alpha

Cobalt goes alpha

19 December 2011

I was keen to talk about contagion… but besides their new website & trailer there haven’t been many new announcements last week. The guys at Oxeye Game Studio & Mojang on the other hand are bringing substantial news for game lovers: last Friday the debut alpha version of Cobalt finally saw the daylight.

The Oxeye team helped by  Minecraft developer Mojang (for distribution mainly) brings a big-eyed cyborg to your computers “for long missions with low chance of success”. The game which has been in development since 2009 is basically a 2d platform game for PC users (although it wouldn’t surprise us if they release an iPad version short after the full release), which despite being originally developed as a single-player game it has now become more of a multiplayer co-op mode game (like many others… single player is no fun anymore).

Cobalt Meetingtrunkard
Cobalt Meetingtrunkard

Also noticing the music & sound by Anosou which gave the game an audio nomination for this year’s IGF awards…. and while we wait for the full version, the alpha version is already available for $10 (we wish it were free…. or at least a paywhatyouwant formula), the figure surely justifies an early hands-on into one of the most anticipated games of next year. More info on plans, level editors, community… etc… this way.

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NEX-7

25 August 2011

This, is not an ad ok? And it’s not a toy camera neither (ha, wish it were for the price). It’s the ultra-expensive new model from Sony’s NEX mirrorless line which has been generating a LOT of buzz for the past few weeks.

Maybe because it’s been expected for years like a prodigal son. Pretty much since Panasonic introduced the GF1 there hasn’t been a decent successor oriented to a more enthusiast consumer (not necessarily PRO) with a pocket big enough to spend 1200$ but too small to carry a huge DSLR.

And here it is, the NEX-7 packs all those features you typically find on a DSLR but in a tiny body… an Exmor CMOS sensor (24.3 MP…probably too much), an OLED Electronic View Fider, decent manual controls, and all the miniaturing obsession benefits started by the M4/3 association.

The problem obviously comes with the price… 1200$ for the body only & $1350 for the pack with an 18-55mm lens (yesterday they refused to say the final UK price but we discovered today Jessops will be offering it  at£1000 and £1150 with such black lens). Too much indeed, but that’s what you nearly pay today for Fuji’s FinePix X100….

The beast will be released next November… and only if Sony could make lenses as compact as Panasonic’s upcoming X series… this would be an amazing combination don’t you think?

Now it’s time for me to shut myself away for the next 5 years… I’ll probably have saved some money by then.

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