Recommended Reading: Double Fine's Tim Schafer and the synths that shaped modern music
Recommended Reading highlights the best long-form writing on technology in print and on the web. Some weeks, you'll also find short reviews of books dealing with the subject of technology that we think are worth your time. We hope you enjoy the read.
Tim Schafer Is Happier Now
by Stephen Totilo, Kotaku
Kotaku's Stephen Totilo caught up with Tim Schafer of Double Fine (formerly of LucasArts) to chat about his nearly 25 years of making video games, Broken Age and what's on tap for the immediate future. Of course, there's a bit of Grim Fandango chatter too, in the conversation with the game developer that remains "focused on coming up with original ideas and trying to get them made."
The 14 Synthesizers that Shaped Modern Music We're not shy about our love of synthesizers here at Engadget, and the folks over at Fact Magazine share our fascination. This week, they compiled a list of the 14 sound machines that help shape modern music as we've come to know it. Highlights include the Moog Minimoog, ARP Odyssey and Roland TB-303. If you've ever wondered where some of those iconic synth sounds came from, this is a nice crash course to bring you up to speed. | Jon's Basketball Game: Creating a Sports Video Game Has Proven to be Rather Difficult Jon Bois (of Breaking Madden fame) decided that he'd take a crack at making a basketball video game. Inspired by NBA 2K14 and the like, Bois bypassed forming the team he needed: a coder, code checker, "assistant for random things," and a boss -- along with the requisite $1,000 budget. Instead, he opted for the $10 Garry's Mod from the Steam store. As you might expect, awesomeness ensued. |
The Blood Harvest Horsehoe crabs are ancient animals. Every year though, around half a million of the creatures are rounded up and bled alive. Why? Well, their sky blue-hued blood cells' coagulogen is used in a test by pharmaceutical companies to detect contamination. The PBS Nature documentary notes: "Every drug certified by the FDA must be tested using LAL, as do surgical implants such as pacemakers and prosthetic devices." | Sex! Drugs! Apps! SXSW Interactive at 20 2014 marks the 20th anniversary of South by Southwest in Austin. From modest beginnings back in '94, the event has bloomed into one of the year's most popular gatherings that combines "nerds, rock-and-roll hippie freaks, and business suits." After interviewing over 100 people, Fast Company has compiled its e-book SXSWi Uncensored: The Complete Oral History as Told by the Entrepreneurs, Geeks, and Dreamers Who Remade the Web. This entry is an excerpt from that book that's available March 3rd. |
