Cartoon Network is no stranger to online, browser-based games focusing on the amazing array of Cartoon Network cartoons and characters. It’s only natural for the animation broadcaster to evolve the Cartoon Network online experience and develop the potential fan base.

What is surprising is they developed an MMORPG based on Cartoon Network characters and worlds.

Massively multiplayer online role playing games are extremely popular right now with millions upon millions of players around the world dedicating hours a day to a game. MMORPG’s are typically set in persistant virtual worlds populated by the players’ avatars. Players can team up to accomplish similar goals while creating and customizing their avatar to be more powerful.

The overwhelming success of World of Warcraft over the past 4 years has meant game development companies are seeing a new area to tap for more sales. It’s no wonder everyone wants in on the action when Blizzard has announced that 14 million players world-wide play World of Warcraft.

FusionFall is Cartoon Network’s answer to the MMORPG popularity and it looks like they’ve done a pretty decent job. The game takes place in the near future where teenage versions of Cartoon Network characters are banding together to stop Fuse, an interstellar bad-guy that wants to cover the Earth in green goop. Dexter, from Dexter’s Labratory, has enlisted you to travel through time and stop Fuse from taking over the world.

It’s supposed to sound adolecent. With an E10 rating — everyone 10 and up — the game is targeted to pre-teens and younger teens. Cartoon Network has pulled all the stops to ensure the safest online environment they can create. They have a quick start guide for parents who would like to learn more. Parental controls set to a master account are also available to make sure children aren’t playing when they aren’t supposed to.

Once an account is created and a character is customized, players are given a tutorial level in which to learn how to play. Moving and jumping are standard fare, although having the camera tied to the mouse’s movements is a little awkward. Combat is simple as well. Face an enemy and click to have your character swing a weapon or fire an energy gun. Since it is an RPG, however, there is plenty of strategy, math and reading involved. MMORPG’s generally aren’t forgiving to the easily distracted.

When the player is done with tutorial mode, they are plopped down into the new player area with all the other level 1 players. From this point on, the world is open to do anything the player feels like doing. Completing quests and defeating monsters will allow the player to progress, while chatting and being social will help make new friends.

The game is browser-based, meaning it is played in an internet browser. I was even able to play the game in OS X in Firefox, so compatabilty shouldn’t be an issue. The game won’t win any awards for looks, but it is lightweight enough to run on most older systems.

Initially, the game is free. Only a few areas are accessible with a free account. Those wanting to spend more time with the game and pass the free account level cap will need to pay the $5.95 a month fee. Upgrading gives access to the entire game and more character creation slots.

Having played my fair share of MMORPG’s, it will be interesting to watch FusionFall go through the hurdles most online multiplayer games face. While it isn’t the first MMORPG to be targeted solely to kids, it seems to have what it takes to thrive in today’s gaming culture.

FusionFall

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Watch it and let’s hear your opinion.

 Click here to view the embedded video.

My opinion: It’s no secret that I personally don’t like to use Windows, but I do like Microsoft. While I was excited to see this ad campaign take off the ground, I have to admit after seeing the first commercial, I feel its completely useless. It’s not an advertisement for Windows, it’s a feel good peice about showing Bill Gates as an average guy. An like all average guys he has conversations with Superstar actors who help him pick out a pair of shoes. Does Bill Gates being an average guy even matter?

The overall message I derive from the last 15 seconds is Windows is moist and chewy and the future is delicious.

Now I’m just hungry.

Via Wired.com.

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With The Sims and The Sims 2, Maxis introduced a whole world of highly customizable gameplay simple enough for casual audiences, but challenging and engaging enough for more serious gamers. You created a family, or roommates, or any number of disfucntional scenerios with people living together and released them into a house where you controlled every part of their lives. As you played, your “sims” would grow, learn, get jobs, play, make friends and eventually become highly successful.

This Sunday, Maxis, along with EA Games, will release Spore, a new simulation experience entirely. In Spore you control a species of animals in a quasi-evolutionary series of stages. You start as a cellular creature in the ocean and eventually develop into a space-fairing industrial society. At every point in the game, you control the look of your species and how they progress.

The Creature Creator tool in the game delivers a very complex, but easy to use drag and drop system to create your very own unique creatures. I’ve been playing around with the tool ever since it was released a while back (sans the actual game) and I absolutely love the open-endedness of the creation process. Here’s a couple of my creations displayed on YouTube: Cenatauren, Flocksum, and Skothma.

The game comes complete with online features enabling you to see the worlds and creatures others create and interacting with them.

I’m sure there will be plenty of surprises in Spore when it ships Sunday, September 7.

Until then, try out the Creature Creature free trial download yourself or browse litterally millions of creations online in the Sporepedia.

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You never realize just how weird software names can be until an even newer one enters the market. While Microsoft’s Internet Explorer is pretty plain-jane, other Web browsers hold less conspicuous names like Opera, Firefox and now Chrome.

Yesterday Google  released the Windows beta of their new Web browser, Google Chrome. Like Firefox, Camio, and Opera, Chrome is open source encouraging developers to help better the program.

Google seems to have designed Chrome with the intention of delivering the most intuitively simple user interface possible. It looks nice. For example, the URL box serves as a dynamic field meaning that simply typing a word or phrase will either complete the address you’ve already started typing or suggest search phrases at the same time. Then you only need to select which you intent and you’re off!

Under the hood is where the big difference lies when comparing Google Chrome to other Web browsers. Google has developed the browser to handle each browser tab as a separate string of programs. Meaning the content or rich media in one tab will not effect the preformance of the content in another tab. This is a pretty large step if Google can deliver on this feature seeing as one false move in any browser I’ve ever used brings the whole program crashing down.

Since Google Chrome was developed for Windows first, one can’t help wonder how secure it is. On Chrome’s information page, the only mention of internet security is a page that will come up explaining the site your are trying to visit may contain malware or will try to phish your personal information. Of course, you can by pass this page. I seriously doubt, though, that this is the browser’s only security protocol.

It’s exciting to see new things come from Google and with them the new ideas on how old things can be done.

There’s a geeky little comic book on Google’s site explaining the reasons beind Chrome and how it came about.

If you’re running Windows and interested in taking the new browser for a spin, go here. However,  remember the program is in beta and is expected to be buggy. That’s why beta exists!

Click here to view the embedded video.

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The number is pretty easy to remember: 1 (800) GOOG-411.

Upon using the service, I can say it works just like any other 411 service. Simply state your city and state and then the listing you’d like. As with other 411 services, speaking clearly and concisely will have the best effect as you will be talking to a computer.

GOOG-411 will connect your call free of charge and send you on your way. I’ve programmed the number into my cell phone and plan to use it exclusively.

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Be wary, however. The only way to get into beta is to sign up through your account at the official Web site and then receive an e-mail with a beta key and directions. Don’t be fooled by other sites and videos that would lead you to beleive they have a secret way to access the beta. Every one of these tricky sites will ask for your World of Warcraft log-in information and maybe your security question’s answer.

The fact is they are simply fishing the information out of gullible WoW patrons in order to comprimise your account’s riches somewhere in the future.

Be patient, if you’re not accepted into beta, which is generally more of a job than a gaming experience, you’ll soon be seeing new lands. Blizzard hasn’t commented on an actual release date, but since the game is in beta phase, I’d expect it to be out by the end of the year.

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Usually all the big boys come to play at E3 including Microsoft, Nintendo and Sony, along with countless software developers and publishers.

This year, Gametrailers.com has teamed up with E3 to bring tons of the information from the show floor via video to consumers not invited to the show. Sadly, since E3 2006, the show has slimmed down considerably to better serve the gaming media.

Things I’m looking forward to hearing about this year are:

• Little Big Planet (PS3)
• Final Fantasy XIII (PS3)
• Gears of War 2 (XBox 360)
• New Wario Game (Wii)
• Secret Nintendo game (Wii)
• Anything new on the MMO front especially WarHammer Online
• Decisions from Microsoft about a Blu-ray addon to the 360

Of course, anything exciting I just can’t hold back, I’ll try to post here. With the PS3 maturing and the 360 already in it’s prime, this looks like it might be a very good year for gamers.

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Also now available on iTunes are plenty of new applications that can be run on any iPhone model.

It seems the entire blogosphere (that’s the online journalism community) is ablaze with iPhone madness. Just check out Digg or Wired and see what I mean.

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So how does this effect you? Well if you’ve already made the switch to Vista, you should shouldn’t be bothered with this news. However, should you still be running XP or planning to purchase a computer with XP installed, you should consider a couple of points.

First, Microsoft won’t stop supporting Windows XP until next year. They’ve officially stated that XP will be fully and freely supported by online updates and patches until April 2009.

Secondly, Microsoft is already working diligently on the successor to Vista, dubbed Windows 7. They have stated that it should be released by late 2009, however, Microsoft is known to miss release dates by months.

And lastly, there’s no need to rush. If you’re at a point where your Windows XP computer isn’t very able to run Vista, then simply keep XP for now and plan to upgrade sometime after 2009 has passed. We should know more about what Microsoft will be doing around that time.

To read the official letter from Microsoft about the fate of XP, click here.

Via Digg.com and ZDNet.

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Click here to view the embedded video.

The Adventures of André and Wally B. is almost 2 minutes of very technical computer animation from 1984. Animated by John Lasseter, in conjunction with Lucasfilm, who would later become a huge player in the development of PIXAR and Disney, the short is reported to have been the first use of manipulatable shapes (stretching and squishing) that gives computer animation the life needed to appear real.

With Wall-E just released and breaking the box office wide open, it’s amazing to revisit the roots of such a creative company.

Via Digg.com and Experience Project.

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