27Feb09
I’m not one to toot my own horn, but I totally called it! In my post from last November (http://rickatnight11.com/?p=64) I write:
I’ve always wanted to see a kind of hybrid between the mouse and game controller. I’m talking about a Wii-mote analog stick in one hand and a mouse in the other. To me that’s a combination of the two most accurate analog human interface devices in computer history.
Well, friends, mLani has listened to my suggestion. Engadget has posted an article about the mLani “Mobi” which is exactly that. I mean look at the picture:
Could you get any closer to what I was talking about? I think not. I hope to see that these work on the computer (I mean, USB? Come on now) or that there will be a PC version soon. I’ll be expecting my check in the mail, mLani. </toot>
18Nov08
Browsed Slashdot this morning, and saw a post about CVG’s interview with Halo Wars’ lead desiner, Graeme Devine, who “claimed that the controls are actually better than those of a PC RTS.” You’re kidding, right? Has Graeme ever tried to use an Xbox controller to control their PC desktop? Because you’ll be doing the same click and drag “box-selecting” of units/icons, moving the screen/windows around, and otherwise frustrating yourself. Apparently the controls are “geared more toward broad tactical strokes than intensive small-group micromanagement.” Well, that’s comparing apples to oranges, gentlemen. They didn’t develop a control interface better than those of a PC RTS, they just created one that tries to avoid the inherent limitations of a control stick for this type of game. How about trying that same interface on a keyboard and mouse? I bet it works even better.
Don’t get me wrong; I’m not saying there is no use for an analog control stick. Far from it. I’m just calling Graeme Devine out in this case. In actuality, I’ve always wanted to see a kind of hybrid between the mouse and game controller. I’m talking about a Wii-mote analog stick in one hand and a mouse in the other. To me that’s a combination of the two most accurate analog human interface devices in computer history. With the added power of the Wii-mote’s motion sensor we’d reach a whole new level of control. Not only could that kind of control benefit Halo Wars, think about what it could do for other game genres? (You listening, FPS-fanatics? Eh, who am I kidding, that’s all I was thinking about too…)
Of course, no one has asked me to try out Halo Wars’ new PC-trouncing controls, so what do I know? Well, for one thing, that I’ve never found gestures to be an effective replacement for an interface. Maybe as an added feature to assist human control, but never as the entire interface. If they’ve done it, more power to them, but my Skept-o-matic is buzzing.
14Sep08
So the boys up at CERN have finally turned on and mildly tested the potentially earth-destroying Large Hadron Collider, and thankfully we’re still here. Several (read MASSES OF) people are concerned that the LHC could be the threshold for the events starting in Half-Life 1 to unfold. So much so, in fact, that web news site reddit.com has taken it upon itself to send CERN a package containing a crowbar, Half-Life strategy guide, headcrab plushie, and a note reading “Get this to Gordon Freeman. He’ll know what to do.”
Some astute members of the Internet community have discovered that Gordon Freeman does, in fact, work at CERN, as is proved by this photo:
Gordon Freeman at CERN
What makes this an even chillier reality is that fact that another familiar face has been spotted:
Gman at CERN
It seems as though Valve was just in time to provide a suitable training platform to prepare the world for these events. God help us all.
23Jul08
This is my first post from the recently released WordPress App for the iPhone and iPod Touch! I have been waiting for this App to come out for quite some time, and hopefully this will increase my rate of bog posts.
It’s nice to see a Photo publishing feature in the first release. Combined with the 2.0 firmware’s Home+Power button screenshot feature I can easily make posts like this all from my iPod Touch!
Continue reading
04Apr08
My girlfriend was in class, but we both wanted Chipotle when she got out. Unfortunately her night class ends only 30 minutes before Chipotle closes. Not to worry! Chipotle has Internet ordering, and LogMeIn.com was here to save the day! I just logged into the computer that she was using in class, let her make her order, I made mine, hit submit, and it was a beautiful thing! Ah, the power of technology. What kind of things do you do with LogMeIn.com?
