ɔimoɈɒ – Page 32 – Just another WordPress site

Albuquerque Balloon Fiesta 2013

This is short, awe-inspiring and, at the same time, makes me a little sad. This is a longer, feet on the ground, video: Related posts: Onlive: Gaming in the Cloud review Digital Surveillance: why are we surprised? Ruminating on Android Engagement CoderDojoBelfast kicks off for 2012-2013

This is short, awe-inspiring and, at the same time, makes me a little sad.

This is a longer, feet on the ground, video:

Women Who Code

Started in Belfast this month. Events coming soon. Spread the word. Related posts: “Music: an aperitif for the maw of Digital” Women Who Code – poster and update There Are Women Who Code STEM is for women

Started in Belfast this month. Events coming soon. Spread the word.

Yeahbut, Apple doesn’t do Defaults

From MA.TT (Matt Mullenweg): If Microsoft did this a decade ago we’d call for the DoJ to reopen their investigation. Apple has the best phone, best tablet, and in many ways the best operating system — we should not give them a pass for this blatantly self-interested and user-hostile stance. Defaults matter. Emphasis mine. Keep … Continue reading “Yeahbut, Apple doesn’t do Defaults”

From MA.TT (Matt Mullenweg):

If Microsoft did this a decade ago we’d call for the DoJ to reopen their investigation. Apple has the best phone, best tablet, and in many ways the best operating system — we should not give them a pass for this blatantly self-interested and user-hostile stance. Defaults matter.

Emphasis mine. Keep that in mind.

And the DOJ would reply “Come back to me when they have a monopoly. Any monopoly. Of anything” because someone as smart as Matt Mullenweg should understand that you don’t get the DOJ involved when it’s just something you don’t like. You get them involved when there’s a problem with how a company is obeying the law.

Also, on the subject of defaults, Matt seems to be new to the Mac. Defaults are something that Apple has always been shy of. Sure, on the Mac they permitted you to set defaults for things they don’t care about (like which app to open a JPG with) but outside of that? They’ve removed most of the defaults over the years and this is not because they’re user hostile because if that were the case, their users would leave. No, it’s because they have figured out that the vast majority of their users actually do not give a damn. Further than that, the vast majority of their users would actually be adversely affected by apps that demanded to be the defaults.

If there is a problem with defaults then why doesn’t the “power user” community entreat developers to provide defaults in an agreed way? Apple isn’t going to cave on this because they’re shifting more product and making more profit than god these days. And it’s still open to interpretation that they’re right.

But you’re right. Apple should kowtow to the alpha geeks who demand defaults. These same alpha geeks who would be just as likely to switch to Android or Windows Phone if the new and shiny appeared. If “in many ways“, the OS on those handsets and tablets improved. That’s a valuable market to be sure.

Her Majesty’s SPIFFING – a call to lights, camera, action!

This is the latest endeavour from Billygoat Entertainment and they’ve got a Steam Greenlight page up. Related posts: Raspberry Pi: some useful links for doing more than playing around. Guns and Games: it’s a dirty deal Translink: just close the doors and turn off the lights Camera+ Enhancement – Must Have

This is the latest endeavour from Billygoat Entertainment and they’ve got a Steam Greenlight page up.

Unity. C#.

Something that Paul from South West College has drummed into me is the need to have a knowledge of C# to get the best from Unity. I found these tutorials on Youtube via the Unity forums. The beautiful thing about Unity 3D for me is that you can achieve so much without code. In an … Continue reading “Unity. C#.”

Something that Paul from South West College has drummed into me is the need to have a knowledge of C# to get the best from Unity. I found these tutorials on Youtube via the Unity forums.

The beautiful thing about Unity 3D for me is that you can achieve so much without code. In an ideal world your artist can achieve much, your designers can achieve much and your storyboard-ists can achieve much…all before a line of code is written. In theory it allows everyone to focus on where they have strengths.

Azarkant – spaceships, robots, skeletons, armour

This is the sort of result I’d love to see coming out of #3ddojo. Plot-wise it’s a tried-and-tested (cliché) story but it’s executed well and when you see the amount of work that has gone into it, you will be amazed. Related posts: Windows is shit. Sorry. Games Designers: Make Me Cry! All I needed … Continue reading “Azarkant – spaceships, robots, skeletons, armour”

This is the sort of result I’d love to see coming out of #3ddojo.

Plot-wise it’s a tried-and-tested (cliché) story but it’s executed well and when you see the amount of work that has gone into it, you will be amazed.

Old Maps to 3D Worlds

This is stuff we’ve been talking about for ages. And the British Library has gone ahead and done it. Related posts: Have you ever had a dream, Neo, that you were so sure was real? What if you were unable to wake from that dream? How would you know the difference between the dream world … Continue reading “Old Maps to 3D Worlds”

This is stuff we’ve been talking about for ages. And the British Library has gone ahead and done it.

Old Maps become 3D Virtual Worlds — Sure would be great if the BBC would make it easier to link to their content.

I will until my last breath

I will until my last breath remember the past and the struggles my generation made to build this country into a civilised state for the working and middle classes. If we are to survive as a progressive nation we have to start tending to our living because the wounded: our poor, our underemployed youth, our … Continue reading “I will until my last breath”

I will until my last breath remember the past and the struggles my generation made to build this country into a civilised state for the working and middle classes. If we are to survive as a progressive nation we have to start tending to our living because the wounded: our poor, our underemployed youth, our hard-pressed middle class and our struggling seniors shouldn’t be left to die on the battleground of modern life.

The Box of Crazy

This is more as an aide-memoire for myself but you might be amused. Click on the image and make sure you have a warm and strong Brownian Motion producer by your side. Related posts: Jonathan Gems on the abolition of the UKFC The Top 5 Dream Jobs #top5dreamjobs Let go of the old… Here’s to … Continue reading “The Box of Crazy”

This is more as an aide-memoire for myself but you might be amused. Click on the image and make sure you have a warm and strong Brownian Motion producer by your side.

Fabulous Kickstarters

I’ve backed a heap of Kickstarters and I thought I would present some of them here. I’ll put them in chronological order and leave out some of the ones that maybe didn’t do quite so well. Solar Circuit Racing – this was one of my first and it’s for a paper-and-card board game on racing. … Continue reading “Fabulous Kickstarters”

I’ve backed a heap of Kickstarters and I thought I would present some of them here. I’ll put them in chronological order and leave out some of the ones that maybe didn’t do quite so well.

Solar Circuit Racing – this was one of my first and it’s for a paper-and-card board game on racing. I backed it because I am trying to make a video game with a similar concept. Plus I like board games.
TWINE – was my first technology kickstarted and it turned out fabulously. It’s a little sensor toy that is really only limited by the fact that I can’t write code for toffee.
Pebble – probably my most frequently used kickstarter and it’s only getting better. It’s an actual smart watch that has stayed smart.
Predestination – I’m not actually a big fan of 4X games but as this is from the amazingly talented and lovely people at Brain and Nerd, I had to help out. They’re a local games company and they have an incredible work ethic.
Elite: Dangerous – I’m an old geek. How could I not back this?
ROAM – a top down survival shooter/builder. With zombies. Again, I had to buy it.
Harbinger Down – any geek who still loves watching The Thing should back this or should buy it when it’s released.
Satellite Reign – this game may save me a huge amount of money and heartache in the long run by making a game that I’ve always wanted to make and selling it to me for a few dollars.
Structure Sensor – if you can’t see why I backed this then you must be new here. This is essentially a 3D scanner that works with your tablet or phone. To create 3D objects or structures which can then be 3D printed or used as 3D assets in games or animations.
Neverending Nightmares – a game about depression and the monsters it can create.
The Long Dark – a first person post-disaster sim which looks fabulous. this could only be bettered by going third person in my opinion.
PatchBlocks – another local Kickstarter for a music box. It does some synth magic and makes sound come out. Other than that, I don’t know. It’s just magic.
HDMIPi – a 9″ portable screen for the Raspberry Pi. I use my Pi a lot for demos so this would really fit into my nomad lifestyle. And just the same day I found out about it, I had been moaning about the need for it. Sealed the deal.

So far I’ve backed 10 games projects, 4 technology projects, 2 film and video projects and 1 design project.

Those are the Kickstarters that I’ve backed to date. What great ones have I missed? What great ones are still out there? what has been your best decision on this?