Today’s SWTOR Friday update is a big one, a whole new feature on the website. Through the new Galaxy Map, fans can tour the Galaxy, checking out the location of many of the planets you’ll be adventuring to within the game, from core worlds to Hutta, from wretched hives of scum and villainy to the ancestral home of the Sith.

The real fun, though, comes in exploring the 3D mode with the help of a very quick install plug-in. Here, you can zoom in on planets, watch videos that give you brief fly-by tours of actual places on the planet you’ll be able to see in-game, read detailed descriptions of the planet, what happens there, their allegiance and other facts, and even see the starships that are found commonly in that system, complete with rotating 3D models and text detail there as well.

As a note, if you have the means to hook a computer up to a big screen television for this experience, do it. With the epic Star Wars music playing in the background, it becomes a different experience at full screen in the living room.

With the game recently announced as coming out December 20th in the US, it’s nice for new features like this to be added into the site so that die-hard fans can explore the worlds of Star Wars: The Old Republic early and prepare for their journey into a long (long, long, long – hey, this takes place 3,000 years before the movies, people) time ago in a galaxy far, far away.

Click here to jump directly to the new Galaxy Map!

Get your fatalities ready folks, Mortal Kombat is making it’s way back to theaters.

The Hollywood Reporter says New Line cinema has tapped the creators of the Mortal Kombat digital series, made earlier this year.

“The movie deal marks the end of a journey for Kevin Tancharoen, who will direct the new movie,” says THR, “Tancharoen, a choreographer for Madonna and Britney Spears who directed the 2009 remake of Fame and more recently the Glee concert movie, directed a short film Mortal Kombat: Rebirth as a proof of concept for a Kombat movie he tried to pitch.”

Released by Warner Bros. Digital Distribution, Mortal Kombat: Legacy proved very popular in part to stars like Star Trek: Voyager’s Jeri Ryan as Sonya Blade and Spawn star Michael Jai White as Jax.

“The short was viewed more than 10 million times on YouTube, and although no movie deal materialized, he was asked to direct the 10-episode web series, which debuted in April, attracting more than 15 million unique visitors,” writes THR.

The original Mortal Kombat movie, based on the popular video game franchise, was directed in 1995 by the now well-known Paul W.S. Anderson. It did fairly well at the box office but its sequel, Mortal Kombat: Annihilation, directed by John R. Leonetti 1997, flopped.

THR says writer of the digital series Oren Uziel will write the new movie but that there is no actor attached and the story will not be a continuation of the video game or series.

Once a week I sift through the millions of Etsy listings to find the best in geek chic for Blog@ readers. Last time I had a little something for everyone by showcasing an item for each member of the new Justice League but I’m going in a different direction this week. Princess Peach used to be relegated to the end of each Super Mario Bros. level but she’s come a long way since then, even starring in her own titles. Here’s a few fun items I found on the craft website.

Princess Peach is known for her trademark pink dress, bouncy hair and of course, her crown. Here’s an 8-Bit Princess Gold Mirror Laser Cut Necklace from user neighborhoodstory. It’s almost big enough to wear on your head and sells for $12.

The famous Princess has had a starring role in video games but none quite like this. It’s a piece of art titled “Princess Peach escapes the Castle” by user ArtbyMcKenzie. The piece was created for a Nintendo-themed art show and is being sold for $315.

Need to light some torches to see your way in that grubby castle? Why not use this Princess Peach Perler Bead Lighter Case/Sleeve on your favorite lighter and scare all the ghosts away? From user J3S13, $5.

Princesses Peach and Daisy are looking absolutely fabu in this print from user the Gorgonist, except here, they are Princes! Also check out the Mario Monster Girls, both $7 each.

And just because I can’t resist a puppster in a costume, here is a PRINCESS PEACH NINTENDO Dress Dog Costume. User YoungUrbanPuppy has will make it custom to fit your pup for $24.50. And yes, Mario, Luigi, Daisy and Bowzer costumes are also available should you wish to inflict them on your best friend.

As always, bear in mind, since Etsy is a craft website and not a commercial, mass-market dealer, items are almost always one-of-a-kind or in very limited availability. When you see something you like, buy it. It may not be there the next time you surf round. (Yes, it’s a very dangerous site for your wallet.) Also, since most items are created individually, many sellers are willing to customize something specifically to suit your needs. Just ask!

We’ve talked a lot about Star Wars: The Old Republic, BioWare’s upcoming MMORPG, including talking about its tie-ins in novel and comic book form.

Today on the official site of the game, senior writer Alexander Freed, who has also written two arcs of the SWTOR comic for Dark Horse, has an extensive post about writing tie-ins, writing licenses, and just writing in general. Some of his writing rules definitely reach outside of just game comics, especially this one:

Assume Nothing

In addition to having connections to the game, a The Old Republic tie-in also needs to stand on its own. Not every reader is going to be intimately familiar with the game’s background and characters (especially before the game has come out!). For that matter, some may only have a broad familiarity with the Star Wars movies–perhaps they’ve only ever seen the original trilogy and don’t know Jar Jar Binks from Mara Jade.

So how do you write for an audience of casual fans along with the hardcore? You assume no foreknowledge on the part of the reader and you introduce everything he or she needs to know–and you make sure that you have characters and situations that resonate regardless of how they interact with the game.

Does a reader of The Lost Suns need to know that Theron Shan’s mother is a Jedi? Absolutely, and seeing Satele Shan in action during her youth (as we do in both the “Return” cinematic and The Lost Suns issue one) helps establish Theron’s identity and the setting as a whole.

Does a reader of Blood of the Empire need to know that Exal Kressh is the latest child of a Sith bloodline going back to Ludo Kressh (a character established in Tales of the Jedi comic series)? Absolutely not! Knowledgeable fans will spot the reference and infer its impact on Exal’s character, but it’s an extra–not an integral part of the plot.

There is one exception to the rule, however, and that is to always assume that your audience is smart. Give readers a strong story with characters they care about, and they’ll figure out what matters. There is no need to spoon-feed people. Simply make sure everything they need is there and they will put it all together.

Tons more from Freed at the link here as part of SWTOR.com’s weekly Friday updates. And just in case you don’t feel like exploring once you click over, here’s the awesome new Smuggler class progression video for you, too, right after the jump.

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You either love Angry Birds or you hate it. I’m pretty sure there’s no in between considering the addictive nature of the cell phone game. Like many other pop-culture phenomena, Angry Birds has been tinkered with to make it even more fun. I give you, the Angry Superheroes. And boy, are they angry…

A plethora of DC and Marvel characters (plus Judge Dredd!) have been transformed into their own unique Angry Bird forms thanks to Ryan, aka Senor Picante. On his blog, the artist has posted the above individually as well as one pig resembling Magneto. Although that one he wanted to rework so I decided not to post it here.

Ryan is not the first to add superhero flair to the Angry Birds, Ript Apparel sold a fantastic Batman and Robin spin on the famous game a few months back. That one was designed by SpiR and Seth. And let’s not forget the epic Angry Birds of Prey by the Gutters crew.

What do you think? Would you like to see a comic book themed Angry Birds? They already teamed up with the creators of the animated film Rio for an altered version of the game. I could easily see them making a deal with DC or Marvel. Are you listening Rovio?

Announced last week at San Diego Comic-Con, Castle star Stana Katic will voice Batman’s long-time love interest in the Batman: Arkham City video game.

According to USA Today, the game has gained the classic Batman villain for its roster. Paul Crocker of Rocksteady Studios said, “We can’t really say why she is in the game because it would spoil an awesome part of it.”

“She’s a good girl who has naughty habits. We’re not sure if their tryst is over yet,” said Stana Katic, “She’s an ambiguous interesting character with a Persian/Greek accent.” The actress told the crowd at the Arkham City panel at SDCC,  ”Talia is such a complex character and it was great to voice her in Batman: Arkham City. I was amazed at all the detail put into the project and it’s great to see how excited the fans are about the game.”

No specific details were given as to Talia’s specific role in the game but Katic said, “She’s just kick-ass, man.” Jim Lee also announced at San Diego Comic-Con that the Arkham City comic mini-series written by Paul Dini will be released as a graphic novel on October 18, the same day the video game is released.

Brian Wood’s Vertigo title Northlanders may be ending early next year with issue #50, but he’s not leaving the world of fictionalized warfare behind — IGN reports that he’s writing a digital comic prequel to The Lord of the Rings: War in the North, an in-development role-playing video game scheduled for release this fall. Simon Coleby is on board as artist. Comic book adaptations of J.R.R. Tolkien’s work are rare — Ralph Bakshi’s 1978 film inspired a comic, but it was never released in the United States due to copyright reasons.

Exactly how the comic will be digitally published has yet to be revealed, though IGN makes the reasonable guess of ComiXology, since the game is being released by Warner Bros. Interactive, and WB owns DC, who works with ComiXology. Parts 1 and 2 will be accessible to gamers who preorder through Toys R Us, and Amazon preorders will only get you part 2.

Once a week I sift through the millions of Etsy listings to find the best in geek chic for Blog@ readers. Last week I showcased some items from the X-Men. This week, in honor of the big announcements Nintendo is making at E3 I decided to look for some fashionable Nintendo related items. And yes, I’m sticking to our roots this time around. Nintendo, especially classic, does seem to encourage a lot of crafting…

So, I pretty much need this NES Zapper Desktop Lamp immediately. Partly because it reminds me of the Leg Lamp from A Christmas Story but mostly because it’s nostalgic-awesomeness AND useful! User Recycled Retro Gear can send you one for just $28 bucks in grey or orange.

This may look like just a regular, old Nintendo console but you’d be wrong. It’s a NESputer. That’s right. A computer housed in an old console. Made by user slothfish, for $850 it includes: 1.6ghz Dual-core Atom CPU, 2 GB DDR3 RAM, 750 GB Hard Drive, Nvidia ION graphics (9400gt), WiFi 802.11b/g/n, Bluetooth wireless connectivity, HDMI out so you can plug right into your HDTV and 8 USB ports (6 in back, 2 connected to the front controller ports). If I hadn’t just bought a new computer…If you just need a hardrive though, check out this 500gb one from user 8bitmemory for $99.99 housed in an old Legend of Zelda cartridge.

When they say geek chic, this is what they mean. Try on this Gameboy Tube Dress from user HereandThereVintage for $60. Or, if you prefer to be a little more covered up, this other Gameboy dress from user LifeIsRandom for $40

Need a much COOLER place to charge your i-whatever? Check out this Rock Dock – Nintendo Joystick – iPhone/iPod/iTouch Dock from user GeekUnique for $44.99. Or, if you need more room on your desk, go for the Nintendo Controller version for $33.99.

Oh man, oh man. Something else I need to furnish my house, a NES Controller Rug. Dimensions are 28.5 x 13 inches and user WTCrafts will send you one to step all over for $63.

As always, bear in mind, since Etsy is a craft website and not a commercial, mass-market dealer, items are almost always one-of-a-kind or in very limited availability. When you see something you like, buy it. It may not be there the next time you surf round. (Yes, it’s a very dangerous site for your wallet.) Also, since most items are created individually, many sellers are willing to customize something specifically to suit your needs. Just ask!

Sony President and Chairman Howard Stringer finally speaks out about their network’s breach and offers those affected a literal sense of security.

In a letter posted on the Playstation blog, Stringer apologizes to users about the breach. “As a company we — and I — apologize for the inconvenience and concern caused by this attack. Under the leadership of Kazuo Hirai, we have teams working around the clock and around the world to restore your access to those services as quickly, and as safely, as possible,” wrote Stringer.

The Playstation Network has been down since a hack on April 20 that caused over 70 million users’ secured information like names, addresses, telephone numbers, passwords and possibly credit card information, to be at risk. But users were not immediately aware of the reason they couldn’t log on to the network.

“I know some believe we should have notified our customers earlier than we did. It’s a fair question,” wrote Stringer, “As soon as we discovered the potential scope of the intrusion, we shut down the PlayStation Network and Qriocity services and hired some of the best technical experts in the field to determine what happened. I wish we could have gotten the answers we needed sooner, but forensic analysis is a complex, time-consuming process. Hackers, after all, do their best to cover their tracks, and it took some time for our experts to find those tracks and begin to identify what personal information had — or had not — been taken.”

Stringer insists that to their knowledge none of the credit card or personal information has been misused and that they are continuing to monitor the situation. But to put customers at ease, Sony is offering some security.

“We are also moving ahead with plans to help protect our customers from identity theft around the world,” wrote Stringerr, “A program for U.S. PlayStation Network and Qriocity customers that includes a $1 million identity theft insurance policy per user was launched earlier today and announcements for other regions will be coming soon.”

The security comes in the form of Debix Inc., an identity theft insurance firm in the U.S. who will use “AllClear ID Plus” for any affected customers. For time lost on the Network, Sony is offering other incentives. “As we have announced, we will be offering a ‘Welcome Back’ package to our customers once our PlayStation Network and Qriocity services are up and running. This will include, among other benefits, a month of free PlayStation Plus membership for all PSN customers, as well as an extension of subscriptions for PlayStation Plus and Music Unlimited customers to make up for time lost.”

Stringer stated that he knows this is a frustrating time for users but that the network will be up “in the coming days.” Until then, “Our investigation is ongoing, and we are upgrading our security so that if attacks like this happen again, our defenses will be even stronger,” he wrote. “We are working with the FBI and other law enforcement agencies around the world to apprehend those responsible.”

What do you think about Sony’s reaction time and resolution ideas? Have they forever lost your trust or are you willing to use the PSN again?

…and, well, here it is:

Yep! Last week, Brian Michael Bendis was announced as the writer for the Marvel Universe massively multiplayer online role-playing game. No release date has been announced yet, but it’ll be free-to-play, and you’ll be able to play as the actual Marvel characters, rather that user-generated creations. Many more details are here.

Once a week I sift through the millions of Etsy listings to find the best in geek chic for Blog@ readers. Last time, I welcomed our new robot overlords, this week…I can’t wait to play against them. I’m talking about the video game Portal. The sequel is just days away from jumping into my XBOX and I can’t wait to play it. It’s for this reason I found some of the best Aperture Science had to offer on Etsy.

Who are you? What is that? Oh, What’s that? What’s THAT? What is THAT? That, my friends, is a stuffed Talking Curiosity Sphere. One of the best parts of Portal was the insane voiceovers from these guys, now user Penguinotic can send you one for $45. No promises it will talk to you. Or, if you’d prefer something smaller, there’s the Portal Pendant Bundle from sweetgeek which includes 4 spheres, two turrets and a cake. $21.

The Enrichment Center reminds you that the Weighted Companion Cube will never threaten to stab you and, in fact, cannot speak. Unlike the Curiosity Spheres, the Companion Cubes were your trusty companion throughout Portal. Even when you had to incinerate them. There are lots of Companion Cube products on Etsy but I found this Aperture Weighted Companion Cube keychain/zipper pull from user geekoutlet for $12 to be quite swell.

Aperture Science knows your safety is their first priority. Why else would they post these signs to warn you what’s ahead? The Aperture Lab Warning Signs are 3″ x 3″ and can be stuck on your laptop or just about anywhere else you need warning. From user lovesickrobotdesigns, $13 for the batch. Or, if you’d like just one, check out the Portal Safety Sign Laptop Decal from GlueJunkie for $9.

What would Portal be without portals? A person stuck in a room. So it’s a good thing Aperture Science invented them. Now, you can wear one around your neck with this Portal necklace from user AngelElements for $14.20. But wait! It’s reversible! Flip the necklace over and your exit portal is ready and waiting.

Cake, and grief counseling, will be available at the end of the testing period. I beat Portal and all I got was this lousy t-shirt? Well you may not have gotten any cake when you finally finished the game but you can warn others with this Cake Is A Lie t-shirt from user TheAardvark for $20. Bring your own snacks next time.

As always, bear in mind, since Etsy is a craft website and not a commercial, mass-market dealer, items are almost always one-of-a-kind or in very limited availability. When you see something you like, buy it. It may not be there the next time you surf round. (Yes, it’s a very dangerous site for your wallet.) Also, since most items are created individually, many sellers are willing to customize something specifically to suit your needs. Just ask!

Activision’s panel on their newly announced Spider-Man game, Spider-Man: Edge of Time, just wrapped here at WonderCon in San Francisco, and we’ve got a few bits of pertinent info to pass along. Among those on the panel were game writer/comic book vet Peter David, voice actor Josh Keaton, TQ Jefferson from Marvel and Gerard Lehiany from Beenox, developer of Edge of Time and last year’s Spider-Man: Shattered Dimensions.

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Just a few days after getting an official release date — October 18 — a new Batman: Arkham City gameplay trailer is here, courtesy of IGN and showcasing, among other new elements, Two-Face.

Batman: Arkham City, the sequel to 2009′s Batman: Arkham Asylum, is out October 18 on Xbox 360, PlayStation 3 and PC on October 18.

This new commercial for the latest Lego video game offering, Lego Star Wars III: The Clone Wars is Lego humor at its best.

As you can see, the tough Clone Trooper showing off his stuff is nothing when faced with real danger. We’ve seen Lego animals relieve themselves in-game but never characters and well, I guess this answers the age-old question about whether or not Troopers have some sort of hatch when the need arises. And apparently, it’s automatic!

The game is available everywhere games are sold on March 22 but you can get a head start by playing the mini-game online. You can’t do much in the way of building but you can unlock images and trailers as well as characters for use in the actual game. And, you can dance.

Once a week I sift through the millions of Etsy listings to find the best in geek chic for Blog@ readers. Last week I focused on video game daydreamer Scott Pilgrim, this week it’s all about the man, the myth, the legend…Mario.

When I first saw this, I thought it was a gigantic wall hanging. Turns out, they’re much easier to display. User Aristomatic created these Super Mario Brothers Sprite Magnets out of birch wood. A steal at $45 I say, especially since you can arrange them however you see fit.

We’ve already got Mario on the brain, why not have him on our head? Check out these adorable Super Mario 3 Tanooki barrettes from pixelparty. Or if you prefer, he’s also got Froggy Mario bobbypins, both sets, $14 each.

Mario’s Overalls, your Nintendo DS is naked without them. User ellesroom created this truly original case for your DS Lite for $19. Complete with two back pockets to hold games!

I love all of Mario’s power-up outfits but by far, Kuribo’s Shoe has to be my favorite. Also known as Goomba’s Shoe and called Kuribo’s Boot by myself, the first and only appearance of this delightful ensemble was in Super Mario 3, World 5-3 and user gamerpaige liked it enough to make this nifty Kuribo’s Shoe Perler Bead Magnet. Also available, Statue, Raccoon and several other Mario outfits, all for $4 each.

For the extra fancy gamer out there, how about a Swarovski Crystal Super Mario cover for Apple iphone 4? User IcyIcyBlingCouture did this one, which can be yours for a mere $169.99.

As always, bear in mind, since Etsy is a craft website and not a commercial, mass-market dealer, items are almost always one-of-a-kind or in very limited availability. When you see something you like, buy it. It may not be there the next time you surf round. (Yes, it’s a very dangerous site for your wallet.) Also, since most items are created individually, many sellers are willing to customize something specifically to suit your needs. Just ask!

Cutscene: You’re  a police officer traveling on horseback towards Atlanta, Georgia to search for your family. You enter the city limits only to find it occupied with the walking dead. You quickly get surrounded by a zombie horde as your horse gets pulled to the ground. Gameplay: Fight your way out without getting bitten.

Sound like fun? It could very well be the setting of a new video game from Telltale Games based on The Walking Dead by Robert Kirkman.

According to MTV Multiplayer, the game developer is announcing five new multiplatform ventures to press at a big event next month. The news of a The Walking Dead video game was not explicitly released, but hinted at and presumed by MTV. “The title showcased very obviously on the invite, and one that we’ve known about for some time, is an episodic series based on ‘Jurassic Park.’ However, the invite also states that one of the titles announced is ‘based on a just-launched property from the TV and comic book world whose popularity is changing life as some know it.’”

The author of the article points out that besides Frank Darabont’s The Walking Dead, which premiered last October on AMC, FOX’s Human Target is the only other comic property on television right now and does not quite fit the bill as well as the zombie survival drama does. Telltale is no stranger to adapting comic, movie or television properties, the developer has put out games based on Jeff Smith’s Bone, CSI and Back to the Future.

So what do you think? Is The Walking Dead primed to make its video game debut? Would you want it to follow the storyline of the book/show or would you prefer it to house an all-new adventure? I think there’s huge potential here not only for exploring further plot lines from the comic but also perhaps introducing us to a whole new set of survivors as well.

Lucas Siegel is more than Newsarama’s site editor and a noted vest enthusiast — he’s also a veteran of Operation Iraqi Freedom, making him an ideal candidate to discuss the controversy behind the latest Medal of Honor video game, where users can play as the Taliban in the multiplayer mode.

Siegel was a guest on current affairs program GRITtv Tuesday, joining host Laura Flanders and video game journalist/incoming Uncanny X-Men co-writer Kieron Gillen to discuss Medal of Honor and another game causing a bit of a stir, Hey Baby. The video is here:

Whether you play the Left 4 Dead video games or are a fan of noted comic book artist Mike Oeming (or, y’know, both), there’s a lot to like about the digital-only Left 4 Dead comic — full title Left 4 Dead Presents: The Sacrifice — that hit online this week.

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Ratchet & Clank #1
Written by T.J. Fixman
Illustrated by Adam Archer
Colored by Jonny Rench
Lettered by Saida Temofonte
Cover art by Creaturebox
Published by DC/Wildstorm

Every time a video games-based comic arrives in my mailbox, I experience a moment of trepidation.  I don’t game and have absolutely no knowledge of the Ratchet & Clank games, so it’s certainly possible that some element of the game’s universe could act as a story linchpin for some readers yet slip completely past my notice.  So I read with the tack that this comic could possibly be someone’s first exposure to the characters and concepts.  To date, video game-based comics have left me cold; however, with this approach in mind, Ratchet & Clank #1 really works.

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DC Comics publishes a lot of Batman comics. This November, the latest month they’ve released solicitations for, they plan to publish nine ongoing Batman comics, plus three issues of one-shots or miniseries featuring Batman, plus eight comics headlined by his various lieutenants and supporting characters, plus six team comics featuring a Batman. So there’s somewhere in the neighborhood of 12 to 26 Batman comics scheduled for the month of November,* depending on how you want to count them up (and I’m assuming you don’t want to count reprint material, because there is of course a whole mess of trades as well).

DC Comics also publishes a lot of comics based on video games. This November, they’ll be publishing six of ‘em**, which isn’t all that many, but accounts for about a third of their Wild Storm line.

Batman is the star of an extremely successful video game that was released last August, Batman: Arkham Asylum, and will star in a hotly anticipated sequel that will debut next year, Batman: Arkham City.

And yet DC has not published any comics based on that particular video game.
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