Nastily exhausted week, really.

Seminggu kemarin saya habiskan di Bali, ... bukan liburan (hu hu hu) tapi kerja seperti biasanya.

Sampai di Bali hari rabu malam (excellent flight, on time.. dan saya tertidur dari sejak pesawat take off dan terbangun saat pesawat akan landing di ngurah rai wekekekekekkk), dan langsung disambung kerja keras selama seminggu penuh.

Fonterra Brand Indonesia (produsen anlene, anmum, bonneto dan anchor) menyelenggarakan National Sales Conference mereka di Bali tahun ini, dan saya (ESA Team) kebagian hajat untuk mengurus dekorasi acara tersebut. Acara satu hari itu diselenggarakan di Hard Rock Hotel dan GWK, artinya ada 2 venue yang harus kami urus.

4 orang team yang berangkat dari Jakarta kali ini antik juga, kecil-kecil tapi tangguh luar biasa. Salute for you guys...! Dibantu dengan 8 tenaga freelance Bali yang juga tanggung, akhirnya dekorasi heboh itu selesai juga.

Here's the picture...

Merhatiin gak siiihh.. sayap screen yang sebelah kiri agak miring??? wehehehehe..

Gara-gara kurang memperhatikan waktu, 5 menit sebelum event anak-anak masih bergelantungan di rigging untuk masang sayap. Akhirnya sayap yang sebelah kiri ini nggak terpasang sempurna. Rada-rada miring,.. hehe..

Untung klien yang ini baiiiikkk banget, .. nggak ada complaint, bahkan aku dipeluk setelah selesai acara ceremonial.. huuuaaahhhhhhh.....

Pelajaran besar,.. disiplin!

Dear Mr Rex,

On behalf of the European Space Agency, I wish to thank you for your application and interest in joining the European Astronaut Corps.

I regret to inform you that after very careful consideration, it has been decided not to retain your application for the post of Astronaut. However, should you not object, we would like to keep your file on record for other career opportunities at ESA and contact you if a post which matches your profile should emerge.
...
On behalf of the European Space Agency, I wish you all the best for your further career.

Yours sincerely,

F.C. Danesy (Head, ESOC Human Resources Division)

Dopo settimane di trepidazione ho ricevuto oggi, assieme a circa 7500 altri giovani europei, il tanto temuto Gran Rifiuto da parte dell'ESA. Finisce così la mia meteorica carriera di astronauta! Per le prossime selezioni che si mormora saranno nel 2012, sarò probabilmente troppo vecchio. :(
Anche se sapevo che le mie possibilità erano pressoché nulle, speravo almeno di riuscire a superare il primo turno della selezione, se non altro per aver qualcosa di più da raccontare ai nipotini che non "ho riempito un formulario in internet ma sono stato scartato subito". Invece la mia breve carriera di astronauta si potrà riassumere tutta in questa pagina.
In ogni caso nessun rimpianto, questa eliminazione non rappresenta certo una sorpresa: se fossi andato più avanti nella selezione sarebbe stato straordinario, ma almeno non potrò rimproverarmi di non averci tentato e comunque mi sono divertito a cullare un po' i miei sogni. Coloro a cui avevo promesso una cartolina da Marte non rimangano comunque delusi, ve la posso comunque recapitare da uno dei tre luoghi sul Pianeta Rosso dove nel 2003 e nel 2007 è atterrato il mio nome!

Recently the grey wolf's return to the Endangered Species List has been the buzz of enviro bloggers everywhere.  Several non-profits, including EarthJustice, Defenders of Wildlife, The Sierra Club and the Humane Society, sued the U.S. government over the Administration's sudden removal, which had apparently been urged by several Wyoming hunters and ranchers.
This victory clearly demonstrates the power of non-profits against the Bush Administration's industry-bent decisions.

While huge for the non-profits involved, the situation also demonstrates several things: namely, the close ties of industry to these issues; and a species' vulnerability to it.

The environmental front learned this the hard way with the government's failure to place polar bears on the Endangered Species List (due, naturally, to oil industry pressure), as such a placement would require protections from habitat damage (read: No ANWR drilling).  As an amendment, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service allowed what it defined as 'nonlethal, incidental, unintentional take' of walruses and polar bears.  'Take' in their eyes means to succeed or attempt to 'harass, hunt, capture, or kill' either of these animals.

Mother Jones' Blue Marble hit the nail on the head: 'Fish and Wildlife has just authorized oil companies to accidentally harass, hunt, and capture polar bears.'

That's right, accidentally. While the wolf case was a 100% victory, the polar bear one still remains to be corrected.   Therefore this species is still extremely vulnerable.

What's left to muse on is this: If species protection can be taken away by the whinings of a few dissenters, we need to keep our ears and eyes open, and hope that whatever action needs to be taken, it turns out as effective as it proved to be for the wolf campaign.

Dossier Farnborough___________________________________________

[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="10" caption="null"][/caption] 19 luglio 2008 Le aziende campane incassano uno straordinario successo al salone internazionale dell’Aerospazio e Difesa di Farnborough. La regione Campania, con Campaniaerospace alla vetrina londinese del settore con oltre quaranta aziende regionali. L’assessore regionale alle attività produttive Andrea Cozzolino: “ uno straordinario successo che ci consente di pensare ad una nuova mission per Campaniaerospace.”..segue

[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="220" caption="null"][/caption]

18 luglio 2008 - Bertolone attacca.Cozzolino risponde: nessuno mi ha invitato alla presentazione di Alenia allo chalet del Piemonte. Corriere del Mezzogiorno. 18 luglio 2008 - Polo Aeronautico veneto.1000 lavoratori a Tessere. La nuova Venezia. 18 luglio 2008 - Alenia, Centro Per Il Riciclo Del Carbonio in Puglia - Corriere del Mezzogiorno Bari  18 luglio 2008 -All'Alenia allungano Il Superjet 100 - Corriere del Mezzogiorno.  18 luglio 2008 - Alenia Progetta L'eco-aereo- La Repubblica

18 luglio 2008Airshow - C'è Il Deserto Allo Stand Della Regione Il Roma. ( Ndr La delegazione e le PMI campane erano ospiti di SBAC - (Associazione del comparto aerospaziale della Gran Bretagna)

_____________________________________________

 11 luglio 2008 La FIOM ratifica accordo sindacale su Alenia Aeronavali. In sede del ministero del Welfare è stata firmata da tutti i sindacati l'intesa pr l'utilizzo della cassa integrazione per lo stabilimento di Alenia Aeronavali di Capodichino. La FIOM vanta con soddisfazione che i contenuti dell'accordo sono notevolmente migliorati rispetto a quelli del documento che le altre organizzazioni sindacali si affrettarono a firmare appena qualche settimana addietro. La Fiom sottolinea che i punti che avevano indotto il maggiore sindacato delle aziende di Finmeccanica a respingere l'intesa sono proprio quelli oggi superati perchè accettati dalla direzione azienda. . .segue

[caption id="" align="alignleft" width="171" caption="null"][/caption]

leggeri con una flotta di duemilacinquecento velivoli venduti nel mondo in oltre 60 anni di attività.segue

28 maggio 2008

 - l'UNITA' : No del Sindacato.

- Il Denaro : Spezzatino per Aeronavali. No della FIOM

- Il Gazzettino di Brindisi.. rischi di smembramento

- 65% of US households play videogames

- 38% of US households own a console

- Women over 18 make up a larger percentage of gamers than boys under 17 (33% to 18%)

The new 2008 “Essential Facts” booklet by the ESA is available in PDF format here.

References:
Heflinger, M. (2008, July 17). Survey: Average U.S. gamer age is 35; 40% are women. [Online]. Available: http://www.dmwmedia.com/news/2008/07/17/survey:-
average-u.s.-gamer-age-35%3B-40%25-are-women

Riccitiello told the Chronicle, "I hate E3 like this. Either we need to go back to the old E3 or we'll have to have our own private events." That statement was echoed by many companies. Wedbush Morgan Securities analyst Michael Pachter wasn't as diplomatic as he bluntly stated that E3, as it stands now, is "headed for extinction" unless console makers and publishers realize most people don't care about the event in it's current form and massive changes must be made.

Electronic Software Association (ESA) is not adverse to changing the dynamics of E3. The show drew moe than 60,000 attendees in 2006 and was then downsized to approximately 5,000 invite-only attendees and moved from the Los Angeles Convention Center to Santa Monica the next year. This year, ESA returned E3 to the LACC but still kept the attendee levels down to the Santa Monica number.

The ESA Board will meet and discuss what changes need to be inplemented. ESA has also announced there will be a 2009 E3.

It was E3 at its peak; multi-million dollar booths, booth babes, loud music, bright lights, it was an unparalleled spectacle of epic proportion. It was about this time that when the rumors began to circulate that many companies were planning to scale back spending and that rules were evolving to a more conservative, more tame E3. With E3 2008 now behind us we saw much of this come true, but was this really the “Death” of E3 or simply the natural maturing of it.

It isn't just the ever increasing average gamers’ age, but also the value of the industry ($18 billion) it's big business, seriously! While we may not like the thought of our beloved industry falling into the hands of “The Man” it is important to understand that the gamer generation is quickly becoming “The Man.” This trend towards a business theme becomes abundantly clear with the selection of Texas Governor Rick Perry, who’s major contribution to the video game industry is providing an appealing tax environment for development companies. “Toss some booth babes on that! Wait wut? “

We also notice this migration away from Axe Body Spray and towards Old Spice in the target audience for many of the announcements made by The Big 3 (Microsoft, Sony, Nintendo) shying away from its hardcore niche game focus and showing things that will appeal to more of the average Joe and 3 of his best friends.

DON’T PANIC

Don’t throw in your towel quite yet, you should always keep it with you anyways. The slice of the pie that represents the games you and I love aren’t going away or decreasing in frequency. The pie is just simply getting bigger, a hell of a lot bigger. So hang in there and keep enjoying what you enjoy, there will probably be a lot more of it heading your way. It will just be a lot more quiet in July, that's all.

Geoff

But here it is!

This week new photos were released from the European Space Agency's Mars Express Probe, which has been circling the red planet since 2003. Here's a view of Echus Chasma, a network of valleys that look stunningly similar to the canyonlands of America.

For more pics and info go here.

Efter Fuglesangs rymdfärd har debatten om rymden försvunnit, och i likhet med många andra europeiska länder som sänt upp en astronaut på snabb-tur-och-retur så har det inte gett den där omtalade utväxlingen i höjt intresse för rymdfarten.

Frågan är vad vi får för utväxling på mer pengar till rymden? Det är inte alltid som de uppfinningar som sägs komma från rymdprojektet kommer därifrån eller att dess betydelse för forskningen är fullt så stor. ESA, den europeiska rymdorganisations budget är vad jag förstår en fjärdedel av NASAs, och där är Frankrike den största intressenten. Är det kanske på renodlat svenska projekt vi bör satsa våra pengar för att få utväxling?

Kruxet är hur vi kan ta oss tillbaka till rymden? Är lösningen mer pengar, eller att tänka i en öppen modell som är närmare oss andra i befolkningen så vi ser nyttan för oss själva?

Edward L. Hudgins skrev några bra förslag på Cato med den klart läsvärda boken Space: a free market frontier för hur vi kan ta oss ur den fälla i jorden omloppsbana som Wernher von Braun varnade oss för i rymdprogrammets barndom.

Mänskligheten har mycket att vinna från rymden, det är jag övertygad om, men då behöver vi tänka nytt. Vi behöver se ett skifte bort från rymden som ett big science projekt. Och vi behöver nog ha en politisk debatt kring hur rymdsatsningarna ska ske och vilka mål vi bör ha för rymdfarten.

Space is a place, not a program, som den amerikanska rymdrörelsen brukar säga. Inte för att NASA har varit så positiva till den, men avsaknaden av en folklig rymdrörelse i Europa har hållit intresset nere- även för att utveckla alternativa lösningar. Där, i människors entusiasm för rymdföretaget och rymdintresset kan man nog finna vägen ut till stjärnorna.

Pingat på Intressant.se

Chiar daca Activision a parasit ESA, nou infiintata companie Activision-Blizzard si-a facut aparitia la E3 si au adus noutati. Au fost prezentate cateva secvente noi din Call of Duty 5: World at War, Guitar Hero 4, noul joc din seria James Bond, Quantum of Solace si cateva jocuri bazate pe universul Marvel. Pe langa noul Spider-Man si Marvel Ultimate Alliance 2 a fost anuntat un nou joc, X-men Wolverine, ceva fi lansat odata cu filmul Wolverine anul viitor.

Inca un joc legat de filme va fi si Transformers 2: Revenge of the Fallen care deasemena va fi lansat odata cu noul film produs de catre Michael Bay. Dintre toate jocurile celor de la Blizzard nu a fost prezentat decat World of Warcraft: Wrath of the Lich King, Diablo 3 si Starcraft 2 au fost din pacate absente.

Sursa

If we believe ESA (Entertainment Software Association, whose members are mostly game software developers), there shouldn't be any doubt that game itself is no longer a niche and that most gamers are not teenage boys.  Instead, it is now a mass medium.

65 percent of American households play computer and video games;

38 percent of American homes have a video game console;

The average game player is 35 years old;

One out of four gamers are over age 50;

Women age 18 or older represent a significantly greater portion of the game-playing population (33 percent) than boys age 17 or younger (18 percent);

41 percent of Americans expect to purchase one or more games this year;

94 percent of parents are present when games are purchased or rented;

88 percent of parents report always or sometimes monitoring the games their children play;

63 percent of parents believe games are a positive part of their children's lives.

When I was young, etv (as in education TV) was brand new in Asia.  15-minute-long programs on various subjects were created by our Dept. of Education.  Instead of creating them in a vacuum, it matches the public school curriculum.  Teachers will roll these TV carts into the classroom, play a lesson, and spend the rest of the class discussing it.  Still, those were more instructional than participatory, created by professionals not classroom teachers.

Today, amist the hype in (or is it the reality of) web 2.0, we also have new medium to deal with.  TV, music, and movies are no longer the heart and soul of entertainment.  Games, although still "published" in nature, has ride the Internet train and turned participatory.  Which means that one of the new way to engage learners is through this not-so-new media.

We used to say it was difficult to get a book published.  This is no longer true.  Publishing a book is as simple as writing it.  Self publishing has bypassed the monolithic editorial process and tremendous monetary barrier of entry in the book realm.  A teacher can publish a book easily.  We used also say it was difficult to get a game created and published.  This is not entirely true any more.  Microsoft's XNA Studio and Live Arcade provided both the tools and the publishing mechanism.  Sony is planning to distribute development kit for the PS2 to schools that are interested in game software development.  Hundreds of thousand of open source games out in the wild wild web provide step-by-step instructions to anyone that spend a minute or two looking and trying.  A teacher can create a game for his/her need. 

Considering the potential reach, consider the cross learning even teachers are doing among themselves.  Teaching via games created by teachers should not be a surprising development.  It really is up to us to facilitate, if we dare.

According to Kotaku, the dry-run of Sony's E3 presser was invaded by a 'blogger' yesterday. The guy from an unnamed website was apparently posting the announcements on the web 15 minutes after they'd been said. No one knows who this person was or if they'd had their E3 press stuff revoked but according to Jack Tretton:

"They found some guy on the third floor balcony laying down taking notes and calling it in to a service,"

This is a bit weird (and oportunistic) people and god knows what i'd have done to get a hold of that news but no it wasn't me I was busy living my life and liveblogging the full conference from a GameSpot video stream right here in California Manchester.

For me though one of the best things about our exploration of Mars, aside from the science, is how the images have been able to convey the beauty of the red planet. Not only from a purely aesthetic viewpoint either. The images we see put the complex scientific information we receive into a human context. A high silica content in a region of soil may mean little to anyone but a specialist. But if we can look at an image and say: "that white patch there shows that this region might once have been home to a warm pool of standing water, perhaps even with a bubbling hydrothermal vent" then the whole scene jumps to life.

So it's with this in mind that I'm posting this image above, one of the Mars Express spacecraft's latest images. You can view the big version here, to get the full effect. It's part of a region called Echus Chasma on Mars and has been shaped by all sorts of processes from volcanic events to water erosion. However my favourite quote about the image below, from the ESA news article about these new images, has to be this: "Gigantic water falls may have once plunged over these cliffs on to the valley floor. The original shoreline is still partially visible. The remarkably smooth valley floor was later flooded by basaltic lava." The fact that we can make such an incredible comment about Mars, to me, shows just how far we've come from those early Mariner days.

*There is of course a grand history of observing Mars, with telescopes from Earth, that dates back many decades prior to this.

Image credits: Credits: ESA/ DLR/ FU Berlin (G. Neukum)

L'ordinanza sindacale che vieta tale "barbara pratica" è in vigore dallo scorso Novembre nel comune di Verona.

Le motivazioni alla base di questa ordinanza le ha spigate ai giornali il Sindaco Flavio Tosi in persona dicendo che «è un divieto senza se e senza ma perchè bisogna proteggere i bambini dal fumo passivo almeno negli spazi comunali loro dedicati, senza condizionare il divieto a una difficile quanto opinabile distanza del fumatore. Molti cittadini - ha aggiunto Tosi - avevano segnalato all’amministrazione comunale che nei 92 parchi gioco distribuiti su tutto il territorio comunale accadeva spesso che gli adulti fumassero in presenza dei bambini e che i fumatori tenessero usualmente le sigarette a un’altezza che corrisponde pressochè a quella dei bambini, andando proprio a colpire le fasce d’età a cui sono riservate le zone verdi attrezzate del Comune di Verona. Oltre al danno alla salute c’è anche il cattivo esempio dato alle fasce d’età più indifese».

Insomma da queste dichiarazioni sembrerebbe che il bambino che malauguratamente si trovi accanto ad un adulto che fuma sia "colpito" da chissà quale sventura.

Adesso, premettendo di non intendermi di medicina e di essere un fumatore impenitente, mi chiedo quali siano i riscontri scientifici di eventuali danni gravi causati ad un bambino che si trovi vicino ad una sigaretta ALL'ARIA APERTA per uno o due minuti.

Soprattutto mi chiedo se al bambino faccia più danno l'esposizione al fumo da tabacco o quella ai fumi delle auto, agli scarichi delle industrie, alle emissioni di CO2 e quant'altro.

Vorrei ricordare al Sindaco di Verona che non è criminalizzando i fumatori che si tutelano i polmoni dei delicatissimi bambini Veronesi ma risolvendo i problemi legati all'inquinamento atmosferico (dell'aria che repirano i suddetti pistricchi per intenderci) che a Verona e in tutto il Nord Italia rappresentano un vero e proprio allarme lanciato non dal sottoscritto ma dall'ESA (Agenzia Spaziale Europea).

Qui sotto potete vedere la mappa delle zone più inquinate d'Europa ( che sono anche tra quelle più inquinate del mondo).

Non so a voi ma l'idea di perseguitare i fumatori per tutelare la salute dei bambini mi sa tanto di novella crociata a scopo propagandistico. Si colpiscono i fumatori, ultimamente causa di tutti i mali, e si distoglie l'attenzione dell'opinione pubblica dai problemi reali.

]]> http://xboxoz360.wordpress.com/?p=2323 Sun, 13 Jul 2008 19:36:50 +0000 twodogsz http://xboxoz360.wordpress.com/?p=2323

Top 10 Unconfirmed 360 Exclusives @ E3 '08

What we know, but don't know we know

©2006-2008 XboxOZ360-gamer - Aaron Bertinelli

By TWODOGSz

Previously we've covered this year's strong and broad exclusive AAA lineup, but it wouldn't be E3 without at least a few surprises. Microsoft has already promised two unconfirmed titles will be revealed for this year's lineup, but on the strength of rumours on software and secret projects this year we've been emboldened to speculate on more than a couple. Or perhaps we're spreading our bets? Either way enjoy our take on what exclusive cards Microsoft is holding up its (very long) sleeves.

So come, join up, sign in, login and generally let us know what you think in the comments below and join us this E3 '08 as we celebrate our first Electronics Entertainment Exposition with you our loyal readers. So do the name of games such as Huxley, Dead Risings 2, All Points Bulletin, Online Universe ring any bells, well they should, so what are you still doing here.

Don't forget to slip over to our E3'08 Video News Page and check some excellent E3 Game Videos out while you're here.

Come inside and let the gamers debates begin . . . .

10. Where are the MMOs?

For all the promises of MMO's on the 360, we're scraping at the bottom of a very big library to find one. The 360 is made for MMO's. Or more specifically Xbox Live. It has a gaming base of 12million subscribers who consider playing online as standard practice and who've shown a propensity to purchase and consume online content. It's a potential cash cow and easily accessed market for any developer.

Huxley, All Points Bulletin, Champions Online and Age of Conan are all being developed for consoles, in addition to persistent rumours of a Bioware MMO related to KOTOR, an MMO based on the Aliens film franchise, and console versions of Lord of the Rings Online and Warhammer Online: Age of Reckoning..

All we want from E3 is confirmation that none of these are pulling a Marvel Universe disappearing act anytime soon. If we get that far, then some more concrete details, dates and prices would be most welcome. If we get some hands on gameplay we'll consider ourselves blessed!

9. Dead Rising 2

The original Dead Rising, beyond its obvious Dawn of the Dead references, was a sleeper hit and technical showpiece in the early days of the 360, whilst still standing as one of the most fiercely inventive titles of this generation. It took the idea of a sandbox and replaced it with a shopping mall; filled the place with zombies, psychopaths and a group of innocent bystanders; gave you the keys to every shop for every conceivable way of defending yourself (chainsaw, bowling ball, TVs, furniture, dvds, orange juice, etc); added an RPG levelling and skill tree: covered it all in bucketloads of B-grade gore and humour; and then threw the player, as a wise-cracking photojournalist, into a demented and surprisingly deep tale of government conspiracies and gruesome atrocities. The catch was you only had 72 hours of game time (much less in real time!) to get stuff done before you got the hell out of there.

The result was a highly intense and replayable game with multiple endings, hundreds of side missions and lots of hidden objects and collectibles. It was only held back from true greatness by some odd design issues (restrooms as save points!), some inconsistent AI and an unapologetic hardcore attitude to story progression.

Rumours have swirled for years of a possible sequel, and just this week fresh rumours have surfaced that the sequel is relocating from a small town mall to the big lights of Vegas. All we want at E3 is confirmation along with some juicy, squishy, bloody details of a slightly more forgiving game, a better save system, refined controls and the scope for some online madness including the possibility of co-op.

8. GTAIV DLC

Nobody knows what Microsoft has got for their $50m dollars other than Rockstar and Take Two, but anyone can tell you that's not small pennies (Halo 3 cost approx $30m). What we do know is that at such a price both parties must have believed at the time that at least $150m in sales revenue would result from the DLC (Michael Pachter). So based on a widely assumed DLC price of $15 and revenue of $150million that's 10m downloads across two DLC parts, or 5m individual downloads per DLC.

So how big is the DLC? We think big enough to make that many people pay up and put that disc back in their trays which means it's not just clothes or cars, but far more likely a new, albeit smaller, narrative and/or some new destinations.

Personally we'd like to see a new narrative, but we'll just have to wait and see...

7. Forza 3

Whilst arcade racers are a dime a dozen and the hybrid racer is having a comeback with the outstanding and gorgeous GRID, the reality is that a lot of us are still playing Turn 10's unparalleled simulation masterwork. Forza 2 was released well over a year ago and yet it is still a mile ahead of any other racing sim on the market. The physics engine, 300 cars, full damage models, a sleek 720P with 60 smooth frames per second, exhaustive tuning and modification toolkits, and a fully integrated online community with a thriving user created content economy were all stars in a well ahead of its time package. Put simply, we love it!

So why do we want a Forza 3? Well the rumours are too good for us to simply ignore and we've been fuelling them since October last year! 400 cars; 100 tracks compared to only 14 with 47 configurations in Forza 2; a variety of new race types beyond the circuits including drift, drag, oval and point to point; even more customisation and user creation; and an enhanced online feature set.

Turn 10 had us sold right there, but then Forza's community manager, Che Chou, decided to drop a tiny bombshell of over excitement this week by stating "(we) have figured out ways to push the 360 in ways I didn't think were possible in terms of both visuals and performance...You'll pardon me if I sound a little excited, because, frankly, I'm frickin' psyched."

Well guess how we feel?!

6. Mistwalker's Lineup

One of the best investments Microsoft has made in a developer in recent times is the financial backing and creative freedom it has extended to Final Fantasy creator Hironbobu Sakaguchi and his Mistwalker studio. Whilst Blue Dragon was moderately successful, it was this year's Lost Odyssey with its stunning visuals, subtle JRPG gameplay tweaks and the far more mature themes compared to his more traditional Final Fantasy games that really hailed the studio as one to watch.

Strangely absent from Microsoft's Xbox 360 RPG Premiere show in Tokyo last month, we're expecting big things from this blossoming studio come E3. The mysterious RPG/action-adventure Cry On has been kept under wraps for well over two years and we'd like to know more about the cell shaded art design, the deliberately tear-jerking story and the intriguing use of dual analogue sticks in combat and puzzle solving. We'd also love some footage and details about the rumoured Blue Dragon 2, the possibility for another epic Lost Odyssey title and whether Sakaguchi is still interested in developing an MMO.

5. Splinter Cell: Conviction

Sam Fisher has been hiding in the shadows far too long. Maybe it was the depression that set in after the high of the sublime Chaos Theory to the more moderately enjoyable Double Agent? Or maybe he was just over reaching a bit with a Conviction over his head? But for whatever reason, Ubisoft has continued to keep gamers in the dark about the king of stealth gameplay and his next outing.

Conviction is one of the most ambitious titles Ubisoft have ever announced. To totally strip a franchise to the bone and then dump the key gameplay mechanic from which the franchise found it's incredible success involved a whole lot of cojones and maybe several screws loose. But it was, and still is, an incredibly exciting prospect full of potential. By shifting gameplay from the largely linear mechanic of light vs darkness to a far more dynamic and reactive form of gameplay based on the player vs his surroundings, remains an inspired idea that was ever so briefly touched on by Ubisoft's Assassins Creed.

What we'd love to see at E3 is the return of Sam in a near complete version of Ubisoft's bold vision. There is a sore lack of stealth titles on the 360 and a story driven cinematic-thriller, dripping with references to films such as The Bourne Conspiracy, The Fugitive and Enemy of the State sounds like a hell of a good time. Add in the dynamic and reactive gameplay for stealth and combat and Sam may yet make a successful return to the single and multiplayer arenas, and perhaps even better than ever before.

4. Bioware's Lineup

Bioware has been an integral part of Microsoft's console gaming history with genre defining console RPG's Knights of the Old Republic (KOTOR), Jade Empire and more recently last year's phenomenal Mass Effect. And despite it's acquisition by EA we believe this relationship will continue to provide 360 gamers with superlative RPG's that are at the forefront of Western developers.

What titles specifically? Well we'd first and foremost loved to see Mass Effect 2 revealed. Hint at the story arc, show us the gameplay and technical refinements, and perhaps most importantly tells us how our own uniquely created Commander Shepard from Mass Effect will seamlessly continue their journey into the world of Mass Effect 2.

Second on the wish list, is the franchise that just won't go away in KOTOR. We know something's up with the secretive co-development with LucasArts, but we'd love to find out exactly what that is. Whether it's a turn based RPG, a real time RPG, or an MMO we don't much care so long as the franchise continues on and continues to drop jaws in its wake.

Third, we'd love to see Jade Empire continue. It was an inspiringly original and surprising setting for a Western RPG and was only ever surpassed on the original Xbox by the original KOTOR in terms of critical praise. And whilst Dragon Age looks great, we just don't know enough about it (yet!) to want in more than the entirely unique kung fu and martial arts fantasy of Jade Empire.

3. Bungie's "Superintendent"

Ever since Bungie and Microsoft amicably parted ways soon after the release of the ridiculously successful Halo 3 in September 2007, there's been one question on the very substantial and loyal Bungie community... What's next?

Well we're sorry to say that this is tightest kept secret this E3 and we have absolutely no idea! But that doesn't stop us speculating. And as great as a Halo 4 would no doubt be, we really don't need it for a couple of years because we're still playing the multiplayer and creating bucket loads of content each and every day through the unparalleled online feature set. In fact Forge is so good I'm personally convinced I would have bought it as a standalone product if given the chance!

What we really want to see at E3 is a new IP, and even if that mysterious platformer-like Superintendent logo of a green plumber has half the features of Halo 3, we'd still probably buy it. But then that's not the Bungie way and whatever they unveil come Monday we have no doubt we'll be blown away like every other time they've stepped on stage. How many more sleeps did you say?!

2. Alan Wake

Is Alan Wake awake? Is he at his own wake? Or are we finally going to see him again after all these years? We know it's supposed to be a thriller, but the suspense is killing us!

Remedy first showed Alan Wake way back at E3 2005 and after a grand showing at X06 in September 2006, it's gone back into a silent slumber ever since. At the time it was a surprise hit at both gaming conventions, with a dark, cinematic tale set in an open world about a writer who loses his grasp with the distinction between reality and his traumatised subconscious. It was a technical and artistic showpiece, a fiercely promising premise, and an atmospheric, noir nightmare.

But that was 2006 and a lot has changed since then. Remedy hasn't released a game since the equally mind bending Max Payne 2, Bioshock has redefined cinematic storytelling, GTA:IV has set an impossibly high benchmark for open worlds and numerous titles have far exceeded the technical showcase of 2006. And yet it's testament to the early promise and the strength of the original ideas that gamer interest just won't die. Shane Kim has hinted about the reawakening of Mr Wake, and whilst we may be optimistic we can't help but think E3 would be the perfect time to confirm a release date and fill out the adventure/thriller slot for an even more diverse Christmas '08 lineup.

1. Halo: Chronicles

Well you know we're excited about something when we post a fact grabbing, leak tapping article like this one, because we can't wait another week!

But in the simplest of terms when you put Peter Jackson's vision, Bungie's track record, Frank O'Connor's scripting magic, Microsoft's financial/marketing muscle and then announce that you intend to do nothing short of revolutionising "interactive entertainment", you pretty much have our full and undivided attention. When you have a habit of delivering on such ridiculous promises, your confidence simply makes us impatient!

The Halo universe is rich in lore and even richer in opportunities (Halo Wars) that can expand the franchise beyond the bread and butter of the FPS. Giving gamers a perspective of the Halo world outside of Master Chief's eyes may seem a risky one, but could pay huge dividends in the long run by allowing gamers to more clearly identify and understand the world outside of an almost invincible seven foot tall suit of armour.

Out of all the rumoured titles at E3 this is the one we want to see most. We want Halo to feel fresh again; we want consequences to our actions; and most importantly a feeling of vulnerability without Master Chief's presence that will only make us appreciate him more when the time inevitably comes for his return in Halo 4. So last but not least... we want it this year!

©2006-2008 XboxOZ360-gamer - Aaron Bertinelli

(Ed Note: Be sure to check out the rest of our E3 Top 10's and visit the XboxOZ360-game E3-'08 Video News Page when you're finished here and let us know what you think.)

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©2006-2008 XboxOZ360-gamer - Aaron Bertinelli

by TWODOGSz

If there's been one reason above any other to own a 360 it's the exclusives. Year after year, Microsoft continues to dazzle gamers with an ever increasing library of exciting new IPs and groundbreaking, record-shaking franchises. This year gamers are being treated to the widest diversity of AAA titles Microsoft has ever assembled with only one FPS in a lineup strewn with RPGs, strategy, platforming, action and adventure.

So come, join up, sign in, login and generally let us know what you think in the comments below and join us this E3 '08 as we celebrate our first Electronics Entertainment Exposition with you our loyal readers.

So on with the show, and please enjoy the countdown . . .

Don't forget to slip over to ourE3'08 Video News Page and check some excellent E3 Game Videos out while you're here.

Remember, just click any image for full rez view:

10. Tales of Vesperia

If anybody had told me I'd see a Tales game on the 360 at launch I would've laughed heartily before returning to my PS2 and GameCube. But how times have changed and what an unexpectedly strong JRPG library the 360 is quickly gaining.  If you're unfamiliar with this long running series there are several reasons you need to sit up and listen.

It's one of the most highly regarded JRPG series outside of FFXIII; combat is real time and you can play with up to three others in co-op; the animation, music and anime has always been stunning; and the stories have always been weaving, intricate tales (sorry) full of subtext about the human condition and society.

At E3 we'd like a demo on Xbox Live, a release date and more of that stunning art work, please!

9. Velvet Assassin

What do get when you take Sam Fisher, turn him into svelte woman, wrap her up in tight leather, give her over fifty execution moves, add light RPG skill trees, and then drop her off into a dark and moody WW2? This game was originally titled Sabotage, however, the people over at Gamecock decided it was prudent to have it changed to "Velvet Assassin" so as not to be confused with another similarly titled game being built by Pandemic called Saboteur, which is also based around a true-life tale by the way.

Yep our interest is just as piqued as yours!

We want to know more about this title which appears to delve into far darker depths than Sam Fisher and has a protagonist that could not only make Lara Croft jealous but a whole game engine that's a bloody good looker to boot. We want details, gameplay and a release date on this one. We're watching Violette very carefully because she just might give Sam a run for his money... if and when he turns up!

Tame is being brought to you by the guys-n-gals over at Replay Studios and being published by Gamecock which have a soild reputation of producing excellent games and reportedly due out this Fall (US)

8. Infinite Undiscovery

Coming from the esteemed Japanese houses of tri-Ace and Square Enix, this exclusive title is a major coup for the increasingly spoilt RPG fans on 360. A fantasy RPG with a typically epic JRPG yarn and stunning art design, the key reason this is high on our list is the dynamic real time nature of gameplay. Combat, inventories, environments and apparently even narrative paths are all based in real time and context sensitive.

If they can polish up the admittedly sluggish frame rate and give us some more comprehensive gameplay at E3 you might just want to mark this down for September ‘08.

7. Viva Pinata: Trouble in Paradise

The first Viva Pinata was an underloved, sleeper-hit gem that was much like a British version of Pokemon crossed with the god-sim gameplay of classic Bullfrog titles. Full of adult humour and hardcore gameplay it was unfortunately marketed in a colourful, kid friendly façade that betrayed the engaging depth within. It is still one of the most original and addictive games of the current generation and is easily Rare's most complete work since Microsoft purchased the developer back in 2002.

This time round the game's size and scope has grown significantly, but perhaps more importantly it's become much more casual friendly with a true co-op mode and a freeplay sandbox mode that the kiddies and casual will be able to play endlessly without being overwhelmed by the more hardcore "campaign".

What we'd love to see at E3 is more footage, more casual orientated gameplay features and in particular a much more focused marketing push by the Microsoft marketing team.

6. Left 4 Dead

It's been flying under the radar for months now, but when one of the industry leaders in FPS (Valve) purchases another studio on the back of two Counter Strike mods and single IP (Turtle Rock Studios), it's a clear sign you should be paying more attention.

Left 4 Dead is a survival horror FPS, that's quite unlike anything seen before except maybe the film 28 Days but with shotguns and AKs over your shoulders. The game is entirely focused on co-op gaming, with four unique players frantically working together throughout the campaign to survive and escape environments infected by a vast range of infected humans (eg. zombies).

It's fast, intense, frightening, emotionally draining and absolutely dependent on teamwork. But the sadistic twist, however, is that up to another four players can play as the infected constantly respawning as "boss" zombies to inhibit your campaign progress and to have an entirely different gaming experience.

But don't panic if you don't have Live or players drop out, as the AI will immediately take over until, if or when, other players join the ongoing carnage. And being based on the updated Source engine it doesn't look too shabby either with smooth frame rates, nice animations, and some very moody lighting.

It promises to be the most intense team based FPS we're yet to see on consoles, and given the top quality field of shooters already out there, we know that's saying a lot! But we have a pretty good feeling that if there's one FPS to buy in the second half of this year this will be it, so all we want at E3 is for Valve to convince the rest of you!

5. Halo Wars

Strategy titles have never worked as well on consoles as their original home on PC. But rather than pull out the tiresome and completely-missing-the-point keyboard and mouse (K&M) argument, we're going to blame it on PC ports! And apparently so does Ensemble, creator of genre defining franchises such as Age of Empires and Age of Mythology for PC, and who is so confident that not only are they making Halo Wars exclusively for the 360 but they've confirmed there will never be a PC version... ever!

What Ensemble intends to do, is no less than what the Halo franchise has already done for FPS on consoles. Long before we started hearing about the K&M argument for RTS on consoles, we were hearing the same thing about the FPS genre.

And then Halo came along and proved that two analogue sticks could provide just as enjoyable, albeit it distinctly different, FPS experience on consoles. Ensemble and Microsoft are positioning Halo Wars as no less than the catalyst for the birth of console developed RTS, or to better differentiate, Console Based Strategy (CBS).

It's clear from the glowing previews that Ensemble is very much on track to achieve its very ambitious goals. The game is the best looking Halo title we've ever seen; the control scheme is intuitive and easy to learn; and it's fast paced speed-chess strategy at its finest. Add in a whole new adventure in the Halo universe with new stories, units, maps and locations; along with the promise of a co-op campaign and six player multiplayer over Xbox Live; and we can smell the first RTS hit on consoles before year's end.

Let's hope E3 gives us plenty of gameplay, some more story details and a demo to get everybody in the mood and realise that when done right and built from the ground up, RTS does work on consoles!

4. Too Human

For many this will be a contentious pick but for others it makes perfect sense. In general there are five key reasons people may disagree with where Too Human is on this list so let's address them.

Firstly, the most common is that it's been ten years in conception, but the reality is it's only been three years in development for the 360 and will be the first of a planned trilogy released entirely on the 360. Secondly, it had a dire E3 2006 showing, true but Microsoft has admitted it was shown too early and this was confirmed by the much more positive reception at GDC 2008.

Third, it's not an easily pigeonholed game, but then neither was the rule-bending, genre-breaking, Silicon Knights masterpiece Eternal Darkness. Fourth, Denis Dyack publicly challenged Internet trolls on NeoGaf to put up or shut up, and whilst we can all question the man's sanity we can't deny his confidence in the title.

And finally, recent previews (from those who've actually played it) have been mixed if not luke warm on average, which just confirms it's an acquired taste and given company like MGS4 and Assassins Creed we don't think there's too much to worry about.

So if we've convinced you to give it another look, why should you be excited? Well if you're a fan of original stories filled with human vs machines subtext; or you enjoy your stats, loot, classes and levelling; or simply want a unique third person action title with co-op, they're pretty good reasons! But best of all is this description... "Diablo II meets Mass Effect, with some DMC combat and some Skate-like thumbsticks." Sold!

Now that we've got you on side, or at least on the fence, we only hope Microsoft hurries up and gets the demo into gamer's hands to make sure they know what they might have just missed out on.

3. Banjo-Kazooie: Nuts & Bolts

Despite the uncertainty and derision of some nostalgic gamers, previews and industry insiders are clearly excited about the new direction, including the guys and gals at XboxOZ360-gamer. Banjo 3 seeks nothing short of redefining the platforming genre. It was no accident that the trailer showed Banjo smashing through a player created Mario, because that's clearly what Rare intends to do.

In an unprecedented move for the genre a designer is handing the gameplay mechanics to the player to create through the vehicle of... well, vehicles! Instead of giving mandatory platforming abilities like Mario's mushrooms, flowers and feathers, Rare is giving players the chance to create their own where the only limits are a player's imagination, the building blocks they've found and the physics of the environments. And if the rumours prove true we might just see the perfect game to sell motion controls to the hardcore and casual alike.

Add that distinct Rare sense of humour; the visually stunning and deliberately nostalgic blocky design; massive open and non-linear worlds; plenty of collectibles; a healthy dose of more traditional platforming in the hub worlds; and multiplayer (a first for Banjo!) that encourages players to share, trade and compete with their home made creations in Mario Kart inspired modes; and there's the potential for a game as genre defining for platformers as Rare's Goldeneye was for FPS.

We just want to see more!

2. Gears of War 2

Cliff Bleszinski in a Prince-like move disowned his moniker CliffyB early this year but he is apparently no less fond of the letter B with his "Bigger, Better and more Badass" promotion of Gears 2. And here at XboxOZ360-gamer we know two things are for certain - we will be completely and utterly sick of that line well before early November, and yet we will struggle to find any way to disagree with Mr B's assertions!

Gears 2 is a graphical showcase, but admittedly it doesn't have the shock and awe of 2006, so Epic has wisely focused on making the overshadowed gameplay mechanics of the original the star of the sequel. With more than 400 tweaks to the cover, movement, reload and shooting systems we can't wait for the resultant increase in speed, fluidity and strategy.

Add the promise of a far more developed and emotional storyline; a significantly longer and grander campaign; almost confirmed four player co-op; new weapons (flamethrower!); nastier executions; and a bundle of new multiplayer maps and unique modes, and there's reason aplenty why Gears 2 is at the top of every shooter fan's list and the top of the titles we want to see at E3.

1. Fable 2

The original promised so much and despite falling short it was still arguably the most unique and innovative RPG of last generation. Fable 2 promises even more. A lot more! A world ten times the size of the original; 370000 words of dialogue; dynamic environments, characters, story and an acorn that all evolve according to your gameplay; a much greater emphasis on the grey areas of morality, relationships and emotion; co-op with permanent consequences; XBLA games that communicate and affect your Fable 2 world: and the replacement of the HUD with an AI canine sidekick!

If you're still not sold and feel it lacks the edginess of Gears 2 just add pregnancy, gay marriage, divorce, prostitution, abandoning children and homicide and it's pretty clear this game is not just pushing boundaries but breaking a lot of gaming taboos in the process. And we still don't know what the third and final "big surprise" is!

Mr Molyneux you've got us all buttered up... all you need do now is deliver!

©2006-2008 XboxOZ360-gamer - Aaron Bertinelli

(Ed Note: Be sure to check out the rest of our E3 Top 10's and visit the XboxOZ360-game E3-'08 Video News Page when you're finished here and let us know what you think.)

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Salah satunya adalah tentang sebuah arti kehidupan menurut Quran. Bahwa hidup adalah sebuah tempat "kepura-puraan" atau "sandiwara", "saling menyombongkan diri" dan "penipuan". Eits, tunggu dulu. Ini penjabarannya:

1. Kepura-puraan maksudnya adalah bahwa hidup ini sebenarnya adalah kosong, tidak ada artinya bagi kita semua. Kita mencari harta dan menumpuknya sebanyak-banyaknya adalah sejatinya kosong. Kita mencari gelar dan jabatan setinggi-tingginya adalah sebenarnya kosong. Kita bernapas pun sebenarnya adalah kosong. Jadi, sebetulnya semuanya adalah kosong, kecuali Yang Maha Agung yang mempunyai kuasa bagi seluruh alam, tak terkecuali manusia.
2. Saling menyombongkan diri maksudnya kita hidup hanya dikejar oleh rasa ingin membanggakan diri sendiri. Punya sesuatu yang sedikit pun apabila dirasakan baik baginya cenderung ingin ditunjukkan kepada orang lain. Rasa kebanggaan terhadap diri sendiri (dan juga bisa membanggakan orang lain atau harta benda yang dimiliki) itu tidak dapat dipungkiri melekat pada diri semua manusia tanpa terkecuali.
3. Penipuan. Yang dimaksud penipuan di sini adalah, bahwa nikmat yang dirasakan di dunia adalah sebenarnya bukan nikmat yang langgeng, hanya nikmat semu dan sesaat. Namun itu dirasakan nikmat dan cenderung dengan senang hati dilakukan oleh manusia. Sedangkan nikmat yang sebenarnya adalah nikmat akhirat, yang di dunia adalah dirasakan bukan sebagai nikmat oleh manusia melainkan sebagai sebuah beban atau tuntutan. Sehingga, manusia cenderung untuk meninggalkannya.

Kehidupan di dunia ini hanyalah dapat dirasakan bukan sebagai ketiga hal di atas oleh orang yang benar-benar tidak memikirkan ketiga hal yang di atas, melainkan menyandarkan kesemuanya kepada Yang Esa. Sedangkan untuk bisa melakukan itu, manusia harusnya mempunyai dua kunci hidup, yakni SABAR dan SYUKUR (Sesuai dengan konsepku pribadi, namun sekarang aku tambahi satu lagi jadi 3S: SADAR, SABAR, dan SYUKUR).

Please note all participants will will be sworn to secrecy about Bug Girl's sooper sekrit identity. There may even be a waiver you have to sign :)

Also, any tips on a good spot to eat near the Convention Center appreciated.

Also, I have now officially Made It in the Blogosphere. I just got my first free book to review! w00t!

Very excited.