Posts Tagged ‘movies’

Halo 3 Free Trial

Tuesday, October 20th, 2009

The marketing of Halo 3 was wildly awaited, as the game was the third in the original trilogy of the Halo games. As a result, the Halo 3 free download was one of the most frequently downloaded video game demos in the history of the Xbox 360. But what many people don’t realize is that the Halo 3 trial download went on to make another game ie Crackdown.

What does the Halo 3 trial download have to do with another video game? Well, it has a great deal to do with the sale and promotional effort for a game that was originally planned for release on the Xbox system. Microsoft had become worried that Crackdown would not sell well.

And so they used a marketing gimmick, the one of bundling Crackdown with an access code for the Halo 3 trial download. And it worked a treat because Crackdown sold 1.5 million copies within the first half year of its release. Those aren’t Halo 3 figures, which sold 8.1 million copies in slightly over a year, but for a lesser well-known game that’s absolutely terrific.

Microsoft had turned to the Halo 3 trial download tactic because of poor opinions about the game from the game testers. They found the nonlinear nature of the game confusing, often leaving them wondering what they were supposed to be doing next.

As a result of this, the powers that be thought that something had to be done or the game would be a dud. It may appear dodgy practice at first to try to push sales of a game that’s expected to be unpopular, but in retrospect people like the game and it was a good thing that they were able to get the chance to play it.

In Crackdown, and that includes the version bundled with the Halo 3 trial download, people play as an agent who is detailed to beat the kingpins, or leaders, of various gangs. To do this they utilize some superhuman powers such as super strength and super agility. In order to obtain these powers, players have to accumulate experience by beating foes who then release experience orbs. The clever part of the system was that the kind of orbs released depended on the manner in which the agent killed the enemy. For instance, a firearms orb appears if the enemy was killed with a gun.

So, although at first sight this game bundled with the Halo 3 free download appears to be nothing but a veiled marketing trick, in reality, it exposed gamers to a fascinating new gameplay experience.

If you like Halo 3 and are interested in reading more about it, why not visit Halo 3 Info on our website entitled Halo 3 Insider Secrets

categories: halo,halo 3,xbox,super heroes,games,video,microsoft,video games,computer,entertainment,movies,films,happiness,other

Home Theater: Lighting

Sunday, October 18th, 2009

Light fixtures are things that not that many people think about very often. However, the way we light a room can cause us to feel a experience mood or enhance the atmosphere we want to create in that room. There are many types of light fixtures, fittings, bulbs, shades and stands to suit all rooms in the home. That means both indoors and even outdoors where you might want to emphasize some special landscape design.

Are you planning to redo a room? In this case, I know it concerns a home movie theater room, but it could be any room. I think that you should definitely consider light fixtures as one element to change. For example, you could start by changing the central, overhead incandescent bulb or tube light for sure.

My suggestion would be to install four or even six small wall-lights; these are not expensive and come in hundreds of colours and sizes to suit any pocket. The only drawback with wall lighting for your home theater, is that the wires would really have to be chased into the wall so as not to appear unsightly.

But, you could get around this by buying standard lamps. These are also available in thousands of designs, but they come with two disadvantages: trailing wires and a higher cost. They are easily moveable though. Small, table lamps is a similar alternative, but you may need more electrical sockets.

Once you have decided exactly on what style you want, have a dimmer attached to each either in unison or separately, up to you. You should probably keep one reasonably powerful light at the DVD end of the room just in case the equipment needs seeing to, but it too could be on a dimmer.

The effect can be stunning. And all from just changing the existing light fixtures and fittings. You could even go the whole hog and have an exit sign over the door or a few speciality lights higher up out of line of sight so that they are not distracting ” say, a 1970s style lunar lamp and a fibre-optic lamp, for amusement or as a talking point while waiting for the film or snacks to be prepared.

So, whatever style home theater lighting you are thinking of, contemporary or old style traditional, you will find dozens of options to pick from. From different colors to different sizes and styles, there are many. You can find them online or in home improvement shops. I have made a link to one of my online favourites below.

Furthermore, when you do implement the changes, you will notice that your home theater has taken on an ambiance all of its own and it will “definitely” enhance your home movie theater experience. In fact, it may be these subtle changes, room by room, that make you see your home in a very different light.

Are you considering installing a Custom Home Movie Theater? Then pop along to our webus at Home Theater