Sandboxes - Sandbox News

Sandbox News

Mafia II (Xbox 360) Saturday, September 4, 2010 @ 9:48AMRent It The Grand Theft Auto series is arguably the undisputed champion of sandbox game play, with its mix of huge open worlds, compelling stories, memorable characters, and plethora of side quests. Like all formulas that work, there have been a string of imitators. A notable sub-genre of the GTA style game play are GTA clones set in the heyday of the Mafia in America. The most notable entries ...
Ma(i)ze Saturday, September 4, 2010 @ 7:02AMThe North Platte Telegraph Even people with the keenest sense of direction may find themselves lost in North Platte's newest attraction, opening Sept. 17. Two corn mazes are being created on a 10-acre plot of land east of The Golden Spike Tower and Visitor Center.
Disorganized crime Saturday, September 4, 2010 @ 6:12AMFrom The Godfather to Goodfellas to The Sopranos, a romanticized version of the Mafia has been fertile fodder for TV and movies for years.[...]
Cherry Bowl Drive in Theatre ...a sweet treat Saturday, September 4, 2010 @ 5:20AMVisiting the Cherry Bowl Drive-In Theatre in Honor, a small town near Traverse City, is like taking a giant step back into the ‘50s. The theatre, which celebrated its first season in 1953, is known for providing “fine film, food, fun and family entertainment.”
Amenities help Wisconsin Timber Rattlers close season on record-high note Saturday, September 4, 2010 @ 4:26AMGRAND CHUTE Thanks, but no thanks, Mother Nature.
Retro City Rampage preview: A Hodgepodge of Homages Saturday, September 4, 2010 @ 3:15AMThere are all of those inside jokes, those gaming and pop culture references that we slip into conversation now and again, eliciting a chuckle from those "in the know." Now imagine you had enough knowledge to make a game and decided, "Hey, what the heck? I'll go ahead and put in a nod toward this classic in my game." That's kinda what Brian Provinciano did. He came up with Retro City Rampage , a ...
Sand in the City was a big success for adults and kids Saturday, September 4, 2010 @ 1:44AM• Thumbs up: Sand in the City • Thumbs up: Harbor Days • Thumbs down: Overpayment
How fracking works: Sand and water go in; natural gas comes out Saturday, September 4, 2010 @ 12:08AMA customarily tranquil spot in rural northeast Johnson County was transformed into a noisy, massive industrial operation for several days in April.
Disturbed: metal with a message Friday, September 3, 2010 @ 11:15PMDisturbed, "Asylum" ***
Menon: When fathers worry about princess culture Thursday, September 2, 2010 @ 5:34PMPrincess paraphernalia is like mould or bedbugs: You don’t realize your home has been invaded until it’s too late. Is this a normal part of childhood or something to fear?
Step2 learns a new way to show site search results Thursday, September 2, 2010 @ 5:22PMVisitors are 2.5 times more likely to buy when they use the new site search.
Parks Canada launches feasibility study Thursday, September 2, 2010 @ 4:10PMDoes Bowen Island want a national park? Last Thursday night, about 115 people gathered at Cates Hill Chapel to listen to a presentation by Parks Canada staff.
Google Chrome celebrates 2nd birthday with security patches Thursday, September 2, 2010 @ 1:02PMThe Google Chrome 6.0, available in stable and beta channels for Windows, Mac, and Linux, patches a total of 15 documented security vunerabilities.
Zap2it post-games the Emmys on 'Showbiz Sandbox' Thursday, September 2, 2010 @ 12:10PMThe Emmys are done, but the analysis of the show and who won isn't quite over yet.Zap2it's Rick Porter was a guest on the Showbiz Sandbox podcast this week, discussing the show, the winners, host Jimmy Fallon's performance and how the telecast could possibly have been improved.Showbiz Sandbox hosts J. Sperling Reich, Karen Woodward and Michael Giltz also break down last weekend's box office ...
Mafia II review (Xbox 360, PS3, PC) Thursday, September 2, 2010 @ 8:34AMMafia II does a good job of recreating the spirit of 1950s America, but a number of problems means it is a game that you can refuse.
Goo Goo Dolls, 'Something For The Rest Of Us' Thursday, September 2, 2010 @ 4:18AMComplacency is a cruel mistress and she has found her victim in Goo Goo Dolls.
Brent Bomber, dungeon owner and swinging party promoter Thursday, September 2, 2010 @ 3:28AM51-year-old Atlanta native Brent Bomber opened a commercial dungeon filled with whips, chains and flogging benches. by Thomas Wheatley Editor's note: First Person is a series of commentaries that gives voice to those not commonly heard in Atlanta media. As told to Thomas Wheatley.… [ Read more ] [ Subscribe to the comments on this story ]
Playing in the Sandbox Wednesday, September 1, 2010 @ 11:35PMEAST LANSING — More than 5,000 people from around the state gathered at Michigan State University’s Breslin Center to advocate for the future of Michigan and Michigan’s children at the first ever Sandbox Party convention on Thursday, Aug. 26. The event was free and opened to the public. read more
County considers effort to preserve jail savings locally Wednesday, September 1, 2010 @ 11:15PMAUBURN — A group of Maine sheriffs hopes to wrestle some financial control of Maine's 15 county jails away from state budgeteers. Money saved in the jails ought to stay in the jails, argues the Maine Sheriffs Association.
'Mafia II' incites violence and infuriates Wednesday, September 1, 2010 @ 11:14PMNot being able to punch women makes me want to punch a woman.
Squabble threatens transition of power at Sheriff's Office Wednesday, September 1, 2010 @ 9:27PMA dispute between Pitt County Sheriff Mac Manning and his successor, Neil Elks, went public Tuesday and threatened hopes for a smooth transition of power in December.
Today: H 32 /L 21 Tuesday, August 31, 2010 @ 11:41PMComplacency is a cruel mistress and she has found her victim in Goo Goo Dolls. Sure, there are the medium-paced rock hooks at play. And indeed, lead singer John Rzeznik still maintains one of the best rock voices in the business. But he has no sandbox to play in here.
'Mafia II' suffers from mob mentality Tuesday, August 31, 2010 @ 11:13PMHopefully the RICO Act applies to video games. It's time to break this mob up. We should take the mobsters,...
Good enough, fella? Tuesday, August 31, 2010 @ 8:17PMGAMER Here's a game that piles on hot-rods, collectible Playboy centerfolds, piano joints with framed Bogie posters, and one instance of a full-fledged Sinatra sing-along.
Piranha 3D Producer Responds to James Cameron’s 3D Insult Tuesday, August 31, 2010 @ 7:58PMThe technological innovations that James Cameron have created makes him somewhat of a 3D connoisseur. He takes the medium very seriously and is not a fan of films that misuse and abuse the format. He recently spoke to Vanity Fair Magazine, and said that the recently released thriller Piranha 3D is “exactly an example of [...]
Cameron vs. Piranha Pissing Match Tuesday, August 31, 2010 @ 7:47PMJames Cameron, whose Avatar helped make the 3D format all the rage in Hollywood again, has created quite a stir with his recently published disparaging remarks about Piranha 3D. Now Piranha's producer has fired back at him.
When producers attack: 'Piranha's' Mark Canton takes on James Cameron Tuesday, August 31, 2010 @ 7:32PMCanton: "Let's just keep this in mind Jim -- you did not invent 3D. You were fortunate that others inspired you to take it further."
Piranha 3D Producer Responds to James Cameron’s Dismissal of the Film Tuesday, August 31, 2010 @ 6:38PMWe got a taste of the James Cameron of old this week when he told Vanity Fair that Piranha 3D "is exactly an example of what we should not be doing in 3-D. Because it just cheapens the medium and reminds you of the bad 3-D horror films from the 70s and 80s." It hasn't taken long for Mark Canton, one of the producers on Piranha 3D, to respond. His lengthy letter to James Cameron covers a lot of ...
Slick mob life ensnares war vet in cool chaos Monday, August 30, 2010 @ 7:21PMRATING: (POLITE APPLAUSE)Mafia II: Developer: 2K Czech. Publisher: 2K Games. Platforms: PC, PS3 and Xbox 360 (reviewed on PS3). ESRB Rating: Mature. Walking the thin line between homage and rip-off may be the best trick Mafia II pulls off. The game may come... Xbox 360 - Mafia II - 2K Games - PlayStation 3 - Mafia
Coming This Week for Sept. 1 Monday, August 30, 2010 @ 5:01PMWEDNESDAY"Running with Scissors" mixed media collage class: 6-8 p.m., ARTworks, Beaufort
Feminist 'Franzenfreude' Over Raves For 'Freedom' Monday, August 30, 2010 @ 4:33PMJonathan Franzen's new novel, Freedom, doesn't come out until Tuesday but The New York Times has already declared it a "masterpiece" and Time magazine has dubbed Franzen a "Great American Novelist." The book has gotten so much attention in the media that it's led to accusations of both gender and genre bias among the literary elite.
Please Touch at the SIGGRAPH Art Gallery Monday, August 30, 2010 @ 4:24PMThe 2010 SIGGRAPH Art Gallery has done away with the old phrase “look but don’t touch.” The 14 juried pieces exhibited this year absolutely require human interaction with a focus on haptics (touch).
Veeam VM Backup Boasts Speedy Path to Resurrection Monday, August 30, 2010 @ 2:22PMVeeam Software on Monday demonstrated its new vPower technology for backing up and restoring virtual machines when disaster strikes. The technology's capabilities include restoring an entire virtual machine within minutes; recovering individual items from any virtualized operating system; and verifying the recoverability of every backup of every VM.
Music Review: Goo Goo Dolls sleepwalk through 'Something For The Rest Of Us' Monday, August 30, 2010 @ 1:28PMGoo Goo Dolls, "Something For The Rest Of Us" (Warner Bros.) Complacency is a cruel mistress and she has found her victim in Goo Goo Dolls. The Buffalo-area band best known for making songs you can't get out of your head come up short with their latest album, "Something For The Rest Of Us."
Music Review: Goo Goo Dolls sleepwalk through 'Something For The Rest Of Us' Monday, August 30, 2010 @ 1:23PMGoo Goo Dolls, "Something For The Rest Of Us" (Warner Bros.)
Chromium Graphics Overhaul Monday, August 30, 2010 @ 11:12AMGoogle's open source Chromium browser is getting a major graphics overhaul to tap into the GPU. On the Chromium blog, software engineer Vangelis Kokkevis explained what's happening and why.
Veeam Enhances VMWare Virtual Machine Recovery Monday, August 30, 2010 @ 9:58AMThird-party tool adds reliability, accuracy, and speed to virtual machine backups and restores.
Well-managed community for urbanites at Mahogany Monday, August 30, 2010 @ 9:00AMMoving to a new house takes more than just signing a contract, getting a loan, and setting up your furniture. There’s a whole list of items and materials to check whether they are operating well or suitable to the new setting.
Freeware Friday: Goblin Camp Friday, August 27, 2010 @ 10:11PMFiled under: Features , Indie , Strategy Welcome to Freeware Friday , a weekly column showcasing excellent games that you can play free of charge! One of the first games we ever covered on Freeware Friday was the incredibly detailed Dwarf Fortress . Despite having been absent for a while, we've still been keeping track of the best freeware games around, and one of them is a game which acts ...
Mafia II deserves - and gets - no respect Friday, August 27, 2010 @ 10:09PMMafia II 2K Czech2K GamesPlayStation 3, Xbox 360, PC$59.99ESRB rating: MatureReview rating: 3.5 stars While the original "Mafia" game was heralded as a success, it was still overshadowed by the "Grand Theft Auto" series. Nevertheless,...
Mafia II Review Friday, August 27, 2010 @ 8:06PMWe review Mafia 2, which lets players step into the shadowy world of the mafia during the “golden age” of America.
Report: L.A. Noire Delayed Once Again Friday, August 27, 2010 @ 6:19PML.A. Noire 'Debut' Trailer There has been little said about L.A. Noire since Rockstar formally unveiled it earlier this year, and now it looks like the long-delayed sandbox title won't be making a 2010 release (via GameSpot ). In a statement to investors, Pacific Crest Securities' Evan Wilson said that retail sources have told him that the title has been delayed. "We have confirmed the delay of ...
Geneseo man dies in grain bin Friday, August 27, 2010 @ 6:10PMGENESEO, Ill. — A 49-year-old Geneseo man died Friday afterbecoming trapped in a grain bin.
Coming This Week for Aug. 28 Friday, August 27, 2010 @ 5:21PMTODAYFree Street Music in Port Royal featuring Dwayne Dopsie & the Zydeco Hellraisers: 6 p.m.
Reverb Settles with FTC over review allegations UPDATE Friday, August 27, 2010 @ 4:43PMReverb Communications settled a complaint with the Federal Trade Commission in which the agency accused the public-relations firm of having employees post reviews of video games on Apple's iTunes store.
'Mafia II' and 'Avatar' hot in new and used video games this week Friday, August 27, 2010 @ 4:11PMGame Dork Doug Elfman's weekly video game picks.
Platform Computing steps up with easy-entry solution for building private clouds Friday, August 27, 2010 @ 2:39PMThe $4,995 Starter Pack announcement comes as a slew of vendors are focused on the adoption path for private clouds.
Business as usual for APB in Europe and the US Thursday, August 19, 2010 @ 10:13PMThe show must go on
Realtime Worlds Restructuring to Support APB, Hires Back Portion of MyWorld Staff Thursday, August 19, 2010 @ 7:19PMWhile Realtime Worlds continues its search for an investor that will save it from being liquidated, the studio is taking steps to ensure that APB has a future. The studio announced a UK restructure today aimed at creating a business that can support the massively multiplayer sandbox titles. They're also preparing a patch that will include a number of changes, as detailed over at apb.com ...
Doral Installs Surveillance Cameras To Curb Crime Thursday, August 19, 2010 @ 5:30PMPolice want anyone who is thinking of committing a crime in Doral to know they are watching.