Is MX vs ATV still Alive?

As some of you may know, the latest installment of the MX vs ATV series, Alive, was released last Tuesday.  The folks over at Rainbow Studios and THQ really put their all into the marketing for this game.  They had a large presence at the Monster Energy AMA Supercross series that ended only a few days before the release of the game, they snagged the most famous athlete in the sport - James Stewart - as the cover athlete, and they stressed that this was the motocross experience in a videogame.  As any gamer knows, marketing can say what they want, that doesn't make it true.  So, how did they do?

Playstation Network Back Online in Eastern U.S., more places to follow.

Well folks, I booted up my PS3 this evening to a message asking me to update my system software to the latest version 3.61, and upon accepting and sitting through a lengthy download and install my suspicions were confirmed.  I was asked to change my account password, and after doing so was able to log in.  PSN was launched back up across the country on May 14th throughout the afternoon/evening and at the point of writing I have been able to fill and play through quite a few games of Motorstorm Apocalypse without a hitch. Parts of the North America haven't gotten Network access back quite yet(mainly middle states currently, see PS blog for map of activation) but every state will be phased in by the morning of the 15th if all goes to plan.  Sweet jesus! I think I can speak for gamers nationwide when I say about time.  Features back online include our friends list, online matchmaking/chat, trophies, Playstation Home, and the ability to access Hulu, Netflix, and other pay services linked to the XMB.  Expect to see the Playstation Store and your download lists back up and running within the next few weeks at some point.  Sony has already outlined the details of a welcome back gift for all registered users, which includes a free month of Playstation Plus for all users (an extra month for the already subscribed) and a few free games.  Which titles we will be able to select from has not been disclosed, but we will likely see more of this loyalty package within the next few days.  For more information, and a direct video apology and explanation from Sony's head honcho Kazuo Hirai, take a look at Sony's blog.  Have a good night all, I know I will sleep better knowing that this outage has finally come to a close.

PSN Outage extends into holiday weekend.

After one of the year's biggest weeks for releases (expect to see MK and Portal 2 reviews up shortly)  Sony is suffering from "external intrusions" and on the evening of April 20th they shut down both PSN, and also Qriocity, a music platform that was recently introduced to the system's XMB.  Anyone attempting to connect to these services will get an error notification, or a message saying that the network is currently undergoing routine maintenance.  At first, the company didn't say anything besides that the network would be down for a short bit and that they were working as fast as they could to resolve it.  Finally, a spokesman for Sony posted an explanation on the official Playstation blog, though they still didn't give an estimated time as to when PSN will be back up.  Here is what it they had to say...

"An external intrusion on our system has affected our PlayStation Network and Qriocity services. In order to conduct a thorough investigation and to verify the smooth and secure operation of our network services going forward, we turned off PlayStation Network & Qriocity services on the evening of Wednesday, April 20th. Providing quality entertainment services to our customers and partners is our utmost priority. We are doing all we can to resolve this situation quickly, and we once again thank you for your patience. We will continue to update you promptly as we have additional information to share."  - Patrick Seybold, Sr. Director, Corporate Communications and Social Media
 

  Now that it has been more than the two days that Sony initially hoped it would take to fix and the outage continues into the weekend, questions are being asked.  Is this the work of Anonymous, a relatively well-known hacker group that has been known to have bad blood with the company?  How will the Sony compensate Playstation Plus members who will not be able to connect?  That is paid time we are talking about.  PSN itself is a free service, but gamers can subscribe to PS Plus to receive early access to betas, free game downloads, dynamic themes, and more for a yearly rate of fifty dollars.  Also, certain online titles require a monthly service charge, such as the recently released DC Universe Online.  It will be interesting to see how Sony handles these concerns.  Any updates will be posted as soon as we hear more.

- Ian @ NBD

How to Paint your Xbox 360 Controller

Things you'll need:

* Torx screwdriver T8 Torx security bit

*Spray paint

*Spray Clear coat

1.

* 1

Turn off the controller and remove the battery.

* 2

Flip the Xbox 360 wireless controller upside down.

* 3

Insert a Torx screwdriver with a T8-sized security bit into one of the six holes on the back of the controller.

* 4

Turn the Torx screwdriver counter-clockwise until the screw is loosened, then tilt the controller so it is right-side up and the screw falls out.

* 5

Repeat Steps 3 and 4 until you have removed screws from all six visible holes.

* 6

Peel back the barcode located underneath the controller's battery slot and you'll notice the seventh and final screw. Unscrew this last screw with the Torx screwdriver, and remove the screw from the hole.

* 7

Open the Xbox 360 wireless controller by pulling apart the two halves. The halves should be loose now that all the necessary screws have been removed.

Now take your 2 halves and Paint Away!

There are many different ways to make the controller your own.

. You could paint it a solid color,or a mix.

. You could color it with sharpies, (This is my Girlfriends method)

. You could cut out different comics or magazines apply paste to the back and then stick them on forming a collage, just make sure to clear coat it after to protect your work.

Well there you go, hope you have a blast making your own custom controllers!

Portal 2 brings Steam network to PS3!

April 19th sees the cross-platform release of Portal 2, the long awaited sequel to Valve's original Puzzle/Shooter hybrid (which from now on will be classified as a First Person Puzlooter...okay, maybe not.)  This will be an especially momentous occasion for Playstation 3 owners, for multiple reasons.  First being, until this point Valve's relationship with the console has been, well, pretty much non-existent.  Co-founder Gabe Newell, who has been quoted bashing Sony's console in the past, issued a statement recently thanking Sony for their "gracious hospitality" and for "not punching him in the face."  Talk about a turn around, eh?  Most importantly though, the PS3 version of Valve's new game will include the companies own brainchild, the Steam network. Those unfamiliar with the client should brush up on their knowledge, because now that the client has arrived on consoles I am fairly certain we will be seeing much more of it.  Why, you ask?  As for Portal 2, Steam will work as an in-game inlay, offering such features as cross-platform matchmaking, chat, friends list, and achievements.  PS3 owners of Portal 2 will also be able to play the full game for free on a PC or Mac, all thanks to the aforementioned application.  Being an avid Playstation gamer, I certainly look forward to being able to play the game co-op with my friends on PC.  Valve has continually hinted since last years E3 that Portal 2 for PS3 will be the definitive version.  The 19th couldn't come soon enough!

 - Ian @ NBD

Welcome to Day One of NBD Publications!

Welcome all!

Next Best Distraction has started.  Check back regularly for reviews, news, suggestions, and a whole plethora of other tid-bits involving video games, technology, movies and music, and more!

Thanks for checking us out guys!

- Ian @ NBD