Looks like I was wrong about Transformers in 3-D. The Botcon website has just revealed the first figure in the 2011 Exclusive Box set. It will be a repainted Animated Jazz as Stunticon Dead End. The theme of the set looks like it will be all five Stunticons in Animated form. Derrick Wyatt, the lead designer on Transformers Animated has assisted greatly with art and design for the site.

  

After Starcraft, Total Annihilation is perhaps one of the greatest old-school RTS games ever. Although there isn’t much of a plot (something about two armies fighting over weather or not to transfer human consciousness to machines), the strategy options that the game gave players were unprecedented compared to other RTS games around that time. The game is considered a spiritual predecessor to Gas Powered Game’s Supreme Commander (lead designer Chris Taylor developed both games). There is no resource gathering, as the two resources you need (metal and energy) stream into your reserves at a fixed rate, and battles can consist of over 1000 units on the field, which was unheard of at it’s time. The game also featured a rudimentary physics system for explosions, projectiles, and wreckage. Various patches and utilities have been constructed by both developer Cavedog and the fan community, adding new units, races, maps, and other features.

If you’re a fan of the genre, you owe it to yourself to check out this lost classic. The game, along with its two expansions Core Contingency and Battle Tactics are both available on GOG.com.

Late last night (or right in the middle of the day in Tokyo), Sony announced the next generation PSP. Yes, it has two thumbsticks, you can stop crying now.

What you can’t see immediately: The display is 960 x 544 pixels (thats 16×9 widescreen) with OLED lighting (great for outside or natural light), and capacitive multi-touch screen. Oh, theres also atouch pad BEHIND the screen too. Six-axis tilt sensors like the PS3 controller. Built in Wifi, Built in GPS, and built in 3G support: You’ll be able to download games anywhere. Front and rear facing cameras round out the cool features, though the power of the processor is said to rival current home consoles.

Games will be available on the Playstation store as well as on flash cards (like the DS). UMD is officially dead, but you’ll still be able to buy games in a brick and mortar store if you want.

Speaking of games: Uncharted, Killzone, WipEout, Resistance, Lost Planet, Metal Gear, Yakuza, and Call of Duty were all mentioned as in development. Nothing is official, and we’ll post video as soon as we have it (blurry shaky cams are all over youtube, but no quality video from Sony yet)

Read on for a gallery of photos of the device, and see official specs. Leave us a comment! What do you think? Obviously this blows the previous PSP out of the water, but will it compete with 3DS if the price is right?
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