The first details regarding Dr. Tanya Byron’s review regarding violent video games and kids has come into light. And from the looks of it, the reports indicate that Dr. Byron has criticized both the British Board of Film Classification (BBFC) and its European-wide counterpart, PEGI.

Regarding the BBFC, Byron noted that its classification system was too confusing to properly comprehend, and that its measures weren’t tough enough.

PEGI was also criticized for its use of confusing symbols, as well as the ease at which distributors could easily chose their own ratings by filling in a form about their games.

To this end, Byron recommended the use of a single classification system. Its age ratings would be required to be clearly visible on the game’s packaging, like the ESRB’s current procedure.

Going into specifics, Byron further added that the classification board in mind would carry an age 12 rating for games. This rating is also currently used by the BBFC in rating movies, though not for games. As Byron elaborated:

We have to make child digital safety a priority. If you are under 18, you should not be able to buy an 18 game and if you’re under 12, you should not be able to buy a 12 game.

Byron further recommended that retailers who were caught selling games to children below this age bracket would be penalized with a fine, and up to five year’s prison time.

The doctor also suggested that all existing game consoles be equipped with some form of parental block. Byron further called for a largescale education campaign for parents, instructors and childcare professionals to ensure that they would know how to responsibly handle their children’s experiences in gaming.

We remind the readers that this is just a preliminary look into Dr. Byron’s report. Drop by again as we pick up more detailed information regarding this matter.

source pc.qj.net

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The PC version of Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare (Personal computer, PS3, Xbox 360) might not be able to get its Map Packs anytime soon, but it’s definitely in one huge treat. Blue Orb has just announced the release of three new SwitchBlades that support CoD4 and other specific games.

These SwitchBlade applications will be alternatives to your standard mouse and keyboard when playing shooter games. With the convenience that the blades present, you can maximize your gaming experience through the use of an Xbox 360 controller.

These solutions support specific games such as Infinity Ward’s Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare , as well as Call of Duty 2 and Counterstirke: Source. With the launch of the company’s latest offerings, Aaron Levin, Vice President of Business Development at Blue Orb, had this to state about the SwitchBlade:

Since SwitchBlade was such a resounding success in the MMO sphere, we decided to take the next logical step, and tackle the PC’s definitive genre the shooter.

We took our first leap with our Half-Life 2 Blade a month ago, and now we’re supporting one of the most popular titles out there with Call of Duty 4.

source pc.qj.net

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The iPod Touch is Apples newest iPod featuring revolutionary multi-touch technology and wide-screen display. This stunning new iPod grants you to watch and listen to your media like never before. The touch screen controls operate smoothly and effortlessly tapping the screen twice whilst playing a track or video brings up the heads up play controls, skip tracks, pause, volume up and down…

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Italian developer Twelve Interactive has shed light on the recent development of its upcoming Martial Arts: Capoeira (Nintendo Wii, DS, Sony PlayStation Portable, Computer), announcing through press wire that it teamed up with motion capture manufacturers Animazoo and Rome’s prominent capoeira organization Soluna to capture the spirit of the art and bring players authentically real capoeira.

After joining meeting up with the other celebrations last weekend to push Martial Arts: Capoeira forward, Managing Director of Twelve Interactive Giuseppe Crugliano, was quoted saying: “The passion and professionalism with which Soluna operate, together with the motion capture technology of Animazoo, has generated some stunning new input for the game.”

What transpired weren’t laid down in full detail, though it’s easy to expect that Martial Arts: Capoeira will don convincing animations brought together by experienced practitioners and motion capture technology. The game won’t be released until Q4 2008, so watch this space for updates!

Buy: [ Martial Arts: Capoeira (Wii) ]
Buy: [ Martial Arts: Capoeira (DS) ]
Buy: [ Martial Arts: Capoeira (PSP) ]

source pc.qj.net

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If you can’t get enough of Propaganda Games‘ Turok (Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, PC), then you might want to know that the Velociraptor pack will be hitting both the Xbox Live Marketplace for 400 Microsoft Points and the Playstation Network for US 4.99 tomorrow.

In addition, PC gamers who want to get hold of this title will be happy to know that it has already been dated.

The Velociraptor pack is stated to contain five different maps, all for multiplayer. The set includes two new multiplayer maps, one new co-op map and two relit versions of the maps included in the game. Here’s a short description of each map:

• Co-Op: A brand new Turok co-op map for 2-4 players. In this co-op map your Whiskey Company squad has been captured and is being held in a Mendel-Gruman facility designed for holding dinosaurs. You and your team have to break out and make it to the rescue chopper before the Wolf Pack troops decide to feed you to the captured raptors.
• Desolation: A brand new swamp-based map where simple structures are set up alongside a rock cliff to allow helicopters and transports into the area to bring in supplies. There are many hiding spots on this multi-level map which enables numerous quiet kill opportunities.
• Sentinel:Another new multiplayer map and one of the largest Turok maps to date. The setting takes place at the top of a mountain around one of Kane s orbital defense arrays - the very base that shot down the Whiskey Company ship from orbit in the single-player campaign. Also, the presence of a few large dinosaurs on the map can make things very interesting during multiplayer combat.
• Inconclusive Tests: This time the Testing Grounds map takes place at night and offers a different view of the world that now contains more dark hiding spots. A word of caution — watch out for the raptors.
• A Rivalry Continues: As the name recommends, the struggle for the compound from A Heated Rivalry isn’t over and has extended into the eerie darkness of the night.

The second bit of news details the launch information of the Personal computer version of Turok. The game is expected to be available by April 22 for US 49.99. Like its console counterparts, Turok for the PC will get this DLC.

Before we go, we just got word that the publisher of Turok, Touchstone, has announced that this game has shipped one million copies worldwide. Congratulations to the developers and publisher on that achievement!

Buy: [ Turok (PS3) ]
Buy: [ Turok (Xbox 360) ]
Buy: [ Turok (PC) ]

source pc.qj.net

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Take-Two Interactive surprised a lot of people by not letting itself get purchased up by rival Electronic Arts, but not everyone is impressed. Wedbush Morgan analyst Michael Pachter, for one, says the decision is a mistake.

“We think that the Board has virtually no chance of finding a superior offer,” states the analyst. “this deal… makes more sense for EA than for any other company, primarily because of the synergies from consolidation of the two companies’ sports businesses.”

Pachter comprehends that Take-Two is banking on the imminent success of its main attraction Grand Theft Auto 4 (Playstation 3 and Xbox 360) next month, but says that the publisher’s decision not to sell is “naive at best”. He adds that Take-Two’s US 17 per share value won’t be able to come close to EA’s US 26 per share offer even after GTA 4 goes out.

Further, Pachter says that if Take-Two settled for a friendly deal, EA might have given an additional US 1 on each share just to sweeten the deal. Now, he says that if EA ever decides to come back to the negotiating table post GTA 4, they’ll be offering Take-Two lower rates.

Pachter acknowledges that EA is being opportunistic about the whole matter, but he sees it as a beneficial situation to both companies. He concludes that Take-Two may end up losing more money in the future as an effect of today’s decisions.

source pc.qj.net

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Aspiring coders and users would delight in the current release of the Eee PC software development kit, because that wouldn’t only mean a sudden influx of third-party applications for the miniature profiled laptop, but even ways of optimizing the mobile platform’s many features. But ASUS released the SDK under one totally strict condition: under all circumstances, the source code must be made freely available.

In addition, the original author must allow would be code adopters with the right to use it. This is probably due to the Eee PC’s competition with the XO-1 of the OLPC (or One Laptop Per Child) program, which requires that any participants and entries to the program strictly adhere to the open-source guidelines. The Taiwan-based company’s own entry, being a qualifier for Intel’s “World Ahead” program, is trying to fit within OLPC’s rules as well.

The SDK should also be perfect for any version of the Eee PC, regardless of currently installed operating system. We don’t have the details on the SDK’s actual coverage and tool sets, but the 1.2 GB download hints that it could be jam-packed. Follow the Via link provided below to arrive at ASUS’ download page for the Eee Personal computer.

source mobile.qj.net

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