How would you change Panasonic's Lumix DFC-GF2?

We're drowning in interchangeable lens options, but that's far from being a bad thing. For those that finally caved and picked up Panasonic's Lumix DFC-GF2, we're interested to see how you'd change things if given that golden opportunity. Are you satisfied with the size, weight and design? How's the low-light performance? Would you alter anything about the lens selection? Introduce a version that changes colors with the seasons? Go on and get creative in comments below -- the GF3 needs some ideas, you know?

AOC Aire Black LED-backlit monitors, more of the same, now in black

If this super slim monitor looks familiar, it's for a good reason -- AOC's new Aire Black LED monitors are nearly identical to their white counterparts, save a couple exceptions. As the name suggests, the new monitors are an all black affair, and come in 20-, 22-, and 23-inch iterations. The slender screens also come equipped with a new software feature called Screen+ that allows users to divide the display into four separate work spaces. Other than that, not much is new here -- like the rest of the Aire series, the Aire Black features a 12.7-millimeter-thick screen, with a 16:9 aspect ratio, 50,000,000:1 dynamic contrast, DVI-HDPC input, and five millisecond response time. If you like your monitors skinny, you can get your hands on the ebony displays now for $129 (20 inch), $149 (22 inch), or $179 (23 inch). Full PR after the jump.

Windows Phone's new UI and Xbox games are most exciting aspects of Microsoft deal, says Nokia poll

In search for feedback on its momentous decision to dump Symbian in favor of Windows Phone, Nokia has put up the above poll on its Conversations website canvassing opinions about what users anticipate most out of the new deal. There's no consensus choice, with the equivocation of reactions being underlined by the fact that the "Other" option was the modal response, however of the given categories, a UI refresh and Xbox-related gaming boons turned out to be most important. No surprises there, Symbian's touchscreen UI shortcomings are well known about while the Xbox tie-up has been one of Microsoft's big selling points for Windows Phone 7 since its start. We'd just ask Nokia to be quick about delivering on these things -- spending too long in anticipation mode won't be good for our health.

GameXplain: Trinity: Souls of Zil Review

Trinity: Souls of Zill O’ll is one of those games you don’t expect to be good. Most people have never heard of the game, it has a weird title, and the cover art is goofy. But I have to say, I was pleasantly surprised by Omega Force’s action RPG effort. Though it’s definitely no masterpiece, this game has an irrepressible charm to it, and the gameplay is well-polished and satisfying. That said, the experience suffers from a repetitive and excessively dragged out main quest.

You set off as a half-elf named Areus who’s itching to get revenge. His grandfather, the emperor of Dyneskal, is one of those self-fulfilling prophecy types who murdered his son because he heard his grandson might kill him one day. Areus managed to escape Dyneskal's assault along with his brother and elven mother, but his father was killed in the battle. Since then, Areus has been training as a gladiator and biding his time in the Arena. After beginning his quest for revenge, he is quickly party joined by Dagda, a hulking but easy-going adventurer, and Selene, an agile combatant with a chip on her shoulder. The narrative is not particularly well-crafted, and the characters never become all that interesting in their own right due to an unfortunate lack of development that keeps them from becoming anything more than caricatures. The story’s main problem is that it’s way too long. It drags on and on, and it frequently feels as if plot points were added in on the fly just to extend the game’s length. The dialogue is laughably bad at times, but the voice-acting is surprisingly adequate, though you’ll only hear it in cut-scenes which are few and far between.       

 

Trinity takes the button-mashing approachability of Omega Force’s Dynasty Warriors series and adds surprisingly deep RPG elements. You can only control one person at a time, but you’re allowed to switch between the three main characters freely. Each adventurer has three different skill sets with four or five skills comprising a set. Skills are either active or passive, and the actives are mapped to three different buttons. New skills are acquired either by completing quests or purchasing skill scrolls, and each skill can be increased to a maximum of three levels.  The system is simple but has a satisfying amount of depth. Some skills react differently based on the type of environment you’re standing in and what sort of objects inhabit that environment. For example, Dagda can pick up broken pillars and swing them around while Areus can set brush on fire with his magic. This mechanic was pushed as one of the game’s main hooks, but the concept isn’t fully fleshed out. For most of the game, it simply wasn’t necessary for me to take advantage of the environment because enemies could be taken down by simpler means.

Certain attacks throw enemies off-balance, allowing you to deal massive damage. Once the difficulty spikes, you’ll absolutely need to use the appropriate attacks to take down tougher monsters. Fairly late into the main quest, you’re also granted the ability to switch characters while performing a skill attack, which theoretically enables you to chain most of the skills together. I never really took advantage of this mechanic, mainly because it was introduced so late in the game. By the time I gained the ability to switch characters mid-combo, I had already figure out a system that worked best for me, so the addition was too late to be relevant. There’s also a boost gauge that fills up as you land successful blows, and once it fills you can use all three characters to unleash a powerful combination attack. This attack translates to a finishing move of sorts that becomes available once you’ve weakened an especially powerful monster. The finishing sequences are basically the same for every enemy, and since you’ll be killing a lot of monsters, you will inevitably see the same sequence over and over again with little variety.

 

The world map is split between towns and areas in which you can quest. In towns, everything is handled in menus rather than the third-person view. Most towns include an adventurer’s guild, a shop, a mage’s guild and a tavern. You accept quests at the adventurer’s guild, shop at the shop (imagine that) and the mage’s guild, and gather information over cocktails at the tavern. Liberdam, the first town you’ll encounter, also includes an Arena in which you can fight goblins, orcs, dragons and the like in timed battles.  

Ensuring your characters are well-equipped is a satisfying endeavor. Each adventurer has his/her base stats: strength, defense, magic attack and magic resistance. You can equip weapons, bracelets, rings, and amulets which affect each stat respectively. The kicker is that each piece of equipment can have up to three different effects attached to it, which range from status immunities to skill boosts to better item drops. Furthermore, each effect has a specific percentage or level attached to it that describes the strength of said effect. Suffice it to say, the range of loot possibilities is almost infinite so you’re always looking for the perfect piece of equipment for the perfect situation. And if that’s not enough to keep you busy, there’s a ton of extra stuff to do. My final play time clocked in at about thirty-six hours, and that was pretty much just the main quest. In addition, there’s a solid variety of rescue, retrieval and hunting quests that could keep anyone busy for hours upon hours.

 

Trinity’s aesthetic has more to offer than just extremely aggressive cleavage shots (of which there are an abundance). The graphics aren’t particularly sleek and shiny, but the characters and environments have a soft, appealing style that resembles a painting. In addition, certain details contribute significantly to the visceral experience, like the birds and clouds that drift across the world map as you choose your next destination. The scripted events are another example: there’s one in which you can see goblins climbing up the side of a cliff before they jump out to attack you. The effect is one of anticipation, then immersion. The musical score complements the visuals well, featuring string-heavy, orchestral arrangements.

Trinity: Souls of Zill O’ll probably won’t win any awards, but this title shouldn’t be dismissed simply because you’ve never heard of it. Most of the game’s drawbacks are redeemed by its endearing quirkiness, and its biggest flaws are excessive repetition and a main quest that’s too long. With personality and polished gameplay, Trinity offers a decent, if repetitive, experience for anyone looking to fill their action RPG void. 

Street Fighter IV Pro Gamer Documentary Screening at Art Center

The Street Fighter sub-culture is an incredible one.  The tournaments, the fans, the clubs; it all comes together to create a legitimate legacy for the series that continues to last well beyond the series’ releases.

The latest comes in the form of FOCUS: A Documentary.  FOCUS is a film by Director Steve Hwang and 5th Period Productions that follows professional gamer Mike Ross as he travels around the US competing in Street Fighter IV tournaments. Filmed throughout 2010, the film details Ross’s history in gaming, features interviews with several elite professional gamers, and showcases his rise to prominence in the game.

The film is about to have its premiere screening at Art Center in Pasadena, CA on Saturday, February 26th at 8PM. Admission is free, so RSVP via Facebook here: LINK

Official trailer below. Images courtesy Steve Hwang. Official FOCUS website here.

(Via Art Center)