Head shots and artwork.

Anxiety object cult game and community projects: "Counter-Strike" is probably the most controversial games of all time - and also one of the most popular. Until today the games industry learns from the success of the hobby project that is now ten years old.

 

Between 19 and 27 June 1999 was a piece of software released to the world that until now the attention of millions of people bind: "Counter-Strike." At the beginning there are six maps, nine weapons and a mission - to free hostages. Today the former hobby project of two students on cultural cipher has become the object of fear politicians and educators, the football of the E-Sport - and the inspiration for plans and hopes of the games industry, its clients work for it.

"It grew by itself," said Counter-Strike "creator Le Minh the success of the first true web-2.0-game in a
Interview with the developer site Gamasutra. The two inventors had actually broken any rules at the time of successful computer games seemed to apply.

The story of "Counter-Strike" is also the story of a new
Generation of media consumers. Jess Cliff of Americans and the Vietnam-Minh Le Canadians get to know over the Internet. Together, the computer science students "Counter-Strike" - actually a reconstruction, a so-called mod, the ego-shooter Half-Life. " Soon after conducting the two already have a whole team that is always new versions developed.

2.0 Gaming, Community, Mulitplayer - all in 1999

The "Counter-Strike-maker is an example of a vanguard in the network not just consume, but organized and produced. "Counter-Strike", one could also say, is for computer games, what Wikipedia for encyclopedia and Linux operating systems is a large, successful community project. Until today, players develop new "Maps", playing the 'Counter-Strike community is alive after ten years than ever before. For a computer game, this incredibly life, certainly for one, it's not from professionals has been developed. Today, many are trying
this effect to make use - including titles such as Sony
"Little Big Planet" or Will Wright
"Spore" is the creativity of the player to tap.

Cliff Le Minh and modified a given computer game, not only in appearance, but fundamental: "Half-Life" sent the players alone in an underground high-tech laboratory in the fight against alien monsters. The modification leaves but teams of "policemen" and "terrorists" against each other. The host of players are using network cable or Internet connection. "Counter-Strike" is still one of the most popular multiplayer games of all time - and in turn model for all that, bringing industry giants like Sony, Microsoft and Electronic Arts are trying to player consoles and PC tie.

70 euros per month for Internet Flatrate

Modifications were disseminated in 1999 - new to Counter-Strike "was that the players not only against each other, but play each other. Also the "Co-op Gaming," Industry is now mainstream. And team-Shooter have been established as a separate genre. " 'Counter-Strike' was the first working team game," says "Counter-Strike" veteran David Hiltscher. He now works for ESL league games in Cologne, and knows the shooter since nine years. Cost him his hobby was 70 euros a month - so much he paid for telephone connection with Internet flatrate.

Multiplayer over the network, which was an expensive fun. The first users were thus from the IT professionals or are children of bourgeois parents. Nevertheless, play together brings people together, "we played with bankers and students together, and sometimes took us to the barbecue," explains David Hiltscher overcoming layer and age barriers.

The "Half-Life Valve manufacturer offering in 2000, a retail version of the modification" Counter-Strike "and land so that every year in the Top Ten. The creators of Minh Le and Jess Cliffe is Valve On. There are always new versions, the game finds the path to the disks of student PC.

"Counter-Strike" is code word and the fight

Also on the stone houses of Robert, on 26 April 2002 in his former school in Erfurt 16 people and then shot himself. At least since then is "Counter-Strike", a code has become a battle cry.

It is considered the prototypical violent game, before the politicians and educators warn. Although the investigation commission, the mass murder should be aware, though is that Robert Stone Houses "killing routines games" pursued,
but also makes clear that "Robert stone houses are not the nights by" Counter-Strike "has played, and" Counter-Strike "is not a long-running house by Robert Stein has been." For critics, the game does not matter: The fact that virtual head hits in "Counter-Strike" as a special ability card apply them enough to make it as "Killerspiel" to blame.

The popularity of the classic does not detract. To Counter-Strike "around is a huge subculture emerged on YouTube alone there are over 120,000 videos on the topic. Some fans even modify the modification, you can instead masked policemen and special forces
The Simpsons compete.

Others bring the art phenomenon
Street Art comes into play: In their version of grace subversive graffiti artist Banksy as the walls of the battle arenas: "This map is soon hot Nike map." That the alleged scene of potential killers perfectly on self-irony has shown again and again: whether in comics, like those
that of the "Counter-Strike" Bender cartoonists, now also produces animated films, or in the numerous real films, in which the player
absurd pages of "Counter-Strike" satirize: The jerky movements of the characters in the game, always the same Türquietsch noises from scratch respawning enemies. To Counter-Strike "humor can laugh at you, no surprise, even his players. Gamer jokes are inside jokes.

"Counter-Strike movie with hundreds of thousands of spectators

Other caricature prejudices. As Daniel Roth and Alexander Schenk, and its film
"A Gamer's Day" exaggerates the clichés: A boy wakes up in the midst of chip debris and flees into the world of the game. Hunger feelings slakes it with the exclusive food pizza, friends and parents can not hold on escapism, sometime mixed reality game world and he brings suit in the fight with gun and Tarnbewegungen waste to dustbin.

"The costume, we can tailor," recalls Alexander Roth. The high school student and his friend Daniel Schenk invested $ 1000 and from 2003 to 2005 two years of their leisure time in the strip. At 323 pages later, she documented the resonance of their work: Instead of the expected ten thousand of spectators, they reached hundreds of thousands. Their analysis also shows the generation of the media "Counter-Strike: Only three reports of print media about the film, and Giga, the only television station for computer. His audience will find "A Gamer's Day" on the Internet.

Like other youth cultures also creates the "Counter-Strike community their own rooms. Their subculture is differentiated from it, makes their characters and codes for unity and distinction to the outside. Punks gathered in a park, developed in small fanzines printed edition - the generation of "Counter-Strike" is completely on the Internet, their community is a digitally networked.

Computer games is now a sport has become, "Counter-Strike" with its
Hundreds of thousands of football fans is the E-Sports
World Championships five different sponsors and prize money.

And the Creator? They have retired, Minh Le does not respond to inquiries, just like Jess Cliffe. Auszuschlachten your glory, as the two apparently never quite considered.

To say it with a
"Counter-Strike" artists to say: "We can entertain ourselves, walking around, a bit of street art, and photograph them. We can even follow the rules and try to each other equally. But damn it all, it makes it more fun to break. "

Hot bees and diabolical surfers.

Just in time for the beginning of summer, besides dramas also taken fresh teen comedies and turbulent Filmbeileger popcorn entertainment as on the title sheets of the public press. ONLINE blogs helps you spoiled for choice.

 

Computer Bild

"Bandidas", F / MEX / USA 2006. Director: Joachim Rönninge, Espen Sandberg. Cast: Penélope Cruz, Salma Hayek. Format: 2,35:1 (16:9). FSK: 12 years. Issue price: 3,70 euros.

When the light kratzbürstigen figures Penélope Cruz ( "Volver") and Salma Hayek ( "Frida"), together with a screenplay by Luc Besson ( "The Fifth Element") in front of the camera, nothing more should go wrong. Up to a few bad puns in prepubertal infantile atmosphere we see is also an unambitious, but quickly made all the adventures of two Rächerinnen disinherited before hübscher Western scenery, which is mainly at a male audience.

Core of the event is the battle of Sara (Salma Hayek) and their complicity Maria (Penélope Cruz) against a New York bank, whose unscrupulous business practices, the two fathers took. Their common goal, as many branches auszurauben to the evil Garaus the company to make, provides all sorts of entanglements with idiot detectives, cool professional bank robbers and nasty villains. The stars of two hours is largely painless popcorn entertainment - but not do anything else.

To 5 July in the trade

SFT

"Perfect Deal", USA 1998. Directed by: Georges Chamchoum. Cast: Michael Dudikoff, Lee Majors. Format: 1,33:1 (4:3). FSK: 16 years. and "River Queen", GB / NZ 2005th Director: Vincent Ward. Cast: Samantha Morton, Kiefer Sutherland. Format: 1,85:1 (16:9). FSK: 16 years. Issue price: 4.50 euros.

Friends of the TV series "A Colt for all cases" can be happy, because her old star Lee Majors was 1998 in the thriller "Perfect Deal" on the entire feature length sympathetic warhorse mimes. In the role of the poker player Ben O'Conner, he along with two comrades from his military time a country club near an Indian Reservation.

But shortly after the inauguration party is anger at the door: His bartender D'Artagnan (Michael Dudikoff) verknallt is going to be in the chief subsidiary, while corrupt cops and mafia fiese the land of Indians to build a gigantic casino ergaunern want. Although the Lebanese director and producer George Chamchoum bravely tries, his second feature film with a bit of Indian folklore and veterans upgrade, so that he lands on the hard ground of the low-budget action, the only one of the fights alcohol pubs heroes blessed lives. Despite the good humor and good music to them at the end just shallow entertainment beer belly level left.

In "River Queen" is the Irish-immigrant New Zealand Sarah (Samantha Morton) at the end of the 19th Century by a young Maori pregnant, who died shortly afterwards. Against the opposition of her father brings them into the middle of the bloody turmoil of the New Zealand colonial wars of her son to the world, but already in childhood by his Maori grandfather, is kidnapped. As Sarah years later given the chance, to meet him again, she breaks down all the bridges and can be integrated into the unknown, from the indigenous-dominated hinterland lead.

Based on a true story and only after lengthy negotiations with the Maoristämmen at the Whanganui River in the west of New Zealand realized tugs the ambitious, multi-award winning drama with impressive images include a chapter of colonial history on the canvas, which is hardly known here. Like "The Navigator" (1987) and "Escape from the Ice" (1992) director Vincent Ward has also here a magical film created, one in Germany, despite its visual splendor on DVD, unfortunately, only got to see. With the "SFT" he also without subtitles, therefore, given a long, non-synchronized scenes in the Maori language a bit irritated. Nevertheless, Friends of dramatic cinema here safely accessed.

Published on 24 June in the trade

Super Illu

"Hans Roeckl and the Devil", GDR the 1974th Director: Hans Kratzert. Cast: Rolf Hoppe, Peter Aust. Format: 4:3. FSK: unlimited. Issue price: 2.99 euros.

This month shows us the "Super Illu" a fantastic fairy tale art. The creative puppeteer Hans Roeckl (Rolf Hoppe) receives is from the devil Flammfuß (Peter Aust) infinite imagination, however, needs all seven hours Useful created, otherwise he would eternally damned. When he was with his inventions is just the opposite of achieved what he intended, Roeckl need of something else that made him neither the devil drives in arms, nor the human damage.

The Ilse and Vilmos grain in 1968 to a children's fable about a manufactured rivalry between the devil and of man is Karl Marx himself had been invented, as his daughter, Eleanor wrote in her memoirs. In the seventies, evolved from the substance, then not only the special effects were great up in DEFA film, but also the most successful opera by the composer Joachim Werzlau, which until 1989 at a fixed program of the Berlin Staatsoper, and belonged to several stages after the GDR has been played. To the west is the eastern classics virtually unknown - all the more reason, a look at it.

From 2 to 8 July in the trade

TV Movie

"Nix wie raus aus Orange County, USA 2002. Director: Jake Kasdan. Cast: Colin Hanks, Jack Black. Format: 1,85:1 (16:9). FSK: 16 years. Issue price: 3.50 euros.

Just in time for the official beginning of summer is also the first summer movies angespült, here in the shape of the slightly oblique coming-out comedy about the Californian teenager Shaun (Colin Hanks). With the death of his buddies in a giant wave comes from the path of the Surfers dauergutgelaunten and opts for a highly symbolic book to find a career as a writer, in his opinion, only at the university in Stanford can begin. But surely the dream of lost study breaks, desperate attempt Shaun, the fate of a Snip Chen to beat.

Elegant meets Colin Hanks in the footsteps of his famous father Tom, but without the impressive number of game joyful Supporting Actor - especially Jack Black in the role of Feist, vollgedröhnten brother - would be the thing about not become. Probably for this reason, like Jake Kasdan second feature film after a failed start with "Zero Effect" anno 1998 now also the audience for a nice profit at the box office provided. As a successful alternative to the usual Teeniekomödienkram he avoids a moral message, despite all the raised fingers and ensures up to the beautiful conclusion of intelligent entertainment.

By 25 June in the trade

As the Prussian military role-playing ancestors invented.

200 years before the "Warcraft" was born in Prussia, the war game: the officers, barons and the king drew detailed maps than playing roller chances for success, and were deciding game. Without their hobby of war there would be no fantasy RPG.

 

Pride was the Prussian War Georg Leopold of rice joke already on his invention, a game table that lets you "memorable battle theater" in his room magic "could. Sun Rice praised his joke made of wood, paper and metal designed virtual reality 1812 in the instructions to. A war game he had designed to battles at home to be able to play. And rice joke incidentally even game developed mechanisms that are still in strategy games like "Warcraft" and online RPGs like World of Warcraft "was discovered.

The 200-year development of the Prussian war-chest of the game up to "World of Warcraft" is extremely shortened so: Only trained Prussian soldiers in war games commodes, then simplified the British author HG Wells ( "The Time Machine") 1911, the war-game concept to a tabletop game in the sixties developed some tabletop players the rules and regulations continue to roll in the characters devised by the fantasy worlds to roam. And as the computer quickly and cheaply enough, digitized a few fantasy fans the RPG mechanics.

The first simulated game world

The game elements, the Prussian war game anticipation, today at Pen & Paper RPGs and computer self-evident. For example, the possible importance of a detailed map as a playground. In Fantasy RPGs detailed maps are so important because it also makes the simulation of an imaginary game world. War Georg Leopold of rice joke wanted simulate battlefields.

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Before rice joke military use abstract, like chess playing. The War designed for 1812-King of Prussia Friedrich Wilhelm III. an analog simulator game worlds. Today, you can tactical war game apparatus, as he closed in
Schloss Charlottenburg, on the ground floor of the New Wing is confused with a commode.

The cover can be opened and rotate so that one in 15 times 18 square playing fields are given. In eleven drawers of the dresser are Holzbautsteine square from which you can assemble a playing field. There are mountains, hills, meadows, forests, villages, rivers, as historian Philip Hilgers (
PDF document) describes the battlefield simulator once could see from the inside.

New rice was a joke 'idea, to scan a landscape and thus to make playable. As the media scholar Claus Pias (
PDF document) in his analysis of the war game, said based on this modularization procedure "in the broadest sense, nor any modern strategy games." Rice drove to his wit extremely detailed maps work (pitch-scale 1:2373) of the desire to replicate reality.

RPG? THE MAIN CONCEPTS IN FEW WORDS

Click on the term to the statement to read

Pen & Paper RPG

Bereichnet with dice, paper, pen and regulations played RPGs. Describes a human game players the world in which their characters are. He embodies all the characters to which they meet, told the players, like the fantasy world reacts to their actions. A control system, several cubes and set numerical strengths, knowledge and skills of the characters give the game an objective basis and some random moment.

Tabletop

These so-called conflict simulations, the participants play with miniature armies on three-dimensional, lovingly reproduced battlegrounds for comprehensive regulatory battles? in historical settings, fantasy or science fiction worlds.

MUD

Abbreviation for Multi User Dungeon. A text adventure game in which several players at the same time from different computers from each other and move instead of just using the software can play. The first MUD played in a fantasy world with forests, secret passageways, monsters and magicians. In October 1978 began at the University of Essex Students Roy Trubshaw, the text-game program - and put, without knowing it, laid the foundation for an entire industry.

The same impulse can be in the 20th Century in many fantasy creators observed: The Linguist John Ronald Reuel Tolkien began around 1917 during a convalescent leave, in a note book a place called Middle-earth to sketch. He wanted to write not a novel, but history. He invented languages for his world, he drew family trees and maps sometime. "The Lord of the Rings" was just a by-product of this creation, in Tolkien feilte decades.

Playable made such fantasy worlds in the sixties, a few students who have an obvious idea implemented: they designed along the lines of the war game (in the 20th century as tabletops or conflict simulations known) rules, which force a player instead of a single figure in a fantasy world could.

War game Dungeon Master

With pen & paper RPGs like Dungeons & Dragons, it is since the sixties commonplace that a so-called Dungeon Master game as the interface to the game world - and told he determined what effects the actions of the players have. Since 1974 the game spread rapidly throughout the Western world: Because there was Dungeons & Dragons as a commercial parcel on the market.

The first Dungeon Master's history should probably Georg Leopold Baron of rice have been a joke: His war game was playing next to two parties (two to ten players in total) is also a third function: the so-called confidants. He calculated and evaluated as a "game instance and computing the impact of each round moves made," as Claus Pias rice joke 'rules together.

Rules for more realism

The rules under which rice wit 'game the game had to be calculated, are designed to be in the game world is a reality as credible as possible to simulate. Rice wit 'approach is reminiscent of today's RPGs.

Since the first test well in a role-play the concept of rules in the manner. In rice wit 'war game was a team in a generic commander several commanders command. But when a view on the game revealed that the river as a command to be interrupted and the communication was only to be restored, as historian Hilgers rice wit 'instruction quoted the players could not order exchange - it would have the situation of its characters denied.

Rice also requested joke that the members of a team with brief notes on cards to enable the opponent none of the internal arrangements mitbekamen (In-Character name role players such details today).

Rice joke worked very detailed rules for certain processes with reproducible results can be simulated. Some details of 1812 look a lot like today's role-playing elements such as movement concepts factor, hit points and armor class. How quickly some units can move, gave rice for every single joke in "Step per minute" - with special circles measure the distances the players on the pitch from. Other limitations:, an infantry unit is a round long step in the storm, it must be on the next train at least a slower pace moving.

Dice as a simulation tool

The son of war-game inventor Georg Leopold of rice wit the game system developed by his father more. The young lieutenant Georg Heinrich Rudolf systematized rice joke especially the use of dice. He presented after trials on the Berlin shooting range for average effect of weapons, that had in its new edition of the war game, but also that deviations from the reference value has to erwürfeln. To simulate the most similar to role-playing systems is still the chance. Auswürfeln had the players then and now everything imaginable - on rice wit junior, for example, as a sort Cavalry Regiment still has after it has a slope hinabgeritten.

The young Rice was a joke with his war game quite successfully - Friedrich Wilhelm III. played it well like the previous model, his son William I recommended it to him and pushed until it Prussian officers officially 185 years ago as a training tool has been recommended.

Has benefited the young rice joke of the popularity of his little game - it was in the army probably bullied, moved into the province. He shot in 1827 at the age of 33 years, his father died in the 1829th Survivors, they have an approach that imaginary worlds with rule books, dice, paper and playable characters to make. For the first time was in the 20th Century after the first world, creator of fantasy worlds were created.

At that time, to wit rice 'time, appeared very few people in game worlds. The King of Prussia, for example. The military reported Wochenblatt 1874 hindsight, Friedrich Wilhelm III. have worked with sons, officers and adjutants often played into the night, so that "otherwise go to the divergence of the high fixed family hour, 1 / 2 11 clock, far exceeded" (
Google Book) was. The fictional worlds developed such a wake, that the players the night to beat the ears.

And this is so remains.

RPG

We report in the series of roleplaying - the true virtual reality "in a loose series about the history of the RPG - what grade are you interested in? How was the "Black Eye"? What makes Steve Jackson today? What is PBM? We welcome your suggestions via e-mail.

World's largest video game manufacturer threatens to boycott Sony.

The head of the video game giants Activision threatens the long-standing console market leader Sony open. If Sony's latest console is not selling better soon, you will no more games for the device.

 

"I started to worry me for Sony to make," said Bobby Kotick, CEO of Activision, the London "Times". The Playstation 3, Sony's latest high-end console, "loses a little momentum," said Kotick continued, it will also independent manufacturers such as Activision difficult, "the platform to support:" It is expensive for the console develop, and Wii and Xbox (360) simply sell better. " It is therefore simply worth more games for the consoles from Sony's competitors to market.

Playstation 3: Game producer is pushing for price cuts

According to the "Times" is Sony's games division in the past year 597 million U.S. dollars loss retracted. Kotick said the newspaper, but Activision had to Sony 500 million U.S. dollars off, inter alia, to royalties, the manufacturers of console software is always on the manufacturers of the consoles have to pay.

Activision has since last summer's largest video game manufacturer in the world: then merged the company with the division of Vivendi Games, which among other things, the "World of Warcraft" developer Blizzard Entertainment under the Activision umbrella brought. Previously, Electronic Arts, the number one among the manufacturers have been games.

Kotick uses the new power market is now obvious to Sony massively to put pressure on. The manufacturer should the price of the Playstation 3 cut, he said the "Times". Only if the PS3 will sell better, whether it still makes sense for the console games to be developed. It would be "2010 or 2011" re-consider whether you Sony would continue to support - and this applies to the living room console, the PS3 as well as for mobile PSP console.

GAME CONSOLES: THE LATEST GENERATION

Wii

obs / Nintendo of Europe

The small competitor is in contrast to the rival consoles, not high-resolution graphics, but delivers traditional television resolution. Nevertheless, the device is so popular that the manufacturer has not announced prices. In the United States overtook the Wii in July 2008 Microsoft's Xbox 360, what the sales figures are concerned. The console features a motion controller and bewegungssensitiven oriented accessories, such as the "Balance Board" from. With simple sports and fun games, it has for the industry, captured new audiences. A detailed test Wii can be found here.

Playstation 3

DDP

The direct competitor to Microsoft's Xbox 360 - the two consoles to compete with the hardcore gamers who are also prepared for high-resolution graphics to a TV buy. In March 2007, the console on the market in Europe. In July 2008, there were either 40 - or 60-GB hard drive - will also soon have a version with 80 GB on the market. It is the most expensive among the current models and gives a high-resolution video via an HDMI-out output. As the only game currently available, it contains a Blu-ray drive, which is also high-resolution Blu-ray discs can play. A detailed
Test of the PS3 can be found here.

Xbox 360

Microsoft's high-definition console is of the three longest current competitors on the market, namely since the end of 2005. Microsoft has repeatedly screwed on price and features. The 360 has a normal DVD drive in its basic version, but no hard drive. In July 2008, there were a model without a hard drive, a 20 gigabyte model and the black "elite" with 120 GB hard drive. The current models of HD images on an HDMI-out output. A comprehensive test on the Xbox 360 can be found here.

Sony PSP

The Playstation Portable, on the market since 2005, is Sony's first attempt, which traditionally used by Nintendo (Game Boy) dominated the market for mobile games a bit abzuzwacken. Since 2007, there is a slightly thinner version, called Slim and Lite. The mobile console can not only games, but also movies and music. Moreover, it can be via W-LAN to the Internet. Movie downloads and other content may differ from the PS3 to the PSP will be delayed, and the Mobile Console can have Internet access as a kind of remote for the PS3 to be used. The PSP is on the market for mobile games second rear Nintendo DS. A detailed
Test of the PSP can be found here.

Nintendo DS

The Nintendo DS is since 2005 in a first version on the market since 2006 in an edition called slimmer DS Lite (pictured). DS stands for "dual screen". The console has a normal and in the bottom half of a touch-screen. Games will be on buttons or a stylus, the touchscreen with the edited, played. The DS is the PSP over Wi-Fi to connect to the internet, including online games and gimmicks such as pictures chat are possible. With games like "Nintendogs" and "Dr. Kawashimas brain-jogging" tapped the DS new target for mobile consoles. The DS is currently the best selling mobile game. A test report on the first version of the Nintendo DS can be found here.

Meanwhile, Sony Computer Entertainment of America with an opinion on Koticks words responding. The Playstation brand is
after the E3 video game trade show in Los Angeles a few weeks ago "with tremendous momentum" that we see "good growth". 350 titles were for "all platforms" (including the Playstation 2 console and the mobile PSP) announced, including many by independent partners. With these partners, we maintain healthy business relations. "

According to industry service Gamesindustry.biz Sony plans but actually a reduction in prices - the U.S. electronics chain, Game Stop had therefore recently, we expect a value around $ 100 a reduced price.

In Germany the price of a PS3 with 80 gigabyte hard drive and some accessories are currently around 370 euros, including Nintendo's Wii game around 235 Euro and Microsoft's Xbox 360 in a version with 60-GB hard drive nearly 240 euro.

Why video games are not (yet) smell.

Time and again, on new technologies spectacular discussed the intense gaming experience yet to make. In recent years there has been a lot of smells as a supplement for the game experience is cited. The British researcher Bob Stone is currently investigating the possibilities.

 

British researcher Bob Stone: "world full of sensory stimuli"

A soldier is running somewhere in the Middle East through a market. The weapon in the attack, he must the people in mind and to concentrate on his mission. Only not distracted - from the exotic spices, sweat or his fear of the tires, the nearby burn.

Situations like these are in video games easier to master than in reality. Because the game is limited to our perception of what we see and hear: We are witnessing the environment without their specific odors.

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What impact it would have if we are digital environments could also smell asks Bob Stone of Birmingham University: The researchers, commissioned by the British Defense Ministry has already diverse Serious Games has developed, is currently investigating whether soldiers by scent technologies to better operations can be prepared. "We live in a world full of sensory stimuli, in addition to vision and hearing also Keys, smell and taste to determine how we react to the environment," says Stone. How to behave in the virtual, he wants to with the help of freely available hardware "Scent Palette" check a device about the size of a shoebox.

But the system, embedded in paraffin wax scents with art fans blow in the direction of players, is still not mature: "While we can already smell manually hundreds with scenes related to the 'Far Cry' or' Quest 3D'-based Engine . And, for example, the odor of sewage, burning rubber or explosives solve strong reactions in the trial, "says Stone - but the lab needs to always be free of drafts and the players very close to the smell sit unit. Also could be released fragrances are difficult to replace by new.

THE LARGEST HARDWARE flops HISTORY OF VIDEO GAMES

Power Glove: The "unbelievable feeling" of the Nintendo Power glove of 1989, it was never set. Due to the lack of precision task is for him only two NES games, more were never programmed.

Virtual-reality glasses: From the hype of the nineties, one hears today only rarely. Despite increasingly sophisticated technology experienced VR glasses never their breakthrough.

Video Game Chair: Major announced today almost exclusively in arcades or GEE editors present: chair with speakers, vibration and beverage holders.

His results are therefore been sobering: "The volunteers did it all in good fun, but their training was not improved." But what of soldiers does not help, might at least make games attractive? Stone is too skeptical: "Is it important that the powder may smell of a gun? Bring one of the odor of a parasite in the game 'Half-Life 2' to jump from the chair - more than the Viecher alone would create ? I do not think so. This is just spectacular, but it very quickly. "

Perhaps he also has another reason right with his doubts: Who wants to know that his room the next morning still under the ruins of bosses smell?

Virtual worlds for children in the test.

Besides all the Orc and Elfenbrutstätten for adults, there is now an impressive number of virtual worlds, exclusively designed for children. The magazine GEE has visited five of these refuges, and tested how expensive, safe and fun they are.

 

Children and the Internet - this is a highly acclaimed and hotly-debated topic. Never before had children the opportunity to get together with people from all over the world, learn from and play with them.

Virtual World Papermint Children: anonymity of the network also introduces risks

But at the same time poses the anonymity of the network threats, and it was just the uncertainty, not knowing who is behind a pseudonym really is.

Parents are now in a dilemma: on the one hand, they fear for their children, on the other hand, they want to give them confidence and they do not watch the whole time. A general ban would not be useful: It would take the kids not only about the slight chance of playing on-line entry will - it could also isolate the class community.

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Currently appearing more and more online worlds, which want to solve the problem by focusing specifically on children. They said the operator, they may, among themselves, undisturbed surf, chat with peers and familiar with the network, without its dangers to be.

Such protection zones for the smallest user of the Internet jungle are a great idea - but how to finance these worlds with item sales, advertising, Abogebühren? What control options are the guardians of action? And most importantly: how is good, besides all the security measures, the actual game world?

Electronic Arts paid wrong fundamentalists.

The video game manufacturer Electronic Arts must admit questionable advertising methods: A supposedly fundamental Christian demonstration in Los Angeles against a game of the group was in fact a marketing campaign.

 

Sven Stillich
Purchased demonstrators: "Hell is not a game!"

The whole thing was just too strange to be true: The approximately 20 demonstrators who last week before the entrance to the area of video game trade show Electronic Entertainment Expo in Los Angeles signs such as "Hell is not a game!" hochhielten (
ONLINE blogs reported), was not a real Christian fundamentalists. The group, which also pamphlets against the development is to game called "Dante's Inferno" distributed, consisted in reality of paid employees of an agency for viral marketing. That is what the producers of the game, Electronic Arts, now acknowledged. The whole was a marketing gag.

True Christian fundamentalists are likely to benefit from the methods of the videogame company little thrilled - remains to be seen whether the action still has a post game. The small group of demonstrators had ostentatiously excited about the fact that in the game, very loosely on Dante's "Divine Comedy" is based, for example with a cross as a weapon will be fought.

Both the posters and flyers and web page of the group, however, seemed unintentionally funny too - also referred to the links on the page exclusively designed horribly directly on advertising material for the game. Very early were therefore doubts about the authenticity of the protest loud. A demand of online blogs on the topic last week was no comment from Electronic Arts Germany - now clarified the Speaker of the U.S. parent company on the matter.

The fact that video game producers to use unusual means to draw attention for their titles to produce and there is gang - but this action marked a new level of public deception. Especially as Christians about the real thing could be quite acidic.

Romantic bank robbers on the Höllentrip.

Beginning of the month can film fans back into the full draw: From Paul Newman to Liv Tyler, of rapid action to experimental art cinema extends the offer of the journal DVDs. ONLINE blogs shows where film beads stick to the current periodicals.

 

Audio Video Foto Bild

"88 Minutes", D / CDN / USA 2007. Director: Jon Avnet. Cast: Al Pacino, Neal McDonough. Format: 2,35:1 (16:9). FSK: 16 years. Issue price: 3.90 euros.

Self-love and of women umschwärmt enjoys the respected psychiatrist Jack Gramm (Al Pacino) his life as a day to doubt the guilt of the serial killer Jon Foster (Neal McDonough) show up, against the nine years earlier expert had claimed. Shortly before his execution is now imminent Jack call a life time of 88 minutes rest prophesied. A hectic race against time begins, because everyone seems to be suspicious.

The already announced for 2005 thriller from the house of Millennium Films has a long pre-and post-production behind him. After he experienced multiple Neuschnitten despite prominent occupation until the beginning of 2007 almost secret premiere on DVD in Brazil. Hollywood star Al Pacino ( "Heat") is unfortunately a bit tired, but the script still desert some entertainment value abringen and surprised, at least visually with some incredible Föhnfrisuren. Nevertheless, the role brought him his second 2009 nomination for a Golden Raspberry as worst actor of the year.

Until 30 June in the trade

Computer Bild

"Where the Money Is - A hot Coup", USA 2000. Director: Marek Kanievska. Cast: Paul Newman, Linda Fiorentino. Format: 1,85:1 (16:9). FSK: 6 years. Issue price: 3,70 euros.

As you well over the age of 75 years still on the screen is brilliant, the last year deceased Paul Newman ( "The Sting") in the guise of charming bank robber Henry Manning. A stroke pretends he flees the prison everyday, but by the busy nurse Carol (Linda Fiorentino), and caught at a recent raid persuades. These are all smooth, but Carol underestimated the jealousy of her husband who is not so easy abservieren leaves.

Together with Linda Fiorentino ( "The Last Seduction") feixt the Hollywood veteran Newman skillfully through a varied rogue fairy tale, the bit with the reality, but with the more successful entertainment cinema has to do.

It plays the movie with its title on the very real, legendary bank robber Willie Sutton to a total of about 600 million U.S. dollars captured, before he was taken 1952. His raids, he once explained, that he simply go there "where the money is" - what now for the winged word for banks. Conclusion: fun entertaining movie with convincing crew.

To 21 June in the trade

DVD Magazine

"Ambulance", DN 2005th Director: L. Munch-Petersen, L. A. Pedersen. Cast: Thomas Bo Larsen, Paw Henriksen. Format: 2,35:1 (16:9). FSK: 16 years. Issue price: 3,99 euros.

Even more bank robbers are from Denmark in the coming stripes that the "DVD Magazine" distributed in June. Here, however, significantly more dramatic for the case when the two brothers, Frank (Thomas Bo Larsen) and Tim (Paw Henriksen) after a bloody raid inadvertently chosen an ambulance snap to move the police to escape. As they are far too late in the pretty Sanitäterin including emergency patient load discover their beautiful plan gets completely out of kilter and you already guess that this is not good end.

In real time gives us the Regieduo Munch-Petersen & Pedersen in her film debut 76 minutes long to the fate of two brothers of unequal participation, which has been established roles as appetizers crumbles. These alternate with rapid chases and even quirky romantic moments, in which not only Thomas Bo Larsen ( "The Celebration") in his role as master of desperate Peter Mies convinced. A typical case of "Friends of the demanding action comedy" (video week) - and all who want to be.

Until the 8 July in the trade

Galore

"La Antena", ARG 2007th Director: Esteban Sapir. Cast: Rafaelo Ferro, Alejandro Urdapilleta. Format: 2,16:1 (16:9). FSK: 12 years. Issue price: 6.90 euros.

After over five years, adopted the Dortmunder Interview magazine "Galore" as a further
Victims of the industry crisis of the magazine market. On the DVD of his recent print edition, we find the very special, Argentine experimental film "La Antena", will take us into a city of mute leads. Through skillful television sprinkler there the dictator, "Mr. TV" (Alejandro Urdapilleta) his subjects speaking quit - only a gifted singer and her eyes still loose son know how to use a voice. As Mr. TV, the singer for a huge mass hypnosis to abuse, an engineer fired TV (Rafaelo Ferro), the diabolical plan with the help of her son and an old antenna system to thwart.

All in black and white, and largely only musically accompanied fetches the Argentine cameraman Esteban Sapir here visually and acoustically the expressionist silent film of the twenties to the present. With all sorts of modern assembly technology he creates a surreal scene in which every little thing seems symbolically charged. The story is in addition to these whimsical imagery somewhat on the route, but you always know exactly but then again amazed when it threatens to become boring. If you'd like, once again what the eye and the head to do this film should not miss pearl: Our Tip of the week.

Published on 10 June in the trade

PC Action

"Destination Hell", South Korea, the 2006th Director: Kim Eun-Kyeong. Cast: Yoo Joo-hee, Kim Ri-na. Format: 1,78:1 (16:9). FSK: 16 years. Issue price: 7.90 euros.

To their versemmelte Uniqualifikation yet to get land a troop of young girls for a crash course in the tough-Younghwa Internat. There is all banned, what fun, and the teachers punish even the smallest deviation with cold terror. When the rebellious Yoo-jin (Yoo Joo-hee) durchdreht slow and strange visions has examined the psychological pressure his own deadly way.

With a small budget horror film produced specialist Ahn Byeong-ki in 2006, after submission by the author Yoo Il-han a four-horror film series, whose third episode "Destination Hell" with the dark sides of the Asian education system employs. The short film director Kim Eun-Kyeong köchelte thereof up to the showdown rather bloodless piece of psycho-horror, although it offers no great surprises, but thanks to its dedicated actresses as fairly credible criticism across society. Conclusion: Can you see, you did not.

Published on 10 June in the trade

PC Go

"In Your Eyes", USA 2004. Director: Trae Briers. Cast: Caleeb Pinkett, Angie Ruiz. Format: 1,78:1 (16:9). FSK: 12 years. Price: 6,99 euros.

Also the computer magazine "PC World" is this month with the drama society and submit to the tragic love story about the African-American Yusef (Caleeb Pinkett) and his love of Mexican sandbox Cece (Angie Ruiz) on the disc. The infancy is their love for the beginning of their college time conscious, and they come in the middle of the firing line of bloody gang warfare between Latinos and blacks.

Somewhere between "Romeo and Juliet" and "West Side Story" tried Trae Briers as a young director not only his experience as a production assistant in TV series "Charmed", but also from his own youth time. That works pretty well even, because it still managed Briers, all kitsch cliff successfully circumnavigate and so sometimes romantic drama race without raised fingers deliver.

To 2 July in the trade

PC Magazine

"Lonesome Jim", USA 2005. Director: Steve Buscemi. Cast: Casey Affleck, Liv Tyler. Format: 1,78:1 (16:9). FSK: 6 years. Issue price: 6,99 euros.

Also on the basis of an autobiographical story of primarily as an actor well-known types of tragic loser Steve Buscemi ( "Fargo") in his third feature film own the fate of the small towns of Jim (Casey Affleck), who after the failed attempt of a writer after years of career in the city again in his parents' house back in order. Once there, he wants to leave again as quickly as possible until it is the beautiful Anika (Liv Tyler) learns, and with it a reason, the whole thing again to ponder.

Meanwhile you can see Casey Affleck ( "Ocean's Eleven") are increasingly without his big brother Ben, even though he likes his film partners over here like Liv Tyler with a very similar role a year earlier with Ben Affleck in "Jersey Girl" played . That was Steve Buscemi, perhaps not so inconvenient, because with a budget of only half a one million U.S. dollars is probably also on proven research. Nevertheless, he has at the end of a fine, subtle indie film out of the hat gezaubert of this country a little more attention deserved.

To 2 July in the trade

Widescreen Vision

"Kidnapped - Lethal swamp", USA 2000. Directed by Lee Stanley. Cast: Dennis Hopper, Kam Heskin. Format: 1,33:1 (4:3). FSK: 16 years
and

"Gunshy", USA 1998. Director: Jeff Celentano. Cast: William Peterson, Michael Wincott. Format: 1,33:1 (4:3). FSK: 16 years. Issue price: 6.50 euros.

A handful of supposedly rich high school teenagers from the unpredictable rogue JD (Dennis Hopper), including school bus and kidnapped in the swamps of the Everglades krokodilverseuchten chartered. While his accomplice takes care to collect the ransom, but JD is running for something wrong, and quickly becomes clear that eventually the blood will flow.

In just three weeks Lee Stanley turned these little abduction thriller, for his screenplay, he is probably less than three days has taken. From the novel "Ransom" by Lois Duncan ( "I know what you did last summer") he has not done much, and so we only met once again Dennis Hopper ( "Blue Velvet") in his standard role as a slightly wacky, tragic villain. Since there is little wonder, if this is just passable entertainment strip his German DVD premiere at the end of 2008 as Filmbeileger on the "SFT" had to celebrate.

Only marginally more convincing us meet William Petersen ( "CSI: Las Vegas") until the first half of the TV thriller "Gunshy". In the beautifully filmed, but a little tough starting triangle story he comes in the role of the failed Star journalist Jake Bridges peculiar reason in the hands of the brutal, but to itself Geldeintreibers doubts Frankie (Michael Wincott). For thanks, he is to his girlfriend Melissa (Diana Lane) ran. But what is considered unsuccessful film noir begins, takes a surprising twist in the second half unexpectedly ride on and then again really exciting.

Above all, Michael Wincott ( "1492"), otherwise a subscription to evil, but tragic supporting roles keeps its flavor shady character with an almost sympathetic trains. Overall, one finds in the year-to-date with regular re-equipped media Filmbeilegern magazine this thriller a rather mixed-doubles, which is his B-movie origins are clearly committed, but at the end but surprisingly entertaining show.

Until 30 June in the trade

Apple on Speed.

Tempo, Tempo, Tempo: Apple presents a new iPhone with the name "Speed", promises to speed up the operating systems and equips its laptops. Actually receives the mobile phone especially many new features - some like video, copy & paste were overdue, but some are truly innovative.

 

You have made it exciting until the last.

With hardware announcements began Monday evening at the Apple developer conference WWDC in San Francisco. First presented marketing chief Phil Schiller a lively new MacBook, then had more than one hour, new operating systems for Macs and iPhones demonstrate - before he came to the product, on the Apple fans had been waiting for.

The iPhone 3G S.

Visually, it is by his predecessor hardly be distinguished. But it should be about twice as fast as a working iPhone 3G and also twice as fast wireless network connection as before. Instead of 3.6 Mbps HSDPA, it links with up to 7.2 megabits per second to produce. Faster wireless networks can not.

The camera was as expected on 3 megapixel refined and now has an autofocus lens, a white and a macro function for extreme close-ups. To set the lens to a specific area scharfzustellen you type this on the screen. In addition, the iPhone 3 GS videos in VGA resolution and offers opportunities to record these movies directly on your mobile screen to edit.

A function of the advance was nothing to read, the voice control. Both the phone function as well as iTunes to deal with voice commands to manage. The device responds even in spoken language. It is understood the question, what song is played straight, and it identifies the artist and title. A similar function is also available in the iPod Shuffle, but there no voice control.

MOBILE BROADBAND FORMATS

UMTS

Universal Mobile Telecommunications System - is often referred to as standard for third generation (3G) that it takes much higher data rates than its predecessor, enables GSM. German UMTS networks typically create a bandwidth of 384 kbit / s for data transmission from the terminal Mobilfunkmast. Regular DSL connections offer today übrlicherweise 1024 Kbit / s. (more on blogs KNOW)

HSDPA

High Speed Downlink Packet Access - is based on UMTS to achieve but significantly higher transmission rates in the transmission of Mobilfunkmast to the terminal. The practically achievable data rate is currently at 1.4 Mb / s. Through technological improvements, it gradually to 5.1 Mbit / s rise. (more on blogs KNOW)

GPRS

General Packet Radio Service - this standard decomposed data at stations in individual packets, transmits them gestückelt and puts them back together at the receiver. By bundling multiple transmission channels is theoretically a transmission rate of up to 171.2 kbits / s possible. In practical operation, it is usually 55.6 Kbps - modems were so slow in the days before DSL. (more on blogs KNOW)

Edge

Enhanced Data Rates for GSM Evolution - technology to increase the rate of data transmission in GSM mobile networks. Through more efficient modulation techniques are in the sum up to 384 kbit / s can be achieved - that is UMTS speed. Edge has been accessed in 75 countries. (more on blogs KNOW)

WiMax

The WiMax technology includes several standards, data on different radio frequencies. Some WiMax standards need sight between the transmitter and receiver, other signals can also penetrate walls. Tests WiMax will have data transfer rates of more than 100 Mbit / s has been achieved. Hermann Lipfert, an expert in wireless networks at the Munich Institute for Broadcasting Technology (IRT) estimates that in a regular-WiMax wireless cell Tranferraten from 50 Mbit / s are realistic - under ideal conditions and with application of all presently available technical tricks. This range would need to be as in UMTS all users share in the respective cell line. (more on blogs KNOW)

DVB-T

The DVB-T standard provides for the distribution of digital television signals by radio. The DVB standard is also designed to evaluate Internet content to transfer - in the frequency range of a single analogue television channel (about 7 MHz) fit, but just 13 megabits per second into it. If a single broadcast station that is 20 users hanging around the same time, a file download attempt, it is already tightly - the data rate for each user would be less than one Mbit / s, ie lower than the cheapest DSL connections that are currently on offer are. "The greatest danger to this technique is different from the present to be overhauled," said Sven Hansen from the computer magazine "c't". Applying the content via DVB, which also goes in only one direction - just like in television. The return channel must then be produced by other means, such as through a conventional telephone line. Mouse clicks in the browser went with this method over the telephone line to the provider, the req!
uested pages would be of the DVB broadcast station back to the receiver gefunkt. This is cumbersome - and slow. (more on blogs KNOW)

LTE

Long Term Evolution is the name that a number of mobile phone companies a broader standard of the fourth generation mobile phone has been given. LTE is basically an evolution of UMTS - but requires completely new hardware, including new stations. LTE competes with the WiMax standard to the market leader in the mobile Internet of the future - between the two standards may be a new format war. LTE has been estimated by experts to WiMax, however, about two years behind in terms of technological development. (More at blogs KNOW)

Specially designed for business customers (but not limited to) get the new iPhone now available on a chip integrates hardware encryption. That there is also a compass function, was to be expected - by typing on a map to his current position, even turning the map in the direction in which you just look.

For the everyday, but most likely the improvements in his lifetime. The device with built-in battery is fixed up to five hours talk time in 3G network, or up to nine hours wireless internet offer - three hours additional Internet usage so that Apple promises to its customers.

As can be extremely friendly, the price of Apple call: $ 199, the iPhone 3G S with 16 gigabytes of storage cost, the 32 gigabyte version is $ 100 more expensive. From the fabled base model with 4 gigabytes of storage to $ 149 on the other hand, is nothing. Instead, the company retains the current iPhone 3G in the program - for $ 99.

All these figures relate clearly to the U.S. in the package with a mobile phone contract from AT & T. How many people here for the new device will have to pay will only be revealed shortly. It is clear, however: you have a long wait from the iPhone is not fast. As early as next week in Germany should have to be on 19 June, Friday.

Also: Apple iPhone pimpt the software and finally leads Copy & Paste a cheaper and better Announces MacBook, the new OS "Snow Leopard" before - all the details on blogs ONLINE:

Hollywood plays with.

In the Shadow of the struggle for the latest and best hardware will be held at the E3 video game trade show in Los Angeles, a quiet revolution: video games are for film and music industry as equal partners adopted.

 

Paul McCartney, Ringo Starr, Yoko Ono, Olivia Harrison and Steven Spielberg. The last survivors and administrator of the heritage of the Beatles are on the same stage as the star director. They are all here because a fair game after them. The Beatles, because it is a game about it, Spielberg, because he is a new control technology for games should imagine that his film "Minority Report" could be arisen.

A few streets away James Cameron declared a part of his new project "Avatar". Not the movie, but the associated game. Its producer, Jon Landau wedges for three days in a stuffy room in the narrow Convention Center in Los Angeles to win the game and its history in detail to present. Evening give Jay-Z and Eminem concert with a music game will be advertised.

The E3, the Electronic Entertainment Expo, as it is issued, is back after last year was almost buried. Because dance was dead in the corridors of the convention center. Few people flits 2008 through the corridors. The theme of the fair, the games, was hardly something to see. The once important trade fair for interactive entertainment was almost done.

Game developers and filmmakers fertilize each other

Some rubbing dreamer is already in the hands of Germany: The German trade fair gamescom, so they hoped, could be the crown of the main video of the E3 trade show take over. These ideas are unrealistic now wiped aside. From a new E3, which is not so much on size but on quality. And precisely there, where it interfaces with the two other major entertainment industries, music and film, are in Los Angeles. Probably the best place in the world to mutually fertilize.

ON TO ONLINE blogs

Electronic Entertainment Expo: Christians condemn Hell game (04.06.2009)

Video: The most important announcements of E3 (04.06.2009)

Console battle: Wii all want to be (03.06.2009)

Video game trade show E3: Microsoft, the Wii competition (02.06.2009)

Video Game-Show: The E3 wants her fans back (28.05.2009)

That the works, including James Cameron report and Jon Landau. How strange beings and vehicles from the filmmakers developed, from the movie cut, but were integrated into the game, and vice versa, as drafts of game developers in the movie ended. They tell of meetings, where not only the game, but the film was discussed. Changes in the film inspired by the game designers were.

More than a hundred scenes were computer generated by Ubisoft, the producer of the video game, for the film produced. By Peter Jackson is reported with the same game studio is already the game for its "Tintin" movie plans. Games for Hollywood movies are no longer just a waste of money, because you can sell expensive licenses. Directors like Spielberg, Cameron and Jackson have games as a new creative form recognized their stories from a different perspective to tell.

Heavy Metal and Hardrock sell well

See musicians playing alongside new creative possibilities also an opportunity to find new audiences. Above all, music games like "rock" or "Guitar Hero" bands have considerable fame negotiations, which previously were as hopelessly outdated. Especially those that heavy metal and hard rock playing. And besides the fame to open new avenues games, music for sale.

More than 40 million songs to be alone for "rock band" per download have been sold. Was there initially fierce battles for the licensing of music, so bands now are trying their own editions of the games to get, like AC / DC, Metallica or Aerosmith.

Or even the Beatles, which is now a separate edition of the game "Rockband" get. This leads playfully through the history of the Fab Four and is selling well technically a self-goers. It was initiated not by the games company, but by George Harrison's son Dhani. He has joined forces with Giles Martin, son of the legendary Beatles producer George Martin, the project support.

"The Beatles are totally normal people"

Even the Beatles and other heirs have helped. Josh Randall, the producer of the game, says excited about his visit with Olivia Harrison, who wanted to help him, George really possible in the game manner. Together, they have photo albums in leisure and vacation pictures of Harrison viewed. "The Beatles are very normal people," he said emotionally, "helpful and incredibly nice." And she found the idea of the game to make, not strange. But quite normal.

And this tacit agreement between music, film and game, this curious collaboration, mutual fertilizing, you can feel at E3 in many places. It shows above all: the games are within the entertainment industry like any other business has become. And they have become a medium through which the other is no longer laughing, but they look curious.

The highlights of Computex.

Unconventional mini-notebooks, mass electronic gadgets and new high-tech developments: At the Computex exciting innovations were introduced. blogs ONLINE has collected the highlights.

 

There was something going on in Taipei. Like every year at this time tummelte the high-tech industry in Taiwan's capital to each other with new products to outdo. Included were the dozen Netbook, most mutually similar than the producers wanted. Some, but thrust out from the crowd, showed that the trend to a new direction. Instead of the long cherished Intel / Microsoft Einerleis more and more companies have the courage to be unconventional mini-laptops to develop.

Ever dominate in Taiwan in addition to original gadgets, such as a PC in a flower vase, especially the scene chips. Nvidia drummed vigorously for devices in which the new Tegra-Ion technology and is constructed with more multimedia for small devices promises. Mobile phone chip specialist Qualcomm reported successes in the process itself in more and more mini-computers einzuschleichen.

Future Graphics, DIY Notebook and Netbook-Android: An overview of which highlights the Asian computer fair had to offer, click on the following pages.

Christians condemn hell game.

"The sky is the hall of fame, hell has no reset button!" With Christian slogans clamor of the protesters at E3 video game trade show of the Game "Dante's Inferno", the whip manufacturer Electronic Arts as an electronic anti-Christ - so radical that some guerrilla marketing scents.

 

"Hell is not a game!" scanned the group in front of the Fair Grounds in Los Angeles, "the cross is not a weapon!" call and time again "we say no, inferno!". Young people walk past them, they wear T-shirts on which the titles of video games are. Some grin, many zücken their digital camera, because it is good fodder for Flickr, Facebook or Twitter.

But for the handful of protesters outside the entrance of the Exhibition Games' Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3) here is no joke: they are outraged about the new video game "Dante's Inferno," and one of its in the gray sky of Los Angeles stretched plates have it was written, to whom they are here on the streets against the company Electronic Arts, the producer of the game - against the "Electronic Anti-Christians".

Disgusting and sometimes extremely distasteful

Inside the exhibition hall, the visitors in the mean time queuing up to behind closed doors at a first glance "Dante's Inferno" to be allowed to throw. In the game, which should have been inspired by Dante Alighieri "Divine Comedy" - or at least a fact-like name, because "in the comedy itself is, unfortunately, hardly any action against," as producer Jonathan Knight says to the audience. What he says of course action, because this live his game.

So he has a little story hinzuerfunden. The hero has to Dante through the circles of hell to fight to his beloved Beatrice to save. And by monster aufspießt them a Holy Cross in the body is pushing, while the brightly lit by giving them the aufschlitzt abdomen or the head abreißt. "He goes through his inner hell," says Knight, and the visitors nod. Nobody is appalled when Dante kills babies who attacked him with blades. The audience will not bother, that the game is very brutal, disgusting in many places and in some extremely distasteful.

The demonstrators, before the show, the "preacher of salvation and eternal damnation virtual" call to decry their leaflets also said that the babies are not baptized. In addition, Electronic Arts accuse them of witchcraft, among other things, the homage of Satan and sexual perversion. "Share your Playstation against Praystation" stands on the leaves of the young visitors as a souvenir like to be taken. "Our high score is in heaven", called on the group and "all hell has no reset button," while Christian Kidd explains why they are here: "We do not want anyone to hell as a place glorifies that could be made fun visited, "says the 36-year-old to blogs ONLINE and asks:" Why does it need a video game which is my religion defiled? Why Satan superheroes to do? We have nothing against players, but who needs such a game? "

The producer must be grinning

Inside the hall, the producer of "Dante's Inferno" a little grin when asked if he already covered by the protests against his game have heard: "Is it already", he says, "but comedy Alighieri is 700 years old and a fictional work - in other words exactly what our game is. I see no controversy. " It is his grin even wider - a little too wide even as if the demo in front of the hall just a campaign by Electronic Arts in order for a little hype, and to ensure that over the next year until the game is being published.

The
Web address on the leaflet of the demonstrators was a U.S. company acquired, based on domain Reservations specializes - in August 2007. In development is "Dante's Inferno", according to EA only been about a year. A bit suspicious seems too horrible-looking Web site but the group - there is both a trailer for the game as well as the official promotional page of the game links.

YOUR OPINION IS ASKED

Discuss about this article

Christian Kidd would be the accusation that secretly for EA to advertise, outraged by the show. And also that it would be worthwhile, with the producer about his reservations to speak. The activist is a realist. He does not believe that many video player understand what he is. "But a single soul to be saved," he says - "that it would have been worthy to be here."

Electronic Arts Germany wanted to demonstrate on request from blogs ONLINE not comment on it.

The major announcements of E3.

Play games on the E3 video game trade show is in full swing, and manufacturers outdo itself with announcements. ONLINE blogs pointing the way through the jungle of publishing and represents the most interesting Neuankündigungen before.

 

The first few days of E3, the Electronic Entertainment Expo in Los Angeles are traditionally the press conferences of the major consoles and games manufacturer reserved. They try to keep each other with announcements to outdo.

One after the other is the biggest, the best and the most innovation. We give an overview of the things that actually make curious.

Wii all want to be.

Now even Sony: At the E3 video game trade show, the group had a body-controller for the Playstation presented - one day after Microsoft with its Xbox 360 The console rivals take model Wii Nintendo's success in the pliers.

 

Nintendo has set the trend - but now get the console pioneers competition.

Video games no longer protected by button and joystick movements to control, but with movements of the whole body: That was the brilliant innovation of the Nintendo video game market in recent years has durcheinandergewirbelt. And now after competitors made.

At the E3 video game trade show in Los Angeles on Monday, Microsoft introduced its "Natal Project": a technique, the movements in space in front of the screen accurately recognize and be transferred into the game. In addition,
"Natal" and voices, faces and even facial expression capture, a controller is no longer necessary. Sony will not stand by - and now presents an approach, although at first sight a little less far.

At the E3 press conference on Tuesday evening, German time, the Sony researcher Richard Marks a prototype of a device that the Sony "Motion Controller" has christened. "His conspicuous feature is a glowing ball at the end of the console Playstation 3 Eye camera can follow," said Marks, a helper while moving two objects that look like plastic tubes with lights at the ends effect. The system was previously just a technical demonstration, but will be early next year.

The camera can the movements of the player accurately understand promised Marks. Software to translate the movements into the game then - be it as a sword swings, tennis strokes, or simply the movement of a flashlight in the virtual space. Also available as a virtual weapon can use the controller. Was demonstrated, inter alia, an arrow-and-arm game.

Man wanted for games accessible to more people, said Marks. With the same slogan had its Nintendo Wii console, which also has fernbedienungsförmigen controller, in the year 2006. The success of the innovative principle had Nintendo consoles in the three-fight in a short time led to the top. Sony had
in 2006 a kind of short-lived PR success when the company announced that the controller of the Playstation 3 will, like the Wii controller, motion and position sensors. The technology that is actually delivered with each PS3 is called SIXAXIS - but was actually marketed in the games never really profitable to use. So it seems to dare a new start.

Sony, the Playstation and the Playstation 2 a long time in the industry Primus, is now the last of the three major competitors, with a room-filling operation variant imagine. Computer Entertainment boss Kaz Hirai told the BBC, of course, had Microsoft's "Project Natal 'own demonstration of some of their power taken. But in truth it was in this area longer leader: "With the PlayStation 2, we have the EyeToy camera in the market, we have the art of playing only with their hands already perfected." The new Motion Controller lift "precision in three dimensions to a new level. Accuracy and tracking are the most important thing."

Nintendo manager David Yarnton said however the service sector Gamesindustry.biz, it was not overly concerned about the developments of the competitors: "We can not really comment because we have yet seen nothing really running. We have our products out on the market , has for some time. "

Nintendo had its own press conference as the only new hardware product is a kind heart rate monitor for the console called "Vitality sensor presented. The device is in sports and fitness games for the Wii to use.

Sony stated at his press conference a new mobile version of its PSP console before. The PSP Go is only half as large as the previous model. It is a portable multimedia player designed with the capability built in, pictures, videos and games to download and save. Wi-Fi and Bluetooth are Hirai, according to the new device installed. Nintendo also recently had a new mobile console was launched, which is also significantly stronger as a multimedia device is designed.

The console war is going in the next round, both mobile as well as in the living room. There, in the battle zone between the couch and TV, he will probably decide. And on the way will probably be some ceiling lamp the whole new gaming fall victim.

GAME CONSOLES: THE LATEST GENERATION

Wii

obs / Nintendo of Europe

The small competitor is in contrast to the rival consoles, not high-resolution graphics, but delivers traditional television resolution. Nevertheless, the device is so popular that the manufacturer has not announced prices. In the United States overtook the Wii in July 2008 Microsoft's Xbox 360, what the sales figures are concerned. The console features a motion controller and bewegungssensitiven oriented accessories, such as the "Balance Board" from. With simple sports and fun games, it has for the industry, captured new audiences. A detailed test Wii can be found here.

Playstation 3

DDP

The direct competitor to Microsoft's Xbox 360 - the two consoles to compete with the hardcore gamers who are also prepared for high-resolution graphics to a TV buy. In March 2007, the console on the market in Europe. In July 2008, there were either 40 - or 60-GB hard drive - will also soon have a version with 80 GB on the market. It is the most expensive among the current models and gives a high-resolution video via an HDMI-out output. As the only game currently available, it contains a Blu-ray drive, which is also high-resolution Blu-ray discs can play. A detailed
Test of the PS3 can be found here.

Xbox 360

Microsoft's high-definition console is of the three longest current competitors on the market, namely since the end of 2005. Microsoft has repeatedly screwed on price and features. The 360 has a normal DVD drive in its basic version, but no hard drive. In July 2008, there were a model without a hard drive, a 20 gigabyte model and the black "elite" with 120 GB hard drive. The current models of HD images on an HDMI-out output. A comprehensive test on the Xbox 360 can be found here.

Sony PSP

The Playstation Portable, on the market since 2005, is Sony's first attempt, which traditionally used by Nintendo (Game Boy) dominated the market for mobile games a bit abzuzwacken. Since 2007, there is a slightly thinner version, called Slim and Lite. The mobile console can not only games, but also movies and music. Moreover, it can be via W-LAN to the Internet. Movie downloads and other content may differ from the PS3 to the PSP will be delayed, and the Mobile Console can have Internet access as a kind of remote for the PS3 to be used. The PSP is on the market for mobile games second rear Nintendo DS. A detailed
Test of the PSP can be found here.

Nintendo DS

The Nintendo DS is since 2005 in a first version on the market since 2006 in an edition called slimmer DS Lite (pictured). DS stands for "dual screen". The console has a normal and in the bottom half of a touch-screen. Games will be on buttons or a stylus, the touchscreen with the edited, played. The DS is the PSP over Wi-Fi to connect to the internet, including online games and gimmicks such as pictures chat are possible. With games like "Nintendogs" and "Dr. Kawashimas brain-jogging" tapped the DS new target for mobile consoles. The DS is currently the best selling mobile game. A test report on the first version of the Nintendo DS can be found here.

Closing command for Counter-Strike.

The computer-ESL league says a tournament in Karlsruhe, which CDU triumphs. A victory of the values on the Ballerkram? Or rather despicable campaign province theater? We look behind the scenes of a political decision-making process - and in the shallows a new generation conflict.

 

First AktKarlsruhe, 5 May, Main Committee of the Municipal
Actually, no special events. Mayor Heinz Fenrich promulgated under the item "Other", that the urban Black Hall on 5 June for a computer game tournament will be used.

aktion-jugendkultur.de
Success: Just in time for the local election, it has the CDU Karlsruhe done, parts of the young voters to mobilize - but against them

Fein is because municipalities need the money. But since the 11th March, since the Amoklauf of Winnenden is a lease for an e-Sports event no decision is more routine, but political dynamite. Fenrich leaders of party, the CDU, Böll just after nationwide bans all sorts of things except weapons. They are okay, because certainly in shooters and hunters hand - and the wood to hunt birds or know everything that moves in the woods, but usually no people. Unlike computer?

The 64-year-old Heinz Fenrich see games like Counter-Strike criticism, but on discussion events bans. Fenrich, "representatives of all political groups have encouraged me."

His CDU Group. ONLINE blogs are public, the minutes of the meeting at which the decision was made. It says: "The CDU believes that the proposed route for the right."

Second AktBerlin, 675 kilometers from Karlsruhe, German
Ingo wave Reuther, Karlsruhe council member, but as a member of parliament this week in his home, learns from the planned tournament. "I am immediately excited," recalls the former prosecutor and judge. Because games like Counter-Strike "are killer games and where we want in Karlsruhe no forum." Especially not in a municipal hall.

What a Killerspiel, we want to know. Reuther wave can explain: "This creates a great feeling of power, there is about as many people as possible to kill a player carries out vigilantism."

On this definition, disturbs the Mayor Fenrich. It provides: games after wave Reuther definition are already prohibited. Counter-Strike, however, is allowed, for players aged 16 years. Fenrich appears the shooter as an action game. It reminds him to a Schwarzenegger movie.

The disputes Ingo Wellenreuther not. He wants to command the closing of the event. The problem: His own group has recently supported the Lord Mayor. For wave Reuther apparently one of the unfortunately side effects of democracy, if not to watch it: "That can happen, and they were overwhelmed with the agenda and I was on the day not there."

A mistake that is somehow understandable - but keep the values of the party because it was not the same, no matter where Mr. Reuther shaft is straight?

To do this he says nothing. But his group has meanwhile, in order to clarify the Interior of the country colleagues, Heribert Rech, CDU. Also wants the closing command for the event.

Short Game for bridging between the renovation break
Doris Baltinger, Group leader of the SPD in Karlsruhe: "Mr. Reuther wave but in the Bundestag should the laws change if he wants to ban the games." Here he sits in the interior and justice committee. His answer: "That I am working."

Third AktImmer still Karlsruhe, but now felt only 67.5 kilometers from Berlin
On 14 May, the mood turned, the CDU Karlsruhe in a press release calls the ban on the event and would like the mayor to help these "killer games to prohibit."

A clear formulation oblique than it did in the previous week, when it stated: "You can not scold the municipalities, if on the part of the country and the federal government is not the legal requirements are."

Because the OB games can not even ban and he wants to forget. Especially the concept of parent-Lan in advance of the tournament, convinced the 64-year-olds,
there could be teachers, parents, skeptics about the games of youth information. The patron of the parent-Lan events Armin Laschet means that he is education minister in North Rhine-Westphalia, and of course by the CDU.

Others do not believe in prohibitions: Ouaquasse Younes, president of the Student Union, is on the other hand, as Philip Miss Fields, the head of the Junge Union, the Bureau and member of the CDU member of parliament. The Cologne Fritz Schramma OB (CDU) opened last November, even the World Cyber Games. The Olympics of the self-Ducats Daddler invited the best Counter-Strike in the world to a duel.

"Because I am so happy that I am of the CDU in Karlsruhe am," replied Ingo wave Reuther, as we see it on the phone to point out how inconsistent his party presents. Strong words. A man with a mission?

Doris Baltinger of the Karlsruhe SPD seems to believe: "Mr. Reuther wants to wave the next mayor, and uses this matter to his rival Margret Mergen off."

For the controls the company, which manages the Stadthalle. So you would first need to yelp when the lease was signed. "He proposes several birds with one stone," says Doris Baltinger, "he differentiates itself from the OB, the CDU its own profile with conservative values and urged his rival to the sidelines."

"Nonsense," replied Ingo wave Reuther, "I would like to return in September in the Bundestag."

Moreover, it makes the thing. 2007, the Bundestag deputies Ingo wave Reuther incidentally in Mannheim as a candidate for the chief seats in the town hall to. He landed at around 32 percent.

Fourth AktKarlsruhe, behind the scenes
Representatives of the tournament organizer ESL travel to Karlsruhe and seek dialogue. Christian Brand, in wages and bread at Turtle Entertainment Games producer and spokesman for the ESL, recalls: "There were all the groups, many have asked critical questions."

Only by the CDU were not as many as: "But we have tough words: they are not the tournament."

Only Mayor Fenrich opposed at this time against his own group: "The ESL does the past seven years, in numerous other cities."

As recently in Offenbach, then stated the Youth "
A Rapkonzert aggressive acts. "

Nevertheless, the trend of Karlsruhe. As always, if somewhere a murder Waffennarr on tour, there is growing pressure to ban media content. Previously, it was films and videos, to video games today. Karlsruhe for the tournament was originally scheduled take place in Stuttgart. Even then it was banned.

Fifth AktSondersitzung CDU Karlsruhe
The air is thin for OB Heinz Fenrich, dark clouds gather over the Schwarzbach Hall: The CDU Karlsruhe convene a special meeting of the municipal one. The will decide the lease for the event to cancel. Turtle Entertainment, the organizers but did not want to lock this command, and on to the feed for a "city successfully defends itself against Killerspiel event" message to be. She says her from the tournament.

"Meeting canceled for Shooter games," reports the "Kölner Stadt Anzeiger" the next day. Because of the "mood in the population," explains Heinz Fenrich OB there, had been agreed with the organizer of the event in sight. "We are at the mercy of the politicians," the paper cited on the other hand, Christian Brand, spokesman for the organizers prevented. In a press release his company states: "It is clear that the great distance to our youth and the new media a serious generational conflict disclose."

After Game
Behind the scenes is Fenrich with SPD-wife Doris Baltinger quite agree. Both are wondering: If we start with Forbid, where we hear that on?

Good question. We make the Municipal Council and Members of the Bundestag Ingo Wellenreuther a few suggestions: How about, for example with the shooting galleries at the fair at the weekend? What about the Shooting of the city, the grants from the City Treasury will receive?

"That," says Ingo Wellenreuther, "is an entirely different matter."

Perhaps even other voters? On 7 June Karlsruhe elect the new council and the European Parliament.

YOUR OPINION IS ASKED

Discuss about this article

Before the local elections but there is sentiment at once, a "youth action" has a demonstration near the city of Karlsruhe registered. The organizers of the self-proclaimed "e-sports enthusiasts" Schlorke Norman (19) expect 500 to 1000 participants. So much political engagement of young voters Karlsruhe has long experienced.

On Friday, the original date of the tournament gamer, march them through Karlsruhe.
On its website the initiators write: "We do not want to be saddled with as scapegoats so that the policy is a nice theme for their campaign has!"

Let's go by 18 clock.

Gaming with full deployment.

Tough competition for Nintendo's Wii: Microsoft presents a new way to control video games and interact with them. Without a controller, without a keyboard, just with gestures, facial expression and voice. The professional world is fascinated - ONLINE blogs has tried the system.

 

Los Angeles - wedeling, kick, throw, gesticulate, grimaces cut: Microsoft wants to ensure that video games will be operated very differently than with analog joysticks, and many colorful buttons. In an industry where every small step, every new game with words such as revolutionary, visionary, or at least stunning behängt is also historically the word with caution. If it is on the E3 video game trade show falls, you should still be cautious. Because this is a place where superlatives with gegeizt will not.

That is why we tried to do something with the shoulders to twitch when Chris Lewis, chief of the Europe-Entertainment Division of Microsoft, from a historic step speaks of the "Natal Project" will be made. But this is probably true.

"Project Natal" is a new technology, accessories for the Xbox 360 And the can, the idea is when you try it to create something that not only the world of video games could fundamentally change. The technology allows new ways of interacting with the console from which you previously could only dream of. One could also say: You think innovations like Sony's EyeToy camera and furious successful Nintendo Wii console is consistently - and raises them to a new level.

The system detects the movements of the skeleton

"Project Natal" is a technique for the controller to be superfluous, the only boundary between game players and the surface of the screen can be - and even the sometimes seemingly disappears. It is the controller that eliminates the controller: a small box in which a camera, microphones and a sensor plug. With this sensor, the console, any person who enters it, to clearly identify.

And not only on the face. It recognizes different voices, the size and body size measure, and yet this makes the things in the cinema today, often as a technique is used: Motion Capturing. It detects movement by means of displacements of the bones. It scans the skeleton and translates these movements to the screen immediately. And not just two, but in the whole depth of the room.

There are also programs that can recognize emotions. Based on the facial expression to know whether the player rather sad or cheerful looks and recognizes the same emotion in his voice. It detects whether Jokes tears or sad story.

During the presentation in a hotel room away from the show will quickly realize how amazing the new technology really is. Without the device in hand, we are in front of the TV and can influence what is happening yet. Through the movement of hands, legs or face, by voice or gestures.

Once in one of the games shown a ball on a zugeflogen comes, can I propose with the hand or on the other hand, it occurs. Shoot with the ball slowly destroy a wall, until it finally won. After a few moments you are in the room and no longer remembers that one stares at a screen. The ball, which served on the screen, is in the imagination actually exists. Man turns his head to the side when it comes to him zugeflogen, rotates the leg to make it easy to catch and protects the soft parts with his hands when he served in dangerous height comes.

More than a Gimmick

"Only with the help of one's own life experience to control," says one of the developers and establishes a racing one. "Burnout", a fast game, good reactions and the willingness to spectacular crashes requires. The developers have modified it slightly. Actually is "burnout" with the controller played by pressing a gas or slowed, with a small joystick steering.

Now, the whole body: the foot in front - gas, walk back - slow down. The hands hold the body, as if you have a steering wheel in his hand and would steer. The Surprising: It works. And so intuitive that you be a flawless round of lies down. Up here, however, is "Project Natal" little more than a gimmick, a beautiful and well-functioning, but basically superfluous control variant, which differs from the competition at first glance hardly differs.

What a difference to the traditional game controller really makes clear, is called "Milo" and is a short excerpt from a game, the legend developer Peter Molyneux is currently developed. Milo is a small boy, who responded, if you look at the TV is approaching. He talks with us, looks after us when we in the room and go off and remember, if we look sad or happy. He asks what is going on, tries to bring us.

Then he asks us to do things. Throws Us a mask, which we unconsciously "catch" or at least try. Moreover he is pleased and invites us to take it up with your fingers to form circles, she holds in front of the eyes, plays "mask". Now we are approaching a pond, a water surface and see fish in the water and its mirror image. Once you close with your hands, blurred the water surface. You play in the water, away fish and destroyed the mirror image. It surprised quite a regular: The hands are not wet.

"Project Natal" works now - and answered some dreams of video gamers and Star Trek fans. It is the first step on the holodeck in a truly virtual world. The most beautiful in this technique is: it no longer plays with the controller, but with the game.

The Netbook future loves Linux.

Netbook be shipped with Windows XP - at least so far. That could soon change. At the Computex computer trade show in Taiwan are mini-notebooks to see which cell phone chips and running Linux versions running. Nevertheless, Microsoft could be the future Netbook secure.

 

The first Netbook, the Asus EEEPC 901, yet it looked as if the little light on low-cost laptops will always be running Linux. Asus had a Linux system to the small screen and the processor adapted slippers. Vista to install it, it would have been impossible, because Microsoft's current Windows too high demands on the hardware.

The solution came in the form of an oldies: Especially for the Netbook, Microsoft Windows XP, which actually has long disappeared from the range should continue to retain its sales lists. However Netbook exclusively for and under the condition that certain low-priced computer maximums do not exceed. Because of these limitations have Windows Netbook never more than a gigabyte of RAM and 160 GB of disk space.

Hopes, these limits may, with the introduction of Windows 7, could be a report of the industry Web site "
Digitimes' nullification. As a result, both Intel and Microsoft to extend the screen size for Windows-7-inch Netbook to 10.2 only. Confirmed this is not, both companies said to mention the rumors.

A smartphone chip in low-cost laptop

A restriction to a maximum of 10.2-inch screens could be the manufacturers, however, also make tasty, again alternatives to Windows on it. The fact that several manufacturers are already in the process, which is based on Linux-based Android mobile operating system to adjust the small computer, has long been no secret anymore. At Computex, but is now actually a Android-Netbook to see.

Issued, it is calculated from Asus, the company, its Netbook Linux in favor of Windows XP again einstampfte. On a Netbook, which just presented EEEPC 1008HA striking looks similar, is also designated as a Google OS operating system. What the system is still out: The device is not the normal Intel hardware, all else equal Netbook makes. Instead, the Android-Netbook Snapdragons by Qualcomm chipset driven.

The same chips potter in TG01 Toshiba smartphone and will be in a pbook designated as Wistron Widescreen Netbook work. If they stick to what Qualcomm promises - and the first video evidence of the Netbook Asus Snapdragons-out - they should be exactly the right mix of multimedia performance and power management technology are united, the one from a counterpart to Intel's Atom Netbook processor wishes.

Microsoft makes the Wii competition.

Microsoft has in the E3 video game trade show in California, the trade with a technical innovation perplexed. A new input device for the Xbox 360 game should not only can recognize gestures, but also to facial expressions and voice of the players react.

 

Peter Molyneux is a legend - but one with a reputation for being occasionally mannen of enthusiasm about it. His game projects, such as "Black & White", "Fable" or "The Movies" teem always good ideas, but sometimes can not quite believe what their creator promises - and often much later than originally announced. Whether this is an omen for this is what Molyneux, on behalf of Microsoft at the E3 video game trade show in Los Angeles demonstrates?

AFP
Microsoft's "Project Natal" games only with movements controlled

How Microsoft plans because, in fact, would be a revolution, not just for games, but for entirely different applications. The "Project Natal" baptized input, not only should recognize the player movements - movements of the whole body, not just one herumgeschwenkten controller - but also facial expressions and voice capture and process.

In a video demonstration Molyneux is a young woman named Claire, which with a little boy named Milo speaks and plays. Milo, it is embarrassing, as Claire him about his homework asks Claire appals hand movements with a few fish in the pond. But Claire is facing the screen, Milo looks out - he is an impressive computer animated creature that reacts to what Claire says and does.

Works well on old consoles

Cameras, microphones and a depth sensor, according to Microsoft it should be also possible, such as sports games such as car racing, boxing or football, the figures standing in front of the screen with natural movements to control. That would be a bit like Nintendo's highly successful Wii console - only that there still a motion controller in the hand in order to control the game. Also about what Sony's console with a camera "EyeToy" is possible, even the movements in front of the screen can see, the possibilities seem far to go out of Natal.

GAME CONSOLES: THE LATEST GENERATION

Wii

obs / Nintendo of Europe

The small competitor is in contrast to the rival consoles, not high-resolution graphics, but delivers traditional television resolution. Nevertheless, the device is so popular that the manufacturer has not announced prices. In the United States overtook the Wii in July 2008 Microsoft's Xbox 360, what the sales figures are concerned. The console features a motion controller and bewegungssensitiven-oriented accessories, such as the "Balance Board" from. With simple sports and fun games, it has for the industry, captured new audiences. A detailed test Wii can be found here.

Playstation 3

DDP

The direct competitor to Microsoft's Xbox 360 - the two consoles to compete with the hardcore gamers who are also prepared for high-resolution graphics to a TV buy. In March 2007, the console on the market in Europe. In July 2008, there were either 40 or 60 GB hard drive - will also soon have a version with 80 GB on the market. It is the most expensive among the current models and gives a high-resolution video via an HDMI-out output. As the only game currently available, it contains a Blu-ray drive, which is also high-resolution Blu-ray discs can play. A detailed
Test of the PS3 can be found here.

Xbox 360

Microsoft's high-definition console is of the three longest current competitors on the market, namely since the end of 2005. Microsoft has repeatedly screwed on price and features. The 360 has a normal DVD drive in its basic version, but no hard drive. In July 2008, there were a model without a hard drive, a 20 gigabyte model and the black "elite" with 120 GB hard drive. The current models of HD images on an HDMI-out output. A comprehensive test on the Xbox 360 can be found here.

Sony PSP

The Playstation Portable, on the market since 2005, is Sony's first attempt, which traditionally used by Nintendo (Game Boy) dominated the market for mobile games a bit abzuzwacken. Since 2007, there is a slightly thinner version, called Slim and Lite. The mobile console games can not only present but also movies and music. Moreover, it can be via W-LAN to the Internet. Movie downloads and other content may differ from the PS3 to the PSP will be delayed, may also mobile console to the Internet as a kind of remote for the PS3 to be used. The PSP is on the market for mobile games second rear Nintendo DS. A detailed
Test of the PSP can be found here.

Nintendo DS

The Nintendo DS is since 2005 in a first version on the market since 2006 in an edition called slimmer DS Lite (pictured). DS stands for "dual screen". The console has a normal and in the bottom half of a touch-screen. Games will be on buttons or a stylus, the touchscreen with the edited, played. The DS is the PSP over Wi-Fi to connect to the internet, including online games and gimmicks such as pictures chat are possible. With games like "Nintendogs" and "Dr. Kawashimas brain-jogging" tapped the DS new target for mobile consoles. The DS is currently the best selling mobile game. A test report on the first version of the Nintendo DS can be found here.

"Natal" is the basis of faces and voices even recognize who is currently playing. The catch: When the new system on the market, remained unclear. Microsoft, however, now provides the necessary software for developers to make games for the new technology to be developed. The system should be on all models of the Xbox 360 work.

Zune is coming - a bit, Xbox 360 will be social

In addition to the spectacular "project Natal", Microsoft has announced that it will be the Xbox 360 make social. Users of the online service Xbox Live starting in autumn 2009 the Twitter status of friends and retrieve directly from the console new articles in their own account can post.

The access to Facebook profiles will also be possible, in addition to manufacturer some updates are carried out, including the provision of photographs. In addition, Xbox Live users about their music listening consoles, which allows the new partnership with the Netzradio portal Last.fm "(which also cooperates with blogs ONLINE).

And the Xbox Live video market Microsoft wants to expand. From autumn will offer Zune video internationally in the online video of the Xbox 360 system. Moreover, according to the manufacturer, then movies are in full 1080p HD resolution and 5.1-channel surround sound ready. This leads Microsoft's Zune brand into the European market, before the Zune media player this country ever is available.