QuickJump QuickPeek 30: Of DAX’s 3.80 M33 landslide, Apple flying into the Air, and a call for the new Ellen Ripley

(Editor’s Note: Epicness was never this awesome!)

It’s another great week again! We have quite a lot of reasons why we’re celebrating, and not least of them all is the fact that QuickJump QuickPeek’s finally hit its 30th edition!

Let’s pop them corks and let the champaign flow. Everyone’s got a reason to party this weekend!

*Originally posted Jan 19, 2008 at 02:49PM

(Editor’s Note: An epic turn of events this week folks. We’ve been trying our best to fish out and net the full deluge of news that have washed ashore lately, and so far, we’ve managed without having to resort to tearing clumps and clumps of our hair out in a fit of rapture. Believe us, it’s been hard to restrain ourselves from doing so.)

To be honest, we had quite the most boringest boringly boring week in the whole entirety of QuickJump QuickPeek history… Last week not withstandi…

[crickets]

Pfft! Ha! Psyche! As if you’d believe that’s possible! It’s quite the opposite, actually, and this week further stretches the fireworks display we’ve been getting since the start of the new year! For three weeks in a row, the big news just won’t stop rolling in!

All of you’ve probably heard of the whole batch of updates that Dark AleX and Team M33 have rolled out this week (we’ll recap them in just a bit), but aside from this, there’s been other notable news that have been causing many a champagne bottle to pop their corks in celebration.

Also, this week finally clocks the 30th edition of QuickPeek – another reason to celebrate. And because of hitting the big three-zero, we’re giving you guys another barrage of links to update your busy selves with over the weekend! Enjoy!

Do we even need an introduction for what’s been going on this week in the PSP scene? Chances are, we don’t need to. But for the sake of those who’ve been out of the loop, better get ready for some downloading and grab your PSP. Now.

After a slight delay (which caused a massive load of F5s from so many users), Dark AleX finally released CFW PSP 3.80 M33 this week.  And yes, it did include that brand spanking new feature of being able to update your CFW via the Network Update function.

Link: Dark AleX’s CFW PSP 3.80 M33 released

Then, just a couple of hours after the first release, DAX surprised everyone with the next update: 3.80 M33-2! It was able to fix a couple of problems that people have already been encountering at that time – especially on the pbp icon forefront. Ah, this release couldn’t have come at a better time for some of you to try out that Network Update feature!

Thanks to Buttonsoft, Dragoon, and all the QJ.NET readers who sent us the news tips!

Link: Custom firmware update: PSP 3.80 M33-2 now out

Alright, are you guys still with us? There’s still more updates to check up on: the next day, DAX eventually released the 3.80 CFW 1.50 Kernel add-on for the PSP Phat that he was promising everyone. This allows you guys to launch some homebrew that require the 1.50 kernel to run. As this is just an add-on, it’s not available via Network Update.

Thanks go to tipsters valyr, Chivasoj, and Buttonsoft!

Link: Dark AleX releases CFW 3.80 1.50 Kernel add-on for PSP Phat

A little one-two punch came in again the next day when Dark AleX released CFW M33-3 and, just a few moments after, M33-4. With the release also came in the Popsloader (and its second version which addressed some minor bugs). Though not much changes were made in the Popsloader, it’s now finally supporting the latest custom firmwares from Team M33.

Many many thanks to homj, maxy_psp, tyler jay, usernameforever, buttonsoft, and everybody else who sent in emails about the Popsloader updates!

Link: Dark Alex releases CFW 3.80 M33-4 and Popsloader M33-3
Link: Popsloader v2 for CFW 3.80 – bugfix for sleep mode

Now, before all the mind blowing CFW-related updates from Team M33 though, we heard of a public statement from Mathieulh, who responded to certain issues that cropped up relating to the delayed release of PSP CFW 3.80 M33. Some of you might not have noticed, but there’s been quite a controversy brewing backstage.

Aside from giving us updates on when or where they would be releasing the custom firmware, Math also gave his thoughts on the relationships fostered between homebrew developers and other entities – users, websites, or other devs. Yes, we’re all connected in what we’d like to call the PSP circle of life, but sometimes, we still have to keep ourselves in check.

Link: Mathieulh’s statement on CFW 3.80 release, PSP community affairs

Surfacing during the tail end of last week though – hardly made it to the previous QuickPeek edition – was a rumor about the PSP supporting DivX in the future. It sounded plausible, and most everyone wishes that it’d be confirmed to be true. But for now, all we have to do is wait and content ourselves with Skype – which, of course, isn’t altogether that bad a thing at all.

Link: Rumor: DivX to arrive in PSP FW 4.0?

When will M33-5 come in? We’re not sure. But if trends are a thing to follow, who knows – maybe by the time Update 5 rolls in, M33-6 might not be that far behind!

– QJ.NET’s PSPUpdates Team

Time to take a little step back and check out how things are running in the back room of the video game industry. Developers are slowly revealing various things about upcoming games or projects. It’s just a matter of time now before we see the fruits of their labor.

One of the biggest bits of news that surfaced last week was the confirmation of Resistance 2. Yeah baby, 60 on multiplayer, 8 players on co-op. Whew! This week, we see Ted Price of Insomniac Games giving the low down on this hot FPS sequel.

In a series of videos, he discussed the thickening plot they’re planning for Resistance 2 and how they intend to bring something new into the FPS genre.

Thanks go to Quixand for the news tip!

Link: Dev talks about Resistance 2, calls it first third-gen PS3 game

We just heard this week that 2K Boston – the team that was previously called Irrational Games – will be working on an upcoming PS3 title. Now… 2K Boston…? Why does that sound familiar, you ask? They were the same dev team behind last year’s BioShock on the Xbox 360, that’s why!

No details about what sort of game they’re bringing to the PS3, but all we have to go by is that their website is calling for applicants for various job posts in PS3 programming.

Link: Bioshock devs hiring PS3 programmers

Linux on the PS3 is not anything new. But as for developments of what you can run on Linux on the PS3, we’ve come quite far. In fact, that PS3 of your might even outshine your PC. StreamMyGame just released their Linux Player – an application that can virtually run any PC game right on your PS3 via remote access. Pretty sweet, huh? Which begs the question… Crysis on your PS3? Hmm…

Link: StreamMyGame Linux Player released, broadband service by March

If you got some space, you might want to drop by the PlayStation Network to check out on a handful of downloadable content. The Turok and FIFA Street 3 demos are now available, as are a set of Rock Band songs and a couple of other media.

Good news though. If you’re waiting for Echochrome on the PlayStation Network, you might not have to wait too long. The in-here-out-there Portal-like puzzle game will be released in Japan on March 19, simultaneously with its PSP version’s release. As for other regions, it couldn’t be too far off.

Link: PSN US update: of PlayStation Eye games, Turok, FIFA Street 3 demos
Link: PlayStation 3 Echochrome also to be released in March

Check back next week, guys! By the way, all you road-rage’d drivers might wanna save some bucks for the upcoming release of Burnout Paradise on the 22nd.

– QJ.NET’s PlayStation 3 Team

Ah. Finally. All those marionette-ish rumors have come to an end. A demo for Devil May Cry 4 will be heading to XBL (and PSN, mind you) later this month. Get out those calendars, red letter day is on January 31 – the same date the game gets released in Japan.

Aside from the announcement of the demo, Capcom’s also offering a couple of prizes to further tease you guys while we wait. All you got to do is download a widget and keep on your toes for any further announcements.

Link: Devil May Cry 4 demo coming to Xbox 360, PS3 on January 31

We know how much GoldenEye from the days of yore can tug a bit of a heart cord among most of you, and fortunately, we aren’t alone in this. Through the course of the week, we’ve heard of more developments in getting the game on XBL. Even Major Nelson himself mentioned that he’d be forwarding all these “Save GoldenEye” emails to the right people.

Despite this, the whole shebang didn’t go by without some mild controversy. Questions as to why the game got shelved before have arisen. Was it because of money… or was it Nintendo?

Thanks, Anthr0x, for the tip about the petition!

Link: GoldenEye 007 for XBLA canceled because of money?
Link: Goldeneye XBL petition circulating the internet
Link: Major Nelson to forward “Save GoldenEye” emails to Microsoft
Link: Nintendo behind cancellation of XBLA GoldenEye 007?

Speaking of the Major, he’s responded to many of the complaints about supposed Achievements disappearing in people’s gamer profiles. Major Nelson finally cleared up the matter, explaining that the Achievements never actually disappeared due to the XBL shakedowns over the holidays.

Link: Major Nelson: Achievements did not disappear

As for more good news for the XBL-friendly populace, remember when Microsoft promised some free games as peace offering for the network problems for the past few weeks? Some might think that the freebie would be some run-off-the-mill title, but actually, it isn’t.

It’s none other than Chair Entertainment’s Undertow, an underwater shooter, that’ll be available for free download over XBL. It’s currently available, so you better get a move on before they close the offer by tomorrow, Sunday.

Link: Freebie: XBLA’s Undertow to be a free downloadable next week

Finally, some good news to water down all the bad rep the big MS has been getting lately, eh? In case you guys hear more 360 tidbits you’d like everyone else to know about, just hit us up and keep them emails coming!

– QJ.NET’s Xbox 360 Team

Your worst fears have caught up on you. Or not. Well, it depends actually. But do know this: Super Smash Bros. Brawl has been delayed to March. And this time, it’s no rumor. It’s official. The new release date for SSBB is now March 9.

Link: Super Smash Bros Brawl: delay confirmed, Distant Planet update

Well, that’s OK. We’ve always wanted our games to be cooked to utter perfection rather than have them release it bloody rare. Now, as if in compensation, we actually got a lot of huge updates about Brawl this week.

First up is Sheik. It started out as a speculation drawn from a couple of scans showing Princess Zelda’s Final Smash – the Light Arrow – but eventually, the DOJO finally spilled the beans.

Turns out that the rumor was fake. Sheik isn’t a transformation of Zelda… but she’s actually going to be playable as another addition to the confirmed characters down the Brawl roster.

Link: Brawl scans reveal Zelda’s Final Smash; Sheik transformation hinted
Link: Super Smash Bros. Brawl update: Sheik transformation confirmed, screenshots

There’s also been a rumor that Super Smash Bros. (the first title in the Smash series) might actually hit the Virtual Console pretty soon. That’s a definite must-have if it does eventually end up in the Wii Shop Channel.

Link: Rumor: Super Smash Bros. for VC to be relased with Brawl?

And finally, some good news. Famitsu was able to play Brawl recently – oh how we envy them – and needless to say, they published their rating for it: a perfect 40/40, people! Perfect scores are one thing, but in the history of Famitsu, they’ve only given a 100% rating to a game six times in the past.

Link: Perfect Smash: Super Smash Bros. Brawl gets Famitsu’s perfect score

You guys can always check out other news for Brawl by clicking on the game title’s link in any of the articles listed above. Believe us, you’d want to check out the other updates. There’s been a whole kerfuffle of videos that flocked in this week.

– QJ.NET’s Nintendo Wii Team

The results from the sales figures of 2007 have finally surfaced from the NPD Group. This week, they published the charts for hardware and software sales. Overall, Nintendo topped hardware sales, with the DS and Wii taking the top two spots. On the software side, December found CoD4 at the top of the list, but if you zoom out and look at 2007 as a whole, Halo 3 reigns supreme.

Nintendo seems to be happy about their slice of the market pie. Super Mario Galaxy and Brain Age alone contributed quite a lot of sales for Nintendo already. To add to that, by the time 2007 ended, they were practically sold out on both hardware and software sides.

Link: DS, CoD4 top December; DS, Halo 3 top overall 2007 NPD figures
Link: Nintendo DS and Wii top best-selling game platforms for 2007

Sony and Microsoft have also responded to the NPD results published this week. First up, Microsoft pointed out their slice of the overall pie: US$ 4.8 billion. They also said that more than half of the games on the top-selling list were also for the Xbox 360.

Meanwhile, Sony won’t be giving up that easily. They’re still catching up, with their hardware sales of PS3, PSP, and PS2 units (yes, they’re still selling quite hot, mind you). And for just the month of December, it’s been reported that 798,000 PS3 units have been sold.

Link: Microsoft’s response to the latest NPD Group sales data results
Link: The NPD Group sales data results: Sony’s response

Something is definitely in the Air. Specifically, the MacWorld Expo 2008 brought a lot of things a-flying, care of Steve Jobs and his announcements for Apple-related tech. Just a couple of things to note: a new laptop, a new storage device, and updates on existing products. Other things are also in the air… and we’re talking about stuff that good lady Ellen Ripley is known for bashing.

Just about five or so minutes (maybe less?) into the keynote, Steve Jobs already unveiled a new product: the Time Capsule. It’s a new storage device that syncs with your iGadgets automatically via Wi-Fi. Once configured into your specific home or office set-up, the Time Capsule acts just like what its name suggests – a repository of data, info, and files from your work stations and dekstops.

Link: Macworld Expo opens: Steve Jobs keynote, Time Capsule announced

The highlight of the MacWorld keynote though was the MacBook Air. It’s the newest product in the MacBook line and is described to be a mesh of the MacBook and the MacBook Pro.

Link: Apple announces MacBook Air details: It ships in two weeks

On to other MacWorld announcements, we get some new software updates for the AppleTV, the iPhone, and the iPod Touch. Each update carries with it a whole caboodle of new features.

Link: New Apple TV software released, gets price cut
Link: Major iPod Touch software upgrade now online, plethora of new features inbound
Link: iPhone software update v1.1.3 now live

While the tune of Karen Carpenters’ theme song for World Contact day is playing our heads right now, we turn our eyes not into deep space, but to our very own back yards. Recently, there’ve been reports (again) of unidentified flying objects. This time over Texas.

The sightings trace back to January 8, and reported by various townsfolks and officials alike. Whether or not this is mass hysteria, the reports seems to be consistent from one person to the next: a supposed UFO flying faster, quieter, and lower to the ground than any other airplane would have. Also, this UFO seemed to be bigger than a plane.

Calling Ellen Ripley: alien tissue spillage on aisle 5. We need your help!

Link: Reports of UFOs abound anew in Texas

We heard of two casualties down the editorial and video game reviewing staff of GameSpot last week, but earlier this week, one of them Alex Navarro, finally spoke up. Famous for his review of Big Rigs (oh, just look it up if you have the time), Navarro has revealed that part of his decision to resign involved the firing of Jeff Gerstmann.

Link: Alex Navarro cites Gerstmann’s firing as one of the reasons for resignation

On the lighter side of things, let’s talk movies now. The movie based on Halo is slowly stepping into the light as we hear of more hints as to what the story might be like. According to one of the writers on board the project, Master Chief will actually be playing a supporting character role, rather than what most people would assume. But but but… But why?!

Link: Master Chief only a supporting character in Halo movie says Halo writer

Remember that bit about Square Enix wanting to cooperate with Microsoft if there was a chance for merit? Well, that’s what Yoichi Wada explained, at least. And to him, it’s a pretty complex issue – one that’s based on consumer demand among other things.

QJ.NET commenter Goobers has something else in mind though. Partly, it seems, it’s about relative projection of the mass market of what they see a console as, against their own backdrop. In an off-tangent way, it’s something akin to the whole “When in Rome, do what the Romans do” sort of proverb.

Originally posted Jan 19, 2008 at 02:49PM