Grand Theft Auto IVThe queues for Grand Theft Auto IV, which went on sale at midnight, seem justified judging by the rave reviews for the latest game from developer Rockstar Games and its publisher Take-Two.
“Rockstar’s magnum opus is a modern-day masterpiece that could change the way the world views videogames,” said Gamespy.
Its New York-based location “Liberty City is nothing less than one of the greatest videogame worlds yet conceived,” said IGN.
“I now know how film critics felt after screening The Godfather …Grand Theft Auto IV doesn’t just raise the bar for the storied franchise; it completely changes the landscape of gaming,” said Game Informer.
Metacritic, which provides a weighted average score for games based on a wide range of reviews, has rated the PlayStation 3 version of the game as a perfect 100 and the Xbox 360 version as a 99.
The industry average for video games is around 68, with Nintendo games scoring highest at an average of 75, Sony following on 74, then Take-Two on 73 and Electronic Arts on 72.
Metacritic is widely quoted by the industry and the Mature-rated Grand Theft Auto franchise’s excellence has to be one big reason why EA has bid $2bn for Take-Two.
At its analyst day in February, John Riccitiello, EA chief executive, expressed his disappointment that EA’s Metacritic average had dropped 5 points in five years from 77 to 72.
He set a target for its fiscal 2011 year of reaching an average Metacritic score of 80.
EA is this year building better games than it has ever done, he believes, but just imagine the boost to those averages the addition of Rockstar would give.
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YOUTHSPROUTS
Today and Tomorrow is Ours
Friday, May 02, 2008
GTA IV gets masterpiece as well as Mature rating . youth speacial from youthsprouts
Saturday, April 19, 2008
Bollywood steals cricket Premier show
In the end, Bollywood and a spectacular opening ceremony won over cricket in the opening match of the world's first private million-dollar cricket competition.
The cricket in the Indian Premier League opener on a balmy summer evening at the Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bangalore on Friday night was one-sided - the Calcutta team whipped the hosts Bangalore by an embarrassing 140 runs.
There were star players aplenty on the field - two stellar Indian captains, Rahul Dravid and Saurav Ganguly, Australia's Ricky Ponting, India's new fast bowling sensation Ishant Sharma, South African star Jacques Kallis, and Indian pace bowler Zaheer Khan.
But the presence of Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan, also the owner of the Calcutta team, overshadowed the cricket.
King Khan
Fans gaped at their superhero as he blew kisses, cheered and danced precariously on the ledge of an upper tier stand.
 There were a few serious cricket fans in the packed stadium |
Men and women, young and old, whipped out their mobile phones to take fuzzy pictures of Khan as he opened champagne to celebrate his team's win.
When local spectators were asked by a television reporter who was the hero of the opening match, they screamed "Shah Rukh Khan".
As this worship of King Khan, as he his known by his legions of fans, continued, 26-year-old New Zealander Brendon McCullum decimated the opposition's bowling.
He scored 158 of Calcutta's 222 runs and single-handedly took the match away from Bangalore, owned by airline and brewery baron Vijay Mallya.
The game did not match the dazzling opening ceremony.
The 55,000-seater stadium was almost at capacity and was afire with cheerleaders from America and stilt-walkers from Holland.
A violinist performed in a blinding fog of laser and light show, in what looked like a cross between a corny musical and a Pink Floyd concert.
Websites gamble on their future
The sheer number of competitors selling any and every product or service means shop sites can struggle to make themselves stand out in the crowd.
In a bid to keep up with the pace an increasing number of websites are turning to insights that have emerged from studies of how to gamble on fruit machines.
Running an online store and gambling on a one-armed bandit may seem to have little in common - beyond the near certainty that you are going to lose money - but there is an affinity that might not at first be apparent.
Research into the so called "bandit problem" has produced techniques that ensure theoretical gamblers get the best possible return.
These techniques funnel most cash into the machine giving the current best payout. But they hedge this bet by pumping some coins into other machines to see if they produce a higher return.
Saturday, April 12, 2008
GE FORCE 9800GX2 ZOTAC
www.youthsprouts.blogspot.com
The respective SLI setups were tested with the same benchmarks that we have used so far so as to give us a fair indication of how much the cards scale and also how they fair as compared to the 9800GX2. Also, we couldn't just change all our benchmarks as we needed to compare the results to the cards that we've tested previously as well. We might be able to squeeze in a few newer benchmarks from the next graphics card article and gradually shift completely to the newer set.
What to Expect??
power gamming and more on Wii 20 players can play at a time
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Also included will be co-op modes like Cops 'n Robbers and Hangman's Noose, where teamwork is essential. You can pick a custom or quick game, and then tweak options to alter each game significantly - change weapon types (all handguns for instance or only snipers), add or subtract police, traffic, pedestrians, or blips (i.e., enemy location).
In team Deathmatch, you can set up an equally balanced 8-on-8 battle or a 2-on-14 fight. GTA Race is just the same as previous GTA single-player campaigns, the only difference is that now up to 16 people can play in a no-holds barred lap race to the finish. Although unlike past GTA games, now cars are destructible, and drivers can arm themselves with pistols, machine guns, rifles, and more. Drive anything you like or just walk across the race line, it's allowed! GT mode, on the other hand, is a straight weaponless race.
Reports say that there is a lot of variety in gameplay types with hundreds of custom options including character creation, and the organic integration of full world online maps including vehicles such as cars, boats, and helicopters.
The Multiplayer-capable GTA IV does sounds like fun. We are eagerly waiting for the game, and when it's time, we will provide you with our very own detailed GTA IV review.
Gran Turismo 5: Prologue
There are games and there are experiences; there are good-looking games and there is Gran Turismo. This is a legendary franchise, a game that satisfies critics and gamers alike, a game that sells millions of copies without guns, gore, or strippers. Developers could learn a thing or two from Polyphony Digital, as the GT games have consistently improved game after game. Gran Turismo isn't enjoyed by everyone; it's a simulation, aptly called the Real Driving Simulator -- and with good reason. GT4 was a major hit and sold millions of copies worldwide; fans of the series are eagerly awaiting GT5. The full game is still a year away, but we can get a glimpse of the real deal by spending some quality time with GT5 Prologue. This isn't a mere demo, but not a full game either.
Monday, March 31, 2008
MICROSOFT TOCHY TABLE, COOL AND REALLY FRIENDLY
www.youthsprouts.blogspot.com
Microsoft has just unveiled a new technology called Microsoft Surface. A Surface computer is able to recognize physical objects from a paintbrush to a cell phone and allows hands-on, direct control of content such as photos, music and maps. Surface turns an ordinary tabletop into a dynamic surface that provides interaction with all forms of digital content through natural gestures, touch and physical objects. But don’t let me spoil all the fun, there is a great Popular Mechanics video embedded below. Have a look, i think you’ll like it. As well as a couple of great promotional videos on Microsoft Surface website.
Thursday, March 27, 2008
google games, thats why no one can beet it.
Here is a list of Google-related games. If you know more, please add them in the comments!
- Google Image Quiz Guess what was being searched for by looking at Google Image result
- Tripods A multiplayer Google Maps Game
- 55 Ways to Have Fun With Google My book contains different Google games and more
- Guess the Place You will be presented Google Maps spots and need to guess the location’s name
- Battleship Google Earth Google Earth as platform for mobile gaming
- Google Earth Game “The earth’s biggest game”
- Montage-a-Google About the same as the Google Image Quiz
- Goggles Fly over Google Maps satellite images (and shoot the scenery)
- The eBay Ad Search Game aka EBads Get points for finding funny Google ads
- The Google Face Game Just goofy faces via Google Images
- Google Adventure Play a text adventure taking place inside the Googleplex
- Google Wildcard Search Game Enter a phrase with a wildcard, and the missing word is shown
- What’s Searched for More? A Google Trends game
- Googlewhack Find a two-words search query with exactly 1 result
- The Google Snake Game A group game with Google results
- Capture the Map A strategy game
- Google Blackjack Game Guess whose page count is higher
- Google Caricatures Shows caricatures of celebrities via Google Images
- Google Rotated View Google... rotated (needs Internet Explorer)
- Theorybot Shows a randomt theory with a little help from the Google API
- Egobot Chat with the web
- What am I searching? Guess what was being searched for just by looking at a Google result page
- Gwigle Like above game
- The Google Maps Risk Game This one got Cease & Desisted by Hasbro, so it’s offline now
- Egogoogling game Enter your name followed by the word “is”, and put the search into quotes. Now look at the result snippets...
- Find Skull Island A game for the King Kong movie utilizing Google’s maps
- Google Earthing Locate the image on Google Earth
- Brewster Jennings Protects America A “Where in the world is Carmen Sandiego” spin-off on Google maps
- Needle in a Haystack, Pick a Number, and In Other Words Three different games proposed by Scott Kim
- Google Personalized Homepage Games Games you can play on the Google homepage
- Google Fight Pitch two search terms against each other
- Google Battle Similar to above
- Guess the Google Also like above
- Endgame Play world war on Google Maps
- The Gmail Memory Chain Game Tests the memory of players
Review 'to change games ratings'
The review was led by psychologist Dr Tanya Byron, who was tasked with making children safer in the digital world.
Games currently receive a mandatory review by classifiers only if they contain "human sexual activity" or "gross violence".
Dr Byron is also expected to call for a UK body to oversee child net safety.
The review was launched last year at the request of Prime Minister Gordon Brown.
At the start of the review, Dr Byron told BBC News: "The study will be about what industry is doing already to protect children and what more could be done to ensure they have a positive experience on the internet and with games."
The review's publication follows a report by the Insitute for Public Policy Research (IPPR) which says many young people are effectively being "raised online", spending in excess of 20 hours a week using sites such as Bebo, Myspace, Facebook and YouTube.
The IPPR has called on the government to do more to protect young people from inappropriate content.
The think tank has called for an annual report produced by regulator Ofcom on the effectiveness of initiatives aimed at tackling harmful internet content.
The IPPR also wants Ofcom to police cross-industry guidelines setting out the limits of what young people can expect when on social networks and how to behave online.
More than half of all children surveyed by the IPPR reported they had come into contact with online pornography.
Dr Byron's report is expected to recommend cross-industry codes of practice which are independently monitored, on areas such as user generated content.
The review is also expected to recommend the creation of a website for parents where they can find out more information about online safety.
__Tuesday, March 25, 2008
HOW GAMES STARTED IN MOBILE PHONE?
www.youthsprouts.blogspot.com
The mobile games industry has long been the poor relation of the PC and console markets, but a combination of new technology, services and investment is fuelling optimism that mainstream adoption is not too far off. 
Ask anyone to name a mobile phone game and the most common response will be Snake or Tetris.
And while the classic Russian puzzler is the world's most played and downloaded mobile game it is not an accurate reflection of the industry.
At the Game Developers Conference in San Francisco this week the leaders in the mobile game industry have been preaching optimism about the future.
"This is still an infant industry, but it is growing quickly and expanding fast," said Rob Tercek, chairman of GDC Mobile.
"We are looking at an industry that is a $5bn (£2.5bn) industry overall, not bad for one that didn't exist 10 years ago," he said.
Touch technology
But for developers and publishers the mobile games industry is unpredictable.
"Some companies are very profitable, many others are not," said Mr Tercek.
Post YOUR COMMENTS
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Friday, March 21, 2008
Adobe Flash on Phones Started in Japan Five Years Ago: It's All About Rich APP's and Cool U.I.'s
There's been quite a lot of buzz over the last day over the licensing of Adobe's Flash Lite 3 to competitor Microsoft for use in mobile handsets running the new Silverlight multimedia platform.
While the Adobe software enables viewing of Flash video players on phones, the immediate value of Flash Lite to Silverlight is its rich application environment for games and customized user interfaces. This rich, interactive environment is the promise of the new Microsoft platform.
To explore what the Adobe platform brings to the mobile world and how it has grown, I interviewed Brian Frank, a member of the Adobe mobile team in San Francisco earlier this month.
Brian explains how Flash became ubiquitous on mobile phones in Japan starting five years ago, far before there was any online video on phones.
__Wednesday, March 19, 2008
The secret of two hidden messages in Google 2008 Logo. DON'T YOU WORRY ITS ALL A MYTH
The secrete messages in Google's 2008 logo revealed. Google put silently two hidden messages in its 2008 logo. Google is celebrating 25 years of TCP/IP and the New Year.
Following are the two messages, with its meaning.
1) In this message Google is showing a cable making 2008.
2) The second message shows "SYN SYN/ACK ACK" on the bottom of the logo in little colored dots (see carefully).
What is syn syn ack ack?
The syn syn ack ack is referred as a "Three Way Handshake."
To establish a connection, TCP uses a three-way handshake. Before a client attempts to connect with a server, the server must first bind to a port to open it up for connections: this is called a passive open. Once the passive open is established, a client may initiate an active open. To establish a connection, the three-way (or 3-step) handshake occurs: Wikipedia
The "SYN" flags are requests by the TCP stack at one end of a socket to synchronize themselves to the sequence numbering for this new sessions. The ACK flags acknowlege earlier packets in this session. Obviously only the initial packet has no ACK flag, since there are no previous packets to acknowlege. Only the second packet (the first response from a server to a client) has both the SYN and the ACK bits set. linuxgazette.
__In the neverending journey for sockets to shake hands, there has always been the cordial behind the scenes introduction. To imagine life without SYN/ACK would be akin to imagining life without the Internet. And that's quite scary
Cool paper animation--real free animation
Cool paper animation. As in analog paper animation, dead tree edition. No Photoshopping. The artist, Javan Ivey, considers computers "dirty cheaters" in this context (and demonstrates an example of "faked" paper cut animation).
My Paper Mind [Thanks, Patti!]
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Tuesday, March 18, 2008
Planetarium's 'real-time' show
Voyage into space to view Earth's weather patterns
The Intech science centre near Winchester receives data from Nasa, other space agencies and weather bureaux to produce current images of space and Earth.
Engineers are still designing shows that make best use of the hi-tech centre, with an interstellar presentation being the first display planned for the planetarium's launch.
Critic's view of the interplanetary spectacle
Six projectors positioned to the nearest millimetre are focused on a 16.5 metre diameter dome.
Presenters of shows can alter images instantly at the touch of a button.
The technology to change such complex displays within seconds has only been possible in recent years.
It will allow each show to be tailored to the age and interests of each audience.
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Saturday, March 15, 2008
Manhunt 2 wins battle for release from BBC word
y Darren Waters
Technology editor, BBC News website
 
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A clip from the controversial video game The Video Appeals Committee upheld an earlier decision that the game could be sold, following a nine-month battle between makers Rockstar and UK censors.
The British Board of Film Classification had taken the fight to ban the game to the High Court, saying the game "went too far".
An edited version of the title will be released with an 18 certificate.
The game was first banned in June 2007 and an edited version of the game was later rejected by the BBFC.
David Cooke, director of the BBFC said: "As I have said previously, we never take rejection decisions lightly, and they always involve a complex balance of considerations.
"We twice rejected Manhunt 2, and then pursued a judicial review challenge, because we considered, after exceptionally thorough examination, that it posed a real potential harm risk.
"However, the Video Appeals Committee has again exercised its independent scrutiny. It is now clear, in the light of this decision, and our legal advice, that we have no alternative but to issue an 18 certificate to the game."
Developers Rockstar Games has always maintained that the content of Manhunt 2 is no different from other 18-rated entertainment products, such as the film series Saw.
In a statement, the company said: "We are pleased that the VAC has reaffirmed its decision recognizing that Manhunt 2 is well within the bounds established by other 18+ rated entertainment.
"Rockstar Games is committed to making great interactive entertainment, while also marketing our products responsibly and supporting an effective rating system."
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