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With all its talk of PSP integration and a sprawling console-based virtual world, one can’t help but feel some sort of amazement at the coming of PlayStation Home. For our readers out there who are living in Japan right now, you might be wondering, “When are we going to get Home?” Well, we can finally give you an answer to that question, and that answer is, “Spring 2008.”

While making our daily rounds on the Japanese websites, we managed to find a little tidbit that all but assures us of a Spring release. It seems that, at the Tokyo Content Market 2007 symposium, a senior producer for Sony managed to say that Japan would also see the PlayStation Home come Spring 2008.

Seeing as PlayStation Home is also set for release in other territories in Spring 2008, could we expect to see a simultaneous worldwide release? The possibility certainly exists, complete with the potential bells and whistles of a PlayStation Home launch party. In any case, we’ll certainly keep you updated on the latest happenings in PlayStation land. Keep checking QJ for more updates as they happen.

What a milestone that is! 5000 members!

On a personal note, I’d just like to thank you all for registering and making this possible.

The special 5000th member was… roe-ur-boat! roe-ur-boat, as a prize, you can have a custom title of your choice and you’re in the announcement on the homepage

Thanks for reading

-p0Wer

The update is rumored to add new features to the PS3’s functions including a music and picture playlist as well as XMB customization. Here’s a rundown of firmware 2.0’s supposed tweaks:

* Turn your PS3 on and off with PSP Remote play
* A new PlayStation Network category
* A TV Category for those who install PlayTV into their HDD (SCEE only).
* Playlist for Music & Photo
* Content group for Video & Game
* XMB customization (Custom theme & background color setting)
* Information Board
* Trend Micro Web Security Security for PS3 internet browser

Once again, we remind the readers that this is still a rumor. It will be noted that the next scheduled PS3 firmware update is for version 1.94, which will add DualShock 3 support for the system. At the moment, North America’s PlayStation site has yet to post 1.94 as a downloadable. Keep alert in case we find any related updates.

Independent game accessory designer Benjamin J. Heckendorn (a.k.a. Benheck in the gamers’ circle), designed a controller exclusively for one-handed use. The PlayStation 3 console prototype controller has all the features a standard controller has and is configured for either handiness.

The controller is named “Access Controller”, and is the second prototype designed by Benheck. A cool feature is that you’re able to switch around the buttons to wherever you want on the controler suiting your own prefrence.

Benheck says there is also an Xbox 360 version in the making.

Here are some images of the Access Controller in action, as well as views of it from different angles:

Although it seems pretty fun, I think I’ll stick to my 2 handed SIXAXIS controler

StrmnNrmn posted an update today over at his personal website regarding the promised R13 version of Daedalus. For those not in the know, this program is an emulator that allows PlayStation Portable owners play N64 games on their Sony handheld.

According to the coder, he will be releasing R13 after he has added the final finishing touches to the savestate support. These include checking if the savestate you’re loading is for a different rom than the one currently loaded as well as linking some metadata to the savestate so they can be shown in the UI.

“In summary R13 is really close and I’ve not forgotten about it. Just a few more things to sort out and it’ll be ready for release,” StrmnNrmn added. Currently, here are the already functioning features of Daedalus R13’s savestate option straight from the coder himself:

The current implementation provides 10 slots which are shared across all roms.
You can save to any slot at any time from an option on the Pause menu, or choose to reload a previous savestate.
In this way it works just like QuickSave/QuickLoad found in various PC games.
I’m tempted to add a special slot for this to the top level of the Pause menu.
I used zlib to compress the savestates, so an 8MiB savestate compresses down to 1MiB (or even smaller if you’re running games which don’t use the Expansion Pak).

A detailed patch for the v1.2 Warhawk patch has been posted on the PlayStation blog. According to Dylan Jobe (game director), this patch fixes primary glitches/bugs and the team have added new features to what the Warhawk community have requested.

Here’s the list:

• 5 New layouts.
• Clan game server option.
• Buddy slot reservations.
• Integrated Warhawk Store.
• Updated CTF capture/return behavior.
• Internal stat padder protection.
• Booster Pack status display at join game list.
• DualShock3 integration.
• Separate SIXAXIS motion control on/off per mode (ground, hover, flight).
• Detailed Player Score display at end of game fixed.
• Added new server type filters (player, ranked, dedicated, clan, Official Warhawk, etc).
• Added new server full/open filter.
• Fall damage exploit fixed.
• Dismount into walls exploit fixed.
• Invisible Tank, Turret & Warhawk exploit fixed.
• Auto-kick of idle players.
• Add to Favorites button added to end game screen.
• Increased VOIP volume when not using the headset.

Exciting huh?!

Unfortunatly, the patch won’t be out until mid December time. Well, at least that gives them time to test and add new features!

I bet you’re all wondering what those new layouts are! They’re not exactly ‘new’, you’ll notice that. Basically they’re smaller versions of the current layouts.

Here’s what Dylan Jobe said about them:

We have found that while a lot of players like playing the really large games, there was a pretty big segment that was playing smaller games. With that trend, we wanted to rig some new layouts that are more geared for smaller games; 4 to 8 players. The new layouts are:

• Eucadia: High City
• Island Outpost: Standoff
• The Badlands: South City
• Destroyed Capitol: Garden Showdown
• Archipelago: Close Corridors

And withthat said, here are a few sneak peaks of the 5 levels:

Dylan also mentioned something about a “Booster pack” bought over the new Warhawk store coming up… I wonder what this could be?

“And of course I can’t end this post without mentioning the Booster Pack. So there, I said it…”Booster Pack” “

I’m looking forward to it.

Game-Warp.com

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Namco Bandai announced the revival of its classic sports game Family Ski on Nintendo Wii today. This particular title is part of the Family Sports franchise that became particularly successful in Japan. Furthermore, the company has also expressed its desire to follow this up with horse racing Family Jockey and Family Baseball.

At first thought, Family Ski seems like a good partner with Wii Fit’s Balance Board but Namco Bandai stated that it will not be utilizing the peripheral for this game. Instead, players will have to use the good ol’ Wiimote-Nunchuk combination. Accordingly, the two controllers will emulate the functions of real ski poles.

It was also reported that Family Ski will sport three different difficulty settings Easy, Normal, and Hard. Aside from that, the title can support up to four players in one go with courses varying from snow park to forest. The game will be directed by Masaya Kobayashi and produced by Youzou Sakagami.

Family Ski is expected to be released in Japan this Winter. There is still no word, however, if the game will be released internationally and if it will have online components.

The director of Assassin’s Creed mentioned a few days ago their team is having problems with both consoles, PS3 and Xbox 360.

He was quoted saying:

Right now we have a big challenge on the 360 to make it fit on a DVD, to put five languages, to put all the data on eight gigs. On the Blu-ray side we’re really good, but then the memory is quite different. How we handle memory is really different between the two machines and we’re struggling right now on the PS3.

This time, Desilets (the director) revealed that his “boss” (perhaps it’s Ubisoft Montreal Producer Jade Raymond?) called him the day after he made his comments and they “exchanged a few words”. When asked again about the problems with the Xbox 360 and PS3, the creative director shared, “There’s no problem anymore. It’s gone. I learned my lesson”.

I hope it’s the truth. I can’t wait to get my hands on a copy Assassin’s Creed!

The title is expected to hit video game shelves on November 13.

Microsoft Japan ahve announced in a press release saying that the Xbox 360 will be receiving a  price cut come November 1.

While the console is experiencing success in Europe and North America, it is no secret that it’s having a hard time keeping pace with Sony’s PlayStation 3 and Nintendo’s Wii in the Land of the Rising Sun.

Accordingly, Microsoft Japan will be slashing off a total of 4,995 Yen (US$ 43.86) to the Xbox 360 itself bringing the price down to just 34,800 Yen or roughly US$ 305.57. Likewise, the Core System will also be getting a 2,000 Yen (US$ 17.56) price cut. Consumers can purchase the Core System package on November 1 for just 27,800 Yen (US$ 244).