Comment This calls for action (Score 1) 172
I propose we send commander Boston Low, Dr. Ludger Brink and Maggie Robbins to investigate this.
Comment Re:C64 without BASIC? (Score 1) 214
That's the second most interesting /. comment I've ever read!
Comment Re:Pristine Ecosystems (Score 1) 93
Sorry, that's "nutrient deficiency". Seems I was low on caffeine while writing that.
Comment Re:Pristine Ecosystems (Score 1) 93
Several diseases are related to nutrient defiency, like scurvy. These are certainly diseases in addition to viruses and bacteriae.
Comment Flat screen vs natural field of vision (Score 1) 130
Maybe a screen that mimics a natural field of vision could augment the player's comprehension of movement in FPS games? It doesn't solve the "silent character" problem but it might make it easier for the player to become their own actor. Empathic immersion doesn't always depend on having a predefined main character, it could also be achieved by providing a rich set of choices for interaction with NPCs.
Comment Re:Funny, Sweden did not investigate the judge... (Score 2, Informative) 48
Oh, they did investigate it. The investigation resulted in a 14 page document practically redefining the very meaning of "jÃv" (conflict of interest). The verdict is that there are several minor reasons to doubt the judge's neutrality but no single large enough reason.
I think this type of reasoning proves that juridics is, at its worst, nothing more than word bending - building a seemingly coherent chain of logic, stating the severity for a set of non-absolute definitions, sum things up in a way that's favorable to your position while possibly excluding the opposing side's likewise arbitrary set of non-absolute definitions. In the end, it seems like it's mostly about making a convincing presentation?
Comment Techs should stick to... (Score 3, Funny) 493
Comment Re:Immersion, think Myst (Score 1) 160
So by providing a convincing setting, these games made us curious to hear the rest of the story. Also, at some point learning occurred. That might be a good hint as to what edutainment software should be like.
Comment Immersion, think Myst (Score 2, Insightful) 160
A game with emphasis on beauty and immersion could teach me a lot of things. Like the Myst games; immersive enough to have me decipher an alien number system. Could as well have taught me hexadecimals or binary numbers.
Piston-Powered Nuclear Fusion 147
katarn writes "General Fusion is a startup proposing they can create commercially viable fusion using acoustic shock waves, triggered by 220 precisely controlled pneumatic pistons. Their approach is based on a US Naval research concept called 'Linus' and old research done by General Atomics. They feel we now have the high-speed, digital processing capable of pulling off this feat, where decades ago the technology was not available. I think we can hold off on the 'vaporware' claims for a bit; everyone is aware of the horrible track record for turning fusion concepts into reality, but they don't claim to be the first with the idea or that there are not substantial challenges in the way. If nothing else, it is a fascinating concept."
Los Alamos National Laboratory has further details on this type of fusion, and longtime LANL researcher Ronald Kirkpatrick did an external assessment (PDF) of General Fusion's plans. Popular Science had a lengthy story about the company a while back. The reason they're back in the headlines now is that they've secured enough funding to begin work on a prototype reactor.
What's the Importance of Graphics In Video Games? 506
An anonymous reader writes "I develop games as a hobby. I've experimented with games on almost every platform available. For me, the gameplay is the most influential factor of a game, with history and graphics dividing second place. But, for some reason, it's not the technical beauty of the graphics that appeal to me. I have played Crysis, and I've played Pokémon games. The graphics of the Pokémon games entertain me as much as the graphics of Crysis. I think both are beautiful. So, why is the current generation of games giving so much importance to the realism in graphic games? I think it is sufficient for a game to have objects that are recognizable. For example, while the water in some games may not look as good as in Crysis, I can still tell it's water. What are your opinions on the current direction of game graphics? Do you prefer easy-to-render 3D scenes that leave space for beautiful effects, like with Radiosity, or more complex 3D scenes that try to be realistic?"
Comment Ignorant and reckless (Score 1) 1870
Having followed Swedish media reporting on court negotiations, I can say it's obvious that a blatant lack of technological understanding characterized the entire process. The main prosecutor openly admitted(!) that he didn't understand the details of torrent technology, even after the concept was thouroughly described in a presentation slideshow and a specifically prepared video clip. The verdict confirms that not only did our Swedish law officials neglect to evaluate the delicate technology and law dynamics implied by the case, they also take no responsibility for the juridical consequences of such reckless proceedings. This results in a neverending world of juridical ambiguation.
