Raptr

I am a massive fan of Gamespot, I have subscripted to them and I don’t spend money on stuff like that often. So when they release new features I find it exciting , the most recent off which is called fuse. Gamespot have partnered up with Raptr http://raptr.com/ to allow you to share your gaming data from multiple accounts ( i.e. Xbox Live , PSN , Raptr PC Client ) on your gamespot portfolio. So I headed over to raptr to have a look. It is awesome it is basically as I said away to get all your gaming data in one place they say

” Raptr is a social utility that makes it easier to play games with friends. With Raptr you can track your gametime/achievements, see what your Xbox Live, PS3, Steam, and Xfire friends are playing through the desktop client or iPhone App, and chat in-game across all major IM networks in one buddy list. ”

You get a profile page (pictured left) so people can see what you have been playing , there is also a PC client that allows you to interact with your friends on multiple IM systems including all the populars ones MSN , Googletalk , Yahoo etc as well as see what your PSN , Xbox Live , Raptr , Steam , Xfire friends are playing. You can then link your account to some popular social networks such Facebook and Twitter so that you can update them when you play. There is also a iPhone app that qoute “Raptr makes it easier to play games with friends. See what all your friends are playing and message them with the Raptr iPhone app. All features provided by Raptr are free!” which is pretty cool.

So I recently Interviewed Alex Sim-Wise from front magazine (please note content on the site linked here is not suitable for under 18′s) in the UK. I asked her about her gaming habits , what this year had been like in gaming so far and what the future held for games. Here is what she had to say.

1. What have you been playing recently , though I have notice you have been traveling alot and so have you had a chance to play anything?

I’ve been playing a lot of Warcraft on my travels whenever I get a spare moment (which admittedly isn’t very often) mainly because I take my laptop with me wherever I go and I just got the Cataclysm beta so I’ve been pretty much obsessed with it. My consoles however, are laying dormant at home.

2. What kind of games are you into?

I like RPG’s and survival horror games mainly. I’m not a big fan of shooters, but I do play them (badly).

3. What got you into gaming?

My Dad, I guess. I think he just threw computers at me hoping they would stick and they did.

4. When i was growing up gaming was considered something that was done by boys in their bedroom what do you think has made gaming more appealing to girls.

I never had that view point, growing up I always played video games with my friends who looking back were mostly (if not all) boys, but they never made me feel like I was weird or odd for doing it. It was never like “eww she’s a girl and she plays games”, it was just what we did for fun.

5. How did you get into writing about games?
” It was just a case of “ere, Sim-Wise, you like games – do you wanna do the reviews?” and I said yes. “

Well a few years back I started doing games reviews for Kerrang radio as they heard I was big into games, and then that kind of developed into Front magazine offering me a job doing games reviews when their guy left. It was just a case of “ere, Sim-Wise, you like games – do you wanna do the reviews?” and I said yes.

6. Whats your favorite game?

Silent Hill, without a doubt, no question.

7. Do you play a lot of games outside of work?

Yeah, I play a lot of games with my friends, and some of my favourite games have been ones that I haven’t reviewed, like Dragon Age: Origins. Plus, I play A LOT of Warcraft.

8. What do you think about Microsoft Kinect and Playstation Move?

I am far far too lazy for shit like that, although the Kinect dance game is fun. I play games to relax, if I wanted to exercise, I would go out and exercise.

9. Do you think that the classic style controller is dead?

It’s definitely harder to go back to the classic style controller, esp now we have the dual analogue sticks. I was trying to play Shenmue again the other day and the controls on it make it so much harder to play, it feels so much more limiting. But then on games like Mario, it just feels right having a few buttons.

10 . What do you think is the future of games?

Games will become more and more like movies (as shown by games like Heavy Rain and Alan Wake) until eventually the lines will just cross and movies ARE games and you’ll probably be able to walk around them and shit like in Lawnmower Man.

11. What up coming games are you personally looking forward to ?

I’m looking forward to Mafia II, Fallout:New Vegas and Demon’s Forge, because I’m a sucker for dungeon crawlers.

12. What games do you think 2010 are going to be remembered for?

Probably Heavy Rain, it really pushed the boat out in terms of what video games can achieve nowadays.

13. Do you have a game of the year yet?
“Controversial, but for me it has to be Final Fantasy XIII”

Controversial, but for me it has to be Final Fantasy XIII as it was such a huge event and I’d been looking forward to it for so long. I some people really hated it, but I really really enjoyed it.

14. Other than video games what are you into , I saw you report on a lot of music festivals this year is that another big interest of yours?

Yeah, although by the end of the summer I will probably be sick of them as I have to go to 10 in all and I’m only on my 4th… the travel has been a nightmare, I’m really not having much luck with planes at the moment and have been stuck in a lot of airports. I’m shooting a series for MTV HD which should go on air the beginning of September.

Other stuff I’m into… I’m big into comics, new school ones rather than the old superhero ones though. My current favourite is one called Chew by John Layman. I try to go to gigs and stuff, but mainly I just hang out at home watching movies with my pals. I’m pretty boring.

15. And lastly which is better?

Playstation on Xbox? – Playstation, I’ve always been a Playstation girl.
Nintendo DS or PSP – DS – I don’t know why, they’re simpler but they are so much more fun. Plus they have better games.
Rockband or Guitar Hero – Guitar Hero – it was the original, although the new Rock Band looks like it could trump it with all the new instruments.

Due to a recent bout of illness and now insomnia I have been listening to a lot of pod casts and thought I would share some of the best with you guys. For you people that don’t know, a podcast is like a recorded radio show. You can subscribe to them in iTunes ( or other software ) and when a new version of the show comes out it is downloaded automatically. So here are some of the best in my opinion.

Gamespot UK Podcast

Comes out on a Thursday

Subscripe in iTunes or RSS. This is my favorite podcast its informative , it stays on topic, the presenters are great and they sometimes have some really interesting guests. By sometimes I simply mean they don’t have a guest on the show every week.

Eurogamer Podcast

Comes out on a Tuesday

Subscribe in iTunes or RSS. Another awesome Podcast with a lot of nice gaming insights and chat. They also have some amazing guests the last one (13/07/2010) had Blacklight external producer Jamie Firth. The recording quality can still be a bit dodgy.

IGN UK podcast

Comes out on a Friday

Subscripe in iTunes or RSS This is another good Post cast , They cover a lot more than games though , They have stuff on TV programs and comics. Can get a bit rude and off topic but its pretty cool.

If any ones of any other good ones that I am missing out on then please let me know in the comments.