Microsoft Looking To Test New Disc Format For 360 March 29, 2011

Microsoft’s Major Nelson has announced a new testing program is looking for volunteers with an Xbox 360, and it’s for a new system update which will allow the player to be compatible with a new disc format.  No details about the format has been released yet.

The Xbox 360 uses the DVD-ROM format for storage, same as what was used in the PS2, Nintendo Wii and original Xbox.  The 360 discs do include a proprietary copy protection software which makes them only compatible with the Xbox 360, which is why calling them a regular DVD-ROM is a slight misnomer.  Alternatively, Sony uses Blu-Ray in the Playstation 3, which has a much larger storage capacity than a 360 disc, and the ability to play Blu-Ray Disc movies.

Recently, Xbox 360 games like Lost Odyssey have shipped on multiple discs due to limitations in space.

The only alternate disc format add on released for the Xbox 360 was the HD-DVD player, which used a USB connection to play the ill-fated HD-DVD discs and DVDs through the Xbox 360.  The format lost it’s market share to Blu-Ray and the format is no longer supported.  It was never used to play games.

Jurassic Park: The Game Behind the Scenes March 29, 2011

The first featurette for Jurassic Park: The Game has been released by Telltale Games.

It seems like they really understand the same concepts that made the first Jurassic Park movie so fascinating.  Like Spielberg did, they’re treating the dinosaurs as animals, not as monsters, which is how they were depicted in the first movie, and that is how they are best depicted.

There was also a small teaser for what dinosaurs will appear in the game.  T-Rex has been outright confirmed, as has the Velociraptor.  They also promise that a new dinosaur that has not been seen in Jurassic Park before but does exist in the fossil record will premiere, and will be terrifying.  Want to know more?  Check it out yourself!

The series has been confirmed to have a downloadable five episode run, released monthly, to conclude with a special edition DVD-ROM with all five episodes and special goodies at the completion of the series.

The documentary also confirms that Jurassic Park: The Game will first release in April for PC and Mac and Fall for Consoles.  Specific console platforms have not been revealed yet, although I have heard of preview demos being given on the Xbox 360.

Claudia Wells Lends Her Voice to Back to the Future Game March 29, 2011

Well it’s been confirmed that the original actress to play Marty McFly’s girlfirend Jennifer Parker, Claudia Wells, will reprise her role as Jennifer Parker in Part 3 of the Back to the Future Game series.

Claudia Wells appeared as Jennifer Parker in the first Back to the Future movie.  According to the featurettes on the Back to the Future Blu-Ray boxed set, she was unable to be in the two Back to the Future sequels due to a family emergency involving her mother.  She has also appeared in several TV shows.  This will be her first video game performance.

Here’s a little behind the scenes documentary on how Telltale Games was able to get her in the game, I don’t know just how fictionalized it may be but I’ll leave that to you to decide.

Back to the Future The Game Part 3 is out now for PC and Mac.  It’s coming soon for PS3 and iPad.