vessel
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Rolls-Royce unveils plans for an autonomous patrol ship
Patrol ships are necessary to protect coastlines and fleets, but they're far from ideal right now. You need big, bulky vessels, and the human crews are either faced with the tedium of an uneventful trip (if they're lucky) or threats that a lone ship is ill-equipped to face. Rolls-Royce might have a better way: it just unveiled plans for an autonomous patrol ship that would eliminate many of these headaches, and would even be relatively eco-friendly.
Verizon lays off 155 Go90 employees
Verizon launched its vertical video-focused Go90 service in October 2015, and now many of the people behind it have been laid off. Variety and The Hollywood Reporter note 155 people, mostly from the San Jose office where much of the team was based, were cut late last week. In a statement, Verizon said the moves were a result of "some duplicative resources," but that they did not indicate a change in strategy. It does, however, bring an end to the Intel OnCue project that eventually formed a basis for Go90. When Verizon acquired the Vessel video startup late last year and shut it down, it seemed well positioned to work on Go90. Now that is apparently coming true, as it confirmed to Variety that former Hulu CTO and Vessel co-founder Richard Tom will lead Go90, taking the title of CTO of Verizon Digital Entertainment.
Verizon buys a video startup for its tech, kills the service
Verizon announced today that they'd acquired former Hulu CEO Jason Kilar's startup, Vessel, a subscription service for short-form video. Or to be more exact, they bought its technology and product but will be closing the service. Kilar won't be coming along as part of the deal, but many of the startup's employees and its cofounder and CTO Richard Tom will, to become CTO of Verizon's digital entertainment efforts.
Scientists 3D print 'live' blood vessels
It's no longer a rare feat to 3D print blood vessels. Printing vessels that act like the real deal, however, has been tricky... until now. Lawrence Livermore researchers have successfully 3D printed blood vessels that deliver nutrients and self-assemble like they would in a human body. The key is to print an initial structure out of cells and other organic material, and then to augment it with bio ink and other body-friendly materials. With enough time, everything joins up and behaves naturally.
Vessel brings its YouTube-like subscription service to Android
Vessel launched as a YouTube alternative with exclusive early access to ad-free content for $3 a month. Beginning today, it's available for Android in beta form. The service launched in March for iOS with videos from A&E, Rheet & Link, Unbox Therapy, Warner Music Group and others. While most of the content is available for free, subscribers get early access to select videos and an ad-free experience. To help it become a destination for impatient video fans, the company has been attempting to lure YouTube stars away from the Google-owned video site. Now it just needs to lure eyeballs away.
Hulu's former leader makes his answer to YouTube available to everyone
Want to know how the former CEO of Hulu would build a video service that could take on YouTube? You now have an easy way to find out: after a couple of months of invitation-only testing, Vessel is available to everyone. As promised, Jason Kilar's newly launched brainchild is a mix of ordinary, ad-supported free video with a premium tier. Pay $3 per month (you get a free year if you sign up in the first three days) and you'll both ditch ads as well as get early access to videos from a mix of internet stars and conventional media outlets, including A&E, Rhett & Link, Unbox Therapy and Warner Music Group. At least some content isn't affected by that time delay, though, so you'll still have some comedy, music videos and news to watch if you're not especially patient.
Hulu's former CEO lets you try his YouTube alternative
Hulu's ex-CEO Jason Kilar has been extolling the virtues of Vessel, his would-be YouTube rival, for weeks. Today, though, you can finally find out whether or not it's all that it's cracked up to be -- Vessel has launched an invitation-only public beta. You'll have to watch on an iOS device or the web (Android is coming "soon"), but you'll otherwise have a month's worth of unfettered access to the service's early, professional-level content. There's no word on when Vessel will be available invitation-free. Even so, the beta is at least proof that the video hub exists as more than just a well-meaning concept.
Hulu's former chief shows how he'll take on YouTube
If you've been wondering exactly how former Hulu CEO Jason Kilar would take on internet video heavyweights like YouTube, you now have your answer. Kilar's startup, Vessel, has both opened the doors to video producers and revealed just how you'll use the service when it's open to the public. There will be a regular, ad-laden free version, but you'll also have the option of a $3 per month subscription that gives you both early access and a more "modest" level of advertising. It won't be the ad-free paradise you might like, then, but Vessel is luring creators with higher royalties (they could earn 20 times what they do through ad-only services) and hoping they'll use this to make more and better videos.
YouTube offering bonuses to keep talent away from rivals, says WSJ
Google is throwing money at its YouTube stars to keep them away from a site that hasn't even launched yet, according to the WSJ. Vessel, created by Hulu exec Jason Kilar, has offered some YouTube artists exclusive and lucrative deals to attract attention to its launch later this year. Other sites like Facebook and Crackle have also reportedly been poaching YouTube stars. The "broadcast yourself" site leans on talent like style coach Michelle Phan and comedian Colleen Ballinger (as Miranda Sings, above) to keep loyal channels fans engaged. But Phan, who had an early look at Vessel, called it "stunning," and others have said that they were offered serious money for exclusive deals. Artists that stay loyal are making out better, though -- on top of bonuses, YouTube has been offering rich funding deals to help select stars create new channels. [Image credit: Flickr/Gage Skidmore]
PS Plus in July: Towerfall, Muramasa, Dead Space 3
July is soon to arrive, and with it comes six games for PlayStation Plus subscribers to freely download. Falling in line with the program's rule changes introduced in late May, the six games are split evenly among PS4, PS3 and Vita, though some are Cross Buy-compatible. Leading the group on PS4 is Towerfall: Ascension and Strider, followed by Dead Space 3 and Vessel for PS3. The two Vita games going free this coming month are Doki-Doki Universe and Muramasa Rebirth. The former is Cross Buy-enabled, so PS4 and PS3 owners will also have access to the game, whereas Muramasa will only be available for free in North America. European PS Plussers will instead receive Lego Batman 2: DC Super Heroes. Heavy discounts for the six games will available as of July 1, so those that haven't picked up June's free games should do so this week before it's too late. [Image: Capcom]
TowerFall, SteamWorld Dig headline PSN's Spring Fever event
A slate of high-profile indie releases will hit the PlayStation Network during Sony's Spring Fever event this month, bringing games like Luftrausers and Towerfall to the PlayStation family of consoles. The promotion kicks off with tomorrow's launch of an upgraded PlayStation 4 version of Ronimo Games' 2D MOBA Awesomenauts Assemble, and the PS3 debut of Wales Interactive's sci-fi adventure game Master Reboot. Ouya-ported multiplayer combat game TowerFall Ascension (PS4) and Strange Loop's puzzle-platformer Vessel (PS3) continue the promotion on March 11, while Image and Form's mining-themed adventure game SteamWorld Dig (PS4, PS Vita) and Vlambeer's aerial dogfighting sim Luftrausers (PS3, PS Vita) follow on March 18. The event wraps up on March 25 with the release of Polytron's Fez for the PlayStation 4, PS3, and PS Vita. All featured games are available at a launch-week discount for PlayStation Plus subscribers. Sony additionally revealed that Tomb Raider and Dead Nation: Apocalypse Edition will launch tomorrow as the month's first free PlayStation Plus games. [Image: Sony]
Capsized crashes onto XBLA, brings exclusive levels
Alientrap's Capsized has finally made its way to Xbox Live Arcade today, after being announced for the platform nearly three and a half years ago. The game will be available on the PlayStation Network for PS3 later this summer. The game differentiates itself from the already available PC version with "three exclusive levels, online multiplayer and an online multiplayer co-op mode." Namco Bandai, which partnered with indiePub to launch the game, also reveals Storm (already available on XBLA) will make its way to PSN this summer and Vessel will arrive on XBLA "later this year."
Humble Indie Bundle 6 ends, earns over $2 million
316,258 individuals signed on for the latest Humble Indie Bundle, which is arguably the best Humble Indie Bundle yet. Humble Indie Bundle 6, which halted sales earlier this evening, managed to earn a total of $2,048,330.42 during the collection's sale.Humble Indie Bundle 6 initially launched with the starting lineup of Rochard, Shatter, S.P.A.Z., Torchlight, Vessel and Dustforce. A week later, the bundle expanded to include Bit.Trip Runner, Wizorb, Jamestown and Gratuitous Space Battles for purchases equal or greater to the average sale price of the set. See? Best bundle yet!
Humble Indie Bundle 6 devs ask you to ask them anything on Reddit
A few of the developers with games in the rather fantastic Humble Indie Bundle 6 are hosting an AMA on Reddit right now.In attendance is Runic Games co-founder Max Schaefer, representing Torchlight (and Torchlight 2, it seems); programmer Matt Bush and composer Terrence Lee of Dustforce's Hitbox Team; Jan Achrenius and Sampsa Lehtonen of Recoil and Rochard; Mario Wynands of Shatter's Sidhe, co-founders of MinMax Games Andrew Hume and Richard with Space Pirates and Zombies; and John Krajewski of Strange Loop Games representing Vessel.Already the developers are discussing the likelihood of their Linux games on Steam, the benefits of being in the Humble Indie Bundle, and answering programming and gameplay questions galore. If you want to know what engines these guys use, how they handle physics or what those space pirates are doing hanging out with zombies in the first place, head on over to Reddit.
Humble Indie Bundle 6 shatters spatial reasoning with torches, vessels, brooms
Humble Indie Bundle part six is live, and it's a good'un. The current bundle includes Rochard, Shatter, S.P.A.Z., Torchlight and Vessel for any price you pick. Paying more than the average (currently around $5) unlocks Dustforce as well. The bundle includes soundtracks for each game, excluding Vessel. Normally priced, all these games would cost $86, Humble Indie Bundle reminds us.As always, purchasers can decide how much of their payment goes to charity, the developers or Humble Indie Bundle itself. Humble Indie Bundle 6 will be live for 14 more days; check it out here.
The Joystiq Indie Pitch: Vessel
Indie developers are the starving artists of the video-game world, often brilliant and innovative, but also misunderstood, underfunded and more prone to writing free-form poetry on their LiveJournals. We believe they deserve a wider audience with the Joystiq Indie Pitch: This week, Strange Loop Games explain how Fluros flourish in Vessel, a liquid-physics puzzler for PC. What's your game called and what's it about?Our game is called Vessel. It's about a man with the power to create life, and all the consequences that ensue. As far as gameplay, it's a liquid-physics puzzle platformer.How would you describe the style of Vessel – steampunk? – and why did you decide to use that template?It's a mechanical world. Steampunk is the closest pop culture reference, but we don't really call it that because steampunk brings to mind so many other connotations that aren't accurate for our game. We wanted to create a world where the machinery of the world was very exposed, meaning you could see the inner workings of all the machines, how things tick, grind and whir. The goal was to put the Fluros in this nice little mid-point, a contrast between Arkwright, the main character, and the machines of the world. Fluros are the bridge between them.
PSA: Vessel available on Steam and dev's site now, 10 percent off
After a long development process that began in 2010, the debut title from indie developer Strange Loop Games, Vessel, has been released.Nominated for an IGF award in Technical Excellence -- which is an award we win daily -- Vessel is available both on Steam and via the developer's own site.To sweeten the watery deal, Vessel is available for 10% off its regular price. Purchasing the game from the developer will net you a DRM-free version and a Steam code. The promotion, which drops the game down to $13.49 from its original asking price of $15, ends on March 8. Act fast because ... uh, something, something sink or swim? Vessel is liquid-based, so the joke holds water.
Vessel transforms from liquid to Steam on March 1
Indie studio Strange Loop Games has been working on Vessel since at least 2010, when it was nominated for the IGF award in Technical Excellence and was a finalist in the Indie Game Challenge -- and the game hadn't even been officially announced then. Vessel is now set to launch on Steam and through Strange Loop on March 1, and it has gameplay videos showing off its liquid-loving mechanics, as seen above and here.Vessel follows inventor M. Arkwright as he explores an altered world of his own creation, where liquid-based Fluro machines work tirelessly across all industries. Strange Loop Games was founded by three former EA employees, John Krajewski, Martin Farren, Mark Filippelli, and a veteran visual artist, Milenko Tunjic, so you can bet nothing about Vessel will appear, ahem, watered down.
Vessel preview: Don't forget to hydrate
You know how they say that water is the essence of life? In Vessel, water takes it one more step: It literally becomes life. Inventor Arkwright has invented what he calls Fluros, little creatures that attract any liquid around them and build them into a body. They're pretty great for doing work around his factory, especially because of their seemingly bottomless desire to step on buttons. Handily, Arkwright's entire factory seems to run on those little buttons. Relying on the little guys probably isn't the best idea, though. If Fantasia taught us anything, it's that employing vaguely magical automatons to do your dirty work always goes awry. Soon, the Fluros have taken over the factory and start wreaking havoc, breaking down a variety of large machines that the good inventor needs to keep things running smoothly. So, obviously, he must go on a 2D-platformer adventure to solve that not-so-little issue. %Gallery-132067%
