The crafting of stars, some kind of complete idiot, and still more...

CJ the Good Old Boy

I would like to know if the about the main character for the upcoming game GTA:San Andreas, CJ; what i was wondering is if CJ is black or white, or latino? Now based on the games description it seems that the main character is black, which may not seem like a big deal for you, but would be a huge deal for me because the fact that I can't play a video game with role-playing elements if the main character is black or a women. I hope that CJ is atleast a light skinned black person so that this game is ruined for me. Please respond, this subject will affect if I buy the game or not. Thank You

-- Jim

It's terrific to finally see IGN reaching out to the more sophisticated regions of the third-world.

I feel your pain, Jim. Me? I can't play any game with a dumb broad in it either, so let's get companies to fix that. According to my religion of Ignoramiot Bourbonism and the violent edicts of my god, Drinkotron The Mighty Hoof, protagonists in videogames have got to be pure Croatian cracker or nothing. Unfortunately for me and every other Drinkotron fearing follower of Ignoramiot Bourbonism, CJ is all kinds of not Croatian cracker. I think he's mocha, but colors beyond the "Casper-white male, age 18 to 24" range are way out of my perceptive field, so I'll just say he's "scary and different." We Ignoramiots fear what we do not understand.

-- Ivan

The Brood Cometh

I recently saw your article about StarCraft: Ghost. When I was reading it I noticed that it said that Swingin' Ape would handle all the Blizzard games for now on. Does this mean they are planning to release another StarCraft RTS game?

-- Hr

As far as we know, StarCraft 2 has been in development for a very long time. Long ago Blizzard employees quick to answer unrelated questions without first considering the always fantastic confidentiality rule let slip a few StarCraft 2 tidbits. By tidbits I mean something like, "Yeah this effect is kind of like what we're doing on SC2."

When the game is coming out, no one knows. On topic, I wouldn't expect Swingin' Ape to handle development of that one unless it's to port the title to console platforms. Blizzard has been whispering StarCraft for quite a while now, and even if it weren't in development already, I'm sure such an established brand's proper sequel would be developed in-house.

-- Ivan

Rumbling T and A

I read in a recent magazine article that nudity was being considered for Rumble Rose. Since you guys are the final authority and voice when it comes to all things video games, Whats the deal?
Thanks,

-- Connor

As far as I am aware (an awareness that came from the game's lead designer), there will not be any nudity in Rumble Rose (at least not in the North American version, but details on what the other territories are getting is unknown).

-- Ivan

Killer Square Miles

In the official website for Killzone, a developer from Gureilla games stated their largest board is around 66,000 sq. miles. Is that large for a board? How does that compare to a Halo level?

-- Smilez

What the hell's a board?

-- Ivan

Mama, Mama

Hi, just saw a typo in your aticle. I know I would want someone to report it if I did so here goes.

http://ps2.ign.com/articles/527/527358p1.html

bottom of the page under carl "CJ" johnson it says:

"Los Santos to find out who killed his moms."

Should be family or mom and brother.

-- Lee

Way to not waste your time away. Your moms must be proud. By the by, if you think that's sloppy, I can direct you to a Perry article so furiously bad, it will actually blow your mind in more ways than one.

-- Ivan

Twisted

Twisted Metal is one my favorite series of all time, and I was wondering if you guys have heard anything on a new TM for PS2 (i have seen clips for one for the PSP, but I want a PS2 version), Black was one of the best in the series with #2 upt there too. It has now been 3 years since TMB was released and jsut wondering if you have heard of a sequal to Black in the works or maybe a whole new one?
Thanks

-- Ivan Lost His Name

Supposedly there's one in development, but we don't know a thing about it.

-- Ivan

Fighting Words

I was just wondering why you call DRIV3R a GTA clone. GTA is a clone of Driver 2. And if DRIV3R was a clone of anything, it would be Driver 2, not GTA.

-- A.J.R

Because I like the word clone. You want to fight?

-- Ivan

Psychic Tip

This was posted an in interview at BonusStage.com:

"There is a strong possibility that there will be online play in any sequels, and/or a much deeper co-op mode. Co-op mode was another thing that was not part of the original design, but came about when the programmer in charge of camera and controls was messing around one day. We had a good time playing from a new perspective and decided that we should include it in the final game as a bit of a bonus, but it is not as fully flushed out as other aspects of the game so we also made sure that our box covers only described Psi-Ops as a single-player game." ...full interview found here.

-- Ivan Lost His Name

Thanks.

-- Ivan

Evil

Hi,
That review of Evil Prophecy was so awesome. Had to love the negative fun factor represented by dying donkeys thing. So great. I'm glad something good came out of that game. Keep up the excellent work.

-- Randy

Sweet Evil Prophecy. I had almost forgotten about that magnificent bastard (I forget about all kinds of stuff that's only two weeks old). Yes, I hate it quite a bit. Anyone contemplating an Evil Prophecy purchase should plunge an ice pick into their eye.

How hard is it to make a solid beat 'em up anyway? Put a freaking fighting system and some graphics in there, damn it!

-- Ivan

Will it Really Taste Like Chicken?

Is MGS3 IGN PS2's most anticipated PS2 game for 2004? And what do you guys personally think of the game itself, now that you played the demo and watched the E3 2004 trailer?

-- Jaden

It's on IGNPS2's most anticipated list of 2004, for sure, but it's not on mine.

I loved MGS. I really dug Sons of Liberty (even if pressing select and not playing Snake kind of sucked), but Snake Eater is just more Metal Gear. It's the same feel, the same sappy storyline, the same gameplay mechanics, and the same shortcomings. It looks better and you can eat stuff, but it's still just Metal Gear. Because of this, I don't really care. I've played a whole mess of stealth games and now we're getting another one that is very similar to one that was released some time ago... Big deal.

Don't misinterpret what I'm saying. Snake Eater will likely be good (I give it a 90% chance of succeeding at being fun and neat and swell), I just personally wish Kojima would stop with the melodramatic tactical espionage buzz and focus on a kick-ass online Z.O.E. instead.

Now I wonder which degenerate Internet bulletin board user will be the first to proudly point out that, "IGN GameCube bias idiots hate Metal Gear, Kojima, and are racist against Japan. Say they love Nazi! I read in mailbag! I will never read bias IGN Nazi again LOL!! More like IG-BIAS-NAZI!!! ROTFLMAO!! LOL!! I am teh average board bastard. Nobody loves me."

-- Ivan

Faces of Def

how come a new face of def jam doesnt come until the 4, 5, or 6 day?

-- Joe

The stupid ESRB cried about all the head slamming that was shown in our last video (distributing head slamming imagery for a Teen game is wrong, you see). We're now trying to work it out with EA to see if there's anyway we can slide by the problem.

-- Ivan

And... ... Action!

Hey guys,
Doug and Hilary did a great video special of the xbox games at E3 and whats expected to come out this and next year. So I ask, where are the PS2 game previews of E3 and of whats to come? Come on guys.....out do them!!

-- Ivan Lost His Name

We're probably going to have to do similar video features now that those morons have set the precedent, but I really, really don't want to (Doug doesn't even wear normal pants in his takes).

I've always believed that editors trying to be funny (especially on camera) is far worse than editors not doing anything at all. But I'm sure someone will make us do this sooner or later. I assure you, while Hil and Doug only pretended to drink beer and my own whiskey off my own desk, I will be legitimately drunk when it comes time to film the PS2's upcoming "Who Gives a Damn?" feature.

-- Ivan

Relatively Cold

You think you need a wetsuit for San Fran water? I live in the Northeast where the water hovers around 60 in July. Going in that when it's 90 out makes the water effectively 40 degrees. The San Fran water seemed warm to me when I went in it...in March : ) Hehe...

-- Justin

Effectively 40? Does that even mean anything at all? Is that like saying I can run at about 15 miles per hour but since I'm on the Earth that revolves around the sun at 66,780 mph and the sun floats through the galaxy at about 487,353 mph I'm effectively running at 554,148 mph? Or, does it mean I'm still running at 15 mph and the water is still 60 degrees?

-- Ivan

Till Next Time

Well folks... I stayed up all night because Littlesin from design needed a ride to the airport at five in the morning. Not closing your eyes for a very, very long time isn't the smartest thing in the world, but then neither is drinking all night and driving to the airport in the morning. Live an learn.

-- Ivan "Deez Nuts" Sulic