memorial
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Zoom waffles on the fate of US-based Chinese activist’s account
Zoom reactivates the account of a US-based Chinese activist that it closed after the account hosted a memorial for the Tiananmen Square Massacre.
Facebook's Tributes tab collects memories of people who've died
Facebook is rolling out several updates for memorialized accounts, which are profiles that remain active for people who have passed away. A dedicated tributes tab will let friends and family share stories and memories of their loved one, allowing the late person's timeline to stay as it was before they passed away.
'Star Trek Online' honors Leonard Nimoy with in-game Spock statues
With the recent passing of Leonard Nimoy, multiple generations of geeks found themselves at a deep loss. It makes sense then that the folks behind Star Trek Online would erect effigies to immortalize the man perhaps best known for his role as Mr. Spock in the Star Trek universe. Should you travel to the planet Vulcan (Spock's home world), New Romulus, or even Earth in the game, you'll see memorials for him. The former two have statues with different quotes ("Live long and prosper" on Vulcan, "The needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few" on New Romulus), while our home planet is hanging black flags of mourning at its spaceport for the next week.
Friend, former Joystiq editor Andrew Yoon passes away at 29
On Thursday, January 29, friend and former Joystiq editor Andrew Yoon tragically drowned while on vacation in Austin, Texas. He was 29. Following his tenure at Joystiq, I was fortunate enough to convince Andrew to pick up his life in New York and join me in Los Angeles as part of the Shacknews editorial team. In 2012, Andrew became the site's Editor-in-Chief. But Andrew outgrew his passion for writing about games and his ambition rekindled a childhood dream to create a game of his own. In September 2014, Andrew and his partners secured over $16,000 in funding in a Kickstarter campaign to develop Divorce! The Card Game, which is set to launch later this month. In January, he and a team of creators won an award at GXDev 2015 for the game Cactus Seeking Hug (play it, it's brilliant). Andrew was a spirited friend and co-worker, with an unrivaled passion and vast void for a stomach. He was always cheerful, stylish and hungry. His slim frame could consume an ungodly amount of food – seriously, his Twitter was 90% photos of things he was about to eat. He was kind and funny, a conversation with him was always guaranteed to bring a smile to your face. If you needed help, like a couch to crash on, he was there. At one point in our lives we managed an editorial team together; we shared airtime on the podcast Weekend Confirmed; heck, we even lived in the same small apartment complex in Los Angeles. Although our interactions became limited to small conversations and giggles between meetings at press events in recent years, I will always consider him a friend. Our condolences go out to Andrew's friends, family and colleagues at his startup Anyo. For those able, a memorial fund has been set up to cover burial costs and to honor his memory. Joystiq Editor-in-Chief Ludwig Kietzmann remembers his dear friend in a letter after the break.
Steve Jobs memorial dismantled in Russia because of Tim Cook's sexuality
After Steve Jobs died in 2011, a Russian holding company called the West European Financial Union (or ZEFS, in Russian) erected a big, iPhone-shaped memorial statue that told visitors about Jobs' life outside a St. Petersburg college. An innocuous tribute, no? Nothing about the memorial itself was intrinsically troubling, but it's been recently dismantled all the same because of two reasons. First, ZEFS is looking at the act as a way of condemning the company for allegedly spying on users across the globe and "informing US security services about them." The second reason, however, sits on the fence between "mind-boggling" and "patently offensive." In accordance with a controversial law meant to curb gay "propaganda," ZEFS took down the statue "to abide to the Russian federal law protecting children from information promoting denial of traditional family values."
Your Facebook privacy settings will now live on after you pass
It's not a topic we discuss often here, but if you're active online, you may (or may not, ultimately) be concerned with how your data is handled after you die. On Facebook, accounts can be "memorialized" by a friend or family member, with some data remaining visible indefinitely. Previously, after the social network flipped the switch, your remaining content would be accessible only by your friends. Going forward, however, Facebook will match your existing privacy settings, so if your profile was visible to the public, it'll stay that way after you pass. Additionally, friends and family members will be able to request a "Look Back" video, though we'd recommend getting on that now, while there's still time to click the edit button.
Captain's Log: More Star Trek Online new user tips - bridge officers
Before I dive into the next installment of my new player tips, I'd like to let everyone know that the Star Trek Online site has issued a few new dev blogs hinting at some of the cool news about the upcoming Season Eight: The Sphere. There are some great new blogs featuring the concept art of the new Dyson Sphere space adventure zone, too. But back to the original topic. Last week's column that provided a basic outline to the Star Trek Online user interface proved to be surprisingly popular and generated far more emails from readers than I had anticipated. Many of the readers have asked that I continue on with the new user tips and I think it's a great idea. So if you've always wondered about the very basics of STO Bridge Officers, join me past the jump to learn more!
Tributopia: An app to remember those who have passed
It's Memorial Day in the US, the day we set aside to remember those who have served our country in the Armed Forces and especially those who died to protect our freedoms. There's a new free app named Tributopia: Mapping Our Memories from documentary film makers Open Eye Pictures that is designed to let you remember others who are gone, both today and on any other day. Tributopia provides a permanent way for people to see and share memories about celebrities and others who have passed away. Launching the app displays a grid of images; today's showed everyone from Steve Jobs to Dennis Hopper, with birth and death dates, cause of death, the age that the person passed, and a photo. In the case of Hopper, there's even an address for the cemetery in which he is buried in Rancho de Taos, NM. Think of Tributopia as an online version of those roadside memorials that dot the highways of our country, and you've got the idea. %Gallery-189508% The people who show up in Tributopia don't necessarily have to be famous celebrities. You can create an entry for anyone you wish to remember. If you supply a location for a place of tribute, that shows up in an augmented reality feature that shows you where tributes are in relation to your current location. That feature is a bit empty right now, but should fill in as more people use the app to remember friends, family, and celebrities. We miss you, Mack...
Online Steve Jobs memorial pays tribute to the original Mac OS
Rememberum is a new start up company that provides clean, customizable options for creating online memorials for loved one. To promote their new service the company has published a stunningly creative tribute to Apple founder Steve Jobs, designed to look like the original Mac OS. On his blog Rememberum developer David Kelly described the process of creating the unique design of the tribute site. One of the primary goals of the design was to simulate the original Macintosh OS interface as closely as possible – this meant pixelated (pixel-perfect) graphics as well as some of the original functionality of the Macintosh, such as keyboard folder navigation and double-clicking. We separated key points in his life into groups of folders and individual files. The folders have keyboard navigation and it is possible to hold down CTRL to select multiple files to open. Each file opens as a 'textpad' file and can be moved and cascaded like any window. This, coupled with the keyboard navigation and small retro animations helped to provide a more genuine experience of the original Macintosh computer. Rememberum's service is free to use, though the FAQ on the site mentions a future premium option. Details are still scant on the premium option and if it will allow users to create tributes like the Steve Jobs memorial for their own loved ones.
The Tattered Notebook: EQII's Ribbitribbit Day celebrates community
There is no two ways about it: Every time I started to pen this particular piece, I had to pause. You see, the story behind it all is steeped in emotion; inspiration, joy, pride, sadness, and togetherness are all a part of the heartwarming tale that is simply impossible to not be touched by (or in my case, completely choked up). And it's one that makes me proud to be a part of the EverQuest II community. Last year we shared with you the story of a young boy whose simple wish for a fun place to play in EQII brought the community together in an unparalleled way. In order to make an extra special place for Ribbitribbit, adventurers, raiders, and crafters left their guilds -- heck, even their servers -- to come aid in what became more than a simple island refuge. It became a multi-house playground that included a Tier 3 guild hall. The sheer volume of enthusiastic participation is enough to make any heart swell. Sadly, shortly thereafter Ribbitribbit lost his battle with cancer, and that same community mourned his passing. Now, one year later, the same organizer who uncorked that first outpouring of generosity has brought players together again to commemorate community, continue philanthropy, and remember those who have been lost. Today's Tattered Notebook invites you to become a part of this community with a look at Ribbitribbit Day 2013.
San Francisco Chronicle publishes Steve Jobs retrospective
The San Francisco Chronicle used the anniversary of Steve Jobs' death to compile a 57-photo retrospective that looks back at the life of the Apple founder. The photos start with a picture of Jobs holding an Apple II in 1977 and end with a tribute to the Apple CEO displayed on an iPad. Head over to the San Francisco Chronicle's website and take a few minutes to check out the photos. It's a wonderful way to remember the Apple visionary on this somber anniversary.
Player memorial scheduled for Guild Wars 2's Sanctum of Rall server on September 5th
Last month, we told you about ArenaNet's decision to name a Guild Wars 2 server after late gamer Roger "Oldroar" Rall. Today, Rall's guild has issued a press release reminding everyone of an in-game memorial service that's happening on September 5th. The event is scheduled for 9:00 p.m. EDT and will be held on the Sanctum of Rall server at the Shaemoor Garrison in Queensdale. The Gaiscioch Family also says that anyone is welcome to attend via RaidCall. Further details are available at the guild's official website.
The Perfect Ten: MMO tributes to real-life people
When a beloved friend, family member, hero, or role model dies, we feel the pain of that loss and grieve in many different ways. Part of that grieving and healing process is often entails those left behind constructing some sort of tribute to the dearly departed. Sometimes this comes in the form of a shrine of flowers, sometimes it's the establishment of a charity, and sometimes it's creating an in-game memorial that thousands if not millions of people will see over the course of years. So while death and illness are depressing topics to dwell upon, I find the many MMO tributes that studios and even gamers have erected to be inspiring and a celebration of individual players' lives. With the help of my fellow Massively staffers, I researched 10 wonderful in-game tributes that serve to honor the lives of fellow gamers.
Steve Jobs memorial: A Dawn Redwood in Tompkins Square Park
In November of 2011, a Dawn Redwood tree was planted in Tompkins Square Park in the East Village section of New York City in memorial to Steve Jobs. The planting was done by workers for Bette Midler's New York Restoration Project, and a one-line memorial has just been added to a plaque dedicating trees to other notables. Steve's epitaph? "In Honor of Steve Jobs. Stay Hungry. Stay Foolish." A post on EV Grieve notes that some East Village residents were pleased with the memorial, with this one comment posted on the blog echoing the positive feelings: I like this. The Macintosh empowered creative people and gave expression, connection, and life to an entire community that woud otherwise have been ignored by the big computer and software companies. For this we can thank Steve Jobs, and planting a beautiful redwood tree in our park, (that has lost too many trees this year) seems humble and appropriate. However, others were not happy that Jobs -- who definitely wasn't an East Village resident -- was called out for a special memorial: How is Steve Jobs connected to the East Village? Seriously. I want to know. Still, the living memorial to Jobs is a thoughtful gesture, and we can only hope that the tree flourishes as well as the company that Jobs co-founded. [Photos by Bobby Williams, published with permission of EV Grieve]
Visualized: Apple's celebration of Steve Jobs' life in Cupertino (Update: video)
The state of California made October 16th "Steve Jobs Day," and on October 19th, the company he co-founded with Steve Wozniak celebrated his life on campus in Cupertino. The photo here, provided by Apple, shows CEO Tim Cook addressing throngs of people who came to the memorial. Update: Apple has updated their homepage with a video of the event. See the source link (3) below.
Apple posts fans' memories of Steve Jobs
On Wednesday, Apple posted a tribute page to Steve Jobs that contains the memories and sentiments that fans sent to Apple using the rememberingsteve@apple.com email account. Apple says over a million people sent in messages describing how Steve Jobs and Apple influenced their lives. The page displays a continuous stream of these messages and Apple is asking fans to continue to send in more. Besides this tribute page, Apple is also holding a memorial service for employees on Wednesday. The Wall Street Journal reported earlier that Apple stores will be temporarily closed from 10 a.m to 11:30 am PDT to allow retail employees to watch the memorial event. These events closely follow an invitation-only memorial service for Jobs held at Stanford University. That same day was also declared Steve Jobs Day by California Governor Jerry Brown. [Via The Loop]
Apple retail stores will close briefly on Wednesday for Steve Jobs memorial
According to Reuters, Apple's US retail stores will be closed for part of Wednesday, October 19 so retail employees can take part in the companywide memorial celebration of Steve Jobs. The event takes place from 10 to 11:30 AM Pacific time, so it's likely US retail stores will be shut for at least that long while the event is broadcast to the company's stores. Californian Apple Stores are reportedly not accepting reservations for tech support or tutorials during that morning. The Wall Street Journal reports that stores will be closed for "at least an hour," but the event may take up to three hours. International Apple Stores will view a re-broadcast of the memorial. Reuters did not confirm if Apple's retail stores outside the US will be closed. Apple released the iPhone 4S on October 14, but its homepage hasn't announced that fact; instead, it remains the simple memorial to Steve Jobs that has been there since the day of his death. Shutting Apple Stores and allowing retail employees to take part in the ceremonies despite the high demand for the newest iPhone is a classy move on Apple's part.
Game writing pioneer Bill Kunkel passes away
Bill Kunkel, who started writing the first-ever dedicated video game review column in 1978 and co-founded Electronic Games Magazine, passed away on Sept. 4. Most familiar with Kunkel's work likely know him as "The Game Doctor," after a column that appeared in Computer Gaming World and other publications, but Kunkel also wrote comics for DC, Marvel and Harvey, covered pro-wrestling and helped design nearly two dozen games. Honestly, you just have to read all the things the guy worked on to believe it. Kunkel has been the subject of dozens of remembrances throughout the web from the journalists and developers he inspired. Activision's Dan Amrich wrote "I read him religiously growing up. He paved my way." Former Gamespot EIC and Bastion writer Greg Kasavin said, "I never met him but his work was an inspiration." Kunkel, who leaves behind wife Laurie, was 61 years old.
9/11 Memorial app will be iPad exclusive
The 9/11 Memorial: Past, Present and Future app promises to be an immersive experience on the level of the exquisite NYPL Biblion: World's Fair that came out earlier this year from the New York Public Library. 9/11 Memorial is a complete history of the Twin Towers from development to the attacks in 2001 then the recovery. It's reported to have more than 400 photos and hours of video -- and will only be for the iPad. Writer-director Steve Rosenbaum told the New York Observer he went for the iPad because he felt it was the best platform for the presentation. "The nature of the photographs are so powerful, so to render them in anything but full color seemed wrong to me. And I didn't want it to be viewed on a phone. I wanted it to be big and glossy," he said. The app will launch September 1. Rosenbaum told the Observer that the app will be free until September 12, then will cost $9.95 after that. A demo video is online now.
Wisconsin town approves early plans for Gary Gygax memorial
Gary Gygax, co-creator of Dungeons & Dragons (and thus many of the mechanics modern role-playing video games are based on), passed away a few years ago, and the interest trying to build a memorial for him in his hometown of Lake Geneva, Wisconsin has just cleared a hurdle with the local Board of Park Commissioners. The Board has granted a 10 foot by 10 foot area of land inside Donian Park as a potentially suitable place for a memorial to be set up. What would said memorial look like? The official minutes of the meeting approved a design that would include "a castle turret with a bust on top and possibly have a dragon wrapped around the turret." Sounds appropriate for the creator of D&D. The next step in the process is to officially design the statue, and then come back to the board with a detailed map and design. We assume the board will have to roll a d20 at some point -- hopefully the modifier is high.
