Xbox One-Eighty: Microsoft Reverses Xbox One's Online Policies

After the rather loud outcry, Microsoft has reversed their always online requirements and used game sale policies.

In an official blog post on Xbox.com, Don Mattrick came forward and set forth their new policies - which actually upholds their old policies - supporting offline gaming and game rents/resales.

"My team and I have heard directly from many of you, read your comments and listened to your feedback. I would like to take the opportunity today to thank you for your assistance in helping us to reshape the future of Xbox One," wrote Mattrick.

Here are the new Xbox One requirements/policies:

An internet connection will not be required to play offline Xbox games
After an initial, one-time setup that requires an online connection, you will be able to play any disc-based game without an online connection again.  In contrast, the previous policy required an online check-in at least once every 24 hours on your own home console, or once every 4 hours on another console.

Game trading, renting, and resales of disc based games same as current gen
Without the requirement of an online check-in, there will no longer be a restriction to verify or to identify the owner of a used game.  As such, you can do whatever you want with your discs, as you can in current generation.

No regional restriction
The Xbox One will not be region locked, allowing game imports and travel.

Disc-based games required to be in tray
Because the online check-ins are no longer required, the previous identity verifications no longer apply. While previously the game only need to be installed to play because it could be verified as yours, now the game will be required to be in the tray while playing. A little more inconvenient, sure, but no different than how things work for the current generation.

This news comes, no doubt, to great applause to those who would have been most affected by the online check-in requirements: active military and on-campus students.  The stationed military often retreat to games to pass the time, but there isn't exactly a stable high-speed connection at a Middle Eastern forward operating base.  Similarly, students' online connections are often QoS-restrictred for things like online gaming to maintain even bandwidth for an entire university.  In both cases, the Xbox One would have been nothing but a glorified paperweight after 24 hours, and, up until today, the official Microsoft position was: "Need to play offline? Get a 360!"

A few questions come up (yet again) with these new (old) policies: will the family plan still appy (where the game could be played by 10 people in a household no matter where they were)? All of these policies refer to "disc-based" games, so where does this leave us with downloadable games?

Just about all consumers would consider these policy reversals a victory, but what kind of precedent are we setting? BioWare famously caved when the loud outcry of angry gamers dislikes the ending of Mass Effect 3. If the industrial giant Microsoft is not immune to the loud outcry of angry gamers that are notoriously resistant to change (which, statistically, only includes a fraction of the entire gaming populace), then how will it be possible to introduce something truly different? I'm not saying that the console lockdown was a good thing (it wasn't), but I've always been of the opinion that the company has the right to make whatever policy they want. It was my responsibility as the consumer to vote whether or not I supported that policy with my wallet.

Well, we got what we wanted, right?

Back of the Fridge: Captain's Log #1

Sometimes, life takes over. We get it. Even though everyone is telling you that [insert movie/tv show/comic book/video game/other] is amazing and you'd love it, sometimes it just doesn't make it on your plate at the time. It happens to us, too. Now we're trying to fix that. "Back of the Fridge" is our occasionally-updated look back at the things we should have experienced when they first appeared, but missed along the way.

In "Captain's Log," our comic book aficionado, Sean, hops on board the Enterprise for Star Trek: The Next Generation.

---

I have a confession. I’ve always enjoyed the concept of Star Trek, but I never really started watching any of it until I was in college. I had seen an episode here or there when I was a kid, and I’m pretty sure I remember getting excited whenever the whale Star Trek movie (what I now know as "The Voyage Home") aired on TV. I have since seen almost every Trek movie (under advisement to avoid the first one and the fifth one) and have loved them!

But now, it is time for me to tackle the TV shows, and I want you out there in internet land to join me! I’m starting with The Next Generation and will be slowly working my way all the way through to Voyager. I’ll be checking in periodically to do little mini-reviews and impressions of the episodes as I watch them. A "Captain’s Log," if you will (hey, that’s the title of this column!)

So without further ado, let us embark on a voyage to boldly go where this geek has never gone before! Engage!

Encounter at Farpoint

Dear Lord, it is amazing that this show made it past its pilot! I know seasons 1 and 2 are supposed to be a bit rough, but yeesh! A giant sentient space jellyfish? I’ve seen this concept work in Doctor Who (not the space jellyfish specifically, but the whole enslavement of a giant space creature aspect), but for some reason it was so damn silly here. I already knew about Q before starting this endeavour, and it was pretty cool to see him from the start. He is such a glorious asshole. And lastly, Riker doesn’t have his goatee. I find this unacceptable.

The Naked Now

I had actually seen the related episode of Classic Trek, so this episode worked better for me. The Enterprise encounters the same contagion that caused the original Enterprise crew to go all drunk and silly for an episode. This was absurdly goofy with some pretty terrible drunk acting, with the notable exceptions being Brent Spiner and Patrick Stewart. They were awesome. I have always heard how people hate Wesley and now I see why. I don’t blame Wil Wheaton at all; it just really sucks when your character is written to be such a whiny jerk of a know-it-all. Still, this episode gets a pass thanks to Picard’s awkward wave. Thank god there is a gif of this!

Click to read more ...

E3 2013: Sony Media Briefing Recap

I had no intention of watching Sony’s presser. I’ve never been much of a PlayStation guy. I owned a PS1 in college to play Castlevania: Symphony of the Night, and my PS3 was eventually sold after I realized it had become a glorified blu-ray player. Still, I wanted to do my due diligence and see what Sony had to say. Thank God I did!

Sony kicked things off with a section on upcoming PS3 games. Watching the segment on The Last of Us made me regret selling my PS3; that game looks freaking amazing. “Ellen Page: The Game” (or, rather, Beyond: Two Souls) looks interesting, but I’m not sad I’ll miss it. Arkham Origins looked fantastic, but, now that the formula has been pretty much perfected, it’s hard to screw up.

We finally got see what the PS4 looks like! I’m not a huge fan of the design; I think it’s as ugly as the Xbox One. I guess that’s the theme this generation: uninspired console design. Even my wife thought it looked ugly, but at least isn’t a George Foreman grill! Sony then went on to talk about their media offerings and all the content PS Networks subscribers will have access too. It was pretty much the same thing we’ve heard from every major tech and entertainment company in the past few years.

Next up, the games. Oh, the glorious games. Sony did everything Microsoft didn’t. They showed some fantastic new stuff!

The game that got me hook, line, and sinker was The Order: 1886. We only saw a brief trailer, but it looks like a steampunk monster hunting shooter set in late 1800s London. A game with a holy order that hunts monsters with steampunk machine guns and lightning rifles? SOLD!

Click to read more ...

E3 2013: Microsoft Media Briefing Recap

Quiet! Do you smell that? I believe that’s the smell of the Xbox One after the multiple burns Sony gave it last night.

Microsoft, Sony, and Nintendo have made their E3 presentations, and the dust has started to settle. So let’s breakdown what we saw over the past few days and try to make sense of it all, shall we?

Microsoft kicked off E3 with their morning media briefing. After their surprisingly entertainment-focused, lackluster Xbox One debut a few weeks ago, Big M was in damage control mode. Fans have been raging over things like DRM, used games, and game ownership, and it was up to Microsoft to calm the vocal gamers down. Too bad they didn’t.

Microsoft kicked off their presentation with a short section on the 360, reassuring us that there are still great games coming, including World of Tanks (which I guess is supposed to be a big deal, but I’ve never heard of it.) The coolest thing from this section is the announcement of “Games for Gold,” where Xbox Live Gold members will be getting two free games each month. We aren’t talking Xbox Live Arcade games either; we get full fledged fan favorites. It looks like Fable 3 is the first offering, and is actually available to download now.

But now onto the juicy stuff: the Xbox One. Microsoft actually kicked off the whole shebang with an amazing-looking gameplay preview of Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain. Someone had the brilliant idea to combine combine Red Dead Redemption and Metal Gear Solid, and they are going to make a whole ton of money. The game is a sight for the eyes, and the stealth play looked mighty cool. The story is all sorts of batshit crazy, but its a Metal Gear game - what do you expect? Oh, and no David Hayter. Boo on that.

Click to read more ...

Review: Star Wars #6

The Force is still with Brian Wood and Carlos D’Anda as they continue to fill the gap between A New Hope and The Empire Strikes Back in this month’s issue of Dark Horse’s ongoing Star Wars comic.
 
Issue #6 maintains the momentum the series has been building, and becomes possibly the most engaging page-turner so far. Focusing exclusively on the Leia/Luke/Rebellion storyline as it converges with the Col. Bircher arc, Brian Wood picks up the action exactly where it left off in #5 and follows the events in real time, building the tension to the point where you find yourself reading the dialogue as quickly and frantically as you imagine the characters saying it. A wild, MacGyver-esque plan leads to a harrowing, tense action sequence that puts past issues to shame.
 
As with the previous issues, Brian Wood is only half of the equation. Artist Carlos D’Anda once again delivers magnificent artwork such as a full page, head-on view of an arriving Star Destroyer, beautifully illustrating the menace the craft instills in the characters seen dwarfed in the very same frame. But after the action has subsided, D’Anda’s stand-out depiction in this issue is a silent image of C-3PO and R2-D2 keeping a vigil over the bacta tank containing the recovering Princess Leia in an otherwise empty, dark medical bay. A truly moving image that speaks volumes in a single panel.
 
With plenty going on elsewhere with Darth Vader, Birra Seah, Prithi, Han, Chewie, and Perla, Star Wars is in no danger of slowing down.
 
Dark Horse’s Star Wars #6 arrives tomorrow!

Game of Thrones Recap: The Rains of Castamere

Well, GOT fans, here we are. Many knew this day would come – that of the Red Wedding. If you are strictly a show-watcher and not a book reader, then you were awfully surprised at what was in store for the Stark family in this week's episode, "The Rains of Castamere." I knew it was coming despite not having read the books (accidental Internet spoiler over a year ago), but it was still highly traumatizing. We at least got to spend more time with fewer groups of people this week, so the pace was not nearly as frenetic and hopping around as usual! I'd like to credit that to director David Nutter, who I am very proud of since I've known his work from his X-Files days, since he directed this episode and next week's finale. Onward, into bloodshed!

Littlest Starks and Jon Snow

Finally, some of our disparate and wandering groups are crossing paths. The little Starks – Bran and Rickon, accompanied by Hodor, Osha (Tonks) and the brother/sister Wildling warg team, holed up in an abandoned mill tower to wait out the rain. Not too far away, Jon, Ygritte, and their band of Wildlings decide they need to steal some horses, and Jon knows an elderly farmer who breeds them for the Night's Watch. The Wildlings want to kill the old man, but Jon heavily objects. He allows the man to escape, although they track him down on horseback right outside the abandoned mill tower that houses Bran & co.  The thunder and lightning gets really bad, and Hodor starts "hodorhodorhodor-ing" very loudly. The Wildling band will surely kill them if they are found, and out of desperation, Bran wargs into Hodor's mind and quiets him. The young warg boy with them is shocked – while many can enter the minds of animals, he has never heard of anyone who can enter people's minds. Bran is certainly special, and this show of strength and ability leads him to a bit of confidence. He decides that he and Hodor will go with the siblings to further discover his gifts, and that Rickon and Osha will split up and go to find a Stark-friendly family to stay with until they can get back to Rob and Catlin. Rickon finally has some lines, and does not want to be parted from his brother. He wants to protects the disabled Bran, which leads to a very sweet scene with the two boys. I am a bit sad we are splitting the party here, but Bran's idea makes sense.

Suddenly, all hell breaks loose below the tower – Jon was being forced to kill the elderly horse breeder as a show of loyalty to his new Wildling fellows, but instead Ygritte does it for him. This prompts him to knock her to the ground so she won't defend him, and he kills many of the Wildlings, telling the Jerk Warg among them that he was right – he was always a crow a in his heart. He then kills him, and we are not sad about it because that dude was an ass. Bran and Rickon's dire wolves are hunting nearby, and Bran is afraid they will give them away, so he enters their minds and attacks the remaining Wildlings. Jon hops a horse and rides away – leaving a shocked and angry-looking Ygritte behind.

Dany and the Dragons

Jorah, Grey Worm and Fabio (his name is actually Daario and he's the hot sell-sword that Dany likes – don't blame her) decide to through a back door into Yunkai to take the city in the night. They slaughter a bunch of guards but are surrounded, and we all worry. The next day, Dany sits waiting for them and worrying, but Jorah and Grey Worm show up covered in blood and declaring they've won. She is pleased but immediately asks for Fabio, who makes a dramatic entrance a few minutes later, also covered in blood, and tells her they've taken the city. She looks at him adoringly while Jorah sulks in the background.

Arya and the Hound (come close to Camp Stark)

The Hound is taking Arya to Robb and Catlin for ransom. They find a merchant farmer on the road and the Hound knocks him out, intending to kill him and take his cart of wine and food. Arya doesn't want him to die, but she isn't so compassionate that she doesn't knock him on the head again. They are just over the hill from her family when she and the Hound have a grouchy conversation about how she's afraid she's so close and yet won't see them. FORESHADOWING! Ahem. I felt that was a bit heavy-handed, but what can you do. Arya informs the Hound that she will someday put a sword through his eye and out the back of his skull. I like this girl.

Hit the jump for the full recap of the most-talked-about episode in Game of Thrones history!

Click to read more ...

Dan Harmon Returning to Community for Season 5

Have we emerged from the darkest timeline?  We had heard the rumors swirling around the internet over the past few days, but it just... seemed so unlikely.

But this time, the rumors proved true: in a tweet earlier today, Dan Harmon confirmed that he's going to be taking back the showrunner chair for Community.  And we have Jeff Winger to thank for it.

RT @dpeanutbutter: @danharmon GIVE US A STRAIGHT ANSWER! ~ Yes yes yes!I'm back I'm back I'm back.You can thank @joelmchale.

— Dan Harmon (@danharmon) June 1, 2013

Season 4 showrunners Moses Port and David Guarascio were reportedly invited to return for season 5, but they turned down the offer, leaving the door open for Sony to begin talks with Harmon.

According to The Hollywood Reporter, Harmon isn't coming back alone:  writer/EP Chris McKenna (who wrote the well-received "Remedial Chaos Theory" episode) is finalizing a deal to return, too. 

As you know, we here at OTF love us some Community, and we were disheartened to hear Harmon's less-than-ceremonious exit from the show after the end of season 3. While Guarascio and Port did an admirable job stepping in during an already-abbreviated season, they weren't able to keep the charm for which Community was so beloved in the first place.

Hopefully with Harmon's return, we can finally seize that magic again.  Still, Harmon himself acknowledged how difficult he can be to work with. While Chevy Chase's voluntary exit after this season surely helped make the decision easier for Harmon, it's possible that whatever bad blood had stirred in the past with other crewmembers may not be gone.

We'll see what happens when we return to Greendale in 2014. Here's hoping for the best!

#SixSeasonsAndAMovie

Matt Smith Leaving "Doctor Who" at the End of this Year

We've been on a bit of a Doctor Who kick recently.  A podcast, some companion news, and it seems the biggest news was yet to come!

The BBC has announced that the Eleventh Doctor, Matt Smith, will be hanging up his bowtie at the end of 2013.

After the much-anticipated 75th Anniversary Special this November, Matt Smith will be throwing on his coat, bowtie, and fez/stetson for one last time in the Christmas Special, where he will regenerate into the Twelfth Doctor.

"It's been an honour to play this part, to follow the legacy of brilliant actors, and helm the TARDIS for a spell with 'the ginger, the nose and the impossible one'. But when ya gotta go, ya gotta go and Trenzalore calls," said Smith in response to the announcement.

Smith first stepped onto the TARDIS after fan favorite David Tennant's farewell, and, come this Christmas, he will have borne the name of the Doctor after four exciting years.  The series has grown in global fan exponentially during Smith's run, although there are some who cite Smith's performance as a quality decline.  (I am not one of those people.)

Matt Smith did say that he'd be staying with the Doctor in Season 8, it seems that Rule #1 is alive and well - the Doctor does, indeed, lie.

An interesting sidenote: my initial prediction about this year being the final year of Matt Smith has since been proven true, with the beat of the drums again marking the departure of the current Doctor.  In case you didn't notice it, this season's theme song has a notable four-note percussive bass line - a harken back to the four knocks that rang the death knell for David Tennant as well.

The actor playing the Twelfth Doctor has yet to be revealed, but we're sure we'll be hearing his (her?) name in the coming months. Stay tuned.

Karen Gillan Joins "Guardians of the Galaxy"

Do you like Doctor Who? Do you like Marvel? Well, you're in luck! (No, David Tennant has not been cast as Hank Pym.....yet). Former Doctor Who companion, Karen Gillan has joined the cast of Marvel's Guardians of the Galaxy! Her role has only been described as the "lead female villain" so let your speculation begin. (Sean's money is on Matriarch of the Church of Universal Truth).

This follows Thursday's news of Academy Award Nominee Glenn Close also joining the GotG cast as the head of the Nova Corps. Marvel's next ensemble film is filling up fast as the two actresses joins Chris Pratt, Dave Bautista, Zoe Saldana, Michael Rooker, Ophelia Lovibond, and Lee Pace in next year's cosmic romp through the Marvel Universe.

The fourth installment in Marvel Studios' "Phase Two," Guardians of the Galaxy is due in theaters on August 1st, 2014.

Game of Thrones Recap: Second Sons

Only two episodes left for the season - can you believe we're already on episode 8? This week furthered the action a bit more, and we got the hilarious wedding of Tyrion and Sansa (oh joy haha). Read on for the recap of "Second Sons"!

Arya and the Hound

Arya tries to drop a rock on the sleeping Hound, who wakes up and looks at her, telling her to go right ahead – but if she misses, he'll kill her. She grumpily drops the rock. Later while they are riding a horse, the Hound tells her that he saved Sansa from gang rape and that he is taking her to Camp Stark to get some money for her. She doesn't think that is too bad – she'll be reunited with her mom and Robb again. But she still resents the Hound.

Dany and the dragons

Dany finds out about the Second Sons, a group of around two thousand soldiers fighting on behalf of Yunkai. The captains of the group are total assholes, declare they will not fight for Dany, and generally disparage her and call her names (in her presence and not). They then go back to their camp and draw straws to see who gets to sneak into her tent and kill her in the night. Real nice.

We later see Dany in a bath when Daario (Fabio! He is very blond, muscled and pretty) sneaks in. We suppose that, since he has drawn the short straw, he is going to attempt to kill her now. Where the eff are Jorah and Barristan? Shouldn't they be standing guard over her and her handmaiden? Useless. Dany defiantly stands to face him, fully undressed. He seems pretty amused and then dumps the contents of his bag on the floor – the heads of the two other captains that were talking trash about her. Daario declares that he will fight for her, and so will the Second Sons. Good times! He's a hottie, maybe they'll have a fling?

Camp Stannis

The Red Woman is such an ass. She strips naked, seduces poor Gendry, and then ties him to a bed. She places leeches on his body (and in one sensitive place in particular – ouch!) and declares that there is power in king's blood. Stannis comes in and they throw the blood-filled leeches into a fire. He names a person for each leech – Robb Stark, Theon Greyjoy, and Joffrey. Voodoo or something? Who knows. The Red Woman and Stannis are so irritating.

King's Landing

It's time for a wedding!  Tyrion and Sansa's, that is. Before the proceedings, Margaery buddies up to Cersei, taking her arm and telling her that since she and Lorus are going to be married too, they'll be sisters too! Cersei sneers that if Margaery ever calls her 'sister' again, she'll make sure that her throat is cut her in sleep. That Cersei, always the sweetheart. Ugh.

Joffrey is taking after his mom in fine asshat fashion, giving Sansa away and then removing the steps on the altar that Tyrion was supposed to use to cloak Sansa in her wedding cape. Joffrey then laughs when Tyrion attempts to cloak her, mocking him out loud. Since everyone likes Tyrion, this makes us fans hate Joffrey more – but Sansa curtsies downward so Tyrion can proceed. They are both miserable about their marriage, so I guess she decides to not make it any worse.

Later at the reception, Tyrion is exceptionally wasted, wiping his face on the tablecloth, belching, and declaring himself "the god of tits and wine, and I shall build a shrine to myself!" I love Tyrion. Sansa briefly excuses herself at this, and Joffrey follows her and threatens to rape her. Smug little asshole…I hate his face and wish Sansa would punch him in it. Elsewhere, Lorus tries to make the best of things and tries to talk to Cersei. She informs him that no one wants to hear what he has to say, and walks away.

Back in the hall, Joffrey tries to get everyone to carry Sansa and Tyrion off for the bedding ceremony, to which Tyrion says that if he does, he'll be "F—king his own bride with a wooden cock" hahaha! Another point for Tyrion. Tywin manages to appease Joffrey's rage at this by saying how drunk Tyrion is, and he and Sansa do wander off to their chamber. Tyrion asks how old Sansa is – she's 14. Tyrion informs her that he can't sleep with her and won't until she wants him to. He then passes out, fully clothed. The next day, a very grumpy Shea comes in to change the bedsheets. Seeing no blood on them, she is relieved that Tyrion has not slept with Sansa.

Beyond the Wall

Samwell and his girl have doubled back and found that no one is at the former mormon compound, and decide to make a fire and stay there for the night. However, many crows have gathered outside and are squawking in a very loud and agitated manner. Finally, the noises become too much and Samwell takes his sword to have a look-see…and finds a White Walker heading straight for them! Ahh! The Walker freezes and breaks his sword with his hand, and is after the girl and the baby. Samwell finds a dagger and stabs it in the back of the neck – the Walker shatters and blows away, leaving the dagger behind. Samwell and his gf hightail it out of there!

My thoughts: An enjoyable episode from a King's Landing perspective; in my opinion, the more Tyrion, the better. There was also some sexy action from Dany's camp that neither myself (hot shirtless soldier dude!) or my husband (boobs!) objected to. The Red Woman/Stannis is the worst plotline in this thing, next to Theon, who we thankfully haven't seen. No Jamie and Brienne, tsk tsk. Maybe next week?

Episode Rating: 8 out of 10 dire wolves!

Next up: The Rains of Castamere, part one of the two-part finale. Sounds sad…we'll see.