Tag: Wii
The Most Social Music Game Yet: “Def Jam Rapstar”
by Ranju Chaudhary on Jun.28, 2010, under Latest Web Technologies, Trends
The new game Def Jam Rapstar from Konami and 4mm Games isn’t just a hip hop karaoke game or a challenging performance simulator like Rock Band 3. It’s a social media platform for building connections, promoting yourself, speaking your mind and maybe (just maybe) becoming an actual rap star.
We were given a behind-close-doors tour of the game by representatives from Konami, 4mm Games and Def Jam Enterprises, and we learned most of the details about the core music game play and the social media “metagame” that’s attached.
The Music Game
The game itself is similar to other karaoke games; you pick up a microphone and rap along with the track you’ve selected, and the game grades you on lyrical accuracy, timing and other musical factors.
Songs are presented with their music videos, profanity-free, though you’re free to use the harsh language from the original recordings if you want — it won’t affect your score.
You can even play in Duet mode, bringing your friends in to perform different parts in a song with multiple performers. Konami will offer new songs for download weekly, starting on day one.
There are several other modes, but the most unique and exciting is the Freestyle mode. We’ll talk about that alongside the game’s social media features.
The Ambitious Social Features
The social features of the game are tied primarily to the Freestyle mode, which you can use to rap on top of original beats and samples provided by Konami. As you lay down your audio track, the game uses your game console’s camera (the PlayStation Eye, the Xbox Live Vision Camera, and probably Microsoft Kinect) to record your performance on video.
You can edit the video afterwards, throwing in special effects and graphics, then post it to Def Jam Rapstar’s online community.
Links to videos and other updates are sharable on Twitter
, Facebook
and MySpace, but it’s not just about socializing. A whole game is built around a system of rap “battles” between users who upload video challenges to one another. Winners of battles (and MCs who accomplish other objectives) gain badges similar to the Xbox 360’s achievements.
All the profiles, news feeds and videos from Rapstar’s community are viewable by anyone on the web whether they have a game console or a copy of the game or not.
You can join crews, find followers and fans, or even strike up rivalries — either by challenging someone to battles frequently, or by getting kicked out of your crew. That last one will make you a rival to everyone in the old crew.
There are even roles for people who don’t rap. Promoters have their own metagame; they gain badges for using social media to spread the word about their favorite artists.
Becoming a Real Rap Star
Konami, 4mm and Def Jam Enterprises see the game as a breeding ground for new talent, and they’ve designed the Freestyle mode and the online tools with artists’ self-promotion and expression in mind.
They’ll cherry pick the finest talent — rappers who stir up vast armies of fans with superior lyricism, timing and pitch — and put them in professional production studios to create featured content for the network.
That would seem to fit with the hip hop ethos of coming from nowhere to conquer the whole world.
The game will launch on the Wii, PS3 and Xbox 360 with at least 40 songs and videos from artists like Dr. Dre, 2 Pac, 50 Cent, Ice Cube and more this October 5 in North America and November 2 in Europe.
E3: Live at the Nintendo Press Event
by Ranju Chaudhary on Jun.16, 2010, under Latest Web Technologies, What's Happening?
We’re here at Nintendo’s E3 press event, where the video game giant will have to answer to Microsoft and Sony’s encroachment upon their motion control innovation with the Wii. Will we see new Wii hardware? Perhaps a brand new Zelda adventure? It’s anyone’s guess, so stay tuned to Mashable for our live coverage.
Note: All times below are in Pacific Standard Time.
8:53 a.m.: The Nokia Theater is filling up and we’re being entertained by Nintendo trivia on the big stage screens.
9:01 a.m.: The countdown begins! And now Nintendo of America President and COO Reggie Fils-Aime takes the stage.
9:02 a.m.: He’s talking about the progression of technology in gaming: HD, 3D, button control, and no control at all (an obvious nod to Kinect). The best comes when technology and game design are perfectly matched.
9:03 a.m.: Showing a trailer for the new Zelda! Zelda: Skyward Sword, exclusive for Wii. Shigeru Miyamoto on video is talking about the new game: Wii Motion Plus will power the swordplay of the new title. You’ll use the nunchuk to raise your shield, and the Wii Remote is your sword.
9:07 a.m.: Demoing the new game. Shigeru Miyamoto comes out in the flesh to show it off. The idea is more natural control of your sword and shield, as if you were holding real objects. Link follows your actions in real-time.
9:09 a.m.: Hold your sword high to charge it up and unleash powerful attacks. Use a shield bash to send projectiles flying back towards your enemies. You can affect the environment: use your sword to cut the grass or cut down trees.
9:12 a.m.: Your items are in your pocket: hold down the B button to grab anything from your inventory via a radial menu. The slingshot: just aim it with your arm. Use bombs: raise Wii remote to throw it or drop your hand and roll the bomb. “If you’re good, you can put some spin on it.”
9:15 a.m.: Running into a little trouble with wireless interference in the demo, they make jokes about everyone in the audience using too much WiFi — funny reference to Apple’s keynote last week at WWDC.
9:17 a.m.: Using a whip, Shiggy can’t defeat the enemy, so he quickly switches to the sword: “Wii Motion Plus lets you switch objects much more quickly.” There’s more wireless interference now but they’re assuring everyone that gameplay is smooth and encouraging us to try it out on the show floor later.
9:19 a.m.: Development will continue through this year; Zelda: Skyward Sword will be available in 2011.
9:21 a.m.: Reggie back on stage. He’s talking about making games that appeal to a wide range of people. Next, we’ll look at sports, starting with NBA Jam. They’re showing a new exclusive version on the show floor here.
9:22 a.m. Showing a trailer for new sports game starring “Mario
the sportsman.” It’s Mario Sports Mix, and it will be coming out in 2011.
9:25 a.m.: Reggie is talking about the “mistaken” impression that enthusiasm for the Wii is waning. He says 177 million Miis have been created, and a new titles Wii House Party will invite them all to play. 13 party games, 17 mini-games, and “all the Miis you can invite”. Reggie says this title will “drive social interaction.”
9:28 a.m.: Introduces Just Dance 2, sequel to the earlier full-body rhythm and dance title.
9:29 a.m.: Showing off a trailer for the new Golden Sun: Dark Dawn adventure title, arriving this holiday season.
9:31 a.m.: New Golden Eye 007 title: split-screen and online multiplayer. 8 classic Bond characters, 16 games modes including paintball, melee only and more. Stars Daniel Craig as James Bond. Exclusive to Wii, arrives in store this holiday.
9:34 a.m.: Disney: Epic Mickey also exclusive to Wii. Junction Point GM Warren Spector comes out on stage to give the details. “Welcome to Wasteland — it’s a world both familiar and strange.” It’s a darker version of the Magic Kingdom we know and love.
9:35 a.m.: Showing off the Venture Land quest zone. There are some recognizable locations: Swiss Family Robinson Tree House, for example. Core game mechanic: draw and erase, plus paint and paint thinner. Players can erase the environments or restore them — players can dynamically change the game world to save it. “Play style matters: how you change your world changes how other characters treat you, and how their story ends.”
9:38 a.m.: At the end of the day, we want each player to feel like she’s created a unique experience. Action Zones are a second location type, Travel Zone is a third. Finishing up demo and encouraging everyone to try it out on the show floor.
9:41 a.m.: Reggie is back up, talking about the first new Kirby title on a console in 7 years: Kirby’s Epic Yarn. Showing a trailer of a bright 2D platformer with a new art style Kirby made of pink string who can change his shape. It’ll be out this fall, exclusive to the Wii.
9:45 a.m.: Next up, he’s talking about adding a multiplayer experience to Dragonquest: Sentinels of the Starry Skies for the Nintendo DS. Coming to the U.S. July 11.
9:47 a.m.: Trailer for a new Metroid!
9:48 a.m.: Metroid: Other M arrives in stores for Wii August 31.
9:50 a.m.: A new Donkey title, Donkey Kong Country Returns, also available this holiday season.
9:52 a.m.: 3D play on Nintendo 3DS is on the way. But glasses are expensive — we think there’s a better way. With amply content available the first day on the market and no glasses.
9:54 a.m.: Nintendo President Satoru Iwata is out on stage, holding up the Nintendo 3DS. “I can’t wait for you to try this.” 2 screens, upper is 3.5″ widescreen display. There’s a 3D depth slider you can use to adjust the depth of field. Touchscreen only on the bottom, because touchscreen doesn’t go well with 3D, he says.
9:58 a.m.: Hardware control mechanisms: slide pad, motion sensor, gyro-sensor. There are 2 camera lenses on the outside — you can take photos and view them in 3D! It can also play 3D Hollywood movies. Disney, DreamWorks and Warner Brothers will be offering 3D content for the Nintendo 3DS.
10:01 a.m.: Showing trailer for Kid Icarus: Uprising, made specifically for the Nintendo 3DS. No release date, just “coming soon.”
10:04 a.m.: Iwata is talking about the impact of 3D: with height, depth and width you have better options for navigation. Now talking about how 3DS works differently with Wi-Fi for inter-console communications. Owners can communicate valuable information without having to do anything. New stages, quests, ghost data, and new rankings will be downloaded for you passively, whenever you get near a Wi-Fi hotspot — no monthly fee required.
10:07 a.m.: He says Miyamoto is working on a new version of Nintendogs for 3D. He’s also talking up all the third-party developers with intention to make games for the Nintendo 3DS: Level 5, THQ, Activision, EA, Capcom, WB Games, Ubisoft, Namco Bandai, Konami and more. Lots of popular franchises coming to the Nintendo 3DS.
10:10 a.m.: Showing trailer of testimonies from high-level execs at third-party developers about why they’re excited to develop for the 3DS.
10:15 a.m.: Wrapping up here — they’ve brought out a host of ladies bearing Nintendo 3DS’s and are going to give everyone hands-on time after the keynote ends. We’re off to get our mitts on the handheld and will be back with our impressions later today — stay tuned!
