Hacking the PSP Blog

Off Topic: ESRB rates unannounced retro games

Last September, a slate of previously unannounced Wii Virtual Console titles from Sega were spotted with fresh new ratings on the Entertainment Software Rating Board's Web site. Two months later, another round of apparent Virtual Console games received new ratings, these ones pulled primarily from the Nintendo Entertainment System's collection of classics.

So far, only about half of those games have found their way to release, but the ESRB site continues to hint at future releases in the form of ratings for unannounced games. The ESRB has recently rated Wii editions of older games Galaga, Mighty Bomb Jack, and Romance of the Three Kingdoms IV: Wall of Fire, none of which have been confirmed for a US release yet. As yet unreleased TurboGrafx-16 Virtual Console offerings New Adventure Island and Chew Man-Fu are also in the ESRB database, and Hudson has confirmed both games are scheduled for a US release this month.

In addition, the site has a listing for Super Ghouls 'n Ghosts on the Wii, Xbox 360, and PlayStation 3, introducing the possibility that Capcom's Super Nintendo side-scroller could be the first downloadable game to land on all three platforms. A Capcom representative told GameSpot that the Wii edition has been announced for release on the Japanese Virtual Console, but there has been no announcement about PS3 or Xbox 360 versions of the game.

The ESRB database also includes ratings for a few retro collections. EA Replay 2 on the PlayStation Portable--which hasn't been confirmed by the publisher but was spotted at online retailers earlier this year--received a T for Teen, with content descriptors for blood and violence. Meanwhile, the site also lists domestic ratings for Empire Interactive's Euro offerings Taito Legends 2 for PC, PlayStation 2, and Xbox, as well as Taito Legends Power-Up for the PSP.

Finally, the site lists a rating for the Lumines Live Artist Pack: Madonna "Sorry" (originally seen in action at last year's E3). While this isn't the first bit of downloadable console content to receive a rating from the ESRB (The Knights of the Nine expansion for The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion was rated), it appears to be the first time the additional content has received a different rating than the product for which it is intended. Lumines Live received a rating of E for Everyone, while the Madonna artist pack has been tagged as E10+ for Everyone 10 and Older. There are no listings for Lumines Live's previous downloadable content packs.

Brendan Sinclair
February 15, 2007

Source: Gamespot

PSP Modding Video From Acidmods

F00 f00 from Acidmods has put together a time lapsed video of him tinkering inside a PSP. The video includes F00 foo installing a clear case, replacing the LEDs, adding blue lights to the shoulder buttons, and a adding 2nd analog stick. Check it out here.

Via Acidmods

Off Topic: "Respect Ratings" - Gamestop

US retailer Gamestop has taken out a full-page advert in USA Today to highlight its ongoing commitment to stopping minors buying games about slaughtering hookers and that.

"We Gamestop, as well as other retailers, have already stepped up with ESRB to regulate ourselves," spokesperson Clive Olivera told Eurogamer this afternoon.

"That's what this is all about. We wanted to bump it up and let the public know, especially consumers, that it is something we actually take quite seriously."

The advert features Gamestop president Steve Morgan peering strangely out from under a gigantic "Respect The Ratings" slogan, which is joined on the page by cubes with ominous ESRB ratings stamped on them.

Unlike the BBFC ratings in the UK, which are enforced by law, the ESRB system is used primarily as a guideline to highlight the content of a game; it isn't actually against the law to sell a Mature 17+ game to a minor in America.

"I think we can always do better," Olivera continued. "One mature-rated game sold to a minor is one too many. It's our goal to provide as much education as we can, not only to our employees but to consumers in general."

And hence RespectTheRatings.com was born, to help parents get a grip on the crazy world of videogames. Instead of, you know, shouting at them and being completely insane, like certain specific opponents to violent videogames.

"There is an audience for every game, just like there is a system for every consumer out there," Olivera added. "Gamestop is looking at providing as much information as possible so people can make an informed choice."

Which leaves only one question, really: what on earth is happening with Steve Morgan's face?

Rob Purchese
February 16, 2007

Source: Eurogamer

The Road to a Universal Platform

David Jaffe recently came under some criticism for a few statements to consumer website 1UP about his future visions of the game industry. The big headline, repeated across the Internet for a day or two, was "Ten years from now there will be one console". It was an unguarded comment, following his own nostalgia for the days of rampant console exclusivity. Jaffe expressed annoyance at the current standard of cross-platform development, and wondered if it was coming to the point where the only distinguishing factor from one console to the next would be its first-party software. From there he made the leap that this small distinction might not be enough justification for multiple consoles – therefore, he figured, perhaps we're on a road to a single universal platform.

There was much tittering in the aisles; a few people made comparisons to Trip Hawkins' dreams for the 3D0 – a console standard that, much like a VCR or other piece of home electronics, would be licensed out to any manufacturer with the initiative. In fact, that comparison is pretty appropriate in that both Trip and Mr. Jaffe have the same reasonable – and actually rather clever – idea, with the same understandable flaw.

The most essential problem is that unlike film or music, videogames have yet to come into their own. Before anything resembling standardization is appropriate, there are still tremendous problems in interface, design theory and craftsmanship to address – none of which, I feel it safe to predict, will be solved any time soon, given that at the moment no one seems to have a clue what to do about them. The difference between the Wii and the Xbox 360 should give a taste of how far we have to go before we're ready to settle.

Read the full article here...

Eric-Jon Rössel Waugh
February 16, 2007

Source: Next-Gen.biz