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FanDuel and DraftKings are getting shut down in New York too
The New York Times and ESPN are reporting that New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman has followed his counterpart in Nevada by asking the two biggest daily fantasy sites to stop taking bets in his state. DraftKings and FanDuel have been struggling to escape a controversy that exploded when reports surfaced that employees were regularly playing, and winning, on the competing websites, and now are facing a future of tighter regulation. According to the letter Schneiderman has decided the games constitute illegal gambling under the laws of New York, and should be banned as games of chance. This is particularly complicated for FanDuel, which has its headquarters in New York. Update: DraftKings said in a statement to Engadget that "We strongly disagree with the reasoning in his opinion and will examine and vigorously pursue all legal options available to ensure our over half a million customers in New York State can continue to play the fantasy sports games they love." Meanwhile FanDuel says, "The game has been played -- legally -- in New York for years and years, but after the Attorney General realized he could now get himself some press coverage, he decided a game that has been around for a long, long time is suddenly now not legal." You can read both statements -- along with a quote from AG Schniederman -- in full after the break.
How a spinning chair made virtual reality feel more real
When donning a VR headset, it's easy to be awestruck by whatever 3D world you find yourself in. It's a whole new medium that simply can't be replicated on a TV. Still, there are reasons the likes of Oculus and Sony aren't selling headsets to the masses just yet. While Samsung's Gear VR and other smartphone-powered headwear are filling the void, headsets that tap into the processing might of PCs and consoles will ultimately deliver the most immersive experiences. But, the technology isn't quite there yet. Stereoscopic 3D can be jarring, with complicated worlds often appearing slightly out of focus. Then there are issues like nausea that can strike when moving through virtual surroundings. Also, how we interact with virtual spaces will continue to evolve, moving beyond the gamepad and keyboard to more natural and hopefully intuitive methods of control.
ROTO: Simply Addictive
Guiding a ball to a finish flag by timing jumps from one rotating circle to another is the core gameplay feature of ROTO. While navigating a maze of rotatory platforms filled with hazards, such as spiky saw blades, players have to collect stars which will unlock levels. ROTO is compatible with iOS devices running iOS 6.0. ROTO features simple mechanics set in a very minimalistic environment. Players tap to jump from platform to platform in an attempt to collect all of the stars in each level. The circular platforms have different speeds and this requires players to adjust their timing. Because of this, the difficulty level increases fairly rapidly, adding challenge to every level. In addition to different platform speeds, the platforms themselves have other attributes. This encourages players to plan out there moves more carefully. There are grey ghost balls that slowly disappear when players land on them, which players have to keep in mind or they will plummet to the ground. Orange balls that cause the player's ball to bounce off of are available after an in-app purchase. There is a demo level in the game for players to check out this challenge. Another challenge that is unlocked are portals, which test players' ability to choose the correct pathway of portals to get all of the stars in the level. The sound effects in the game add interest to the gameplay and make it easy to tell what type of ball a player is currently on its attributes are. For instance, when players land on a ghost ball, there is a sound effect that gives an urgent feeling referencing the impending disappearance of the platform. A downside to ROTO is that the pause button is too small, which leads to difficulty tapping the button. However, the fun addictive nature of the gameplay overshadows this minor setback. Players will be too interested in trying to collect all of the stars, and won't want to pause. ROTO is free on the App Store and recommended for players who enjoy puzzle-platformers with easy to use controls and addictive challenges.
