How unlucky can one get? TimeShift, a sci-fi FPS, is a veritable ghost town when one tries to play online multiplayer over at PlayStation Network. Interestingly, I’ve had the same experience while playing The Darkness. That’s right, no one is around for anyone to play with.

I took a picture as proof (see image), but it’s a bit blurry. From what can be seen, there is one game available but it can’t seem to be accessed no matter what.

Is this the price that PlayStation 3 owners pay for choosing free multiplayer? Does Xbox Live weave a different tale when it comes to TimeShift’s online multiplayer?

I sure hope not, especially since Xbox Live players pay a premium. If the Xbox Live premium is the price that gamers must pay just to get some online multiplayer action for TimeShift or The Darkness, then I just might make that change, provided that Microsoft can produce a RRoD-free Xbox 360.

Image: FPS Rantings
TimeShift is developed by Saber Interactive and published by Vivendi Games.

Post from: EveryJoe

TimeShift is another PSN ghost town

Do any of you spend for downloadable map packs? There’s the “Legendary” map pack for Halo 3 coming out in a couple of weeks but it would cost you 800 points. This is equivalent to $10 if you live in the U.S., but if you’re based someplace else, you can consult this table for the corresponding cost. If you’d rather hold on to your $10 and wait for free DLC, then you’re in luck.

Halo 3’s Heroic map pack, which was first introduced last December, will be available for free on Xbox Live starting March 25th. Want to see some highlights of the free DLC? Watch the video after the jump.

Image for Halo 3’s Standoff map is courtesy of Microsoft and Bungie.

Post from: EveryJoe

Not-so-new Halo 3 map pack is available for free download

If you think gamers are socially inept, and that they don’t mingle with the opposite gender even if they tried, think again. According to the official Xbox website, a couple met while playing Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six Lockdown.

“I just thought you might be interested to know that Mike and I met playing Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six Lockdown. Funny thing is, we hated each other at first, but somehow ended up falling in love. I was from Georgia and he was from the Bronx. On a leap of faith we met, and we have been together ever since. If it wasn’t for Xbox LIVE, our paths would have never crossed. :) We had our daughter—who we thought to be the first Xbox LIVE baby—on September 24, 2007. Maybe she’s the first Xbox 360 baby, at least. :) Her name is Victoria Marie Figueroa! I AM SO THANKFUL FOR XBOX AND THE ONLINE COMMUNITY! If it wasn’t for that, I wouldn’t have the man of my dreams and a beautiful new baby!”

I never thought FPSes could get people pregnant.

Image of Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six Lockdown is courtesy of Ubisoft.

Post from: EveryJoe

Couple falls in love while shooting each other in the face

Interestingly, Halo 2 for the original Xbox is still the most played game in Xbox Live after almost four years.

So what’s the most-played 360 game in Xbox Live? As of January 14, Call of Duty 4 is the top banana.

There’s more: Gears of War has been ousted by Guitar Hero III. Is it possible that the Master Chief fans have decided to switch to modern combat? Has Forge lost its magic?

It can’t truly be that drastic. This may be just a fluke and Halo 3 might jump to top spot this week. Or, this could be a sign of things to come.

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Post from: EveryJoe

Halo 3 is ousted as Xbox Live’s most played 360 game

Things have been pretty slow in the news department, thanks to the impending Christmas holidays. However, when news of Turok’s Grab Bag achievement reached my ears, I just knew there was something to thrash about the upcoming dino-shooter.

Never heard of the Grab Bag? Let me enlighten you then.

This achievement may be the worst you’ve ever heard of because it rewards you 10 points for killing “at least one creature, one enemy, one teammate, and yourself in the same round of a public match.” This means you’re rewarded for being an achievement whore and killing your teammates.

The latest update is actually good news because Propaganda Games, Turok’s developer, is readying a patch for the Grab Bag achievement. Josh Holmes, VP at Propaganda, explained:

“What we found was that players playing their first match in Turok—almost every player—was (accidentally) killing himself, a teammate and an enemy with a grenade or a Stick Bomb gun and so we thought ‘hey, we should give them an achievement for that’, as kind of a joke.”

I don’t think it’s funny, and I’m sure many people would agree.

Holmes defends their original idea by saying that from his experience, people concerned with multiplayer achievements are those who set up a private match, and won’t try it in public ones.

Josh, you must’ve lived a sheltered life. Instead of readying a patch in case the problem shows up in multiplayer, why not get rid of it altogether? Achievement whores would do anything. I haven’t played as much multiplayer as the average foul-mouthed Xbox Live tween, but I can tell you that I’ve had my fair scars from teammate killing.

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Post from: EveryJoe

Turok developer “plans” to remove Grab Bag achievement

If you’re broke, then you probably skipped out on the new Halo 3 maps. But so what, eh? The Xbox Live Marketplace has lots of free downloads, and the latest one is Frontlines: Fuel of War, a sci-fi FPS set in the near future.

The main storyline of this new game revolves around a showdown for oil. According to Frontlines, the resource is scarce by 2024.

The demo features the second mission of the single-player game. According to a press statement, players get to try an open-world gameplay and destructible structures. Sounds like Mercenaries.

The finished game’s single player campaign has eight missions, while its multiplayer mode supports up to 32 players. The developers are said to be aiming for 64 players in the PC version’s multiplayer, but we’ve yet to get confirmation on that one.

The full version of Frontlines will be available for the Xbox 360, PS3, and PC in February 2008.

Once you do get to download Frontlines, do share it with us. It’s quite intriguing. Unfortunately, the demo is for the Xbox 360 only, so PS3 and PC gamers will have to wait.

Post from: EveryJoe

Free Xbox Live Download: Frontlines: Fuel of War

If you don’t have a life other than playing Xbox Live, then you’ve probably played Halo 3 to death by now. Fret not, Master Chief groupies! Gamerscore blog has announced that there’s a new map pack for Halo 3, and it has just been released.

You get three maps: First is the Standoff map, which has entrenched bases with fields of boulders. This map is great for mid-sized objective or Slayer matches. Next is Rat’s Nest, a huge labyrinth of passages. It’s so big you can get some indoor vehicle action.

The third is Foundry, which works great with the Forge editor. Get this—every object in this map is customizable. You can also place staircases, walls, bridges, and tunnels. Frankly, this is nothing new for PC mods, but since Forge is a console map editor, then hurray.

You can get these maps for 800 points. If you’re a cheapass like me, wait for the map pack in Spring 08 because it should be free by then.

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Post from: EveryJoe

New Halo 3 maps available

If you’ve been wallowing in technical problems and didn’t pay attention to gaming news for a week like me, then you’ll be pleasantly surprised over this update. You see, Bioshock has new downloadable content for PC and Xbox 360 gamers. The content includes new Plasmids and Tonics, achievements, interface upgrades, and is now available as free downloadable content from Xbox Live Marketplace and as part of a PC patch.

Does this mean we get new types of enemies? Aside from the motion-sickness I got from playing too much, I was also nauseated by the limited number of enemies throughout the game. Honestly, I have yet to finish Bioshock because I can’t stand to whack the same Splicer for over 10 hours.

If you can relate with my gripes, then be prepared to be disappointed because the DLC only includes:

Four Plasmids and Gene Tonics:

• Sonic Boom: Hurls creatures and objects back with a blast of force;
• EVE saver: Enables Plasmids to use less EVE;
• Vending Expert: Reduces prices in the vending machines;
• Machine Buster: Increases the amount of damage players deal to cameras, bots and turrets.

Achievements (exclusive to Xbox 360):

• Xbox 360 players can gain 100 points for “Brass Balls,” by beating Bioshock on the “hard” difficulty setting without dying.

You’ll be happy to hear that Bioshock now has a widescreen option, but there are a bunch of other fixes that are listed. The Xbox 360 update will be automatically applied at the game’s startup when users log into Xbox Live. PC owners can get the patch here.

Post from: EveryJoe

Bioshock gets patched—here’s to more enemy types?

Don’t get cute, Agent Zero. It looks like Gilbert Arenas, guard and outspoken (yet unofficial) mascot of the Washington Wizards, has been busted for cheating at Halo 3 in Xbox Live.

The geeks at the Halo 3 forum revealed that Gilbert racks up his rank by joining up with a friend, then have his other account quit so he gets first place every time.

More interestingly, if you check the list of multiplayer games that Agent Zero has played in, you’ll see that even while ranked first, Gilbert had no kills.

Come now, Gilbert. Is this what you do when you’re not in training camp?

Post from: EveryJoe

NBA’s Gilbert Arenas cheats at Halo 3

The designer then proceeds to rave about specific parts of the game that I won’t spill.

We may be days away from the onslaught of Halo 3, and the Bungie shooter may break new sales records (then again, it may not). Halo multiplayer matches may again rule Xbox Live, but aside from slightly updated graphics, what new thing does Halo 3 have to offer?

Bioshock may not have multiplayer like any Halo game, but it gets Cliffy B.’s vote for GOTY. It’s rather ironic that the designer known for making great multiplayer games is choosing a full-blown solo experience for such honors.

What’s your vote for GOTY?

Post from: EveryJoe

Cliffy B. says Bioshock is his Game of the Year