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Blow points finger at next game's name: The Witness
Jonathan Blow has revealed The Witness will be the name of his next game, and there's even a teaser site to go with the announcement. "Teaser site" is a bit generous of a term, it's a website with some prose that reads like a lost page from Braid's between-level books. Clicking on the text will reveal another page, stating that the "exploration-puzzle game on an uninhabited island" will release in late 2011 on multiple platforms.Blow had previously mentioned some details about his next title, calling it a "philosophical, and quiet" puzzle-exploration title. As long as The Witness comes with an actual ending that wasn't designed to give academics something to write books about (that nobody will ever read), and leave everyone else scratching their heads, we'll be fine.Update: Added information about clicking on text.[Thanks, Fahd]
Georgia Tech researchers demonstrate blowable user interface
Although a team from Kent State already whipped up a method for turning one's PC on / off with a simple puff of air, two gurus at Georgia Tech have created a full-blown (ahem) breath-controlled user interface. The low-cost, localized blowable UI -- cleverly dubbed BLUI -- apparently utilizes a built-in microphone along with a C++ application that computes the blowing inputs. Once installed, users can puff on either side of the screen in order to scroll left / right, icons can be selected depending on the fierceness of the puff and games could integrate the technology in to add another level of interactivity. Notably, the duo behind the creation is already investigating how to avoid false positives (i.e. inputs from nature when outside on a blustery day), and while we're not sure how close this stuff is to becoming commercially available (if at all), you can take a look at a videoed demonstration just beyond the break. [Warning: PDF read link]
How did you blow your NES cartridge?
Gamers from the first Nintendo era know all about blowing that NES cartridge. There was something stupidly magical about blowing the cartridge and suddenly it all worked. For those too young, here's a quick breakdown: Before PlayStation and Super Nintendo -- there was the NES, which universally had an issue that you'd stick in a game and get a blank or messed-up screen. Then you'd proceed to take out the cartridge and using various blowing techniques get the thing to work again.Beyond1nfinite has written about various techniques he recalls from the "old skool." We certainly recall "The Harmonica Blower," who would blow into the cartridge like it was a harmonica and get spittle on the insides. Another one that brought back memories was "The Banger," who wouldn't blow, but just bang the cartridge, although can't remember that ever working. The most frighting one on the list is "The Alcoholic." Did people really ever put alcohol on a Q-tip to clean their cartridge? That just sounds like crazy talk.Anyway, the protocol around here was to blow and then follow it up by putting the cartridge almost all the way in. Then press down and make the cartridge pop in the rest of the way. Worked every time. Anybody remember other techniques?
