It’s safe to assume that at least 90% of you Geekadelphians are gamers of some level. It could also be safe to assume that a good majority of you have a special someone in your life whether it be a girlfriend, boyfriend or spousal unit. This week’s edition of Coffee Talk is dedicated to you, gamer’s guys and gals.

While perusing the web’s myriad gaming blogs I stumbled across this little gem in the Blogspot network.  It’s author, known as The Gamer’s Girl, provides advice,  anecdotes and amusement surrounding the life of being in love with a gamer. Take a gander and come back for this week’s discussion (and story time by yours truly). (more…)

A Sony patent was recently discovered by Siliconera which features the company’s plans to introduce emotion tracking software to the PS3. The software is designed to pick up on players’ laughter and other visible emotions through use of a microphone and camera (most likely the Playstation Eye). The application can interpret a wide array of emotion by reading body gestures and even group interaction (think multiplayer games).

Let’s go a few months back to this years E3 where Nintendo offhandedly announced the Wii Vitality Sensor, which is a sensor that attaches to the player’s index finger and interprets pulse. What this means for the future of Nintendo’s games is as uncertain as what Sony’s ideas allude to, but we can always speculate!

So, our question for you, loyal readers, today is what do Nintendo and Sony’s ideas mean for our future gaming pleasure? My personal guess is they will be used to moderate elements of our games such as difficulty. For example, if your pulse rises or an angry expression grows  on your face after dying to the same boss for the 100th time (like this one), the application could tune down the difficulty briefly so this doesn’t happen. What applications for this technology can you guys come up with? As always, sound off in the comments section.

(Via Joystiq)

Director Juan Carlos Pineiro Escoriaza has finally released his long awaitied documentary Second Skin, which depicts the lives (virtual and real) of several World of Warcraft and Everquest players. Luckily, this relatively new director has decided to release the film both in select theaters and online through services like Hulu this past Friday. God, we love the internet.

As you may know, Tim and I do spend a good amount of our free time in the World of Warcraft along with the other 12 million players across the globe. Being an avid MMO player (and a fan of nerdy documentaries), I’m interested in what you, constant readers, think about online worlds.

So, do us a solid and take the time to watch Second Skin. While the film is well edited and does a great job exposing the minds of MMO players, it also includes some pretty impressive machinima. After watching this lovely documentary, let us know what you think. If you play an MMO already, how does it make you feel about your gaming habits? If not, does Escoriaza’s work attract you to online worlds or freak you out push you away? Shout out in the comments section!

(Via Big Download)

My fondest memories of my gaming youth weren’t of beating Sonic the Hedgehog 2 with all seven Chaos Emeralds single handed, but with my friends. Some argue that video games are better when you can enjoy them with friends or family and Edward Stern of Brink developer Splash Damage seems to agree. Recently in an interview with Gamasutra, Stern asks an important (albeit whiny) question: “Why are multiplayer gamers a second class citizen?”

Stern elaborates that the idea of a completely solitary game experience (with a dash of multiplayer for good measure) is dated and the future for games is in social integration, which I can totally agree with (why do you think I play so much World of Warcraft?), but what if some gamers want the option to turn themselves off to the world? For many, that could be the reason they play video games in the first place. Well, this leads us to today’s questions.

Firstly, do you agree with Stern’s question? For developers and gamers alike, does multiplayer truly take a back seat to the single player experience? How do you like your multiplayer features tied in with your games (i.e. either options or integration)? Do you have an idea for the ultimate multiplayer experience? Let this beautifully geeky city know your brilliant ideas in the comments section!

(Image Via Xbox.com)

The Entertainment Software Rating Board (ESRB) recently released its rating summary for Bioware’s upcoming RPG Dragon Age: Origins and we’ll just say it’s… somewhat jarring. According to the ESRB, the title will not only include the expected relationship meta-game that Mass Effect featured, but a brothel in which players can shack up with men, women, transsexuals, and even (brace yourselves) animals. It should go without saying that the title received an M rating.

Now, Bioware has toned down its sex scenes since the troubles of 2008, but something akin to a brothel mini-game deserves some discussion. Now don’t get me wrong, I have no issue with some lovin’ in video games, but it should at least enhance the tone of the storyline whether it be comedic, dramatic or anything in between. The sex scenes that were the result of the relationship meta-game in Mass Effect, while optional, tastefully enhanced the dramatic nature of the title’s plot by bringing its characters together romantically. We’ll have a bit more discussion and some questions for you, loyal readers, after the break.

(more…)

Again, Geekadelphians, I apologize for yet another missing ‘Coffee Talk’ last week, but I’m finally back on American soil and everything is back on schedule. So, please do continue checking every Monday morning for the column and throughout each week for the rest of the beloved Geekadelphia team. On to this morning’s topic!

Researchers at University College of California, San Diego created an Einstein robot that could perform programmed facial expressions a little while ago, but recently have taught it something that will blow your mind. Alright, that’s a bit much, but it is pretty scary awesome. The Einstein bot can now learn facial expressions through a technique the UC San Diego researchers have coined “body babble”. More on how it works and a few questions for you after the break. (more…)

This is exactly what we would like to discuss this fine Monday morning: quality video game music. I know, the topic is a bit light, but with everyone’s E3 anxieties coming to a boiling point it’s time our brains had a break.

Personally, my favorite collection of video game tracks is the Chrono Trigger soundtrack and its many covers, remixes and genre treatments.  You may call it bias, but I call it dedication. A few other favorites include djpretzel’s (along with several others’) work over at OC Remix and Nobuo Uematsu’s The Black Mages.

So, I pose this question to you, loyal readers: What is your favorite video game music? It could be a particular track from a game (ahem, see above), a video game music cover band or maybe a particular composer/DJ. Let us know what your favorite tunes are in the coment box!

To refer to Uwe Boll as “infamous” would be an understatement, as the ambitious (albeit delusional) director has outdone himself this time. Replay Studios and Boll have joined forces and created 1968 Tunnel Rats, the video game adaptation of the 2008 film, which just released last Friday on Steam. The title follows a a young soldier during the Vietnam War through the intricate tunnel systems of the Vietcong (pro tip: demo it first).

So what does this mean aside from the creation of entertainment media’s Frankenstein monster? Well, it means the relationship between games and film is doomed to destruction only becoming more solidified. Most joking aside, more discussion after the break. (more…)

Terribly sorry for the tardiness, guys and gals. Now, on with this week’s topic. USA Today’s Game Hunters recently spoke with Tomohiro Nishikado, creator of the Space Invaders series, about the newly released Space Invaders Extreme for Xbox Live Arcade, what inspired his original creation and (most importantly) the current state of video games.

Mr. Nishikado thinks, “the focus on unique concepts and gameplay has waned with the evolution of technology.” “It seems there is an increase of replicated gameplay formats and concepts, and people are growing tired of playing the same thing,” Nishikado elaborates. Let’s finish our discussion after the break.

(more…)

We’re sure many of you know, the internet is surging with rumors that both Sony and Microsoft may be developing new motion controllers and peripherals, respectively. A recent Sony patent, which looks a bit too similar to the Wii’s setup, aims to capitalize improve on Nintendo’s already popular control scheme as well as the upcoming Wii MotionPlus. Microsoft, on the other hand, apparently wants to change the way games are played on the Xbox 360 altogether with full body and sound recognition.

Now, this type of thing happens all the time. Someone invents a product that innovates an industry and, soon enough, products that improve upon the original are developed and released by competitors. Nintendo knows this pattern all too well. With that said, are the other combatants of the console wars simply adapting to a common enemy or is the industry truly on to something here? Think about this as you take a quick glance into our possible future after the break.

(more…)

The results of March’s NPD reports for a few key Nintendo titles are paltry at best, despite well enough reviews across the board. The key titles in question include MadWorld and The House of the Dead: Overkill for the Nintendo Wii as well as Grand Theft Auto: Chinatown Wars for the Nintendo DS.

For example, GTA: Chinatown Wars, a title which received universal acclaim from critics, sold only 89,000 copies. Granted, Rockstar’s debut on the DS released more than halfway into the month (March 17), but a title to receive such high-scoring reviews, only to sell less than 100,000 copies, raises questions of the state of games tailored to the bloodthirsty mature, hardcore audience of Nintendo’s consoles.

What does this all mean for you Geekadelphians who actually want some more bloodshed in Nintendo’s two best selling systems of this decade? Find out after the break. (more…)