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Real-time arrivals for some NYC subway lines now accessible on iPhone (Updated)
Update: The capable (not to mention iPhone 5- and Retina-aware) subway scheduler app NextStop has been updated to include the realtime info for the relevant lines. It's a much prettier and effective way to get at this info than the MTA's app, which should be considered a beta at best and a technology demonstration at worst. Pity the overwhelmed iOS-equipped NYC straphanger. Not only are owners of iPhones and iPads uniquely responsible for the increase in New York's property crime count this year (as victims, not perpetrators, we hope), but even if they can keep a grip on their much-prized tech, they have to cope with the increased hurdles to getting accurate transit directions via iOS 6's Maps app. It's not all darkness and grime for subway riders, however. Outgoing MTA Chief / mayoral candidate Joe Lhota, who led the heroic effort to bring the subterranean system back online after Superstorm Sandy, said that today is "the day that generations of dreamers and futurists have waited for" as he announced MTA Subway Time, the first mobile app to deliver real-time train arrival countdowns for subway riders. The WSJ notes that New York's initial effort lags far behind the time-aware apps from other transit systems. The Second Avenue Sagas subway blog has a quick take on the app, pointing out the features and flaws of the MTA's approach. On the plus side, the app and the companion website deliver the same data that appears on platform next-train clocks, giving riders the best possible chance to make their trains. Unfortunately, without cellular or WiFi access, you're stuck with the estimated timetables used by apps like Embark, iTrans and NextStop. Aside from the network access challenge and the rather utilitarian design of the app (not optimized for iPhone 5), other issues are somewhat more deeply knotted into New York's subway infrastructure. Rather than the reasonably modern and automated switching systems used on mass transit networks built out in the 1960s and later, most of New York's subway lines are still controlled via fixed-block signaling that was leading-edge back in the 19th century. That's why only the A Division lines (the legacy IRT lines, with numbered designations, plus the 42nd Street Shuttle) are getting this real-time support now; they have the signal upgrades that provide live train progress. Other lines with upgraded signaling already done (the L train) or planned (the 7 line) will be joining the app's list when ready, but the remainder of the system could be stuck in the data drought for years or decades until the signaling overhauls are complete. The MTA knows that third-party developers are eager to make use of this real-time train schedule data, and indeed those working on their own apps can get access to the live feed. Keep an eye out for updates to NYC transit apps early in 2013 featuring live train schedules. (Remember, if you loved Google's transit info, you can use Google Maps in hybrid mode with iOS 6 Maps now if you want.) [Hat tip Matt Flegenheimer]
SOE layoffs affect timetable for PlanetSide Next [Updated]
Last week we got the bad news that Sony Online Entertainment laid off 205 employees and shuttered the Denver, Seattle, and Tucson studios. The announcement was coupled with the news that that The Agency, the long-anticipated "spy-fi" MMO, was also being canceled. The intent, SOE said, was to focus on its upcoming MMOs based on its extant IPs: PlanetSide Next and EverQuest Next. However, in the wake of all the layoffs, there will also apparently be a delay in the development time-frame for PlanetSide Next. According to a statement by John Smedley, President of Sony Online Entertainment, the game "will be out a little later in the year" but the team is focused on "pulling out all the stops to make it great." It's sad news, but we're certain that a lot of PlanetSide fans would rather have a great, polished game over a game pushed out quickly to meet a now-unrealistic development schedule. Update: SOE's John Smedley has posted several reassuring comments to the PlanetSide Universe forums: Recently (a few weeks ago actually) we made the call to update the game to a new internally developed engine. Doing that meant delaying the game, but we thought it was in the best interests of PlanetSide Next. It also means delaying releasing further info for a little while. I will let you all know more when we firm up the schedule. The likely next step is a larger scale release of information and the beta signups going up. As I've said previously current Planetside subs will be included automatically. Normally when we do game announcements we do a much bigger concerted information push all at once and these kind of one off posts don't happen. In this case I feel like the PlanetSide audience has hung in with us for a long time and I really want to involve you all more in advance of the official info. However what happens is everything gets carried across the net and the actual info gets changed. I'm sorry for that happening. We will do our best to keep you informed early. But that necessarily means that sometimes when things change you have to be ready for that too. (Thanks to Matt for the tip!)
Developer FAQ reveals PlayStation Home launch schedule
Those of you who spent the weekend eagerly anticipating the chance to waste even more of your free time immerse yourselves in the new virtual world that is PlayStation Home now have a solid launch window to look forward to, thanks to a FAQ uncovered by Gamesindustry on Sony's developer site; according to the ten-page document, a closed 15,000-user beta will run from April to August, followed by an open beta for 50,000 people until October, with the service going live sometime before Halloween. The FAQ also clarifies some details that were omitted or glossed over during Phil Harrison's GDC keynote, such as integration with cellphones (hopefully not just Sony Ericsson handsets) and PSPs, and the fact that launching multiplayer games from Home and so-called "environmental persistence" will not be ready at launch. Specifically, this means that avatars will not initially be able to segue into cooperative gaming mode from within the Home environment, nor will their digital swag like apartments and cars exist when they're offline. Finally, this fact sheet also shows Sony playing both sides of the fence when it comes to in-world ads and commerce: the company is quick to reassure gamers that Home is primarily focused on socialization and entertainment and that advertisements will be kept to "palatable" levels, while in the same breathe wink-wink-nudge-nudging advertisers and content providers that there will be significant opportunities for them to capture plenty of gamers' hard-earned euros, dollars, and yen. So in conclusion, Home-lovers should be breaking out the Sharpies right about now and drawing a big circle around the entire month of October in their calendars; Home-haters may actually want to do the same, but only so they have a timetable to prepare their inaugural grey-goo or flying Wiimote attacks. [Warning: PDF link][Via Gamesindustry]
