Console Maintenance Tips from a Pro

Taking a break from our usual discussion about games, we thought we'd take a few moments to focus on the machines that play them. Here's a few helpful hints from a Gaming Expert on how to keep your consoles running at maximum efficiency!

Xbox 360- This one has quite a few idiosyncrasies to keep track of, first of which is to ALWAYS lay your console on its side. This allows for the hot air building up inside the system to escape the easiest. Since heat rises, if you have your console standing straight up the hard drive on top does not allow heat to escape, possibly leading to the system overheating and causing the 'Red Rings of Death'. Also, make sure you never put your system directly onto carpet, as that will also prevent proper ventilation from occurring. If you have something you can put under the system to elevate it a little ways off the floor, that's even better.

Second tip is to NEVER touch your console while it's playing, as this can lead to ringed discs. What happens is that when the console is moved or tilted while a game is being played, the disc gets knocked into the laser itself as it's reading the game. This is why these particular scratches are perfect circular rings, as well. While this type of scratch is repairable, it's difficult and there is not a 100% success rate, so it's best to take preventative measures!

Last tip for the 360: if you have an Intercooler or some other external cooling system on your Xbox, make sure that it has an external power source. Ones that draw power directly from the 360 itself have been known to possibly cause 'Red Rings' as well! Keep in mind that all of these tips are for the original 360's and Elites; it doesn't apply to the new slim models, as they are designed slightly differently. Although, it couldn't hurt to use these practices on the slim, just in case.

PS3- The PS3 is almost the exact polar opposite from the 360 in terms of proper maintenance. In order to get proper heat dispersion and ventilation, it should be standing up on its side, because the internal fans disperse most of the heat through the top of the system. Also, if you accidentally bump your system while it's playing, you don't have to scream in agony and prepare for a ringed disc; blu-ray discs are more resilient than DVDs, and are rather difficult to scratch. The internal drive of the PS3 is also set up differently, so the laser can't bump into the disc like it can in the 360.

While the PS3 doesn't ring discs, there is something important to keep in mind about the disc drive: when putting discs into the system, it's important not to force them in. Gently ease the disc in, and wait for the mechanism to grab it and pull it in on its own. Forcing the discs in and breaking the automatic feeding mechanism is the leading cause of disc drive failures, and the most common problem with the PS3.

It's also important to blow the dust out of the system on a regular basis, using an air compressor or canned air. You can also suck out dust with a hose vacuum gently placed on the side vents, if the dust bunnies have become dust elephants. Again, with the exception of the disc drive feeder, these practices are for the original models, and don't apply to the slim models, but again, it couldn't hurt.

While absolutely preventing all problems from ever happening is impossible with electronics, practicing these methods will greatly reduce the risk of a broken system. Remember though, that if for any reason you do end up having a problem with your system, whether it be a ringed disc or a broken feeding mechanism on a disc drive, we here at Level Up Video Games can fix it for you. However, while we are here for you, it's always better not to have to spend extra money. Hopefully, following these simple preventative measures will save you some cash!

Submitted by: Tom Ferko (Employee)

Batman: Arkham City roundup

Great video games can be both a blessing and a curse. Pop in the disc and instead of savoring the experience, you end up devouring everything it has to offer; from getting all the achievements to finding every hidden item. Before you know it, you've finished off the last morsel and you're now watching the credits roll and instead of feeling full, you crave more.

It's easy to argue that Batman: Arkham Asylum suffered from this problem, but Rocksteady Studios recently announced a New Game Plus mode in Batman: Arkham City to help resolve the issue. The new mode allows you to retain all of Batman's gadgets, abilities and XP from your first run-through of the game, but amps up the difficulty with meaner thugs and tougher bosses. Batman also won't have his “Bat-sense” to counter incoming enemy attacks, but after smashing through throngs of thugs the whole game, chances are you won't need it.

This new mode looks to add tons of replay value to an already huge game, as Rocksteady has confirmed that Batman: Arkham City will be larger and longer than its predecessor.

"We have the single player game with the full narrative, and for that you're talking about the 20-25 hour mark. But if you want 100 per cent complete, with finding all 400 Riddler trophies, finding all the cameos, then we reckon that's at least 40 hours of gaming," said Rocksteady lead narrative designer, Paul Crocker. “From a sheer size point of view, it's about five times as big as Arkham Asylum.”

Aside from the size and length upgrade, let's take a step back and have a quick look at some of the other goodies that'll be in store for Batman this time around. First of all, the number of challenges and villains has increased from the first game. Whether he's hunting down all of The Riddler's 400-plus trophies, closing the book on The Joker, taking down The Penguin, facing off against Mr. Freeze, teaming up with Catwoman and dealing justice to Two Face or finding out what Hugo Strange has in store for Arkham City; the Caped Crusader's definitely going to have a busy night.

Players will also have more control over Batman's cape-gliding abilities to help him traverse over rooftops and between buildings in Batman: Arkham City. Used in conjunction with the grappling hook, it could be possible to cover the whole of Arkham City without touching the ground.

"We wanted the player to experience the freedom and exhilaration of gliding down alleyways and soaring above the skyline, and this has meant [adding] nearly twice as many moves and animations as in the original game," said Rocksteady game director, Sefton Hill.

Easily one of the best aspects of Batman: Arkham Asylum was its freeflow combat system, which allowed for Batman to take down groups of Joker's lackeys with stylish, bone-snapping moves. Rocksteady upped the ante in Batman: Arkham City and armed the Dark Knight with tons more attacks, including integrating his gadgets into combat and the ability to take down multiple enemies at once.

The combat and predator challenge maps will also return in Batman: Arkham City. Batman, Robin, and Catwoman are already set to fill the roster. There's also a rumor of a possible fourth character in the works, but Rocksteady hasn't revealed any further information on this yet.

One thing Rocksteady has released is the inclusion of 3D support on all systems. This feature will also be available even if you own a regular HDTV.

With the myriad of content Rocksteady's promising - and what's yet to be revealed - Batman: Arkham City is shaping up to surpass its predecessor when it swoops onto store shelves for the Playstation 3, Xbox 360 and PC on Oct. 18.

Digital gaming gaining ground

The day when gamers purchase their next video game title from their TV screens or computer monitors rather than driving to their local game store may not be so far off. The Entertainment Merchants Association's annual report showed that in 2010, while U.S. consumers purchased 71% of their video games in disc format, 44% bought them digitally.

This steady climb of digital distribution is expected to reach 58% by 2013. There's no doubt that both formats have their pros and cons, but despite those who believe that disc-based video games will eventually become overrun, some believe that it won't necessarily come to that.

"The home entertainment industry should be encouraged by the strong consumer support for packaged media demonstrating that discs and digital content will coexist in the foreseeable future," said EMA president and CEO Bo Andersen.

The EMA's report also showed that home game consoles like Sony's Playstation 3 are fast becoming entertainment centerpieces. U.S. households owning a PS3 used it for playing DVDs and Blu-rays 27% of the time, and downloading or streaming movies, like Netflix, 13% of the time. Forty percent of Microsoft's Xbox 360's time was also used for non-gaming.

Whether gamers choose to stick with shiny disc and plastic case or download them directly to their console or PCs...sometimes, a game is still just a game.

A Special Conversation: Fumita Ueda and Tetsuya Mizuguchi, Part 1

Who are Fumita Ueda and Tetsuya Mizuguchi, and why should you care that they are talking to each other? Some of you might already know, but for those who don't, Fumita Ueda is the man behind 'Ico' and 'Shadow of the Colossus', two games hailed by both fans and critics alike as being two of the best examples on the pro-side of the 'Games as Art' debate; the third game in the series, 'The Last Guardian', is already being anticipated to be of equal quality. Tetsuya Mizuguchi made another game that could also be considered in that category: Rez, the amazing, visual-rhythmic shooting game originally released for the PS2 and later ported to the Xbox 360 in an HD re-release. His upcoming game, 'Child of Eden', for the Xbox Kinect and the PlayStation Move, looks to be just as ground-breakingly spectacular.  

So what do two of the most innovative and artistic creators in the Japanese game industry talk about with each other? Recently, these two men sat down for Famitsu magazine and had a conversation about their careers, their vision for games, and what they hope to accomplish with their upcoming releases. As a special treat, we will be translating the entire interview and putting it up in sections over the next couple of weeks. We hope you enjoy it.

“Inside me, I felt that Ueda-san was a 'kindred spirit'.”

~Mizuguchi Tetsuya

Ueda: I first met Mizuguchi-san in November of 2001, at a completion party for Ico, I think.

Mizuguchi: Yeah. I think that's right. I'm pretty sure it was right after Rez got released (Editor's note: Rez was also released in November of 2001).

Ueda: I feel strongly that they didn't want Ico to be labeled as not a 'real game' at that time, so it was released at the same time as Rez, another title with original game design.

Mizuguchi: I feel like Ueda-san and I are in sync on all the important points. I think that we have the same timing, and approach making games in the same way. When I see Ueda-san being active, it always makes me think 'I have to work hard, too!'.

Ueda: I think so as well. Also, we were both awarded a prize at the 2002 GDCA (Game Developer's Conference).

Mizuguchi: After that, at the Art Event in Spain too, we were both invited to go as representatives for Game Designers, right?

Ueda: Yep. I'm pretty sure that was after 'Shadow of the Colossus' was released.

Mizuguchi: We don't meet that often in Japan. We always see each other at foreign events we are both invited to, don't we?

Ueda: Speaking of, didn't I run into you at the Spanish airport too?

Mizuguchi: Ah! You're right, we did! (laughs). It's almost like some strange twist of fate or something, that Ueda-san and I both seem to feel something similar, and make games that both seem to head in the same direction, or at least we think so when we look at each other's titles.

Ueda: I agree. Mizuguchi-san's games are enjoyed even by people who don't usually play games, and have a simple design, but are still the perfect example of what a video game really is, or should be at least. His latest work, 'Child of Eden', is made like that too, and I think his technical skill is broadening. I'd like to believe that our attitude about making these kinds of games is similar.

Mizuguchi: It probably is. But I think Ueda-san's work comes from this... deep view of the world that he has. The stories that he makes, that flow from that view, have this overwhelming power. He's taking these things called 'games', using the principals they are based on, and widening their possibilities, making them more artistic. I feel that his games are somehow different from all the games that have come before: they have a message and a strong new theme. The fact that he is continuing to make these works of art is amazing. Someone who is able, has the power, to take the world they see inside themselves and accurately express that visually to others... I think it's very unique, a rare person. Especially when you are talking about a fantasy world, since you have to build the world up from scratch; it's a completely different dimension from the real world we inhabit. You probably need an awful lot of energy to do it.

Ueda: Well, it does certainly require a huge amount of effort and work to make something that doesn't exist in the real world convincing and believable when people see it.

Mizuguchi: The control you take, thoroughly going down to even the little details, is amazing.

Ueda: Thank you very much. Of course, it's not just me, my team also works incredibly hard.

Mizuguchi: But that's why it's so amazing! It's really difficult to unify a team like that, have them all be so focused and together.

Ueda: Well, I don't really think it's just me, but as far as the view of the world, the level design, and the functionality of the game as a whole go, I think in order to pursue those things a layer, a texture, of both functionality and meaning is needed in the game. That's what I hope for, what I want us to do thoroughly.

Part two will be coming soon. Look forward to it!

Submitted by: Sherrie Blackwell

Robin to possibly appear in Batman: Arkham City

Batman's Boy Wonder sidekick, Robin might make an appearance as a pre-order bonus in the highly-anticipated Batman: Arkham City according to a user on arkhamcity.co.uk. Rocksteady has yet to reveal more info regarding if Robin will partake in the single player story or just be a challenge map only character.

Check out Rocksteady's official twitter page to get your fill on this and more updates on Batman: Arkham City, which hits store shelves on Oct. 18 this year.

E3 2011

E3 2011 is in full swing with tons of announcements, trailers and demos from the industry's leading game developers, and Level Up is in the thick of it!

Microsoft looking to explore new possibilities of interactive hardcore gaming with Kinect and Xbox Live; Sony making a comeback from the recent PSN outage with a lineup of hit games and a new handheld system, the Playstation Vita; Nintendo look to satisfy both hardcore and casual gamers to push interactive gaming further with its console, the Wii U coming in 2012; not to mention lots of anticipated titles from third party developers, there's a lot to look forward to in the world of gaming.

Stay tuned for more info from our guys on the floor coming soon!

Tips and Advice from the Experts at Level Up: Set Up your media server!

Video Game consoles have been around for years. What's changed? Pretty much everything, but most notably is the fact that gaming consoles have evolved from merely playing games to providing a powerful media and communications device for your family.

If you own today's Xbox 360 or Playstation 3 you can link it your home computer to share all of your videos, music and pictures. You can access the internet, or use your game system to video chat and send messages. Services like Hulu Plus which provides the most popular pre-recorded television shows, Netflix which provides on-demand movies from all your favorite studios and other services like Crackle, Vudu, Last.fm and many more provide unlimited media content on demand. Built-in photo gallery, media players and browser applications as well as many upcoming new apps will unleash a whole new experience for your gaming console.

Some of the services mentioned above are provided on a monthly fee base such as Netflix and Hulu-Plus which start at only $7.99 but in my opinion are well worth it. In fact I am very close to cutting the cable service at home all together.
Services like media share and message and video chat however are free. Here is how to set up your media share service.
1)First you must have a PC with Windows XP or higher installed.
2)You also need to have Windows Media Player (this comes pre-installed on all windows pc's) or another media server program like PS3 media player installed. The process is about the same. For this example we will use Windows Media Player Version 12 and Windows 7 OS.
3)You must have your PS3 or Xbox 360 connected to your Home Network either by using an Ethernet Cable or a Wireless connection.
4)Open your Windows Media Player and activate sharing. With Windows Media Player 12 you would click on the STREAM button and select Automatically Allow Devices to play my media.
5)You will then see a a list of all Media compatible devices that are connected to your home network.  Your Xbox or PS3 will show on the listed devices found.  (Note: your game system needs to be turned on in-order for it to be discover.)
6)Next go to your game system and view Media Library on your Xbox 360 or go to Video, Music or Pictures drop down menus on PS3, you will see Windows Media Player logo if you click on it you can see all your pics, videos and music and play them right from your console.

Viola! You now can view and enjoy all the media you have stored on your home computer through your Game Console and Big Screen.
Remember that not all formats are supported by Windows media player or your game systems built-in media player. But you will find that the most common formats will work just fine. Some of the most common formats are WMV, MP3 and MP4, .AVI.
So if you haven't already explored your game systems potential, I strongly recommend you give these tools a try and see what your game system is really capable of.

Submitted by
Jerry Abreu