The Case of the Indie Devs and the Medical Marijuana Mixup [Ruh Roh]

IllFonic, the Denver-based developer of Ghetto Golf , happens to have a medical marijuana dispensary for a next-door neighbor. Last night its alarm went off, the fuzz showed up at the wrong address, and three devs were cuffed at gunpoint. Now, this all has a happy ending; no police brutality was committed or alleged, and IllFonic wants it clear that “If anything, we applaud [the police] for their rapid response to an alarm going off.” But it ain’t something that happens every day. And there’s video of the encounter (above). Shogun Gamer reports that the doobie warehouse next to IllFonic had been victimized by a series of break-ins, successful and attempted, so the cops have been taking incidents there very seriously. Last night it was apparently broken into again, and the DPD rolled up, except to the wrong door. The police held at gunpoint the three devs they encountered, then handcuffed them while they searched the premises for contraband pot or any bad guys lurking about. A second patrol car showed up, told the first patrol they got the wrong address, and everything was cleared up. Obviously getting the address wrong is the key here. After that, this actually plays out according to police procedure, yes, including the handcuffs and the guns, considering we’re talking about a suspected burglary and drugs involved. IllFonic, according to Shogun Gamer, is taking it good naturedly. “The alarm to the marijuana dispensary next door was going off, the cops came to… investigate,” IllFonic told Shogun Gamer. “They got the addresses wrong. This is the result. WE ARE NOT COMPLAINING ABOUT THE POLICE. If anything, we applaud them for their rapid response to an alarm going off, even if they had the wrong address.” Hate to look like I’m blaming the victim, but IllFonic might want to consider renting a different office if it can. I can’t imagine being next to a repeatedly burglarized pot barn is going to be good for productivity down the line. IllFonic Developers Handcuffed Due to Police Error [Shogun Gamer]

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The Case of the Indie Devs and the Medical Marijuana Mixup [Ruh Roh]

EXCER-CISE! [Note]

To: Ash From: Crecente Re: Yes, I Have Barfy Kids So I finally got off my fat backend and got around to exercising. After a lifetime of being underweight, and mostly fit, it was a pretty big shock to hear I was so completely unfit earlier this week. I looked into a number of exercise options, mostly thanks to all of the nice people who emailed and Twittered me, but finally decided on something I’ve always wanted to try out. As a kid I bowled (yes on a team), was on a swim team, tennis team, baseball team, soccer team, basketball team. Later I took taekwondo, took shotokon karate, I fenced for nearly a decade, skied snowboarded, rock climbed, hiked, mountain biked and road biked. But I’ve always wanted to try out Kendo. Yesterday I tracked down an impressive dojo in Denver, drove to the place, paid my fees and dropped directly into my first two hour class. It marked what I hope will be the first of many twice weekly, two hour workouts. Now, I know you’ve told me you want to do this too. So do it. That way, one day we could spar! FIGHT!!! What you missed: Points For Toothbrushing: The Gaming Speech Everyone Is Talking About What Ever Happened to That Other Prince of Persia? Assassin’s Creed II: Bonfire Of The Vanities Micro-Review: Once More, With Fleeing Speak-Up On Kotaku: Game Mash-Ups, T-Shirts, Singalongs, And Viewtiful Woes David Jaffe Took Your Calls, Needed 15 Bleeps Nintendo Summit News Round-Up Is Valve Bringing Steam To The Mac? In Defense of – and a Salute to – The Pro Killer Whale’s Violent Past Includes Deadly Attack on Ultima-Obsessed Drifter

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EXCER-CISE! [Note]

How Madden is Raising a New Generation of Football Player [Sports]

When Denver’s Brandon Stokely caught a game-winning pass against Cincinnati earlier this year, he veered parallel to the goal line en route to the end zone, to both burn time and celebrate. He told Wired it was a Madden-inspired move. It’s one of the more jaw-dropping anecdotal instances of how sports video games – specifically Madden – have raised a different generation of competitor, especially in American football. Increasingly, kids are reporting to the gridiron better versed in football terminology and more perceptive of circumstances on field, like disguised coverages and tricks to expose them. And it’s not just innate knowledge. Madden and other sims are increasingly used in preparation for actual games, Wired says: At the Pop Warner Super Bowl in 2006, the winning team had 30 offensive plays, which it had learned through Madden. (“I programmed our offense into Madden to help me memorize our plays,” one 11-year-old told Sports Illustrated. “It was easier than homework.”) Dezmon Briscoe, an all-conference wide receiver for the University of Kansas, credited Madden 2009 with teaching him how to read when defenses “roll their coverages” – move their defensive backs to disguise their strategy. Chuck Kyle, a high school coach who has won 10 state championships in football-mad Ohio, has programmed his team USA playbook into Madden and uses it to teach players their assignments. So have coaches at Colorado State, Penn State, and the University of Missouri, among other schools. I can tell you that Madden’s effect isn’t limited to performers. Simulation-quality Madden taught me to recognize certain formations and coverages, and how I wrote about high school football is noticeably different before and after my exposure to the game. It may not have as profound an impact as 22 players on the field, all growing up playing Madden, but it too influences the public’s knowledge and appreciation of a very complicated sport. Game Changers: How Videogames Trained a Generation of Athletes [Wired]

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How Madden is Raising a New Generation of Football Player [Sports]

Fly Away, Fly Away, Fly Away Home [Note]

To: Ash From: Crecente Re: Suggestions My 20 hours in Los Angeles were blissful. Granted, I spent more than a third of it sleeping, but still: Blissful. The rain that has so confused and confounded Californians mostly stayed away and I spent the morning in the MTV offices shooting a segment with Geoff Keighley for an upcoming episode of Gametrailers TV. Right now I’m sitting on a bit of particularly pungent carpet at LAX writing up some things as I await my flight back to Denver, puppies and T&T. Or to put it another way, Love cubed. What you missed: Best Video Game Cut Scenes of 2009 Bioshock 2’s Chief Creator Against A Tide Of Skeptics Mass Effect 2 Is Latest EA Game To Sweeten The Deal For “Original Purchasers” 2009 Game of the Year Finalist Debate: Demon’s Souls The Avatar Video Game Disappointment The Brink Character Customization Video That Almost Wasn’t

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Fly Away, Fly Away, Fly Away Home [Note]

A Look Inside the LEGO Universe [Netdevil]

A massive profile of NetDevil by the Denver alternative weekly WestWord turns up some interesting tidbits about the LEGO MMO the studio is building. The piece, by Joel Warner, is a serious deep dive into not just NetDevil, but also the LEGO culture it seeks to tap with LEGO Universe , a project that has been delayed several times and is now due out in the second half of this year. Some of the tidbits I was able to glean about the game and the studio (these may or may not be known already): • “Just making a sixteen-stud virtual LEGO brick requires twice as many three-dimensional surfaces, or polygons, as a World of Warcraft character, thanks to all its knobs, divots and underside tubes – not to mention the tiny LEGO logos emblazoned on each stud.” • The creative team was so meticulous about making the virtual LEGO plastic consistent with real life acrylonitrile butadiene styrene, they “developed a process called ambient inclusion that mimics the way light bounces off the different colored bricks.” • NetDevil is working on moderation processes to make sure people don’t create LEGO penis monsters or intellectual property-infringing LEGO Spider-Mans or whatever. While it sounds like just straight up moderation, Westword said NetDevil claims to be working on a process that “is so clever that they’re not at liberty to fully discuss it.” OK. • In addition to LEGO Universe, NetDevil is working on Jumpgate Evolution and “a yet-to-be-announced title about which all visitors are sworn to secrecy.” • NetDevil’s well aware its fate as a studio is tethered to this project. “After Auto Assault,” NetDevil’s Ryan Seabury told WestWord, “we said we’d rather go out of business than ship a bad product again.” LEGO Universe – Colorful Plastic’s Answer to World of Warcraft – is the Brainchild of Colorado-based NetDevil [WestWord]

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A Look Inside the LEGO Universe [Netdevil]

In Tight Times, Gamers Dig Deep for the Needy [Philanthropy]

Despite a flatlined economy and a sharp downward trend in game sales, Child’s Play and other gaming-themed benefits have done as well or better than in better times. GamePro, rounding up a look at game philanthropy, spoke to Kotaku editor-in-chief Brian Crecente about this site’s November event in Denver (pictured), which pulled in contributions more than 50 percent over what was raised in 2008. Crecente indicated that, when hard times hit, people are more cognizant of those in need. But gaming also seems to be something of a growth area in philanthropy as a whole. To those people who embrace [video game] culture there are very few ways to give back to the community in a meaningful way that is also linked to gaming. Fundraisers and charities like Child’s Play offer both an excellent outlet for charitable good will, but also a means to do good as a gamer, something still rare. Fundraising totals were up nearly across the board for other major efforts, especially Desert Bus for Hope , which doubled its 2008 total with almost $140,000 raised this year. Realizing we’re starting with young causes and with figures comparatively small next to well organized, long-lived philanthropies; but I’m sure any development officer for any foundation in America would take increases of 50 or 100 percent. The three projects cited by GamePro are far from the only works, and they represent a huge opportunity for gamers to give back. Gamers Get Less, Give More in 2009 [GamePro]

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In Tight Times, Gamers Dig Deep for the Needy [Philanthropy]

We Came, We Partied, We Raised… [Event]

Thanks to everyone who came out to last week’s Child’s Play fundraiser in Denver. That includes the reader who drove, DROVE, from Florida to partake in the raising of funds for a good cause. Also to Harmonix who flew from Boston to hang for a night. It was the best event in Denver to date with a crowd of gamers dancing and drinking under an absurdly large disco ball, people up on stage playing Rock Band and DJ Hero and folks on a second floor enjoying the free console arcade. Last year we managed to raise a surprising $4,000. This year we brought in more than that just at the door. The total funds raised in Denver last Thursday night comes to $6,508. And because so many people donated their time, their shwag, their building, heart and soul, 100 percent of the money raised is going to the charity and none to the act of raising money for it. You should pat yourself on the back for making this such a fun time for such a good cause. And if you have spare cash, or the desire to give non-spare cash away. Hit up Child’s Play directly . And if you have them, feel free to post your own pics from the event in comments. Special thanks to photographers Phillip Loeb and Allen for these photos.

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We Came, We Partied, We Raised… [Event]

Win a Modern Warfare 2 Limited Edition Xbox 360 [Event]

Tomorrow’s the day. Come join us in Denver Thursday evening to help raise money for Child’s Play , to play games on stage and off, get a chance to win some amazing door prizes and bid on our silent auction. While my guest room is already overflowing with sweet, sweet swag to giveaway at tomorrow night’s event, our own Stephen Totilo sent along four more boxes of goodies to add to the mix. His contributions include a limited edition Modern Warfare 2 Xbox 360, shirts, doodads, inflatables, costumes and masks. Oh and a Thanksgiving Turkey hat. Can’t forget that. There will also be a silent auction and tons more door prizes . If you’re planning on coming, and you really should, here are the details: Kotaku Child’s Play Fundraiser Where: Cervantes Masterpiece Ballroom When: Thursday, Nov. 19 6 p.m. to midnight Who: 16 years and up. Need to be 21 and have ID to buy alcohol. How Much: $10 donation What: Rock Band, DJ Hero and tons of console games up on stage and in a console arcade. Why: To raise money for Child’s Play … and have fun doing it. Special thanks to: Adam Barenblat Cervantes Masterpiece Ballroom Colorado Cutthroat Connection David Thomas Death of the Arcade NetDevil and studios too numerous to mention. Team Kotaku The full post.

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Win a Modern Warfare 2 Limited Edition Xbox 360 [Event]

Win Ryu in LEGO [Event]

This Thursday gamers, hopefully lots of gamers, will be gathering in Denver to help raise money for Child’s Play … and to perhaps win one of these amazing LEGO creations. NetDevil employee and LEGO master has once more come up with some amazing bits of block art to giveaway at the fundraiser later this week. I think my favorite among the bunch is Ryu. There will also be a silent auction and tons more door prizes . If you’re planning on coming, and you really should, here are the details: Kotaku Child’s Play Fundraiser Where: Cervantes Masterpiece Ballroom When: Thursday, Nov. 19 6 p.m. to midnight Who: 16 years and up. Need to be 21 and have ID to buy alcohol. How Much: $10 donation What: Rock Band, DJ Hero and tons of console games up on stage and in a console arcade. Why: To raise money for Child’s Play … and have fun doing it. Special thanks to: Adam Barenblat Cervantes Masterpiece Ballroom Colorado Cutthroat Connection Death of the Arcade NetDevil and studios too numerous to mention. The full post.

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Win Ryu in LEGO [Event]

Want Uncharted 2: Fortune Hunter’s Edition? You Should Come Party With Kotaku! [Event]

There will be a big party in a few weeks in Denver to raise money for Child’s Play . And I think you should come. Here’s why. We’ll have Rock Band and DJ Hero up on stage for all to play, a free console arcade set up on the second floor, a GIANT disco ball under which people could dance if they so choose, silent auction items to bid on , a mountain of swag to win and.. AND one of the door prizes will be a copy of the limited edition, impossible-to-buy Uncharted 2: Fortune Hunter’s Edition for the Playstation 3. It’s just a minimum $10 donation to get in the doors and you need to 16 or older, though you’ll need to be 21 to buy drinks. The party runs from 6 p.m. to midnight at the grand old Cervantes Masterpiece Ballroom in downtown Denver. People will be there and most, if not all of them, will not be square. Do you want to be square? I don’t think so. You know what to do!

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Want Uncharted 2: Fortune Hunter’s Edition? You Should Come Party With Kotaku! [Event]

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