With new MW2 map pack announcement, it all becomes painfully clear...

Fresh off our show about Activision, the company gives us another reason to dislike them. When Infinity Ward announced the PC version of Modern Warfare 2 would not support private servers and wouldn't be releasing the development tools to the player created content community there was an outcry. These are both things that have been staples of the PC first person community and have been responsible for games living long lives beyond their console based siblings. One of the biggest factors that Activision and Infinity Ward sited for this changes was fairplay. The new IW.net was promoted as a place where people could play without worry of cheaters and hacks. Unfortunately, the game itself has many issues that can be exploited without the aid of additional programs, leading to what can be equated to state-supported cheating. So with the general failure of nearly every goal that IW.net set forth the most cynical of us are now having our point reinforced daily.

Activision, feeling my job as a video game industry muckraker and general loud mouth is too easy, announced it's first map pack for Modern Warfare 2 today. G4tv.com reported today that the new map pack, which includes 3 new maps and 2 recycled maps from the original Modern Warfare, will be released at a price of $15. That's right folks, the same thing that Valve and other companies often give you for free, Activision is charging you for. But not only charging, charging you 1/4th of the game's original value. A game who's multi-player has been fundamentally broken since day one.  It seems that the move to 100% IW.net was nothing more than a ploy to require all content come directly from Activision, and of course, at a price.

Maybe it's just the person I am, but I would think a map pack like this could be a "Thank you for making this the best selling game of all time" or "We're sorry the game has been broken and exploited." These maps could have been an olive branch for Activision to it's customers in a time that they really need it. I'm not sure if they read what people are saying, but the gaming community isn't really happy with them right now. But instead, of fostering goodwill with the very people that keep them in business, they decided to twist the knife and gouge for a few more dollars.

It seems that Activision is hell bent on alienating the fans and developers of one of the most popular franchises of all time. Just remember though, Battlefield: Bad Company 2 has tanks, destructible environments and is releasing some free maps shortly. Not saying you should stop playing Call of Duty games and jump onto Battlefield, I'm just saying...

Battlefield: Bad Company 2 tips for new players

While hello there little Billy/Janey. I understand that you are interested in playing Battlefield: Bad Company 2, but are afraid you'll look like a complete n00b. Well, of course there is always a learning curve when you start playing a new game, but there are a few tips I can give you that will make your score and self-confidence rise! A lot of the tips I am about to give you are covered on loading screens in some way or another, but I am listing them here because apparently a lot of you don't read them or need them explained more clearly. So here are just a few basic things to help you and your team.

Socialize, socialize, socialize- No, I don't mean use team chat to talk about what toppings you should get on your pizza or asking that guy you just shot if he's mad. There is actually a "socialize" button (default binding "q") that will help you, your team and your score. It is the by far the most overlooked way of getting easy points in the game. It's quite simple though and I have faith you can use it. Any time you have an enemy in your sights, simply press "q." This will actually make your character shout out that he has a target. At that point, a nice little red triangle will appear above his head which not only makes him easier for you and your teammates to spot, but makes him appear on mini-map making it harder to sneak up on people. Not only is this a useful tool in team tactics, but you also get skill points as a reward. If you spot a target and it is killed, you will receive a spot assist bonus. So even if you don't do a lick of damage to the target, you're still getting points. You can also use this button to set objectives for your squad, which will allow you to get squad objective bonus points. So in short, shout out every bad guy you see!

When in doubt, blow it up- One of the key features in Bad Company 2 is the destructible maps. This can really be used to your advantage, especially if you're an engineer or recon solider with mortar strike. If you think you saw movement in a building, blow it up. If you don't see any friendly triangles in the area, just let loose a mortar strike or blow the roof off the house with some RPGs. This is also handing when attacking in a conquest map. If the objective is in a building and the enemy is bunkered down, simply bring down the building. A few well placed rockets or mortars will completely knock down the structure, destroying your objective and usually anyone unlucky enough to be in the building.

Bullets are heavy- Unlike other games that apparently assume that you're in a vacuum without gravity, the rounds fired in Bad Company 2 have weight and friction. This is especially important for low level recon snipers without unlocked scopes. Simply put, the further away the target is, the higher you have to aim. With some practice, you will find the sweet spot for your sniper rifle and be able to drop a bullet on some poor schmoe's head from halfway across the map using your stock scope. This is also important to keep in mind with explosive rounds like tank fire and RPGs. Many times you will have to aim slightly above your target so you don't drop the round a few feet in front of your target.

Tanks have armor- This seems like a no brainer. Of course tanks are armored. The important thing to keep in mind though is the armor isn't the same thickness all the way around. Armored vehicles are designed for a face to face exchange of fire, so the front of these death machines have more armor than the sides or back. So if you want to get the most bang for your buck, attempt to approach the tank from the side or back, then let loose your rocket. This will greatly increase your damage and unless they are paying close attention, it will make it harder for them to locate you for a counter attack. Be sneaky, the game will reward you for it.

Don't be Rambo- You are not a one man army. Sure, if you go lone wolf you might get some cool kills from sneaking up behind people and knifing them in the back, but it will catch up with you. There is strength in numbers. Overwhelm your enemy with shear force if possible. If you need more reason to stick together, nearly every action that is rewarded with skill points has a squad bonus. This means if you assist a squad mate with a kill, heal them or achieve an objective with them, you will receive more skill points. Not only is it a good tactic to stick together, but the game rewards you for sticking together.

Catch up with old friends- Again, in the spirit of sticking together, there are more benefits to be had from squad mates. Not only can they heal you or assist you in a kill, but each one of your squad mates is a walking respawn point. Not only can you spawn from your team's starting point or any control points you might control, but you can actually select a squad mate and spawn right next to them. This allows you to get further behind enemy lines in less time. Just be careful not to spawn into the middle of a mortar strike...

There you have it. These are all very basic tips, but they are easy to overlook and the benefits aren't always spelled out. Hopefully now you will be spotting enemies and bringing down buildings like a pro. Or at the very least, hopefully I will have less reason to curse at my teammates...

Episode 58: Activision all acts the fool

In this episode, Ali Baker makes her Kneel Before Pod debut as a guest host while joining Ryan and Carl as they discuss recent shake ups at Infinity Ward. Is this the nail in the Activision coffin, or will they be able to stay afloat with that sweet, sweet Blizzard money? Listen and find out what we really think of Bobby Kotick...

Direct Download: Right Click and Save Podcast Home: http://www.talkshoe.com/tc/23055 RSS Subscription: http://recordings.talkshoe.com/rss23055.xml or just look us up on iTunes!

EA schedules upgrade to hardware, but asks you turn your server off for now.

Since it's European launch, Bad Company 2 has completely destroyed EA's master servers. In a recent post on the Battlefield blog, it was revealed that players in game have already collected 34 billion xp points with over 400 million kills being made, 1.3 million of which were people being ran over by a vehicle. Apparently the game is proving to be popular.

EA and DICE have been struggling to keep players online. The most recent strategy is an unprecedented one. They were actually requesting players renting server space from Multiplay.co.uk to actually opt into a list that would allow their server be shut down when it was sitting idle and empty of players. It is a bold move to actually ask people voluntarily to shut down servers, but hopefully it won't matter much longer.

Tomorrow there is a planned hardware update that should improve performance and matchmaking across all platforms. EA is planning on taking down the servers starting around midnight PST and return about four hours later with the promise of a better online experience for everyone. On the PC specific end of things, DICE is also working on a client fix to improve server browsing speeds and increase the available player slots from it's current 150,000 players concurrently. So if you've been having problems connecting to Battlefield: Bad Company 2's multiplayer, there might be some relief in sight.

Food, Inc. for Thought.

Last night I curled up on the couch with my usual bag of popcorn and proceeded to watch “Food, Inc.”; a documentary about the behind the scenes aspect of the food industry. I use the word “food” here loosely folks, because the things this film showed made me want to put my buttery bag of salty goodness down.

All joking aside, this documentary is a must see, a complete eye opener to what is going on in fast-food mass production corporate America. I have known this kind of activity was taking place, and in a way I think we all have, but until you see it in all its gory detail, you just can’t comprehend the impact that it is having on our bodies, our economy, our country, and our world and its environment.

Now I can honestly say that it has been over a decade since I had a burger from McDonald’s or Burger King. That’s not just because of another great must see food documentary, “Super-Size Me”, but because the fast food giants of corporate America have always left a bad taste in my mouth. They have given me a generally bad feeling about numerous negative trends in America, mostly health related, but also social and environmental.

Food, Inc. not only intelligently confirms what most of us have only vague notions of, but backs it up with undeniable facts and solid video footage of what is really going on in our country right now. It’s not like your cliché Michael Moore documentary, with him parading around asking questions that he proceeds to answer with more questions, all while wearing his blue collar disguise.

Food, Inc. ends with a light at the end of the tunnel, comparing the food industry to big tobacco, declaring that just like one fell, so shall the other. It is also interesting to note Wal-Mart’s willing involvement in the documentary; I mean we’re talking about one of the world’s largest companies here, who have been the subject of a well known documentary themselves, actually being painted in somewhat of a positive light for promoting certified organic, healthy foods on their shelves.

Whether or not you go watch this important documentary is ultimately up to you. But know this, what you put in your mouth effects more than just you and your health. What you consider food has an effect on everything and everyone around you. Food, Inc. will show you this, and is a perfect display of true investigative journalism that I strongly urge everyone to see.

Update on Amazon's comic book pricing.

If you listened to the latest episode of Kneel Before Pod, you would have heard about how Amazon had some strange pricing on some rather good comic book trades. I personally ordered three. Of those three, I have already received Wolverine: Old Man Logan and Ultimate Fantastic Four, Vol. 3, both being hardcovers and a mere $15 each. I was hoping to pull a trifecta, but alas, it was not in the cards.

On Tuesday, I received the following email;

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"Hello,

Our records indicate you recently ordered 'Criminal (Deluxe Edition)'. Unfortunately, due to a pricing error, we sold many more than expected. In fact, we completely sold out — we don't have any in stock right now, and we're not even sure if we'll be able to get more.

As a result, we've had to cancel your order. I realize this is disappointing news, and I'm so sorry for any inconvenience this causes.

You may want to check our website from time to time to see if this item is available. If anyone is selling it, you'll see a "More Buying Choices" box on the product detail page; if it's not available from any sellers, you might see an "Order it used" or "Alert me" link. "Order it used" allows you to place a pre-order for the item in case another seller lists the item for sale later. "Alert me" allows you to sign up so we can e-mail you when Amazon has stock available for purchase.

I'm sorry I don't have better news. We hope to see you again soon."

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Of course I was slightly disappointed, but this is not where it ends. Wednesday afternoon I received another email from Amazon;

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"Hello,

We wanted to follow up on a recent message we sent about the cancellation of your recent order.

To recap: Due to a pricing error, we sold many more graphic novels than expected. In fact, we completely sold out — we don't have any in stock right now, and we're not sure when we'll be able to get more.

We're sorry for any frustration the issue may have caused, and have applied a $25 promotional certificate to your account.

You can use it the next time you order an item shipped and sold by Amazon.com. You'll see your available promotional balance at checkout--this amount will be applied to your next order automatically without entering a claim code.

I hope this helps. We look forward to seeing you again soon.

Sincerely,

Customer Service
Amazon.com"

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So, apparently I am now getting $25 in credit for not spending $15. What it sounds like is that Amazon actually honoring the pricing it had for the comic books till they actually ran out of stock, then they actually started to cancel these orders.

Well done Amazon. You made a mistake and completely nutted up. A lesser company would have handled this completely the wrong way. You get a gold star today.

Sony Officially Announces Playstation Move at GDC press event

Tonight Sony officially unveiled the name for it's new motion controller system during a live press event at The Game Developers Conference. Freshly off being named, the Playstation Move seems to have changed little since we last saw it, but we were treated to some live on stage demos this time around.

The concept is deceptively simple. You pretty much mash the Wii controller together with Microsoft's Natal. So now instead of a controller that receives signals from a transmitter bar like the Nintendo Wii, you have Sony's Eye camera tracking a lit bulb at the end of the controller.

Almost like a warning shot fired at Microsoft over reported Natal latency issues, Sony makes bold claims of a single frame response time making real time control and rendering a reality. Without getting an actual hands on, it is hard to support or deny these claims. Though, there did appear to be some lag in their street fighting game, the other titles did appear to run very well.

The biggest problem Sony might have to overcome with the Playstation Move is the idea that this all seems familiar. A sports game that shows us that we can play tennis, a first person shooter, some sword play and some party games. If the on screen characters were Miis, it would have really come across as a Nintendo Wii presentation. It is going to be really hard for Sony to make this a unique experience now that motion controls are quickly become old hat and boring for some players. Even the things that the Wii can't do, are familiar ground. Having video of yourself that is integrated with the game play and you directly interact with the environment is nothing new. Not only is it nothing new, but it's something that has mainly been rejected by the gaming mainstream.

The strangest thing was Sony introducing a second controller piece that is held off hand, which features more buttons and an analog control stick.  To illustrate how familiar and ingrained the Wii is into the gaming culture, I have a feeling at least 50% of everyone that read the last sentence thought "Yeah, like a nunchuck."  Sony will have an uphill battle trying to establish itself as being unique, but so far, it seems like the technology is very sound.

There is another thing that Sony must be given credit for. They have now officially shown us way more working software for their Playstation Move than Microsoft has shown for the Natal. Only time will tell if the Move will help keep the motion control craze alive, or if it will join the Nintendo Power Pad as just another footnote on strange video game trends.

While Sony didn't announce any pricing for the Playstation Move, they did hint at it while breaking down their distribution model.  The first option will come as a controller only package for those that already have the Eye camera.  If you don't own the camera, you can get a bundle that includes the controller, the camera and a game.  It was announced that this bundle will be priced below $100.  Lastly, if you don't even own a PS3, there will be a bundle that collects everything together along with a Playstation 3 console.  So apparently Sony believes that the Playstation Move will move some consoles.  I am truly sorry for that pun...

And the Oscar goes to...

Well, it's been a couple days since the Oscars and it's had time to settle in here. We did a pretty decent job at predicting this years winners, but missed a few including two of the biggest categories. So now that it's all over, what does the staff of Kneel Before Pod have to say?

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Ryan- I did not watch the Oscars this year. Not out of a general sense of apathy towards the majority of the nominees (which is true), but because TV is harder to steal from your neighbors than internet is. All that being said, I checked the ever-informative World Wide Web shortly after I woke up on Monday to see how my predictions turned out.

Not. So. Good.

Avatar, what I thought would be the night's big winner, came away with only three awards: Art Direction, Cinematography, and Special Effects. I believe these are all no-brainers, as far as Avatar is concerned. Interesting to me, is that Cameron lost Best Director to his ex-wife Katherine Bigelow, showing that Cameron's epic romance/special effects/classic storytelling chops aren't always going to land him on top.

Best Animated Feature went to Up. Duh.

One award which has me stymied was Best Makeup, which went to Star Trek. I'm not 100% sure what this award signifies, but I will admit that Chris Pine sure looked like shit by the end of the movie.

Oscar's favorite this year was, of course, The Hurt Locker. Directed by Katherine Bigelow, starring Jeremy Renner, this was one movie I had no desire to see before Oscar took it to the prom. Obviously, now I will catch it at some point. The Hurt Locker wasn't aggressively marketed, in my opinion. Not like other Best Picture noms Avatar and Up. I believe this fits the overall tone of the movie, and also confirms its place in history since much of the buzz would have had to be by word of mouth.

My final thoughts on this year's Academy Awards are a big, fat, “MEH.” I knew the movies I'd seen wouldn't win what I wanted them to, and the movies I hadn't seen would bury everything else. One major surprise was the fact that Precious didn't win more, but I'm not going to complain.

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Nate- Ok Oscar, I get it. Increase the number of best picture noms for from 5 to 10 to include all the films to get geek love in an attempt to raise the ratings. Avatar, Up, District 9 and Inglourious Basterds: It’s clear that those four would have never made the cut in a five nomination situation. (Well, Avatar would have, I mean come on, $700mil?!) I mean why not throw Transformers II: Revenge of the Fallen up there too? Oh wait… I said films to get geek love… that’s right. A big FUCK YOU to Michael Bay. Even the Academy saw that steaming dog pile for what it is and gave it not a single nomination.

So did the ratings ploy work? I don’t know and I don’t care. I very rarely watch the Oscars despite being the huge film buff that I am. I watch movies for the stories they tell, and how they’re told, not for the awards they win. Plus I usually just don’t have time to sit through a 4 hour telecast. This year was no different, as I was to busy recording the best gosh darn pod-cast on the net, Kneel Before Pod, with our dear friends Carl and Ryan. (Be sure to listen to the episode, as I spoil the Best Supporting Actor win for Carl and he turns green and throws me through a wall.) Despite having said that, I still like to comment on the nominations and their results; I feel it often paints a pretty accurate picture of the state of things in the film industry.

All that being said, this was supposed to be a post about those results, and what I thought of them specifically. But come on, who can pass up a chance to shit on Michael Bay. Now obviously the big topic is Avatar and The Hurt Locker. Both had 9 nominations, Avatar getting 3 statues for its achievements, while Hurt Locker walked away with 6. Yes, these facts have been beaten into everyone’s brains from keyboards all across the internet. No, I’m not going to sit here and say each film didn’t deserve what it got. I just think Avatar deserved a little bit more, for not only its amazing technical innovations, but for the way those innovations will change the film world for years to come. I mean step back and look at the big picture; Hollywood is now scrambling to stuff this upcoming summer full of enough 3-D fanfare to make your eyes bleed. Can Hurt Locker claim an impact like that? Another example: Can you name the winner of the 1977 Academy Award for best picture? (Here’s a hint: It wasn’t Star Wars.)

As for the rest, I’ll keep it short. All I can say about Jeff Bridges winning the Actor in a leading role Oscar for Crazy Heart, seeing as I haven’t seen it yet, is that I know he deserved it. The same goes for Christoph Waltz’s win for supporting actor, as I did see Inglourious Basterds in the theatre and I’d have been pissed if he didn’t win. Precious won two Oscars that I’m sure it deserved. I would have loved to have seen my boys, the Coens, take home another for their collection. Up won for best animated feature, duh, and winning for best original score was the icing on the cake. As for Star Trek’s win for best makeup, it’s good to see us fanboys represented, even considering we had never even heard of the competition. But in this case, they did have to super-glue Star Trek’s Zachary Quinto’s fingers together in order for him to make the famous Vulcan sign of life and prosperity, and that’s gotta count for something, right?

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Carl- I was shocked to see "The Hurt Locker" come out big with best picture and best director. I had a feeling it would split the honors with "Avatar". Having just recently watched "The Hurt Locker", I have to say I think it was a better overall movie than "Avatar". Was it better directed? I'm not as sure about that. "The Hurt Locker" was a beautiful movie as far as the direction and cinematography go, but to say it was better directed than "Avatar" is a stretch. Either way, "Avatar" has won it's fair share of awards already. It has achieved more than any movie before it both technically and commercially so James Cameron should be able to sleep well at the end of the night. For my two cents, I still say "Up" was the best movie in the category, but I don't get a vote.

I'm pretty sure I am the only one that actually watched the program, I will say what I always say. I find it completely low class of them to put a rush on the people that the event is supposedly "honoring." For example, a producer of documentary doesn't expect to get a whole lot of mainstream praise. So when their latest movie wins, they know this might be the only time that they receive an award like this. Why not let them enjoy the moment and get their thank yous out? What adds insult to this injury is when Ben Stiller comes out 5 seconds later dressed as a Na'vi and proceeds to waste about 5 minutes or more of the show's time. Sure it was funny, which is rare for Stiller, but it didn't do anything to make the show better or honor the people that work so hard to entertain us.

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For more of Ryan, Nate and Carl talking about the Oscars check out, listen to their Oscar Preview Special.

Pride and Prejudice and Zombies: Dawn of the Dreadfuls – A Review

Do you have any idea how long it’s been since I read about the romantic exploits of Elizabeth Bennet and her gaggle of sisters (as told by Jane Austen)? Go ahead and guess…NO! Longer even than that. I have never read Pride and Prejudice. I watched part of the movie one time, but I was more concerned with Keira Knightley’s eternally pouty lips and sultry bedroom eyes. I understand that Ms. Austen’s work is considered a classic in the snobby cul de sac of the literary neighborhood, but I tend to hang out at the strip mall behind this conclave of brandy-snifting monocle-wearers. Specifically, at the comic book store, with a cup of gas station coffee in one hand and a cigarette in the other.

It should come as no surprise, then, that Quirk Classics’ masterpiece Pride and Prejudice and Zombies: Dawn of the Dreadfuls is right up my alley. A more Romero-esque take on the Bennet girls’ younger days, PPZ DoD is a hilarious tale of Victorian England’s brush with the shambling horde. Martial mayhem (like, karate stuff), gripping tension, and yes, even romance, the prequel to Pride and Prejudice and Zombies should have a well deserved spot on your bookshelf alongside Max Brooks’ books.

Now, who said we here at KBP never offered our listeners (and readers, obviously) a chance to possibly get something for free? Quirk Classics, the Masters of our Public Domain, are giving away 50 Quirk Classics Prize Packs (retail value over $100). Included in these prize packs is:

• An advance copy of Pride and Prejudice and Zombies: Dawn of the Dreadfuls
• Audio Books of Pride and Prejudice and Zombies and Sense and Sensibility and Sea Monsters
• A password redeemable online for sample audio chapters of Dawn of the Dreadfuls
• An awesome Dawn of the Dreadfuls poster
• A Pride and Prejudice and Zombies journal
• A box set of Pride and Prejudice and Zombies postcards

To register for this amazing contest, all you need to do is click *here* and mention where you read this read this review (http://www.kneelbeforepod.com, of course). Quirk Classics requires a quick registration, but, jeez, look what you can win!

*shhh…don’t tell anyone, but Quirk’s next book is Android Karenina…but that’s just between us, ok?*

I hate your Favorite Games

Sometimes I get sucked in. I will buy, rent, or demo a game that seems like a winner but actually turn out to be a loser. Sometimes it will take a couple hours, a couple days or even a couple of years for me to get over the initial shock of getting a new game. Once we've been living together for a couple months and I met her mom, it becomes clear. The game is slightly crazy, a bad cook and thinks it's ok to watch Jersey Shore in a non-ironic sense. Wait, are we still talking about video games?

Anyways, God of War is that very video game. I bought the first installment of this franchise shortly after it was released. Those first beautiful hours were much like that new relationship. I was so blinded by booze, boobs and primal gratification that I was in a haze of love. I thought it was love, but then after a day or so of playing it all came crashing down. It was like finding out the person you're dating still really likes Savage Garden. It became clear, that it was just playing Dynasty Warriors. Ok, maybe not exactly Dynasty Warriors, but close to it.

God of War is nothing but a button masher combined with with boobs, a typing tutor program and a touch of the old ultra violence. I have a math problem to illustrate my point.

Just in case I have to spell it out, the Rock Band controller represents the game's quicktime events. Which reminds me, I'm tired of quicktime events. While God of War isn't responsible for me being tired of quicktime events, it is the game that inspired everyone to use them.

The game is honestly nothing more than a Roger Corman movie with a bigger budget and better effects. I would say a better storyline, but I think that's a stretch. Because if there's much of a storyline in the first God of War, I didn't see it. All I saw was a bunch of blood and titties, but even that gets old. If I wanted to watch hours of blood and boobs, I would simply have a horror movie marathon.

I can't really hold it against people that like God of War. On paper, I should like it too. Hell, I did really like it for the first few hours. The problem is the game lacked anything to keep my attention past that. People still love God of War though. Don't let me talk anyone out of like the game. You could do a lot worse. I mean, you could like Tekken...