In the futuristic world of Star Trek, money has become obsolete so it’s only fitting that the MMO Star Trek Online will adopt a Free-To-Play model starting January 17th.

Of course, there’s still in-game currency called Dilithium. Paying subscribers will automatically accrue Dilithium upon logging in, capped at 1 billion, while free accounts will need to manually refine Dilithium with a 100 million cap. Visit the Features Matrix for a side by side comparison of features.

Free doesn’t mean cheap.

Executive Producer Stephen D’Angelo says there are big updates in store. “The game goes to warp speed in February,” said D’Angelo. “All told, it’s my goal to have something new in the game nearly every week starting with the second anniversary event and running through the end of April.”

Star Trek Online Free-To-Play is a post from: L7 World

The long-awaited Star Wars themed-Xbox 360 is not far away. According to Kotaku, it will make an appearance on a “popular network television show” airing in February.

They don’t say which show but The Big Bang Theory is the most likely choice given its nerd fan base. The only other possibility is Two and a Half Men, which stars Ashton Kutcher as Walden Schmidt, a millionaire with all the best toys. In either case, I wouldn’t be surprised if George Lucas makes a guest appearance as either Walden’s best friend or Sheldon’s latest mortal enemy because of the Star Wars “upgrades”.

The Kinect Star Wars Limited Edition includes: the first ever white Kinect Sensor, Kinect Star Wars game, Kinect Adventures game, 320GB Hard Drive, C-3PO-themed Xbox 360 Wireless Controller, and the high note of the bundle a R2-D2-themed Xbox 360 console that makes R2′s trademarked whistles!

These Are the Droids You’re Looking For is a post from: L7 World

MICROSOFT STORE (free shipping)

Xbox 360 4 GB Console with Kinect – $199.99

Last chance to save $100 on this bundle.

Cyber Monday Xbox Kinect Bundle is a post from: L7 World

If you don’t have at least one of these consoles, now’s the time. You can get either an Xbox or PS3 bundle for just $199.99 (and you don’t even need to camp outside a store like crazy person).

AMAZON BLACK FRIDAY DEALS (Free shipping and no tax*):

UPDATE:
Xbox 360 4GB Console with Kinect plus 50 promotional credits ($199.99)
IT’S BACK! RIGHT NOW! THE BEST DEAL YOU WILL FIND!
$50 STORE CREDIT MAKE THIS BUNDLE ESSENTIALLY $150.
Only 25 MINUTES LEFT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
(Click the above link above then select video games from drop down box)

Xbox 360 4GB Console with Kinect ($199.99)
IT’S BACK! NO time limit, but act fast before it’s gone again (230 units available).

Xbox 360 4GB Console with Kinect ($199.99)
This is a lighting deal, meaning it will go fast. It starts today @ 6:15 PST (9:15 Regular time) so have the page loaded and your mouse clean.

Xbox 360 4GB Console with Kinect plus 50 promotional credits ($199.99)
If you miss today’s deal or want to take your chances on a better deal, Amazon will throw in 50 promotional credits on Black Friday (essentially bringing the price down to $150) but that will go even faster.

UPDATE: Apparently this deal was supposed to be at 9 AM PST but there was a technical problem. If you tried to get this deal but it didn’t show the promotional credit contact Amazon and show them this screenshot (http://imageshack.us/f/337/26653352.jpg/) and they should honor the deal. I have heard they may be offer this deal again later today.

Xbox 360 4GB Console – $139.99
Not a bundle but at this price you can make your own bundle starts 10:00 PM PST.

Black Friday 2011 Bundle: LittleBigPlanet 2 Special Edition and Ratchet & Clank: All 4 One ($199.99)
Happening now. There’s no specified time but similar deals on Newegg and Best Buy are already gone!
IT BACK!!! 47 UNITS AVAILABLE, HURRY!

SEARS

Microsoft Xbox 360 4GB Console with Kinect / Kinect Adventures Game ($209.99)
It’s only $10 more (plus tax) than Amazon deal which is gone. Enter code “realjoy”

Black Friday Xbox and PS3 bundles (UPDATE 2) is a post from: L7 World

It’s been more than 3 years since Ubisoft announced the apocalyptic survival game I Am Alive with nary a mention since. Much like its protagonist, the video game is still alive at least for Xbox Live Arcade and PS3 Network. The scaled back version and will no longer be released for PC, but Ubisoft tells fans they won’t be disappointed.

“We know people have been waiting for this game to arrive, and we believe it’s going to be worth the wait,” said Adam Novickas, director of marketing at Ubisoft. “I Am Alive presents a unique take on the post-apocalyptic, survival genre by creating more complex and emotional situations for the player. Xbox Live Arcade and PlayStation Network are the perfect platforms to leverage the mature and challenging experiences of the game.”

The mature rating is in part due to dark characters that take advantage of more more than just the situation. According to Entertainment Software Ratings Board (ESRB), sexual mistreatment is sometimes implied in the dialogue (e.g., “These guys kept me as their pet, or mascot, or something.”). Ubisoft says “players are faced with thought-provoking choices,” which seems to imply saving these abused women is optional.

I Am Alive (Still) is a post from: L7 World

What do you get when you combine the visuals of video game director Goichi Suda (No More Heroes 2: Desperate Struggle) and the story telling of film director James Gunn (PG Porn): eye candy!

“Lollipop Chainsaw is the story of young, beautiful zombie-killer Juliet Starling, her sidekick disembodied-head boyfriend, and the entire Starling family of zombie killers as they team up to stop a colossal zombie outbreak. Leading the zombies are a group of zombie rock and roll lords who do battle with Juliet,” writes Gunn on his blog. He also reveals that “many of the the folks who you see regularly in my films and other projects also have roles to play in Lollipop Chainsaw.” One such cameo could be porn star Jenna Haze, who has worked with Gunn in PG Porn and Humanzee, and it wouldn’t be her first time dressing up as a cheerleader.

Lollipop Chainsaw won’t be out until sometime in 2012 (Xbox and PS3), but until then you can get to know Julie on her Twitter account @JulietStarling.

Lollipop Chainsaw is a post from: L7 World

Have you thanked a programmer?

It’s Video Game Week on Late Night with Jimmy Fallon and to celebrate the opening credits have gone 8-bit with a digitized Jimmy running across the screen à la Ninja Gaiden.

Jimmy is showing off his video game skills each night with demos of Modern Warfare 3, Gears of War 3, Uncharted 3: Drake’s Deception, Battlefield 3, and The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword. All of which will be saved at latenightwithjimmyfallon.com.

Video Game Week is a post from: L7 World

In China, chain gangs are going high-tech. Liu Dali alleges that he and 300 other prisoners at Jixi labor camp in Heilongjiang province were forced to play online games in 12-hour shifts. They collected virtual money to trade with other players for real money, an illegal practice known as gold farming.

The Prison reportedly made upwards of $900 a day, which was not shared with the prisoners, but when they missed their quota the prisoners would be physically punished. “They would make me stand with my hands raised in the air and after I returned to my dormitory they would beat me with plastic pipes,” Dali told the Guardian.

Virtual Chain Gang is a post from: L7 World

ThriXXX, an adult game publisher, recently hacked Microsoft’s Kinect for Xbox, which allows players to control video games with their hands & feet (and now other body parts).

But Microsoft says hands off. “This isn’t the first example of a technology being used in ways not intended by its manufacturer, and it won’t be the last. Microsoft did not authorize or license its technology for this use. Xbox is a family friendly games and entertainment console and does not allow Adults Only (AO) content to be certified for use on its platform, and would not condone this type of game for Kinect.”

ThriXXX could bypass Microsoft altogether by dealing directly with PrimeSense, the depth-sensing technology behind Kinect. And VP Brad Abram says “If we have to, maybe we would give it away for free as part of the open-source community efforts.” A demo is expected by April 2011.

XXXbox is a post from: L7 World

In the fourth and final episode of the Doctor Who Adventure Games, Shadows of the Vashta Nerada, Amy and the Doctor visit a future where global warming has flooded 75% of the Earth’s land mass and forced humanity to live in underwater cities.

Under Pressure

It’s the first game in the series to create a real sense of urgency. You’re constantly on the run. Outside, there’s a giant shark that rams the tunnels and floods them if you hang around too long. Inside, air piranhas known as Vashta Nerada lurk in the shadows. Not even the light is safe when the Vashta Nerada start reanimating they’re victims inside their diving suits. Unlike their debut episode Silence in the Library though, these suits have no means of communication. Not that it matters. There’s no master plan behind these occurrences, just you’re typical hole in space time, which not only sent through alien monsters but also deadly alien radiation. In order to cure the crew you’ll have navigate the tunnels looking for ingredients. All the tunnels look identical so navigating them can be confusing. Fortunately, they’re symmetrical and all lead main structure, which can be seen through the glass.

In addition to the standard connecting wires puzzle, there are are two new puzzles. The hardest of which is turning on the lights by lining up green rotating rings. The best strategy is clicking just before they reach the yellow mark. The power only returns intermittently so you’ll have to time your running to match the lights. Make sure to let Amy go first otherwise you’ll bump into her and end up fish food. The other puzzle is opening doors by memorizing blinking access codes of 3 to 5 digits. Unlike the no pressure puzzles of previous games, three failed attempts in either puzzle will result in death by the Vashta Nerada consuming you or the shark shattering the glass, respectively.

If you’re in the U.K. you can download Shadows of the Vashta Nerada for free @ BBC.CO.UK. Otherwise read my guide to using a proxy ip (it’s not breaking and entering, it’s sonicing and entering).

Doctor Who The Adventure Games: Shadows of the Vashta Nerada – Review is a post from: L7 World