Game Studio 2.0 and Creators Club FREE for college students!

Remember all the hoopla about XNA and the Creators Club, which would let you build and deploy games directly to your 360 console? It sounded wonderful, but the $100 annual subscription was a gotcha for most who just wanted to tinker around. Not anymore. College students can now get a FREE 12 month subscription. Even if you’re not a developer, it may just be a free ticket to legal homebrew on the 360

To get your free swag, head here. If you’re school isn’t on the list, don’t fret. Visit this link to find out how to get verified (I did it, and it was a painless process).

Update: Since my college isn’t on the list, I followed the link to get verified. My enrollment was immediately verified, and I was emailed a link to the DreamSpark download site. From there, it was one button press and I was given an Xbox Live code to claim my 12-month Creators Club subscription. Couldn’t be any easier. I have the XNA Launcher installed (separate from the temporarily available Game Launcher which is free for all). I now have the ability to install games on my 360 directly from my computer. I plan on installing XNA Sharp NES, a NES emulator created with XNA. I will report back on how that goes. Legal 360 homebrew is here! (for the masses this time, without a $100 entry fee)

Where does Mario go when he dies?

When Mario falls down that expanse, did you ever wonder where he goes? Well, the answer isn’t too pretty:

Not the most glamorous death, I know. And if you are getting all weepy eyed for Mario, just remember:

First pic via Geekstir.

Website updates

You may have noticed the site was a little strange lately. Some spamming hackers exploited a Wordpress vulnerability and injected some javascript (popups) into the site. I updated to the latest version of Wordpress (which I should have done sooner) so that hole is now plugged. In doing so I alse threw out the old design. I never liked it. For now, this will do… nice and simple. I want to design a simple logo, but I’m out of ideas. Drop a comment or email (justin a@t 360insider d.o.t net).

1.618 and Ryu’s head

It seems as though the divine proportion does not apply to our favorite fighters in Street Fighter IV.

Famitsu ’s chock-full of the latest pics from my personal favorite upcoming title.

What surprises me is how disproportionate their heads are…

Consider the following:

Roid rage.

Could this possibly be gameplay???

Notice the health bar…

Either his head never grew into his body, or Ryu has been spending way too much time with Barry Bonds.

This is the only fighter that’s fifty percent 2D while somehow 3D. I’ll be confused until I see a demo.

HADOKEN!!!

Force Unleashed physics

I came across this video fortuitously on youtube earlier today and simply had to share. George Lucas doesn’t fuck around, and as you all may well know, neither does Lucasarts. Seamlessly merging three simulation technologies screams out game of the year candidate. Oh, and by summer 2008, I’m sure they really mean Fall 2010.

Happy Birthday Justin

New Street Fighter IV character

Found within a neogaf forum, there’s apparently a new Street Fighter character…and it’s some chick…with a pink mohawk…pink glasses, and an Avril Lavigne tie.

Wtf?

The developers have mentioned that there won’t be many returning fighters from the previous editions…

This is hardly the alternative I was expecting.

Well, weird “Pink Look-alikes” or not, this game is still going to rock face.

Street Fighter IV Gameplay

I mean, seriously. That shit looks sexy. Street Fighter has always been my favorite fighting franchise, and they’re still keeping it real.

In these two first look videos, game devs and other nerds meticulously break down the mechanics of the game. One thing they mention is the fact that Street Fighter isn’t too detailed unlike the rest of the big fighting franchises (Tekken 6, Soul Calibur IV). Franchises like Tekken have made me lose some respect since they focus on character attire and other pointless customizations over the game play. The past three Tekkens have been identical to me.

Yes, maybe the animation on Ryu’s face makes it like like he’s got roid rage…but they fighting looks flippin sweet. Oh, and apparently tech counters are a thing of the past.

Xbox 360 Fall Update (Divx baby!)

And they’ve added DIVX! I always thought that they should add some sort of away message system similar to some instant messaging programs. It would let your buddies know if you’re grubbin’ out or rekindling yourself with nature before gettin’ yo game on.

XBox classics and mutual friends? Yawnnn.
A more in depth online profile and some new video features? Yippiee!

Xbox 360 Introduces New Features and Console Enhancements with the 2007 Fall Dashboard Update

Free system update hits connected consoles worldwide on Dec. 4; Xbox Originals, Family Timer and more available through download

As promised, Microsoft is bringing some early gifts to your Xbox 360 just prior to the holiday season. Beginning at 2:00 a.m. PST on Dec. 4, the Xbox 360 Fall Dashboard Update will be available for all connected Xbox 360 consoles free of charge, bringing an array of new features and enhancements to the leading gaming and entertainment system.

Among the key new enhancements are the previously announced Xbox Originals game download service, Family Timer parental control feature, and expanded social networking experiences. Xbox 360 owners can also look forward to enhanced navigation, profile and video features and Xbox LIVE Arcade Hits.

This free update will be digitally distributed over Xbox LIVE to the more than 8 million Xbox LIVE members worldwide (Xbox LIVE Silver and Gold) with no disc or hard drive required. Gamers without an Xbox LIVE account can easily sign up for the free network by connecting their console to a broadband internet connection. New features and enhancements include:

MORE DOWNLOAD OPTIONS:

* Xbox Originals – With this new service, announced on Nov. 13, consumers can download-to-own full original Xbox games that were previously only available at retail. The digital shelves will always be stocked with classic titles, such as “Crash Bandicoot: Wrath of Cortex,” “Crimson Skies: High Road to Revenge,” “Halo,” “Fable,” “Fuzion Frenzy,” “Psychonauts,” and more as the catalogue grows over time, at 1200 Microsoft Points per game.

* Xbox LIVE Arcade Hits – On Xbox LIVE Arcade, the Arcade Hits program kicks off where some of the best sellers will become available at permanently reduced prices, making it easier than ever for everyone to build a library of downloadable games! The first games to become Arcade Hits will be “Bankshot Billiards 2″ and “Lumines LIVE,” which will be available for 800 Microsoft Points each, and “Marble Blast Ultra,” “Small Arms” and “Zuma Deluxe,” which will be available for 400 Microsoft Points each. With free trial downloads for every game and over 100 games to choose from, Xbox LIVE Arcade offers something for every member of the family.

NEW WAYS TO KEEP UP TO DATE AND CONNECTED:

· Inside Xbox – A new direct feed brings current news straight from Xbox.com into the Xbox LIVE Dashboard providing members an easy, predictable entry point where they can discover what’s new in: game releases, events, and Xbox LIVE Marketplace offers.

· Enhanced online profile – Members interested in sharing a few more details about themselves will have the option to go beyond their motto and further personalize their profile with an expanded bio. The extended bios will be visible to “Friends Only” or the entire Xbox LIVE community.

· Expanded Friends List access – A quick and easy way for gamers to expand their personal community on Xbox LIVE, members will be able to see the Friends Lists of other Xbox LIVE members, boosting their social networking experience on the service.

ENHANCED OVERALL EXPERIENCE AND CONTROL:

* Enhanced Parental Controls – Family Timer, a strong and flexible new addition to the Xbox 360 Family Settings, enables parents to set the amount of time their Xbox 360 can be used on a per-day or per-week basis by their children or other members of the household.

* New video features – The convenience of full-screen movie previews and enhanced video codec support further expand the options when it comes to the Xbox 360 entertainment experience.

* Easy-to-use navigation features – With several noteworthy changes in the Xbox LIVE Dashboard, from the new Game Store button to the Video Store button to enhanced visuals and descriptions in the video library, Xbox LIVE members can find what they want, when they want it.

These features are just some of the new enhancements Xbox 360 owners can expect as part of the Fall Dashboard Update. On December 4th a list of all the new features and improvements will be posted at: http://www.xbox.com/live.

No Achievements for Xbox Originals

I don’t quite understand Microsoft’s strategy behind this whole “play original Xbox titles on your 360.” And now this no Achievement business?

According to Major Nelson’s page…

These are the original games that were created before Xbox 360. In order to preserve the integrity of the original gaming experience they provide, they will have the features available at the time of their initial release.

Hmmmmm…isn’t that the exact thing they don’t do with XBLA games? Me smell a hint of hypocrisy in the air. I mean, why play Halo 3 when you can pay money for Halo 2? (As if everyone and their mommas don’t already have it.)