

Troubleshooting
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
* Ensure UPnP is enabled on the router.
* Firewall is not blocking the following ports
* Windows XP or above: 2869(TCP) and 1900 (UDP)
* Windows XP(SP1) or earlier: 5000(TCP) and 1900 (UDP)
* Windows Vista: Network discovery is turned ON

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
(3)Ping (Not using UPnP)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The port 11120 (UDP) should be added manualy to the router port mappings.

============================================================================

Aion: English Release Date Early 2009!

You can read the full interview here with NCSoft Europe's Marketing Manager, Mirko Gozzo, but, for those of us who have brains the size of goldfish (read: me), there's the lowdown:

What's in you personal opinion the development status of Aion, and when it will be on shops shelves?

M.G.: The game is on Closa beta testing(season 3) atm. Next step is open beta testing that is the preamble of release in Korea. We're working (hard) on English translation atm and we far seer the release date between first months of 2009.

RAWWWARRRRRAGGHGHGHGHGHH! Must hold out for another half a year +!?

Time to see how Spellbourne is doing!

Happy July 4th! Fireworks Safety Tips from Red Vs. Blue

Happy July 4th everybady!

Watch and learn!

Though in my neighbours' cases, I hope they blow themselves up. *giggles*