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With the release of Shadowrun (May 29, 2007) for the first time ever Vista gamers can connect to Xbox 360 gamers in a corss-platform battle royal.  I think it’s pretty cool, but don’t have vista installed yet - anxious to hear about Live on Windows for anyone who has gotten their hands on it.

To sweeten the deal Halo 2 is considered live today on windows vista as well.  Which boasts improved graphics, a map editor and the ability to gain achievements (but no you cannot connect to xbox live members like shadowrun).

If you all ready have an xbox live account (and vista) you all ready have a Games ofr Windows - LIVE account, its the same gamertag and friends list that you all ready own.

Being a PC gamer over the past years, it should be interesting to see how PC gamers match up to XBox gamers in a FPS like shadowrun - so many of my PC gaming friends are convinced FPS play is for the PC, and will give an extreme advantage of the console gamers - what do you think?

What: Mad Tracks

When: May 30th 2:00 AM PST

How Much: 800MP ($10)

Screen Shots: My Gallery

More Info: Mad Tracks Xbox Page   

This week’s arcade release is Mad Tracks (as many of you have all ready guessed).  Personally I got some hands on experience with this game last week at the DC stop on the Gamerscoreblog tour.  I didn’t get to spend alot of time on it - but long enough to compare it to some of my favorite games of the past.  RC Pro-Am & Diddy Kong Racing immediately come to mind to give you an idea of what kind of game this is.

 Following shortly after the game release will be two expansion packs (called Bravo and Encore) which will expand the tracks you have available to get your racing fix.  So why not take a break off of Forza 2 and all its realistic racing, and take a few spins in these mini cars?

Players can race through 15 challenges consisting of nine mini-games and six different races behind the wheel of one of 12 sleek compact cars. “Mad Tracks,” from Load Inc., features 12 power-ups to keep engines revved up and players in the fast lane ahead of the competition.

Game Features

• 15 distinct challenges (6 races & 9 mini-games) provide a full-fledged racing game experience
• 12 stackable power-ups (rockets, freezer, oil drop, EMP and more!)
• 12 sleek looking cars to choose from
• 4 player multiplayer over Xbox LIVE and 4 player local multiplayer via split screen mode
• Championship mode & Arcade mode
• 2 free gamer pictures
• Earn up to 12 Achievements and 200 Gamerscore points

More information is available at http://www.xbox.com/games/livearcade.

After seeing Shadowrun at the Gamerscoreblog Road Trip DC stop I have to say I was impressed with the final graphics, compared to beta.  As of today you can go out and get yourself a copy (on xbox360 or windows) and give it a spin yourself. 

The Xbox 360 version will cost you about 60 bones ($59.99 MSRP) or you can save yourself ten bucks getting the Vista version ($49.99 MSRP).

 Not sure you want to drop that much cash on this ground breaking cross platform title?  Well you are in luck (if you are an xbox360 gamer), a demo is coming your way June 6th.

Official press release to follow:

Starting today, humans, elves, dwarves and trolls can join the cross-platform revolution with “Shadowrun” at the estimated retail price of $59.99 (U.S.) for Xbox 360™ and $49.99 (U.S.) for Windows Vista. “Shadowrun” is rated “M” for Mature by the Entertainment Software Ratings Board (ESRB). “Shadowrun” is also part of the Games for Windows® initiative, offering reliability, compatibility and enhanced experiences on Windows Vista®.
Additionally, Xbox 360 gamers can get in on the action with the official “Shadowrun” demo on June 6. The demo will be available for download via Xbox LIVE® Marketplace.
The innovative first-person shooter (FPS) gameplay of “Shadowrun,” developed by FASA Studio, thrusts gamers into strategic battles that utilize magic and technology. Players must vie for supremacy, playing as a human, elf, dwarf or troll. Cleverness, cunning and split-second improvisation are rewarded through a unique combination of modern weapons, ancient magic and advanced technology. As the first game to support Microsoft’s Games for Windows – LIVE service, “Shadowrun” gives players on both Xbox 360 and Windows Vista a chance to compete, cooperate and communicate across both platforms with an Xbox LIVE Gold or Games for Windows - LIVE Gold account*.
“Shadowrun” will ship with nine unique maps and an additional three map variations, showcasing dynamic environments set in a futuristic Santos, Brazil, and its neighboring ancient Ziggurat. “Shadowrun” includes six training chapters, letting gamers fine-tune their strategy and lethal combinations against the intuitively smart and talented A.I. bots. Gamers can also play with bots at four levels of difficulty on every map and with every game type.

So I have created a few different wordpress plugins

• one that connects to 360voice (shown here)
• one that connects to the live eye (shown here)
• one that pulls the gamertile of the user from xbox.com if they are using their gamertag to comment (just post your feedback to see it in action) 

Does anyone actually use my plugins on your site? 
Do you care? 
Should I make more? 
If so, what would YOU like to see? 
Would you like to use the Live Eye or Xbox tile Comment Plugins?

Just looking for some feedback from those of you that visit my little blog.

Officially the only one that is publically available is the 360voice plugin, but you can see the live eye plugin in action here (and if you want to use it let me know), and finally just put a comment to see the gamertile plugin in action

The guys over at gamerscoreblog have released the ‘lunchtime conversation’ from the DC meetup that I attended, head on over and check it out.  It was mostly recorded (from what I saw) down in the bar after we got the boot from the room for being too loud.  The event was so much fun, getting there and back home was less fun but still worth it!

http://gamerscoreblog.com/team/archive/2007/05/28/550742.aspx

Forza Motorsport 2 has a confirmed release date of 5/29/07. To help increase the reality of this racer Microsoft is also dropping the wireless racing wheel price to $129.99 in the U.S.In addition, to mark the release of the new title, gamers in the U.S. will be able to participate in the “Forza Motorsport 2” Race Weekend, running June 1 through June 3. Gamers will be able to participate in a “Play and Win,” Livery contests, gameplay sessions with developers, and a leaderboard tournament. Xbox 360 Wireless Racing Wheels and other prizes will be awarded to winners.

Fans can continue to visit http://www.xbox.com and http://forzamotorsport.net for more information, screen shots and videos.

 Personally I originally wasn’t sure what I thought about this game (mostly because I am not very good at it) but after getting a few racing in at the Gamerscoreblog DC event, I am anxious to at least try the game

Official Press Release to follow:

REDMOND, Wash. — May 25, 2007 — Microsoft Game Studios today announced that “Forza Motorsport® 2” will speed onto U.S. retail shelves Tuesday, May 29, and that the estimated retail price (ERP) of the Xbox 360™ Wireless Racing Wheel has been lowered to $129.99 in the U.S.
Timed to mark the biggest racing event of the year, these announcements are sure to ignite the driving spirit in gamers and car enthusiasts alike as the 91st Annual Indianapolis 500 kicks off today.
Tuned and developed with the Xbox 360 Wireless Racing Wheel, “Forza Motorsport 2” supports true force feedback, setting a new precedent for realism in the racing simulation genre that will have gamers feeling every bump in the road and every jolt of acceleration as they take the corners on 12 of the most renowned tracks on the globe. With the game running at an astounding 60 frames per second, authentic simulation physics, and rumble functionality with the Xbox 360 Wireless Controller, “Forza Motorsport 2” offers incredible realism and depth for a complete racing experience in gaming.
In addition, to mark the release of the new title, gamers in the U.S. will be able to participate in the “Forza Motorsport 2” Race Weekend, running June 1 through June 3. Gamers will be able to participate in a “Play and Win,” Livery contests, gameplay sessions with developers, and a leaderboard tournament. Xbox 360 Wireless Racing Wheels and other prizes will be awarded to winners. Gamers will experience all the racing excitement they can handle with the following new gameplay experiences:

• Collect, upgrade and tune hundreds of cars. From sport compacts to purpose-built race cars, “Forza Motorsport 2” offers more than 300 cars from over 50 of the world’s leading manufacturers such as Ferrari, Porsche, Nissan, Volkswagen, General Motors and Lamborghini. Players can take their car to the garage and install alternative engines, suspension kits, bolt-on superchargers, brakes, rims and racing slicks. Players can also dial in advanced suspension settings, tire pressure and gear ratios.
• Experience an uncompromising physics simulation. Top automotive engineers, professional race car drivers and experienced programmers teamed up to create a complete racing simulator experience. Cars incur dramatic damage and wear, which affects vehicle performance. Advanced tire and suspension models that respond to heat and pressure changes as well as weight transfer and aerodynamic load are just a few examples of how the gamer plays both crew chief and driver.
• Master real-world tracks from around the world. From the famously challenging Nürburgring Nordschleife to the green hills of Tuscany, gamers can race on meticulously designed tracks with an incredible sense of speed and realism. “Forza Motorsport 2” features 47 ribbons across 12 environments, including real-world licensed circuits such as Mugello, Suzuka and Sebring International Raceway.
• Create and share a masterpiece with the world. Players can express their inner artist in the paint and upgrade shops with nearly endless personalization options. They can customize the shape of their car by combining different licensed rims, performance parts and aftermarket body kits and create a unique paint scheme using millions of paint and decal options. Then racers can hit the track and take in-game pictures of their creation in the “Forza Motorsport 2” Photo Mode, or sell their work of art to an eager community for in-game credits over Xbox LIVE® using the “Forza Motorsport 2” Auction House.
• Literally feel the road, just like a professional driver. Through the rumble functionality in the Xbox 360 Wireless Controller, players will feel uncompromising responsiveness to every acceleration, downshift and turn, making the racing experience as true to life as possible. With the latest improvements to rumble, force feedback and wireless technologies, form and function are placed into high-speed gaming motion, letting racers feel every bump around the turns at famous tracks such as Sebring as well as the differences in handling and stability in each car they drive.
• Compete in a vibrant online community. Gamers can take their personalized car onto Xbox LIVE for some intense online wheel-to-wheel racing. They have the option to compete in private online sessions with friends or in large public tournaments on Xbox LIVE in the seamlessly integrated “Forza Motorsport 2” Career Mode.* They can earn in-game credits and even complete single-player career objectives while racing over Xbox LIVE. Or they can sit back and watch the best racers from around the world compete on “Forza Motorsport 2” TV.

Fans can continue to visit http://www.xbox.com and http://forzamotorsport.net for more information, screen shots and videos.

A ‘quick’ summary of the trip

• Navigation System Saves the day when major highways are closed in Philly Area
• Passing through Philly, Baltimore, and finally DC traffic all in one trip - not so fun.
• Passed aproximately 25 cops, 15 of them had someone pulled over, and a set of 5 of them had one person pulled over and face down in the grass
• Passed not 1, but 2 people carrying large snakes down the center of the street during my detour through Chester, PA
• Ended up being 1 hour late.
• Got to play some awesome games such as: Shadowrun, Forza 2, Tenchu Z, The Darkness, Track and Field, Mad Tracks, Undertow, Project Sylpheed, and Carcassonne
• Lost very badly to Morgon in the game that I cant remember.
• Lost very badly to Feelz Good in Forza 2
• Chris P is insane at Guitar Hero 2
• Highlight of my night was The Darkness - and also the only game which we have to keep hush hush about.
• Track N Field + Beer and local mulitplayer is a great time
• The drive home was rough, and I am posting this on about 1 hour of sleep.
• Met alot of people, some I actually got to speak to, some I just saw in passing or found out who they were afterwards
• Jason: (Morgon @ Mygamercard.net)
• Nick: (Feelz Good @ gamertagradio.com)
• Chris: (CPaladino @ gamerscoreblog.com)
• Tony: (Bastelyon @ gamerscoreblog.com)
• John: (stalalem @ gamerscoreblog.com)
• Rob: (Esko @ Gamerbabble.com)
• The rest of you, sorry its a blur at this point

http://gamerscoreblog.com/team/archive/2007/05/24/550659.aspx#comments

http://photo.squidpunch.com/v/gamerscoreblogtour07/

 Starting today we can get our grubby little hands on some video diaries, which give us some more info on Fable 2, I am really anticipating this game, so any little piece of information for me is gold!  Downloading the video as I post this.  Official press release to follow.

Microsoft Game Studios Set To Release Episode One of New Lionhead Video Diaries

Beginning on May 24, 2007, Episode One of the Lionhead video diaries will debut on the official Lionhead Studios Website and Xbox LIVE® Marketplace, kicking off an ongoing series of video diaries with the “Fable 2®” team, including Peter Molyneux.

The episodes provide a look behind the scenes of the long-awaited sequel to the 2004 Xbox® exclusive best-seller “Fable®.” Get a sneak peek inside the game, as well as get to know the people behind the action. Being a hero or heroine, fighting, questing and adventuring are central to “Fable.” With the upcoming release of “Fable 2,” gamers will be one step closer to fulfilling their dreams of being good or evil; getting married or remaining single; and finding out what it means to experience unconditional love in the world of “Fable.”

Each installment of the video diaries will walk gamers through the development process and will answer questions fans have been dying to know such as, “What is the deal with the dog?” “How do you show unconditional love in a video game?” “How does the new combat system work?” and “What is it really like to work at Lionhead?”

“Fable 2” is an inventive action RPG (role playing game) that will be a true sequel to the original, offering even more choices and building on the core gameplay theme of “Fable” where your every choice continually defines who you become, allowing you to truly live the life you choose. Set 500 years after the original, “Fable 2” will provide gamers with an epic story and innovative real-time gameplay including a massive amount of freedom and choice.

Every choice continually defines the experience, allowing gamers to truly live the life they choose. So choose wisely and check out Episode One, with more to come!

To view Episode One visit:
www.lionhead.com

What: Xevious

When: May 23rd

How Much: 400MP ($5)

Screen Shots: My Gallery

More Info: Xevious Xbox Page  

Did you run out of quarters the last time you played Xevious at the arcade? Don’t worry, because this Wednesday gamers will have a second chance to take down the nefarious supercomputer GAMP and defeat the Andor Genesis mother ship in “Xevious.” Newcomers to this arcade classic that helped pioneer the vertical scrolling shooter genre can also experience it for the first time on Xbox LIVE Arcade this Wednesday, May 23 at 2:00 a.m. PDT.

“Xevious” will be available worldwide for 400 Microsoft Points and is rated E for Everyone.

Game Features

• Play the 100% arcade accurate reproduction of “Xevious” for the first time anywhere
• Test your memory: uncover hidden bonuses that are scattered throughout the levels just like in the arcade version, where shots to the ground uncover power-ups like Sol towers and 1UPs
• Compare your high score against other “Xevious” players from around the world on the Leaderboards
• Earn up to 12 Achievements and 200 Gamerscore points

What: Rush ‘n Attack

When: May 23rd

How Much: 400MP ($5)

Screen Shots: My Gallery

More Info: Rush N Attack Xbox Page  

A rescue mission to remember, “Rush ‘n Attack” is a heroic arcade action game, equipped with enhanced graphics, music, and sound effects. Fight through four stages of increasing difficulty to free prisoners of war using a trusty knife along with an array of other weapons from which to choose. Opt to rescue compatriots as a lone soldier, or form a united front with a friend utilizing Xbox LIVE’s multiplayer capabilities. “Rush ‘n Attack,” also known as “Green Beret,” will be available for download this Wednesday, May 23 at 2:00 a.m. PDT.

“Rush ‘n Attack” will be available worldwide for 400 Microsoft Points and is rated E10+.

Game Features

• Fight through 4 stages to free the prisoners of war
• Up to two players can play together locally or over Xbox LIVE in either Versus or Co-op mode
• Local multiplayer features split screen action with results captured on Leaderboards
• Players can chose to play with either the authentic, original graphics or with enhanced graphics which features fully rendered 3-D models.
• All music and sound effects have been digitally enhanced
• Earn up to 12 Achievements and 200 Gamerscore points