PS. Video parameters “&w=800&h=500&fmt=18″
October 29, 2009
October 28, 2009
C# to HLSL
Jim has found a C# to HLSL compiler. Do you still think code is not data? 
ThumbBl thumbB = new ThumbBl(canvas) { Background = Brushes.Blue, LeftTop = new PointBl(0,0), CanDrag = true }; label.Effect.Custom = (input, uv) => { /*L1*/ PointBl p = label.RenderTransform.Inverse. Transform(thumbB.CenterPosition - label.LeftTop); /*L2*/ PointBl q = uv * label.Size; /*L3*/ DoubleBl d = (p - q).Length; /*L4*/ d = 1 - (d / 500).Min(1); /*L5*/ ColorBl clr = (d).Lerp(Colors.Black, Colors.Blue); /*L6*/ return ColorBl.FromScRgb ((input[uv].ScA).Min((1 - (d * d)).Max(.4)), clr.ScRGB); };
October 26, 2009
October 23, 2009
Games kill depression
Via Ben Lavender
Games kill boredom, alienation, anxiety, depression.
A Future Forecast:
In the next decade, we will
see more businesses and
organizations developing and
adopting customized alternate
realities , in order to create a
radically better way of doing, being,
acting and innovating in the real world.A Future Forecast:In the next decade, we willsee more businesses andorganizations developing andadopting customized alternaterealities , in order to create aradically better way of doing, being,acting and innovating in the real world.What do we mean by happiness?
- Having satisfying work to do
- The experience of being good at something
- Time spent doing something you like
- Being part of something bigger
Soon enough most of us will be in the happiness business.
Games designers have a good head start
Alternate realities signal the desire need & opportunity for us all to redesign reality for real quality of life.[...] the presentation is available on SlideShare.
Also:
Discover Magazine has a great story by Eliza Strickland about Superstruct out today. You can read it online: “Forecasting the Future May be a Matter of Fun and Games.”
Be sure to check out this video:
See also:
October 22, 2009
‘MS.Win32.Penimc.UnsafeNativeMethods’ threw an exception
Yesterday I installed Visual Studio 2010 beta 2. All good.
Today I tried to run a WPF application. Crash!
Unhandled Exception: System.TypeInitializationException: The type initializer for ‘MS.Win32.Penimc.UnsafeNativeMethods’ threw an exception. —> System.Runtime.InteropServices.COMException (0×80040154): Retrieving the COM class factory for component with CLSID {14D4CBD9-7490-4F25-BAA6-1C5E22F6B1E3} failed due to the fo
llowing error: 80040154.
at MS.Win32.Penimc.UnsafeNativeMethods..cctor()
I needed to consult google to learn how to actually file a bug to microsoft. Oh and connect site does NOT work with Google Chrome.
Update: After a few days I created this forum thread.
This is by no means the first issue I have encountered with WPF. Previously I have seen WPF to become unresponsive just like the rendered is not there. I had to reboot to overcome that.
WPF is great, but it kind of fails once too much!
Update: Notified Jason about the issue.
Update: The fix looks like this at the time:
C:\Windows\Microsoft.NET\Framework\v3.0\WPF>regsvr32 PenIMC.dll
Do You Believe in the Users
If you make people feel dumb, they will hate you and go away!
Via webmomkey
PS. Video parameters “&w=800&h=500&fmt=18″
October 21, 2009
Extending ScriptCoreLib
In this post I am going to show you how to implement yet another .net class for java. It is going to be Windows.Forms.Treeview.
This will be included in the next jsc release.
It is actually a regular .net windows forms application (see c# source code)!
October 17, 2009
Micro air vehicle
[...] If you don’t have a map of the building or whatever structure you’re infiltrating, you’re screwed
This little robot can scan the room and fly through it with no problems.
Writing AI code for such a toy would be fun! Using the same AI code in video games will be even cooler
What about warrior code?
October 16, 2009
All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy
In other news…
“Life is what happens to you while you’re busy making other plans.” – John Lennon
All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy,
All play and no work makes Jack a mere toy
Would this help?
Update: 3 weeks later and after several gifts and a movie visit she simply said to stop calling… guess i am single now…
Update: Things to do the next time:
- - Unpredictable
- - Uncontrollable
- - Challenging
- - Dominant
Comments Off
October 14, 2009
Crowd sourcing by Google
You do know that it is dirt cheap to hire a CAPTCHA breaker from India?
Google has now hired you, a member of the the google crowd sourcing resources, to perform work for google.
Go ahead watch the video and see it yourself how fun it is I will pause this part of the internet for you!
See also:
Instead of directly paying you for a not so interesting dayjob of converting 2d to 3d you are given a massive multiplayer game where your only mission is to build and share 3d buildings. Sounds like profit, for google
If your current job is of no fun, think of it as a game. Think what motivates you. Do the things which feed your motivation. Make your boring tasks more interesting by making them playful activities. Your life is just like World of Warcraft (which I have never played, do I miss out?) where you can advance your level and stats. You will get older, wiser and more mature. Only this time this game is for real. Or is it? What if you could switch bodies? What if you were to control other real people?
The last time I played with the idea of crowd sourcing I found out about what an ESP Game is. Google is simply applying it to its core product.
The next time you think you have figured out a good product, try to think how to crowd source it, because the internet is not a bunch of computers, what it actually is – a group of people connected real time forming a global common sense.
What if the latest game your kid is playing actually controls real life warrior mechs? Think about it.
PS. Video parameters “&w=800&h=500&fmt=18″
Appengine 1.2.6
As you may already know the SDK has been updated by google to version 1.2.6.
In this post I will document which files need to be changed in OrcasJavaGoogleApplication project template in order to switch to the new version.
- OrcasJavaGoogleApplication/web/build.xml
- OrcasJavaGoogleApplication/web/java/WEB-INF/appengine-web.xml
- OrcasJavaGoogleApplication/tools/run.bat
- OrcasJavaGoogleApplication/tools/update.bat
I guess you probably are now thinking this could be easier and yes it could and yes it will.
With the jsc solution you will soon be able to convert your simple web application to a Google Application Engine java servlet with ease provided you have the required tools like jsc, ant and appengine itself installed in your development environment.
October 12, 2009
Monetization
This post is about multiple topics in one. Due to technical limitations I was not able to embed the talks in this post and as such I am only able to provide you links to them.
In march Nonoba was seen over here.
Now in September Chris from Nonoba has attended yet another talk:
PlaySpan invites you to join a gathering of senior game industry executives and thought leaders to discuss the present and future of monetizing online games, virtual worlds and social networks.
GDC Vault has multiple talks from GDC Austin 09 ready for you over here (slides only?).
The Red Couch at level3.com has additional videos over here.
Where is the money?
One of the slides referenced above pointed me to Jussi’s blog. Clearly one should now focus on a virtual world technology.
Costumer Development Patterns
So where are the costumers who will pay? How do we identify them?
Costumers, markets and business shall be tested by a separate process:
Do you happen to have the irrational passion to execute your dreams? Passion is guessing. Are you an enterpreneur?
If a customer really loves your product, they will buy enough to get your company started.
Code with bugs will create different maintenance opportunities!
How to write a startup pitch?
The Elevator Pitch – What How and Why. How to end a pitch? Close with a bang!
Sleep is that time you’re working on startup problems with your eyes close
Iterate your ideas on a whiteboard and use your sleep, shower and jogging time to process the ideas. When you come back change your white board. This is the fastest way to plan your company.
See also:
October 11, 2009
Digital Distribution Summit – Small Games Big Market
Here are a few very interesting talks:
Show robust prototype with gameplay which is fun to play for an hour.
Marketing should be done from day one – humans like things which they are familiar with.
Hire a dedicated community manager.
Multiplayer games need estimates in how long the session will start. Give them a minigame for the wait! Add ghost modes.
Take something old and familiar and add a twist on it and you probably have a hit.
If the game occupies me the player for 5 minutes one dollar is a good prize!
Via IndieGames.com
October 10, 2009
Startup Building 101
Phase 1: Garage – Prototype it!
Phase 2: Seed – Alpha Launch!
Phase 3: Funded – Launch a real product!
[...] Who am I to challenge Microsoft?
What really matters?
- Huge market opportunity!
If you also like to see the slides then they are here.
Be sure to:
Via techcrunch
Some relevant excerpts:
“Plans are only good intentions,unless they immediately degenerateinto hard work.”
-Peter F. Drucker
And check out 8 Mistakes To Avoid When Naming Your Business
The Technolodgy Hype Cycle
The axis could also be renamed from Visibility / Time to Hype & Maturity. See more from Gartner.
What are the 5 phases of a Hype Cycle?
Technology Trigger
Peak of Inflated Expectations
Trough of Disillusionment
Slope of Enlightenment
Plateau of Productivity
- Technology Trigger
- Peak of Inflated Expectations
- Trough of Disillusionment
- Slope of Enlightenment
- Plateau of Productivity
For investors it is important to recognize the stage of trough of disillusionment as this is the time point to actually invest in this specific technolodgy. If one would miss this oppurtunity others will rush and be what you could have been.
In all seriousness how many online bookstores do you know? … Is it amazon? Okay, amazon is #1 but who is #2? … Nobody really has the time to remember #2.
This is really why you will always want be the #1 on the chosen field!
See also: Qualities of a good entrepreneur.
See also: When you want to quit because it’s just not worth it by Jason
October 9, 2009
October 8, 2009
Can’t you see I’m Busy!
Why didn’t I think of that? These games are a must for anyone in an office!
See also: IDEA #40 – Side-Scroller website game
October 7, 2009
October 6, 2009
October 5, 2009
October 3, 2009
October 2, 2009
October 1, 2009
jsc is awesome
Now that I got your attention:
There is a new release for jsc with two new screencasts. This time around you are able to omit [Script] attribute and ditch the tools/build.bat. The jsc solution now includes the jsc.meta compiler which will talk to the other compilers for you.
I am also experimenting with pre compilers. For example the Forms example makes use of TextualUserControl and TextComponent. Without getting too technical they generate a new assembly and add the reference to your csproj file. This opens up some really interesting possibilities. I will talk more about this in future posts.
Future pre compilers in jsc solution could include automatic stub generators for java jar files and for flash swf and swc files.
Open java version:
Grand Theft Browser – GTA – Poisonville
Today I found out that there is a GTA clone in the works. For the browser. This will be huge. Think of how much money they (Bigpoint) will make !
[...] The full version of Poisonville is announced for the end of the year. A playable preview will be available to the public in October.
Via JMonekyEngine
From the article I can extract they will use [People will pay to save time] freemium concept.
