Microsoft Readies Windows 8 For App Store Games (The Verge)Microsoft is preparing a line up of games for the Windows 8 operating system that consumers will be able to purchase on the upcoming Windows Store. The games will be part of a new app-like experience for Windows users, making it easier to download apps for a Windows PC. Microsoft will take 30% of the proceeds, the same percentage taken by Facebook and Apple. But Microsoft will reduce its take to 20% after an app reaches $25,000 in sales. The preview version of the store is expected in late February (likely the same event as above).
I have a friend who has a problem with her IBM Laptop. I haven't seen the laptop yet, so I don't knwo what type it is, but she says it is only two or three years old. She has also informed me that she uses a P2P software to download music, so I believe that it must be an adware/spyware/malware problem. I have told her I will try to fix it tomorrow, but in order to do so, I may need to get software that I can put on a USB to run on her system, without the huge start-up time (in excess of 20 minutes). What I want to do is get the computer to run as fast as possible so I can install the anti-spyware and anti-adware, as well as software to deal with the malware that may be present. I am doing this for free, so I don't want to have to burn a disk (which I would have to go and buy), so USB is the only option. Does anyone have any ideas here?--KageTora (talk) 15:46, 27 January 2009 (UTC)Reply[reply]
the game plan 720p free download
The player begins inside their own "pod", a personal space from which they can access the three modes of gameplay, and decorate the room with stickers and decorations.[15] Initially, only the Play mode is available and the player must complete some tutorials, narrated by Stephen Fry;[16] once the basics are mastered, the player is free to play the rest of the game, having completed the tutorials.[17]
In May 2009, Alex Evans revealed that a new community website was in development that will serve as a web-based portal to help users promote their levels. Each user-created level will have its own page on the website where users can view information, pictures, leaderboards and comments for the level and add it to a "download queue". Once added to the user's queue, the level automatically be accessible from a menu the next time the users plays LittleBigPlanet, helping users find specific levels more easily. Media Molecule also plan to allow third parties to access level information directly through a software API. This will allow other websites to integrate live data into their sites.[39]
The game's main interface is based around the player's "pod" and three planets, each of which is focused on the three areas of the game; "Play", "Create" and "Share". These are accessed using the "pod computer". The main Play planet is the "LittleBigPlanet". This is where users access the main story levels and also serves as the main gateway to user-created levels.[40] The LittleBigPlanet features an interface into the PlayStation Store where users can access and purchase downloadable content.[41] The Create planet, called "My Moon", is where players save and access levels they have created or copied. Each crater on the moon holds one level. The Share planet, or "Info Moon", is where players can access their friends list, gameplay statistics and their hearted levels and creators. The user can select a person on their friends list to view their published levels, hearted levels and hearted creators.[42]
Both Sony Computer Entertainment and Media Molecule undertook a large-scale marketing campaign in the run-up to the game's release. In North America, SCEA partnered with several major online retailers to offer unique bonus gifts to customers pre-ordering the game from the selected retailers.[52][53] These gifts include codes to access additional in-game costumes, a sticker book, a burlap pouch and an official game guide.[54] In the UK, SCEE partnered with online retailers to offer downloadable costumes, such as the Nariko character from Heavenly Sword, to customers who pre-order the game.[55] A temporary shop in the UK was set up in Manchester city centre, where people were able to play the game before its release. The shop moved to central London in October. In addition to a chance to play the game, it offered such activities as t-shirt making.[56] To market the game to an online audience, a website campaign to "reclaim Pluto as the ninth planet", Proposition Pluto, was released as a marketing tool several weeks before the game's release.[57]
A demo version of the game was planned for release on the PlayStation Network in the fourth quarter of 2007,[33] but was delayed until 2008.[59] The demo was again delayed until 11 September 2009, when it was released alongside the Game of The Year Edition.[60] Original announcements pointed to a full release early in 2008, but Sony later said the game had been delayed until September 2008 in the UK.[61] During the Sony PlayStation Day on 6 May 2008 in London, Sony announced the game would be delayed for one month,[62] but also confirmed release dates for 21 October 2008 in North America, 22 October in Europe, 24 October in the UK and Ireland[63] and 30 October in Japan.[64]
On 17 October 2008, SCEE instigated a worldwide recall of LittleBigPlanet and announced the game's release be pushed back,[66] after a PlayStation Community member reported the lyrics to one of the licenced songs in the game included passages from the Qur'an and could therefore be offensive to some Muslims.[67] The song, entitled "Tapha Niang", was by Malian artist Toumani Diabaté, himself a devout Muslim.[68][69] The game was patched twice, the day before its release for players who had received the game early, before its intended release date. The first update did not affect the song, and was released to patch online issues, modify jetpack controls, and add further costumes,[70][71] whilst the second updated the game to remove the vocals from the track, leaving only an instrumental.[72] Some American Muslims responded to the recall and stated that they were offended by the restriction of freedom of speech. M. Zuhdi Jasser M.D., head of the American Islamic Forum for Democracy, was quoted as saying, "Muslims cannot benefit from freedom of expression and religion and then turn around and ask that anytime their sensibilities are offended that the freedom of others be restricted."[73]
A public beta version of the game was previously scheduled for the summer of 2008,[76] but it was later announced that only private beta testing would take place; a public demo was mentioned as a "possibility".[77] However, in a later interview, Alex Evans, Co-Founder of Media Molecule, said a beta would be released in September 2008 describing it as "a public beta, but limited at the same time".[78] The first beta became playable on 23 September 2008, when gaming website Eurogamer began offering beta codes to its members on the same date, with a total of 5,800 codes available; the website quickly buckled under the influx of visitors, with many unable to load the site.[79] Subsequently, several other gaming websites including 1UP.com[80] and GameSpot[81] offered beta codes to their users. Players were able to play the beta until it ended on 12 October.[82] Although Sony had originally planned to erase all levels created by players during the beta period, an official poll was held to let the players decide their fate;[83] the players voted to keep the levels.[84] These levels were carried over to the final game, although save game data and progress made in the beta was not.[83]
In April 2009, Media Molecule released a free software update dubbed "Cornish Yarg", the first major update for the game. New features that were introduced with this update include the ability for the user to play their own music from the PlayStation 3's hard drive whilst in their Pod or in "Create" mode, the ability to turn a prize collection in user-created levels on or off and improvements to the character customisation process. Changes were also made to some creation tools including the ability to hide mechanical objects such as bolts and pistons.[92] Shortly after this update, Creator Pack 1 was released as a free piece of downloadable content. This pack added new Create mode tools including a new type of checkpoint which provides the player with an infinite number of lives for a given section, a tetherless version of the jetpack and a power-up removal marker which forces the player to drop any power-ups such as the Paintinator or jetpack. The update also included a tool to allow the creator to trigger changes in the entire level's lighting and other environmental settings, when the player passes a certain point or performs an action.[93][94]
In August 2009 Media Molecule announced that a future update would add water to the game.[22] The additional Create Mode tools were released as part of a Pirates of the Caribbean-themed downloadable content pack on 22 December 2009. Much like the Metal Gear Solid pack, the premium downloadable content pack contains six new levels and also unlocks new creator tools allowing users to use the new mechanics in their levels. These tools include a Global Water Object allowing users to trigger changes in the water properties of their levels as well as a water-activated switch, a scuba-gear pick-up and a bubble machine. The pack also features Pirates of the Caribbean-themed stickers, decorations, music, backdrops, objects and materials.[98] Whilst users are required to purchase this pack in order to create levels with these tools, users are able to play levels utilising the features whether they purchase the pack or not.[99]
A Game of the Year Edition of LittleBigPlanet was released in North America on 8 September 2009. This version included all of the content from the original game, as well as exclusive levels from 18 members of the LittleBigPlanet community (along with short videos of each of them explaining the levels). The re-release also includes the "Metal Gear Solid", "Monsters" and "History" costume and level packs and the "Animals" costume pack. A limited number of copies of the game also included a code, giving the player access to a beta of ModNation Racers.[3] Although there were no plans to release the Game of the Year Edition in Europe,[100] the Korean language version of the Game of the Year Edition is available in South Korea.[101] 2ff7e9595c
Comments