Monthly Archives: January 2015
LEGO Movie Directors React to Oscar Snub
Nominations for the 87th Academy Awards were announced today, and there was one omission from the Animated Feature Film category that people can't seem to believe: The LEGO Movie.
The Chris Pratt-starring comedy was a big financial success, grossing almost $469 million worldwide, and becoming the highest-grossing film of 2014 in the UK. It was also a big hit with both audiences and critics (IGN gave the film an "amazing" 9.0/10). So while it was a bit surprising to see the film without a nomination, LEGO co-directors Phil Lord and Chris Miller had some pretty awesome Twitter reactions to the news...
3D Printing Helps Man Save Wife’s Eyesight
A California man used a 3D printer to help doctors identify the nature of his wife's brain tumor, and helped lead the doctors to an unconventional and successful surgery.
Make Magazine reports that when Michael Balzer, a 3D printing aficionado, learned of his wife's diagnosis, he was determined to be as proactive as possible. Using his skills with 3D printing, Balzer created a computer model of his wife's skull and the tumor using her initial MRI scans.
Later on, after another trip the doctor and further MRI scans, it was found that her tumor was actually growing -- a disheartening diagnosis. Balzer, however, continued creating his models, and after cross-examining the new MRI scans with the old, he found that the doctor had made a mistake while measuring. The tumor was not actually growing.
Get 4 Classic MacVenture Titles Later This Month
Zojoi, the developer behind the re-imagined point-and-click adventure Shadowgate, has set its sights on bringing back the entire MacVenture series, in all its System 6 Macintosh goodness.
Dave Marsh, Founder of Zojoi said that while they were working on their new projects, "we did a face palm. Why not make these memorable classics" available now, and "take a look into other platforms as well?"
Shadowgate, Deja Vu, Deja Vu II: Lost in Las Vegas, and Uninvited, which all feature similar mechanics and puzzle solving, will be making their re-entry into the collective gaming conscience late this month.
The games will include not only the original Macintosh 128k black-and-white graphics, but the 4-bit color versions for the Apple IIGS will be playable, as well.
Daily Deals: $370 PS4 With a Free Game, Save $80 on a 32GB iPad Air, 50% Off Mario Galaxy 2
App Store Update: January 15
Every day hundreds of new apps make their debut on the App Store, and hundreds more are updated or reduced in price. We have sifted through the noise and highlighted those select few that might be worth your attention.
Note: The prices and deals compiled below are accurate at the time we published this story, but all are subject to change.
Bowling Center – ($2.99)
App Store bowling with a twist: If you've got Airplay Mirroring set up on an Apple TV, you can use motion control to play, just like good old Wii Sports Bowling.
Suicide Squad Loses Tom Hardy
Tom Hardy has dropped out of Suicide Squad, the DC/Warner Bros. comic-book adaptation from director David Ayer. The helmer is now looking to his End of Watch star Jake Gyllenhaal to replace Hardy.
According to The Wrap, Hardy’s departure is the result of schedule issues on his film The Revenant. That picture is going over schedule, meaning the actor had to bail on playing Rick Flag, the leader of the Suicide Squad. Will Smith, Margot Robbie, Jared Leto, Jai Courtney and Cara Delevingne remain part of the cast.
Suicide Squad is scheduled for a mid-April shoot in Toronto and an August 5, 2016, release.
Ace Combat: Assault Horizon Legacy+ Coming to 3DS
Bandai Namco is bringing Ace Combat Assault Horizon Legacy+ to Nintendo 3DS systems on February 13th. It will cost $40 USD.
Ace Combat Assault Horizon Legacy+ comes with added support for the New Nintendo 3DS and XL variant's ZL/ZR buttons and C-stick, as well as improved 3D.
Special aircraft skins are also unlockable by tapping select amiibo figures against the New 3DS.
The game is an updated re-release of a previous Ace Combat installment.
IGN's review of the original Ace Combat Assault Horizon Legacy, which came out in 2011, called it "truly impressive."
A Reunion for Edge of Tomorrow’s Cruise & Liman
The Edge of Tomorrow team of star Tom Cruise and helmer Doug Liman are reuniting for a 1980s-set crime biopic, titled Mena.
According to Deadline, Mena comes from Universal Pictures and screenwriter Gary Spinelli -- whose only previous credit is an action movie called Stash House, which starred Dolph Lundgren (everyone's favourite chemical engineer-turned-Master of the Universe). Doug Davison (The Departed), Brian Grazer (Rush), Kim Roth (Inside Man), and The Woman in Black's Brian Oliver and Tyler Thompson are producing.
PC is Most Popular Platform for Devs, But New Consoles Are Catching Up
A recent survey by the Game Developers Conference shows that the Xbox One and PlayStation 4 are gaining ground on the PC.
26% of surveyed developers said they're working on a PS4 game, and 22% said they're working on an Xbox One game. Those numbers are well up from last year's 14% and 12%, respectively, and it makes sense as more and more current-gen consoles make their way into consumers' hands.
For example, the PS4 has sold over 18.5 million units.
PC still rests at the top, with 56% of devs saying they're working on PC games, though that number grew only 3% from last year.
Sniper Elite 3 Ultimate Edition Announced
Sniper Elite 3 Ultimate Edition is coming to PlayStation 4, PlayStation 3, Xbox One, and Xbox 360 on March 10, developer Rebellion announced today.
The tactical shooter's Ultimate Edition comes bundled with all of the game's DLC, including all three parts of the Save Churchill campaign. Six multiplayer maps -- Fracture, Night Watch, Outpost Canyon, Plantation, Lost Valley, and Airstrip -- and six weapon packs will also be included.
Sniper Elite 3 places players in North Africa, in the middle of a fight against Nazi Germany’s elite Afrika Korps and infamous SS Special Forces. In IGN's review of Sniper Elite 3, we said its "open level designs and objectives pack in more than enough variety and stealthy tension to counterbalance its thin story and shaky enemy intelligence."