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Finally, a game about the Library of Congress classification system [Updated]
Since the inception of the video game, there have been those who would try to re-purpose electronic interactive entertainment for more ... educational pursuits. As a rule we're typically supportive of these efforts, but a recent project by students at Carnegie Mellon's Entertainment Technology Center has just pushed us too far. They've just used a game called Within Range to ... teach the Dewey Decimal System. [Update: It's the Library of Congress classification system. See below paragraph for more insight into how this error was made.]We've made it clear how we feel about libraries (or as we think of them, the crappy, flammable Internet that also has homeless people), so you can understand why this is so offensive to us. That's doubled by the fact that the fun has been filed under "N" for "non-existent." Think all games deserve a fair shake? Go ahead, but don't say we didn't warn you.[Thanks, Michael S.]
Second Mass Effect book, Ascension, announced
Say what you will about Mass Effect, but you've got to admit that it was a great read. In fact, the game's copious amounts of text will be spilling into dead-tree form a second time with Del-Rey Books' just announced Mass Effect: Ascension, which will be penned by Mass Effect lead writer Drew Karpyshyn, as was the first prequel book in the game's universe. (A second book had previously been hinted at with the (apparently) temporary subtitle of "Revolution.")This second novel, Ascension, will span the events between the end of the first game (Spoiler: Rosebud is his space sled!) and the beginning of the second. There's no word on a date yet, but we're going to go out on a limb and guess "sometime before the second game is released."
The Daily Grind: Optioning IP
One of the things we've often discussed behind the scenes here is what movie or comic book universe we thought would make a good setting for an MMO. There's been talk of both DC and Marvel's universe, which (hopefully) we'll see get off the ground. We've seen Star Wars (and hope to see it done again, only better this time), Lord of the Rings, The Matrix, and many others. But there are still ideas out there to be optioned, and some that could make for very interesting MMOs. My personal "want" would have to be a world based on Blade Runner. Yeah, yeah, not supposed to be a bunch of replicants on earth, etc. I know the holes in the storyline are a mile wide, but you have to admit it could be gorgeous. Still, there are lots of other movies and books out there to option. If someone put you in control of IP acquisition, what property would you immediately jump on and develop into an MMO?
Not reading enough books these days? Here's how to play and 'read' at the same time
If you're anything like me, then you may find that the more engrossed you become in a particular MMO, the more your leisure time formerly spent on reading gets whittled away. Thankfully, our friends over at WoW Insider have come up with an excellent solution that doesn't involve helper monkeys, a secondary cyborg head, or time manipulation -- but feel free to go for any of these ideas too.WI's fix for the problem is simple, but effective -- audiobooks. Sites like audible.com contain a large range of titles to choose from, and this way, instead of just listening to the same ambient sound collection replayed over and over during your next multiple-hour grind session, you could be catching up on the work of your favorite author. Aside from allowing you to keep up with your list of must-read books, you may even discover that what was previously a very tedious grind could become a lot easier, as your brain disengages from the repetitive in-game actions and focuses on your riveting audio novel.So there you have it. Hopefully you didn't rush out to the pet shop after the first paragraph, and now have a practical way to keep on top of your reading while you play games. You can check out the full article at WI through the link below.
DS success prompts the Girl's Guide to Gaming
The video game industry may be dominated by males, but that isn't stopping British publisher Black Dog Media from releasing the first Girl's Guide to Gaming. This strategy guide is marketed specifically to those of the female persuasion, and focuses its coverage on DS games that appeal to many girl consumers.According to Black Dog publisher James Gale, Nintendo has helped pull the video game industry away from a "boy's only" mentality. Gale recently told MCV "By marketing the Nintendo DS as a console for the entire family whilst Sony pushed the PSP as the latest new cool 'boy toy,' the battle between the two was over before it could begin. Nintendo didn't want to fight over the same demographic as Sony, so they created a complete [sic] new one, a market in which it wasn't only boys that played games."We're glad to see girls getting more notice as gamers, even though this guide won't appeal to the more hardcore crowd. At the very least, the Girl's Guide isn't as insulting as some marketing schemes we've seen. Even so, it's clear that Nintendo has brought many girl gamers into the mix, which is definitely a good thing.
Delicious Library 2 preview
Scott Stevenson has posted a very short but sweet preview of Delicious Library 2, due out sometime after Leopard hits next week (according to Wil Shipley, it may be as late as February). The already beautiful program (that coined a generation) looks better than ever, and it's made better, we're told, by all the great stuff going into Leopard, from Core Animation to the new Quicklook (you'll be able to drag books and DVDs out of the library to make little files of their own, which will then be viewable in Quicklook itself). And there's other touches, too-- selected items glow, when you delete a book it "shatters," and details don't just appear, they "pop into view" like on the iPhone.And there are updates behind the graphics, too-- a faster barcode scanner, some super seekrit features (that is "worth the purchase price" for parents-- ??), and sharing features, which means finally, this program has a real purpose other than just staring at the stuff you own. You'll be able to share your collection with friends and even strangers-- can't wait to see how that works.Sounds like fun. Stevenson says he wants Delicious Library 2 to set the benchmark for the first generation of Leopard apps, so we can definitely expect big, shiny stuff from these folks. Please, Delicious, show us how it's done.
Halo novel Contact Harvest coming Oct. 30
If you've already blown through the single-player campaign of Halo 3, we can understand if you have a little depression. When you stare into the future of the Halo fiction, all you can see is inky blackness. ... (Yes, and Halo Wars, but play along.) Luckily for you, salvation is coming on Oct. 30 in the form of the novel Halo: Contact Harvest.We know, we're no happier than you are about sullying our hands by touching dead trees than you are. But reseach shows that reading books about video games is a close as you can get to playing video games without electricity. Contact Harvest follows Avery Johnson through the first battle with the Covenant and is written by Joseph Staten, Bungie' s lead writer. It seems like a good purchase if you're looking for a gaming read ... or you win our Legendary Halo 3 Giveaway and want to complete your collection of everything in the world with Halo written on it.
Persuasive Games' Ian Bogost on Colbert Report tonight
Fans of serious games and/or snarky conservative satires should tune in to Comedy Central's The Colbert Report tonight, as faux-Republican Steven Colbert will be talking with Ian Bogost, game designer and author of the recently-released Persuasive Games: The Expressive Power of Videogames.According to Bogost's blog, he'll be talking about his book, and his company of the same name, which has been producing news-oriented games for the New York Times' online Times Select section. The Colbert Report airs tonight at 11:30 PM EST. Who's gonna post the YouTube video? Anyone?Updated the time; thanks to everyone who corrected this.
Library lures potential readers with video games
Beware, bibliophobes! Nefarious librarians are luring gamers into their hallowed halls with promises of Guitar Hero goodness. The Fort Dodge Messenger reports that a public library in Humboldt, Iowa is using Guitar Hero as a hook to get teens interested in reading. Gaming aficionados from local schools were invited to the library to play the rhythm music game, and peers from the library's Teen Advisory Board used the opportunity to encourage reading as an enjoyable past-time. Books? Enjoyable? Who knew?[Via GamePolitics]
Warcraft novel author Richard A. Knaak will be at Blizzcon
Blizzplanet got word from Richard A. Knaak himself that he's going to be at Blizzcon next weekend. Knaak, you may know, is the author of the War of the Ancients series of Warcraft books, as well as the author of other Sci Fi and Fantasy books, including a few books set in the Diablo universe.He'll be hanging at the Tokyopop and Pocket Star books booth showing off their Warcraft Manga book, the Sunwell Trilogy, as well as promoting the upcoming release of the reprint compliation of the WotA trilogy. Knaak's blog also says he's going to be at Comicon this week, if you're in San Diego for that one, and has another interesting little tidbit: apparently the first book of the Sunwell Trilogy has been picked up as an SAT study book. So you can read about Warcraft and study for the SAT at the same time.Anyway, no word on whether Knaak will be actually signing or not, but he seems like a nice enough guy, and will probably be happy to discuss any of the ins and outs of Warcraft lore with you. And if you are going to Blizzcon, don't forget-- we'll be happy to discuss them with you too!Thanks, Chadwick!
iPhone: The Missing Manual available in August, PDF bundle available now
The venerable David Pogue has worked his relentless magic yet again to conjure up yet another manual that apparently should have been in the box with iPhone: The Missing Manual (though one could certainly argue that there would have been no way to fit a typical book in the iPhone's impressively compact packaging anyway). As the promo email that I just received states, Pogue's iPhone coverage is summarized into four primary categories: the phone and organizer, the iPod, the Internet, and the hardware and software. Pogue even tackles such issues as synching an iPhone with multiple machines and ways to solve the iPhone's lack of a spam filter. Heck, Mr. Pogue is so into the iPhone, he even sang about switching to it.If you're already hooked and itching to both buy and read, O'Reilly is offering a bundle deal right up your alley: though the $20 book doesn't ship until sometime in August, you can purchase a $24.99 bundle to get a PDF copy right now. Either way, you can find out more details at O'Reilly's product page for iPhone: The Missing Manual.
Publishing exec 'steals' Google laptops in silly demonstration
We can't say that we'd recommend a CEO steal property from Google in order to prove a point, but the head honcho of Macmillan Publishers pushed his superego aside and did just that at a recent BookExpo America in NYC. It's no secret that a number of publishers have been up in arms about Google's approach to digitizing their works, but Richard Charkin went so far as to recruit a colleague and swipe a pair of laptops from a Google Books kiosk at the event. About an hour later, the booth attendants actually noticed the missing goods and presumably began to panic, and the haughty executive then had the nerve to return the machines to their rightful owners whilst dropping the "hope you enjoyed a taste of your own medicine" line. He justified the bizarre behavior by suggesting that "there wasn't a sign by the computers informing him not to steal them," apparently referencing Google's controversial tactics when scanning books. That'll show 'em, Mr. Charkin.[Via TechDirt]
'Videogame Style Guide' now available for free, for limited time
When he's not busy blogging about the potentially deadly mix of urine and PlayStations, Joystiq blogger Kyle Orland has been busy at work on The Videogame Style Guide and Reference Manual, a ... uh, style guide and reference manual about video games. Or is that videogames? Over a year ago, style guide coauthor Dave Thomas prompted this Joystiq poll to determine whether we'd use "videogames" or "video games" here at the 'stiq. Astute readers will certainly note that we use the latter, as determined by our savvy voters. Those who voted for that winner will be disheartened to learn that "videogames" -- Thomas' preferred variant -- is indeed the guide's preferred spelling.So, why a style guide for games writers? Kyle attempts to tackle that question over at GameDaily, while edifying readers on the correct styling of Xbox (hint: that's the correct version). But what about PLAYSTATION 3? We don't have to write it in all caps, do we? Interested parties -- even you FAQ writers -- can request a free eBook copy of the book for a limited time -- an altruistic effort we can only imagine is intended to save each and every one of us from reading "X-BoX-360" ever again. Want to add a leatherbound* copy to your mahogany bookcase? Hard copies are available for $15 paperback and $25 hardback. *Leather binding not available.Free - Request The Videogame Style Guide and Reference ManualRead - Book Excerpt: 'A Question of Style' (GameDaily BIZ)
Vista vs. OS X by the books
Tim O'Reilly, he of the animal books (as I like to call them), often posts about how O'Reilly's book sales can be indicative of tech trends in general. Thanks to zealous statistic keeping Tim has a wealth of knowledge about his sales (as as good business man should). The latest trend that Tim has set his sights on is OS adoption, specifically that of Vista/Tiger. Clearly, O'Reilly has sold more Vista related books vs. OS X books (darn marketshare), however, after 6 months Tiger books completely replaced sales of Pather books while XP books are still selling strong (though Vista sales are 50% higher than XP).What does this tell us? Mac users, at least those that buy tech books, are more likely to upgrade their OS to the latest version while Windows users are taking a wait and see approach with Vista.How many of you are planning on upgrading to Leopard as soon as it comes out?
Off the Grid reads McKenzie Wark's Gamer Theory
Every other week Scott Jon Siegel contributes Off the Grid, a column on gaming away from the television screen or monitor.In the spirit of the book - and of Off the Grid's focus on the disparities between digital and non-digital formats - I'm going to concentrate less on the content of McKenzie Wark's Gamer Theory, and more on the differences between its web-based and treeware versions. Marshall McLuhan would be proud.Wark - a writer, scholar, and academic - first published GAM3R 7H30RY in 2006. The text, produced with the Brooklyn-based Institute for the Future of the Book, appeared as a specially-designed, collaborative website. Divided into chapters, with each chapter divided into notecard-like sections, the "book" encouraged its readers to leave comments/criticisms on the material covered. Once moderated, comments would then appear alongside the sections. The site itself is beautifully designed, and allows users easy access to any of the 225 pages of content within three intuitive clicks of the mouse.After collecting enough comments and feedback, Wark and the IFB closed down the response-system for GAM3R 7H30RY Version 1.1. In mid-April, they introduced Version 2.0, now called Gamer Theory, alongside a non-digital book of the same name, published IRL by Harvard University Press.
Sci-fi author tackling Assassin's Creed books
Pro-G reports that a trilogy of Assassin's Creed books are to be written by best selling science fiction author, Steven Barnes. The first book is a prequel to the game and is set to release in October. The books will center on the backstory of the game's main character, Altair. Having written for television series such as The Twilight Zone and The Outer Limits, Barnes seems like a natural choice (360 Fanboy readers will remember the recently leaked info that Assassin's Creed actually has a science fiction plot). We're curious to see how many of the game's sci-fi elements make it into the books.So, will you be picking up the books, or will you be saving your scratch for the game?[Via Game Stooge]
Ask TUAW: Trash in the Sidebar, Mail problems, Books, and More
It's time yet again for Ask TUAW, our weekly questions and answers column. This week we'll be tackling questions from last week about putting the Trash in the Finder sidebar, problems with Mail, keeping track of Books, and more. As always, please leave your own comments, and ask more questions for next week either in the comments to this post or using the tip form. Now let's turn to this week's questions.
Game designer turns geek mafia
Before you lynch us for recommending entertainment that's neither electronic nor interactive (books, they're the ultimate retro portable), know that GEEK MAFIA ain't just any book. First, it's hella cheap: $5. Second, the book features as hero protagonist a video game designer who gets entangled in a comic book counterfeiting scheme and uses game design skills to pull off a big con. Author Rick Dakan's bio includes a hint of the intrigue that may have inspired the novel. According to his bio, Dakan dreamed up the idea for popular MMORPG City of Heroes, helped found Cryptic Studios, and was fired by his business partners three years later. The kid's got chops, the book's getting props, and the price is right. We bought one. [Via Seth Godin]
BiblioRoll, the new digital literary baton
We're not sure that the BiblioRoll exactly meets the definition of kawaii, but it's definitely all sorts of awesome looking, and feels pulled from a 70s sci-fi. The BiblioRoll is a 15cm (about six inches) plastic cylinder that contains three 2-inch LCDs encased in separate sections of the cylinder. Each section can be rotated to display pages of different books, each of which can be linked and referenced together. The good folks from Media Design Okude Laboratory at KEIO University in Japan say that the BiblioRoll won't be complete until 2010, which should give us enough time to save up enough money to actually buy one of these things. Maybe by then we'll also have organized a BiblioRoll throwing contest.[Thanks, Takashi Matsumoto]
Sony's PRS-500 eBook reader subject to another delay
First off, contrary to the beliefs of certain commenters, we absolutely do not hate Sony -- we just think that after the infamous PS3 and BDP-S1 Blu-ray delays, the company would want to do everything possible to make sure that another highly-anticipated product doesn't fall into the same cycle. Yet that's exactly what we're seeing with the upcoming PRS-500 eBook reader first announced at CES -- originally scheduled for a spring release before slipping to a summer time frame -- whose launch has now been pushed back once again to sometime this fall. According to an email Sony sent out to potential customers -- wisely thanking them for their patience -- the e-ink-based Reader will now be shipping "in time for the holidays," which hopefully doesn't refer to December 24th. Sample launch titles include Freakanomics and The Da Vinci Code, although by the time you can actually get your hands on the hardware, you'll probably have already read those books along with many of the other initial offerings. As much as we'd like to own one of these handy ~$350 devices -- and despite having no need whatsoever for a bunch of aviation documents -- we're pretty close to just biting the bullet and shelling out $900 for the eFlyBook version of iRex's iLiad that went on sale yesterday.[Thanks, Curt C. and Riley P.]
