If you got a fairly high-end PC, head over to http://www.theprodukkt.com/ and download this slick game, which was featured in last month’s Game Informer. Even though it’s only a beta of episode 1, the graphical quality is pretty good and can hold it’s own against most PC first person shooter games. The game is a bit rough around the edges when it comes to frame rate, weapons, and enemies, but it is only a beta, and hopefully the functionality will be improved in the final version. The main draw about this download is it’s size, which is only 96k! This is done by using procedural generation methods in order to process the textures and shapes. The textures are stored by creation history rather than a pixel by pixel basis. (Other PC FPS games take up so much space because of their graphical engines and textures.) You can read more about it at it’s wikipedia entry. Technological terms aside, that’s one heck of an accomplishment. It’s small enough to fit on your floppy disk and then some! The game is only one level, but if this is what the beta looks like, then I can’t wait to see the finished version. This may not be Unreal Engine 3, but it’s nice looking!

System Requirements:
Operating System: Windows
Processor: 1.5GHz pentium 3 / athlon or faster.
System Memory: 512MB Ram
Graphics: GeForce4Ti / ATI Radeon8500 (equivalent or higher) with at least 128 MB or VRAM with pixel shader 1.3 support.
Direct X 9.0b
Storage: 96k RAM
Sound: Direct Sound Compatible hardware

There may be some bugs. Read the FAQ on the site for more information. Also, your anti-virus software may detect the game as a virus or Trojan, ignore any warnings that may pop up when the game downloads.

A few notes about the technology and it’s developers
.theprodukkt is an ongoing project created by a group of German developers. It’s goal is to create a system that contains all the functions (scene management, textures, shading, etc) that developers use to create 3d computer graphics, integrate aspects that are needed for game development (i.e. AI, Interaction, and music), and is highly productive for experienced artists and programmers. .werkkzeug3, the creation tool which was used for .kkrieger, is available as a free or commercial download from their site. The game won first place at the Breakpoint 96k game competition in April 2004.

No sooner do we find that Batman Gets A New Suit For Dark Knight, but now we find he’s got new wheels!

Called “The Batpod” its in the same spirit as The Tumbler from Batman Begins. Its a specially design motorcycle equiped with twin machine guns, cannons, and grappling hooks. And like the 2005 Batmobile, its fully functional and rides at high speeds and will be filmed without the use of visual effects to distort the functionality of the vehicle, with 508 millimeter wheels and and two engines.

It doesn’t take a lot of imagination to think up what kind of chase scene this will play a part in, but I’m eager to see it all the same.

To see a video of Al Roker talking about it, click here.

From The LATimes

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Scanned right out of the new Entertainment Weekly, this is Christian Bale’s new cape & cowl for The Dark Knight.

Thanks to Logan for passing along this link!

Newsweek’s N’Gai Croal dropped a bomb this week, that the next gen sequel to Katamari Damacy would be exclusive to Xbox 360. Gamespot ups the ante a bit more, announcing that it will hit Xbox Live Arcade. Namco announced nothing.

One look at the above video, and a download title makes sense. Katamari was never a graphically intensive game, since so much stuff had to be on screen at once, detail remainded low. A Xbox 360, PS3, or even Wii release would be more detailed. The first footage clearly looks no better than the PS2 is capable of, meaning the game is likely limited by size for a download. There will be 4 Player online multiplayer and new levels, which all anyone wanted anyway.

And to think only 6 short months ago, Xbox Live’s Ross Erickson called the rumor of Katamari on XBLA “total crap“

Last year, Joss Whedon’s follow-up to brilliant-but-cancelled Firefly was given a special global re-release to support the charity Equality Now. They raised over $65,000, and they had such a good time, they’re doing it again.

Starting June 23rd, 50 cities will hold special screenings of Serenity with the aim of raising $100,000! Tickets are already on sale, and a screening last night in Dublin has already pulled in over $4300. Check here for cities and to buy tickets.

Dirty secret: Though I’m a fan of Firefly, I’ve never seen this movie. But its playing this Saturday and for a good cause, so I have to go!

Full Press Release follows [Read the rest of this entry…]

June 16th is Captain Picard Day. Be sure to remember the great Jean-Luc Picard on this very important day.

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In keeping with the apparent Wii theme of the day, we have for you a short film that just went up yesterday which answers the question, “What will you do when the (Nintendo) revolution comes?”

It’s pretty much great:

(see if you can spot the Adult Swim reference!)

This week’s 1up Show has probably one of the best clips I’ve ever seen them do. This DJ turned a set of Wii remotes into scratching tools for his sets. Absolutely awesome.