Latest Gear Live Videos
Hideo Kojima Talks Metal Gear
Posted by Christopher Sasaki Categories: Action, Culture, PlayStation 2, PlayStation 3, Third Person Shooters,
Hideo Kojima talked about the Metal Gear franchise through the years at the GO3 Expo in Australia. Gamasutra covered his speech, an interesting walk through game development starting from the 80s through to his work on Metal Gear Solid 4. From the MSX to the PlayStation 2, it seems Kojima has been bumping against the technological limitations of each platform while trying to refine and evolve his “hide and seek” gameplay concept from the original game. While he offered no real new footage from Metal Gear Solid 4, he did discuss where he wanted to take the conflict in the next iteration of the franchise.
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| Gamasutra
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A Rare Retrospective
Posted by Christopher Sasaki Categories: Xbox 360,
Next Generation reviews the history of software game publisher Rare, from its beginnings creating games for the Sinclair Spectrum in 1982 to its position as one of Microsoft’s lead developers for the Xbox 360. Next year, Rare will have been in the industry for 25 years. In many ways, Rare’s fortunes kind of mirror the changes in game development over the years. Initially, Rare focused on releasing massive amounts of titles to market; from 1987 through 1991, Rare released 44 titles. Eventually, Rare’s partnership with Nintendo caused some of the Japanese company’s development processes to be adopted by Rare, focusing on fewer higher quality releases. Still, it has been a while since Rare has produced an unqualified hit like they had in their hey-day. Their next release will be Viva Piñata, hitting November 1. Rare and Microsoft hope that this game will sell well and turn around Rare’s fortunes.
Read More | Next Generation
A Little History: Coffee
Posted by Janie Franz Categories: Food Trivia, History, Carribean, Far East, North Africa, South America, Coffee,
“Ah! How sweet coffee tastes! Lovelier than a thousand kisses, sweeter far than…wine!”
From J. S. Bach’s “Coffee Cantata,” 1732
Oh, that rich aroma, wafting in from the kitchen, lures us from our beds. It tantalizes us throughout our day and into the late hours. It can found in any number of roasts, blends, and flavors and even in other delicious treats besides its popular liquid form.
Coffee, once only a Middle Eastern delight, is grown today in many countries. South America, Mexico, Central America, the Caribbean, the Middle East, Africa, India, Sumatra, Java, New Guinea, and Hawaii all grow coffee. Much like hot peppers, each country’s unique growing conditions produce distinctive coffees. There are also decaffeinated versions and now new tummy-friendly coffees for folks suffering from GERD, IBS, and stomach problems.
A Little Apple History
Posted by Janie Franz Categories: Food Trivia, History, Fruit, Vegetarian, Europe,
Apples have been enjoyed by human beings since at least 6500 BC. Small burnt apples have been found in archaeological sites around lakes in Switzerland. There are wild apples or crab apples found in most countries of Europe, including as far north as Norway. It is thought that the first apple trees originated somewhere between the Caspian and the Black Seas. The Wild Apple, native to Britain, is the ancestor of all modern apple trees. The Romans grafted their premium varieties, including some from France, onto this wild stock
Though small, bitter, wild Crab Apples were present in the New World when the Pilgrims came to America, they wrote home for seeds and cuttings from England. This established the early apple strains in New England. Later, colonists brought apple trees to plant in Virginia and throughout the Southeast.
Legend tells of a Massachusetts man, Johnny Chapman, who traveled throughout what was then the West (Ohio, Indiana, and Illinois) in the early 1800s, planting apple trees. There is also a tale of a London sea captain who brought seeds to Washington state in 1820 that are reputed to be the initial stock for the booming Washington State apple industry.
Nearly 8,000 varieties exist today, but only about 100 are grown commercially in this country. New varieties are being discovered as chance seedlings or intentional cross-breeding. Of the commercial crop, 61 percent are eaten fresh, 21 percent are made into juice or cider, and 39 percent are processed into a variety of apple products.
[Photo courtesy of the NY Apple Association]
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