age
Latest
Breakfast Topic: No children, please!
I recently overheard someone giving advice on how to avoid guild drama: avoid teenagers. Why? Because nothing loses respect for a guild leader more than their parents kicking them off the computer in the middle of a raid.It's an interesting point, but I've noticed this sort of age discrimination becoming more prevalent recently. People are happy to tar all WoW's younger players with the same brush -- one experience of an abusive fourteen-year-old in Barrens chat blows up into a strong dislike of all under-18s, resulting in "mature-only" guilds which only take players over 30 (for example).My experiences, especially of the last few months, have shown me that teenage players can be as mature and responsible as anyone -- perhaps more laid-back than older players who have limited playtime thanks to jobs and other responsibilities. Have you suffered from the common stereotypes of younger players? Do you cringe whenever the words "fourteen-year-old" are used as an insult? Or are you happily entrenched in a mature-only guild without a single curfew in sight?
Kodak patent for age-detecting camera system
Even despite all those face lifts, tummy tucks, fake tans, dye-jobs, and botox injections, Kodak may soon be able to accurately gauge one's age when it comes snapshot time. They apparently filed a patent in 2004 for a system which, as the above images culled from their patent filing so plainly suggest, determines the age of a photographer's subject by putting that red-eye effect to good use and metering the size and distance between those two red dots the rest of us can't seem to reliably get rid of in our photos. Apparently pupil dilation reflex time increases with age (like most other reflexes), you'll be able to find out for sure whether Grandma really is as young as she says. Though frankly we're not really sure we want to know.[Via New Scientist]
DS Lite and Brain Age not playing well together
No doubt you're too occupied with charting your brain's age and calculating simple arithmetic with the quickness of a Chuck Norris roundhouse kick to read this post. That's OK, we'll forgive you and just post this blog here for when you encounter this most horrible issue while playing on your newly-acquired DS Lite. Seems the device doesn't recognize the word blue, a word that is so critical to success in the "game." Reader Sean even went so far as to knock upon the doors of Nintendo, demanding an answer to this most heinous issue. The response he received was:Hi Sean,Thanks for your e-mail. We appreciate your comments. The problem that you are describing is very likely because the Nintendo DS Lite is not designed for use in North America. That means that we have not tested it for use here. I will be sure to forward your e-mail along for further review, just in case.So far, the redesigned Nintendo DS has only been released in Japan. Look for any further announcements on this product by checking the news section of our website at the following address:www.nintendo.com/newsmainKeep checking our website at www.nintendo.com for the latest on Nintendo games, systems, and promotions. And, while on our site, also check out the My Nintendo program. With this program, not only can you check on the status of asubscription, part order or repair order, but you can also register your games and systems, and participate in the Nintendo Forums.Nintendo of America Inc.Lauren TaylorThe funny thing is, the "game" can hardly recognize when I say blue either, and that's on an original phat DS. Maybe it's my rough Philly accent, which makes me say "wooter" instead of "water."
Brain Age site launches
The website for Brain Age: Train Your Brain in Minutes a Day! has launched, and in following with Nintendo's goals for the game, features a lot of different types of people, young and old, having at it with DS in hand and commenting on their own performance. The website also showcases a comprehensive how-to on playing the game, taking the viewer through the motions and undoubtedly causing their mouth to salivate with the wish to taste the succulent delicacies the game will soon have to offer. Do yourself a favor and go check the site out to tide you over these next few days until you can get your hands on your own copy (unless you were one of the lucky in attendance at GDC).[Thanks Josh!]
Smarter gamers pre-ordering Brain Age?
Yesterday's Amazon.com computer and video games sales chart showed Nintendo's upcoming mental-massaging Brain Age : Train Your Brain in Minutes a Day for the DS jump from the abysmal rank of #135 to that of a fit #5. Looks like gamers with a thirst for mental acuity are thinking this game will be hard to acquire once it is released. The idea isn't that far-fetched considering the game has sold 3.3 million copies to date in Japan. Brain Age: Train Your Brain in Minutes a Day releases on the 17th.[Via Infendo]
Brain Age footage
Etoychest has a video up of Jason Dobson taking a crack at the upcoming Brain Age. The video shows him explaining the interface of the game and going through some drawing and calculation exercises. While Jason admits his Brain Age is not very high, it's likely due to his lack of stylus use (seriously, you'd draw a lot better and get more numbers right it you used the stylus). So while upon start his Brain Age is only in the 40s, it's very possible this could be improved by switching that finger with a stylus on the touch screen. Regardless, the video has a lot of information and should interest everyone looking forward to getting their brain in shape come later in April.[Note: the video requires Quicktime]
Information on Brain Age
DS-X2 has some additional information on the forthcoming Brain Age: Train Your Brain in Minutes a Day. The upcoming title aims to energize your mind through various minigames and improving your overall "brain age." "When users start a new game, they will take a series of tests and get a score that shows how old their brains are. This number is called the "Brain Age." As they use the software over a series weeks and months, their mental acuity will improve and the Brain Age will drop, indicating a younger, healthier brain. Progress is charted in graph form." Also included is a list of some of the minigames included in Brain Age. Such tasks charged to the player are memorizing words, quickly counting people in a crowd, and reading classical literature aloud as fast as possible.
