I stumbled on this interesting bit of advice regarding writing. It outlines some tricks I’ve also heard mentioned by writers like Stephen King and Michael Crichton: Writing in the Age of Distraction One of my favorite tricks is the “rough edge” idea (although this is the first time I’ve heard it referred to as that). Basically you always stop work before you’ve run out of ideas, leaving something on your mind to return to the next day. Read the full article for more cool ideas.
Category Archives: Asides
Console Dur
Microsoft’s head of Entertainment and Devices Devision recently announced: “Just coming up with something that’s faster and prettier isn’t going to be sufficient,” Robbie Bach, Microsoft’s head of the Entertainment and Devices Division, told the San Jose Mercury News.” To which I say, “Dur.” I’m still waiting for someone smart to help do away with the OLD interfaces and bring in NEW ones… keyboard, mouse, monitor, speakers? I/O is a huge limiting factor in what we can do with games. Every time someone improves the I/O interface they’ll create another revolution in games. Where’s my vision implant, cerebral reader, and other bionic interface devices!?
Shanda Talk Investment Strategy
A quick but interesting link to some insight coming out of Shanda at the Game Business Law Summit in Dallas: Speaking on a panel about games in Asia during the Game Business Law summit at SMU in Dallas, Shanda’s deputy general counsel, Jerry Zhang, discussed three keys that his company uses to invest in the future. Read the article to learn what those three keys are.
Week of Extreme Violence!!!
The guys over at gaming community/news site “We The Gamers” are running a contest called “Week of Extreme Violence”. As part of the violent fun they’re discussing violence in video games, giving away some cool prizes, and just being “violent” – just like video games taught them!
It amazes me still when mainstream press pays so much attention to “violence in games”. Every time I see the concept mentioned I want to mail a copy of Shakespeare’s “Titus Andronicus” to the naive reporter. It’s not that violence is necessarily good, always necessary, or to be encouraged – but it almost always contains lessons, even when it might be labeled “pointless”. But hey – why read my blathering on the subject when you could head over to We The Gamers’ Forums and blather on about it yourself?!
China Game Boom
A new Interfax China report presented by Research and Markets reveals that China’s online games market has “entered a boom period.” The report, China Online and Mobile Gaming Industry, 2008 – 2010, states that sales from online game operators totaled RMB 10.57 billion ($1.55 billion) in 2007, and that figure is expected to reach RMB 12.67 billion ($1.86 billion) in 2008 and RMB 18.21 billion ($2.67 billion) in 2010.
Wing Suit Flying
And here I thought Paragliding was a thrill… Check out THIS INSANITY.