Seed
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‘Seed’ is an ambitious, massively multiplayer city builder
From a distance, Seed looks like any other settlement-building game. Tiny villagers shuffle around a colorful, low-poly map, collecting wood, wheat and other important resources. At any time, you can zoom in, check the stats of individual people and cash in items for houses and other important structures.
EA is teaching AI troops to play 'Battlefield 1'
It's been a couple of years since AI-controlled bots fragged each other in an epic Doom deathmatch. Now, EA's Search for Extraordinary Experiences Division, or SEED, has taught self-learning AI agents to play Battlefield 1. Each character in the basic match uses a model based on neural-network training to learn how to play the game via trial and error. The AI-controlled troops in the game learned how to play after watching human players, then parallel training against other bots. The AI soldiers even learned how to pick up ammo or health when they're running low, much like you or I do.
Doomsday seed vault upgrade protects against a warming Arctic
When melting permafrost poured into the entrance of the Svalbard Global Seed Vault, there was an understandable worry. What good is safeguarding the world's crops in the Arctic if even that area isn't immune to the threat of climate change? Well, you can relax. Statsbygg, the Norwegian construction group behind the vault, has outlined "technical improvements" to keep the entrance safe. It's building waterproof walls and ditches to channel water away, and it's moving electrical equipment out of the entrance to avoid creating a source of heat. The vault will also take fewer visitors to reduce body heat levels -- even that small amount could make a difference.
Melted permafrost floods entrance to the doomsday seed vault (updated)
The Svalbard Global Seed Vault was designed to be a repository should the worst happen and a disaster decimate crops around the world. But it was recently breached by floodwater from surrounding permafrost that melted after the hottest year on record. No seeds were ruined, but the security of the location is in question.
The Game Archaeologist: Four online sci-fi titles no one remembers
In the MMO industry, science fiction has always taken the role of the overlooked little brother to big sister fantasy's popularity. Sure, there have been several online games that eschewed dungeons and dragons for spaceships and solar radiation poisoning, but even today the fantasy genre continues to be the dominant one in the genre. So not only have we had fewer online sci-fi games, but the ones that have attempted to make in-roads are all too soon forgotten. Over the years that I've been researching and writing The Game Archaeologist, I continue to come across these little games that have been all but forgotten by modern gamers, and many of these titles are indeed of a sci-fi bent. This week I'll be taking a look at four such games, including one that never even made it to launch, in an attempt to acknowledge their place at the family dinner table.
Apple releases OS X Mavericks gold master to developers
Apple's latest flavor of OS X, Mavericks, is just weeks away from landing on customers' Macs, as the gold master has now been unleashed to the developer hordes. Though not a dramatic remake like iOS 7, it'll bring a bring a facelift to such apps as Safari and Calendar, along with better energy management, easier networking, iOS notifications, improved multi-monitor support and more. Developers on AppleSeed also got new versions of iPhoto and Xcode, along with various SDKs to support the new OS. According to 9to5Mac, end users will get the same version by the end of this month, so you might soon be able to stretch your Haswell MacBook Air's 12-hour battery life even further.
Ask Massively: Grand conspiracies
Earlier this week, Massively's Mike Foster penned a Soapbox editorial that argued against obsessing over the definition of MMO to the exclusion of debating good game design. If you liked it, awesome. If you hated it, then take heart; next week, Brendan Drain will be arguing the flip-side of Mike's article. That's what our Soapbox is all about: writers talking about game-related things they're interested in or passionate about. It's a soapbox mounted by a different author every week, not a notarized declaration of the site's purpose and intent. We've intentionally collected a team with diverse opinions, and we rarely all agree on every opinion published on the site, especially the Soapbox, and that's the whole point. If we all agreed, we'd be boring. Plus I'd never get to waste an afternoon debating video games with Eliot in chat, which is tremendous fun, incidentally, and I highly recommend it. This week in Ask Massively, I want to address the conspiracy theory proposed in the wake of that Soapbox as well as a few other bits and bobs from our comments.
OS X Lion 10.7.3 build 11D46 seeded to developers (updated)
The next Lion seed is out for developers. OS X Lion 10.7.3 build 11D46 is a 1.2 GB combo update / 989 MB delta update file. This build focuses on iCloud document storage, Address Book, iCal, Mail, Spotlight and Safari. The last seed was released a week ago. Apple released 10.7.2 to the general public in October, which added iCloud support.
The Queue: Being a nothlit is cheating
Welcome back to The Queue, the daily Q&A column in which the WoW Insider team answers your questions about the World of Warcraft. Alex Ziebart will be your host today. I can't explain why, but last night on Twitter I went on an Animorphs nostalgia trip and took most of my followers down Reminiscence Lane with me. Eventually the discussion devolved into a debate over which animorph was the best. I think we need to settle this in the most relevant place possible: a World of Warcraft blog. Personally, I'm going with Rachel. If you choose anybody but Rachel, you're wrong and should feel bad about yourself. %Poll-72457% Necromann asked: What level in first aid do I need to do the DMF monthly? Also, is it weird to 0 linen cloth on the AH?
iOS 5.1 beta seeded to developers (Update: iPhone 5, new iPad and Apple TV revealed?)
The latest update to iOS 5 is drawing near, folks, as the beta of version 5.1 was just released on Apple's developer site. You can grab the build if you're in possession of an iPhone 3GS or later, either iPad or the third and fourth generations of the iPod Touch. We're hoping to see some fixes to the battery life issues on the iPhone 4S, as the company has acknowledged the concern and promised a fix in the near future. Stay tuned as we learn more about the new refresh. Update: A little digging has already revealed a new product ID contained in the update, referencing an "iPad 2,4". There's some speculation that this could be a reference to a tablet with a modem from Sprint built in, but even if that's the case, who knows if it would actually be released prior to the next generation iPad. Update 2: More leaks! Now 9to5Mac is reporting on a new device, codenamed "J33", which it believes refers to a new model of the Apple TV box. Hit up the link for a few more well-reasoned rumors, we'll let you know if any more details surface. Update 3: Ok, now we're starting to think someone in Cupertino is just screwing with us. One more time, sleuths have uncovered a reference to the elusive iPhone 5 (aka "iPhone 5,1") in the code, as shown above. Check the third link for more details from 9to5Mac, and prepare for a whole new round of next gen iPhone rumors incoming any minute now.
Dear Aunt TUAW: Am I being phished?
Dear Aunt TUAW, I just got an email from the apple seed programme inviting me to test the next update for lion. There is some chatter on various forums but I still don't know if this is legit. Have you heard anything? The email and content doesn't have the polish that I would expect from apple, hence the concern. However many say it's legit. Big ask to hand over my apple ID. I would love to participate :( Your loving nephew, Brian Dear Brian, Apple Seed is a legitimate invitation-only Apple beta program, which is completely separate from their paid developer program. Apple offers Apple Seed for early compatibility testing and feature feedback. It goes way back and was, if Auntie has done her Google right, originally called the Customer Quality Feedback program. They have seeded both hardware and software in the past. As you'd expect, the program requires that you accept a strict confidentiality agreement. Most recently, Apple Seed was noticed when it gave non-developers early access to OS X 10.7 Lion this Summer. When you're in doubt about possible phishing, it always helps to check the actual e-mail links. In Apple Mail, choose View > Message > Raw Source. (Other clients offer similar options but with different menu choices.) Make sure the actual links (http://) lead to the same place that the text suggests. For example, this line says it will take you to appleseed.apple.com but it actually does not. Always exercise caution when dealing with unsolicited offers but in this case, you may actually have been invited to the Apple Seed program. Hugs, Auntie T.
New OS X 10.7.2 seed posted
The latest developer seed build of the next version of the Mac's OS is available for download. OS X 10.7.2 build 11C55 is on Apple's servers, and it reportedly includes iCloud beta features for testing. As always, we remind developers and testers to read the release notes carefully before installing.
Call for Submissions: Breakfast Topics
Update: Due to project renovations, Seed has closed the assignment a day early. We are extremely sorry for the inconvenience that may cause. Yes, it's a picture of the most controversial cup of coffee that has ever graced the pages of WoW Insider again, so you know what that means. We're looking to you, dear readers, to help fill the WoW Insider Breakfast Topic cup with hot, fresh topics! What's on your mind (and what do you think is on other players' minds) when it comes to the World of Warcraft? Write it up as Breakfast Topic and submit your article for a chance to be published right here on WoW Insider. We're looking for Breakfast Topics in our usual conversational style, asking the community for their thoughts on a WoW-related topic. Submissions should be between 200 and 300 words. (Watch that top end! Exceeding it substantially could get your submission thrown out, no matter how good it is. Brevity is your friend.) We're looking for strong writing in combination with topics that will spark an interesting conversation. Only the best submissions will be accepted. Multiple submissions from one author are allowed. WoW Insider does not accept articles submitted under player names or pen names; please use your full, real name and an actual email address. Please include your email address again at the bottom of your submission; the email address will not be published, but it makes it easier for the WoW Insider staff to contact you if there is a need for it. Artwork is not mandatory, but any you choose to include must be your own work or via Creative Commons.
Apple looking to patent sharable apps, considers calling them 'seeds'
You know that killer new app you just got for your iPhone? Could you beam us a copy to try? Of course you can't -- it doesn't work that way -- but someday soon it might. The fine folks at Patently Apple recently unearthed an Apple patent app that describes a way to transfer apps over peer-to-peer Bluetooth or shiny, star-filled WiFi. The idea goes that if a company wants to spread a program by word of mouth, it might as well make it shareable too, and so the owner of an app could transfer an "application seed" to friends and associates with a similar device. You'd pick from a menu of apps to beam over, where only those greenlit by their developer would be available to send, and your recipient would receive a trial version -- or somewhat less excitingly, a link to the App Store -- over the air. The patent app suggests that recipients could even share the demo in turn, generating generation after generation of word-of-mouth sales, and that companies might even reward particularly influential sharers in some way. What's that rumbling we hear? Just the gears turning in the minds of men plotting the next great pyramid scheme.
Call for Submissions: Cataclysm tips and tricks
We World of Warcraft players are officially neck deep in Cataclysm on live realms. Everything is brand new again, and everybody needs a little help adjusting to new things sometimes. In this call for submissions, we're looking for tips and tricks to the newest Cataclysm content. Some examples are: Tips for a new healer in Cataclysm Tips for an easy clear of Grim Batol Tips for leveling Blacksmithing The art of crowd control You get the idea! These articles should not be one single tip, but an attempt at troubleshooting the content for those that may be struggling. Make sure your piece is focused. Pick one role, one class, one dungeon, or so on. Your article should run between 500 and 1,000 words. We will not accept articles submitted under player names or pen names; please use your full, real name and email. Please include your email address again at the bottom of your synopsis in the body of your submission. Links should be included as full URLs in the body of the copy; no active links, please.
Call for Submissions: Patch 4.0.1 reactions
Patch 4.0.1 is now live and still fresh in our minds. In this week's call for guest post submissions, we want to hear your thoughts. How do you feel about the patch? How are you handling the significant changes it introduced? What are your favorite changes? Your least favorite? You don't need to be completely positive and happy-go-lucky in your submission, but make sure you stay on the right side of the line between criticism and QQ! Your article should run between 500 and 1,000 words. We will not accept articles proposals submitted under player names or pen names; please use your full, real name and email. Please include your email address again at the bottom of your synopsis in the body of your submission. Links should be included as full URLs in the body of the copy; no active links, please.
Call for Submissions: Cataclysm zone reviews
This week's guest post assignment is for the Cataclysm beta testers out there. Our apologies to those of you not in the beta; we'll have a fun assignment that will include everyone next week. Beta testers, we're looking for reviews of the newly renovated zones in Cataclysm. All of the sub-80 zones that have been heavily renovated are up for grabs, with two exceptions: Stranglethorn Vale Western Plaguelands The two reviews linked above, written by our very own Michael Sacco, are the rough examples you should follow for content. For full details on this assignment, follow us behind the break.
Guest Post: Building an epic-level computer
This article has been brought to you by Seed, the Aol guest writer program that brings your words to WoW Insider. Today's post is the third of a three-part series on preparing your computer for Cataclysm. In our first post, we covered upgrading your current system; last week, we discussed how to assemble a hot gaming rig. Today, we'll look at building a high-end system that will last. Today, I will cover building a high-end system for under $2,000 that will last you many expansions into the future. In this article, I will be listing specific parts as opposed to making general suggestions. Computer geek opinions vary drastically; this is just my two cents. When you're considering a rig that will last you for years to come, you need to consider key components including the case, the power supply, the motherboard, a processor, heatsinks, hard drives the video card and more.
Guest Post: Confessions of a noob hunter
This article has been brought to you by Seed, the Aol guest writer program that brings your words to WoW Insider. As a prot paladin, I've learned my place in the world (of Warcraft). True, that place is usually face-deep in the crotch of some monster, but that's beside the point. When I'm tanking, I know I'm here to do one thing and one thing only: to piss off bad guys so they'll leave you alone. Strapping on my shield and a mace keeps me in a Zen-like comfort zone where everything seems to just come naturally. Like many others, though, I've found myself looking for more to do as Cataclysm lurches ever closer. After all, there are only so many things to get beaten by each week. This has left me joining a growing percentage of players in a less-than-exclusive club: "Hi, I'm Brian, and I'm an altoholic." Most classes I've tried have felt fairly natural. I've leveled my DK and priest with no problems and have really been enjoying the early levels of both my mage and warlock (which, as you'd imagine, leaves me with quite an internal struggle). There's one class, however, that has managed to bewilder me at every turn. A class that, for whatever reason, seems so counterintuitive to me that It's taken me over a year and a half to hit level 27. My friends, I am -- cue dramatic music -- the worst hunter in the world.
Call for Submissions: The recipe for eye candy
This week's guest post assignment is inspired by an email from reader Dawnseven: I've really been enjoying Derek's articles on choosing a video card and what to consider when building a new system. They prompted me to take a good, hard look at my system, and I discovered that my video card was capable of much more than I thought. Consequently, I purchased a new 24" high-def monitor and now I understand the meaning of the term "eye candy." I had no idea my older monitor was so dim and dingy. Consequently, this caused me to actually look at the video settings for the game which I honestly probably haven't looked at since Wrath came out. With my new monitor, I thought I could "tweak" a few things; however, to my horror, I discovered that I don't even know what more than half of the video settings mean. Multisampling? Wassat? Specular lighting? Is that good? Vertical synch and ground clutter density? Do I need those? Obviously, people have different computers with difference components and different monitors, and there is no right answer for what your video settings could or should be set at ... but perhaps someone can explain what the video settings mean? (And I don't mean the cryptic little explanation Blizz gives, but what they mean to tech ignorant players.) Also, is there some kind of prioritizing? Which video settings are important to the eye candy factor, and which can be safely scaled back if the hit to the frame rate is too high? When I fire up Cata on release day, I want to be mesmerized and see all of Deathwing's handiwork in its full glory! Details on this article assignment, after the cut.
