Well this is a hard time in the Rated-M family. A dear friend of our family became very ill with Acute Leukemia (AML) as of late. We would really appreciate your prayer in this time of need. If you are interested in reading more about the situation her immediate family has opened a website on her behalf.
http://kristenfund.com/
UPDATE: Over a year later, and we have the big follow-up news on this story! Check out the below link for more on the story covered in this article:
http://rated-m.blogspot.com/2007/08/larry-wachowskis-sex-change-is-complete.html
It is no big secret that Larry Wachowski
A source close to the brothers say that Larry is indeed now officially Linda. The major aspects of the surgery have been complete for some time now, and he (I'm sorry, "she") is now undergoing further hormone treatment and psychological therapy. He has also legally changed his name. The change has put a tremendous strain on his relationship with his brother, but Andy sticks by him regardless of his choices. The source also mentioned that Linda, formerly Larry, is contemplating leaving film for good. This was recommended by his therapist. If he does stay in the team, he obviously won't be a "he" anymore, so the team would be called simply "The Wachowskis
So what of his long time affair with the famous dominatrix Mistress Ilsa? Well Larry has always been fascinated, if not obsessed, with lesbianism. So he would still be "gay" so to speak, but in the woman + woman category. All of his most recent public appearances were as a woman, save his court appearance, in which he was still very effeminate.
Will Linda ever come out to the public and admit what has happened? That all depends on how the therapy goes. For now, all we can do is wait and see where this goes. There is word that Andy is writing again, so perhaps the project can bring the Wachowskis back together. I have also heard from another source that Dateline NBC
Some of you may still be in denial about what has been happening, so if you like, you can take this with a grain of salt. However, if you want to see how far larry's rabbit hole really goes, Check out these links, just a few of the many reports of tis change that are out there:
http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,181389,00.html
http://www.nydailynews.com/news/gossip/story/188724p-163325c.html
http://www.rollingstone.com/news/story/9138137/the_mystery_of_larry_wachowski/
When it comes to Hollywood, there are generally two types of filmmakers. The kind that cater to studio desires and box office numbers, and the kind that makes the films they want no matter what. Today, I offer you three directors who make what they want...David Lynch, David Fincher, and David Cronenberg.
David Lynch
David Lynch is probably one of the strangest and most misunderstood filmmakers of all time...and you know what? He likes it that way. Lynch's films are mostly visionary pieces of art meant to be analyzed to the depths. Filled with symbolism, strange characters, and beautiful photography, Lynch's works are all unique within his world. Some people feel they share a theme, like hell, or limbo. When asked, Lynch merely says that the meaning of the films is to make you come up with your own theories. It's doubtful that he would reveal the links between his works. It would simply kill the mystery.
While most of Lynch's films are very odd and not for everyone, I highly recommend viewing "The Elephant Man". It is certainly Lynch's most cohesive piece, and on my list of best biopics of all time. If you are in the mood for something a little more strage than that, check out "Blue Velvet" or "Eraserhead". If you want something really out there, check out http://www.davidlynch.com and watch shorts and series like "Rabbits". You can also pick up films like "Lost Highway" and "Mulholland Drive".
David Cronenberg
Cronenberg is one of my all time favorite filmmakers. The man is a pure genius. His two latest films, "Spider" and "A History of Violence", are superb examples of how to be cutting edge. "Spider" follows the story of a mentally disturbed man, brilliantly played by Ralph Fiennes, who begins to have flashbacks that unlock the secrets of his past. This is a great film for fans of character studies, but due to the pacing of the film, it may not be for everyone. "A History of Violence" is a fast paced, in your face crime drama/mystery/action film. Viggo Mortensen plays a family man who's past is beginning to catch up with him. Ed Harris is simply amazing in this film.
If you wish to further explore Cronenberg, check out films like "eXistenZ" (my personal favorite of his), "Rabid", "Scanners", and "The Fly". Cronenberg has a long history of filmmaking that encompasses many different genres. If you start digging, you will find that he has ade some really amazing films!
David Fincher
Ah, Fincher. How I love thy films! Fincher doesn't have as long a list of films as the other Davids, nor does he go back as far. However, Fincher has one of the coolest styles of filmmaking out there today. "Se7en", "Fight Club", and even "Alien 3" are just a small part of what David Fincher has done for film. It's not the titles themselves, but the way the stories are portrayed. Like the other two Davids, Fincher can make normal films like "Panic Room", but he also is the master of mindbenders like "Fight Club" or "The Game".
Unfortunately, that about covers the films he's done. Despite the short list, the man has created a legacy that will surely go on for years to come. He is currently filming "Zodiac" based on the real life Zodiac killer. Let me tell you, if anyone can do this bizarre true story, Fincher can!
There you have it folks. The three Davids. Make a trip to the local video store, or hit up the net to find gems by these guys. If you like alternative filmmaking, you won't be dissapointed! Of course, fans of these guys already know this. Hopefully some of you that haven't seen many of these films will become new fans!
First of all, I want to thank all of you for your support for Rated-M.com. Thanks to readers like yourself, this site has become one of the fastest growing indy sites on the net! So as our popularity grows, we decided to take a second look at the way we bring you content. Our most popular articles are our exclusive editorials and our breaking news. So because we see what you guys like to read, we are focusing on those things more and more.
Starting today, we are launching an all new feature to the site called "Rated-M Recommends:" in which we share with you some of the things we love from all formats of entertainment. Some of the things may be popular, others may not. However we offer our insights only to share our personal opinions on these things.
We have also decided that our daily news will slow down. For one, 99% of you guys most likely get your news elsewhere, like GameSpot or IGN. The last thing you want to do is read the same story a dozen times. So we have decided to limit our news output to exclusive breaking news, such as out FF3 delay story, the Mickie James WWE story, and one of our most viewed stories, the Transformers trailer leak.
We are always open to suggestions, whch you can deliver via the comments section on this site or our coming forums. We are also opening a new e-mail address exclusive to your feedback. The forums and e-mail addy will appear in the next few days.
Thank you again for all of your support! Continue to visit us daily for new articles, and be sure to tell your friends about us!
Sgea and From Software announced on their website that the first round of DLC for their popular mech combat game Chromehounds will be free to download on the 19th of July! Here is what was posted on the official forums:
"We're happy to announce that the first downloadable pack of new content for Chromehounds will be unleashed next week. And it'll be free!
SEGA and FromSoftware have made the decision to offer the pack free of charge by way of a thank you to HOUND pilots around the world. As you may know, we experienced some tricky server-load problems right after launch, and we hope this will go some way to saying thanks for sticking by the game.
The pack will be available to download via the Xbox Live Marketplace at 00:00GMT on 19th July.
PACK CONTENTS:
Light Arms
http://tinyurl.com/n8mdn WP_SG003 A sniper cannon for fast, furious engagements. Features a smaller magazine to reduce weight.
Heavy Arms
http://tinyurl.com/njkgb WH_HC034 An improved HC1500/D, for those in the know. A giant cannon with massive destructive power.
Assist Part
http://tinyurl.com/mlkec AX_AM002 Additional armor with an enhanced KE defensive profile. It’s shaped to better turn bullets.
Colour Pattern
http://tinyurl.com/o3y3q WWII Tricolor Camouflage A brand new World War II inspired camouflage pattern.
Enjoy!"
So there you have it folks! Chromehound addicts rejoice! The 19th is gonna be awesome!
Source: http://boards.sega.com/chromehounds/viewtopic.php?t=778
XBOX Live has been seeing a flood of content as of late. The newest demo to hit is the LOTR: BFME II demo. Test out this awesome RTS, and decide for yourself if it's the best RTS on a console!
City of Heroes/Villains will get a double XP weekend pertty soon. We got the press statement, which says the following:
"NCsoft is giving City of Heroes and City of Villains players a boost to their characters with a “Double XP Weekend” where players will earn twice the usual experience points for all activities that result in an XP reward.
The double XP weekend will start at 9 a.m. Pacific Time on Friday, July 21 and ends on Sunday, July 23 at 9 p.m. Pacific Time.
The “Double XP Weekend” will give players the opportunity to level up their characters and gain access to many of the new features available in both City of Heroes and City of Villains.
The “City of” games have recently been updated with Issue 7: Destiny Manifest which introduced the action-packed mayhem missions to City of Villains and added the PvP zone, Recluse’s Victory, where heroes and villains fight for control over a future version of Atlas Park.
For more information on the “Double XP Weekend” go to www.cityofheroes.com or www.cityofvillains.com."
There ya have it, wannabe comic book stars! Put on your spandex and your cape and cowl and get ready for some action!
We are proud to be the first to announce the arrival of the NCAA Football 2007 demo on XBOX Live! The demo weighs in at a heft 1.05 GB, and pits Florida VS. Florida State! This demo just went live, so be sure to jump right on and grab it!
As always, stay tuned to Rated-M.com for more breaking news!
Microsoft buying a company isn't big news these days. They suck up all the little guys like a vacuum. However, when the company is question is Rockstar games, the small news becomes a supernova. I want to point out that at this point, neither company will comment on this buyout, so we are merely looking at the facts that are out there and speculating on how it will go down.
Take-Two has been a huge force in the gaming world, buying up small indie companies and bringing them into their collective. However, Rockstar has caused them far too much pain in their tenure with T2. Most notably, "Hot Coffee" cost the company a lot of money in fines and a full scale recall, and further tarnished Take-Two in the faces of the government and the ESRB.
A short time after the "Hot Coffee" fiasco, Take-Two's New York office was severely damaged in an office fire, destroying everything inside. All their records, hardware, software, everything. This hurt them badly. Take-Two has to relocate all of their employees, and considers filing for bankruptcy.
Take-Two is called before the congress to discuss GTA and the upcoming games "Bully" and "Snow". Congress warns that if either game is released, take-Two will face even further investigation and scrutiny.
E3 2006. A spectacular E3 for Microsoft. Peter Moore blows us away with the GTA 360 announcment and te now infamous tattoo. GTA IV is scheduled to launch on 360 first and PS3 a short time later.
The very next day on G4TV, Peter Moore sat down with Kevin Pereira for a shocking announcment. This is the one that would cause al the controversy! In the interview, Moore revealed that just prior the the interview he was doing, he signed a contract of exclusivity, and that GTA IV was now "Only on XBOX 360". Kevin asked Moore how he managed to steal away such a huge title from Sony. Moore stated that Rockstar were "smart businessmen" and that they "knew what they were doing".
After E3, no one was talking. Rockstar, Take-Two, Sony, Microsoft...nobody. Until Sony makes a statement that would almost collaborate what was happening behind the scenes. Sony co-CEO Jack Tretton commented in an interview about the deal, saying the following:
"There's no question that having the Grand Theft Auto franchise helped us a lot and helped us sell some units, but I don't think the battle would be any different with or without Grand Theft Auto.
If you look at our first-party library and the franchises that we've brought to market over the course of PlayStation 2, we have a very formidable first-party library of exclusive software that will help define us."
In other words, Sony claims they don't need GTA.
Take-Two is hit again by the ESRB, this time behind Oblivion's rating. Due to the fact that the PC version has a player created nude mod, the ESRB forces T2 to re-rate the game from T to M. Take-Two and Bethesda claim that this is all the fault of Rockstar, GTA, and the "Hot Coffee" situation. They say that if "Hot Coffee" never happened, the ESRB wouldn't have been so strict in this case.
Take-Two announces that they have cancelled the game "Snow" in which you sell, smuggle, and distribute drugs, saying they didn't want any more controversy, and that it "just isn't a good game".
Rockstar Games fires over half of it's employees, including one of the co-founders of Rockstar. A massive firing of this sort is almost ALWAYS indicative of a buyout. A huge mass firing is usually done to cut the fat, making room for employees of the purchasing company. This sends shockwaves throughout the industry.
And now most recently, Take-Two announced that it is in fact being investigated by the Securities and Exchange Commission regarding stock option grants given to employees between 1997 and today. A Federal investigation is exactly what the company doesn't need at the present time.
Despite the number of great titles they have on the shelves, T2 continues to lose more money than they are making. Certainly selling off the company that keeps them under scrutiny and investigation would help them in two ways. First, they would make a sweet sum of cash from the deal. Knowing MS, they were willing to pay a hefty sum to snatch Rockstar from T2. Second, cutting the only controversial developer on their roster would ensure the company could rise again to the levels in which it once was...this time without the added controversy that Rockstar brings.
Losing Rockstar also isn't a huge deal to T2, since their only two premiere franchise titles were GTA and Midnight Club. Most of Rockstar's other games have been considered flops by the press and players alike. T2 still has 2K games, which is one of the largest publishers on the scene today, as well as many other smaller companies.
Expect an official announcment about this buyout in the coming months. All the facts lead up to this buyout, so at this point, judging on the facts presented here today, we are 99.9% sure this is happening behind the scenes. If you all think back to the Rare buyout, certain details were very similar in the way they went down.
Stay tuned as we cover this story further, and remember, you heard it here first...on RATED-M.COM!
The newly reborn Acclaim games, which has dedicated itself to localizing free Asian MMO's for the states, announced today that they have begun open beta for their first game, BOTS! From the official press release:
"We are pleased to announce the start of Open Beta for BOTS, a free multiplayer online action game. The Open Beta phase means that everyone can register and play right away. Since the beginning of Closed Beta, thousands of players have experienced this unique fast-paced fighting game. With the assitance of more than 250,000 game hours logged by closed beta testers, the full version of BOTS is ready for release.
Visit http://bots.acclaim.com/downloads/game.htm to begin your adventure! Players that have already registered can continue using their current account. Closed Beta testers that have previously played the game will need to uninstall the older version of the game and download/install the new version of the game.
The Open Beta version of BOTS introduces all new maps for all three types of gameplay: Sector story mode, PvP and team PvP Base mode. In addition, new items are available including parts for all three BOT types, new skill packs, shields, shoulder parts and guns. Players will also be able to reach level 99, the highest level in the game. Open Beta participants will be able to prepare themselves for the launch of the game, when Acclaim introduces more than 50 money items such as transformation packs, wings, head parts, mini-bots, special items and much more!"
We are very happy to see Acclaim back at it, no matter how they do it. I grew up with this company through the Nintendo Era. To see such a behemoth crumble before your eyes is never good. However, watching a Phoenix rise from the ashes is terrific. I just hope Acclaim can hold on this time!
Auto Assault isn't a horrible game by any means. It's actually pretty fun. However, it just isn't worth the monthly fee. Perhaps a sign of this is the fact that just a few short months after the game's launch, they are merging all servers into one big server. From the official Press Release:
"Since Auto Assault® launched earlier this year, we’ve had the pleasure of finding a community that is vocal, helpful and truly cares about the game. You, the Auto Assault® gamer, are vital in helping us to create a unique experience unlike any other online role playing game.
One of the things thatyou’ve told us is that you would like to see all servers merged into one to allow more community-oriented play. Therefore, on July 13th, all existing Auto Assault® servers will merge, bringing us all together as one big, happy, warring, power-sliding, flame-throwing family.
What does this mean to you? Well, you’re going to see many more people around in-game, but you also might need to make some decisions. For example, you may need to determine which characters to keep – 12 characters per account is the limit. There are a few other factors you’ll need to consider. You can find out all the details of the merge and what it means to you HERE.
By merging the servers, you’re going to make new friends and enemies and even have the pleasure of forming a convoy with your European brothers and sisters - or you can just blow them up…all in the spirit of International relations. Auto Assault® is going global!
In addition, this move makes it easier for our team to create more inclusive in-game events, including tournaments, meet-and-greets, drop and spawn events and more.
Let the games begin"
Usually a server merge doesn't happen this early in a game's life, so this could be indicative of the state of the game so far. Another factor showing the poor financial performance of this game is the fact that many retailers no longer carry the game. GameStop actually gives Auto Assault away when people buy Guild Wars. Unfortunately, people aren't buying that game either.
So what should NCSoft do at this point? We think they should adopt a program like SOE's Station Pass. A "one price plays them all" fee. This may boost sales and playership on many of their games, Like City of Heroes/Villains and Auto Assault. Who knows what they will actually do.
Yeah, you heard it right. Prey, the long delayed and lon gawaited game is only 4-6 hours long. Below we show you a screenshot showing the final boss battle save at just over 5 hours. Further more, people across the net are claiming to have beaten it in under 5. $49-$59 for a 5 hour game? NO THANKS!
From Software recently launched the official Tenchu XBOX 360 website. The game, tenatively titled Tenchu Senran, is shaping up to be a hot game! The site is in Japanese, but you can check it out for the cool gameplay videos!
Source: http://www.tenchu.net/
So we managed to get some kind of official word on the Mickie James
"Unfortunately I missed this topic this weekend, but to end all discussion on it, the photos in question are not legitimate, they are of another individual. I've personally verified this with the original magazine publisher. For confidential reasons the name of the woman who does appear in the photos cannot be given out, but I can confirm that it is not Mickie James
We believe that the artist is in fact Tabatha Stern, which can be seen on the R.B. Kane website under the tour section "Famous Anus". Yeah, I know...porn and the silly shit they come up with. Anyways, there is your answer. It seems that Mickie James
Source: http://www.mickiejames.com/boards/viewtopic.php?t=225
Source: http://www.rbkane.net/
Sega has released HOTD4 Special in Japan, and this machine is HOT! Featuring an enclosed booth with a pair of huge flat screen HDTV's, the game is tailored toward 2 player muti-play. The gun, which resembles an Uzi, has force feedback and rate of fire change. So far, this unit is only available in Japan. No word whether Sega intends to release this in other countries where Arcades are slowly dying.
Rated-M.com is also working on a special feature regarding the very state of Arcades in the US. Will Sega be a factor? Stay tuned! For now, check out the official site. It's in Japanese, but there are some awesome pictures as well as some high-res wallpapers!
Source: http://hod4.sega.jp/top.html
EA has patched the LOTR: BFME II game a second time today, this time clearing up the server connection issues people were having. Although in the official statement they claim they applied it over the weekend, we can confirm tha tthe patch was not active until today. People still had the connection problem as of last night.
Here is the official statement:
"Hey everyone,
We applied a patch to the servers over the weekend that should correct the login issue that some players were having. We would just like to verify that those of you who had to do the login workaround each time to get online, no longer have to and you can get online to Xbox Live and the game just perfectly now. Please verify you can get online with no issue. Hope everyone had a fantastic weekend with the game, its a huge hit! We are taking Xbox Live by storm!
APOC"
Well there ya have it. Seems EA is getting pretty fast at fixing problems. This is good news, and proof that EA intends to stay one the the premiere developers on the market today.
Source: http://forums.ea.com/mboards/thread.jspa?sls=2&tstart=0&threadID=87547
A friend of mine sent me a couple of photos that look to be environment screenshots from GTA4. This is definately along the lines of what people are expecting form the game, so these should make many people drool. We have no official confirmation as to whether these are real or not, but the damn photos do look convincing, that's for sure. Until we get official confirmation, all we can do is speculate. For now, enjoy the photos!
So there are these semi-hardcore porn photos floating around the net that people claim are of WWE
I suggest that you be your own judge. Now I shall always stay dedicated to not posting porno directly on this site, nor will I ever host it on my servers. However, there is a long standing discussion about this very topic on the wikipedia website for this beautiful diva. The links to the photos just happen to be there. I wont say where, but they aren't hard to find.
Why would I even bring this issue up you ask? Well remember the porno that Chyna
The question I pose is, if these are real, will Vince McMahon
Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mickie_James
While browsing the net, we came across this thread at the popular (and sometimes extremely immature) GameFAQs that outlines everything from how to dupe items to how to find rare creatures and items to my personal favorite, how to access a test level on the 360 version by using one of the DLC patches! You can also find out two different ways to clear the 360 HDD cache and do some very odd enchants.
The thread also posts links to Oblivion sites and maps and more. If you play Oblivion on the 360, you gotta check this thread out...and tell em Rated-M.com sent ya!
Source: http://boards.gamefaqs.com/gfaqs/genmessage.php?board=927345&topic=29065359&page=0
A rumor was spread around the net that FarCry was coming to the Wii. Supposedly, Amazon (which has been known to post bullshit items for sale in the past) had this listed as an item for sale. However, the link has been promptly removed. Some will still say that they pulled it down as damage control due to them leaking the info. The truth is that the Wii most likely cannot handle a game like FarCry, even with it's built in Havok physics processor.
We will be contacting Ubisoft first thing tomorrow for a follow-up, but we already know what they are going to say...and so do you.
Source: http://gonintendo.com/?p=3554
Source: http://www.amazon.ca/exec/obidos/ASIN/B000GJ0J1A/qid=1152264333/sr=8-7/ref=sr_8_xs_ap_i7_xgl14/701-4308060-5425939 (the link the listing WAS at)
