Aristotle tattled on the Goonfather a few days ago. Aristotle is my Xbox 360.

So, the Goonfather was boasting to me that he hasn’t played games in weeks because he’s been so busy with work and studies.

“Bluff!” I said, “You just played Fallout 3 on Monday.”

Doing kind of a double take, he said, “HEY! How you know! You weren’t even at home!”

“A little bird told me,” I said nonchalantly.

He was astonished for two seconds and then… “ARRGHH!! STUPID ARISTOTLE!!!”

My Xbox 360 blogs. *lol*

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Table of Contents

1. $50,000 grant for aspiring game developers
2. Sing sing blinky bling!
3. Sheylara in a fat suit
4. Traumatise Little People 3
5. Results of last week’s contest
6. Ask Sheylara
7. Win an Xbox LIVE Gold Subscription Card!

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$50,000 grant for aspiring game developers

If you’ve ever wanted to be a game developer or even just wanted to make a game for fun, here is your chance.

Microsoft now has the platform for you to fulfill those dreams. On top of that, MDA (Media Development Authority Singapore) is offering massive financial support to deserving talents!

Recently launched on Xbox LIVE in the USA is Community Games, a showcase of arcade-type games created by people just like you and me.

Call it the YouTube of video games. Anyone can create and upload a game using the free XNA Game Studio software by Microsoft.

Gamers can browse and download any titles to try, and then purchase the full version for a few bucks if they like it. Game creators retain full rights to their games and receive money for every game sold.

This will be released in Singapore later, and MDA wants to prepare Singaporeans for this by offering $50,000 grant packages to successful applicants!

Absolute madness! If this had come years ago when I was still free, I would have gone for it!

You can read the guidelines and download the application form at MDA’s website.

If you just want to fiddle around with the game development software to see if it’s for you, head to XNA Game Studio.

Two months back, Team Gambit put Singapore on the map by winning the global Dream-Build-Play game development competition by Microsoft, beating 7,500 participants from all over the world.

Me with Team Gambit, holding a billboard of the winning game: Carnyvale Showtime.

Four of them are army boys! Haha. Cute. But there’s nothing cute about the US$40,000 prize money they won. That’s serious business!

I tried the game. It’s fun! Will do a review of it when it’s officially out on Xbox LIVE.

Okay, now go forth and do Singapore proud! Apply for the grant, make a masterpiece and win next year’s competition, why not?! ;)

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Sing sing blinky bling!

Singing games are always a huge hit so I think Lips will be huge when it launches in Singapore next month.

This is a singing party game even non-singers can have fun with. Yup, you can use your Xbox 360 controllers to make noise while your friends are singing!

(Irritate the heck out of them by pounding out sound effects off-tempo. Hahaha!)

If you like singing, you’ll love the microphones. They glow! They bling!

You can even choose the colours you want them to bling in!

They will bling in time to the music as you’re singing!

Okay, I’ll try to make a video of it for next time… if time permits. =P

Lips puts an adventurous spin on traditional karaoke with innovative game features.

The game awards you medals for your singing style and you earn more points if you, say, sing in vibrato or have great pitch or rhythm or timing.

There are also different game modes for when you’re tired of singing to the original MTV. Try the Time Bomb, Kiss and Vocal Fighter modes, which you can play solo, co-op or versus.

There are 40 songs in the basic game and you can purchase more songs through downloads.

Lips is totally sizzling hot. Watch out for it! Akan datang!!!

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Sheylara in a fat suit

You’re in the Movies is so evil. It made me fat!!!!

I was playing it with my friends as usual and we decided to make this ninja movie. I was SO EXCITED because I’ve wanted to be a ninja since I was, I dunno, 10?

I chose the role of a ninja student.

The game didn’t tell me that I had to be fat for the role! OMG, I got a shock when I watched the final product. Hahaha.

Kerrendor was fattened, too. Hahahahahaha.

Minou played the Ninja Master while Morte played the Evil Ninja villain. Lucky them, no fat suit for them.

Watch video!!

I really have to get some costumes for this game!

Here’s another video, a horror film starring Morte, Unker Kell, the Goonfather and Wang Wang.

As expected of them, they turned it into a comedy with their stupid bird-faced acting.

Gotta love my friends.

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Traumatise Little People 3

I can’t believe The Sims 3 is coming soon! Like in a couple of months!

I call the game “Traumatise Little People” because that’s what I’ve discovered most of my friends did in The Sims 2.

They enjoy doing stuff like set fire to their sims’ houses, trap them on islands to starve to death or something equally gross.

YOU PEOPLE ARE FREAKINGLY SICK.

I always treat my sims with tender loving care, going ballistic when any of their needs fall to below 80%. Yes, that’s what being a control freak and perfectionist does to you.

The Sims 3 screenshot.

I’m not sure if I will play the new game, though, because it takes so much time. I believe The Sims 3 will demand even more because virtually everything is customisable this time and there are plenty more game features.

I spent like a zillion hours in The Sims 2, creating my friends, a neighhbourhood and a bigass house. By the time I was done, I was too exhausted to play the damn game. *lol*

My friends in The Sims 2:

I created each and every one one of these peeps from scratch, customising them to look and behave as much like their live counterparts as possible.

My house, which took me 16 hours to build:

An entire neighbourhood with customised stores and houses for all my friends:

I had a microsite with screenshots and descriptions for these. Check it out!

Back then, I went by the name Serena Sim, so that’s what I named my sim, which was very punny. I mean funny.

That was fun! But I don’t know if I could do it all over again, even if I had the time, which I most probably won’t. =(

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Results of last week’s contest

Last week’s contest was very entertaining. Participants had to answer five questions to win a copy of Grand Theft Auto IV for the PC. Two of the questions were about me.

One was: “What’s my favourite dessert?”

I think many people misread that as “What’s your favourite dessert” because I had cleverly popped that question between questions asking about them!

This is a lesson, people. Do not speed read through instructions!

I also found out that I have arsonists for readers. One had set a tree on fire (-p!HCÐØM-A:I:M-) and another had blown up a morgue accidentally (Yoi).

Please stay away from my house, thanks.

Before I announce the winner, here are the correct answers to the two questions about me.

What’s my favourite dessert? A) Mango pudding B) Durian ice cream C) Chocolate fondue

Answer: A) Mango pudding

I love durian, but it doesn’t mean I particularly like durian ice cream. Although I don’t mind it, I prefer eating the real fruit. And I don’t like dark chocolate so chocolate fondue is yucks. I’m a milk chocolate person. Therefore, mango pudding for the win!

How many pearls are there in this bracelet?

Answer: 17

Here’s a better view of the bracelet so you can count the pearls yourself!

Shockingly, only ONE PERSON managed to get both answers correct! He is also the ONLY PERSON who managed to get even one correct answer!

This is amazing!

Congratulations and TOTALLY WELL DONE, tiger4!!!

You deserve to win this prize!

Please e-mail me to claim your prize, okay? Thanks! =)

Thanks all for participating. I had fun reading your answers!

My favourite answer to the question of “What did you do on your 18th birthday?”:

Oh god it was awesome. 18 means I was still living off my dad. “Uh dad can i get a 100 bucks?” “What for?” “uh… for food?” “What kinda food that costs 100?” “Dinner.” “What dinner?” “My birthday dinner.” “OOH YOUR BIRTHDAY TODAY.”

— Yoi

That rocks!

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Ask Sheylara

Fukalite asks a You’re in the Movies question:

How many movie scripts are there? Feels like you’ll end up repeating the same project very soon.

Sheylara Says:

There are 30 scripts provided in the game. But you can also make your own scripts and customise your own movies in the Director’s Mode. And there is also a download section where you’re supposedly able to download more scripts but I haven’t seen anything on offer yet.

portman91 asks a You’re in the Movies question:

Do you just make trailers or longer films?

Sheylara Says:

Mostly just trailers because it’ll take a really long time to make a full film! Just think of Hollywood blockbusters, which sometimes take one to two years to film! But you can make your own long films in the Director’s Mode if you have the time and the fancy.

forthja10 asks a You’re in the Movies question:

Do you need a green screen to play this?

Sheylara Says:

Not necessarily. The game will take a screenshot of your background so that it can tell the difference between the actors and the background. But you will get a better result if your background looks as clean as possible. And you should wear clothing in different colours from your background.

dh asks a comparison question:

If I only want to buy one console, which is a better console and why? Xbox 360 or PS3

Sheylara Says:

I have answered this question a billion times! =P But I guess there will always be people asking, so I will answer it again.

The question should really be: What are you looking out for?

The PS3 has slightly better graphics and acts as a Blu-ray player. It also allows you to play online free.

But for online play, Xbox servers are more stable. You get faster downloads and hardly any lags or link deaths. There is also a larger online community and a dedicated program to ease all new users into the community.

In terms of games, both consoles have their own exclusive titles to entice gamers. For instance, PS3 has God of Wars, Resistance and LittleBigPlanet. Xbox 360 has Halo, Gears of War and Lips. There are many more but you need to do your own research on that! =)

In terms of pricing, the Xbox 360 is more affordable in console and game software.

In terms of support, definitely the Xbox 360, because there is dedicated Singapore team so Xbox gamers always get tons of special deals and game launches and promos. PS3 does not have that in Singapore.

Okay, I think that’s enough comparison for today!

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Win an Xbox LIVE Gold Subscription Card!

Get a 3-month Xbox LIVE Gold subscription card free!

If you’re a new Xbox 360 owner, do note that you’re entitled to a 1-month free Gold trial. (The details are provided with your box.)

Get into the fun that 12 million LIVE Gold members around the world are now enjoying!

I quite liked last week’s contest format, so let’s do it again! Answer these questions:

1. What’s the name of my Xbox 360?
2. What’s your favourite Xbox 360 game?
3. What’s my current favourite Xbox 360 game? A) Tales of Vesperia B) You’re in the Movies C) Fallout 3
4. How will you use the Xbox 360 to save the world?
5. How many games are there in this pile (including those that might be hidden from sight)?

Get all the answers right and you win!! One entry per person. Mr Randomiser will be the tie-breaker, poor sod.

Closing date is Thurs, Dec 25, 2008, 11:59 pm.

Ooh! That’s Christmas. Well, Merry Christmas and good luck! =)

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I wish I actually had the time to game as much as people must think I do when they read GGF.

Yesterday, I told a friend on Xbox LIVE, “I spend somewhere between four and 12 hours on each issue of GGF.”

“You’re nuts,” he told me.

Why do I spend so much time every week writing about games, taking screenshots and doing videos, when I can actually spend that time playing?

I guess I am nuts.

Nevertheless, Gamer Girl Friday wishes you and yours a very Merry Christmas! Peace on earth and goodwill to men!