During the past couple of days, whispers indicate a new controller peripheral (other than the drums and microphone) will be introduced for Guitar Hero: World Tour - for its PS3 and Xbox 360 versions, at least. It turns out that someone got misquoted somewhere, but now it's been clarified. The so-called "new instrument" is actually a feature that uses the PC to record songs into your PS3 or 360 library. It may be a bit anti-climactic for some of you, but it's cool nonetheless.

Numerical scores are like so last decade ago. So, breaking free from the supposed "one-size-fits-all" checklists of items to add up to a game's "score", we're going to be implementing a new five-star review system. See, we're trying to avoid having to quantify video games into arbitrary numbers. After all, many of us feel that a game isn't just the sum of all its parts (as in a checklist), but rather, the totality of the gaming experience itself! In the full article, we've come up with a handy FAQ to introduce this brand spanking new system to all of you QJ.NET readers. And yes, there're no half-stars about it! Rawr!

Funcom is letting you guys know that several updates have been added to the official website of MMORPG Age of Conan: Hyborian Adventures (PC and Xbox 360).

These include the revamp of the site itself as well as the addition of Ask Kalanthes feature. To see the specifics of each addition, just click the "read more" link below. It should take you to the full article.

Bungie Studios have released their FAQ list for the Halo 3 launch. The document discusses various problems that players may encounter as well as some tips on how to handle them.

Among the issues tackled included players not being able to continue their saved games on a different Xbox 360 even if they use their own unit's memory unit or hard drive.  Bungie is still investigating this issue so we can expect a solution for this problem soon. Bungie also addressed the scratched or damaged disks that many gamers have been complaining about, and even provided a link which should help in replacing them.

Another thing players have been encountering is the apparent network slowdown when uploading screenshots, statistics, or progress to Bungie servers. The company gave word that the stuff users are sending are being saved. Users will just have to wait for those ahead of the queue to get processed before they can be attended to.

There were more details in the FAQ which you can access via our Read Link. It is advisable to go over it if you have the game and are experiencing a problem with it.

A lot of people are excited about Harmonix Music Systems' Rock Band for the Xbox 360 and PS3 and why wouldn't they be? They upped the ante on Guitar Hero by adding another guitar, a drumset, bass guitar and even a microphone for the game.

If that's not awesome enough, the gameplay video that was released was just ripping featuring the engineers working on it and a cover track of Welcome to the Jungle. So if that's not enough reason to at least look at the game, I don't know what is. Anyway, if this game has grabbed your attention as much as it has ours, then listen up. Kotaku posted the FAQ for the game with lots of details that any gamer should take note off.

Gameplay

• Guitar gameplay (Rhythm and Lead): Rock blistering solos to rock's best tunes! Challenge your rock star status on the screen while strumming a slick guitar that's modeled after the legendary Fender Stratocaster.
• Drum gameplay: Capture the power, physicality, and sheer fun of real drumming with Rock Band's custom drum kit controller featuring four pads, kick pedal, and real drum sticks.
• Bass gameplay: Bust out defying rock rhythm with the bass guitar option, which offers different parts to play in every song, and some unique gameplay twists.

Modes

• Tutorial Mode: Master the basics! No need for experience. Pick your weapon of choice and ascend from beginner to rock god.
• Practice Mode: Perfect your tune! Breakdown any part of any song at your preferred speed.
• Quickplay: Perfect your tune! Breakdown any part of any song at your preferred speed.
• Solo Tour: Take it on the road! Pack up your instrument of choice and set out on the open road for a fun and challenging single player career mode.
• World Tour: Conquer the world! Live the ultimate rock band lifestyle when you form a band locally or online and set out on tour. The journey to rock stardom takes you from small town bars to world-renowned venues. Earn fame and fortune along the way to secure rock star necessities.

Want to read more? Click on our full article for the full FAQ!

This week's update on Bungie.net has trusty Frank briefing gamers for the three-week long drive in the Halo 3 Beta testing phase. Now Bungie knows that three-weeks might seem awfully short, but it's more than enough game and beta-testing time to find the kinks in the code and sort them out.

Again, because the Beta test phase may bubble up some exploits or bugs, the final version is going to be different from the Beta version. There's no need to get comfortable with all the subtle features that ships with the game next month, because Frank said, "Don’t get used to anything you see in there. Objects may have shifted while in flight."

But just in case you people want to prime yourselves for the more common matters in the Beta test, Bungie will be pushing out an FAQ for all participants a day before the test phase starts. Things that will be covered include the controls, some new features (that you might want to test), how to get the Beta content and what you will be testing out.

Also be reminded that Bungie already has tested out the mechanics of matchmaking during their internal Microsoft Beta testing, although they've had a limited number of participants to duke it out with. The public beta should change that soon once it comes around this May.

While it is possible to run your Xbox 360's files off to a new HDD in case you need the extra space, or in the event of a re-formatting, there's still the problem of finding an affordable HDD certified by Microsoft. Now, in case you already have a specific HDD in mind, but nary a thumbs up from the big "M," TheSpecialist comes in with his HDDHackr v0.82B tool.

This handy MS-DOS based application allows users to run a 2.5-inch laptop Western Digital BEVS Hard Drive off the 360 as if it were its internal HDD - just remember that this program will only work with the Scorpia Beva series from Western Digital.

Then again, considering that a Western Digital 40GB HDD sells goes for a reasonable US $ 50, we thought the cash-strapped 360 fans here may want to give it a try. As for the app's latest changelog:

• Added option to flash the Western Digital back to its original state
• Much easier to use, no more manual copying of sectors
• Improved compatibility, should now really work with all BEVS models
• Bug fixed, that caused flashing of incorrect serial number in some rare cases

Just make sure to view the bundle's README for the step-by-step installation guide, as well as TheSpecialist's comprehensive FAQ. And as we're already on the topic of porting "alien" HDDs to your 360, Talismoon has an adaptor that should mix just fine with this program - make sure to check it out as well.

Download: [HDDHackr v0.82B]

Ok, to answer the question most people are asking right now: Yes, the Halo 3 Beta registration is closed. Let the disappointment rush over you and go to your happy place. Ok, are we all in our happy place now? Well, if you aren't, the FAQ has lots of information that will take you to your happy place.

The people who were picked to join the beta testing were chosen randomly. That means "it's not you that's the problem". Another interesting revelation in the FAQ is the fact that those who will be involved are not required to sign NDAs (Non-Disclosure Agreements) so we'll know what they're doing and will have news regarding it. Being on the sidelines is not as good as actually being in the beta test, but it's better than nothing. Then, there's the part of the FAQ that makes me smile every time I think about it. WE WILL BE ABLE TO BLOW THINGS UP WITH THE LASER! WOOT!

That said, if you want to read the full FAQ, you can check out the link provided below.

The Specialist has released a tool that allows Xbox 360 owners to use HDDs that are not certified by Microsoft. That means you'll be able to use your SATA HDDs with your Xbox 360s (insert "yay!"s and riotous joy).

There are still a few limits, though. For now, the tool only works with the Western Digital BEVS series and you can only use a 20GB drive. Still, this'll save you quite a bit of cash if you go this route instead of buying a standard 20GB hard drive for your Xbox 360. The Specialist also says that once bigger Microsoft-certified HDDs come out, you'll also be able to use bigger HDDs with his tool.

For the technically-inclined, here's a look at how it works, straight from the Specialist:

x360 HDDs contain information on sector 16 about the HDD: the HDD serial number, the model, the firmware version and the size in sectors is stored here. The x360 asks the HDD to identify itself, by sending an 'IDENTIFY DEVICE' ATA to the HDD. It will compare the returned information to the info that is stored on sector 16.

This information on sector 16 is signed and thus can not be changed. This tool will mod the FW from the WD HDD to comply with the information on sector 16, so that the 'identify' information will match the information on sector 16 and your x360 will accept the HDD as valid.

Click on the download link below to get the app. Remember, read the readme file included in the download before you use this. It contains usage instructions as well as a short FAQ.

Download: [HDDHacker v0.5B]

During one of our daily forays into the World Wide Web, we stumbled upon a scan of a page which pretty much got us to sit up and pay attention. For one thing, the page was apparently taken from a book a couple of decades old, and contained predictions on how video games would be in the year 2000. We've read it, and it turns out that whoever wrote the prediction may actually turn out to be a video game prophet in his own right.

Upon doing a quick search, it turns out that the vintage page (sent in to Data of Data Realms from Prom) which contained the prophetic visions of the future was actually taken from the book "Usborne Guide To Computers", published around 1981. We also discovered after more Googling, that it's author, Brian Reffin Smith, was ahead of his time, but is also lucky enough to live to see that his predictions are actually spot on (so wherever you are, Mr. Smith, here's to you).

Now, just click on "Full Article" and let's see where he got it right as we go over the contents of the page...