Archive for the 'Geek' Category

UK based video game rock band Spheres of Chaos have just released a new EP over at netlabel Pterodactyl Squad. It’s called Stratospheria and is free to download.

“Embark on a new quest in Stratospheria, the second release from video game rock band Spheres of Chaos. Set off at the breakneck speed of Twilight To Midnight, before moving into the brooding saga of The Citadel; then marvel at the power of the Megafauna, before voyaging upward in Skyward. Spanning styles and sentiments, a journey of adventure, imagination and story-telling awaits.”

Download here!

Popularity: 6% [?]

A brand new video game music netlabel, Pterodactyl Squad, has just launched. Based in the UK and from the same team behind the Gamewave Podcast, there are already five releases available to download, including music from NESMETAL, Super Multifaros, arcadecoma., Spheres of Chaos and Anamanaguchi. Here’s a blurb from their site:

“Pterodactyl Squad is a netlabel - an online record label which distributes music for free - and all the music we release is inspired by video games. We split our releases into two categories: there’s the original music category, as well as a category for video game soundtracks - these may be faux soundtracks or soundtracks for indie games. Please download all the music you want and play it on your PC, put it on your MP3 player, burn it to CD and tell your friends!”

Check it all out at www.ptesquad.com!

Popularity: 14% [?]

It’s only 5 days until Christmas, but if you’re not feeling festive yet then give Episode 36 of the Gamewave Podcast a listen. The show features seasonal chiptunes from Bubblegum Octopus, Goto80, animal style, Boy vs. Bacteria, Calis and hai! Robotto and if that’s not enough there’s also last year’s Christmas Special (Episode 19).

Podcast feed

Merry Christmas!

Popularity: 9% [?]

I’m a tad bit jealous of tippster Zach Fannin who just sent in a video review he did for ABC in regards to the recent second coming on the Blip Fesitval in New York.

This years event seemed to focus more on the culture created by the musical genre as well as the music itself.

You can check the video at http://abcnews.go.com/Video/playerIndex?id=3959103

Thanks Zach.

Popularity: 10% [?]

A new episode of the Gamewave Podcast is now available. Episode 33 features rad music from Super Multifaros, Anamanaguchi, Chris Porter, Jay Tholen and Phlogiston.

Check out gamewavepodcast.com or subscribe to the feed.

A new web banner is now available too. Show your allegiance to the GWPC by inserting this code into your webpage:
<a href=”http://www.gamewavepodcast.com/”><img src=”http://www.gamewavepodcast.com/images/88×31.png”></a>

Popularity: 13% [?]

Upon leaving my house this morning I found this white plastic cube (click the thumbnail for a bigger picture) sitting next to the door on the window ledge. Anyone have ANY idea what it is? Clearly I’m overreacting but I’ve always wanted to be a part of a viral marketing thing.

It has two circular batteries inside and an on and off switch at the bottom - I haven’t found any mention of this from a google search and have no idea what it does.

Anyone seen this before? or even read anything about it? I sure hope it’s not a bomb of some kind!

I was thinking at the time it was some sort of GPS device which would be pretty cool but after finding nothing online I now think it actually doesn’t do anything.

Popularity: 22% [?]

The Chiptune Alliance Tour, the biggest chiptune/video game style music event ever to hit the UK is set to rock this month. The tour will feature USK (Japan), Maru (Japan), Sabrepulse (UK) and Calis (Sweden), with additional support from Firebrand Boy and Spheres of Chaos and Henry Homesweet.

23rd September - O’Henrys, Glasgow (with support from Firebrand Boy)
24th September - The Cooperage, Newcastle
25th September - The Cellar, Oxford
26th September - Frog & Parrot, Sheffield (with support from Spheres of Chaos)
27th September - Chinnerys, Southend-on-Sea (with support from Henry Homesweet)
28th September - TJ’s, Newport
29th September - The Hat Factory, Luton
30th September - (Monto) Water Rats, London

If you’re in the UK make sure to get to at least one of these dates and see some of the world’s greatest chiptune talent. For more information, including how to buy tickets, visit myspace.com/chiptunealliance.

Popularity: 12% [?]

After reading this article a few days ago - I have been utterly unable to settle on a definite side of the argument. Using your brain to control things in the physical realm has been a major section of science fiction for many decades now and it only makes sense that scientists and sci-fi fans would push the limits of technology as far as their imagination.

Wired posted an article back in May explaining and showcasing the progress of two different companies in the field of brain controlled video games. If you snoop around a little and head to the Emotiv website, you will see a lovely journalistic video showing off a game which allows the player to move parts of Stonehenge with purely the power of your mind.

My question to you is, how do you feel about this? of course it looks kinda cool but on a more realistic level, won’t this just lead the way to even-less active couch-potatoes? Not only that, but how do you feel knowing that technology has access to your brain signals and thought patterns? how would you know that it wasn’t just your active brain signals that were being monitored digitally?

WIRED article - Brain to Control games directly, Maybe vice versa
Emotiv Official website

Popularity: 11% [?]

True, the cost of getting your Wii to play DVDs is your product warranty and a lot of effort installing chips and soldering parts of your beloved console - it may just be too much to ask.

However, those of you wanting to watch DVDs on your Wii now have a solution. Gizmodo reported last night that the team of mod chip developers ‘Team Symbiote’ have managed to find a fix through software which will allow you to play your beloved movie collection on the Wii. It does require quite a bit of work but once done will open up all sorts of convenience for you if you just want one machine setup by your television.

Of course, the most interesting thing about this news is that it is actually possible for the Wii to play DVDs through a software fix. Whether or not Nintendo will make use of this function in the future through some sort of downloadable ‘DVD Channel’ is most probably on the cards. Presumably though the only thing stopping them is the licensing issues involved in inputting DVD playback into a device.

Source: Gizmodo

Popularity: 22% [?]

Thousands of gamers will descend on Paris over the next few days, to watch over 750 professional gamers compete in the Grand Finals of the Electronic Sports World Cup in Paris.
Tournaments include Counterstrike (including a womens-only event), Quake 4, Warcraft 3 and Pro Evo 6, with a total prize fund of 180,00$ USD (approx £90,000), not bad money i think you’ll agree. Since its start in 2003, the UK has never won an event, or even come in second or third.

Read the rest of this entry »

Popularity: 4% [?]