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Game Over CG Sitcom Debuts, Censored, Gets Machinima
Thanks to GamePro for its interview with the creator of UPN's new CG videogame-related sitcom, Game Over, which debuted last night. The interview notes: "For gamers, it's great to see in-jokes and cameos - like when the entire cast of Oddworld shows up in the first episode. But is prime time ready for a gaming 'toon?" Even before debuting, "Game Over has fallen prey to network censors", with dialog and risque CG nudity cut, and reaction to the show is mixed, but to promote it, UPN is giving away an interactive PC game/machinima download in conjunction with Fountainhead Entertainment, so "players are able to use ['Game Over' character Raquel] in interactive and non-interactive ways by employing Machinimation tools" - the download is available via FilePlanet. Update: 03/12 04:10 GMT by S : Reuters are reporting disappointing ratings for the debut episode.
9/80 workweeks rock my world
G4 has to have some type of a deal with Sony because they are the biggest PS2 fanboys I have ever seen. Ok, let me rant for a minute. Of all of the gaming being created right now and all of the great PC and Xbox games coming out, the PS2 which is now severely old and has hardware that is ancient and not capable of much, all they show is PS2 games.
Even in G4TV's coverage of E3, almost all they showed was PS2 upcoming stuff, not mentioning anything about what is new on PC and Xbox or Gamecube.
Anyone who has watched it surely knows this. If it is a TV show about video games, get ready to hear how great the games of whoever payed them are. They pay no attention to what the REAL gaming community cares about, they only care about sales numbers and marketing revenue. Halo comes out on PC, Battlefield 1942, Battelfield Vietnam in the works, and all they talk about is the new Jax and Dexter game. :(
And Will Wheaton and Travis Oats left the G4TV show Arena because they used BOTS on the show, and then spliced in shots of the real gamers playing games, but what you saw on the screen most times was bots. Wheaton and Oats disagreed with this practice, and also with the poor treatment of the in studio gaming clans that participated in the show. Wheaton was quoted as saying "they treated them as though they were lucky to even be in the studio and not to complain about anything." So if you want to watch a bunch of computer bots play old a$$ games like Mech Assault against each other then that is your show.
The most powerful platforms for gaming are as follows.
The PC - can be upgraded constantly, and patches for games come out quickly and there is the greatest number or servers and players for games on PC than on any console. Also it shows your Ping ot games so you can tell if people are lying about lag or not, and your game is more customizable with mods, skins, custom level design, and loads of other things that are simply not possible with a console.
The Xbox - Even though the PS2 has online service, this console truly brought online gaming to the television set and controller with Xbox Live. It has tons of subscribers, one low fee for all of their Live games (50 dollars a year), and great voice communication through the Xbox Live communicator Headset featuring many different audio channels and even a friends list, etc.
The Gamecube has optional online attatchment and from what I am aware of no online games as of yet. Decent graphics, but really poor hardware inside and aimed at an audience of about 8 years old.
PS2 - Not readily available at it's launch, so/so online service plagued by cheating, different monthly charges for each game, lack of online titles, and porr graphics, alsoit allows people on dial up connections to play which means major L-A-G. So when I connect with my high speed it is frustrating to be in the same room playing with some guy who is using his 500 free hours of NetZero dial up. lol.
Keeping all of the above factors in mind G4TV's coverage and bias is very obvious, and I am sure that it will be equal or greater with this new Network TV video game show. I predict that moderate to occasional gamers will find it kind of cool, and the hard core community will hate it.