Microsoft and the BBC are in talks about selling BBC television as downloadable content via the Xbox Live Marketplace when the Video service hits the UK, the Sunday Times reports. Last year the BBC signed an agreement with Microsoft to explore ways of developing its digital services. “We are working diligently on multiple fronts to make it happen,” said Ross Honey, senior director for media at Microsoft’s content and partner strategy group. “The BBC is a great content provider.”
The story goes on to say that they are also in talks with “several other European media companies,” but doesn’t name them.
BBC courted for Xbox link [Times Online, via Xboer.tv]
To: Crecente From: Bashcraft RE: Travels… or Trevails
I know whatcha mean about relaxing. Today consisted of going to immigration, taking the kid to the doctor, writing two magazine articles and calling Austria. Nothing like calling Austria. Fine place!
So I got a few more prospective places for our TGS party. Very much looking forward to the meet up.
While I was out today, I took the wife to eat hamburgers. We went to Freshness Burger. Freshness Burger is like MOS Burger, but not as good. Mrs. Bashcraft had never been to Freshness Burger, so we went. We both were famished and sat down to our Classic Burger and Classic Burger with cheese. Not bad. Not as good as MOS Burger, but w/e. So as we’re sitting there, gobbling down our burgers and my wife is talking about going to Universal Studios Japan with the kid, I see a large, black cockroach scurry across the floor.
My wife is still going on about USJ as I check my food. No roaches. I glance over hers, which seems fine. I have two options: Tell my wife I saw a cockroach or don’t. Telling her would involve her getting freaked out and having to go to another restaurant. And besides! We had already eaten half our food.
The rest of the lunch was spent chewing my food, choking it down and looking at the black, shiny roach inch its way up the wall. Mrs. Bashcraft said her Classic Burger was delicious.
What you missed last night New Japanese Book Asks Why PS3 “Failed” Wii Zapper with Zelda? SCEE’s new marketing ploy Why all the BD hate?
Nobody’s gonna take their car…without replacing it first with a small truck thing and then a tour bus. Nice trailer. Certainly sets the mood for the rocking and rolling that’s sure to follow in the game’s wake.
Say what you will about the Roger Avary’s Silent Hill script, the filmmaker has churned out some great pictures including The Rules of Attraction and Killing Zoe. His next project? Bringing Return to Castle Wolfenstein to the big screen. Avary wants to do the first-person-shooter as a “men on a mission” movie like The Dirty Dozen or Where Eagles Dare. The director explains: I mean, what’s not to love? It’s a WWII “guys on a mission” movie, which means you’re going to be blowing shit up, storming bunkers, busting dams, derailing trains, and killing Nazi’s.
The original Xbox? Loads of good times, but it wasn’t exactly pleasing on the eye. Oh, it also took up too much space; you couldn’t even put other console/DVD player things on top of it since they curved the roof. Gah! Thankfully, those two shortcomings have been rectified by this case mod, the Xbox Mini, which chucks out the old DVD drive in favour of an 80GB HDD and comes in a oh-that’s-much-better, smaller case. It’s not quite finished, but it’s getting there. Introducing Xbox Mini [Xbox Scene, via Giz]
Illustrator Ken Taya is a second generation Japanese-American. Currently, he’s working at Bungie as an environmental artist. He cut his teeth at Nintendo Software Technology in Redmond, translating and working as a 3D artist. So what’s the difference in working for a US and a Japanese company? I do feel that attitude of management differs greatly between the two cultures, however. When working under Japanese management, I was much more spoon fed and there seemed to be a lot of hand holding. Under American supervision I was given much more freedom to make my own mistakes and learn from them…
Not sure which is better or worse, but the fact that both exist is fascinating. Taya Interview [PingMag via Jean Snow]
I’m a David Braben fan. Guy makes Elite, he gets me on his side for life. David Braben, though, is not a fan of the UK’s BBFC ratings system. Not a Manhunt 2 fan, either, now you mention it. …from what I’ve heard of Manhunt 2 (I haven’t had the chance to play it), it is not the sort of game the industry should be making, as it is inevitably going to attract controversy.
Yup, these are the MapleStory anime designs. No, really. They look like anything BUT the cute characters that populate the Korean MMORPG. Not as though we were counting the days down until it airs this October on TV Tokyo, but this cartoon must be a cruel joke! Who is creating this garbage! Seriously!! MapleStory Character Designs [Dark Diamond]
As far as how well songs are suited towards Rock Band, Soundgarden’s Black Hole Sun is BORING. The Chili Pepper’s Dani California is even worse. Yet for some reason we have people claiming that the Rock Band tour currently doing the rounds shows these two tracks have made it into the game. Not really a Chili Peppers fan, but I at least know their older works are rock-heavy (at least for the purposes of this game). I am a Soundgarden fan, and know that this is the band that brought us Jesus Christ Pose. Rock Band: Fat Guys on Fake Instruments Arguing About Music [Something Awful, thanks everyone who sent this in]
