
<?phpxml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<rss version="2.0" 
xmlns:content="http://purl.org/rss/1.0/modules/content/"
xmlns:wfw="http://wellformedweb.org/CommentAPI/"
xmlns:dc="http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/"
>
<channel>
<title>Haaze.com / Gpritchard2121 / All</title>
<link>http://www.haaze.com</link>
<description>Test Web 2.0 Content Management System</description>
<pubDate>Thu, 21 Apr 2011 07:10:28 +0000</pubDate>
<language>en</language>
<item>
<title><![CDATA[Mortal Kombat: Dying for a reboot]]></title>
<link>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=mortal-kombat-dying-for-a-reboot</link>
<comments>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=mortal-kombat-dying-for-a-reboot</comments>
<pubDate>Thu, 21 Apr 2011 07:10:28 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Gpritchard2121</dc:creator>
<category>Technology</category>
<guid>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=mortal-kombat-dying-for-a-reboot</guid>
<description><![CDATA[(Credit:Warner Bros. Interactive)Does the most iconic fighting franchise of all time come back with a vengeance Or is this one resurrection better left letting the coin credit countdown run out Jeff: If isn't broke, don't fix it. We've all heard the tired cliche, but now more than ever game developers are reaching back to a game's roots as inspiration for franchise reboots. The most recent example is the latest incarnation of Mortal Kombat. The 2D fighting is back, along with the series' genre-defining iconic finale, fatalities. Mortal Kombat is a gift to the loyal MK fan. Anyone who grew up playing one of the classic Mortal Kombat arcade cabinets in the '90s will instantly feel right at home. The nostalgia is laid on thick at times with handfuls of inside jokes, references, and other &quot;-alities.&quot; We were also impressed to find that Mortal Kombat packed in a significantly deep story mode. While most fighting games go light on the narrative, MK successfully thickens the experience with in-game cinematics and dialogue beyond the trivial character intros. There are also hours upon hours of challenges here, including new &quot;Test Your&quot; modes including &quot;Might, Sight, Luck,&quot; and more, not to mention the new double and triple tag team versus modes. Mortal Kombat (photos) Graphically speaking, the character design in Mortal Kombat is nothing short of spectacular, with each unique fighter sporting a painstaking amount of detail. Speaking of pain, the new Mortal Kombat is more brutal than ever, properly taking advantage of current-generation hardware that delivers each gruesome blow, crunch, splat, and thud. Characters bleed and swell over the course of a match and their wardrobes rip and burn.We were partial to the collection of character-unique X-ray moves that slow the action down to give players a biology lesson or two, showing bones snapping and organs rupturing. (Credit:Warner Bros. Interactive)As we mentioned above, fatalities are back. Instead of flipping through move list printouts, the team at NetherRealm Studios has conveniently listed special moves and fatalities in the pause menu, providing easy access in the game. There's even a fatality trainer mode that lets you practice your favorite &quot;FINISH HIM!&quot; moment without all the pressure. For an in-studio demo of Mortal Kombat that includes two fatalities, tune in to this week's episode of preGame!Dan:It's the game that parents, newscasters, and legislators love to hate, so it's not surprising that Mortal Kombat makes a return appearance every few years (or even more frequently). After all, labeling something as forbidden fruit is the easiest way to attract the game's target demographic of young males. Yet, the latest incarnation of Mortal Kombat seems overly conservative, if anything. Sure, there's plenty of violence and some bloodletting, but other than improved graphics, it's not that much different in concept than the 1992 original. Since then, we've become so jaded by the more realistic violence in games, movies, and TV, that the fatalities in MK seem almost quaint and retro by comparison. Not that I'm complaining' to truly up the stakes, the game would need to move in the direction of &quot;Hostel&quot;-like torture porn, and there's a point beyond which that becomes self-defeating. Like Street Fighter IV and other recent fighting games, the characters here are 3D renderings trapped in a 2D plane' think of the classic satirical/geometric novel &quot;Flatland,&quot; but with more beheadings. (Credit:Warner Bros. Interactive)Being only casually familiar with the main characters and lore of the game's universe (but the image of the late Raul Julia as M. Bison is forever burned in my brain), a handful of things kept my attention for at least a few days. ThePS3 version has two important bonuses over theXbox 360 game. On the PS3, you can play in stereoscopic 3D, which definitely adds to the experience in this genre, and that version also has a very cool exclusive character: God of War's Kratos. Finally, I will never forget the triumphant match where, by randomly mashing a few buttons after defeating my opponent, Kratos performed a little-known variation on the infamous Fatality move: my foe was transformed into a kicking, screaming infantalized version of himself, as the screen proudly proclaimed &quot;Babality!&quot; <br/><br/>0 Vote(s) ]]></description>
</item>

<item>
<title><![CDATA[Zediva wants to stream DVDs directly to consumers &8212' seriously]]></title>
<link>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=zediva-wants-to-stream-dvds-directly-to-consumers-8212-seriously</link>
<comments>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=zediva-wants-to-stream-dvds-directly-to-consumers-8212-seriously</comments>
<pubDate>Mon, 30 Nov -001 00:00:00 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Gpritchard2121</dc:creator>
<category>Latest News</category>
<guid>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=zediva-wants-to-stream-dvds-directly-to-consumers-8212-seriously</guid>
<description><![CDATA[Zediva,  which is launching today, is yet another contender in the online movie  streaming arena with one curious twist: It literally streams DVD discs  to viewers over the web.By  doing so, Zediva is able to offer new DVD releases far sooner than competitors like Redbox and Netflix, both of which have signed rental delay deals with movie studios in exchange for access to content. The service  currently streams video to computers, Android devices and Google TV.  Zedivaa4a4s other major hook is that ita4a4s cheap: rentals cost a mere $1.99  for 14 days of access to a film, and at the moment you can purchase a  10-film rental pack for $10.When  you rent a film on Zediva, you have access to the DVD for four hours.  You can control the video just as you would a standard DVD player, and  you also have access to all of the features included on the disc &amp;8212'  including subtitles, director commentaries, and extras.Zediva  purchases bundles of DVDs at retail locations the day a title is  released, which is how it can gain access to films so quickly. It relies  on the first sale doctrine to rent the DVDs &amp;8212' since the company legally purchases the DVDs and  isna4a4t making copies, it shouldna4a4t have to ask permission from studios to  offer the discs. The company even goes so far as to use store-bought DVD  players to stream films, so therea4a4s really no argument about how the  content is getting to consumers.Redbox used similar tactics by purchasing hundreds of titles from stores to stock its DVD kiosks,  but the movie studios quickly put a stop to that. While Zediva isna4a4t  popular enough yet to attract too much scrutiny from movie studios, ita4a4s  just a matter of time before they begin to complain.While  streaming DVDs seems like a creative solution to getting content, ita4a4s  also wrought with problems. For example, Zediva only has a limited number of DVDs, so just like your local video store (or Redbox kiosk),  customers will sometimes find movies unavailable. In a world where you  can instantly get access to a film from Netflix streaming, iTunes, or  Amazon, finding a title out of stock for streaming seems like an archaic  problem.That  physical stock limitation will also become a problem for Zediva when it  comes to scaling the service. The company currently relies on a data  center in Silicon Valley to store its DVD players and movies, but it  will likely find expanding difficult if it becomes popular. A typical  data server can hold thousands of films for Netflix and can easily push  content to more than one user. Zediva, on the other hand, can only grow  as much as the amount of DVD players it has, since a single DVD player  can only serve one customer.The  company says it has been working on the technology to stream DVDs  for two years. Ita4a4s been in beta testing for a year and has managed to  attract thousands of early users.Based in Sunnyvale, Calif., Zediva started off bootstrapped and just recently closed its first round of funding.Next Story: Google adds comment streams to Docs Previous Story: North Bridge Partners: If there is startup bubble, it&amp;'s rationalPrintEmailTwitterFacebookGoogle BuzzLinkedIn      DiggStumbleUponRedditDeliciousGoogleMore&amp;8230'          Tags: DVDs, movies, streaming video, Watch InstantlyCompanies: Netflix, Redbox, Zediva          Tags: DVDs, movies, streaming video, Watch InstantlyCompanies: Netflix, Redbox, ZedivaDevindra Hardawar is VentureBeat's lead mobile writer and East Coast correspondent. He studied philosophy at Amherst College, worked in IT support for several years, and has been writing about technology since 2004. He now lives in Brooklyn, New York. You can reach him at devindra@venturebeat.com (all story pitches should also be sent to tips@venturebeat.com), and on Twitter at @Devindra. Have news to share Launching a startup Email: tips@venturebeat.comVentureBeat has new weekly email newsletters.  Stay on top of the news, and don't miss a beat.<br/><br/>0 Vote(s) ]]></description>
</item>

</channel>
</rss>
