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PC Portal Fans, start your downloading engines now. Fan mod prequel Portal: Prelude is finished and available for download now.
Well, here's something to file under interesting, but likely impractical. If you've been dying to get a second monitor for your PC and you've a little low on cash, fear not. Meet PSPdisp, a new homebrew mod created by Jochen Schleu that allows you to use your PSP as a second monitor. The idea is pretty nifty except I'm wondering how well you can actually see anything on that PSP screen. The site does claim you can get 960x544 worth of screen space on it.
To celebrate the launch of MODs on Steam, Valve is giving away five "leading Source MODs" to anyone who owns a Source-based game. The publisher is also offering Half-Life 2: Episode One on steam for $5.
The free MOD pack comes with Age of Chivalry, D.I.P.R.I.P., Insurgency, Synergy, and Zombie Panic.
"Valve has been supporting the MOD community since the company's inception, offering updates to the SDK, holding MOD Expos and being the first to bring a MOD to retail with Counter-Strike in November 2000," said Doug Lombardi, vice president of marketing at Valve. "The debut of these MODs on Steam marks the beginning of a new level of support for the MOD community by putting the leading MODs at the finger tips of over 15 million targeted gamers."
Once the MOD pack, available now, is installed it will appear in the Steam "My Games" list and the MODs will receive automatic updates just like other games on Steam. Also, the MODs support Steamworks, providing stat tracking and tighter integration with the Steam community.
Remember Portal for the C64 emulator? Reader burgerk1ng has a nice find to go with it: "Gang Garrison II" by "Faucet" software -- an 8-bit, fully multiplayer "de-make" for PC gamers. I am ... retarded close to going out and getting a copy of Windows and Boot Camp, which would make this the most expensive free game in the history of anything. On the other hand, maybe it's a good thing I don't have a PC, as my expectations could only shattered. Gameplay video and links on the jump.
This guy has a really, really awesome wife. Not only did she knit him a cozy toboggan for the winter, she even accommodated his request to make it into a Mega Man helmet cap. It took two years of begging for her to finally relent. The post is from last year, and it's not for sale, but I'm sure this lucky dude (who looks like Gordon Freeman) is both enjoying his Mega Man 9 and looking forward to breaking this out once the chill hits.
Mega Man Paul [Trinknitty's Blog, via Go Nintendo]
BTW: Before any of you English majors attempt to correct me on the usage of toboggan: "3 -- chiefly Southern & Midland: STOCKING CAP"
Steam's announced that, beginning next week, it'll be hosting five mods that will be freely available for all who own the mod's source game. Additionally, the mods will take advantage of Steamworks' stat tracking and "tighter integration with the Steam community."
The five mods are Age of Chivalry, D.I.P.R.I.P., Insurgency, Synergy, and Zombie Panic. Full announcement on the jump.
Having played Oblivion on PC, I can safely say that user-generated mods saved that game. Fixed the AI, improved the graphics, that sort of thing. Same goes for their last few games as well. But what of Bethesda's next game, Fallout 3? Things are less certain. Pete Hines:
Folk probably took for granted that every time we make a game, there's a mod tool. We explained to folk that it takes a lot of time and effort to get that tool ready for release, and it's not on our schedule right now. We need to get the game done and out. It's not to say we won't do it. It's that right now we have an enormous amount of work to do, for three platforms and all these different languages to get it out around the wall.
Sad to hear. Maybe modders can step in and get mods working?
Interview: Pete Hines On Fallout 3 Mods [Rock, Paper, Shotgun]
Sure, the Nintendo kids can rock a party with their Korg emulator, but with this somewhat excessive PSP mod, you could BE the party.
30 LEDs went into producing this disco monster - all linked to the sound output and set to pulse in time with whatever bangin' choons the owner (Travis) wishes to inflict upon the world.
This PSP is available for weddings, birthday parties and Bah Mitzvah's.
A very cool and very bright PSP modification [Maxconsole]
A Japanese modder has mashed Google Maps with the Wii-mote to create "Tokyo-jogging". It works pretty much like Jogging in Wii Sports: Users put the Wii-mote in their pocket and run in place. Instead of running through a Nintendo created background, users can jog (in place) through the streets of Tokyo. The interface looks somewhat slow — but there's potential here!
Tokyo-jogging [Official Site via Digital World Tokyo]
id say that user mods of their new driving/shooting things game Rage might not be possible due to the complex way the game engine handles textures.
The id Tech 5 engine uses 'MegaTextures' - huge texture maps (up to 128000x128000 pixels) that require huge amounts of preprocessing to create.
id - and John Carmack in particular - are still very much pro-modding and have confirmed their plans to eventually open-source id Tech 5, but are unsure if there is a way around this technical limitation. Simply put, it is unlikely that any modder would have the computing resources that are required.
Just a thought - this sounds like an area where a project like Folding @ Home could be useful. Sure, cancer might not get cured as quick but, c'mon - MegaTextures!
Id Software's Willits: Rage Mods May Not Be Possible [Gamasutra]
