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HOLD UP! Snag in the Tebow to NYJ Trade!
Denver Broncos announced a trade of Tim Tebow to the New York Jets. But apparently Denver is trying to get a little more than draft picks for Denver's former favorite son.
Per Adam Schefter
Jets-Broncos agreed to Tim Tebow trade before Denver asked NY to pay back portion of bonuses and salary already paid to Tebow. No deal yet.
This also from AS
One league source said he believes Tim Tebow trade with Jets will go through. But contractual issues now complicating it.
Stay Tuned…
About Ed
Ed is one half of the Sports Brothers. He has been in the radio industry for 14 years working in several formats including urban and talk. Upon returning to Miami in 2006 and working at WTPS, he and Jeff Fox were paired up and started The Sports Brothers.

subset: commoncrawl


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This Animated Music Video Has Us "DaNcing in a RoOm"
Here at Dance Spirit, we have a proud and long-running tradition of highlighting super-dancey music videos. Today's new entry in the canon is especially, um, special though: Not only does it feature five up-and-coming dancers/choreographers you should definitely know, but their sweet moves are ANIMATED—making the final product a stunning new way of looking at dance.
Dance-animator extraordinaire Sydney St. Clare created this video for newcomer electropop songstress EZI's new single "DaNcing in a RoOm," off EZI's debut EP (out in January). Over the course of the deliciously moody and groovy three-and-a-half minutes, we get to see super-cool animated versions of Cree Cicchino from "Game Shakers," Irish dancer Kendal Victoria, ballerina Elena Sundick, commercial-dance diva Nikki Keeshin, and b-boy Darrian Composanto, all rocking it out in their individual styles.
EZI (real name Esther Zynn)—who grew up dancing, singing, and acting on Long Island—says she wrote the song when she realized that she feels "the most free when I feel like I'm dancing alone." Girl, join the club.
What a week in the "Dancing with the Stars" universe, amirite? After we bid farewell to Drew Scott and Emma Slater on Monday (in a surprise to pretty much nobody, despite the duo's strong performance in a super-fun freestyle that evening), it was time, last night, for Season 25's Grand Finale. And goodness, I don't know if we've ever seen quite so many perfect scores thrown around the ballroom. The final three—Frankie Muniz and Witney Carson, Jordan Fisher and Lindsay Arnold, and Lindsey Stirling and Mark Ballas—performed a total of six routines on Tuesday, and five of them earned straight 10s. Yes, those scores were well-deserved; the finalists danced their bedazzled behinds off. But it also felt like the judges were channeling Oprah. YOU get a 10, and YOU get a 10, and YOUUUU get a 10!
Turkey is great and all, but the best part of Thanksgiving? It's watching some truly fantastic dancing on television, courtesy the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade. On Thursday, when your arms are sore from mashing potatoes and/or you need to escape crazy Aunt Linda, head to the living room to catch these super-dancey parade highlights:
Taja Riley's bold, full-out presence and unique ability to mix hard-hitting hip hop with smooth, sensual choreography paved the way for her success in the commercial industry. She's danced with music icons like Chris Brown, Janet Jackson, Ne-Yo, Kanye West, 50 Cent, Pitbull, and Bruno Mars, and has assisted with choreography for Britney Spears' Femme Fatale tour, Demi Lovato's Skyscraper tour, and Beyoncé's Mrs. Carter tour. She also appeared in Beyoncé's groundbreaking visual album Lemonade. Raised in Virginia Beach, VA, Riley grew up training at Denise Wall's Dance Energy. Currently, she's on faculty at New York City Dance Alliance, where you can catch her touring the convention circuit. —Courtney Bowers
In our "Dear Katie" series, former NYCB soloist Kathryn Morgan answers your pressing dance questions. Have something you want to ask Katie? Email firstname.lastname@example.com a chance to be featured!
Dear Katie,
I'm being bullied by one of the girls at my studio, and it's awful. I've talked to my dance teacher and confronted the bully directly, but it hasn't made a difference. What should I do?
Last week, we highlighted the deliberately, hysterically bad @biscuitballerina Instagram account, created by a then-mysterious dancer with a great sense of humor. This week, the artist behind @biscuitballerina—who turns out to be Royal Ballet of Flanders corps member Shelby Williams—got in touch with us to set the record straight about the intentions of those LOL-worthy posts.
Her photos and videos, with their exaggeratedly cringe-worthy technical flaws, are NOT meant to mock amateur dancers. Instead, Williams is actually hoping the account will help all dancers move past their shortcomings and accept themselves and their dancing.
P!nk, known for her high-flying, acrobatic awards show sets, has literally raised the bar for pop stars everywhere. For her performance at last night's American Music Awards, P!nk decided to break out some flips and tricks ON THE SIDE OF A BUILDING. WHILE FLAWLESSLY SINGING HER FACE OFF. You know, just casually, like you do when you're a full-on goddess.
When you think of a dancer, a double leg amputee may not be the first thing that comes to mind. But Eric Graise, who's one of the stars of the upcoming "Step Up: High Water" YouTube Red series, hopes to change that. Graise, whose legs were amputated as a child due to missing fibula bones, will play a character named King in the new dance series, set to debut early next year.
We all suffer from Nutcracker fatigue sometimes. After a zillion performances, it's hard not to. But there's nothing to restore your little-kid sense of Nutcracker wonder like a look at the sheer scale of a world-class Nut.
New York City Ballet's iconic production of George Balanchine's The Nutcracker opens on Friday, and for the past week, the company has been Tweeting out some seriously eye-popping #NutcrackerNumbers. The stats cover everything from the number of jingle bells used on each Candy Cane costume (that'd be 144) to the watts of light used in the show's grand finale (ONE. MILLION. WATTS.).
One of the most beautiful things social media has brought us is the ability to feel like we're up close and personal behind-the-scenes with all our favorite dancers. And one of our favorite stars to Insta-stalk are actually two casts of 36 scintillatingly synchronized precision dancers. I'm talking, of course, about my mild obsession with the legendary Radio City Rockettes.


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Stella MacLean, whose The Christmas Inn came out at the end of October, fondly remembers when her love affair with Santa Claus began …
Stella: I have a confession to make. I love Santa. Yeah, I know he's an old man with a questionable pedigree, a figment of my imagination, a man whose time has passed in my life. And I know it sounds weird that a grown woman would be in love with a mythical man, a woman who faithfully watches Miracle on 34th Street every Christmas and listens enchanted to a wonderful story, 'Twas the Night Before Christmas.
After all these years I still remember how it felt to believe in him, a belief dismantled by a world-weary classmate who announced — in a tone designed to prove that I wasn't all that bright if I still thought Santa was real — that Santa didn't exist. And to add insult to injury, it was my dad who ate the lunch I left for Santa. Devastated, I defended my belief only to have my defense met with laughter by many of my classmates.
As much as I didn't want to believe them, I couldn't help but ask questions. Questions that led me to see the flawed logic offered by my parents as to how the whole Santa thing worked.
How was it that an overweight senior, traveling alone, managed to ride a bumpy old sleigh with no protection from the weather from house to house with only a bunch of aging reindeer for companionship and support?
How did Santa manage to keep the bag of toys on the sleigh as he roared around the night sky? How did he travel fast enough to cover the whole world in one night?
How (and this is the most important one) did he manage to wedge his lumpy behind down a chimney designed only for the release of smoke from a cozy fire? And what if the ashes were still hot when he finally did manage to slide down the chimney?
What if the fireplace had a pointy grate … ouch!
What did he do when he arrived on the roof of a house with no chimney?
How did he know which window would be left open to let him in? (Our parents' explanation for a house without a chimney was that Santa had to use a window.)
How did this dear old gentleman ever manage to eat every single lunch left out for him by every kid in the world without barfing?
And so I faced the long walk across the drawbridge from my safe, magical childhood into a much wider, more cynical world where Santa was reduced to a marketing tool.
On the surface that should have been the end of the Santa thing for me, but it wasn't. Every Christmas when my children were young I happily returned to my belief in Santa. And like my parents before me I defended the existence of my mythical man. And when my grandchildren arrived, I fought hard to keep Santa's secret, only to see them come to the realization that Santa didn't really exist.
Despite everything, I still love the old guy. I still give over a part of my Christmas Eve remembering the magical record player he gave me, the one gift my parents said I probably wouldn't get — today's world would call it managing expectations. Yet I remember that wonder-filled Christmas morning when I raced down the stairs to discover the record player next to the tree with three pink plastic records, four black ones and three red ones. I still have one of the red plastic records, the grooves that provided the music worn beyond use. Yet the memory of that Christmas, of what an old man in a red suit meant to me, comes alive every year.
To find out more about Stella and her books, you can visit her website, StellaMacLean.com.


text: If you have an A3 Sportback does your V5C in Section 4. Vehicle Details Sub-Section D.3 Model mention Sportback? In ours it just states "A3 SE TFSI" although in Sub-Section D.5 Body Type it does state "5 DOOR HATCHBACK". The problem is that the Statement of Insurance against Make and Model just states "AUDI A3 SE" and no where does it state that the vehicle is a Sportback or that it has 5 doors. The Certificate of Motor Insurance just has the registraton number. My concern is that this gives the insurance company a way out, and not pay up, on the basis that the car being driven is different from that which they have insured. Any thoughts?


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Solar Shower – Well, That's Hot!
Have you ever had one of those camping showers? I used to have one that held about five gallons – it was a black plastic bag that got hung in the sun, and it was generally pretty lame. The handle was too stretchy, the bag got so freaking hot that you would just scald yourself when you went to discharge the water, and it was dependent on how much water was left in the bag for water pressure. Like I said, generally lame.
My goal is to have all solar powered camping gear to have no impact on the environment, with the exception of the zillion-degree campfire that my buddies and I always make. Fire, good.
A company called Herrington has a product that uses the same solar water heating concept – it might be a bit much for camping (as it's two hundred bucks) but as far as concept goes, it's pretty great. The Solar Power Shower allows you to hook up the garden hose to it and fill up the base, giving you two hours until 140 degree water. Use the tap on the shower to mix some garden hose water with the hot water, and mix a warm shower. Where can you use this? Well, anywhere you want. I would still probably take it camping.
PS: I didn't have any pictures of dudes using the shower, sorry ladies. I would have taken one of those "look how hot I am" shower pictures myself, but I wanted people to like the article.
Thanks, DVICE!


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Thanks in part to low interest rates and an improving economy, new car and truck sales recently hit their highest level in almost six years: nearly 1.5 million vehicles were sold last month. NBC's Chris Clackum reports.
Published at 6:34 AM PDT on Apr 3, 2013 | Updated at 6:46 AM PDT on Apr 24, 2014


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Mojang have released a preview version of the highly anticipated Minecraft 1.6 update known amongst the community as the "Mob Update". Released under the title Snapshot 13w16a, the preview allows players to test some of the new items and animals that will appear in the update, reporting bugs to Mojang as they find them. The contents of Snapshot 13w16a have have been outlined on the Mojang blog:
- Added horses
- Added hay bales
- Added leashes
- Added carpets
- The "Respiration" enchantment now also helps seeing underwater
Minecraft horses: A new way to travel
Of greatest interest to Minecraft players will be update 1.6's inclusion of horses which will be fully ridable and can be adorned with saddles and armour. Snapshot 13w16a horses are able to move at extremely fast speeds that equal a mine cart on a powered rail.
Holding down the space bar while riding will charge up a "jump bar" which allows a the horse to jump up and over great distances including over fences and walls. A variety of different horse colours and patterns will be available leading many to suspect that breeding may uncover more.
Mules are another new animal to appear in update 1.6 and can have chests attached to their saddles in order to transport many items at once. As of now the snapshot 13w16a chest saddles are non-functional.
Hay bales, leashes and carpets
Another interesting aspect of update 1.6's horses are their individual health bars that can be replenished with the new hay bale item and can be protected with the aforementioned iron, gold and diamond horse armour.
Leashes can be used with horses, donkeys, sheep and other animals to tether them to fences or to simply lead them in a particular direction. This will of course be useful when travelling over large distances when horses need to be tied up at night.
Lastly wool carpets will be made available in update 1.6 which are essentially the same as stone slabs, but of various different colours. Snapshot 13w16a carpet is currently non-flammable, however it is expected that this is simply a bug that will be fixed when the full update rolls out.
Minecraft 1.6 will include a new and improved launcher
Possibly the most important addition to Minecraft with update 1.6 is the new game launcher it will bring with it. Mojang claim that not only will the new launcher be quicker to load and more stable, it will include a drop-down list allowing players to select different builds and mods.
Additionally Minecraft 1.6 will raise the required OpenGL version to 2.0, officially support Java , and will no longer work with Java 5.
There's still no official release date for Minecraft 1.6, but those eager to get their hands on Snapshot 13w16a can do so via the Mojang blog.
Site [Mojang]


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The Australian Museum
6 College Street Sydney, NSW 2010 Australia
(+612) 9320 6000
Bird Exhibition: Permanent Exhibit
The Bird Exhibition features a bird gallery of native bird species and includes a general introduction about the birds arranged in families. Visitors can listen to the different bird sounds, look at fossils, and learn about the biology of birds. At the Bird Activity Station, guests can touch bird specimens to learn the different characteristics of each species.
Pratt Museum
3779 Bartlett Street, Homer 99603
(907) 235-8635
SeeBirdCam: Alaskan Seabirds on Gull Island in Kachemak Bay: Interactive Exhibit
Visitors can control the remote camera, located in the Marine Gallery, to view a live feed of eight bird species nesting on Gull Island between the months of May and September. Some of the seabird species include kittiwakes, puffins and gulls. The live feed is available through the online exhibit "Wild Video Cameras?on the Pratt Museum web site.
Museum of Craft and Folk Art
51 Yerba Buena Lane, San Francisco, 94103
(415) 227-4888
San Bernardino County Museum
2024 Orange Tree Lane, Redlands 92374
(909) 307-2669
Bird Galleries: Permanent Exhibits
The upper level of the museum is occupied by the Water Bird and Land Bird galleries. The exhibits feature a variety of North American bird species and bird nests and eggs from Baja California, Mexico up through the coasts of Alaska. Visitors will be able to identify bird species through habitats and listen to bird songs through interactive exhibits.
The Denver Museum of Nature & Science
2001 Colorado Blvd. Denver, 80205
(303) 322-7009
Bird Galleries: Permanent Exhibits
Visitors can see exotic birds from the north and south Americas and learn about the preservation of their natural habitats in the Birds of the Americas exhibit. The Northern and Rare Birds exhibit features the migrating nesting colonies of birds off the Alaskan coastlines, and extinct or endangered bird species including passenger pigeons and the California condor.
The Laughing Parrot Gallery
239 E. 4th Street, Loveland, 80537
(970) 278-0233
Sternberg Museum of Natural History
3000 Sternberg Drive, Hays, 67601
(877) 332-1165
Bird Exhibits: Permanent Exhibits
The Birds with a Bite exhibit features fossils of bird species that were common in Kansas during the Cretaceous period. Visitors can walk through the diorama that shows the birds as they would have appeared in life. Fossilized eggs and bird track specimens are on display in the Exploring Earth Sciences gallery.
The Ward Museum of Wildfowl Art
909 South Schumaker Drive, Salisbury, 21804
(410) 742-4988
Bird Galleries: Permanent Exhibits
The Ward Museum features over 3,000 displays of wildfowl art. Visitors will see wildfowl environments in the Habitat Theatre, decorative wood sculptures, paintings and hand crafted decoys. The Art Lamay and Welcome galleries feature changing exhibits, classes and workshops all year long.
Museum of Science
Science Park, Boston, 02114
(617) 723-2500
A Bird? World: Permanent Exhibit
Visitors will learn how to identify birds by song and flight patterns at the A Bird? World exhibit. It features interactive activity centers that allow guests to solve mysteries by identifying birds through feathers and footprints, attend a live bird presentation, and observe bird habitats.
The Bell Museum
University of Minnesota campus
10 Church St. SE, Minneapolis, 55455
(612) 624-7983
Bird Dioramas: Permanent Exhibits
Visitors will see dioramas featuring birds in their natural habitats from Minnesota and from around the world. The exhibits show facts on the bird species behavior and survival tactics. The museum also hosts birding events including field trips and the annual Minnesota Ornithologists Union Conference.
American Museum of Natural History
Central Park West at 79th Street, New York, 10024
(212) 496-3409
Bird Halls: Permanent Exhibits
This museum dedicates several halls to understanding avian species from around the world. View dioramas in the Whitney Memorial Hall of Oceanic Birds and discover the birds and the diverse habitats that they live in from the Pacific and Southern polar oceans, or learn which birds are New York City natives.
Museum of the Earth
1259 Trumansburg Road (route 96), Ithaca, 14850
(607) 273-6623
Bird exhibits: Permanent Exhibits
Visitors can view about 20 bird species from around New York state in the Evolution Process exhibit. The Biodiversity and Extinction exhibit features bird specimens that are extinct or endangered. Bird species in this exhibit include a Carolina parakeet and a passenger pigeon. Visitors can see two Archaeopteryx casts and flip through a book on the discovery of Archaeopteryx fossils and learn about the evolutionary history of birds in the Jurassic, Cretaceous, and Tertiary Periods Audio Visual gallery.
The Sam Noble Oklahoma Museum of Natural History
University of Oklahoma campus
2401 Chautauqua Avenue, Norman, 73072
(405) 325-4712
Natural Wonders gallery: Permanent Exhibit
The exhibit features dioramas of Oklahoma birds in their natural habitats. Visitors can hear bird songs in the Ozark highland diorama and walk through the mixed-grass prairie diorama searching for wildlife.
Carnegie Museum of Natural History
4400 Forbes Avenue, Pittsburgh, 15213
(412) 622-3131
Section of Birds: Permanent Exhibit
The exhibit features 195,000 bird specimens, including 180 extinct bird species. Visitors can hear bird songs in the Discovery Room, and explore avian research and examine habitats through interactive exhibit features in the Powdermill Nature Reserve.
The North Museum of Natural History and Science
400 College Avenue, Lancaster, 17603
(717) 291-3941
Bird exhibits: Permanent Exhibits
The exhibit features a collection of over 1,200 bird species including the endangered ivorybill woodpecker and Andean condor.


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You have to wonder how The Washington Times deputy editorial page editor would come to be on an email thank you list for supporters of House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.).
From: Nancy Pelosi
Date: April 3, 2012 10:25:59 AM EDT
To: David Mastio
Subject: Record-breaking
David —
Thank you. Because of the generosity of our supporters, we shattered nearly every previous grassroots fundraising record to date. In March alone, we received donations from more than 100,000 supporters.
On Saturday, we broke our all-time grassroots record for one day!
Don't be mistaken, this is an authentic grassroots campaign: Over 90% of the contributions we receive are $100 or less.
This people-powered movement will help us win a Democratic Majority in November.
Already today, we're putting contributions we've received to work and launching an ad campaign to hold Republicans accountable for their all-out assaults on women, seniors and the middle class. It's because of supporters like you that we are able fight back.
Thank you again for record-setting support,


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|Photo credit:?Shon Smith
Future voter, Elias Omar, 15-yrs.old
From all over Los Angeles, people gathered at Leimert Park last Saturday at the Unite for Change rally to support Senator Barack Obama, the presumptive Democratic nominee for president, and while familiar faces addressed the crowd, it was the presence of younger supporters that dominated the day.
From 11-year-old Arhomuz Aubry II's poem about positivity and celebrating Black culture to an appearance by rapper Lil' Eazy-E, son of the late rap pioneer Eazy-E, to 9-year-old Kiyomi Calloway describing how Sen. Obama has impacted her age group, the rally served to highlight the youth that have been a big part of Obama's campaign.
The event was sponsored by the Sentinel and radio stations KJLH and KDAY and hosted by KJLH-FM morning show host Guy Black and Sentinel Religion Editor Niele Anderson. It was one of 4,000 rallies held around the country as part of a national day of support for the senator's campaign and they attracted over 30,000 people nationally.
Despite the early wake-up call (8 a.m. to noon), the energy was contagious as a collection of Obama's speeches played as a call to arms to prepare everyone for the rally.
The crowd heard from the delegates who will head to Colorado to represent California at the Democratic National Convention as well as local leaders such as Los Angeles City Councilman Bernard Parks and Carson Councilman Mike Gipson.
But the event was dominated by the youth participation. Calloway fired the crowd up by talking about kid-friendly issues such as education and saving the rainforests and reminding them that although she and her friends could not vote, their votes will affect her future.
The Obama campaign has been touted as igniting a fire in young people who weren't normally engaged in the process and several who attended the rally were living proof of how Obama has ignited their passion in politics.
"I never thought about being interested in politics before," said Gary Peters, a student at Santa Monica College, "[Obama] has planted that seed in me to want to get involved not just in politics but in the community."
After being introduced by longtime L.A. radio personality "The Poetess" who highlighted his father's community work in Compton, Lil' Eazy-E addressed the crowd on why he was behind Obama and like most of the young speakers talked about how he is concerned about issues such as gas prices and insurance.
"My father made a change and it's time for another change," said the 23-year-old rapper, who proudly announced that he had recently registered to vote for the first time.
One of the speakers that closed the rally was Christine Hamilton, a 17-year-old recent graduate of University High School who made a powerful statement that we are "not divided by the red and blue" states but united behind the "red, white and blue" of the flag.
|Photo credit:?Shon Smith
Rally participant registers to vote for the first time
As the event closed with songwriter David Redick's original composition "Seasons of Change," one glimpse at the crowd made visitors realize that change was indeed in the air.
Families stood together with their Obama shirts as the rally provided them a chance to share in a moment that has brought together supporters of all ages. Even if some of the children didn't fully know who Obama was, it was a teaching moment that adults took advantage
"It's important for them to have awareness," said Mike James, explaining why brought his niece and two nephews to the rally. "My mother voted but she never talked to me about it."
Kari Gopaul, a volunteer with the campaign, said that her son often comes home from school talking about Obama and Sen. Hillary Clinton and his excitement reminds her of the similar feelings she had in 1992 when she voted for Bill Clinton in high school.
She added that the youth "are our future decision makers" so their presence at rallies like these encouraged her that the torch would be passed to capable hands.
In addition to the speakers, there were also voter registration tables and according to Anderson, 25 to 30 people registered by the end of the rally. The next event will be a youth-led fundraiser for Sen. Obama on July 19.


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Nearly all of the teams that make the NCAA tournament end their seasons with a loss, of course. So the nation's longest active winning streak—14 games—dates back to last season, when a Cal Poly team that missed out on regionals finished its season with seven straight wins.
A 14-game winning streak is nice, but the Mustangs would have strongly preferred to end their season in the NCAA tournament. Cal Poly figured it had a good chance to get in after going 36-20 in the regular season, and finishing in second place in the Big West at 16-8, just a game behind league champion Cal State Fullerton.
But Poly wound up in the 60s in the Ratings Percentage Index, so it had to endure another at-large snub—an experience that has become too familiar to coach Larry Lee.
"By about the last three weeks of the season, we were really good, and we won 14 of of our last 17, nine of our last 10, seven in a row," Lee said. "I just thought we were playing as well as anyone out here in the West. Our players knew it, I think it carried over to this year, and I also think they understand how difficult it is for Cal Poly to get a regional berth. So in saying that, it's always stressed that every ballgame, no matter what day of the week it is, is important. Home or on the road, we just need to win ballgames. We can't afford to have a subpar nonconference or conference results. So far, so good."
At least the Mustangs were able to build confidence from their strong second half last year. Pitching has carried Cal Poly to a 7-0 start, including a quality sweep at San Francisco and a home sweep of Seattle.
Senior righty Joey Wagman sets the tone on Fridays. Wagman (2-0, 1.50) doesn't have overpowering stuff, living at 86 mph according to Lee, but he mixes four pitches effectively and has abundant confidence. The Mustangs have a pair of prospects behind him in the rotation, with sophomore lefty Matt Imhoff (1-0, 0.00) and sophomore righty Bryan Granger (2-0, 1.93). Lee said both of them have cleaned up their mechanics and improved their stuff since last year.
"Imhoff has developed more than any starter on our staff, and he was our most consistent guy in the fall," Lee said. "He's able to spot his fastball, has developed a much better breaking ball, and is continuing to work on a changeup. He's a deceptive lefthander that is upper 80s, 90ish. He has an extremely high upside."
Lee said the Mustangs were not a very good team on Sundays and Tuesdays last year, but Granger's improvement helps make Poly better on both days, because it allows last year's Sunday starter, senior righty Kyle Brueggeman, to face Poly's stout midweek competition. As he has cleaned up his mechanics, Granger has seen his velocity jump into the 89-92 range. His slider is much better than it was a year ago, and he has the ability to throw a quality changeup, though it can still be inconsistent, Lee said.
The bullpen is anchored by two more good arms: righties Reed Reilly and Michael Holback. Both are three-pitch guys with comparable velocity to Granger's, and they have proven capable of handling high-leverage situations with men on base in the early going. And Taylor Chris has returned from some arm issues to give the 'pen a solid lefty.
If junior righty Chase Johnson can harness his command and his inconsistent secondary stuff, he could give this staff a lift, because he has the biggest arm on the staff, capable of producing mid-90s heat. He has made only one appearance, though, issuing four walks over 1 2/3 innings.
Overall, the Cal Poly pitching staff sports a sparkling 1.29 ERA through seven games, which has helped the Mustangs overcome a somewhat sluggish start by its offense. Cal Poly lost its two best offensive players from a year ago—supplemental first-round pick Mitch Haniger and ninth-round shortstop Mike Miller—so it is natural to expect a slight regression, but the Mustangs should be fine once veterans Tim Wise, David Armendariz and Jimmy Allen find their grooves. Wise, the team's best hitter, is a first baseman who leads off in order to get him as many at-bats as possible, but he has been slowed by a rolled ankle suffered in batting practice before the season opener. In the meantime, catcher Chris Hoo (.500/.563/.857) and scrappy second baseman Denver Chavez (.481/.431/.556) have led the offense so far.
Lee called his club "average" defensively, but freshman shortstop Peter Van Gansen has demonstrated excellent instincts and a strong arm, ably filling Miller's big shoes in the middle infield. And Lee calls Hoo the best receiver and blocker he's had in 30 years of coaching, so at least the Mustangs have a strong core up the middle. And they have fielded at a solid .974 clip so far.
Whether the Mustangs have enough firepower to finish high enough in a reinvigorated Big West to make their second regional (and first since 2009) remains to be seen, but as Lee said, so far, so good.
"We've played some close ballgames and have found ways to win those ballgames," Lee said. "We were hoping our returning position players could make up for the loss of Haniger and Miller, but that's tough because those guys were the main cogs in our offense, and the other players kind of fit in, they were more role guys. They had very good seasons in those roles, and now they're being asked to step up a little bit. It's just been slow with that process. But you'd always rather be strong in the pitching and defense component of the game, because that just means you're in every ballgame in the latter part of the game."


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Oct 4 (Reuters) - The following are the top stories in the Financial Times. Reuters has not verified these stories and does not vouch for their accuracy.
U.S. suspends Syria talks with Russia on.ft.com/2dqOPO1
Philip Hammond warns of 'turbulence' in run-up to Brexit on.ft.com/2dqPWNT
Domestic orders and overseas demand boost UK manufacturing on.ft.com/2dqQqDz
Janus Henderson deal reflects squeeze on active managers on.ft.com/2dqQu62
The United States broke off talks with Russia on Monday on implementing a ceasefire agreement in Syria and accused Moscow of not living up to its commitments under the Sept. 9 deal to halt fighting and ensure aid reached besieged communities.
British finance minister Philip Hammond vowed on Monday to protect the economy from any turbulence during negotiations to leave the EU, as sterling fell on worries the country is heading towards a disruptive divorce with its biggest trading partner.
British factory activity grew at the fastest rate in more than two years last month, boosted by a surge in export orders after sterling slumped following June's referendum vote to leave the European Union, a survey showed on Monday.
London-based asset manager Henderson Group agreed to buy U.S. rival Janus Capital Group Inc on Monday in a deal that is expected to fire the starting gun on a raft of defensive deals in the sector as investment houses battle with pressure on fees and rising regulatory costs. (Compiled by Ismail Shakil in Bengaluru; Editing by Sandra Maler)


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How we started.
Aspire Technology Solutions was founded in the Spring of 2002. Based just outside of Buffalo, New York, Aspire offers technology consulting services, design services, technical services and the latest technology products to a wide variety of markets and industries.
As technology becomes an ever increasing and necessary part of life and business our goal is to help organizations and individuals make informed decisions as to what technology will best help them reach their goals.


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A Family Court judge convicted 10 teenagers of felony rioting for taking part in a roving mob that stormed Center City last month.
Judge Kevin Dougherty was no pushover as he told one 15-year-old that for every lie the boy told, he would get a year in juvenile detention. By the end, the teen got three years in the system, reports the Inquirer.
"You all want to play me and say you went down there shopping," Dougherty told the group of teens, according to the Inquirer. "I'm not believing you."
Dougherty gave the others lesser sentences Monday, which ranged from 30 days in boot camp, to home detention, to time in state juvenile detention centers, in connection with the flash mob of mostly teens that descended on the City Hall area on Feb. 16.
Police say the teens were part of a group of about 150 that rampaged Macy's and the Gallery at Market East, throwing merchandise and knocking down pedestrians.
One teen was acquitted because there was no and four others have agreed to plead guilty.
Another group of teens charged in a March 3 incident will appear at a hearing today.
Police say teens are using social network sites to spread word of massive gatherings. The latest happened Saturday on South Street.
"The lesson these kids are going to learn today is . . . the days of being slapped on the wrist are over," Dougherty said.


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tag:,2017:blogdestructoidhttp://bulk2.destructoid.com/ele2/images/destructoid/favicon.ico2017-02-27T11:00:00Ztag:https://www.destructoid.com/,2017:/post.phtml?pk=421193Nick Valdezhttp://www.destructoid.com/blogs/Nick+ValdezDuke Nukem sticks out like a sore thumb in this Bulletstorm: Full Clip Edition gameplay video2017-02-27T11:00:00Z2017-02-27T11:00:00Z
Bulletstorm had a fun idea before getting quietly shuffled away back in 2011. Now that Gearbox Publishing and People Can Fly are bringing a port with updated visuals (touting higher-res textures, 4K resolution on PS4 and PC) and new modes, maybe it'll find its audience six years later.

Speaking of finding an audience, if you pre-order Bulletstorm: Full Clip Edition you get access to Duke Nukem. Forcibly inserted into the story with fresh lines from original Duke Nukem voice actor Jon St. John, maybe you can pretend this is actually Duke Nukem Forever and you weren't horribly disappointed years ago. Thanks to IGN, we have a look at how this'll work and it's...fine. Duke himself needs some finer tuning as his model doesn't quite fit in with the Bulletstorm universe (and the lip sync is even worse for wear), but once it gets into gameplay it's the same as it ever was just with occasional Nukem barbs. Who knows, maybe this is what Bulletstorm needed to be popular?

Check out the story trailer, 14 minutes of gameplay, and Duke Nukem below. Bulletstorm: Full Clip Edition is out on PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and PC April 7th.

Bulletstorm: Full Clip Edition - 9 Minutes Duke Nukem Gameplay [IGN]

14 Minutes of Bulletstorm: Full Clip Edition Gameplay in 4K [IGN]

 Read more...tag:https://www.destructoid.com/,2017:/post.phtml?pk=402930Peter Glagowskihttp://www.destructoid.com/blogs/Peter+GlagowskiReview: Rad Rodgers: World One2016-12-04T14:00:00Z2016-12-04T14:00:00Z
As I mentioned in my preview piece, Rad Rodgers: World One came out of nowhere. I was struck by the mind-blowing graphics and how 3D Realms was publishing a game from a relatively unknown developer. It looked like a throwback to Commander Keen with the visual polish of a recent "next-gen" title. Color me impressed.

After having played through various early-access builds and the release code, I can't say I'm as enthusiastic as I once was. Don't get me wrong, there is a lot to like with Rad Rodgers, but there is also not much in terms of longevity or originality.

 Read more...tag:https://www.destructoid.com/,2017:/post.phtml?pk=402587Peter Glagowskihttp://www.destructoid.com/blogs/Peter+Glagowski(Update) Bulletstorm: Full Clip Edition will not be offered as a free upgrade on PC2016-12-03T08:00:00Z2016-12-03T08:00:00Z
[Update: It turns out my assumption about EA holding the rights to the original game seems to be true. Other users took to asking Randy Pitchford on Twitter and he responded with, "Not possible - completely different publisher, era, platform (they were Games for Windows only), product/sku, etc." I kind of figured.]

After the announcement of Bulletstorm: Full Clip Edition, I was pretty stoked to finally have a PC version of the game without Games for Windows Live. Microsoft's failed Live integration system doesn't really run well on Windows 10 (and in some cases fails to even install) and is really just a gigantic hassle for most users. Then I began to wonder if Gearbox would be offering some kind of loyalty discount or even potentially gifting the game to previous owners.

Turns out that that isn't going to happen. I took to Twitter to ask Randy Pitchford, the president and CEO of Gearbox, about just that and got a blunt response.

 Read more...tag:https://www.destructoid.com/,2017:/post.phtml?pk=399574Peter Glagowskihttp://www.destructoid.com/blogs/Peter+GlagowskiRad Rodgers: World One has sleeper-hit potential2016-11-15T18:00:00Z2016-11-15T18:00:00Z
Rad Rodgers: World One is a game that, quite literally, came out of nowhere for me. We got a message from the publisher, 3D Realms, and I was blown away by the trailer. I wasn't so sure the game's humor would work, but the amount of polish was insane. Where was this title hiding?

Turns out, not much was known about it prior to a Kickstarter earlier this year. The developer, Interceptor Entertainment, launched its crowdfunding campaign with a simple goal: bring back the '90s platformer. Taking inspiration from Commander Keen, Duke Nukem, and Jazz Jackrabbit, these guys were dead set on recapturing the early DOS glory of violence and puzzle solving.

While they've mostly succeeded, not everything about Rod Rodgers is a home run.

 Read more...tag:https://www.destructoid.com/,2017:/post.phtml?pk=391859Chris Carterhttp://www.destructoid.com/blogs/Chris+CarterReview: Duke Nukem 3D: 20th Anniversary Edition World Tour2016-10-11T08:00:00Z2016-10-11T08:00:00Z
I'd be hard pressed to find a game I have more history with than Duke Nukem 3D.

Although there had been several projects before it that so heartily embraced the mod community, it was the first time I had really connected with that scene. I would go to swap meets and buy mods off of CDs, bring them home, and spend an entire summer afternoon playing over 100 levels. It was also the first LAN game I played in my home, having helped my family set up our network, after an uncle had gifted us a PC, a router, and CAT-5 cables.

And as I've mused before, to circumvent the parental lock, I used to uninstall the game, reinstall it, play with the lock off, then swap the password so my parents would think it's a glitch and restart the cycle anew.

Nostalgia and long-winded story aside, I'm glad Gearbox didn't half ass Duke Nukem 3D: 20th Anniversary Edition World Tour.

 Read more...tag:https://www.destructoid.com/,2017:/post.phtml?pk=389692Kevin McCluskyhttp://www.destructoid.com/blogs/Kevin+McCluskyPC platformers and pixels of the past2016-09-27T19:30:00Z2016-09-27T19:30:00Z
If you grew up playing games in the late '80s or early '90s, you remember that Mario dominated the discussion on playgrounds and after school. By some estimates, Nintendo controlled up to 90% of the home console market, and it's no wonder that this dominance affected other sectors of the game industry. It took longer than you might think to offer Mario style-experiences on home computers at the time though, primarily because they were never intended to scroll action as smoothly as the NES did.

3D Realms was one of the earliest companies around to try and create side scrolling platformers on personal computers, and they've released a new video that talks to some of the pioneers of PC gaming, and how they were playing catch up with the consoles of the day. It's interesting to look back on a time when PCs were unquestionably the inferior gaming machine and see how much has changed.

Back then, PC gamers had few options, but could usually try a game out before buying it by sharing disks or connecting to Bulletin Board Services (BBS) and downloading the shareware versions of games created by 3D Realms, Apogee, and Epic Megagames. The video interviews industry notables like Cliff Bleszinski, John Romero, and Tom Hall, and each of them tells a bit about what they were thinking when they were working on games like Jazz Jackrabbit, Duke Nukem, and Commander Keen.

Without Commander Keen, PC gaming may have taken a much different path. It was a PC version of Super Mario Bros. 3 programmed by Romero and John Carmack that brought them to the attention of Scott Miller, founder of Apogee Software. Commander Keen was Apogee's breakout title, and Romero and Hall's work on the series led to the licencing Id Software made its fortune on.

I learned a few things from the video, apart from the fact that John Romero has a fabulous black manicure. In discussing Commander Keen, he mentioned how they wanted to take the lessons they'd learned from playing Mario, but apply them to a game with more vertical space, in which scrolling in all directions was necessary. Ironically, it was Romero and Carmack's later creation, Doom, that ended up wiping out platforming games on the PC for many years.

Bleszinski points out that modern games tend to be more thoughtful and "emo" than games 20 years ago, which featured wisecracking main characters. The video ends by bringing up the recent resurgence of platform games on the PC, with titles like Shovel Knight, Ori and the Blind Forest, and Inside all launching more or less simultaneously with their console versions.

Forerunners: The History of the PC Side-Scroller [YouTube]

 tag:https://www.destructoid.com/,2017:/post.phtml?pk=384560Mike Cosimanohttp://www.destructoid.com/blogs/Mike+CosimanoThe Duke Nukem 3D remake is the best version of an iconic game2016-09-03T22:00:00Z2016-09-03T22:00:00Z
My previous experience with the Duke Nukem franchise has thus far been relegated to Duke Nukem Forever, an overwhelmingly unpleasant experience that I cannot recommend to anyone with a pulse. As a result, when I wandered into Gearbox Software's hotel suite at 8:45 this AM to play Duke Nukem 3D: 20th Anniversary Edition World Tour (aka DN32AEWT) for the first time, I had unbelievably low expectations.

In hindsight, I'm actually surprised by how terrible Forever turned out. Duke Nukem 3D is a landmark in the history of first-person shooters and still manages to provide some legitimate thrills despite its considerable age. It's not perfect by 2016 standards, but you could do worse if you're looking for some nostalgia.

 Read more...tag:https://www.destructoid.com/,2017:/post.phtml?pk=383907Brett Makedonskihttp://www.destructoid.com/blogs/Brett+MakedonskiGearbox's Duke Nukem 3D remake is a remix of new and old Duke Nukem2016-09-02T19:03:00Z2016-09-02T19:03:00Z

We had a pretty good hunch last week. Now that the Duke Nukem timer has reached zero, we know it for sure: We're getting more Duke Nukem soon. The self-proclaimed king is back.

At PAX West, Gearbox Software announced Duke Nukem 3D: 20th Anniversary Edition World Tour. This take on 1996's Duke Nukem 3D is something of a remake. It features the entirety of the original game, plus a completely new episode.

Gearbox says that the new episode, which consists of eight levels, will be headed up by the developers who first made Duke Nukem 3D. In addition to creating more Duke Nukem, they'll also record a dev team commentary.

Duke Nukem 3D: 20th Anniversary Edition World Tour will release on PC, PS4, and Xbox One. The trailer pegs the launch date as October 11. No price was mentioned. [Correction: The price is $19.99]

We'll have some hands-on time with Duke Nukem 3D: 20th Anniversary Edition World Tour at PAX West. Expect our impressions of both the old and new content sometime in the near future.

 Read more...tag:https://www.destructoid.com/,2017:/post.phtml?pk=382646Brett Makedonskihttp://www.destructoid.com/blogs/Brett+MakedonskiWe're probably getting more Duke Nukem soon2016-08-25T14:30:00Z2016-08-25T14:30:00Z
Countdown timers have one universal meaning: Something's gonna happen. Rarely does a timer show up on the internet and it turns out to be for naught. Sometimes the result's underwhelming, but at least something happened.

That's the approach we're taking with Duke Nukem's new countdown timer. On September 2 at 6:30pm Pacific, something related to Duke Nukem is going to happen. Whether it's something anyone wants in 2016, that very much remains to be seen.

Whatever it is appears to be in celebration of the 20th anniversary of Duke Nukem 3D. The most obvious speculation would be some sort of gussying up and re-release on current machines. A sequel would also be a decent guess, but 2011's Duke Nukem Forever was already a direct sequel.

Gearbox is holding its PAX West panel on September 2 at 4:00pm. That's a bit early for this announcement to happen there if the timer is accurate. Still, you'd think Gearbox would want to reveal this to its fans if it's truly a significant project. We'll see in eight days' time what this is all about. If it's at PAX, we'll be there to cover it. It's 2016 and it looks like "The King" is back -- for better and for worse.

Coming Soon [Duke Nukem]

 tag:https://www.destructoid.com/,2017:/post.phtml?pk=337574Chris Carterhttp://www.destructoid.com/blogs/Chris+CarterDuke Nukem 3D turns 20 today2016-01-29T10:15:00Z2016-01-29T10:15:00Z
Want to feel old? You'll never believe which 3D Realms game turns 20 today!

Duke Nukem 3D was released on January 29, 1996, two decades ago. At the time it was not only a great shooter (my favorite by far), but it also sparked a ton of controversy, an element of the gaming world that hasn't changed all that much to the day. This was due in part to its ingenious map design, which had secrets on top of hidden areas in ways that most shooters simply didn't match at the time. I'm celebrating, gore and suggestive content in all, by playing the Megaton version later.

One of my favorite Duke memories probably involves the options menu, of all things. My parents used to lock me out of the more mature settings, and since I couldn't guess the password, I would uninstall the game, reinstall it, and after I was done playing, put in my own code. They would assume the game was mistaken and leave it locked.

Now kids are carded for games! Are you sure you aren't feeling old yet?

 tag:https://www.destructoid.com/,2017:/post.phtml?pk=334026Nic Rowenhttp://www.destructoid.com/blogs/Nic+RowenRepublican candidate tried and failed to get the Duke Nukem bump2016-01-13T17:45:00Z2016-01-13T17:45:00Z
The voice behind the toughest man in the video game business, Jon St. John shot down the opportunity to do ad work for a "leading GOP candidate for president." Now I'm not Sherlock Holmes, but I'm pretty sure that leaves only two suspects. Possible crazy man Ted Cruz, or the border-shuttering hairpiece himself, Donald Trump. One of these two men was looking for an endorsement from an out of date muscle-bound chauvinist who is more heavily armed than an issue of Guns & Ammo. I know who I'd place my money on.

 Read more...tag:https://www.destructoid.com/,2017:/post.phtml?pk=307456Kyle MacGregor Burlesonhttp://www.destructoid.com/blogs/Kyle+MacGregor+BurlesonGearbox owns Duke Nukem following lawsuit2015-08-22T12:45:00Z2015-08-22T12:45:00Z
The legal battle between Gearbox Software, 3D Realms, and Interceptor Entertainment over the Duke Nukem franchise has ended, leaving Gearbox the "full and rightful owner" of the property.

To avoid going to court over the dispute, the studios reached a voluntary undisclosed settlement.

The case began in early 2014 after 3D Realms announced Duke Nukem: Mass Destruction, a top-down action role-playing game for PC and PS4. This prompted Gearbox to file suit, asserting the companies were trying to "illegally exploit Gearbox's intellectual property rights" of the franchise.

3D Realms and Interceptor have since rebranded Mass Destruction as a new franchise, Bombshell, which replaces Duke Nukem with a female protagonist named Shelly "Bombshell" Harrison.

Gearbox acquired the property from 3D Realms in 2010 prior to the launch of Duke Nukem Forever, which Gearbox quickly finished and subsequently released in June 2011 to heavy criticism.

Joint Statement by 3DR, Interceptor, and Gearbox [3D Realms]

 tag:https://www.destructoid.com/,2017:/post.phtml?pk=296107Steven Hansenhttp://www.destructoid.com/blogs/Steven+HansenPitchford: Gearbox concepting 'head-turning' new Duke Nukem2015-07-16T08:00:00Z2015-07-16T08:00:00Z
Lost in the litany of angry questions about bald-faced lies and dogs 69ing Gearbox's Randy Pitchford recently faced in an open Twitter Q&A: the contents of Pitchford's preceding keynote at the Develop conference.

"I did not acquire the franchise merely so we could all experience Duke Nukem Forever. That was the toll to pay to give Duke a chance," Pitchford said. "That said, I liked that game. I got to see it from a slightly different perspective and it was marvelous to me," he continued to spin like a top on a record in a centrifuge.

Gearbox has "done some concept development [on a new Duke Nukem]." And despite being in concept phase, despite the fact that Gearbox may never even make the damn thing -- "Gearbox is very busy. I think the faster way is that a correct developer can become interested and we can work with them" -- Randy Pitchford would like to assure you how amazing it is.

"I'll tell you one thing. When it does happen, there's no doubt that the whole industry will turn its head and look."

Yes, like at car wrecks or people falling down stairs.

Gearbox has Done Concept Development For New Duke Nukem Game [IGN]

 tag:https://www.destructoid.com/,2017:/post.phtml?pk=294855Chris Carterhttp://www.destructoid.com/blogs/Chris+Carter3D Realms' female-led Bombshell gets a new trailer2015-06-26T11:00:00Z2015-06-26T11:00:00Z

3D Realms just shared its E3 gameplay trailer for the upcoming Bombshell project, and man does it look cheesy as all hell. Whether that's a good or a bad thing by the time the game hits I don't know, but for now you can get a look at what the current engine looks like.

I'm a huge fan of old school shooters (Catacomb 3-D was my first), but I've seen the nostalgia revival angle go horribly wrong, as was the case with Eat Lead: The Return of Matt Hazard.

 tag:https://www.destructoid.com/,2017:/post.phtml?pk=293152Joe Parlockhttp://www.destructoid.com/blogs/Joe+Parlock3D Realms/Apogee artist James Storey passes away2015-06-02T03:00:00Z2015-06-02T03:00:00Z
Sadly, 3D Realms has announced artist James Storey has passed away at the age of 41.

Storey was British, and as such he was the first non-American person to work for the company. He worked on well-known and well-loved games such as Rise of the Triad, Duke Nukem 3D, Stargunner, and Terminal Velocity.

His most well-known contribution to these games was the exploding barrel animation found in Duke Nukem 3D, which he drew one pixel at a time.

Since leaving the company in 1997, Storey went on to create the RC Car website Oople.

To the family and friends of James Storey, we send our condolences. We hope you are able to find some peace during this time. To James Storey himself, your work stands on its own merits and you will be sorely missed.

 tag:https://www.destructoid.com/,2017:/post.phtml?pk=285816Chris Carterhttp://www.destructoid.com/blogs/Chris+CarterReview: Duke Nukem 3D: Megaton Edition2015-01-07T16:00:00Z2015-01-07T16:00:00Z
When I was younger, Duke Nukem 3D had a "parental lock" option with a passcode. Naturally, as any inquisitive child would do, I backed up my save files, uninstalled the game, re-installed it, and set up a new jibberish password that way my parents would assume they forgot the code or there was an error with the game.

With or without the adult content, Duke was one of my most cherished shooters. Although it is decidedly dated by today's standards, its massive 10-weapon loadout featured a ton of diversity, and the environments contained some of the best hidden areas in the genre, even today.

It's a bit of a relic, but Duke Nukem 3D: Megaton Edition is an endeavor worth pursing if you have any interest in first-person shooters, and can deal without a handful of modern conveniences.

 Read more...tag:https://www.destructoid.com/,2017:/post.phtml?pk=285848Rob Morrowhttp://www.destructoid.com/blogs/Rob+MorrowDuke Nukem 3D: Megaton Edition available now on PS3/Vita, free with PS Plus2015-01-07T11:45:00Z2015-01-07T11:45:00Z

It's not often that I lament letting my PlayStation Plus subscription lapse, but today is one of those days. While I'm begrudgingly plunking down $9.99 of my hard-earned cash to have Devolver's Megaton Edition of the classic first-person shooter Duke Nukem 3D on my PS Vita, all of you clever, forward-thinking individuals are smugly chuckling at suckers like me, because you're getting the damned thing for free. For nothing. Zilch-o. Free-of-charge.

To add insult to injury, the generous buggers at Devolver are foisting on you the PlayStation 3 port to boot, à la Cross-Buy. Who says console gamers don't have it made?

According to Devolver rep Stephanie "All out of Bubblegum" Tinsley Schopp, the PS3 and Vita releases of Duke Nukem include "enhanced versions of Duke Nukem 3D: Atomic Edition and three unique expansion packs as well as the original version of the classic game," plus "polished visuals, online multiplayer, and PlayStation trophies. BLAM!"

Blam, indeed. Well, there you have it. The eagerly anticipated console/portable version of the PC classic is here at last. Hail to the king, baby!

 Read more...tag:https://www.destructoid.com/,2017:/post.phtml?pk=283518Chris Carterhttp://www.destructoid.com/blogs/Chris+CarterDuke Nukem 3D: Megaton Edition will arrive on the Vita and PS3 in January2014-11-06T09:00:00Z2014-11-06T09:00:00Z
Duke Nukem 3D is still one of my go-to shooters. Every year or so I'll go back and beat at least one episode, and now it's going to feel great to do it on the go on the Vita. On January 13th 2015, Duke Nukem 3D: Megaton Edition will launch on both the PS3 and Vita.

It will include the entire game and every bit of DLC that's been released for the Megaton version, as well as competitive and co-op multiplayer. It's still a ways off, and mostly due to some certification snags from Sony, but I'm glad that it was able to sort them out.

Devolver Digital [Twitter]

 tag:https://www.destructoid.com/,2017:/post.phtml?pk=282928Brittany Vincenthttp://www.destructoid.com/blogs/Brittany+Vincent3D Realms is alive and kicking once more 2014-10-23T11:00:00Z2014-10-23T11:00:00Z

It's happening -- the day I thought I'd never see in a million years. 3D Realms is back, five years after closing its doors. Original members like Bryan Turner and Scott Miller are on board with the relaunch, having onboarded CEO Mike Nielsen and Frederik Schreiber, CEO of Interceptor Entertainment. It's like my childhood has come back to stroke my hair and tell me everything's going to be okay, because some of my favorite games are coming back. I can dig it.

And the first project we can expect from 3D Realms after the five-year wait is a collection of 32 games culled straight from the pages of many a PC gamers' youth. The bundle will be priced at $19.99 for the next 48 hours at the official 3D Realms website, and will include the following:

Arctic Adventure

Bio Menace

Blake Stone:Aliens of Gold

Commander Keen: Goodbye Galaxy

Commander Keen: Invasion of the Vorticons

Math Rescue

Monster Bash

Mystic Towers

Paganitzu

Monuments of Mars

Cosmo's Cosmic Adventure

Crystal Caves

Death Rally

Alien Carnage

Hocus Pocus

Major Stryker

Blake Stone: Planet Strike

Realms of Chaos

Pharaoh's Tomb

Word Rescue

Secret Agent

Raptor: Call of the Shadows

Terminal Velocity

Wacky Wheels

Stargunner

Shadow Warrior

Wolfenstein 3D

Rise of the Triad: Dark War

Duke Nukem

Duke Nukem 2

Duke Nukem 3D

Duke Nukem: Manhattan Project

The soundtrack has been "re-rockestrated," as 3D Realms calls it, via Andrew Hulshult of Interceptor Entertainment, and the games are all built to work on modern PCs so you don't have to worry about nabbing DOSBox or other methods to run them. Sounds awesome to me.

Growing up a PC gamer, I spent many a night enamored with the colorful Cosmo's Cosmic Adventure, Duke Nukem, Rise of the Triad, and Wolfenstein 3D. And as I grew up I expected some of my favorite games to languish in obscurity, especially given the fact that 3D Realms shut its doors. The fact that Commander Keen, Word Rescue, and so many of these games are now going to be so readily available is fantastic news.

Now, who's up for some Blake Stone?

 tag:https://www.destructoid.com/,2017:/post.phtml?pk=275145Max Scovillehttp://www.destructoid.com/blogs/Max+ScovilleTuesday Newsday: Far Cry 4, Halo 5, Bombshell & TwitchTube2014-05-20T21:30:00Z2014-05-20T21:30:00Z
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There's been a whole bunch of interesting stuff to talk about in the last week! Halo 5: Guardians has been announced for 2015, Far Cry 4 is coming this fall, Duke Nukem: Mass Destruction has been rebranded as Bombshell, Tom Clancy's The Division is basically pulling a Watch Dogs and disappearing into development for another year or two, Playstation Now beta invites are going out to PS4 owners, and Twitch TV might be acquired by YouTube. Wild!

Go pre-order a gnarly Destructoid shirt here!

 tag:https://www.destructoid.com/,2017:/post.phtml?pk=274875Brittany Vincenthttp://www.destructoid.com/blogs/Brittany+VincentInterceptor Entertainment forgoes Duke Nukem for femme fatale Bombshell2014-05-14T20:00:00Z2014-05-14T20:00:00Z

After an excruciatingly long countdown, Interceptor Entertainment's cheeky teaser site has been updated to reveal Bombshell, the best little non-Duke Nukem game that's actually Duke Nukem in Texas we could have asked for.

The reveal trailer features a svelte beauty with a rugged mechanical arm that looks capable of transforming into several armaments -- I'm thinking rocket launcher, perhaps? Shelly "Bombshell" Harrison (Tank Girl?) is a no-nonsense Bomb Disposal Specialist turned mercenary-for-hire who's traveling across four different planets in a bid to (surprise!) rescue the president from aliens. Bombshell is an isometric action role-playing game as well, so prepare for a different sort of violence than the running and gunning you may be used to. And speaking of reveal trailers, this one actually seems a little familiar, doesn't it? Duke Nukem Forever? Ringing any bells?

Duke fans and 3D Realms followers alike may remember the legal complications that came along with Interceptor Entertainment's acquisition of 3D Realms. While Interceptor picked up the rights to titles like Shadow Warrior, Rise of the Triad, and Duke Nukem, the end result of the purchase ended up covering only past Duke Nukem games rather than the rights to any future releases.

In fact, it turned out that 3D Realms actually sold the rights to Duke Nukem as a franchise years ago, only for Interceptor Entertainment to announce Duke Nukem: Mass Destruction, which prompted a lawsuit from Gearbox Software for breach of contract, and a mass of other sticky matters. Things got even more complicated when 3D Realms alleged they actually retained the rights to Duke, and then all hell broke loose.

The end result? Interceptor Entertainment technically can't create any future Duke Nukem releases. As a result, it looks like we're left with Bombshell, which might be a delicious mix of genres and improve on whatever Duke game we may have seen before. It's one convoluted situation, but at the very least we can look to the future and hope that this game is awesome. And so far, it looks like it will be. If the wait proves to be too much for you though, you can always go back and look at all of these nifty unused Duke assets for a rush of nostalgia. Check out the Interceptor Entertainment official reveal interview here.

 Read more...tag:https://www.destructoid.com/,2017:/post.phtml?pk=273709Brittany Vincenthttp://www.destructoid.com/blogs/Brittany+VincentInterceptor Entertainment unearths sweet unused 3D Realms assets2014-04-24T03:00:00Z2014-04-24T03:00:00Z
Remember when Interceptor Entertainment purchased 3D Realms? Pepperidge Farm and Interceptor CEO Frederik Schreiber remember. And after digging through nearly 25 years' worth of content after the acquisition, he's sharing assets from Duke Nukem 3D, Shadow Warrior, and various other titles with the community via the Duke4.net forums. Needless to say, there's a whole treasure trove of neat stuff in there.

The assets range from unused logos from Duke Nukem 3D to rumblings about possible Prey releases if Bethesda okays it, and it's practically overflowing with awesome. I won't ruin the surprise. Just head on over and page through some great finds, then bask in the nostalgia. I grew up on Duke Nukem, so 3D Realms held a special place in my heart.

I've even got a special Duke voicemail message on my cell via Jon St. John to greet callers. So this, Destructoid friends, is nearly as sacred as my Japanese edition of Songs for the Deaf. Get on it, and dig up some gold.

 tag:https://www.destructoid.com/,2017:/post.phtml?pk=272492Brett Makedonskihttp://www.destructoid.com/blogs/Brett+Makedonski3D Realms asserts it still owns Duke Nukem in Answer to Gearbox's lawsuit2014-03-26T15:45:00Z2014-03-26T15:45:00Z
In response to Gearbox Software filing a Complaint against 3D Realms and Interceptor for unauthorized use of the Duke Nukem trademark, 3D Realms (along with Defendants Apogee Software and Interceptor Entertainment) submitted an Answer on March 18, 2014. It's mostly boilerplate, with the Defendants denying or claiming insufficient information to the majority of paragraphs -- the stuff that makes up most Answers.

However, it gets interesting when 3D Realms asserts its affirmative defenses. 3D Realms states that in the Asset Purchase Agreement that was executed to transfer the rights of Duke Nukem Forever, that 3D Realms was entitled to complete and sell a videogame called "Duke Nukem Survivor." This is apparently the Duke Nukem: Mass Destruction game that is the subject of this matter.

Further, 3D Realms says that Gearbox doesn't own the Duke Nukem trademark anyway, as it was never part of the Asset Purchase Agreement. As the Answer puts it "The Duke Nukem trademark rights remain the sole property of 3DR."

 tag:https://www.destructoid.com/,2017:/post.phtml?pk=271375Conrad Zimmermanhttp://www.destructoid.com/blogs/Conrad+ZimmermanInterceptor Entertainment investors have acquired Apogee/3D Realms2014-03-03T11:30:00Z2014-03-03T11:30:00Z
The investment group behind Interceptor Entertainment, SDN Invest, has announced that they have acquired Apogee/3D Realms, the developer/publisher responsible for franchises like Duke Nukem, Commander Keen and Rise of the Triad. The acquisition comes in the midst of an ongoing dispute between Interceptor and Gearbox Software over an as-yet unannounced Duke Nukem title believed to be in development at Interceptor.

Speaking to Eurogamer today, new 3D Realms CEO Mike Nielsen shed some light on plans for the company going forward. 3D Realms will operate as a publishing arm, handling releases developed by Interceptor, both using existing intellectual property acquired as part of the purchase and developing new properties.

As for the lawsuit against Interceptor? Nielsen seemed unfazed, saying, "Our only message is we're not all out of gum yet."

Interceptor buys 3D Realms amid Gearbox lawsuit [Eurogamer]

 tag:https://www.destructoid.com/,2017:/post.phtml?pk=271122Brett Makedonskihttp://www.destructoid.com/blogs/Brett+MakedonskiWhat was 3D Realms thinking with the Duke Nukem fiasco?2014-02-25T16:00:00Z2014-02-25T16:00:00Z
With this week's news that Gearbox Software has filed a lawsuit against 3D Realms and Interceptor for unauthorized use of the Duke Nukem property, it raises the question – exactly what the hell are 3D Realms and Interceptor doing? The question is multifaceted, both in terms of legality and the current status of the Duke Nukem brand. Of course, there's no clear answer, because everything they're doing seems to be ill-advised.

Before we move on any further, it's worth noting that the only information we have is what Gearbox outlined in its Complaint. Neither 3D Realms nor Interceptor has filed an Answer, meaning that we technically only have one side of the story. Everything is only alleged at this point, and nothing has been proven as fact. However, given the allegations raised by Gearbox, it's hard to imagine a scenario where 3D Realms is justified in its actions.

 Read more...tag:https://www.destructoid.com/,2017:/post.phtml?pk=271083Max Scovillehttp://www.destructoid.com/blogs/Max+ScovilleFarts N Crafts: Duke Nukem's Turdy Dogfight2014-02-24T21:30:00Z2014-02-24T21:30:00Z
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Following up Friday's debut of "Dumb Idiot Ideas," here's the first episode of another weekly series: "Farts 'N' Crafts."

On this show, I draw horrible pictures of things vaguely related to what's going on in the world of video games. Today's subject is the recent news of Gearbox Software's lawsuit against Interceptor Entertainment and 3D Realms over Duke Nukem: Mass Destruction, but more specifically on a comment made by Destructoid community member Red Morgan.

Got ideas for another stupid thing for me to draw? Leave it in the comments.

 Read more...tag:https://www.destructoid.com/,2017:/post.phtml?pk=271040Brett Makedonskihttp://www.destructoid.com/blogs/Brett+MakedonskiGearbox files suit against 3D Realms over Duke Nukem IP2014-02-24T10:30:00Z2014-02-24T10:30:00Z
Gearbox Software has filed a lawsuit in United States Federal Court against both 3D Realms and Interceptor Entertainment, alleging that the two colluded to use the Duke Nukem trademark and copyright unlawfully, and further alleging breach of contract and unfair competition. Gearbox is the owner of the Duke Nukem intellectual property as a result of the February 2, 2010 asset purchase agreement where the company bought all rights to the IP "with very limited exceptions."

The lawsuit arises from the development of Duke Nukem: Mass Destruction, an upcoming title by Interceptor that's described as "an isometric action role-playing game for PC and PS4." Gearbox alleges in the Complaint that 3D Realms negotiated a licensing deal with Interceptor for use of the Duke Nukem name after the asset purchase agreement, which also constitutes breach of contract.

Within the Complaint, Gearbox requests an injunction to prevent Mass Destruction from being released, statutory damages for each infringement, punitive damages for the Defendants' willful and wanton conduct, and reasonable attorney's fees.

3D Realms and Gearbox have a storied past when it comes to litigation. Recently, 3D Realms sued Gearbox over unpaid royalties from Duke Nukem Forever. However, 3D Realms quickly dropped the matter and issued a public apology.

 Read more...tag:https://www.destructoid.com/,2017:/post.phtml?pk=269644Conrad Zimmermanhttp://www.destructoid.com/blogs/Conrad+ZimmermanDuke Nukem 3D: Megaton Edition gets a multiplayer update2014-01-28T19:30:00Z2014-01-28T19:30:00Z

An update to Duke Nukem 3D: Megaton Edition has been released on Steam which adds deathmatch and cooperative gameplay modes for up to eight players online, across PC, Mac, and Linux platforms.

There is a lot about Duke Nukem 3D that I find disinteresting, but it's one of the few deathmatch-style games I have genuinely fond memories of playing. The weapons were fantastic and silly, which made the whole thing so much fun that I could forget about how terrible I was at playing it. I would not have bought the Megaton Edition without this feature, but now I'm seriously considering it.

 tag:https://www.destructoid.com/,2017:/post.phtml?pk=267376Chris Carterhttp://www.destructoid.com/blogs/Chris+Carter Duke Nukem 3D: Megaton Edition adds Steam Workshop2013-12-12T11:00:00Z2013-12-12T11:00:00Z
As a kid, I played hundreds of hours of Duke Nukem 3D. I even went so far as to go to local tech stores and find "level pack" CDs so I could play more maps than the game could possibly offer, and made a few of my own in my spare time.

Thankfully the Steam version of Duke 3D (the Megaton Edition) has just added Steam Workshop support and a level editor. Basically, the editor allows you to create extra maps for the community and the Workshop lets you share them -- pretty simple stuff.

On its Steam page, Valve notes that there are already 60 maps available for download, all with their own rating system and mini-forum . The game is also 75% off until December 16th.

 tag:https://www.destructoid.com/,2017:/post.phtml?pk=259931Chris Carterhttp://www.destructoid.com/blogs/Chris+CarterDuke Nukem 3D is heading to Vita2013-08-13T06:31:00Z2013-08-13T06:31:00Z
Devolver Digital has been on a roll lately, especially when it comes to paving the way for the PlayStation Vita. Well it seems as if they have more Vita goodness lined up, as Duke Nukem 3D: Megaton Edition is coming to Sony's portable.

This port will be done by the same folks who handled the Hotline Miami Vita version, which is great news given the bang-up job they did. Duke Nukem 3D is one of my favorite FPS games of all time, so even if it hasn't aged well, playing it on the go with a sexy OLED screen is a huge plus for me.

Devolver Digital [Twitter]

 tag:https://www.destructoid.com/,2017:/post.phtml?pk=257426Hamza CTZ Azizhttp://www.destructoid.com/blogs/Hamza+CTZ+AzizCome get some with the Duke Nukem Platformer Pack2013-07-03T05:00:00Z2013-07-03T05:00:00Z

Need more Duke Nukem in your life? Especially to wash out the terrible taste of Duke Nukem Forever out of your mouth? Well good, as Interceptor Entertainment has released the Duke Nukem Platformer Pack on Steam.

The pack consists of Duke Nukem, Duke Nukem 2, and Duke Nukem: Manhattan Project all for $9.99. You can buy the games individually, with the first two going for $2.99 each and Manhattan Project going for $5.99.

Confession: I never played the original two Duke Nukem titles before. Time to fix that now!

 tag:https://www.destructoid.com/,2017:/post.phtml?pk=254552Jayson Napolitanohttp://www.destructoid.com/blogs/Jayson+NapolitanoRetro game music bundle: I'd buy that for a dollar2013-05-25T19:00:00Z2013-05-25T19:00:00Z
We've covered a lot of these game music bundles in the past, so I'll cut right to the chase. This one features some never-before-released albums along with an exclusive Duke Nukem remix collection featuring Jake "virt" Kaufman, Disasterpeace, and a ton of other talented artists. If the exclusive remix CD wasn't enough, there's also a remastered version of the Myst soundtrack along with tons of Duke Nukem, Jazz Jackrabbit, and even some more recently-released retro soundtracks.

The Retro Game Music Bundle is live for approximately 11 more days, and you can get five albums for just one dollar. If you chip in ten dollars, you get thirteen more albums. And, as usual, top contributors will get exclusive prizes including concept art, a personalized voice recording by the voice of Duke Nukem, Jon St. John, and T-shirts.

Anything on the list of soundtracks featured catch your fancy? Is this a bundle that you can really get behind?

 tag:https://www.destructoid.com/,2017:/post.phtml?pk=253436Allistair Pinsofhttp://www.destructoid.com/blogs/Allistair+PinsofShadow Warrior reboot by Hard Reset developer appears2013-05-09T15:30:00Z2013-05-09T15:30:00Z
First came Duke Nukem, then came Lo Wang, and now come the reboots. Flying Wild Hog, developer of Hard Reset, annouced it is making a reboot of Shadow Warrior, the offbeat, borderline offensive but all the way awesome Hong Kong cinema influenced follow-up to Duke Nukem 3D. This unexpected reboot is being produced by Devolver Digital (Serious Sam 3, Hotline Miami).

I remember drooling over the images of the often delayed Shadow Warrior in the mid-90s, only to be underwhelemed by it once it released in 1997 after the arrival of 3D first-person shooters. I've come to appreciate it over the years -- as it really is one of the best FPS games of the '90s -- but I worry at how Flying Wild Hog will adapt the character of Lo Wang, who rightfully managed to piss-off Asian gamers back in the day. Then there's also the game's weird fetish of finding women taking a crap ("Why does thinking about sex make me wanna crap?" one woman says).

Take the offbeat nature, tune down the offensive bits, bring back the ninja gear (swords and shurikens), and Shadow Warrior could make for one hell of a reboot, especially in the hands of Flying Wild Hog. Here's hoping we get more details on this project soon.

Flying Wild Hog's announcement [Facebook]

 tag:https://www.destructoid.com/,2017:/post.phtml?pk=252826Jim Sterlinghttp://www.destructoid.com/blogs/Jim+SterlingGearbox artist slams Dragon's Crown character design2013-05-01T10:00:00Z2013-05-01T10:00:00Z
The Dragon's Crown "thing" shows no sign of stopping, with vehement and sometimes venomous opinions flying this way and that. To bring you up to speed, Vanillaware's upcoming brawler features a big-boobed Sorceress, the design of which is causing a ruckus.

Now an artist from a completely different studio is in the mix, Gearbox environmental artist Shaylyn Hamm. To say she's not impressed by George Kamitani's mammary magician is putting it lightly.

"I want to see more women getting interested in games and game development, but stuff like this only serves to further cement the idea that you're stepping into a male hobby rather than something that is more inclusive," she wrote on The Escapist's forums.

"Also, this is the first time I've seen that character and holy shit, ahahahahahaha. That's actually something that made its way into a basically finished video game, fucking lol! Some juvenile delinquent kid in my 5th grade class used to draw girls that looked like that (only without the creepy blank, featureless samefaces and wizard hats), and I think he was actually better at it. I also think he's in jail now. This is amazing."

 Read more...tag:https://www.destructoid.com/,2017:/post.phtml?pk=252811Allistair Pinsofhttp://www.destructoid.com/blogs/Allistair+PinsofThe REAL Duke Nukem Forever released 16 years later2013-05-01T01:00:00Z2013-05-01T01:00:00Z

Gearbox's Duke Nukem Forever may be a let down, but things are looking up with the release of a fan-made mod that recreates Duke Nukem Forever's E3 2001 trailer in the Duke Nukem 3D engine. The results are glorious.

Let me tell you. I have rode a donkey at approx. 3 miles per hour while shooting pigs with a shotgun, as a nuclear explosion happens off in the distance. Like I said, glorious.

This five map mod can be downloaded for free at Mod DB. You will need drop the "duke3d.grp" file from your Duke Nukem 3D folder into DNF 2013's directory to play the game. Whether you have a CD copy, GOG download, or Steam version, it should run.

DNF 2013 includes all the nice mod plugins like high-res texture, widescreen support, and mouse look. The whole thing is an unbelievably well done package for something that is basically a joke and bizarre fan service.

Hats off to Gambini and Mikko Sandt at MSDN for creating this unexpected, faithful tribute.

Duke Nukem Forever 2013 [Mod DB]

 Read more...tag:https://www.destructoid.com/,2017:/post.phtml?pk=251957Jim Sterlinghttp://www.destructoid.com/blogs/Jim+SterlingDevolver Digital giving Steam discount codes to fans2013-04-18T09:00:00Z2013-04-18T09:00:00Z
If you own Serious Sam 3: BFE, you may notice you've received a discount coupon for Duke Nukem 3D: Megaton Edition. Conversely, if you own Megaton Edition, you've received a discount coupon for BFE.

Devolver Digital is thrusting codes upon the Steam accounts of its customers as a "thank you" and to encourage a few sales, because for some strange reason it thinks rewarding customers, rather than punishing them, is a plan for success. Such unusual behavior in the game industry.

The company's also struck a deal with Eighty Eight Games to offer discount codes for 10000000 to anybody who bought Dungeon Hearts.

If this plan goes well, it will be the first of several such promotions. Cool!

Making it Rain (with Steam Coupons) [Devolver Digital]

 tag:https://www.destructoid.com/,2017:/post.phtml?pk=249203Fraser Brownhttp://www.destructoid.com/blogs/Fraser+BrownDuke Nukem 3D kills alien scum on Steam2013-03-20T23:00:00Z2013-03-20T23:00:00Z

Remember when Duke Nukem was an entertaining parody with top notch level design? You know, before Forever finally came out and proved that, sometimes, good things don't come to those who wait. If Gearbox's attempt at resurrecting Duke has been seared into your brain -- and I'm really sorry if that's the case -- then you might want to relive the franchise's heyday.

Duke Nukem 3D has made its way over to Steam and, if you haven't already picked it up at a million other places, then you could always grab the new Duke Nukem 3D: Megaton Edition. It comes with the original Duke Nukem 3D, Duke Nukem 3D: Atomic Edition, Duke Caribbean: Life's a Beach, Duke it Out in DC, and Duke: Nuclear Winter. The visuals have all been touched up, as Duke's getting a bit long in the tooth, and yes, there are Steam achievements, you whores.

Duke Nukem 3D: Megaton Edition is out right now for Mac and PC. Hail to the king, baby.

 Read more...tag:https://www.destructoid.com/,2017:/post.phtml?pk=248784Raz Raufhttp://www.destructoid.com/blogs/Raz+RaufDuke's back, baby! Duke Nukem II iOS revealed2013-03-15T18:45:00Z2013-03-15T18:45:00Z

3D Realms is back, and that can only mean one thing -- Duke Nukem. To celebrate the 20th anniversary of Duke Nukem II, 3D Realms and Interceptor Entertainment have announced a upgraded re-release of the '90s game for iOS devices.

"Before Duke Nukem 3D, before the sunglasses, before the one-liners, and before the strippers - many gamers never knew there was another incredible alien ass-kicking Duke game, a cutting-edge game for its time that still holds up 20 years later," Scott Miller, CEO and co-founder of 3D Realms states.

Check out the tounge-in-cheek trailer telling us about some of the game's key features, such as "smooth side-scrolling action," "insane VGA graphics," and "256 eye-popping colors." Throw in 32 levels into the mix and you can this strong dose of testosterone-pumping nostaglia for a cool $1.99. It looks like it could be fun, but will a retro 2D, non-line dropping Duke be enough to erase the memory of, you know, that other game, and get fans playing Duke Nukem again?

For 3D Realms' sake, let's hope so.

Duke Nukem II iOS << Interceptor Entertainment [Interceptor Entertainment]

 tag:https://www.destructoid.com/,2017:/post.phtml?pk=240442Jordan Devorehttp://www.destructoid.com/blogs/Jordan+DevoreGrab a free copy of Duke Nukem 3D from GOG.com2012-12-12T19:00:00Z2012-12-12T19:00:00Z

There's something about the first-person shooters of the '90s that makes them (some of them) still hold up to this day. I mean, Duke Nukem 3D shouldn't be aesthetically pleasing to me in 2012, but the old sprite-based characters are oddly charming, and these titles tended to move at a pace we don't always get with modern shooters. Plus, they were ridiculous.

Considering that Duke Nukem 3D: Atomic Edition is currently free for PC and Mac on GOG.com, much of that justification was probably unnecessary, but there you go. If you are looking for a way to relive a bit of Duke history, you can't go wrong with this deal.

[Thanks, DV2FOX]

 tag:https://www.destructoid.com/,2017:/post.phtml?pk=231620Hamza CTZ Azizhttp://www.destructoid.com/blogs/Hamza+CTZ+AzizDuke Nukem reads an excerpt from 50 Shades of Gray2012-07-19T01:00:00Z2012-07-19T01:00:00Z

Last weekend at ConnectiCon 2012, the guys from Team Four Star made Jon St. John read from 50 Shades of Gray in the Duke Nukem voice. From what I've been told, this book is like the next Twilight. Based on this excerpt read by Jon, it's safe to say I never ever want to talk about 50 Shades of Gray ever again.

Duke Nukem, 50 Shades of Gray Fan [Topless Robot]

 tag:https://www.destructoid.com/,2017:/post.phtml?pk=231521Jim Sterlinghttp://www.destructoid.com/blogs/Jim+SterlingPitchford: Duke Nukem Forever is exactly like Half-Life 22012-07-17T08:00:00Z2012-07-17T08:00:00Z
Most reasonable gamers would consider Duke Nukem Forever, on its own, is a big enough insult to the industry. Gearbox CEO Randy Pitchford, however, has decided to take the mockery further by comparing it to one of the most beloved games of all time. The fiend!

"I don't know if you've played Duke Nukem Forever. It's awesome," gloated Pitchford to Eurogamer. "And it occurred to me, the pacing was exactly like Half-Life 2, where the game would get me in a puzzle space and I would be confined there until I worked out what the components of the puzzle space are. It's basically a linear, narrative experience, but the puzzles are derived from the environment. It's not just 'shoot the guy' ... It's almost identical, beat for beat in terms of its gameplay pacing, to Half-Life."

The CEO still adamantly defends the critically panned game, and expressed his belief that critics who hated it just "really wish all video games be elevated into this really high art form" and were thusly upset by Forever's low-brow humor.

Either he's trolling, or he's mad (and I say this as a man who loves Randy). It wasn't the fact that the humor was dumb so much as it was, at times, downright disturbing in a very unfunny way. Not only that, but the "jokes" (mostly regurgitated, context-less movie quotes) were just one ingredient in that festering fecal soup. It had a lot more going against it than desperate attempts at comedy.

Still though, it does bear repeating ... Dukem Nukem just isn't funny.

 tag:https://www.destructoid.com/,2017:/post.phtml?pk=217878Conrad Zimmermanhttp://www.destructoid.com/blogs/Conrad+ZimmermanDuke Nukem tackles Dr. Proton in The Doctor Who Cloned Me2011-12-13T18:45:00Z2011-12-13T18:45:00Z
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Duke Nukem Forever has new DLC now available on PSN and Xbox Live. "The Doctor Who Cloned Me" features a new single-player campaign which sees Duke facing off against classic franchise villain, Dr. Proton, and coming face-to-face with what has probably always been the greatest threat to our hero: Himself.

The DLC also comes with four new multiplayer maps, including the rooftop of Duke's casino and the charmingly named Breston Plant nuclear facility. All this for $9.99 or 800 MS points. Hey, it's your money.

 tag:https://www.destructoid.com/,2017:/post.phtml?pk=213527Brett Zeidlerhttp://www.destructoid.com/blogs/Brett+ZeidlerFirst DLC pack for Duke Nukem Forever now available2011-10-12T01:00:00Z2011-10-12T01:00:00Z
The first DLC pack for Duke Nukem Forever, "Hail to the Icons Parody Pack," is now available because you demanded it. If you were part of the Duke Nukem Forever First Access Club, the DLC comes to you absolutely free of charge and for everyone else it'll set them back about $10.

The ironic thing about the pricing is the fact that you can pick the game up on Steam this week for the same exact price. If that doesn't bother you and you drop the cash anyway, you can expect to find three new multiplayer modes, four multiplayer maps, which parody ironic games, and four new weapons. Anyone out there excited for this even in the midst of a slew of new games coming out?

 Read more...tag:https://www.destructoid.com/,2017:/post.phtml?pk=213151Kyle MacGregor Burlesonhttp://www.destructoid.com/blogs/Kyle+MacGregor+BurlesonBy popular demand: Duke Nukem Forever gets DLC next week2011-10-06T19:00:00Z2011-10-06T19:00:00Z
Duke Nukem Forever DLC. Like a terrible birthday gift from a close relative, you just have to force that smile as a disingenuous "Thank you!" escapes your cringing lips. Except you won't be able to run to the PlayStation Store and exchange it for something else. DLC, much like herpes and diamonds, is forever. You'll just have to hope that Uncle Pitchford gets you something better next year.

Members of the Duke's First Access Club will be getting The Hail to the Icons Parody Pack for free next week. Lucky bastards. Everyone else will have to pony up the 10 bucks for the four new multiplayer maps. An update will be going live on the same day (October 11th) that will fix a few of the game's many bugs. Hopefully it's like 10 gigs and will be a completely different game. A boy can dream.

Duke Nukem Forever DLC Dated [Eurogamer]

 tag:https://www.destructoid.com/,2017:/post.phtml?pk=211097Alasdair Duncanhttp://www.destructoid.com/blogs/Alasdair+DuncanApogee titles 50% this weekend at Good Old Games2011-09-11T08:40:00Z2011-09-11T08:40:00Z
The name Apogee disappeared sometime in the mid-'90s, but not before having a sizeable impact on both PC games and first-person shooters. Between 1993 and 1996, Apogee published a series of over-the-top shooters that definitely influenced my gaming habits and now you can get these games for 50% off at Good Old Games.

Among the games on sale are the two Blake Stone games, Duke Nukem 3D: Atomic Edition, the more recent Duke Nukem: Manhatten Project, and Rise of the Triads: Dark War.

 Read more...tag:https://www.destructoid.com/,2017:/post.phtml?pk=209630Tara Longhttp://www.destructoid.com/blogs/Tara+LongThe DTOID Show: Now with a helping of Jim Sterling!2011-08-22T20:35:00Z2011-08-22T20:35:00Z

Oh hey there, Destructoid. I didn't see you come in. I was just watching this evening's episode of The Destructoid Show, starring myself and Mr. Jim Sterling. Oh, and Max makes an appearance, too... I guess.

First up on today's agenda, Square Enix is set to reveal an exciting new IP at their PAX Panel on August 27th! Of course, it still won't be as exciting as Destructoid LIVE, taking place at noon on August 28th in the Unicorn Theater. Next up, Max has some dirty rumors about Fable IV not being on rails and Gearbox planning a Duke Nukem reboot, as well as some stupid Robocop gear you can cop for your Xbox Live avatar.

Jim Sterling joined us on Skype for the second half of our show, where we discuss his recent Deus Ex: Human Revolution review and give our own impressions.

 tag:https://www.destructoid.com/,2017:/post.phtml?pk=209569Jim Sterlinghttp://www.destructoid.com/blogs/Jim+SterlingRumor: Gearbox rebooting Duke Nukem in next game2011-08-22T09:40:00Z2011-08-22T09:40:00Z
According to Official Xbox Magazine (in the same column that namedropped Fable IV), Gearbox Software is aiming to give Duke Nukem a complete reboot once it's wrapped up production on Aliens: Colonial Marines.

The first game in this bold new era is due to be Duke Begins, the game that Gearbox had begun work on before Duke Nukem Forever fell into its lap. Quite what direction they're going to take Duke in is unknown. I'm hoping they actually make him a parody this time, instead of sincerity masquerading as satire.

OXM rumours also point to Duke Nukem Begins [CVG]

 tag:https://www.destructoid.com/,2017:/post.phtml?pk=207152Jordan Devorehttp://www.destructoid.com/blogs/Jordan+DevoreDetails on the Parody Pack add-on for Duke Nukem Forever2011-07-26T18:15:00Z2011-07-26T18:15:00Z
Downloadable content for Duke Nukem Forever is on the way. And while it's not at all compelling to those who aren't into the game's multiplayer, at least it's free for First Access Club members. (You need to have registered before DNF launched in your country, however.)

The Hail to the Icons Parody Pack adds in a few modes -- Freeze Tag (like the ending of Demolition Man), Hot Potato, and Hail to the King -- plus maps inspired by popular videogames. Those would be Call of Duke, Sandpit, Inferno, and 2Forts1Bridge. I see what you did there, Duke.

 tag:https://www.destructoid.com/,2017:/post.phtml?pk=205398Jim Sterlinghttp://www.destructoid.com/blogs/Jim+SterlingPachter claims Duke Nukem Forever sales will disappoint2011-07-06T10:00:00Z2011-07-06T10:00:00Z
Industry analyst Michael "Was Angry At Jim For A Bit" Pachter has cut his estimates for Duke Nukem Forever's sales performance in half, claiming that the game didn't have an impressive run at retail and won't be among 2011's biggest sellers.

"We had previously expected Duke to be one of the year's top sellers due to a high degree of hype and a dedicated fan base, and expected solid profit contribution as the bulk of development had been previously expensed," said the stallion. "However, the game's poor reviews (average Metacritic score of 49) likely had a negative impact on sales, causing us to lower our [first quarter] sell-in estimate to 1.5 million units from 3 million units."

On the bright side, he reckons L.A. Noire will be incredibly popular after learning that Take-Two had to ship four million units to retail. This prediction is echoed by analyst Jesse Divnich, who told us similar things.

In the case of DNF, 1.5 million sales is a pretty damn good number, but perhaps not good enough for a game with so much hype behind it. I'm also really eager to learn how many trade-ins the game had, as I suspect a lot of people returned the thing. DNF single-handedly justifies the need for a used market, says I.

Pachter: Surprising LA Noire Sales Offset by Bad Duke Nukem Forever Sales [GamePolitics]

 tag:https://www.destructoid.com/,2017:/post.phtml?pk=204723Nick Chesterhttp://www.destructoid.com/blogs/Nick+ChesterDuke Nukem Forever headed to Mac this August2011-06-27T17:20:00Z2011-06-27T17:20:00Z
After a long, long wait (of only a few months) Duke Nukem Forever is coming to Mac, courtesy of Aspyr Games.

It'll be out this August, and it sounds like a direct port of the long-awaited shooter. If you don't know what Duke Nukem Forever is, I question why you're reading Destructoid at all. But for more details, be sure to check out the review; I largely suspect much of that will apply to Aspyr's port.

Aspyr's own GameAgent.com is offering a 10% discount to all folks who pre-order the game, in addition to free shipping. Mac owners can actually play Duke Nukem Forever on their systems right now using OnLive, if you simply can't wait.

Duke Nukem Forever Coming to the Mac [The Game Agent Blog]