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Editor's note: Michael's entry in our on-going, walkthroughs/guides-themed Bitmob Wants You writing challenge deserves its own spot on the front page.... -Demian

The video game industry is full of unsung heroes. From quality assurance testers and localization teams to narrative designers and production gurus, literally thousands of people involved in the business just don’t get the praise that they deserve.

But some of the most impressive of these heroes aren’t even employed by the industry proper. They’re the fans who willingly devote hundreds of hours of their free time to make the gaming community a better place.

Chris MacDonald, aka Kao Megura, was one of these devoted few. During his all-too-short life, MacDonald wrote FAQs and move lists for a slew of popular games; he almost single-handedly charted the course of the modern FAQ format. His most famous work, a Final Fantasy 7 FAQ, is still considered by many to be one of the best ever written. Many strategy writers today use that guide's skeleton, or structure, to help plan and organize their information in a logical, easily searchable way.

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GameStop's outlasting of competitors like Game Crazy reminds me of the Game Boy and its 15-year stranglehold on the handheld market. 

News Blips:

Hollywood Video and Game Crazy chains to close their remaining U.S. stores. Movie Gallery Inc., the owner of the stores, plans to begin liquidating its assets in two weeks. Frugal gamers looking for a deal should go early, since store director Glenn J. from Bend, Oregon, warned Kotaku that people should "expect much of the 'better stuff' to go fairly quickly." Great, with Game Crazy closing, where else can I go to buy video games from the confines of a chain-link fence?

Sony now offers extended protection plans for PlayStation Portable and PlayStation 3 owners. Worried PSP and PS3 gamers can cough up $29.99 or $49.99, respectively, for a one-year extension of their initial official warranties, while two-year plans cost 10 bucks more than that. For yet another added $10, Sony will even throw in "accidental damage." Sounds to me like the perfect time to test out just how flushable the PSP is. [PlayStation]

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Editor's note: Paul makes a compelling case that indie game developers should emulate the organic foods industry. I'd make a point of buying indie all the time if developers followed his advice. -Brett

If there’s anything that the panels and discussions at this year’s Game Developer’s Conference reaffirmed, it’s that the success of Facebook games like Farmville and Mafia Wars -- games that are free to play but force players to pay nominal fees in exchange for expanded content -- have game makers frothing over new revenue models for their products.

At the same time, companies are experimenting with new ways of releasing games and game expansions on Xbox Live and the PlayStation Network. The announcements that both the upcoming Lara Croft and Sonic the Hedgehog games will be smaller-scale experiences that will not be sold in stores (and that Sonic will be released in episodic form) are huge. These two titles alone carry the combined weight of more than 30 years of franchise history on their shoulders.

Independent game developers are in a prime position to take advantage of the new revenue models. The little guys can offer things that the EAs and Activisions of the world cannot: the care, time, and attention of a small group of people focused on a product for a niche audience.

To best harness these resources, indie developers should look to an unlikely source: the world of organic food.

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It's a month since I stepped on as community manager -- so far, I've introduced a few new regular features, and the response seems to be good! You guys have been very supportive!

More importantly, however, I hope I have been supportive of you. I'm here for a few reasons: to help you stay engaged in the community, to help you have fun with your writing, and to give you more opportunities to strut your stuff on the front page.

To recap, here are the new community-focused features that have debuted in the past month. If you missed them the first time, head back and give them a look!

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 Is it too much to hope for Bungie to make affordable, life-size replicas of the Halo weapons like in this video?

Video Blips:

•Actress Aisha Tyler says that the info in this introduction to the Halo: Reach beta is what I need to know "to survive." Unless it's some magical tutorial, I fail to see how the contents of this video will help me last any longer than my usual 10 seconds in Halo. [GameVideos]

Continue after the break for one of those wake-up-in-a-laboratory-with-confusing-flashbacks videos for Call of Duty: Black Ops, some quirky Deathspank gameplay footage, and a Skate 3 ad depicting warring factions...of skaters.   

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In an episode of increasing preposterousness, ex-EGMers Crispin Boyer and Michael Donahoe join Bitmob's Dan Hsu and Demian Linn to celebrate the anniversary of the Mobcast. The guys send off the podcast's first year with a hilarious bang.

Have a community topic you want to hear the crew discuss? E-mail your suggestions to letters@bitmob.com, subject: Mobcast.

Zune Link (must use Internet Explorer)

Direct Download (right click save as)

Subscribe via RSS

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Editor's note: The practice that Chris describes is on my mind lately -- namely because of 2K's XCOM reboot mentioned below. While I'm open to new gameplay experiences, why mess with an already established series? I feel that developers exploit the nostalgia we hold when they do so. Why not just create an entirely new game? -Rob

Chances are if you're perusing Bitmob and reading this post that you're very much into your video games. Perhaps you cast your gaming-interest net widely, or maybe you focus on one genre. Does sir like his role-playing games? Driving sims? How about some stealth action or tactical shooting?

It may come as a surprise to you that whatever your genre of choice, you have poor taste and all your favorite games are shit.

That seems to be the view of the industry-at-large; at least, since the latest fashion in game design appears to be what hip, public-relation types call "streamlining" -- the practice of removing some defining aspects in order to attract new audiences who were previously turned off. But at the same time, this risks alienating fans.

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Game-themed drinks are just cool. Give me Resident Evil inspired alcoholic beverages, and I'm likely never going to be sober again. This glorious refreshment is the first in a series of Resident Evil-themed shot made by the Drunken Moogle.

Ingredients:
3/4 shot Silver Rum
1/4 shot Everclear
1 Blue Twizzler  

Directions:
Wind a blue Twizzler around a tall double shot glass. It should stick to the sides of the glass. Pour in the silver rum and top with the Everclear. Drink, then eat the Twizzler for a sweet and tangy aftertaste. You will have to fish out the Twizzler with your finger after you drink, as it will still be stuck to the side of the shot glass.

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This Week in Video Game History witnesses the birthdays of three very different people, the untimely death of a CD-ROM heroine, a totally botched console, and the beginning of two dominant genres. By the end of this week's anniversaries, we'll have you saying, in the immortal words of Kaz Hirai: "Remember that one? Alright!"

May 2

1995 -- 3DO reveals the M2 console on this appropriate date, but it would never see release. The M2's history is long and convoluted. Panasonic would eventually cancel it after acquiring it from 3DO, but its legacy lives on -- in ATMs and coffee machines. Hey, it's a recession, so we're all underemployed.

May 3

2004 -- Red Dead Revolver rides into town. Its sequel, Red Dead Redemption, will be released soon, so this may be a good excuse to go back and play this cowboy-inspired title.

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This week's Reviews Spotlight creeps past the guards, solves a few puzzles, and throws a perfectly executed Hadouken at your face. Prepare your wallet -- you'll want to splurge after reading these reviews.

Splinter Cell: Conviction Review -- A Messy Mixture
By Zach Drapala
After finishing the cooperative campaign with fellow Bitmob Intern Omri Petitte, I was predictably interested in Zach's review of Splinter Cell: Conviction. Suffice it to say, we didn't share the same experience. Whereas I relished each garroted neck and bullet-riddled body, Zach seemed disappointed by Ubisoft's efforts. Maybe he should have played with Omri -- that guy knows how to have fun!

Late Bird Review: Street Fighter 4
By Ariel Feist
For those of you unfamiliar with Ariel's format, please note that he has a problem with tardiness. But instead of trying to adjust his habits, he's embraced them! This edition of the Late Bird Review investigates whether Capcom's prized fighting franchise is still king of streets. For the conclusion, check out Ariel's full article!

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I just came back from a bonfire where I burned a hole through my favorite Rocky shirt. Obviously, I'm pretty bummed about it. I'm going to counter my despair with a hope-filled Community Spotlight.

Why There Is Hope for Halo: Reach
By S. Robert Delk
Robert was disappointed with Halo 3, but he hasn't given up on the franchise. ODST has restored his faith and given him hope for Halo: Reach.

Will Scribblenauts 2 Be Everything We Hoped the First Would Be?
By Alex R. Cronk-Young
Everyone seemed to agree that the first Scribblenauts was a cool idea bogged down with some serious design issues. Hopefully the sequel will be everything we wanted the first one would be.

Games as Ebert: Was Roger Trolling?
By Kevin John Frank
Did Roger Ebert say games weren't art just for the page views? How awesome would it be if Ebert was the Internet's ultimate troll? Kevin and his split personalities discuss this and other issues brought on by Ebert-gate.

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Editor's note: I enjoy it when someone uses video games to illustrate a political point. Juan looks at what video-game characters would face deportation under Arizona's new illegal-immigration legislation in this piece of political satire. Note: The opinions in this piece reflect the feelings of the writer, not Bitmob.com. -Jason

With the controversy surrounding Arizona state Senate Bill 1070, the recently passed legislation cracking down on illegal immigration, and its legal ramifications on the state and federal level, I ask simple question: Which video-game characters face deportation if they were to visit the Arizona without the proper documentation?

I feel the law violates the United States Constitution; as we all learn in Canadian and American grade school, only the federal government may issue currency, field a standing army, and protect its borders.

A stormtrooper checks identification papers at WonderCon. (Image by Juan Letona.)

At first the list seems like a simple endeavor. Characters such as Luke Skywalker, Master Chief, or Gordon Freeman don't count as they live in galaxies far, far away. The games we need to examine have modern settings and/or realistic interpretation of the world you and I live in -- this means games like Grand Theft Auto, Street Fighter, Super Mario Bros., and the like. Their characters would face deportation until they presented their papers.

The list begins now...on page 2.

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