Tag: Video Games

[Victoria, BC] NeXus Con Sets Out to Bend the Rules of Gaming Come Aug 27!

Nexus-Con-teaserBy Ed Sum (The Vintage Tempest)

NeXus Con is a new event organized by Dwayne Morash who simply wants to introduce folks to gaming (in all its various forms). The show will be held at Saanich Commonwealth Place on August 27th, 2016 from 11am to 9pm, and it is an intimate type of event where it will be capped at 40 or so people

New players do not have the opportunity to simply try games out without buying, and this show hopes to change all that by flipping the formula traditionally found in conventions. Most shows require a separate entry fee just to play in tournaments. This event dispenses with all that and it’s going to be more like a meet n’ greet spotlighting the favourite games of past and present.

Morash is the founder/editor of Game Nexus, a local news and information site for all things related to games. Just like this website, there will be video games, tabletop miniature battles, role-playing games and collectable card games to try out. For a reasonable fee of $25, attendees can sample the best in what gaming has to offer. Trends change like the roll of the dice, and the goal of Morash is to provide a quality event minus all the hustle and bustle of one that is corporate run. He gave me a heads up about this event, and I had some questions:

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Final Fantasy Returns to Ivalice in HD on the PlayStation 4

Final Fantasy
Available for pre-ordering on AmazonFinal Fantasy

By Shawn Trommeshauser
(Dreaming in Digital)

Final Fantasy XII (FFXII) was originally released in 2006 for the PlayStation 2 and it is one of my favourite entries in the legendary series of role-playing games from Japan. It’s getting an update, titled Final Fantasy XII – The Zodiac Age, and the announcement of its availability on the PlayStation 4 was made today. There are currently no mentions of other consoles or the PC — which is unfortunate — but these days Square Enix has had a good track record of PC support so I would say it’s just a matter of time.

This was the first single player game in the series to truly begin moving away from the style that the classic Final Fantasy titles were known for. This shift has become exceptionally controversial with the newer games in the series, but I feel that this game struck a great balance between the older turn based party combat and more modern action RPGs that allow autonomous party members and dynamic movement in battle. This battle system was further refined and anyone who enjoys Final Fantasy XIV (available on Amazon)Final Fantasy would be able to see the foundations laid in FFXII.

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LANtasy Wants the Fun in Fandom to Return in Victoria, BC!

Pearkes Recreation Center will play venue host to Gottacon and LANTasy.

LANTasy Event LogoMarch 12-13, 2016
Pearkes Arena, Victoria BC 

Tickets: $30 weekend pass
or $15 per day (pre-registration).

LANtasy‘s motto is “Play Games, Have Fun” at their upcoming event taking place March 12th and 13th. For the fandom living in Victoria, BC, hopefully everyone can put the incidents of 2015 behind them. The final quarter of that year was less than positive: GottaCon (GC) announced they were closing their doors and Island Fantasy Convention did not happen. The reaction by the community was not kind with how the latter event was handled. However, with a new year Tsukino-Con remains strong and the technical crew behind GC decided to continue the legacy the broad-spectrum gaming event represented.

Jeff Pedlow is one of the department heads. He says this show will exist to bring people together and his group really loves the gaming community that exists here. Despite the name, they are not playing favourites over what kind of activities are being offered at this show. Yes, there will be a heavy Local Area Network (LAN) gaming presence, but there is more to the show than just that — board gaming, miniature gaming and RPGs are offered. People will be encouraged to come in costume (cosplay). Essentially, this event will be just like GottaCon in their early days. In what’s for certain, Pedlow says that his group does not take any money from the event and their goal is to throw community-centric gaming events for everyone living on the island. As their Facebook page shows, there are qualifying events taking place in and out of the Capitol Region that will lead up to the finals at LANtasy.

“If we grow in size, that’s always great, but our primary concern is throwing fun events for the community to come out and enjoy,” said Pedlow.

Even though this event is two months away, perhaps fandom should start planning. In addition to their FAQ about this event, Otakunoculture talked to Jeff about other lingering queries:

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LANTASY Announces Cosplay Contest!

LANtasy

By James Robert Shaw (The Wind up Geek)

Activities for fans in the Northwest just became much more fun. LANtasy 2016, a gaming convention run by the LANtasy Gaming Society just announced a cosplay contest. Now con goers can get more involved by showing up in their best and most creative costumes for all to see. Prizes have yet to be announced but you can imagine the swag one can take home just for being the victor.

We here at OtakunoCulture wonder if prizes will be handed out for a 2nd and 3rd place or will there be just one victor and then some creative categories like ‘Best Anime Character Portrayal.’

Now for those of you who aren’t as advanced in your costume skills as some of your fellow cosplayers, don’t worry, LANtasy has that covered too. There will be a full cosplay booth with a repair station for those of you who are met with wardrobe malfunctions. And for those interested there will be samples at this booth of different materials you can use to make costumes.

LANtasy will run March 12th and 13th, 2016 at Pearkes Arena in Victoria, British Columbia. Tickets are available online here or to learn more visit LANtasy’s official website and Facebook page.

Do Haptic Interfaces have a Future?

Haptic technology is still at its infancy. In order for this technology to be usable for the masses, the ideas must be right, otherwise, it’s just not going to fly.

Disney Tactile Display ScreenIn a few years, computer users and gamers might get the option to be able to get touchy-feely with their monitors and tablet screen. Varying textures can be simulated on a display, and that may include the feel of a person’s skin. There’s no doubt that one particular entertainment industry will be excited in what can be developed from it, and that can bring new meaning to what kind of new simulations can be offered to the viewer. In essence, this new invention is a form of haptic technology, and its use in video games have been around for some time in the form of force-feedback motion-controllers.

In an early report by Gizmag in 2012, Disney Research and Senseg was reported to have developed a system where a user’s fingertips can sense a simulated bump on a flat screen. Now if that included 3D projection, the beginnings of hard light projection may well become a reality. Remember Rimmer from Red Dwarf? He’s a hologram with no ability to interact with his environment. Later in the series, his projection unit was modified so that his light body is more “tangible,” and thus be indestructible.

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MogaPro Power Controller Zaps the Competition

MogaPro Power Controller

I’m the type of person who carries a lot of tech and when I’m getting ready for a convention, I also want some games on the go to enjoy. Emerald City Comicon is right around the corner and I need to do something while waiting in line! When I carry a tablet, smart phone, Bluetooth headphones, a dedicated digital camera and portable gaming device, reducing the load is a must. When I have everything with me, one of these devices is guaranteed to be nearly drained by the end of the day.

With MOGA’s Hero or MogaPro Power Controller for Android devices made by Power A, an all-in-one smart phone is all I need. It can keep running like an Energizer Bunny thanks to MOGA’s Boost technology; the controller doubles as a spare power charger. As a bonus, the company now has the MOGA Rebel which works for Apple devices. That took a while to come and I’m glad, but for now I will focus on the Android version to review. They all operate similiarly, because I feel that they all can can recharge not only my smart phone but also my Bluetooth headphones. Not every device that uses a USB cable for recharging can be charged with the MOGA, but I feel that since they can, and I’ve tested it with my tablet and headphones, my life is made all the more simpler than to carry different chargers with me during my trips.

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