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Warcraft 3 patched to 1.22a

18 Comments by Ross Miller Jul 3rd 2008 4:00AM
Filed under: Mac, PC, Online, Strategy, Competitive Gaming

Earlier this week, Blizzard released a patch for Warcraft 3, known to some of you as "the game before World of Warcraft" and the rest as "the client for playing Defense of the Ancients." Patch 1.22a provides balance changes for the units, fixes some technical issues and includes four new maps. You can update the game by either logging onto Battle.net or by downloading the patches manually (available from BigDownload).

PC (1.22a requires patch 1.21b for installation)
Mac (1.21b not required)
Last month, Blizzard also patched Diablo 2. We've placed full patch notes after the break.

[Via BigDownload]

Continue reading Warcraft 3 patched to 1.22a

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Today in Joystiq: July 2, 2008

22 Comments by Ross Miller Jul 2nd 2008 11:59PM
Filed under: Sony PlayStation 3

What a day for PS3 Firmware. (Image via Engadget). Dare we call it the "killer app?" Check out the highlights for today:

The Rise and Fall of PS3 Firmware 2.40 and (the Spiders from Super Stardust HD)
PS3 Firmware 2.40 is now live
PS3 firmware 2.40 spruces up PSN Store
PlayStation 3 2.40 firmware update not available (pulled?)
Sony responds to adverse firmware 2.40 effects

Joystiquery
An exhaustive look at Game & Watch
Joystiq eyes (only) on: James Bond in Quantum of Solace: The Game
Joystiq hands-on: American McGee's Grimm
Metareview - Guitar Hero: Aerosmith
Poll: Does Guitar Hero Aerosmith support Rock Band guitars?
PS3 Fanboy's guide to Super Stardust HD Trophies
Wii Fanboy Weekly: June 26 - July 2

News
Heavy is next in line for Team Fortress 2 update
Square Enix countdown site opens, most likely Chrono Trigger DS
GamePro August issue sheds Resistance 2 details
Nyko Media Hub adds USB, card readers back to 40GB PS3s
Chrono Trigger DS confirmed for North America this holiday
New Games This Month: July 2008
Uncharted and 'every game' getting PS3 Trophies
Battlefield: Bad Company dev lists 'issues' to be fixed
'Several' Halo Wars demo stations at E3
American McGee's Grimm: All episodes free for first 24 hours
See Bond run in Quantum of Solace: The Game screenshots
DC Universe Online images revealed on MySpace
Yakuza 3 confirmed, coming exclusively to PS3
Oh craps! This is Vegas delayed until 2009
Ninja Gaiden 2 'horse armor' now on sale
GameStop officially acquires NZ's Gamesman
Insomniac not 'currently' adding trophies to Ratchet or Resistance
Diablo 3 producer talks art, says 'color is your friend'
Elebits 2 charging DS for Fall release
Activision execs receive millions in bonuses
Hypnotic new PixelJunk Eden multiplayer footage
PlayStation.com hacked, security firm reports
Dead Space box art a hands-off affair

Rumors & Speculation
Rumor: Next Tony Hawk to have peripheral, not developed by Neversoft

An exhaustive look at Game & Watch

12 Comments by Ross Miller Jul 2nd 2008 5:15PM
Filed under: Culture, Nintendo DS, Galleries

It's time to take a look back at Nintendo's first foray into handheld gaming, nine years before Game Boy (and three years before Famicon/NES). Researchers at DS Fanboy have compiled an exhaustive rertrospective on the Game & Watch, in addition to interviewing two dedicated collectors. As is commonly written, know your roots.

Gallery: Game & Watch: A Retrospective

OriginsGetting the Ball rollingA Silver streakGame & FlyersGoing Gold

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Rumor: Next Tony Hawk to have peripheral, not developed by Neversoft

20 Comments by Ross Miller Jul 2nd 2008 3:30PM
Filed under: Sports, Peripherals

The latest rumor to come from the pages of EGM lends further credence to one of last month's marketing leaks that Activision has gotten a little gung-ho with their plastic controllers. According to EGM's "skater spy," the next Tony Hawk game will feature a "new fancy plastic peripheral" (we're thinking something like the Wii Balance Board); for reference, the marketing leak called it "a new motion sensing board controller." Additionally, the game will supposedly not be developed by Neversoft, who at the moment have their hands full with Guitar Hero World Tour's peripherals.

We have a hard time imagining Neversoft, who created the Tony Hawk series and has worked on all previous iterations, not having a part in the next version. We've sent our network of spies into action and will let you know what we come up with.

[Via NWF]

Heavy is next in line for Team Fortress 2 update

47 Comments by Ross Miller Jul 2nd 2008 1:00AM
Filed under: PC, First Person Shooters, Online

First the Medic, then Pyro, and now Mr. Heavy. Valve has announced that the Heavy class is next in line for Team Fortress 2 class updates (i.e. new weapons and achievements). Additionally, Valve said it will "open up the process a little" in talking about how the update is designed. The goal of the update is to "make the Heavy more viable when he has no Medic to pair with" but in a manner that does not significantly change the Heavy's role in the game. We're interested to see how those ideas and constrants translate to new firepower.

[Thanks, Andrew R!]

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PS3 Firmware 2.40 is now live

110 Comments by Ross Miller Jul 2nd 2008 12:03AM
Filed under: Sony PlayStation 3

The much-ballyhooed PlayStation 3 firmware 2.40 update -- with in-game XMB and Trophies -- is now available. What are you waiting for? Download it now, and be sure to check out our coverage of the firmware so far.

Gallery: PS3 Firmware 2.40



Check out more information about Firmware 2.40's features, including the Trophy system and video of the in-game XMB in action.

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Today in Joystiq: July 1, 2008

4 Comments by Ross Miller Jul 1st 2008 11:59PM
Filed under: Culture

You know what's cooler than a Team Fortress 2 Spy Munny? All 9 TF2 classes lined up together in Munny form. Make it happen, Internet. (Thanks, John) Check out the highlights for today:

Joystiquery
The best of WoW Insider: June 24-July 1, 2008
Big Versus tweaks format while Alone in the Dark
Joystiq hands-on: Spore (the whole thing)
A lustful look at Limited Edition DS models
Massively Week in Review: June 24-July 1, 2008
Readers pick best webcomic: The Inevitable Conclusion

News
Having Bad Company connection issues on 360? Try resetting
GoldenEye 007's KLOBB returns in Too Human
The Best of The Who Rock Band set list revealed
Ding! Majesco serves up more Cooking Mama for Wii
Steam hacker caught in 'high tech' raid
Behold: New Too Human previews hit
Atlus, NIS America partner over Disgaea 3, Rhapsody remake
MGS Europe: Simultaneous 360/PC releases like shooting ourselves in the foot
Guitar Hero III getting free 'Top Gun Anthem' DLC
IGN to Silicon Knights: Here's how to fix Too Human
New Resistance 2 footage hits YouTube
Castlevania Judgment to feature Wii-DS connectivity
Burnout Paradise to receive retroactive PlayStation Trophies
Activision CEO sticks to console price drop message
Crysis Warhead preps for battle with debut trailer, screenshots
Fallout 3 producer finds Diablo 3 design 'conservative'
BioWare eyeing iPhone development
Cast your vote for Spider-Man box ... in the trash
Revisit Diablo 2, demo available at Big Download

Rumors & Speculation
Sony denies PS2 downloads on PSN, image 'mocked up'
Third-party 360s 'unlikely,' analyst says
Rumor: Geometry Wars Retro Evolved 2 Achievements leaked
Rumor: Rock Band 2 partial setlist revealed on G4

Culture & Community
Pulitzer Prize winning author says GTA IV ain't art
No pants: one in five Canadian men have gamed in the nude
Wishful tinkering: Redesigning the 360 Dashboard
Ohio library now loaning video games

Rumor: Rock Band 2 partial setlist revealed on G4

59 Comments by Ross Miller Jul 1st 2008 10:05PM
Filed under: Sony PlayStation 3, Microsoft Xbox 360, Rhythm

A segment on G4's X-Play might have revealed some of the tracks of the upcoming Rock Band 2. The above screen capture (via Score Hero) shows 11 tracks. Two are DLC from the first Rock Band (note the different icon). The other 9:
  • "Panic Attack" - Dream Theater (or Finger Eleven)
  • "Chop Suey" - System of a Down
  • "Give It Away" - Red Hot Chili Peppers
  • "Everlong" - Foo Fighters
  • "Kids in America" - Kim Wilde
  • "Ace of Spades" - Motorhead
  • "Hello There" - Cheap Trick
  • "Any Way You Want It" - Journey
  • "Pinball Wizard" - The Who
The screen shot is unconfirmed, although if true we are very happy to see the Music Store interface integrated into the navigation menu. It's interesting to note that "Everlong" has also been confirmed for Guitar Hero World Tour. Also, "Pinball Wizard" is coming to Rock Band 1 as DLC, is this indicative of song overlap? Update: Our imagination must have been running wild, as Pinball Wizard is not part of the Best of The Who DLC.

[Via X3F]

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Big Versus tweaks format while Alone in the Dark

7 Comments by Ross Miller Jul 1st 2008 9:57PM
Filed under: PC, Microsoft Xbox 360, Action, Adventure

Our friends at Big Download took both the PC and Xbox 360 versions of Alone in the Dark for a spin in an updated version of Big Versus. In their words, "Shying away from our original concept of which is better than the other, Big Versus has transformed to a comparison piece regarding our overall experiences." So which version left them with a more positive half-smile? Check it out here.

Gallery: Alone in the Dark (2008)


Gallery: A Dark Past: An Alone in the Dark Retrospective

A Dark Past: An Alone in the Dark RetrospectiveAlone in the Dark (PC, Mac, 3DO)Alone in the Dark 2 (PC, Mac, PSone, Sega Saturn, 3DO)Alone in the Dark 3 (PC, Mac)Alone in the Dark: The New Nightmare (PC, PS1, PS2, Dreamcast, Game Boy Color)

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Revisit Diablo 2, demo available at Big Download

47 Comments by Ross Miller Jul 1st 2008 8:55PM
Filed under: Mac, PC, RPGs

While we don't know when we'll get our hands on Diablo 3 (our guess is sometime between Starcraft 2 and a Lost Vikings MMO), now is as good of a time as any to look back on the previous Diablo game. While you could download the full version at the Blizzard Store for $20 (and the Lord of Destruction expansion pack for $20 more), the try-before-you-buy enthusiasts at Big Download have tracked down the demo version for you to try out. We know there are a few Joystiq readers who never experienced Diablo 2. Folks, feel ashamed no longer, download here.

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Readers pick best webcomic: The Inevitable Conclusion

13 Comments by Ross Miller Jul 1st 2008 8:25PM
Filed under: Culture, Online, Polls

For the Rush reference and a Seussical interpretation of Guitar Hero V's drum set, we handily hand Hijinks Ensue this week's webcomic wrapup award.

Second and third place go to Penny Arcade and 2P Start, respectively. Thanks to everyone who voted, and be sure to let us know of any game-related webcomics you stumble upon this week!

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The Best of The Who Rock Band set list revealed

25 Comments by Ross Miller Jul 1st 2008 3:30AM
Filed under: Sony PlayStation 3, Microsoft Xbox 360, Rhythm

We didn't have to wait long to find out what tracks would be replacing Who's Next album DLC in Rock Band. The Who Official Band Website has published a press release revealing the 12 song "Best of" collection, featuring 3 songs from Who's Next (Baba O'Riley, Going Mobile and Behind Blue Eyes). All the tracks are presented in their master recordings.

The Best of The Who Rock Band Edition (1600 MS points / $20) -- All songs are also sold individually (160 MS Points / $2)
  • "Amazing Journey"
  • "Baba O'Riley"
  • "Behind Blue Eyes"
  • "Eminence Front"
  • "Going Mobile"
  • "Leaving Here"
  • "My Generation" (LIVE)
  • "Real Good Looking Boy"
  • "Sea & Sand"
  • "Summertime Blues" (LIVE)
  • "Who Are You"
  • "Young Man Blues" (LIVE)
Videos of the songs can be found after the break. The Best of The Who is expected the week of July 15.

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A lustful look at Limited Edition DS models

8 Comments by Ross Miller Jul 1st 2008 3:00AM
Filed under: Culture, Nintendo DS, Galleries

Sure, it's sad to see all those beautiful, Special Edition DS models in Japan never reach US or European soil. Fortunately for those with a bottomless wallet, the DS is region-free. If you're the kind to covet DS units like Pokemon, here's a collection of some of the best colors and designs from around the world.

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Today in Joystiq: June 30, 2008

5 Comments by Ross Miller Jul 1st 2008 12:01AM

Never underestimate the staying power of Portal's Weighted Companion Cube. See how the earrings (yes, they're earrings) were made here. (Thanks, Philip) Check out the highlights for today:

Blizzard Worldwide Invitational 2008
Highlights from Blizzard's Worldwide Invitational 2008
WWI08: Diablo 3 design fundamentals
WWI08: New WoW arenas, nonlinear dungeons and goodie bags
WWI08: Lore and art in Diablo 3

Joystiquery
The Joystiq Free Game Club: Music Catch
The Political Game: NY video game bill barks, doesn't bite
WoW Insider goes hands-on with the Death Knight

News
Sony officially reveals PS3 firmware 2.40 features, coming July 2
Surprise! Rock Band 2 announced
PS3 firmware 2.40: The good, the bad, and the belated
PS3's trophy system explained
Europe gets DualShock 3 July 2, UK on July 4
AP: The Who coming July 15 to Rock Band
Xbox 360 price cut shows up in Radio Shack ad
New games this week: Guitar Hero Aerosmith edition
Rock Band 2 rocking on 360 in Sept. - PS3, PS2, Wii 'later in the year'
Sony lists first Trophy-supported PS3 games
Wii with DVD playback for Japan delayed
Minnesota pays ESA $65k in legal fees
ngmoco: EA vet Neil Young's new iPhone publisher
Age of Conan reaches 700,000 players
Do the Magnetica Twist on WiiWare
Treyarch producer: Gearbox making 'a crappy war game'
Sims 2 Store live today, microtransactions abound
SNK beats down Virtual Console with Fatal Fury 2
BBFC defends against recent publisher claims
DNF dev calls E3 'irrelevant,' kettle black
First video of C.O.R.E. is a B.O.R.E.
Dream on! Guitar Hero: Aerosmith won't accept Rock Band guitars

Rumors & Speculation
DFC predicts $57 billion gaming market in 2009, Wii to drive
Rumor: Mega Man 9 coming to XBLA, PSN too
Rumor: PS2 game downloads coming to PS store
Report: 'major retailer' confirms Xbox 360 price cut
Rumorang: 60GB Xbox 360 model is in, 20GB is out
Gamestop says SOCOM: Confrontation delayed to Oct 14

Culture & Community
EA attending E for All again, ticket prices revealed
Where to play Street Fighter IV next month

WoW Insider goes hands-on with the Death Knight

0 Comments by Ross Miller Jun 30th 2008 8:30PM
Filed under: Mac, PC, Online, RPGs, MMO

The MMO-obsessed at WoW Insider managed to get some hands-on time with Wrath of the Lich King's Death Knight class while at this weekend's Blizzard Worldwide Invitational. Take a look for impressions and information on the gameplay, skills and talents of this soon-to-be overused class.
Don't forget to check out all of Worldwide Invitational coverage, from World of Warcraft to Starcraft 2 and Diablo 3.

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